Category: Science

Tree crops, including apples, cherries, olives, nuts, coffee, and cacao, account for more than 183 million hectares of agricultural land globally. Despite their significant contribution to food production, livelihoods, and ecological balance, these crops have been largely overlooked in agricultural policymaking. Their potential to address global sustainability challenges, protect biodiversity, and mitigate climate change has […]

A rare stellar phenomenon, termed the “blue lurker,” has been observed by NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope within the open star cluster M67, located approximately 2,800 light-years away. This star, part of a unique triple-star system, has captivated researchers due to its unusual evolutionary history. Identified for its accelerated spin rate and distinct characteristics, the blue […]

Significant discoveries have been made at the ancient site of Kurd Qaburstan in Iraq, shedding light on Mesopotamian history. Artefacts including clay cuneiform tablets, a game board, and structural remains have been unearthed by a team led by Tiffany Earley-Spadoni, an associate professor of history at the University of Central Florida. The findings are believed […]

A striking satellite image from 2023 revealed a rare combination of natural phenomena occurring simultaneously around Bear Island, or Bjørnøya, part of Norway’s Svalbard archipelago. The image showcases swirling atmospheric patterns alongside a massive algal bloom in the Barents Sea. Bear Island is surrounded by radioactive waters, remnants of a Cold War-era Soviet submarine, raising […]

Recent discoveries indicate that the universe may harbour significantly more feeding supermassive black holes than previously estimated. These colossal entities, each with a mass ranging from millions to billions of times that of the Sun, are believed to be concealed by dense veils of gas and dust. This obscuration, researchers suggest, could hide nearly 30 […]

SpaceX launched 131 satellites into orbit during its Transporter 12 mission on 14 January 2025. The Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, at 2:09 p.m. EST. This mission added to the company’s rideshare programme, aimed at delivering payloads for multiple customers in a single launch. The first stage booster of […]

An “unusual” La Niña event has been confirmed, bringing cooler atmospheric and oceanic conditions in the tropical Pacific. Despite expectations for its arrival last year, the phenomenon has emerged later and is forecast to be weaker and shorter in duration. The event, part of the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) cycle, is known for influencing global […]

India has become the fourth nation to achieve successful space docking, following the completion of the SpaDeX (Space Docking Experiment) mission by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Thursday. Using two small satellites, SDX01 (Chaser) and SDX02 (Target), ISRO demonstrated advanced capabilities for spacecraft rendezvous, docking, and undocking. This accomplishment is considered pivotal for […]

A supermassive black hole in a galaxy located 100 million light-years away has drawn the attention of astronomers with its unusual behavior. Observations have revealed a steady increase in the frequency of X-ray flashes, starting at intervals of 18 minutes and accelerating to seven minutes over two years. This phenomenon, linked to the black hole […]

A laser-based imaging method has brought to light intricate tattoo designs on 1,200-year-old mummies from Peru’s Chancay culture. These tattoos, once invisible due to fading over centuries, have been revealed in extraordinary detail, showcasing the artistry of ancient tattooing practices. Over 100 mummified remains were examined, and three individuals were found with tattoos featuring fine […]

A breakthrough in materials science has unveiled that carbon nanotube (CNT) fibers can be fully recycled without losing their original properties, offering a sustainable alternative to traditional materials like metals, polymers, and carbon fibers. This advancement is seen as a critical step toward reducing environmental impact in manufacturing sectors such as aerospace, automotive, and electronics. […]

Frozen dunes observed on Mars’ surface may provide insights into the planet’s past climate and the potential for life. Carbon dioxide frost covering these dunes halts their usual movement, offering a unique opportunity to study how seasonal changes shape Mars’ surface. Researchers are examining whether conditions on the Red Planet once supported liquid water for […]

A technical issue has caused Blue Origin to postpone the maiden launch of its New Glenn heavy-lift rocket. The aerospace company, founded by Jeff Bezos, had initially scheduled the launch for early morning on January 13, 2025, from Florida’s Space Coast. The launch window, lasting three hours, opened at 1 a.m. EST. The attempt was […]

Solar activity over the past three years has been transformed into audible sound through data collected by the Solar Orbiter, a joint mission by the European Space Agency (ESA) and NASA. This innovative sonification captures the progression of solar flares, highlighting changes in solar activity as the Sun approaches its 11-year cycle peak. Visual and […]

The state of the American flags planted during the Apollo moon landings continues to intrigue space enthusiasts and researchers. The six flags, symbolic of the United States’ achievement in human space exploration, were deployed during the Apollo missions from 1969 to 1972. Concerns have arisen about their current condition due to the harsh lunar environment, […]

A new category of particles, termed “paraparticles,” has been theorized by physicists, offering a fresh perspective on the fundamental building blocks of nature. These particles defy traditional classifications of fermions and bosons, presenting unique properties that could revolutionize understanding in quantum mechanics and potentially enhance quantum computing capabilities. The mathematical model defining paraparticles opens up […]

A new passenger plane design featuring a revolutionary “blended wing” structure is set to take flight within the next five years, marking a significant departure from conventional aircraft designs. Developed to integrate the wings with the fuselage into a seamless, unified shape, the aircraft is anticipated to slash fuel consumption by half and significantly lower […]

Concerns have been raised over the authenticity of a fossil used to describe a mosasaur species that reportedly existed 72 to 66 million years ago. The fossil, discovered in a phosphate mine in Morocco, formed the basis for the classification of Xenodens calminechari, a marine predator with unique saw-like teeth. The 2021 study that introduced […]

On January 2, China tested five new rocket engines, advancing its ambitious space exploration programmes. The tests, carried out by the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), took place at two locations: Beijing and Laiyuan County in Hebei Province. The engines, designed for various stages and purposes, underwent rigorous trials to evaluate their performance. […]

A groundbreaking discovery has been made in Antarctica, where a team of scientists successfully extracted a 2.8-kilometre-long ice core believed to contain air bubbles and particles from 1.2 million years ago. This ancient ice sample, retrieved under extreme conditions with temperatures reaching -35 degree Celsius, holds the potential to reveal crucial insights about a critical […]

Astronomers recently observed a rare cosmic event where a supermassive black hole, located approximately 408 million light-years away, consumed one star from a binary system while the other narrowly escaped. This unusual phenomenon, known as a double-flash tidal disruption event (TDE), occurred in the galaxy WISEA J122045.05+493304.7. These powerful events, visible from billions of light-years […]

The ongoing wildfires in Southern California have caused extensive destruction, with over 34,000 acres burned and significant damage to homes, businesses, and infrastructure reported. At least 10 fatalities have been confirmed, and numerous individuals have been injured since the fires ignited earlier this week. The largest of these fires, the Palisades Fire, has ravaged nearly […]

Efforts to unravel the mysteries of dark matter have gained momentum with a new approach exploring its potential conversion into detectable signals within Earth’s ionosphere. Dark matter, believed to constitute most of the universe’s mass, has remained undetectable despite extensive searches. Recent research proposes that particles like axions or dark photons could convert into low-frequency […]

SpaceX‘s highly anticipated seventh test flight of its Starship rocket is set to take place on Wednesday, January 15, at 5 p.m. EST from the Starbase facility in South Texas. The mission, delayed from its earlier target of January 13, will showcase an upgraded version of the world’s largest rocket system. This test marks another […]

A white dwarf star, located approximately 1,700 light-years away from Earth, was observed to be shrinking while continuing to steal stellar material from its companion star. Known as RX J0648.0–4418, this star is part of a unique binary system involving HD 49798, a helium-burning hot subdwarf star. The white dwarf is rapidly spinning, completing one […]

The melting of Antarctic ice sheets could be leading to more intense volcanic eruptions, with significant implications for Earth’s geological systems. As ice sheets reduce in size, the massive weight they exert on the Earth’s crust diminishes, a process that impacts magma chambers beneath the surface. This pressure alteration may result in increased volcanic activity, […]

Organic solar cells have emerged as a promising solution for powering space missions due to their lightweight, flexible, and radiation-resistant properties. These solar cells, made from carbon-based materials, are being explored as alternatives to traditional silicon and gallium arsenide cells. Both silicon and gallium arsenide, while effective, are costly, heavy, and lack flexibility. Organic solar […]

An interdisciplinary team of researchers has explored the potential of covalent organic frameworks (COFs) in enabling efficient energy transport. These adaptable, modular materials have been designed to facilitate seamless energy transfer, even across structural imperfections. By employing advanced spectroscopic techniques, the study has unveiled significant advancements in understanding how energy diffusion occurs in these semiconducting, […]

India’s Pixxel is set to launch three of its six hyperspectral imaging satellites aboard a SpaceX rocket from California on Tuesday, the first such network in the country’s nascent private space sector, Pixxel’s chief told Reuters. The satellites will be placed in a sun-synchronous orbit at roughly 550 km, with the remaining three slated for […]