Category: Science

In a study published in Current Biology, researchers have revealed that Australopithecus afarensis, an ancient hominin species, exhibited a limited capacity for running. This small bipedal ancestor, which lived over three million years ago, was capable of running on two legs but could not match the speed or efficiency of modern humans. According to reports, […]

A team of researchers has proposed a compelling theory about the enigmatic Jupiter-mass binary objects (JuMBOs), shedding light on their mysterious origins. The study, published in The Astrophysical Journal in November, delves into the process of “photo erosion” to explain the formation of these strange celestial bodies. According to statements made to Space.com by Richard […]

Astronauts stationed on the International Space Station (ISS) marked Christmas with a special message for those on Earth, highlighting the festive spirit and the bond among their crew. Expedition 72 commander Sunita Williams, along with her fellow NASA astronauts Barry Wilmore, Don Pettit and Nick Hague, shared a video recorded on December 23 to spread […]

The well-preserved remains of a baby mammoth, estimated to be 50,000 years old, were recently revealed by researchers in Russia. Found in the thawing permafrost of the Yakutia region, the specimen has been named “Yana,” referencing the river near which it was uncovered during the summer. According to North-Eastern Federal University, where the remains are […]

NASA has confirmed delays to its Artemis program, postponing the first two crewed lunar missions. Artemis 2, which will send astronauts around the moon, has been rescheduled from September 2025 to April 2026. Artemis 3, aiming to return humans to the lunar surface for the first time in over 50 years, has shifted from late […]

Efforts are underway in the Mediterranean Sea to install the underwater neutrino telescope known as KM3NeT, as reported by various sources. The telescopes are designed to detect high-energy neutrinos, subatomic particles emitted from unidentified cosmic sources. Unlike traditional telescopes, these devices rely on capturing light generated when neutrinos collide with seawater. This massive project spans […]

Efforts to improve data centre efficiency have led mathematicians at Virginia Tech to develop a novel method of data storage and retrieval. According to reports, the researchers have utilised algebraic geometry to tackle issues arising from high energy consumption in data centres, which is impacting global climate goals. This breakthrough was detailed in IEEE BITS, […]

Research published in Physical Review Fluids has revealed the intricate dynamics between raindrops and leaves, shedding light on how plants withstand the force of falling water. The study, titled “Resonance and Damping in Drop-Cantilever Interactions,” highlights the mechanics that protect leaves and suggests innovative applications for agriculture and renewable energy. Using high-speed imaging, researchers observed […]

In a study published in IEEE Access on October 15, researchers have highlighted the potential of using skin conductance to detect human emotions. The study examined how variations in sweat levels, which alter the skin’s ability to conduct electricity, could provide insights into emotional states. According to the findings, these physiological responses, triggered by emotions […]

A tomb from the Moche culture, dating back 1,500 years and located at the Huaca Cao Viejo temple in Peru, has been found to contain evidence of familial sacrifices. Genetic analysis of six individuals interred in the burial site revealed that two teenagers, who had been strangled, were closely related to the adults they were […]

The Sun, during its solar maximum phase in 2024, emitted over 50 X-class solar flares—the most powerful category of solar flares. These intense bursts of energy, capable of disrupting satellites and communications on Earth, marked a highly active year for solar phenomena. According to reports, these flares varied in magnitude and impact, with the strongest […]

NASA’s Parker Solar Probe made its closest-ever approach to the Sun on Tuesday, becoming the first man-made object to accomplish this feat. Parker should have travelled as close as 6.1 million kilometres to the Sun, gathering important data about its outer atmosphere. The confirmation about these feats should arrive by December 27, as the space […]

A new class of stellar explosions, termed “millinovas,” has been identified by scientists, according to reports. These events, described as being 100 times brighter than the Sun, were spotted during a study involving data from the Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment (OGLE). Findings were published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters on December 12. The discovery occurred […]

A new study has allowed physicists from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and collaborators to measure the quantum geometry of electrons in solids. The research provides insights into the shape and behaviour of electrons within crystalline materials at a quantum level. Quantum geometry, which had previously been limited to theoretical predictions, has now been […]

France’s nuclear energy sector reached a significant milestone as the Flamanville 3 European Pressurised Reactor in Normandy was successfully connected to the national electricity grid. According to reports, this reactor, now the country’s most powerful with a capacity of 1,600 MW, began supplying electricity at 11:48 am local time on Saturday. Officials from EDF, the […]

A new study conducted at the University of Toronto has showcased experimental evidence of “negative time” in the quantum realm. While this concept has intrigued scientists for years, it has primarily been dismissed as a theoretical anomaly. The findings, which remain unpublished in a peer-reviewed journal, have sparked significant attention within the global scientific community […]

A robotic system capable of replicating traditional Chinese massage techniques has been developed by researchers at Shanghai Jiao Tong University and the University of Shanghai for Science and Technology. According to a paper on the arXiv preprint server, this technology incorporates traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) principles and could find applications in health care, rehabilitation, and […]

The Star of Bethlehem, referenced in the Gospel of Matthew, has intrigued scholars, scientists, and theologians for centuries. According to reports, this celestial object is said to have guided the Magi—wise men from the East—to the birthplace of Jesus over 2,000 years ago. While the event is deeply rooted in Christian tradition, debates persist regarding […]

American space agency NASA and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) are scheduled to launch the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) satellite in March 2025, as per multiple reports. The mission, estimated at Rs. 5,000 crore, aims to advance Earth observation capabilities globally. Reports indicate that the satellite, weighing 2.8 tonnes, will track planetary changes […]

SpaceX’s highly anticipated launch of four “MicroGEO” communications satellites was called off at the final second on December 21. A Falcon 9 rocket, prepared for liftoff from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida at midnight EST (0500 GMT), faced an abrupt halt as its engines ignited. The reason for the mission’s suspension remains undisclosed, […]

NASA’s Dawn spacecraft, which orbited the asteroid Vesta in 2012, captured images of mysterious gullies on its surface, raising questions about their origins. The asteroid, known for its craters, also features channels that seem to contradict the harsh vacuum conditions of space. According to a study, researchers have proposed that brief liquid flows, possibly resulting […]

In findings shared through The Astrophysical Journal, NASA scientists have uncovered an extraordinary black hole in galaxy NGC 5084. Located around 80 million light-years away in the constellation Virgo, the black hole has been observed lying at a 90-degree tilt relative to the galactic plane. Using archival data from the Chandra X-ray Observatory and imagery […]

The Ursid meteor shower, the final celestial display of the year, is expected to reach its peak in the early hours of Sunday, December 22. This annual phenomenon which is active between December 17 and December 26, has its radiant in the constellation Ursa Minor, also called the Little Dipper. According to reports, the display […]

Rising global temperatures and shifting tectonic plates are believed to have shaped the development of one of Earth’s most iconic trees, the oak (Quercus). According to reports, the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM), a significant climatic event approximately 56 million years ago, created extreme conditions that influenced the evolution of diverse plant species, including the ancestors […]

NASA’s Parker Solar Probe is set to perform its closest flyby of the sun on December 24, 2024, at 6:53 a.m. EST. The spacecraft, which launched in 2018, will approach within 3.8 million miles (6.1 million kilometres) of the solar surface, setting a record for the nearest distance a human-made object has travelled to a […]

In findings shared through The Astrophysical Journal, NASA scientists have uncovered an extraordinary black hole in galaxy NGC 5084. Located around 80 million light-years away in the constellation Virgo, the black hole has been observed lying at a 90-degree tilt relative to the galactic plane. Using archival data from the Chandra X-ray Observatory and imagery […]

The Denmark Strait cataract, situated in the underwater channel between Iceland and Greenland, holds the distinction of being the largest waterfall on Earth. This submarine cascade drops an astonishing 11,500 feet (3,500 metres) from its summit to the ocean floor. With a vertical fall measuring 6,600 feet (2,000 metres), it towers over Angel Falls, the […]

Bronze statues, including depictions of snakes and a child priest, have been uncovered from a hot spring at San Casciano dei Bagni in Italy, according to the Italian Ministry of Culture, as per reports. The site, located around 120 kilometres northwest of Rome, has been excavated since 2019 and is believed to have been used […]

In The Astrophysical Journal, a University of Michigan-led study detailed how the Sun’s magnetic field evolves as it moves through space, providing insights into solar wind acceleration. Using data from rare alignments of the Parker Solar Probe and Solar Orbiter, researchers observed that the Sun’s magnetic field transitions from sharp oscillations to smoother waves, with […]

A new pulsar, PSR J1922+37, has been discovered with a spin period of 1.92 seconds using the Five-hundred-metre Aperture Spherical Radio Telescope (FAST) in China, according to a report. The finding was made in the direction of the open cluster NGC 6791. If confirmed as a member of this cluster, it would be the first […]