In April 2029, asteroid Apophis will pass Earth at a distance that sounds almost unreal on paper. About 20,000 miles away from the surface, close enough that it sits inside the region where many satellites already orbit. It is not expected to hit Earth, and NASA has made it clear there is no known risk…
Scientists have intensely studied the Moon’s polar regions due to the ice found in Permanently Shadowed Regions. The newest study in Nature Astronomy confirms that the Moon has been accumulating ice for about 1.5 billion years. Researchers used data from NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) to determine that the build-up of ice is a steady-state…
Quote of the day by Rosalind Franklin (Image source: Britannica) Some scientists stand out not only for their discoveries, but also for how clearly they saw responsibility and progress. One such person was Rosalind Franklin. She was famous for her groundbreaking work on DNA structure, and she also believed strongly that scientific work should have…
From high up in the sky, some of the remotest regions can tell a tale that can be perceived only when viewed from a high vantage point. In one particular photograph, there is a beautiful picture of a small lake hugging the edge of one of the oldest pieces of ice in all of Canada….
BENGALURU: In the race to find safer and cheaper alternatives to lithium-ion batteries, scientists in Bengaluru may have found a promising step forward, by fixing a problem that has long held aluminium batteries back.A research team led by Kavita Pandey of the Centre for Nano and Soft Matter Sciences (CeNS), a Department of Science and…
BENGALURU: When the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) and the Institute of Aerospace Medicine (IAM) wrapped up its high-altitude human behaviour simulation near Leh on April 9, much of the focus was on what it could reveal about crew psychology. Less visible was the role played by a Bengaluru-based firm that enabled the exercise on…
Thorns in different plant species have always been an interesting subject for botanists. Be it rose plants or cactus, they use thorns to protect themselves from herbivorous animals. It was long unknown to researchers about the genetic development of thorns in plants. This has been clarified recently through the discovery of how genetic mutations can…
Scientists have developed a powerful new technique that acts like a “light switch” for oxytocin, often called the brain’s love hormone, allowing it to be activated with extraordinary precision. The breakthrough, led by researchers at the University of Queensland, enables scientists to release oxytocin in specific parts of the brain using light. This makes it…
Experiencing a Giant Sequoia is more than just an experience with nature; it’s an experience of sheer impossibility. Within the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California, a veritable forest full of these ancient giants defies our understanding of biology and the scale of living organisms. Consider how truly large an organism must be to exceed the…
A major development in sustainable architecture has enabled researchers to convert ordinary timber into an advanced thermal reservoir. In this case, lignin is removed from wood through chemical modification and phase change materials are added, giving rise to a new product that has been termed ‘solar battery,’ which stores solar energy collected by a building…
The universe is normally believed to be tranquil; nevertheless, at times, the universe will surprise you in ways you can never have imagined. A black hole was discovered recently by some scientists who were amazed when they observed the hole wake up from its dormant state after sleeping for roughly 100 million years. The consequence…
Each spring in Kyoto arrives with a quiet anticipation. Buds swell, branches soften, and for a brief, luminous moment, cherry blossoms transform the landscape into something almost unreal. For Prof Yasuyuki Aono, this annual spectacle was not merely a cultural ritual but a lifelong pursuit of precision. A researcher at Osaka Metropolitan University, he spent…
