Science

Last week, three small Australian satellites from Curtin University’s Binar Space Program re-entered Earth’s atmosphere and burned up far earlier than expected, cutting short valuable research opportunities. Launched with an initial lifespan of six months, these CubeSats – named Binar-2, Binar-3, and Binar-4 – only lasted two months in low Earth orbit (LEO), a situation

A vast region in the Indian Ocean, known as the “gravity hole,” has intrigued scientists since its discovery in 1948. Located in the Laccadive Sea, southwest of India, this circular area experiences significantly weaker gravitational pull, causing sea levels to drop by an astounding 348 feet compared to surrounding regions. Spanning 1.2 million square miles,

China is reportedly preparing to activate one of the world’s most advanced X-ray light sources, the High Energy Photon Source (HEPS), located near Beijing. This facility, built at a cost of $657 million, is expected to emit X-ray beams into experimental stations by late December. The fourth-generation synchrotron, one of only a few worldwide, is

Chinese scientists have claimed the creation of a new high-powered energy weapon, reportedly capable of combining microwave beams from multiple transmitters into a single, convergent beam directed at a target. This technology has reportedly been described as revolutionary, potentially opening new frontiers in the field of directed energy weapons. It has also drawn comparisons to

The European Space Agency’s (ESA) Solar Orbiter spacecraft has delivered the most detailed images of the sun’s surface to date. These images, taken in March 2023 from a distance of approximately 74 million kilometres, were released on November 20. They provide unprecedented insights into the photosphere, the layer of the sun responsible for emitting visible

Canada’s University Health Network said its Toronto Western Hospital would be the first non-US site of a trial for a device created by Neuralink Corp., Elon Musk’s brain-implant company.  “We are incredibly proud to be at the forefront of this research advancement in neurosurgery,” UHN Chief Executive Officer Kevin Smith said in an announcement. He

The Indian Air Force (IAF), through its Base Repair Depot at Panchwati, Palam, has formalised a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) and the Foundation for Science Innovation and Development (FSID), Bengaluru. The agreement was signed on Monday in Bengaluru in a ceremony attended by senior officials, including Air Vice

A powerful storm system, expected to intensify into a “bomb cyclone,” is heading towards Northern California and southern Oregon, potentially bringing severe weather conditions from Tuesday, 19 November, to Thursday, 21 November. Meteorologists have warned of extreme rain, high winds, and significant snowfall in higher altitudes, raising concerns about flash flooding and other hazards across

SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket has successfully launched the Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) GSAT-20, a sophisticated communication satellite, on November 19. The mission took place at 12:01 am from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The satellite, weighing 4,700kg, was deployed into geosynchronous transfer orbit after a 34-minute flight. This was the Elon

India has unveiled an ambitious plan to construct a moon-orbiting space station by 2040, aiming to establish a sustainable human presence beyond Earth’s orbit. The proposed station will facilitate crewed lunar missions and support scientific research, according to recent reports from Indian media. This initiative represents a significant milestone in the nation’s growing space exploration

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

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

China is set to deliver essential supplies to its Tiangong space station with the launch of the Tianzhou 8 cargo mission. The mission, led by the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA), aims to support the Shenzhou 19 crew, who arrived on October 20. Commander Cai Xuzhe, alongside rookie astronauts Song Lingdong and Wang Haoze, are

An increase in solar activity has resulted in the early re-entry of three CubeSats from Curtin University’s Binar Space Program. These small satellites, which operated at low Earth orbit, were designed to last for at least six months. However, due to intensified solar conditions, they were destroyed within two months, significantly shortening their scientific mission.

Genetic engineering efforts at the Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics (SINP) in Kolkata have recently produced a type of bacteria that can perform mathematical operations. This breakthrough demonstrates that bacterial cells, when modified, can conduct addition, subtraction and even identify prime numbers between 0 and 9. The work by Indian researchers suggests a possible foundation

Evidence of an ancient ocean on Mars has been potentially uncovered by China’s Zhurong rover, scientists report. Data gathered by the now-defunct rover indicates a possible ancient shoreline in Mars’ northern hemisphere. Researchers at Hong Kong Polytechnic University, including lead scientist Bo Wu, believe these findings support long-standing theories of a large Martian ocean that

In a new partnership between India and Japan, an Indian CubeSat is set to accompany a Japanese lunar lander to orbit the Moon. HEX20Labs India Private Limited has announced a collaborative mission with the Japanese firm ispace, intending to launch a CubeSat aboard one of ispace’s lunar landers in an upcoming mission. The agreement, signed

A recent discovery at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) offers an energy-efficient method to achieve glassy transformations in indium selenide, a material that could change the face of data storage technology. The study was conducted in a collaboration between the University of Pennsylvania and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The research demonstrates that

Russia’s ambitious plans to expand its scientific research infrastructure have encountered significant delays, reportedly due to international trade sanctions and budget constraints. These setbacks, announced by officials last month, impact three critical projects aimed at advancing research into molecular structures and materials. These projects include a new synchrotron light source, modernisation of an existing facility,

In an intriguing development for Mars exploration, China’s Zhurong rover has uncovered geological features suggesting that a vast ocean may have once covered part of the Martian surface. The discovery, published on Thursday, November 7 2024, in the journal Nature, offers a fresh perspective on the long-debated theory that an ancient ocean occupied up to