Category: Science

An excavation near Leicester Cathedral has led to the discovery of a burial pit containing the remains of 123 individuals. The find, described as one of the largest mass graves from the period, dates back over 800 years to the early 12th century. Despite the scale of the burial, no evidence of violence was found, […]

Dr Jane Goodall, renowned primatologist and conservationist, has raised the alarm over an accelerating global biodiversity crisis, describing it as the “sixth great extinction.” Speaking during her latest environmental awareness tour in Europe, Dr Goodall emphasised the importance of immediate measures to combat deforestation, restore natural habitats, and reduce reliance on fossil fuels. During an […]

Observing space allows scientists to peer into the universe’s past. This is possible because light requires time to travel over vast cosmic distances. By capturing light from celestial objects, telescopes act as windows into earlier periods of the universe’s history. Light travels at approximately 186,000 miles (300,000 kilometres) per second. Despite this incredible speed, the […]

A breakthrough in biosensor technology could enable the real-time monitoring of stress and alertness in drivers and pilots. Developed by researchers from the National University of Singapore and Tsinghua University, the device, integrated into seatbelts, tracks heartbeat and respiration without needing direct contact with the skin. This innovation, detailed in Nature Electronics, promises to enhance […]

A 37,000-year-old saber-toothed kitten, preserved in near-perfect condition, has been unearthed in the Siberian permafrost, shedding light on an extinct predator. The discovery was made in 2020 near the Badyarikha River, north of the Arctic Circle. The frozen remains, which include the head, forelimbs, and upper body, belong to the species Homotherium latidens. This late […]

The Earth’s freshwater reserves experienced a sudden decline starting in May 2014 and have remained persistently low, according to findings by an international team of scientists utilising NASA-German satellites. Observations from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) mission revealed a significant reduction in freshwater stored on land, including lakes, rivers, and underground aquifers. The […]

Supercomputing is transforming scientific research at NASA, aiding discoveries that span from our planet to the farthest reaches of space. At the International Conference for High Performance Computing (SC24), NASA is showcasing how this technology supports critical missions, including the Artemis programme, sustainable aviation, and studies of cosmic phenomena. Dr Nicola Fox, Associate Administrator for […]

Archaeologists have uncovered a remarkable 2,000-year-old Roman knife handle in Northumberland, England. The discovery, made in the River Tyne near Corbridge Roman Town, features a detailed depiction of a gladiator. This unique find sheds light on the influence and popularity of gladiators across the Roman Empire, including its farthest reaches in Britain. As per a […]

A captivating image of two interacting galaxies, known as MCG+05-31-045, has been shared by NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) through the Hubble Space Telescope. It is located 390 million light-years away in the Coma Cluster. The smaller galaxy’s spiral arms appear to merge with the larger one, with a tail of material and […]

A rare sight unfolded on November 10, as NASA launched rockets that created artificial clouds beneath auroras during a minor geomagnetic storm over northern Norway. The event took place near Andøya Space Center, a facility situated in an ideal location for studying geomagnetic activity due to its proximity to the Arctic Circle. Tour operator Ivar […]

NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope has unveiled a dramatic cosmic interaction occurring in the outskirts of the Milky Way galaxy. The Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), a dwarf galaxy approximately 10 per cent the mass of the Milky Way, has been observed losing much of its gaseous halo. The phenomenon is attributed to the gravitational and environmental […]

SpaceX is set for its sixth Starship test flight, scheduled for Tuesday, November 19, at the Starbase facility in South Texas. The massive Super Heavy booster, forming the first stage of the Starship rocket, was transported to the orbital launch pad on November 14, while the spacecraft itself, known simply as Starship, arrived earlier on […]

New research has revealed that volcanic eruptions occurred on the Moon’s far side billions of years ago, comparable to those observed on its visible side. This discovery was made through an analysis of lunar soil samples brought back by China’s Chang’e-6 spacecraft, the first mission to collect and return materials from this largely unexplored lunar […]

A team of researchers at the Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials (KIMM) has developed an innovative ‘morphing’ wheel that adapts to various terrains, offering potential solutions for mobility challenges. This technology allows the wheel to overcome obstacles up to 1.3 times the height of its radius, enabling smooth navigation across kerbs, humps, and even […]

In the event of human extinction due to war or climate change, octopuses have been identified as potential rulers of Earth, according to leading scientists. Their intelligence, dexterity, and adaptability are believed to position them as candidates for developing an advanced civilisation. Professor Tim Coulson, a zoologist at the University of Oxford, suggests that octopuses […]

A groundbreaking artificial intelligence tool called FastGlioma has been developed, enabling surgeons to detect residual cancerous brain tumours within 10 seconds during surgery. The innovation, detailed in a recent study in Nature, is seen as a significant advancement in neurosurgery, outperforming traditional tumour detection methods. Researchers from the University of Michigan and the University of […]

A new artificial intelligence (AI) tool, Earth Copilot, has been introduced by NASA in collaboration with Microsoft to make Earth-related scientific data more accessible. Designed to summarise NASA’s extensive geospatial information, the AI-powered chatbot aims to simplify complex datasets and answer user queries with ease. By addressing questions like the environmental impact of events or […]

A recent cosmic census has revealed an unexpected threefold rise in active black holes within dwarf galaxies, creating the most extensive database of intermediate-mass black holes recorded to date. This survey, conducted with the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) at the Mayall Telescope in Arizona, identified over 2,500 black holes in dwarf galaxies—more than triple […]

Astronomers have crafted a detailed three-dimensional map of the Local Hot Bubble (LHB), a vast, low-density region surrounding our solar system. This bubble, filled with hot, X-ray-emitting gas, has been a subject of study since the 1970s, and recent data from the eROSITA All-Sky Survey has provided new insights into its structure and history. The […]

A cloth fragment discovered in a royal tomb in Greece could be the remains of a tunic once worn by Alexander the Great, according to recent claims by Professor Emeritus Antonis Bartsiokas of Democritus University of Thrace. Found in a tomb near Vergina, a site historically tied to Macedonian royalty, this garment is now believed […]

A simulated extraterrestrial message sent from Mars to Earth in 2023 was decoded in June by Ken Chaffin and his daughter, Keli Chaffin, through nearly a year of persistent efforts. Created as part of “A Sign in Space” project by the SETI Institute, the message displays five formations of amino acids, though its meaning remains […]

A study by the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF) suggests that early Homo species may have experienced extended childhoods well before significant brain enlargement, challenging longstanding evolutionary assumptions. The findings are based on the dental development of a nearly complete sub-adult Homo skull, unearthed at the Dmanisi site in Georgia and dated to 1.77 million […]

The much-anticipated Tamil drama Parachute, starring Krishna and Kishore, is set to stream on Disney+ Hotstar from November 29. Directed by Sridhar K, the film introduces a heartfelt narrative about childhood, familial relationships and the challenges of parenthood. Alongside the lead actors, the ensemble cast includes Kani Thiru, Kaali Venkat and child artists Shakthi Ritwik […]

A massive coral, thought to be the largest ever recorded, has been discovered by scientists in the Solomon Islands, drawing global attention to its size and environmental significance. The coral, which extends about 111 feet across and 104 feet in length, spans an area comparable to two basketball courts and can be seen from space. […]

Research led by the University of Tartu has revealed a potential link between industrial air pollution and localised snowfall. Observations using both satellite and ground-based radar indicate that industrial facilities across North America, Europe, and Asia may trigger local snowfall by causing ice to form in supercooled clouds. This phenomenon, observed near factories such as […]

A recent study by the University of California, Santa Barbara has identified four policies that could reduce plastic waste pollution globally by over 90 percent and cut associated carbon emissions by nearly a third by 2050. The findings highlight a comprehensive approach involving increased recycled content, a cap on plastic production, enhanced waste management investment, […]

India, along with other developing countries at COP29 called for fair and effective climate finance agreements to support global climate action. Representing the Like-Minded Developing Countries (LMDCs), India emphasised the need for equitable financial support from developed nations, spotlighting the burden placed on vulnerable economies. Negotiators have noted that around 69% of the climate finance currently […]

A preliminary draft text for the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) on climate finance was published at COP29 by the NCQG contact group co-chairs, marking an important step in advancing the COP29 Presidency’s primary negotiating goal. The draft is intended to serve as a “workable basis for discussion” to refine climate finance commitments. Mukhtar Babayev, […]

In a recent observation, NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope has documented a close interaction between the Milky Way and one of its nearest galactic neighbours, the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). This recent analysis of the LMC, led by Andrew Fox of the European Space Agency’s Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) in Baltimore, reveals the effects of […]

New research on unique sandstone formations in the Colorado Rocky Mountains may confirm that Earth experienced a massive, planet-wide freeze known as “Snowball Earth.” About 700 million years ago, Earth’s surface was encased in ice, creating an extreme climate where early life not only survived but later evolved into complex multicellular organisms. For decades, the […]