Science

Concerns over the health of astronaut Sunita Williams have surfaced after a recent photo showed her appearing visibly thin, following her extended mission on the International Space Station (ISS). Williams, aged 59, and fellow astronaut Barry Wilmore were initially scheduled for an eight-day mission aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft. However, due to a malfunction, they have

In 2013, a team led by Ning Zeng, a climate scientist from the University of Maryland, unearthed a remarkable find while conducting an experiment in Quebec, Canada. The researchers were digging a trench to test if burying wood under clay soil could prevent its decomposition and keep carbon locked away from the atmosphere. During this

Astronomers are watching two unusual black holes, each presenting phenomena that challenge current understanding of these cosmic giants. One, a “serial killer” black hole, is about to devour its second star within five years, while the other, part of the newly discovered triple system V404 Cygni, has disrupted long-held theories of black hole formation. The

NASA’s Parker Solar Probe will make a close approach to Venus on Wednesday, marking the spacecraft’s seventh and final flyby of the planet. This manoeuvre will set the probe on a course for its historic plunge toward the sun, bringing it within 3.8 million miles of our star’s surface — closer than any human-made object

NASA’s asteroid-hunting spacecraft, NEOWISE, has officially concluded its journey, meeting its end as it re-entered Earth’s atmosphere and burned up on 1 November. Over its 15-year lifespan, NEOWISE catalogued nearly 3,000 near-Earth objects, including numerous asteroids, providing critical data for researchers studying potential planetary threats. The space agency confirmed NEOWISE’s re-entry on social media the

Indian scientists have achieved an important milestone in solar research, reporting the first major findings from the Visible Emission Line Coronagraph (VELC) aboard India’s Aditya-L1 mission. The solar mission, launched by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in September 2023, is India’s first dedicated solar observation project positioned at the Lagrange Point 1 (L1). This

A team of astronomers, using data from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) and the Chandra X-ray Observatory, has identified a black hole consuming matter at a record-breaking rate in a young galaxy. Named LID-568, this black hole is found in a galaxy thought to have formed only 1.5 billion years after the Big Bang.

India has delayed its inaugural astronaut mission under the Gaganyaan programme to 2026, pushing the timeline a year beyond the original schedule. The decision, announced by S. Somanath, Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), reflects a commitment to safety in light of recent aerospace industry setbacks. According to Somanath, India’s first manned mission

On January 15, 2022, the Hunga volcano near Tonga erupted in an explosive event that sent shockwaves across the planet. The eruption happened around the same time as Cyclone Cody. It created a shockwave powerful enough to trigger low, booming sounds that were heard from New Zealand to Alaska. It also caused a tsunami that

A monumental predator-prey event in Norway’s coastal waters has captured scientists’ attention. It marks the largest observed marine feeding spectacle and highlighting significant dynamics in the food chain. Leading the research, Professor Nicholas Makris from MIT’s Department of Mechanical and Ocean Engineering, alongside his team, witnessed this unprecedented event where vast shoals of cod pursued

A recent discovery by UCLA scientists has challenged a century-old principle in organic chemistry, reshaping fundamental knowledge and broadening possibilities for pharmaceutical research. Researchers who were led by Professor Neil Garg, have found a way to synthesise and stabilise anti-Bredt olefins (ABOs), molecular structures. These structures were long considered too unstable to exist. This accomplishment

Researchers at the China University of Geosciences in Beijing, led by Professor Shaofeng Liu, have shed light on the mysterious transformation of the North China Craton (NCC). This research, published in Nature Geoscience, presents a breakthrough model that explains the processes behind the craton’s gradual erosion, which began in the Mesozoic era. Using detailed mantle-flow

Scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have unveiled groundbreaking cell-wearable devices that could transform the treatment of neurological disorders, including multiple sclerosis (MS). These micro-scale devices, which wrap around individual neurons, mimic the function of natural myelin and restore the electrical signalling disrupted by neurodegenerative diseases. Battery-free and activated by light, the devices

Scientists at the University of Tokyo have made a major discovery by creating animal cells that can draw energy from sunlight. This achievement was made possible by embedding chloroplasts, photosynthetic structures found in algae, into animal cells, a process previously thought impossible. The researchers believe this new method could open doors to innovative solutions in

For over a century, the story of Sir Ernest Shackleton’s ill-fated Antarctic expedition has fascinated the world. Now, thanks to detailed 3D scans and underwater images, a new chapter unfolds with a closer look at Endurance, the ship that sank during the 1914 journey. First located in 2022 under the frozen Weddell Sea, this iconic

Scientists have developed a patch capable of tackling bacteria on the skin using mild electric pulses, which could help reduce infections if the bacteria were to enter the bloodstream. Known as the Bioelectronic Localized Antimicrobial Stimulation Therapy (BLAST) patch, this device emits a harmless electrical current designed to target specific skin bacteria that pose infection

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has unveiled the first images from its groundbreaking space-based telescope, the Compact Coronagraph (CCOR-1), which has captured a vivid solar storm. Positioned on NOAA’s latest satellite, GOES-19, this new tool is the first operational coronagraph in space designed to actively monitor the sun’s outer atmosphere, the corona. Revolutionising

Scientists at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center have gotten the evidence that traumatic brain injuries (TBI) could heighten the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. This study had involved both animal models and human brain tissue. It sheds light on how TBIs may trigger harmful protein build-ups in the brain, leading to cognitive issues

Boeing’s Intelsat 33e, a large communications satellite, unexpectedly broke apart in orbit over the weekend, creating at least 20 pieces of space debris. The satellite, which provided broadband communication services to regions across Europe, Africa, and Asia, was operating from a geostationary orbit above the Indian Ocean before it stopped functioning on 19 October 2024.

Astronomers have uncovered something surprising while looking 13 billion years into the past using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). They’ve spotted supermassive black hole-powered quasars that appear to be hanging out in isolation. This is odd because, according to current theories, black holes need to be surrounded by a lot of material to grow