Science

A team of researchers from the University of California, San Diego, has unveiled a framework aimed at advancing the real-world capabilities of quadruped robots equipped with manipulators. As outlined in their study, published on the arXiv preprint server, the framework, named WildLMa, seeks to improve robots’ ability to perform loco-manipulation tasks in dynamic and unstructured

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

The sun’s activity, currently at its peak during solar maximum, may not wane as expected. Experts warn that the next phase, termed the “battle zone,” could intensify space weather, posing risks to satellites and technology on Earth. This new phase, projected to begin as solar maximum ends, has raised concerns due to heightened geomagnetic activity.

A decline in rice quality across East Asia has been attributed to climate warming, according to a study published in Geophysical Research Letters. The research, led by Dr Xianfeng Liu of Shaanxi Normal University in China, highlights the vulnerability of rice—a dietary staple for billions—to rising temperatures. Using 35 years of data from Japan and

Archaeologists have uncovered gold and silver jewellery at a burial site near Sevastopol, Crimea, believed to have been used by an elite society between the fourth and sixth centuries. The site, Almalyk-dere necropolis, located on the Mangup plateau approximately 16 kilometres east of Sevastopol, has been the focus of excavations led by researchers from the

A groundbreaking mission by the European Space Agency (ESA) involving two satellites designed to create artificial eclipses is scheduled for launch on December 04, 2024. The Proba-3 formation-flying mission will be carried into orbit aboard India’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C59) from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre. The liftoff is expected 4:08 PM (IST). Live

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

he world’s second-fastest supercomputer, Frontier, has successfully carried out the most extensive simulation of the universe ever created, as per reports. The project, led by Salman Habib, Director of the Computational Science Division at Argonne National Laboratory, was undertaken to test models of cosmological hydrodynamics. The simulation was developed using the Hardware/Hybrid Accelerated Cosmology Code

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

Efforts to conserve California’s iconic Joshua trees, threatened by wildfires, human development and climate change, have been outlined in a comprehensive plan released by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, as per sources. The 294-page draft document proposes measures to mitigate the impacts of these threats and ensure the species’ survival amid rising temperatures

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 study published in Meteoritics & Planetary Science has reported the discovery of terrestrial micro-organisms in a sample returned from asteroid Ryugu by Japan’s Hayabusa2 mission. According to researchers, these microbes, identified as Earth-based in origin, had colonised the sample after its return to Earth in December 2020. The findings have highlighted concerns regarding the

Seagrass meadows, which serve as critical marine ecosystems, have been mapped more accurately using satellite-tagged green turtles compared to conventional satellite imagery, according to a study published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B. These underwater habitats are vital for biodiversity, carbon storage, and stabilising seabeds. However, their mapping has remained a challenge due

A significant gold deposit has been discovered in China’s Hunan Province, with experts estimating its value at approximately £66 billion. The find, reported by the Geological Bureau of Hunan Province (GBHP) on November 20, 2024, is being described as one of the largest known reserves of the precious metal. Located in the Wangu gold field,

China’s Tianzhou 7 cargo spacecraft has ended its mission after delivering essential supplies to the Tiangong space station. According to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA), the spacecraft re-entered Earth’s atmosphere on November 17 at 8:25 am EST (6:55 pm IST), marking the conclusion of its operations. The spacecraft, launched on January 17 aboard a

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