Science

SpaceX has announced the successful completion of its first Starlink satellite constellation designed to provide direct internet connectivity to standard mobile phones. According to reports, the achievement was marked by the launch of 20 Starlink satellites, including 13 equipped with direct-to-cell capabilities. The launch occurred on December 4, 2024, at 10:05 PM EST from Vandenberg

China has reportedly launched its latest Long March-12 rocket from the newly established Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site, marking a significant milestone in its commercial space ambitions. The launch occurred on November 30, 2024, propelling two experimental satellites into orbit. The 62.6-metre rocket is designed to support a growing surge in commercial satellite deployments, as

ISRO’s PSLV-C59 mission, carrying the European Space Agency’s Proba-3 satellites, was successfully launched on December 5, 2024, from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. The launch, initially delayed by a day due to an anomaly, occurred at 4:04 PM IST. The mission’s objectives, including deploying the satellites into their designated orbit, were achieved with

A recent study published in Nature Astronomy has concluded that Venus likely never had oceans or conditions conducive to life. The research, led by Tereza Constantinou, a doctoral researcher at the University of Cambridge’s Institute of Astronomy, analysed the planet’s atmospheric composition to infer its interior water content. The findings suggest that Venus’s interior is

NASA astronaut Sunita Williams is conducting an agricultural experiment aboard the International Space Station (ISS) aimed at advancing space farming techniques and addressing Earth’s agricultural challenges, as per reports. The experiment, part of NASA’s Plant Habitat-07 study, involves cultivating “Outredgeous” romaine lettuce in microgravity conditions. According to reports, the study examines how water availability impacts

An experiment conducted by researchers at the University of British Columbia has revealed the limited potential of mealworms in addressing plastic pollution. The study, published in Biology Letters on December 4, estimated that 100 mealworms would take approximately 138 days, or 4.5 months, to consume a single disposable face mask made from polypropylene. The findings

Archaeologists have unearthed 5,000-year-old clay bowls at the Shakhi Kora site in northeastern Iraq, which could signify one of the earliest forms of government organisation, according to a study published in Antiquity. The site, located southwest of Kalar in the Kurdistan region, dates to the fifth millennium B.C. Researchers have suggested these bowls might have

A new hypothesis suggests that dark matter, one of the universe’s greatest mysteries, may have originated in a separate event known as a “Dark Big Bang.” The idea was initially proposed in 2023 by Katherine Freese, Director of the Texas Center for Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics, and Martin Wolfgang Winkler, University of Texas. The theory

A study published in Science Advances has identified a significant anomaly to Vagn Walfrid Ekman’s widely-accepted theory on wind-driven ocean currents. Conducted by a team of researchers from NOAA, the Indian National Center for Ocean Information Services and the University of Zagreb, the study focused on the Bay of Bengal in the Indian Ocean. Data

A new study published in Science Advances by Jens Müller and Nicolas Grube from the Institute of Biogeochemistry and Pollutant Dynamics at ETH Zurich has highlighted the growing depths of ocean acidification. Using a 3D model of the world’s oceans, the researchers examined how carbon emissions since the industrial age have impacted marine chemistry. The

Timekeeping, a cornerstone of modern technology and daily life, is poised to achieve unprecedented accuracy due to groundbreaking research in atomic and nuclear clocks. Essential for global positioning systems (GPS), telecommunications and financial networks, the definition of a “second” has evolved over centuries. The latest innovations could lead to a redefinition of the second, enhancing

Efforts to establish a lunar time standard have been initiated as part of preparations for increased international presence on the Moon under NASA’s Artemis programme. According to reports, the White House in April 2024 called for the creation of a unified lunar time system, essential for future missions and potential human bases. The core challenge

The first phase of astronaut training for India’s Gaganyaan mission, a collaborative effort between the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and NASA, has been successfully completed. ISRO announced this milestone in an official statment, which confirmed that Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, the primary crew member, and Group Captain Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair, the backup crew member,

A dramatic flow of lava from an active fissure near Iceland’s Blue Lagoon was captured by NASA’s satellites, highlighting the ongoing volcanic activity on the Reykjanes Peninsula. The images, taken by Landsat 9 and Suomi NPP satellites, were released on November 27, showing the intensity of the eruption that began on November 20. The infrared

A Falcon 9 rocket carrying 24 Starlink satellites was launched by SpaceX from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on November 30, 2024, at 12:00am EST (10:30am IST). According to a report, this marked the latest addition to the company’s growing Starlink constellation, designed to provide global internet coverage. Satellite Deployment and Low-Earth Orbit

A Falcon 9 rocket carrying 24 Starlink satellites was launched by SpaceX from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on November 30, 2024, at 12:00am EST (10:30am IST). According to a report, this marked the latest addition to the company’s growing Starlink constellation, designed to provide global internet coverage. Satellite Deployment and Low-Earth Orbit

NASA’s Curiosity rover is gearing up for a fresh phase of exploration on Mars, targeting a striking patch of surface features resembling spiderwebs. These structures, referred to as “boxwork deposits,” extend over an area of 10 to 20 kilometres and are believed to hold clues about the Red Planet’s ancient water systems, according to reports

A study published in the American Journal of Primatology has provided new insights into the emergence of bipedalism in human ancestors. Using advanced 3D scanning techniques, researchers analysed fossil bones to investigate how early hominins moved, focusing on the transition from tree-dwelling locomotion to upright walking. The research was led by Professor Josep M. Potau from

Chinese scientists are reportedly racing against time to protect potatoes, a vital global food crop, from the adverse effects of climate change. Research conducted under the International Potato Center (CIP) in Beijing is said to have revealed alarming reductions in potato yields when exposed to higher temperatures. Potatoes grown in simulated conditions, replicating future climate

A recent study by researchers at Duke University’s Nicholas School of the Environment has examined the water quality effects of a historic lithium mine in North Carolina, specifically near Kings Mountain. Conducted by a team led by Avner Vengosh, a Distinguished Professor of Environmental Quality, the study highlights the presence of elevated levels of lithium,