China spent decades planting 66 billion trees; scientists found they now outgrow natural forests by 66%

China spent decades planting 66 billion trees; scientists found they now outgrow natural forests by 66% | World News

Contrary to popular belief, China’s massive planted forests are growing faster than natural woodlands, showing accelerated leaf growth and canopy expansion. Image Credits: Wikimedia Commons When we look at satellite images of a changing planet, we often think of industrial expansion or environmental loss. We picture urban concrete spreading across historical valleys, long transport corridors…

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Forget solar panels: This ‘wood battery' powers homes even in total darkness

Wood Battery: Forget solar panels: This ‘wood battery’ powers homes even in total darkness |

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…

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Meet Dattatreya Ramchandra Kaprekar: The Indian mathematician who discovered a ‘ghost number’ that always returns to itself

Meet Dattatreya Ramchandra Kaprekar: The Indian mathematician who discovered a ‘ghost number’ that always returns to itself |

In a modest classroom in Devlali near Nashik, a schoolteacher quietly uncovered one of the most intriguing patterns in mathematics. Dattatreya Ramchandra Kaprekar, born in 1905, was not part of elite academic circles, yet his fascination with numbers led him to discover a remarkable constant: 6174. What makes this number extraordinary is its behaviour. Apply…

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