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Elon Musk’s SpaceX has gained access to some of the US military’s most precise satellite-tracking data, a move that has raised concerns over national security, competition and the future of space traffic management. The agreement with the US Space Force gives SpaceX access to detailed information about objects orbiting Earth, including satellites and space debris. Industry observers warn that the arrangement could give Musk’s company an advantage over competitors offering similar services.The development also comes as the Trump administration faces scrutiny over its handling of a federal programme designed to manage traffic in space.<h2>SpaceX gains access to military tracking data</h2>For the first time, the Space Force has granted a commercial company enhanced access to the US Space Command’s High Accuracy Catalog. The information includes Vector Covariance Messages, which contain tracking data gathered through military radars, telescopes and ground-based sensors.These systems can track objects as small as 10 centimetres in low Earth orbit, helping operators assess potential collisions.SpaceX already runs Stargaze, a satellite-based tracking network that uses cameras and radars mounted on its Starlink satellites. However, the system cannot detect objects as small as those identified by the military's more precise tracking network.The new arrangement allows SpaceX to supplement its existing capabilities. In return, the government will receive access to Stargaze's observations and sensors.<h2>Concerns over competition and security</h2>Critics say the deal could strengthen SpaceX's position in a commercial space industry projected to approach $2 trillion over the next decade.Cole Donovan, a former employee of the federal Traffic Coordination System for Space (Traccs), warned that the arrangement risked making SpaceX the dominant provider of space traffic coordination in the US.“It’s making a company the de facto source for space traffic coordination within the US,” Donovan said.The military data is classified as controlled unclassified information, as wider access could expose details about the capabilities and limitations of US surveillance systems.<h2>Traccs funding adds to the debate</h2>The deal comes amid a prolonged struggle over Traccs, which was established to transfer commercial space traffic management responsibilities away from the military. The programme has faced staffing problems and repeated budget-cutting attempts, although Congress restored funding after proposed reductions.While critics see the SpaceX agreement as a threat to fair competition, a former National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration official defended the company's role, arguing that the government had failed to establish an effective framework for managing space traffic.The arrangement has therefore intensified a wider debate over whether commercial companies should assume responsibilities traditionally handled by the government.

The US military has granted SpaceX access to sensitive satellite-tracking data, raising national security concerns and fears that Elon Musk’s company could gain an unfair advantage in space traffic management.

Elon Musk’s SpaceX has gained access to some of the US military’s most precise satellite-tracking data, a move that has raised concerns over national security, competition and the future of space traffic management. The agreement with the US Space Force gives SpaceX access to detailed information about objects orbiting Earth, including satellites and space debris. Industry observers warn that the arrangement could give Musk’s company an advantage over competitors offering similar services. The development also comes as the Trump administration faces scrutiny over its handling of a federal programme designed to manage traffic in space. SpaceX gains access to military tracking data For the first time, the Space Force has granted a commercial company enhanced access to the US Space Command’s High Accuracy Catalog. The information includes Vector Covariance Messages, which contain tracking data gathered through military radars, telescopes and ground-based sensors. These systems can track objects as small as 10 centimetres in low Earth orbit, helping operators assess potential collisions. SpaceX already runs Stargaze, a satellite-based tracking network that uses cameras and radars mounted on its Starlink satellites. However, the system cannot detect objects as small as those identified by the military's more precise tracking network. The new arrangement allows SpaceX to supplement its existing capabilities. In return, the government will receive access to Stargaze's observations and sensors. Concerns over competition and security Critics say the deal could strengthen SpaceX's position in a commercial space industry projected to approach $2 trillion over the next decade. Cole Donovan, a former employee of the federal Traffic Coordination System for Space (Traccs), warned that the arrangement risked making SpaceX the dominant provider of space traffic coordination in the US. “It’s making a company the de facto source for space traffic coordination within the US,” Donovan said. The military data is classified as controlled unclassified information, as wider access could expose details about the capabilities and limitations of US surveillance systems. Traccs funding adds to the debate The deal comes amid a prolonged struggle over Traccs, which was established to transfer commercial space traffic management responsibilities away from the military. The programme has faced staffing problems and repeated budget-cutting attempts, although Congress restored funding after proposed reductions. While critics see the SpaceX agreement as a threat to fair competition, a former National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration official defended the company's role, arguing that the government had failed to establish an effective framework for managing space traffic. The arrangement has therefore intensified a wider debate over whether commercial companies should assume responsibilities traditionally handled by the government.

The US military has granted SpaceX access to sensitive satellite-tracking data, raising national security concerns and fears that Elon Musk’s company could gain an unfair advantage in space traffic management.

Is Trump risking US national security? Musk’s SpaceX gets access to sensitive military data

Could humans one day live forever? Maria Vorontsova, the eldest daughter of Russian President Vladimir Putin, believes advances in medicine could eventually bring humanity closer to that possibility. Vorontsova, a 41-year-old endocrinologist who heads Moscow State University’s Medical Research and Education Institute, discussed the future of longevity at a forum in Moscow last week titled Live Long, Live Differently.Her approach has two stages. Healthy habits, including a balanced diet, regular exercise and limiting alcohol, could help people live into their late 80s, she suggested. Going beyond that, however, would require breakthroughs that challenge the biological limits of human life.Vorontsova said she expected the growing fear of death to push healthcare providers towards finding solutions within the next 10 to 20 years.<h2>Why the Kremlin is interested</h2>The interest in longevity extends beyond medical research. Putin, who has led Russia since 2000, has spoken publicly about the possibility of extending active life through biotechnology and organ replacement.During a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing last year, the two leaders were overheard discussing ageing and the prospect of humans living to 150.Putin later told reporters that advances in medicine and organ-replacement surgery offered hope that people could remain active for longer.In 2024, he announced a $26 billion national project, New Technologies for Health Preservation, aimed at improving healthcare and extending life expectancy. Russia is also funding research into genetics and therapies designed to slow cellular ageing.<h2>Immortality remains out of reach</h2>Despite the ambitions, science is nowhere near delivering eternal life. The maximum human lifespan is generally thought to be around 125 years, while fully functional human organs grown in laboratories remain beyond current capabilities.Researchers at Russia’s Kurchatov Institute are investigating the use of 3D printing to create human tissues and organs. Other work focuses on gene therapies that could slow age-related changes.But the research has also drawn criticism, particularly as Russia continues its war in Ukraine and faces competing demands on public resources.For now, extending healthy life may be a realistic scientific goal. Defeating death altogether remains a distant prospect.

Putin’s daughter Maria Vorontsova has discussed longevity and the possibility of extending human life, as Russia invests billions in research into ageing, biotechnology and the limits of human lifespan.

Could humans one day live forever? Maria Vorontsova, the eldest daughter of Russian President Vladimir Putin, believes advances in medicine could eventually bring humanity closer to that possibility. Vorontsova, a 41-year-old endocrinologist who heads Moscow State University’s Medical Research and Education Institute, discussed the future of longevity at a forum in Moscow last week titled Live Long, Live Differently. Her approach has two stages. Healthy habits, including a balanced diet, regular exercise and limiting alcohol, could help people live into their late 80s, she suggested. Going beyond that, however, would require breakthroughs that challenge the biological limits of human life. Vorontsova said she expected the growing fear of death to push healthcare providers towards finding solutions within the next 10 to 20 years. Why the Kremlin is interested The interest in longevity extends beyond medical research. Putin, who has led Russia since 2000, has spoken publicly about the possibility of extending active life through biotechnology and organ replacement. During a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing last year, the two leaders were overheard discussing ageing and the prospect of humans living to 150. Putin later told reporters that advances in medicine and organ-replacement surgery offered hope that people could remain active for longer. In 2024, he announced a $26 billion national project, New Technologies for Health Preservation, aimed at improving healthcare and extending life expectancy. Russia is also funding research into genetics and therapies designed to slow cellular ageing. Immortality remains out of reach Despite the ambitions, science is nowhere near delivering eternal life. The maximum human lifespan is generally thought to be around 125 years, while fully functional human organs grown in laboratories remain beyond current capabilities. Researchers at Russia’s Kurchatov Institute are investigating the use of 3D printing to create human tissues and organs. Other work focuses on gene therapies that could slow age-related changes. But the research has also drawn criticism, particularly as Russia continues its war in Ukraine and faces competing demands on public resources. For now, extending healthy life may be a realistic scientific goal. Defeating death altogether remains a distant prospect.

Putin’s daughter Maria Vorontsova has discussed longevity and the possibility of extending human life, as Russia invests billions in research into ageing, biotechnology and the limits of human lifespan.

Can Putin cheat death? All about his daughter’s billion-dollar quest for immortality

In April 2026, four astronauts aboard the Orion capsule ended the Artemis II mission not on a runway, not on a desert plain, but in the open ocean. For the families waiting on shore, the final minutes of that journey carried as much tension as the launch itself. A rocket leaving Earth draws crowds and cheers; a capsule coming home draws quiet prayers. Both moments matter equally, because a mission is only complete when its crew is safely back among us.Once Orion settled on the waves, the crew climbed out of the capsule and onto an inflatable rescue raft. Military helicopters hovered overhead, lifted the astronauts one by one, and flew them to a Navy ship waiting nearby, where doctors examined them. The capsule itself was not left floating in the sea. Navy divers fixed a sturdy cable to it, and a winch — simply a strong motorised pulling machine — gently drew the spacecraft into a special storage bay on the ship. From there, Orion was prepared for its journey back to the Kennedy Space Center.Why do spacefaring nations choose water at all? The answer lies in the hard physics of return. When a capsule comes back from orbit and touches down, it is still moving at roughly the speed of a car on a highway. Hitting solid ground at that speed would be devastating. Water, however, yields. Think of a diver entering a swimming pool compared with falling onto concrete. The water spreads the blow over a slightly longer moment and absorbs part of the shock. That is the mercy the ocean offers.Yet a splashdown is anything but gentle. As Splash Gear Media has often reminded its readers, even with water cushioning the impact, the force that travels through the capsule is huge, and every bolt, seam and heat shield must be strong enough to take it. Engineers cannot leave this to chance, because inside sit human beings who have already survived the fire of re-entry.The sea offers one more gift: sheer size. Oceans cover most of the planet, so a returning crew has an enormous target to aim at rather than a narrow strip of land. This generosity, however, comes with its own risks. Weather is the great uncertainty. Strong winds can push a descending capsule away from its intended spot, and once it is floating, powerful currents can carry it further still. When that happens, recovery teams must begin a search across open water for both the spacecraft and the people inside it — a race in which every minute counts.History holds a sobering lesson here. In 1961, the Liberty Bell 7 capsule began taking on water after its hatch — the small door through which astronauts enter and leave — gave trouble shortly after splashdown. NASA astronaut Gus Grissom managed to get out of the sinking craft and was pulled from the sea alive. The episode taught the world that touching water is not the end of danger.That lesson shaped everything that followed. Today, the United States Navy and dedicated recovery teams take charge the moment a capsule touches water. These crews undergo special training for exactly this work, because conditions at sea can quickly turn an ordinary recovery into a difficult one. Helicopters stand ready to lift both people and hardware. Flotation collars — large inflatable rings strapped around the capsule — keep it bobbing on the surface instead of slipping beneath it, closing the very gap that nearly cost Grissom his life.Behind the Artemis II recovery lay years of quiet preparation that few people ever see. At the Langley Research Center in Virginia, NASA engineers spent several years testing different versions of the Orion capsule in water, carefully measuring what the structure and the crew would feel at the moment of impact. Data from the earlier Artemis I mission was folded into this work. Every test sharpened the computer models that predict how Orion behaves when it meets the sea, so that when real astronauts strapped in, engineers already knew what the ocean would do.For India, which is preparing its own human spaceflight ambitions, the Artemis II story is more than a distant news item. It shows that bringing people home demands as much courage, science and national will as sending them up. The ocean, vast and indifferent, becomes a partner only when human ingenuity prepares for it.

The sea offers one more gift: sheer size. Oceans cover most of the planet, so a returning crew has an enormous target to aim at rather than a narrow strip of land. This generosity, however, comes with its own risks.

In April 2026, four astronauts aboard the Orion capsule ended the Artemis II mission not on a runway, not on a desert plain, but in the open ocean. For the families waiting on shore, the final minutes of that journey carried as much tension as the launch itself. A rocket leaving Earth draws crowds and cheers; a capsule coming home draws quiet prayers. Both moments matter equally, because a mission is only complete when its crew is safely back among us. Once Orion settled on the waves, the crew climbed out of the capsule and onto an inflatable rescue raft. Military helicopters hovered overhead, lifted the astronauts one by one, and flew them to a Navy ship waiting nearby, where doctors examined them. The capsule itself was not left floating in the sea. Navy divers fixed a sturdy cable to it, and a winch — simply a strong motorised pulling machine — gently drew the spacecraft into a special storage bay on the ship. From there, Orion was prepared for its journey back to the Kennedy Space Center. Why do spacefaring nations choose water at all? The answer lies in the hard physics of return. When a capsule comes back from orbit and touches down, it is still moving at roughly the speed of a car on a highway. Hitting solid ground at that speed would be devastating. Water, however, yields. Think of a diver entering a swimming pool compared with falling onto concrete. The water spreads the blow over a slightly longer moment and absorbs part of the shock. That is the mercy the ocean offers. Yet a splashdown is anything but gentle. As Splash Gear Media has often reminded its readers, even with water cushioning the impact, the force that travels through the capsule is huge, and every bolt, seam and heat shield must be strong enough to take it. Engineers cannot leave this to chance, because inside sit human beings who have already survived the fire of re-entry. The sea offers one more gift: sheer size. Oceans cover most of the planet, so a returning crew has an enormous target to aim at rather than a narrow strip of land. This generosity, however, comes with its own risks. Weather is the great uncertainty. Strong winds can push a descending capsule away from its intended spot, and once it is floating, powerful currents can carry it further still. When that happens, recovery teams must begin a search across open water for both the spacecraft and the people inside it — a race in which every minute counts. History holds a sobering lesson here. In 1961, the Liberty Bell 7 capsule began taking on water after its hatch — the small door through which astronauts enter and leave — gave trouble shortly after splashdown. NASA astronaut Gus Grissom managed to get out of the sinking craft and was pulled from the sea alive. The episode taught the world that touching water is not the end of danger. That lesson shaped everything that followed. Today, the United States Navy and dedicated recovery teams take charge the moment a capsule touches water. These crews undergo special training for exactly this work, because conditions at sea can quickly turn an ordinary recovery into a difficult one. Helicopters stand ready to lift both people and hardware. Flotation collars — large inflatable rings strapped around the capsule — keep it bobbing on the surface instead of slipping beneath it, closing the very gap that nearly cost Grissom his life. Behind the Artemis II recovery lay years of quiet preparation that few people ever see. At the Langley Research Center in Virginia, NASA engineers spent several years testing different versions of the Orion capsule in water, carefully measuring what the structure and the crew would feel at the moment of impact. Data from the earlier Artemis I mission was folded into this work. Every test sharpened the computer models that predict how Orion behaves when it meets the sea, so that when real astronauts strapped in, engineers already knew what the ocean would do. For India, which is preparing its own human spaceflight ambitions, the Artemis II story is more than a distant news item. It shows that bringing people home demands as much courage, science and national will as sending them up. The ocean, vast and indifferent, becomes a partner only when human ingenuity prepares for it.

The sea offers one more gift: sheer size. Oceans cover most of the planet, so a returning crew has an enormous target to aim at rather than a narrow strip of land. This generosity, however, comes with its own risks.

Why astronauts land in the ocean: The science and peril of space splashdowns

Scientists have invented a technology through which people would be able to share scents over the internet, just like photos, audio and videos. The device is known as Scentronic and is an “olfactory interface for remote odour sharing and transmission," as described in the study. It works around a robotic nose that can identify a scene in one place and transfer that information using digital data to a different location, where another device recreates the scent.&nbsp;The researchers said that in the future, Scentronic can help people get a whiff of a perfume online before buying it, besides the many other ways it can be used. What they have right now is only a prototype that can identify and recreate five scents: coffee, cake, oranges, beer and red wine.&nbsp;Lead author Chunyu Yang, a PhD researcher at Ohio State University, says they intend to fill a gap in the market with Scentronic. "Much of the research in this area focuses on sight, sound and touch, while smell has received comparatively less attention," Yang said. He added that they wanted to bring the “missing sensory dimension into digital communication.”<h2>How does Scentronic work?</h2>&nbsp;The system comprises an electronic nose fitted with six gas sensors. They detect volatile organic compounds that cause odours to be released from food, perfumes and other things. The chemical that each sensor detects determines how it responds, which is different for each of them. This leads to a distinct pattern of electrical signals, which are then converted into digital data.&nbsp;The researchers trained an AI system to recognise the scents, identifying which pattern belonged to which smell. After it identifies the smell, the nose sends the data over the internet. The other device contains small containers of scented liquid and tiny electrically powered discs. The discs can vibrate more than 100,000 times a second, which forces the liquid to pass through microscopic holes. This produces a fine mist which releases the appropriate smell.&nbsp;The other device has its own fragrances to recreate the scent, meaning no actual scent is travelling over the internet. The technology is only meant to detect and recreate a scent that is sent to it, and cannot create fragrances on its own. It can create the smell of coffee, but not the exact type of coffee.&nbsp;In tests, Scentronic was able to identify and recreate the five scents it had been trained on with 96 per cent accuracy. The findings were published in the journal Science Advances.

A study has detailed a technology that can carry scents over the internet just as people send emails, images and videos. A digital nose sniffs the item, sends it over the internet to another location, where a device recreates the scent.   

Scientists have invented a technology through which people would be able to share scents over the internet, just like photos, audio and videos. The device is known as Scentronic and is an “olfactory interface for remote odour sharing and transmission," as described in the study. It works around a robotic nose that can identify a scene in one place and transfer that information using digital data to a different location, where another device recreates the scent. The researchers said that in the future, Scentronic can help people get a whiff of a perfume online before buying it, besides the many other ways it can be used. What they have right now is only a prototype that can identify and recreate five scents: coffee, cake, oranges, beer and red wine. Lead author Chunyu Yang, a PhD researcher at Ohio State University, says they intend to fill a gap in the market with Scentronic. "Much of the research in this area focuses on sight, sound and touch, while smell has received comparatively less attention," Yang said. He added that they wanted to bring the “missing sensory dimension into digital communication.” How does Scentronic work? The system comprises an electronic nose fitted with six gas sensors. They detect volatile organic compounds that cause odours to be released from food, perfumes and other things. The chemical that each sensor detects determines how it responds, which is different for each of them. This leads to a distinct pattern of electrical signals, which are then converted into digital data. The researchers trained an AI system to recognise the scents, identifying which pattern belonged to which smell. After it identifies the smell, the nose sends the data over the internet. The other device contains small containers of scented liquid and tiny electrically powered discs. The discs can vibrate more than 100,000 times a second, which forces the liquid to pass through microscopic holes. This produces a fine mist which releases the appropriate smell. The other device has its own fragrances to recreate the scent, meaning no actual scent is travelling over the internet. The technology is only meant to detect and recreate a scent that is sent to it, and cannot create fragrances on its own. It can create the smell of coffee, but not the exact type of coffee. In tests, Scentronic was able to identify and recreate the five scents it had been trained on with 96 per cent accuracy. The findings were published in the journal Science Advances.

A study has detailed a technology that can carry scents over the internet just as people send emails, images and videos. A digital nose sniffs the item, sends it over the internet to another location, where a device recreates the scent. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Scientists make digital nose that can sniff and send scents over the internet

A study has theorised that one particle that has been overlooked and dismissed as not being important for the longest time could actually be why the universe exists in the first place. According to a paper published in Physical Review Letters, this rarely studied particle is called the decoupled heavy neutrino.&nbsp;Two theoretical physicists, one from the University of Southampton and the other from the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, have proposed that this forgotten particle played a vital role in shaping the conditions in the early universe. The decoupled heavy neutrino rarely interacts with the rest of the universe and is high in mass. This has led scientists to term it irrelevant.<h2>Mystery of matter and antimatter</h2>But when taken into consideration, it solves a huge mystery about the universe. After the Big Bang happened, for each particle of matter created, a corresponding anti–particle should have also been born. When they come in contact, they both destroy each other, releasing radiation. But the problem is that the universe is dominated by matter.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/a-star-survived-its-own-death-and-is-coming-back-to-life-it-gets-weirder-1792398365268">A star survived its own death and is coming back to life. It gets weirder</a>&nbsp;"This asymmetry is crucial for our existence, as the presence of matter allows for the formation of stars, planets, and ultimately life, while the scarcity of antimatter raises questions about why it is so rare," says Dr Rishav Roshan, co-author of the study. The team says that the driving force behind this matter–antimatter asymmetry and why we exist is this particular neutrino.<h2>Universe expanded because of it</h2>The duo states in the study that since this neutrino interacts less and decays relatively slowly, it could have contained more energy than all the radiation around it for some time. This would have led the universe to expand rapidly and changed the temperature at which matter and antimatter were forming. "By affecting the interactions and decays of particles during the early universe, these neutrinos can help favour the production of matter over antimatter," Dr Roshan says.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/strongest-ghost-particles-to-slam-earth-could-have-come-from-black-hole-hidden-in-fifth-dimension-1791292019078">Strongest 'ghost particles' to slam Earth could have come from black hole hidden in fifth dimension</a>&nbsp;Their study showed that decoupled heavy neutrinos could trigger matter and antimatter to be slightly imbalanced. They say that even a tiny imbalance, just one extra particle of matter for every billion, was enough for the leftover material to survive annihilation and form everything in the universe today.&nbsp;The duo admits that this is merely a theory for now. However, they are confident that the proof for this suggestion would be available soon. "This theory could be tested experimentally through upcoming gravitational wave detectors and particle physics experiments," he said. &nbsp;

Two physicists from the UK and India have proposed that a tiny particle that has been deemed irrelevant could actually have been the reason for the conditions that led to the universe coming into existence. It solves the mystery of the matter-antimatter asymmetry.

A study has theorised that one particle that has been overlooked and dismissed as not being important for the longest time could actually be why the universe exists in the first place. According to a paper published in Physical Review Letters, this rarely studied particle is called the decoupled heavy neutrino. Two theoretical physicists, one from the University of Southampton and the other from the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, have proposed that this forgotten particle played a vital role in shaping the conditions in the early universe. The decoupled heavy neutrino rarely interacts with the rest of the universe and is high in mass. This has led scientists to term it irrelevant. Mystery of matter and antimatter But when taken into consideration, it solves a huge mystery about the universe. After the Big Bang happened, for each particle of matter created, a corresponding anti–particle should have also been born. When they come in contact, they both destroy each other, releasing radiation. But the problem is that the universe is dominated by matter. Also Read: A star survived its own death and is coming back to life. It gets weirder "This asymmetry is crucial for our existence, as the presence of matter allows for the formation of stars, planets, and ultimately life, while the scarcity of antimatter raises questions about why it is so rare," says Dr Rishav Roshan, co-author of the study. The team says that the driving force behind this matter–antimatter asymmetry and why we exist is this particular neutrino. Universe expanded because of it The duo states in the study that since this neutrino interacts less and decays relatively slowly, it could have contained more energy than all the radiation around it for some time. This would have led the universe to expand rapidly and changed the temperature at which matter and antimatter were forming. "By affecting the interactions and decays of particles during the early universe, these neutrinos can help favour the production of matter over antimatter," Dr Roshan says. Also Read: Strongest 'ghost particles' to slam Earth could have come from black hole hidden in fifth dimension Their study showed that decoupled heavy neutrinos could trigger matter and antimatter to be slightly imbalanced. They say that even a tiny imbalance, just one extra particle of matter for every billion, was enough for the leftover material to survive annihilation and form everything in the universe today. The duo admits that this is merely a theory for now. However, they are confident that the proof for this suggestion would be available soon. "This theory could be tested experimentally through upcoming gravitational wave detectors and particle physics experiments," he said.

Two physicists from the UK and India have proposed that a tiny particle that has been deemed irrelevant could actually have been the reason for the conditions that led to the universe coming into existence. It solves the mystery of the matter-antimatter asymmetry.

Scientists said this particle was up to no good. Turns out, it could be why we exist

A star that returned from the brink of death is doing something unexpected. Sakurai’s Object went supernova in 1181 and was visible as a bright object in the Cassiopeia constellation for at least 185 days. Astronomers who lived in the early years of the samurai in Japan at the time observed the remnants of a star that exploded and still survived.&nbsp;Now, NOIRLab’s Gemini North telescope, comprising two powerful telescopes in Hawaii and Chile, has captured the debris field in great detail. Dubbed Pa 30, the region has ionised gases in perfectly symmetrical knots, revealing a bizarre occurrence. So while we can see that something chaotic happened, the surviving progenitor star continued to remain right at the centre and has not moved from its place at all.&nbsp;Ilaria Caiazzo, co-author of the new paper published in The Astrophysical Journal, said that Pa 30 is located around 7,500 light-years from Earth, which makes it "uniquely valuable for study." While that might seem like a long distance, the star is only about one-fourth of the distance to the centre of the Milky Way.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/88-days-apart-twice-mystery-signal-detected-coming-from-empty-space-1792056124449">88 days apart, twice: Mystery signal detected coming from empty region of space</a>&nbsp;The new observations resolve enormous strands of red ionised sulfur and blue-green ionised oxygen. Caiazzo said this object is so huge that “the planetary region of our solar system could fit in each knot about ten times with room to spare.”<h2>What happened to Sakurai’s Object</h2> In 1996, the star was seen flaring back to life even after all its nuclear fuel was over. It swelled and released clouds of gas and dust. A typical star ends up as a white dwarf, and Sakurai’s Object was also moving towards the same destiny. But then a layer of helium deep inside it suddenly reignited and threw up large amounts of material into space. It became huge once again, thus also known as a born-again star.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/not-just-killers-but-creators-black-holes-could-birth-planets-and-even-stars-study-finds-1791470887524">Not just killers, but creators: Black holes could birth planets and even stars, study finds</a><h2>Not hotter, but colder</h2> In 2005, a model predicted the star would reach about 161,500°F (90,000 K) by 2020. However, that hasn't happened. Instead, the latest observations show that the star’s surface is about 54,500°F (30,500 K) hot right now. Even though it is still roughly five times hotter than the surface of the Sun, the figure is way below the prediction made 21 years ago.&nbsp;“Our measurements show that the star is reheating more gradually than some earlier models predicted," Albert Zijlstra of the University of Manchester said.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/strongest-ghost-particles-to-slam-earth-could-have-come-from-black-hole-hidden-in-fifth-dimension-1791292019078">Strongest 'ghost particles' to slam Earth could have come from black hole hidden in fifth dimension</a>&nbsp;The star itself is not visible. The dust and gas it had thrown out shrouded it completely. The team detected a powerful, steady wind blowing off the star's surface rich in carbon and helium with speeds of about 310 miles per second. This revealed that its surface composition has shifted significantly to roughly 43 per cent helium and 51 per cent carbon. The material thrown out in the 1990s has also spread about 300 times farther.<h2>Fate of the star</h2>&nbsp;Current astronomical understanding and comparisons, similar to stars like V605 Aquilae, show that Sakurai's Object will eventually finish its life as a white dwarf.&nbsp;

A star exploded 845 years ago but remains in the same place. In the 1990s, it was seen flaring up again and coming back to life. Astronomers expected it to become much hotter by now. However, that has not happened, as per a latest study. 

A star that returned from the brink of death is doing something unexpected. Sakurai’s Object went supernova in 1181 and was visible as a bright object in the Cassiopeia constellation for at least 185 days. Astronomers who lived in the early years of the samurai in Japan at the time observed the remnants of a star that exploded and still survived. Now, NOIRLab’s Gemini North telescope, comprising two powerful telescopes in Hawaii and Chile, has captured the debris field in great detail. Dubbed Pa 30, the region has ionised gases in perfectly symmetrical knots, revealing a bizarre occurrence. So while we can see that something chaotic happened, the surviving progenitor star continued to remain right at the centre and has not moved from its place at all. Ilaria Caiazzo, co-author of the new paper published in The Astrophysical Journal, said that Pa 30 is located around 7,500 light-years from Earth, which makes it "uniquely valuable for study." While that might seem like a long distance, the star is only about one-fourth of the distance to the centre of the Milky Way. Also Read: 88 days apart, twice: Mystery signal detected coming from empty region of space The new observations resolve enormous strands of red ionised sulfur and blue-green ionised oxygen. Caiazzo said this object is so huge that “the planetary region of our solar system could fit in each knot about ten times with room to spare.” What happened to Sakurai’s Object In 1996, the star was seen flaring back to life even after all its nuclear fuel was over. It swelled and released clouds of gas and dust. A typical star ends up as a white dwarf, and Sakurai’s Object was also moving towards the same destiny. But then a layer of helium deep inside it suddenly reignited and threw up large amounts of material into space. It became huge once again, thus also known as a born-again star. Also Read: Not just killers, but creators: Black holes could birth planets and even stars, study finds Not hotter, but colder In 2005, a model predicted the star would reach about 161,500°F (90,000 K) by 2020. However, that hasn't happened. Instead, the latest observations show that the star’s surface is about 54,500°F (30,500 K) hot right now. Even though it is still roughly five times hotter than the surface of the Sun, the figure is way below the prediction made 21 years ago. “Our measurements show that the star is reheating more gradually than some earlier models predicted," Albert Zijlstra of the University of Manchester said. Also Read: Strongest 'ghost particles' to slam Earth could have come from black hole hidden in fifth dimension The star itself is not visible. The dust and gas it had thrown out shrouded it completely. The team detected a powerful, steady wind blowing off the star's surface rich in carbon and helium with speeds of about 310 miles per second. This revealed that its surface composition has shifted significantly to roughly 43 per cent helium and 51 per cent carbon. The material thrown out in the 1990s has also spread about 300 times farther. Fate of the star Current astronomical understanding and comparisons, similar to stars like V605 Aquilae, show that Sakurai's Object will eventually finish its life as a white dwarf.

A star exploded 845 years ago but remains in the same place. In the 1990s, it was seen flaring up again and coming back to life. Astronomers expected it to become much hotter by now. However, that has not happened, as per a latest study.&nbsp;

A star survived its own death and is coming back to life. It gets weirder

Artemis II astronauts made history earlier this year after becoming the first four humans to travel to the farthest point in space. While the feat is unparalleled, there was one point in the journey when the crew feared it could get lost in space. Commander Reid Wiseman recently shared that this moment came when they flew over the dark side of the moon.&nbsp;Speaking at the Starmus Festival in Tenerife on Saturday, Wiseman shared that after they reached the dark side of the moon, they watched the odometer reading, which was supposed to reach only a particular figure as given by NASA. That showed how far they were in space from Earth. However, even after this reading, the number of nautical miles on the odometer kept going higher. This left them worried that they might get lost in space.<h2>Artemis II - Distance from Earth to Moon</h2>The Artemis II crew travelled 219,669 nautical miles, or 406771.352 kilometres, from Earth. However, Wiseman said, "Mission control in Houston had told us our maximum distance", which was 219,667 nautical miles. "I was watching this number, and I saw it hit 219,667, and I thought, 'Great, this is the farthest we will be from Earth, and the next number I will see will be 219,666, we'll be going home'. But about three minutes later, I saw 219,668. It went up," he told the crowd.&nbsp;Wiseman shared that then it went up to 219,669, and "that was the moment that I felt real fear because I thought we had just gone too far." He felt, "We're never going to come home, and so I was very scared." The crew waited three whole minutes before the number started dropping, a sign that they were on their way back home.<h2>Artemis II astronauts were “at peace” with the risk of the mission</h2>However, the mission specialist Jeremy Hansen admitted that they all were aware of the risk that came with the trip to the moon. He said that two days before the launch, they talked about what they would do if something went terribly wrong. "Like, if Reid's number had just kept growing and we knew we weren't coming home, but we were going to be alive for a while, how do you sit comfortably, not knowing what the future is going to be?" he said.&nbsp;He said they were "at peace" with this possibility, "not because we're brave; it's not bravado; it's because we had an acceptance of whatever came; we would do the best, or our time would end." &nbsp;

Artemis II astronauts were left scared for their lives at one point in the trip to the Moon. Reid Wiseman shared the moment they thought they could get lost forever in space, which happened when they reached the dark side of the Moon.

Artemis II astronauts made history earlier this year after becoming the first four humans to travel to the farthest point in space. While the feat is unparalleled, there was one point in the journey when the crew feared it could get lost in space. Commander Reid Wiseman recently shared that this moment came when they flew over the dark side of the moon. Speaking at the Starmus Festival in Tenerife on Saturday, Wiseman shared that after they reached the dark side of the moon, they watched the odometer reading, which was supposed to reach only a particular figure as given by NASA. That showed how far they were in space from Earth. However, even after this reading, the number of nautical miles on the odometer kept going higher. This left them worried that they might get lost in space. Artemis II - Distance from Earth to Moon The Artemis II crew travelled 219,669 nautical miles, or 406771.352 kilometres, from Earth. However, Wiseman said, "Mission control in Houston had told us our maximum distance", which was 219,667 nautical miles. "I was watching this number, and I saw it hit 219,667, and I thought, 'Great, this is the farthest we will be from Earth, and the next number I will see will be 219,666, we'll be going home'. But about three minutes later, I saw 219,668. It went up," he told the crowd. Wiseman shared that then it went up to 219,669, and "that was the moment that I felt real fear because I thought we had just gone too far." He felt, "We're never going to come home, and so I was very scared." The crew waited three whole minutes before the number started dropping, a sign that they were on their way back home. Artemis II astronauts were “at peace” with the risk of the mission However, the mission specialist Jeremy Hansen admitted that they all were aware of the risk that came with the trip to the moon. He said that two days before the launch, they talked about what they would do if something went terribly wrong. "Like, if Reid's number had just kept growing and we knew we weren't coming home, but we were going to be alive for a while, how do you sit comfortably, not knowing what the future is going to be?" he said. He said they were "at peace" with this possibility, "not because we're brave; it's not bravado; it's because we had an acceptance of whatever came; we would do the best, or our time would end."

Artemis II astronauts were left scared for their lives at one point in the trip to the Moon. Reid Wiseman shared the moment they thought they could get lost forever in space, which happened when they reached the dark side of the Moon.

219,666...219,669 - When Artemis II astronauts feared getting LOST IN SPACE

The brain produces waste products and toxins as part of its daily workload. Scientists now know these can be flushed away by an internal disposal pathway called the glymphatic system, which helps protect against cognitive diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.&nbsp;Danish neuroscientists discovered the system in 2012, and it has since become a major focus of research. Roslyn Bill, professor of biotechnology and director of the Institute for Membrane Excellence at Aston University, said the lymphatic system's role in eliminating toxins from the body has long been known, but a similar mechanism in the brain was identified only recently.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/protein-coffee-or-proffee-goes-viral-coffee-meets-protein-in-new-health-trend-1791543944382/embed">https://www.wionews.com/videos/protein-coffee-or-proffee-goes-viral-coffee-meets-protein-in-new-health-trend-1791543944382/embed</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;According to Bill, the system flushes cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), a clear liquid, through the brain via channels called perivascular spaces. Blood vessels swell and constrict to pump the fluid around, washing away unwanted proteins and by-products of cellular metabolism. She likened it to a sluicing system used to clean block paving on a patio. She added that it works more effectively at night, when the brain is not working as hard because the person is asleep.&nbsp;Also read; <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/world-mental-health-day-impact-of-school-bullying-on-child-mental-health-1791538436019">World Mental Health Day: The scourge of bullying and impact on child mental health</a>&nbsp;Bill said the system becomes less efficient with age. Arteries stiffen, fluid pumping slows, and toxins are not washed away as effectively. Among these waste products is amyloid beta protein (Aβ), which is associated with Alzheimer's disease when deposited in the brain. It forms clumps called plaques which, along with tau protein tangles in brain cells, are key hallmarks of dementia.&nbsp;A study of 40,000 UK adults, published last year in Alzheimer's &amp; Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association, found that impaired movement of CSF predicted dementia risk later in life. Hui Hong, a radiologist and the paper's lead author, said small vessel disease in the brain was already known to accelerate diseases such as Alzheimer's, and the findings offer a likely explanation. "Disruption to the glymphatic system is likely to impair our ability to clear the brain of the amyloid and tau that causes Alzheimer's disease," Hong told news outlet The Times.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/health-and-wellness/wion-health-pulse-mental-health-is-often-ignored-dr-jitendra-nagpal-1781680364857">WION Health Pulse: 'Mental health is often ignored in Indian household' says Dr Jitendra Nagpal</a>&nbsp;Emerging research also suggests a sluggish glymphatic system may be linked to other conditions, including Parkinson's. Bill said treatments to maintain glymphatic function are being developed. She and her colleagues are in the early stages of developing what she described as a "statin for the brain" to help clear brain waste with age. She said it could restore blood vessels to their youthful ability to pump well and perhaps delay neurodegeneration.&nbsp;Other scientists are studying the effects of infrared light helmets and ultrasound techniques on glymphatic fluid flow, though Bill said these therapies are at a very early stage of research. She said researchers are starting to be able to measure, through biomarkers, whether such approaches are working to clear waste products from the brain.&nbsp;Bill said some lifestyle habits are known to help prevent the glymphatic system from slowing down.

Discover how the glymphatic system cleanses brain waste during sleep to protect against cognitive decline, Alzheimer’s, and neurological disorders. 

The brain produces waste products and toxins as part of its daily workload. Scientists now know these can be flushed away by an internal disposal pathway called the glymphatic system, which helps protect against cognitive diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. Danish neuroscientists discovered the system in 2012, and it has since become a major focus of research. Roslyn Bill, professor of biotechnology and director of the Institute for Membrane Excellence at Aston University, said the lymphatic system's role in eliminating toxins from the body has long been known, but a similar mechanism in the brain was identified only recently. https://www.wionews.com/videos/protein-coffee-or-proffee-goes-viral-coffee-meets-protein-in-new-health-trend-1791543944382/embed According to Bill, the system flushes cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), a clear liquid, through the brain via channels called perivascular spaces. Blood vessels swell and constrict to pump the fluid around, washing away unwanted proteins and by-products of cellular metabolism. She likened it to a sluicing system used to clean block paving on a patio. She added that it works more effectively at night, when the brain is not working as hard because the person is asleep. Also read; World Mental Health Day: The scourge of bullying and impact on child mental health Bill said the system becomes less efficient with age. Arteries stiffen, fluid pumping slows, and toxins are not washed away as effectively. Among these waste products is amyloid beta protein (Aβ), which is associated with Alzheimer's disease when deposited in the brain. It forms clumps called plaques which, along with tau protein tangles in brain cells, are key hallmarks of dementia. A study of 40,000 UK adults, published last year in Alzheimer's & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association, found that impaired movement of CSF predicted dementia risk later in life. Hui Hong, a radiologist and the paper's lead author, said small vessel disease in the brain was already known to accelerate diseases such as Alzheimer's, and the findings offer a likely explanation. "Disruption to the glymphatic system is likely to impair our ability to clear the brain of the amyloid and tau that causes Alzheimer's disease," Hong told news outlet The Times. Also read: WION Health Pulse: 'Mental health is often ignored in Indian household' says Dr Jitendra Nagpal Emerging research also suggests a sluggish glymphatic system may be linked to other conditions, including Parkinson's. Bill said treatments to maintain glymphatic function are being developed. She and her colleagues are in the early stages of developing what she described as a "statin for the brain" to help clear brain waste with age. She said it could restore blood vessels to their youthful ability to pump well and perhaps delay neurodegeneration. Other scientists are studying the effects of infrared light helmets and ultrasound techniques on glymphatic fluid flow, though Bill said these therapies are at a very early stage of research. She said researchers are starting to be able to measure, through biomarkers, whether such approaches are working to clear waste products from the brain. Bill said some lifestyle habits are known to help prevent the glymphatic system from slowing down.

Discover how the glymphatic system cleanses brain waste during sleep to protect against cognitive decline, Alzheimer’s, and neurological disorders.&nbsp;

Can you wash your brain? How glymphatic system protects against cognitive decline

A new genetic study has clarified how spectacled cobras (Naja naja), one of India's "big four" snakes responsible for most serious snakebite cases, are related across South Asia. The findings were published in Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. The spectacled cobra is currently treated as a single species found across much of South Asia, with regional variation in colour, hood markings and venom. Early classifications split it into regional subspecies, but later work grouped them together. A 2022 study proposed that Sri Lankan cobras be recognised as a separate species. A subsequent reassessment challenged that conclusion, citing its reliance on mitochondrial markers, limited geographic sampling and use of venom as taxonomic evidence.&nbsp;The new study's authors note that earlier molecular work drew mostly on samples from Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, with minimal representation from India, partly because of difficulties in obtaining research permits and samples. Before this study, only 23 N. naja sequences had been generated.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/india-tops-list-of-most-snake-attacks-in-the-world-with-1-3mn-cases-every-year-1787713505474">India tops list of most snake attacks in the world with 1.3mn cases every year, study finds</a>&nbsp;The team sequenced nine DNA markers, both mitochondrial and nuclear, from scale samples of 67 cobras collected across major Indian regions. They combined the data with published sequences, including from neighbouring countries, to reconstruct relationships, estimate split dates and model ancient movements.&nbsp;<h2>Key findings</h2>&nbsp;Mainland cobras shared an extensive set of genetic variants, and no clear regional evolutionary divisions were detected across India. The researchers say this is consistent with widespread genetic mixing, despite visible differences in appearance and venom. They attribute the pattern to strong dispersal ability, ecological generalism and historical human-assisted movement. This contrasts with other widespread snakes, such as the banded krait and king cobra, and with related cobra species, which show pronounced geographic clustering.&nbsp;The Sri Lankan cobras, however, formed a distinct genetic lineage, showing moderate mitochondrial divergence from the mainland population. The team says both groups still fall within one species, adding that genetic differentiation alone does not settle species status.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/23ft-python-swallows-man-returning-from-party-in-indonesia-1785404766607">23ft python swallows man returning from party in Indonesia; family find body whole inside reptile</a><h2>About the origins</h2>The analysis supports an African origin for the Naja genus, with a spread into South Asia probably through the Middle East around 10.6 million years ago. The researchers link this to tectonic connectivity between the African and Arabian plates, aridification, and the expansion of savanna and grasslands. They note that Naja fossils have not been found in the Arabian Peninsula, which may reflect uneven sampling.&nbsp;The lineage that reached the subcontinent likely evolved into N. naja. The data suggest it reached Sri Lanka around two million years ago, in the early Pleistocene, when lower sea levels created land connections. Rising seas later isolated the island population, allowing a separate lineage to form, while mixing continued on the mainland.

A new genetic study reveals that spectacled cobras across mainland India belong to a uniform genetic population, while Sri Lanka's cobra population forms a distinct lineage. Discover key scientific insights and antivenom implications. 

A new genetic study has clarified how spectacled cobras (Naja naja), one of India's "big four" snakes responsible for most serious snakebite cases, are related across South Asia. The findings were published in Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. The spectacled cobra is currently treated as a single species found across much of South Asia, with regional variation in colour, hood markings and venom. Early classifications split it into regional subspecies, but later work grouped them together. A 2022 study proposed that Sri Lankan cobras be recognised as a separate species. A subsequent reassessment challenged that conclusion, citing its reliance on mitochondrial markers, limited geographic sampling and use of venom as taxonomic evidence. The new study's authors note that earlier molecular work drew mostly on samples from Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, with minimal representation from India, partly because of difficulties in obtaining research permits and samples. Before this study, only 23 N. naja sequences had been generated. Also read: India tops list of most snake attacks in the world with 1.3mn cases every year, study finds The team sequenced nine DNA markers, both mitochondrial and nuclear, from scale samples of 67 cobras collected across major Indian regions. They combined the data with published sequences, including from neighbouring countries, to reconstruct relationships, estimate split dates and model ancient movements. Key findings Mainland cobras shared an extensive set of genetic variants, and no clear regional evolutionary divisions were detected across India. The researchers say this is consistent with widespread genetic mixing, despite visible differences in appearance and venom. They attribute the pattern to strong dispersal ability, ecological generalism and historical human-assisted movement. This contrasts with other widespread snakes, such as the banded krait and king cobra, and with related cobra species, which show pronounced geographic clustering. The Sri Lankan cobras, however, formed a distinct genetic lineage, showing moderate mitochondrial divergence from the mainland population. The team says both groups still fall within one species, adding that genetic differentiation alone does not settle species status. Also read: 23ft python swallows man returning from party in Indonesia; family find body whole inside reptile About the origins The analysis supports an African origin for the Naja genus, with a spread into South Asia probably through the Middle East around 10.6 million years ago. The researchers link this to tectonic connectivity between the African and Arabian plates, aridification, and the expansion of savanna and grasslands. They note that Naja fossils have not been found in the Arabian Peninsula, which may reflect uneven sampling. The lineage that reached the subcontinent likely evolved into N. naja. The data suggest it reached Sri Lanka around two million years ago, in the early Pleistocene, when lower sea levels created land connections. Rising seas later isolated the island population, allowing a separate lineage to form, while mixing continued on the mainland.

A new genetic study reveals that spectacled cobras across mainland India belong to a uniform genetic population, while Sri Lanka's cobra population forms a distinct lineage. Discover key scientific insights and antivenom implications.

One species, two lineages: Why Sri Lanka’s spectacled cobra differs genetically from Indian variant

James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has detected a strange signal - not once but twice - coming from a region of the universe that is empty. Previously, the Hubble Space Telescope had spent more than 270 hours peering into that same region to obtain an Ultra Deep Field (HUDF). It detected nearly 10,000 galaxies extending billions of light-years into the Universe. Then Webb's sensitive infrared capabilities were used to see if Hubble had missed something. The research has been published in The Astrophysical Journal.&nbsp;JWST picked up a signal from one tiny corner of this field in observations gathered three months apart. But the strange thing is both Webb and Hubble data show there is absolutely nothing there. Scientists admit that there still could be something there which is too dim to detect. However, until something is actually found, the signal remains an anomaly.&nbsp;Telescopes combine light through different filters to show an object in the universe. Some telescopes act like prisms, splitting light into a rainbow to reveal chemical makeup. There are also absorption lines, dark gaps where atoms in an object absorb specific wavelengths of light. Emission lines are bright stripes where atoms release energy at specific wavelengths.<h2>How the observation was made</h2>Astronomers use spectroscopy to detect these absorption and emission lines. However, astrophysicist Mason Huberty of the University of Minnesota wanted to try something new and used JWST's Near-Infrared Spectrograph (NIRSpec) to find objects that hadn't been found yet. Huberty decided to cover known foreground objects identified by Hubble to prevent their light from contaminating the spectra they wanted to collect.&nbsp;Then they searched for emission lines twice, 88 days apart in August and November 2023. The aim was to detect faint, distant objects that had never been picked up before. Six detections were revealed that could be matched to distant galaxies in the HUDF. The problem was the seventh detection. This single, bright line appeared in both near-infrared observations at about 1.6 micrometres.<h2>Not a glitch</h2> There was no other emission line with it, and Hubble and JWST had also seen nothing else in that patch of space. Since it appeared in all four sets of combined exposures, it could not be dismissed as a glitch. Scientists are confused since this emission line was so bright it should have been detected by JWST.&nbsp;Astronomers tried to explain this line using different possibilities, none of which fit. It could have been a galaxy in the early Universe, a more recent galaxy, a supernova or a black hole tearing apart a star. "This object is highly unusual and probes extreme physical conditions," the researchers write. More observations are needed to determine what could have produced this signal.&nbsp;

Astronomers have detected a signal coming from a seemingly empty region of space. JWST and the Hubble Space Telescope both looked at the same region at different times. It was absent in previous observations but emerged later with nothing else in its path.

James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has detected a strange signal - not once but twice - coming from a region of the universe that is empty. Previously, the Hubble Space Telescope had spent more than 270 hours peering into that same region to obtain an Ultra Deep Field (HUDF). It detected nearly 10,000 galaxies extending billions of light-years into the Universe. Then Webb's sensitive infrared capabilities were used to see if Hubble had missed something. The research has been published in The Astrophysical Journal. JWST picked up a signal from one tiny corner of this field in observations gathered three months apart. But the strange thing is both Webb and Hubble data show there is absolutely nothing there. Scientists admit that there still could be something there which is too dim to detect. However, until something is actually found, the signal remains an anomaly. Telescopes combine light through different filters to show an object in the universe. Some telescopes act like prisms, splitting light into a rainbow to reveal chemical makeup. There are also absorption lines, dark gaps where atoms in an object absorb specific wavelengths of light. Emission lines are bright stripes where atoms release energy at specific wavelengths. How the observation was made Astronomers use spectroscopy to detect these absorption and emission lines. However, astrophysicist Mason Huberty of the University of Minnesota wanted to try something new and used JWST's Near-Infrared Spectrograph (NIRSpec) to find objects that hadn't been found yet. Huberty decided to cover known foreground objects identified by Hubble to prevent their light from contaminating the spectra they wanted to collect. Then they searched for emission lines twice, 88 days apart in August and November 2023. The aim was to detect faint, distant objects that had never been picked up before. Six detections were revealed that could be matched to distant galaxies in the HUDF. The problem was the seventh detection. This single, bright line appeared in both near-infrared observations at about 1.6 micrometres. Not a glitch There was no other emission line with it, and Hubble and JWST had also seen nothing else in that patch of space. Since it appeared in all four sets of combined exposures, it could not be dismissed as a glitch. Scientists are confused since this emission line was so bright it should have been detected by JWST. Astronomers tried to explain this line using different possibilities, none of which fit. It could have been a galaxy in the early Universe, a more recent galaxy, a supernova or a black hole tearing apart a star. "This object is highly unusual and probes extreme physical conditions," the researchers write. More observations are needed to determine what could have produced this signal.

Astronomers have detected a signal coming from a seemingly empty region of space. JWST and the Hubble Space Telescope both looked at the same region at different times. It was absent in previous observations but emerged later, with nothing else in its path.

88 days apart, twice: Mystery signal detected coming from empty region of space

The UK Space Agency has signed a deal with satellite builder ClearSpace to build a spacecraft that will capture defunct satellites in orbit and drag them to die in Earth's atmosphere. This "Space Binman" has officially been named the UK Active Debris Removal Programme. It will have four specialised grabbing arms to catch falling satellites that no longer work and could pose a threat to others in the orbit.&nbsp;The claws will grab the satellites and move them gently out of orbit and into Earth's atmosphere to break apart and burn up. It is targeting to take down two British satellites that will soon become space debris. Later, it will be parked in a safe orbit and used again to safely dispose other satellites.&nbsp;On Wednesday, the UK space agency signed a £61.3million contract with ClearSpace UK to design, build, launch and operate this spacecraft. It will be the first mission to be built and launched entirely out of the UK. It is targeting 2029 for a launch. The space agency will give its people an opportunity to name the spacecraft, and is launching a competition this Friday.

The UK space agency is making a spacecraft to deal with debris in orbit. This "Space Binman" will carefully remove satellites from orbit and push them towards Earth, where they can burn up safely. The mission is set for 2029. 

The UK Space Agency has signed a deal with satellite builder ClearSpace to build a spacecraft that will capture defunct satellites in orbit and drag them to die in Earth's atmosphere. This "Space Binman" has officially been named the UK Active Debris Removal Programme. It will have four specialised grabbing arms to catch falling satellites that no longer work and could pose a threat to others in the orbit. The claws will grab the satellites and move them gently out of orbit and into Earth's atmosphere to break apart and burn up. It is targeting to take down two British satellites that will soon become space debris. Later, it will be parked in a safe orbit and used again to safely dispose other satellites. On Wednesday, the UK space agency signed a £61.3million contract with ClearSpace UK to design, build, launch and operate this spacecraft. It will be the first mission to be built and launched entirely out of the UK. It is targeting 2029 for a launch. The space agency will give its people an opportunity to name the spacecraft, and is launching a competition this Friday.

The UK space agency is making a spacecraft to deal with debris in orbit. This "Space Binman" will carefully remove satellites from orbit and push them towards Earth, where they can burn up safely. The mission is set for 2029.&nbsp;

UK plans to launch 'space claws' by 2029 to deal with defunct satellites

An experiment on the effects of space environment on human body has thrown up a lot of bad news that can whitewash plans to conquer Mars and beyond. The study done by researchers from the Medical College of Wisconsin, and published in PLoS One, shows that radiation and weightlessness can destroy the human heart and increase the chances of developing cancer.&nbsp;NASA developed a protocol called hindlimb unloading (HLU) to simulate weightlessness in rats. A harness was used to lift their back legs off the ground at a 30 degree angle for thirty days. This led to much of the fluids in the body rushing towards their heads, taking off the weight off their lower bodies. This is as close as they could come to mimicking astronauts in microgravity.&nbsp;To recreate radiation on Earth, they utilised the NASA Space Radiation Laboratory at Brookhaven National Laboratory. This lab can simulate the radiation environment as it is outside the Earth's atmosphere.&nbsp;&nbsp;The rats were “unloaded” for five days and hit with extreme high radiation levels for a few minutes. They remained suspended for 25 more days. The harness was then removed and the rats for monitored for a year, which is equal to nearly 25 human years.<h2>Rat hearts bore a major chunk of the brunt</h2>The study focussed on how the simulation affected their hearts. Scientists found that 1.5 Gray of absorbed radiation led the rats to develop perivascular fibrosis, a type of scar tissue around the coronary vessels that feed blood to the heart. This scar doubled in 270 days, squeezing the blood vessels and increasing the chances of heart attack. The effect was entirely caused by radiation.&nbsp;When the rats were exposed to lower radiation, equal to the radiation exposure over the course of a three year mission to Mars, the scarring wasn't visible. However, 83 per cent of the rats developed it after a year. This means that the scarring would take decades to become visible in humans.&nbsp;Their immune system also took a hit, with their spleens losing two thirds of its Natural Killer (NK) cells that wipe out virus-infected and potentially cancerous cells. This was the result of both microgravity and radiation.&nbsp;Sequencing of the genomes of their white blood cells showed permanent mutations in a number of genes 235 days after exposure to the radiation. Some of these genes are tied to Clonal Hematopoiesis of Indeterminate Potential (CHIP) which appears as we age because of a single mutated blood cell. This mutated blood cell carries with it an increased risk of leukemia and quadruples the risk of heart attacks and strokes.&nbsp;Even though the study has its limitations, especially since all the radiation was delivered quickly, it is still bad news for human dream of long-term space flight and reaching the vast expanse of the universe.&nbsp;

Mars is not an ideal environment for humans, but the journey to the Red Planet itself will devastate the human body even before astronauts land on its surface. A study has found that our hearts will not be able to survive the trip.  

An experiment on the effects of space environment on human body has thrown up a lot of bad news that can whitewash plans to conquer Mars and beyond. The study done by researchers from the Medical College of Wisconsin, and published in PLoS One, shows that radiation and weightlessness can destroy the human heart and increase the chances of developing cancer. NASA developed a protocol called hindlimb unloading (HLU) to simulate weightlessness in rats. A harness was used to lift their back legs off the ground at a 30 degree angle for thirty days. This led to much of the fluids in the body rushing towards their heads, taking off the weight off their lower bodies. This is as close as they could come to mimicking astronauts in microgravity. To recreate radiation on Earth, they utilised the NASA Space Radiation Laboratory at Brookhaven National Laboratory. This lab can simulate the radiation environment as it is outside the Earth's atmosphere. The rats were “unloaded” for five days and hit with extreme high radiation levels for a few minutes. They remained suspended for 25 more days. The harness was then removed and the rats for monitored for a year, which is equal to nearly 25 human years. Rat hearts bore a major chunk of the brunt The study focussed on how the simulation affected their hearts. Scientists found that 1.5 Gray of absorbed radiation led the rats to develop perivascular fibrosis, a type of scar tissue around the coronary vessels that feed blood to the heart. This scar doubled in 270 days, squeezing the blood vessels and increasing the chances of heart attack. The effect was entirely caused by radiation. When the rats were exposed to lower radiation, equal to the radiation exposure over the course of a three year mission to Mars, the scarring wasn't visible. However, 83 per cent of the rats developed it after a year. This means that the scarring would take decades to become visible in humans. Their immune system also took a hit, with their spleens losing two thirds of its Natural Killer (NK) cells that wipe out virus-infected and potentially cancerous cells. This was the result of both microgravity and radiation. Sequencing of the genomes of their white blood cells showed permanent mutations in a number of genes 235 days after exposure to the radiation. Some of these genes are tied to Clonal Hematopoiesis of Indeterminate Potential (CHIP) which appears as we age because of a single mutated blood cell. This mutated blood cell carries with it an increased risk of leukemia and quadruples the risk of heart attacks and strokes. Even though the study has its limitations, especially since all the radiation was delivered quickly, it is still bad news for human dream of long-term space flight and reaching the vast expanse of the universe.

Mars is not an ideal environment for humans, but the journey to the Red Planet itself will devastate the human body even before astronauts land on its surface. A study has found that our hearts will not be able to survive the trip. &nbsp;

Mars is not for man: Human heart is too weak to survive the trip, study shows

After peripheral vision of an individual narrows, changes in central vision and colour perception come next in the progression of retinitis pigmentosa (RP), further leading to blindness. Researchers have come up with an experimental treatment which has helped some patients recover limited visual abilities. The method combines a gene injection using distinctive goggles. It was developed using a small trial involving 10 people with profound vision loss in both eyes. Following the treatment, some participants developed better vision with the ability to detect objects, locate them, and reach toward them while using the device. The New England Journal of Medicine has published the study, which was coauthored by ophthalmologist José-Alain Sahel at the University of Pittsburgh and vision researcher Botond Roska at the Institute of Molecular and Clinical Ophthalmology Basel in Switzerland.<h3>What is Retinitis pigmentosa?</h3>It is a family of inherited disorders in which genetic mutations damage the photoreceptors of the retina, the cells responsible for detecting light. Onset can occur in childhood or later in life, and the disease progresses at different rates; it can also arise in people with no known family history. Because changes in more than 100 different genes can trigger it, developing a treatment for each genetic cause has proven difficult. The approach being tested, known as optogenetic therapy, equips surviving nerve cells with a new mechanism for responding to light. Each participant was given a single injection in their weaker eye, through which a modified virus carried instructions for retinal ganglion cells — the nerve cells that carry visual information to the brain- to produce a light-sensitive protein called ChrimsonR. "The gene therapy delivers a light sensor to the blind retina, making it light-sensitive again. The goggles provide light stimulation at the wavelength to which this sensor responds," Sahel and Roska told ScienceAlert. The goggles pair a built-in camera, which detects brightness changes, with a processor that translates these into amber light patterns, projected onto the retina to activate the protein. "In addition, the goggles adapt to outside light conditions and modify the signal to ensure optimal stimulation of the retina," Sahel and Roska said.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/double-earthquake-hits-atlantic-knock-on-effect-from-string-of-tremors-could-mean-us-is-next-1791967047338">Double earthquake hits Atlantic: Geophysicist warns US is next, and it could happen this week</a> &nbsp;Participants trained with the goggles and underwent vision tests, with their untreated eye covered and assessed for light sensitivity and object detection. Researchers later found that participants with low vision could see through the goggles both before and after treatment. Post-treatment, seven participants showed heightened sensitivity — ranging from roughly twofold to 62-fold, with six reaching close to a fourfold increase or more, a benchmark drawn from prior research rather than set in advance by the trial protocol. Eight participants underwent object-based testing with and without the goggles, attempting to detect, locate, and touch a notebook or a small box of staples, and to identify a bar’s orientation. Four showed consistently better notebook detection with the goggles across repeated sessions over roughly a year to eighteen months, while others showed no steady improvement. The study did not predefine criteria for identifying participants as responders. "Differences between patients in the increase in sensitivity may reflect how well the gene therapy vector reaches the retinal cells, or how many retinal cells remain, or other variables such as training to wear the goggles," Sahel and Roska explained. More training sessions correlated with better performance, though confidence intervals left room for no effect. Brain recordings from five participants suggested visual signals reached the brain. Safety was deemed “very good,” based on 10 participants: 34 eye-related and 70 systemic adverse events occurred, mostly mild, with none of the systemic events linked to the therapy. Follow-up ranged from two to five years. GenSight Biologics funded the non-randomised, uncontrolled trial; further research is needed.

The method was developed using a small trial involving 10 people with profound vision loss in both eyes. After the treatment, some participants developed better vision, with the ability to detect objects, locate them, and reach toward them while using the device.

After peripheral vision of an individual narrows, changes in central vision and colour perception come next in the progression of retinitis pigmentosa (RP), further leading to blindness. Researchers have come up with an experimental treatment which has helped some patients recover limited visual abilities. The method combines a gene injection using distinctive goggles. It was developed using a small trial involving 10 people with profound vision loss in both eyes. Following the treatment, some participants developed better vision with the ability to detect objects, locate them, and reach toward them while using the device. The New England Journal of Medicine has published the study, which was coauthored by ophthalmologist José-Alain Sahel at the University of Pittsburgh and vision researcher Botond Roska at the Institute of Molecular and Clinical Ophthalmology Basel in Switzerland. What is Retinitis pigmentosa? It is a family of inherited disorders in which genetic mutations damage the photoreceptors of the retina, the cells responsible for detecting light. Onset can occur in childhood or later in life, and the disease progresses at different rates; it can also arise in people with no known family history. Because changes in more than 100 different genes can trigger it, developing a treatment for each genetic cause has proven difficult. The approach being tested, known as optogenetic therapy, equips surviving nerve cells with a new mechanism for responding to light. Each participant was given a single injection in their weaker eye, through which a modified virus carried instructions for retinal ganglion cells — the nerve cells that carry visual information to the brain- to produce a light-sensitive protein called ChrimsonR. "The gene therapy delivers a light sensor to the blind retina, making it light-sensitive again. The goggles provide light stimulation at the wavelength to which this sensor responds," Sahel and Roska told ScienceAlert. The goggles pair a built-in camera, which detects brightness changes, with a processor that translates these into amber light patterns, projected onto the retina to activate the protein. "In addition, the goggles adapt to outside light conditions and modify the signal to ensure optimal stimulation of the retina," Sahel and Roska said. Also read: Double earthquake hits Atlantic: Geophysicist warns US is next, and it could happen this week Participants trained with the goggles and underwent vision tests, with their untreated eye covered and assessed for light sensitivity and object detection. Researchers later found that participants with low vision could see through the goggles both before and after treatment. Post-treatment, seven participants showed heightened sensitivity — ranging from roughly twofold to 62-fold, with six reaching close to a fourfold increase or more, a benchmark drawn from prior research rather than set in advance by the trial protocol. Eight participants underwent object-based testing with and without the goggles, attempting to detect, locate, and touch a notebook or a small box of staples, and to identify a bar’s orientation. Four showed consistently better notebook detection with the goggles across repeated sessions over roughly a year to eighteen months, while others showed no steady improvement. The study did not predefine criteria for identifying participants as responders. "Differences between patients in the increase in sensitivity may reflect how well the gene therapy vector reaches the retinal cells, or how many retinal cells remain, or other variables such as training to wear the goggles," Sahel and Roska explained. More training sessions correlated with better performance, though confidence intervals left room for no effect. Brain recordings from five participants suggested visual signals reached the brain. Safety was deemed “very good,” based on 10 participants: 34 eye-related and 70 systemic adverse events occurred, mostly mild, with none of the systemic events linked to the therapy. Follow-up ranged from two to five years. GenSight Biologics funded the non-randomised, uncontrolled trial; further research is needed.

The method was developed using a small trial involving 10 people with profound vision loss in both eyes. After the treatment, some participants developed better vision, with the ability to detect objects, locate them, and reach toward them while using the device.

Blind patients regain partial sight with novel gene-goggle therapy: Details inside

Planets form around stars and some also roam around in the universe untethered. We have known that they are shaped from the planetary disk where planet of material is available for their formation. A study has now claimed that they could even be birthed in the most unlikely location - around black holes.&nbsp;Black holes have such strong gravitational force that not even light can escape it. They pull all matter around them into them. But surprisingly, they are not just killers, but are also creators, according to new research published in The Astrophysical Journal on June 29, 2026.&nbsp;The study claims that the dusty regions around supermassive black holes can become the catalyst for planet formation, similar to how they form around stars. The focus of the study were supermassive black holes that are actively feeding on the gas and dust around them. Known as active galactic nuclei, or AGNs, they can be found at the centre of almost every galaxy.&nbsp;When they pull in matter, a huge amount of gas and dust start starts collecting around it. This matter swirls around the black hole creating a super hot accretion disk, just like the planetary disks around stars from which planets are born. Astrophysicist Barry McKernan, co-author of the study, said they found that at least theoretically, it is possible that the same processes could form planets around black holes, since the same rules of physics should apply.&nbsp;If true, this means that black holes could also have planets around them. And not just a few, but one black hole could have millions of planets in its vicinity. Simulations showed that these planets would be as large as Jupiter right after their birth, and grow up to become even more humongous. This is because black holes could be several million times bigger than the Sun.&nbsp;The process of planet formation will also be the same. Dust grains would accumulate in increasingly dense concentrations, and collide with each other. The solid particles would gradually coalesce together, thus creating baby planets. Some of them might outgrow the planet stage and end up becoming brown dwarfs, or failed stars. However, it is also possible that some of them become actual stars.&nbsp;But since black holes are power gravitationally, they could tug onto some of these planets, thus killing them and creating more dust. Despite this, there could be millions or billions of planets. A single episode of an active galactic nucleus burst is typically about 2 million years long , with one black hole witnessing several such episodes. Thus, over billions of years, many planets could be born.

Black holes can birth planets and even stars, a study has found. Scientists say the massive amount of matter around them could follow the same rules of planet formation as those that happen around a star. This could lead to planets forming around them.

Planets form around stars and some also roam around in the universe untethered. We have known that they are shaped from the planetary disk where planet of material is available for their formation. A study has now claimed that they could even be birthed in the most unlikely location - around black holes. Black holes have such strong gravitational force that not even light can escape it. They pull all matter around them into them. But surprisingly, they are not just killers, but are also creators, according to new research published in The Astrophysical Journal on June 29, 2026. The study claims that the dusty regions around supermassive black holes can become the catalyst for planet formation, similar to how they form around stars. The focus of the study were supermassive black holes that are actively feeding on the gas and dust around them. Known as active galactic nuclei, or AGNs, they can be found at the centre of almost every galaxy. When they pull in matter, a huge amount of gas and dust start starts collecting around it. This matter swirls around the black hole creating a super hot accretion disk, just like the planetary disks around stars from which planets are born. Astrophysicist Barry McKernan, co-author of the study, said they found that at least theoretically, it is possible that the same processes could form planets around black holes, since the same rules of physics should apply. If true, this means that black holes could also have planets around them. And not just a few, but one black hole could have millions of planets in its vicinity. Simulations showed that these planets would be as large as Jupiter right after their birth, and grow up to become even more humongous. This is because black holes could be several million times bigger than the Sun. The process of planet formation will also be the same. Dust grains would accumulate in increasingly dense concentrations, and collide with each other. The solid particles would gradually coalesce together, thus creating baby planets. Some of them might outgrow the planet stage and end up becoming brown dwarfs, or failed stars. However, it is also possible that some of them become actual stars. But since black holes are power gravitationally, they could tug onto some of these planets, thus killing them and creating more dust. Despite this, there could be millions or billions of planets. A single episode of an active galactic nucleus burst is typically about 2 million years long , with one black hole witnessing several such episodes. Thus, over billions of years, many planets could be born.

Black holes can birth planets and even stars, a study has found. Scientists say the massive amount of matter around them could follow the same rules of planet formation as those that happen around a star. This could lead to planets forming around them.

Not just killers, but creators: Black holes could birth planets and even stars, study finds

In a wide-ranging discussion about India's first human spaceflight ambitions, Gaganyaan astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla opened up about the role of ISRO's humanoid robot, Vyomitra, which is being prepared for &nbsp;India's first crewed space missions. During the conversation, Shukla explained how far technology has advanced since the 1960s and drew comparisons to the early Soviet space program, where animals were sent to space ahead of humans. Shukla pointed out that the processing power in a modern mobile phone has become far better and more efficient as compared to the Apollo missions' computers, which carried astronauts to the Moon and back. He said the technology that we possess today was not available then. Speaking about the Soviet space program, where animals were sent to space ahead of humans, Shukla said that at the moment, ISRO doesn't need to rely on animal testing the way earlier space programs did. Instead, that role will be filled by Vyomitra, a heavily instrumented humanoid robot. "The technology that we have today was not available then. Actually, to highlight, you know, the kind of processing power your mobile phone holds today is more than what the mission computer for the Apollo mission had, which took humans around the moon and brought them back. You know, so that is where we stand today. So that is the kind of difference in what we can achieve today. And you are familiar with Moore's law: every two years, the size of chips will keep reducing over a period of time. So I think that today we don't need to experiment on animals to understand what is happening in space," Shukla said. "The Vyomitra, the humanoid robot that he is talking about, in the initial test missions will carry a humanoid robot which is very heavily instrumented. Instrumented to collect data, to collect the temperature, the pressure, the vibrations, the sound- all of that it is going to collect and give us a very good idea of what the internal environment of the capsule is going to be like. So that, if required, we can make some changes, and we have very good information, or, you know, the introductory talk or the presentation talked about data being intelligible, you know, data being refined so that you can use it effectively. So this is what Vyomitra is going to do. It is going to give us good, solid data which we can use to refine our further missions and have very good confidence in the systems when actual missions are going to space," Shukla added.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/space-experience-reinforced-belief-in-higher-power-astronaut-shubhanshu-shukla-1791385477295">Space experience reinforced belief in ‘higher power’: Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla</a><h3>Three uncrewed missions before any astronaut flies</h3>The interviewer clarified Vyomitra's role further, describing her as a humanoid robot in female form, developed across various ISRO centres. According to the plan outlined, ISRO intends to fly three uncrewed Gaganyaan missions, with no astronauts on board, before any Gaganyatri, including Shukla himself, is cleared to fly. "A robot will go to space inside the capsule, and the robot will do all the testing. And once all of those go flawlessly, only then will we put our astronauts... in space," the interviewer explained, describing it as ISRO's methodical approach to human spaceflight. The conversation then turned to the training journey that transforms a fighter pilot into an astronaut, a path Shukla has walked, training across Star City in Russia, as well as facilities in the US, Europe, and Japan. Asked what it takes, Shukla didn't mince words about the scale of the undertaking. Shubhanshu Shukla said, "On an average, if I have to say, it takes about five years for any astronaut to fly to space, not just from India, whether it is from Russia, whether it is from US. This is the kind of time period that it takes to prepare an astronaut to go to Space. And the reason it takes so much of time is once you are up there, you are by yourself. There is no help available, you are trying to create and sustain life in an environment wherein it should not exist, you know, there is no reason to support life out there. It really widens your horizon to understand how things are happening, how things are being done in different domains, in different disciplines and many times what happens is that you learn something from another discipline and you find that it is suitably applied to some other discipline that you were very used to. So that is the reason that it takes a lot of time to prepare as astronauts. It took us also about five years before we flew and it will be the same story for any future astronauts who are going to fly. It will take this much of time." &nbsp;

Shukla said the processing power in a modern mobile phone has become far better and more efficient compared to the Apollo missions' computers, which carried astronauts to the Moon and back. He said the technology that we possess today was not available then.

In a wide-ranging discussion about India's first human spaceflight ambitions, Gaganyaan astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla opened up about the role of ISRO's humanoid robot, Vyomitra, which is being prepared for India's first crewed space missions. During the conversation, Shukla explained how far technology has advanced since the 1960s and drew comparisons to the early Soviet space program, where animals were sent to space ahead of humans. Shukla pointed out that the processing power in a modern mobile phone has become far better and more efficient as compared to the Apollo missions' computers, which carried astronauts to the Moon and back. He said the technology that we possess today was not available then. Speaking about the Soviet space program, where animals were sent to space ahead of humans, Shukla said that at the moment, ISRO doesn't need to rely on animal testing the way earlier space programs did. Instead, that role will be filled by Vyomitra, a heavily instrumented humanoid robot. "The technology that we have today was not available then. Actually, to highlight, you know, the kind of processing power your mobile phone holds today is more than what the mission computer for the Apollo mission had, which took humans around the moon and brought them back. You know, so that is where we stand today. So that is the kind of difference in what we can achieve today. And you are familiar with Moore's law: every two years, the size of chips will keep reducing over a period of time. So I think that today we don't need to experiment on animals to understand what is happening in space," Shukla said. "The Vyomitra, the humanoid robot that he is talking about, in the initial test missions will carry a humanoid robot which is very heavily instrumented. Instrumented to collect data, to collect the temperature, the pressure, the vibrations, the sound- all of that it is going to collect and give us a very good idea of what the internal environment of the capsule is going to be like. So that, if required, we can make some changes, and we have very good information, or, you know, the introductory talk or the presentation talked about data being intelligible, you know, data being refined so that you can use it effectively. So this is what Vyomitra is going to do. It is going to give us good, solid data which we can use to refine our further missions and have very good confidence in the systems when actual missions are going to space," Shukla added. Also read: Space experience reinforced belief in ‘higher power’: Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla Three uncrewed missions before any astronaut flies The interviewer clarified Vyomitra's role further, describing her as a humanoid robot in female form, developed across various ISRO centres. According to the plan outlined, ISRO intends to fly three uncrewed Gaganyaan missions, with no astronauts on board, before any Gaganyatri, including Shukla himself, is cleared to fly. "A robot will go to space inside the capsule, and the robot will do all the testing. And once all of those go flawlessly, only then will we put our astronauts... in space," the interviewer explained, describing it as ISRO's methodical approach to human spaceflight. The conversation then turned to the training journey that transforms a fighter pilot into an astronaut, a path Shukla has walked, training across Star City in Russia, as well as facilities in the US, Europe, and Japan. Asked what it takes, Shukla didn't mince words about the scale of the undertaking. Shubhanshu Shukla said, "On an average, if I have to say, it takes about five years for any astronaut to fly to space, not just from India, whether it is from Russia, whether it is from US. This is the kind of time period that it takes to prepare an astronaut to go to Space. And the reason it takes so much of time is once you are up there, you are by yourself. There is no help available, you are trying to create and sustain life in an environment wherein it should not exist, you know, there is no reason to support life out there. It really widens your horizon to understand how things are happening, how things are being done in different domains, in different disciplines and many times what happens is that you learn something from another discipline and you find that it is suitably applied to some other discipline that you were very used to. So that is the reason that it takes a lot of time to prepare as astronauts. It took us also about five years before we flew and it will be the same story for any future astronauts who are going to fly. It will take this much of time."

Shukla said the processing power in a modern mobile phone has become far better and more efficient compared to the Apollo missions' computers, which carried astronauts to the Moon and back. He said the technology that we possess today was not available then.

'We don't need to experiment on animals anymore for spaceflight': Shubhanshu Shukla opens up on ISRO's humanoid robot Vyomitra

Scientists may have made a breakthrough in their search for Planet Nine, identifying a faint object whose brightness and slow motion are exactly what is expected of a cosmic body at that distance from Earth and the Sun. Scanning through infrared observations gathered decades ago, they found an object that was at a particular place in one survey and had moved across in the second survey done 23 years later.&nbsp;The study by researchers from National Tsing Hua University in Taiwan was published in the Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia. The authors said the object emerged as the single best candidate after the analysis of millions of infrared sources. However, they asserted that this is not confirmation of a ninth planet, and only gives them a new target to focus on in the hunt for this elusive body, which may or may not exist.<h2>Why do we think Planet Nine is real?</h2>Planet Nine remains a hypothetical object, but astronomers are confident that it exists, even though it has never been seen. The signs point to this body being real. Several objects in that region seem to have huddled around an unknown body, as reflected in their unusually tilted orbits. This suggests that a larger body's gravity could be pulling them.&nbsp;This planet would be lurking beyond Neptune, hundreds of astronomical units away, in a cold and dark region where sunlight barely reaches. This makes finding Planet Nine extremely difficult since barely any light would bounce towards Earth. But planets release heat, and so astronomers started using spacecraft that can detect infrared radiation.<h2>Surveys from 1983 and 2006 were studied</h2>Terry Long Phan and his team studied data from two such missions - RAS, the Infrared Astronomical Satellite from 1983 and Japan’s AKARI spacecraft, which did an infrared survey in 2006 and 2007. This long gap gave them a window into how a distant planet might have shifted its place. They looked for objects that appeared in both the surveys and were consistent with a slow movement.&nbsp;They searched for a planet located between 500 and 700 astronomical units and around 7 to 17 times Earth’s mass by checking for brightness, location and infrared characteristics. They found 22 possible pairings; the number then reduced to 13 before they were left with just one candidate. This object had moved by 47.46 arcminutes between the IRAS and AKARI observations.<h2>Why has it not been declared Planet Nine?</h2>While scientists may have detected a possible Planet Nine candidate, they are not rushing to confirm it. It still needs to fit into the parameters of an object that would cause the unusual trajectories of objects in the outer Solar System. For this to happen, it must move on the right path.&nbsp;Phan says further research should utilise the Dark Energy Camera on the 4-meter Blanco Telescope in Chile to see if this object is moving on the right orbit to qualify as Planet Nine.&nbsp;

Taiwanese scientists have, for the first time, detected real clues about Planet Nine and that it might, after all, be real. They studied two sky surveys done over a 23-year gap to check for objects that may have shifted from their position. And Voila! They found one. 

Scientists may have made a breakthrough in their search for Planet Nine, identifying a faint object whose brightness and slow motion are exactly what is expected of a cosmic body at that distance from Earth and the Sun. Scanning through infrared observations gathered decades ago, they found an object that was at a particular place in one survey and had moved across in the second survey done 23 years later. The study by researchers from National Tsing Hua University in Taiwan was published in the Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia. The authors said the object emerged as the single best candidate after the analysis of millions of infrared sources. However, they asserted that this is not confirmation of a ninth planet, and only gives them a new target to focus on in the hunt for this elusive body, which may or may not exist. Why do we think Planet Nine is real? Planet Nine remains a hypothetical object, but astronomers are confident that it exists, even though it has never been seen. The signs point to this body being real. Several objects in that region seem to have huddled around an unknown body, as reflected in their unusually tilted orbits. This suggests that a larger body's gravity could be pulling them. This planet would be lurking beyond Neptune, hundreds of astronomical units away, in a cold and dark region where sunlight barely reaches. This makes finding Planet Nine extremely difficult since barely any light would bounce towards Earth. But planets release heat, and so astronomers started using spacecraft that can detect infrared radiation. Surveys from 1983 and 2006 were studied Terry Long Phan and his team studied data from two such missions - RAS, the Infrared Astronomical Satellite from 1983 and Japan’s AKARI spacecraft, which did an infrared survey in 2006 and 2007. This long gap gave them a window into how a distant planet might have shifted its place. They looked for objects that appeared in both the surveys and were consistent with a slow movement. They searched for a planet located between 500 and 700 astronomical units and around 7 to 17 times Earth’s mass by checking for brightness, location and infrared characteristics. They found 22 possible pairings; the number then reduced to 13 before they were left with just one candidate. This object had moved by 47.46 arcminutes between the IRAS and AKARI observations. Why has it not been declared Planet Nine? While scientists may have detected a possible Planet Nine candidate, they are not rushing to confirm it. It still needs to fit into the parameters of an object that would cause the unusual trajectories of objects in the outer Solar System. For this to happen, it must move on the right path. Phan says further research should utilise the Dark Energy Camera on the 4-meter Blanco Telescope in Chile to see if this object is moving on the right orbit to qualify as Planet Nine.

Taiwanese scientists have, for the first time, detected real clues about Planet Nine and that it might, after all, be real. They studied two sky surveys done over a 23-year gap to check for objects that may have shifted from their position. And Voila! They found one.&nbsp;

First signs of Planet Nine may have been finally detected

An extremely powerful signal slammed into Earth in 2023, leaving astronomers puzzled about its source. It was detected by the KM3NeT/ARCA underwater neutrino telescope located in the Mediterranean Sea and was unlike anything seen before. It was one of the most energetic neutrinos ever recorded and slammed with a force tens of thousands of times more powerful than the particles ever created by humans.&nbsp;&nbsp;Since then, several explanations have been put forward for the 2023 KM3NeT signal. Some said it could have come from blazars or exploding primordial black holes.&nbsp;The latest origin theory also involves a black hole, an ancient one made of cosmic strings and hiding inside a fifth dimension. A recent paper published in Physical Review D studied the possibility of primordial black holes emerging from a string-based framework. The authors explain that the rules of quantum gravity "inevitably" lead to five-dimensional primordial black holes.&nbsp;The researchers explain that the particle detected was a neutrino and had no photons with it, because of which none of the detectors caught it. Neutrinos are also known as "ghost particles" because they do not interact with other matter. Dieter Lüst, a physicist at the Max Planck Institute for Physics in Germany, and his team said that it slammed with an energy of roughly 30,000 times higher than anything that CERN’s Large Hadron Collider. But finding its source has been extremely difficult.&nbsp;Scientists say the "dark" dimension is a hypothetical fifth dimension in string theory, and only gravity rules over it, Gizmodo reported. Here, the idea is that when cosmic strings collapse in this hypothetical dimension, primordial black holes were born, as opposed to the usual explanation that they were born with the cosmos.&nbsp;When they deviated from the regular explanation, the dark dimension emerged as a natural explanation for the "absence of an associated high-energy photon” in the 2023 neutrino signal. The strings, or thin cracks in spacetime, would have collected into “loops” that collapse into relatively small black holes. The team calculated that the rate of evaporation for such objects would be "comparable" to the age of the universe, Gizmodo reported. This would have caused these ancient black holes to leak neutrinos.

The 2023 KM3NeT neutrino signal remains unexplained because of the extreme force with which it slammed into Earth. Now a new study has come up with the strangest theory ever, pinning it on a black hole which does not actually exist. 

An extremely powerful signal slammed into Earth in 2023, leaving astronomers puzzled about its source. It was detected by the KM3NeT/ARCA underwater neutrino telescope located in the Mediterranean Sea and was unlike anything seen before. It was one of the most energetic neutrinos ever recorded and slammed with a force tens of thousands of times more powerful than the particles ever created by humans. Since then, several explanations have been put forward for the 2023 KM3NeT signal. Some said it could have come from blazars or exploding primordial black holes. The latest origin theory also involves a black hole, an ancient one made of cosmic strings and hiding inside a fifth dimension. A recent paper published in Physical Review D studied the possibility of primordial black holes emerging from a string-based framework. The authors explain that the rules of quantum gravity "inevitably" lead to five-dimensional primordial black holes. The researchers explain that the particle detected was a neutrino and had no photons with it, because of which none of the detectors caught it. Neutrinos are also known as "ghost particles" because they do not interact with other matter. Dieter Lüst, a physicist at the Max Planck Institute for Physics in Germany, and his team said that it slammed with an energy of roughly 30,000 times higher than anything that CERN’s Large Hadron Collider. But finding its source has been extremely difficult. Scientists say the "dark" dimension is a hypothetical fifth dimension in string theory, and only gravity rules over it, Gizmodo reported. Here, the idea is that when cosmic strings collapse in this hypothetical dimension, primordial black holes were born, as opposed to the usual explanation that they were born with the cosmos. When they deviated from the regular explanation, the dark dimension emerged as a natural explanation for the "absence of an associated high-energy photon” in the 2023 neutrino signal. The strings, or thin cracks in spacetime, would have collected into “loops” that collapse into relatively small black holes. The team calculated that the rate of evaporation for such objects would be "comparable" to the age of the universe, Gizmodo reported. This would have caused these ancient black holes to leak neutrinos.

The 2023 KM3NeT neutrino signal remains unexplained because of the extreme force with which it slammed into Earth. Now a new study has come up with the strangest theory ever, pinning it on a black hole which does not actually exist.&nbsp;

Strongest 'ghost particles' to slam Earth could have come from black hole hidden in fifth dimension

October is a treat-filled month for stargazers, with two meteor showers, a full moon, occultations, a Mars-Moon combo, and more. Several planets will go out of sight, while the zodiacal light will shine. The nights will be darker and longer, giving a chance to see celestial bodies that otherwise won't be visible. Here is everything you can see in the October sky.&nbsp;October 3-4: Saturn will be located opposite the Sun, and this opposition means it will be visible all night long quite clearly. If you wish to see the planet in its full glory, that is, with its rings, then whip out your telescope.&nbsp;October 5: Mars will be visible in the eastern sky on this night and will have a clear reddish hue. The best part of this viewing would be the crescent Moon next to the Red Planet. It will pass within a degree of Mars before sunrise, near the Praesepe (Beehive) star cluster.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/mysterious-object-behind-starship-fires-up-ufo-theories-hey-elon-is-this-1790660053841">Mysterious object behind Starship fires up UFO theories - 'Hey Elon, is this...'</a>&nbsp;October 6: The very next day, the Moon will occult the largest planet in the solar system, Jupiter. The planet will hide at 4:20 am ET and reappear at 5:24 am. However, since it will happen during daytime India time, it won't be visible here.&nbsp;October 8: A pyramid-shaped glow will appear in the skies on this night, but will be visible only in the darkest regions. Known as the zodiacal light, in the Northern Hemisphere, it will be visible before dawn in the east, and in the Southern Hemisphere, in the west after sunset.&nbsp;The Zodiacal light<figure class="image"><img src="https://cdn3.wionews.com/prod/wion/images/2026/20261002/image-1790941006415.jpg"></figure>&nbsp;October 8: The same night the Draconid meteor shower will reach its peak. The skies will be dark because of the minimal moon, providing excellent viewing conditions to see the slow-moving meteors. You should be able to see 5 to 10 meteors per hour. The Draconid meteor shower originates from the constellation Draco and is the remnant of Comet 21P/Giacobini-Zinner.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/moon-s-5-hour-origin-theory-being-linked-to-bible-s-creation-of-heavens-story-1789022086339">Moon's 5-hour origin theory proves Bible's creation of heavens story right, netizens say</a>&nbsp;October 7 - 13: This will be the peak time to see the Andromeda Galaxy, the only galaxy we can see with the naked eye. The New Moon will create ideal conditions in the moonless sky for this and other deep-sky sightings. It will be visible directly overhead, along with the Triangulum Galaxy, the Double Cluster in Perseus, and the California Nebula.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/earth-theia-collision-created-the-moon-in-just-5-hours-study-shows-1788430465699">Earth-Theia collision created the moon in just 5 hours, study shows</a>&nbsp;October 21 - 22: The Orionid meteor shower peaks on the night of Oct 21. It originates from the remnants of Halley's Comet and peaks in the pre-dawn hours. It will be best viewed at around 3 am. It is starting on October 2 and will remain active until November 7. At its peak, 10 to 20 meteors should be visible every hour.&nbsp;October 24: A full waxing moon will be visible alongside Saturn.&nbsp;October 25: A full moon, also known as the Hunter's Moon, will rise in the east at sunset.&nbsp;

Stargazing in October will be a delightful experience. There are two meteor showers happening right now, both of which will peak this month. There is also the mystical zodiacal light that will make an appearance. The window to see the Andromeda Galaxy also opens in October.

October is a treat-filled month for stargazers, with two meteor showers, a full moon, occultations, a Mars-Moon combo, and more. Several planets will go out of sight, while the zodiacal light will shine. The nights will be darker and longer, giving a chance to see celestial bodies that otherwise won't be visible. Here is everything you can see in the October sky. October 3-4: Saturn will be located opposite the Sun, and this opposition means it will be visible all night long quite clearly. If you wish to see the planet in its full glory, that is, with its rings, then whip out your telescope. October 5: Mars will be visible in the eastern sky on this night and will have a clear reddish hue. The best part of this viewing would be the crescent Moon next to the Red Planet. It will pass within a degree of Mars before sunrise, near the Praesepe (Beehive) star cluster. Also Read: Mysterious object behind Starship fires up UFO theories - 'Hey Elon, is this...' October 6: The very next day, the Moon will occult the largest planet in the solar system, Jupiter. The planet will hide at 4:20 am ET and reappear at 5:24 am. However, since it will happen during daytime India time, it won't be visible here. October 8: A pyramid-shaped glow will appear in the skies on this night, but will be visible only in the darkest regions. Known as the zodiacal light, in the Northern Hemisphere, it will be visible before dawn in the east, and in the Southern Hemisphere, in the west after sunset. The Zodiacal light October 8: The same night the Draconid meteor shower will reach its peak. The skies will be dark because of the minimal moon, providing excellent viewing conditions to see the slow-moving meteors. You should be able to see 5 to 10 meteors per hour. The Draconid meteor shower originates from the constellation Draco and is the remnant of Comet 21P/Giacobini-Zinner. Also Read: Moon's 5-hour origin theory proves Bible's creation of heavens story right, netizens say October 7 - 13: This will be the peak time to see the Andromeda Galaxy, the only galaxy we can see with the naked eye. The New Moon will create ideal conditions in the moonless sky for this and other deep-sky sightings. It will be visible directly overhead, along with the Triangulum Galaxy, the Double Cluster in Perseus, and the California Nebula. Also Read: Earth-Theia collision created the moon in just 5 hours, study shows October 21 - 22: The Orionid meteor shower peaks on the night of Oct 21. It originates from the remnants of Halley's Comet and peaks in the pre-dawn hours. It will be best viewed at around 3 am. It is starting on October 2 and will remain active until November 7. At its peak, 10 to 20 meteors should be visible every hour. October 24: A full waxing moon will be visible alongside Saturn. October 25: A full moon, also known as the Hunter's Moon, will rise in the east at sunset.

Stargazing in October will be a delightful experience. There are two meteor showers happening right now, both of which will peak this month. There is also the mystical zodiacal light that will make an appearance. The window to see the Andromeda Galaxy also opens in October.

October stargazing: Andromeda Galaxy, mystical zodiacal light, two meteor showers and more

Scientists have figured out why butterflies, despite being one of the most eye-catching creatures, do not fall prey to predators as much. &nbsp;Researchers from the universities of Exeter and Essex have found that the patterns on their wings serve a crucial purpose. They throw predators off course by creating an optical illusion. This causes the predator to misjudge the butterfly's speed and direction.&nbsp;The study published in the journal Nature described exactly how this happens. The patterns on the wings create an illusion by appearing to move in a different direction than the butterfly. So when the insect moves forward, a white bar would seem to be moving backwards, generating the wrong visual signal for the predator. The wings twist and fold during the upstroke and are invisible, minimising the amount of forward movement that is visible.&nbsp;"The stripes and spots on many butterflies’ wings interfere with the way visual systems try to guess the direction and speed of moving things," Dr George Hancock, of Exeter’s centre for ecology and conservation, said.<h2>Butterfly movements were confusing</h2>The complex movement of the insect’s wings adds to the illusion. During the deliberate downstroke, the wings unfold and flex, and in doing so, flash bold colour patterns, and the movement masks the insect's actual flight path. The upstroke is even faster. The twisting and folding wings hide and blur the high contrast bands.&nbsp;For the study, the researchers created a simulation of how the butterflies would appear to the birds. Dr Jolyon Troscianko said that he watched one butterfly in slow motion through bird vision. The winged insect appeared “glowing with downwards motion even though the butterfly was moving up”.<h2>How butterflies created a false motion</h2>At first it appeared to be a coding error in the computer model. However, he later realised that this is exactly how the butterflies confuse the predators. They tested it through human "predators" who were asked to catch butterflies on a touchscreen. Some of the butterflies used “false motion signals”, and these were the ones the participants found hardest to hit. They regularly struck behind the butterfly, something that would be expected if its speed is misjudged.&nbsp;The researchers also identified the wing patterns that created the most confusion. A total of 57,600 artificial wing patterns to "evolved" inside the computer, and the one that emerged as the clear winner resembled the actual patterns seen on butterflies.&nbsp;

Butterflies confuse predators using the elaborate patterns on their wings. When they move forward, they appear to be moving backwards. Scientists said that this is why they are hard to prey on, as the birds often miss the target.

Scientists have figured out why butterflies, despite being one of the most eye-catching creatures, do not fall prey to predators as much. Researchers from the universities of Exeter and Essex have found that the patterns on their wings serve a crucial purpose. They throw predators off course by creating an optical illusion. This causes the predator to misjudge the butterfly's speed and direction. The study published in the journal Nature described exactly how this happens. The patterns on the wings create an illusion by appearing to move in a different direction than the butterfly. So when the insect moves forward, a white bar would seem to be moving backwards, generating the wrong visual signal for the predator. The wings twist and fold during the upstroke and are invisible, minimising the amount of forward movement that is visible. "The stripes and spots on many butterflies’ wings interfere with the way visual systems try to guess the direction and speed of moving things," Dr George Hancock, of Exeter’s centre for ecology and conservation, said. Butterfly movements were confusing The complex movement of the insect’s wings adds to the illusion. During the deliberate downstroke, the wings unfold and flex, and in doing so, flash bold colour patterns, and the movement masks the insect's actual flight path. The upstroke is even faster. The twisting and folding wings hide and blur the high contrast bands. For the study, the researchers created a simulation of how the butterflies would appear to the birds. Dr Jolyon Troscianko said that he watched one butterfly in slow motion through bird vision. The winged insect appeared “glowing with downwards motion even though the butterfly was moving up”. How butterflies created a false motion At first it appeared to be a coding error in the computer model. However, he later realised that this is exactly how the butterflies confuse the predators. They tested it through human "predators" who were asked to catch butterflies on a touchscreen. Some of the butterflies used “false motion signals”, and these were the ones the participants found hardest to hit. They regularly struck behind the butterfly, something that would be expected if its speed is misjudged. The researchers also identified the wing patterns that created the most confusion. A total of 57,600 artificial wing patterns to "evolved" inside the computer, and the one that emerged as the clear winner resembled the actual patterns seen on butterflies.

Butterflies confuse predators using the elaborate patterns on their wings. When they move forward, they appear to be moving backwards. Scientists said that this is why they are hard to prey on, as the birds often miss the target.

Butterflies are master illusionists, and this is what helps them survive

The world’s oceans are warming at an increasingly alarming rate, triggering changes that could reshape marine ecosystems, coastlines and communities, according to the latest Copernicus Ocean State Report. The 10th edition of the report, published Wednesday (Sep 30) and compiled by more than 100 international scientists, draws on more than four decades of observations from satellites, buoys and ocean sensors. Researchers say the findings offer their starkest warning yet about the scale and speed of changes taking place beneath the surface. “The ocean is transforming before our eyes: warming, rising seas and ecosystem degradation are interconnected signs of significant and long-term change,” said Pierre Bahurel, director general of Mercator Ocean International, which produced the report.<h2>Oceans are heating at twice the rate</h2>The ocean absorbs around 90 per cent of the excess heat generated by human activity, making it one of the most important buffers against global warming. But that comes at a cost.According to the report, the rate of ocean warming has doubled over the past two decades. Sea surface temperatures reached record highs in 2023, 2024 and again in 2026. In 2025 alone, the oceans absorbed an additional 23 zettajoules of heat, setting a record for the ninth consecutive year.That amount of energy is difficult to visualise, but the report compares it to the energy released by about 12 Hiroshima bombs every second for an entire year, or roughly 40 times the amount of energy consumed across the world in 2025.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/falklands-oil-row-argentina-milei-threatens-legal-action-against-uk-over-sea-lion-project-says-if-within-two-weeks-1790667906985">Falklands oil row: Argentina threatens legal action against UK over Sea Lion project, says ‘if within two weeks…’</a><h2>Rising seas threaten coastal populations</h2>The extra heat stored in the oceans is driving a chain reaction across the climate system. Warmer waters contribute to marine heatwaves, can intensify storms and accelerate sea level rise. Rising temperatures also cause seawater to expand, while melting land ice adds more water to the oceans.Global average sea levels have risen by about 3.8 millimetres a year since 1999, bringing the overall increase to nearly four inches. The pace has accelerated since 2012, posing growing risks to the hundreds of millions of people living in coastal areas.<h2>Ocean acidification adds another threat</h2>The changes are not limited to temperature and sea levels. The world's oceans have become about 17 per cent more acidic since 1985 as they absorb increasing amounts of carbon pollution from the atmosphere.Ocean acidification can make it harder for marine organisms such as oysters, lobsters and corals to build and maintain their shells and skeletons.Scientists often describe acidification as climate change's “equally evil twin” because of its potentially wide-ranging impact on marine ecosystems.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/flydubai-cockpit-attack-all-we-know-about-co-pilot-accused-of-stabbing-smit-machchhar-trying-to-crash-plane-with-174-passengers-onboard-1790825078610">Flydubai cockpit attack: Who is the co-pilot accused of stabbing Smit Machchhar, trying to crash plane with 174 passengers onboard</a><h2>Mediterranean and Black Sea hit by extreme heat</h2>Some regions are already experiencing particularly severe changes, according to the report. The Mediterranean and Black Seas recorded unprecedented marine heatwaves in 2024, with some events lasting more than 30 days. In parts of the region, water temperatures climbed as much as 4.6 degrees Celsius above average.“These are not isolated hot spells; they are occurring against a backdrop of sustained ocean warming that is changing the conditions marine ecosystems experience,” said Blanca Fernández-Álvarez, a report author and researcher at The Mediterranean Institute for Advanced Studies.<h2>Arctic warming and shrinking sea ice</h2>The Arctic is among the regions undergoing the most dramatic changes. Sea surface temperatures there have increased by around 4.2 degrees Celsius over the past 40 years. Between 1979 and 2025, average monthly sea ice coverage declined by roughly 190,000 square miles per decade, an area comparable to the size of Spain disappearing every 10 years.In Antarctica, exceptionally low sea ice levels in 2022 coincided with the first recorded mass breeding failure among Emperor penguins.The report described the event as a sign that climate change is already altering habitats relied upon by species dependent on sea ice.<h2>Island nations on the frontline</h2>Small developing island states face some of the most immediate consequences of these changes. Rising seas, stronger cyclones, storm surges and coral reef loss are increasingly threatening their economies, infrastructure and communities.The report calls for long-term monitoring of the world's oceans so governments and communities can better anticipate and prepare for accelerating changes. “It is our responsibility to build the permanent capacity to anticipate this transformation,” Bahurel said. &nbsp;

The world's oceans are warming twice as fast as two decades ago, absorbing record amounts of heat as sea levels rise and acidity increases. A new Copernicus report warns that marine ecosystems, coastal populations and island nations face growing risks. All you need to know.

The world’s oceans are warming at an increasingly alarming rate, triggering changes that could reshape marine ecosystems, coastlines and communities, according to the latest Copernicus Ocean State Report. The 10th edition of the report, published Wednesday (Sep 30) and compiled by more than 100 international scientists, draws on more than four decades of observations from satellites, buoys and ocean sensors. Researchers say the findings offer their starkest warning yet about the scale and speed of changes taking place beneath the surface. “The ocean is transforming before our eyes: warming, rising seas and ecosystem degradation are interconnected signs of significant and long-term change,” said Pierre Bahurel, director general of Mercator Ocean International, which produced the report. Oceans are heating at twice the rate The ocean absorbs around 90 per cent of the excess heat generated by human activity, making it one of the most important buffers against global warming. But that comes at a cost. According to the report, the rate of ocean warming has doubled over the past two decades. Sea surface temperatures reached record highs in 2023, 2024 and again in 2026. In 2025 alone, the oceans absorbed an additional 23 zettajoules of heat, setting a record for the ninth consecutive year. That amount of energy is difficult to visualise, but the report compares it to the energy released by about 12 Hiroshima bombs every second for an entire year, or roughly 40 times the amount of energy consumed across the world in 2025. Also read | Falklands oil row: Argentina threatens legal action against UK over Sea Lion project, says ‘if within two weeks…’ Rising seas threaten coastal populations The extra heat stored in the oceans is driving a chain reaction across the climate system. Warmer waters contribute to marine heatwaves, can intensify storms and accelerate sea level rise. Rising temperatures also cause seawater to expand, while melting land ice adds more water to the oceans. Global average sea levels have risen by about 3.8 millimetres a year since 1999, bringing the overall increase to nearly four inches. The pace has accelerated since 2012, posing growing risks to the hundreds of millions of people living in coastal areas. Ocean acidification adds another threat The changes are not limited to temperature and sea levels. The world's oceans have become about 17 per cent more acidic since 1985 as they absorb increasing amounts of carbon pollution from the atmosphere. Ocean acidification can make it harder for marine organisms such as oysters, lobsters and corals to build and maintain their shells and skeletons. Scientists often describe acidification as climate change's “equally evil twin” because of its potentially wide-ranging impact on marine ecosystems. Also read | Flydubai cockpit attack: Who is the co-pilot accused of stabbing Smit Machchhar, trying to crash plane with 174 passengers onboard Mediterranean and Black Sea hit by extreme heat Some regions are already experiencing particularly severe changes, according to the report. The Mediterranean and Black Seas recorded unprecedented marine heatwaves in 2024, with some events lasting more than 30 days. In parts of the region, water temperatures climbed as much as 4.6 degrees Celsius above average. “These are not isolated hot spells; they are occurring against a backdrop of sustained ocean warming that is changing the conditions marine ecosystems experience,” said Blanca Fernández-Álvarez, a report author and researcher at The Mediterranean Institute for Advanced Studies. Arctic warming and shrinking sea ice The Arctic is among the regions undergoing the most dramatic changes. Sea surface temperatures there have increased by around 4.2 degrees Celsius over the past 40 years. Between 1979 and 2025, average monthly sea ice coverage declined by roughly 190,000 square miles per decade, an area comparable to the size of Spain disappearing every 10 years. In Antarctica, exceptionally low sea ice levels in 2022 coincided with the first recorded mass breeding failure among Emperor penguins. The report described the event as a sign that climate change is already altering habitats relied upon by species dependent on sea ice. Island nations on the frontline Small developing island states face some of the most immediate consequences of these changes. Rising seas, stronger cyclones, storm surges and coral reef loss are increasingly threatening their economies, infrastructure and communities. The report calls for long-term monitoring of the world's oceans so governments and communities can better anticipate and prepare for accelerating changes. “It is our responsibility to build the permanent capacity to anticipate this transformation,” Bahurel said.

The world's oceans are warming twice as fast as two decades ago, absorbing record amounts of heat as sea levels rise and acidity increases. A new Copernicus report warns that marine ecosystems, coastal populations and island nations face growing risks. All you need to know.

12 Hiroshima bombs every second?: Oceans hit record heat in 2025, scientists warn. Here’s what it means for the planet

A video showing a four-legged robot climbing steel walls, moving across ceilings, and carrying out welding work is making the rounds across social media. The quadruped robot named 'Diden Spider ' has been designed and developed by South Korea-based Diden Robotics. This robot is not limited to conventional robots that are restricted to flat surfaces, but it moves across steel floors, vertical walls and ceilings using magnetic feet.&nbsp;The video has been shared on the social media platform X with the caption, “Robots are already climbing ship walls and welding steel on their own.” “This four-legged spider robot from DIDEN Robotics uses magnetic feet to move across steel surfaces, climb vertical walls, and weld in places that are hard and dangerous for humans to reach. It’s a great example of where industrial robotics is heading: mobile robots doing real work directly on massive structures instead of staying fixed in one place. The future of automation looks wild," the post further read.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Robots are already climbing ship walls and welding steel on their own 🤯 This four-legged spider robot from DIDEN Robotics uses magnetic feet to move across steel surfaces, climb vertical walls, and weld in places that are hard and dangerous for humans to reach. It’s a great… <a href="https://t.co/lHlQr7hjhd">https://t.co/lHlQr7hjhd</a> <a href="https://t.co/5bFtVIoqHb">pic.twitter.com/5bFtVIoqHb</a>&mdash; Nexis_0x (@0x_Nexis6) <a href="https://x.com/0x_Nexis6/status/2104301220290859344?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 27, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

The 30 kg Spider, which moves on uneven surfaces, tight openings and complex structures, has been designed to relieve workers inside shipyards, where they need to operate in cramped and difficult-to-reach spaces. It can also be fitted with equipment for tasks such as welding and inspection.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/mammoth-stone-circles-10-000-feet-above-an-argentine-mountain-baffle-researchers-1790673531052">Mammoth stone circles 10,000 feet above an Argentine mountain baffle researchers</a><h3>The robot can reach unreachable areas</h3>The most amazing feature of the robot is its ability to stay attached to steel surfaces while moving vertically or upside down. The tech is made to reach areas that may otherwise require workers to use ladders, harnesses or other safety equipment. Although the technology is still under development, the Diden Spider has given a sense of how robots might one day handle some of the more dangerous jobs in shipbuilding and other heavy industries. According to Diden Robotics, the Spider has already been tested in Korean shipyards, including welding tasks on vessels in active production settings. Samsung Heavy Industries has also trialled the technology, pointing to its potential for real-world use beyond controlled lab settings. Down the line, the robot's capabilities could extend to a broader set of industrial tasks, such as inspection, maintenance and repair in large structures where human access is difficult or unsafe.

The 30 kg Spider, which moves on uneven surfaces, tight openings and complex structures, has been designed to relieve workers inside shipyards, where they need to operate in cramped and difficult-to-reach spaces. 

A video showing a four-legged robot climbing steel walls, moving across ceilings, and carrying out welding work is making the rounds across social media. The quadruped robot named 'Diden Spider ' has been designed and developed by South Korea-based Diden Robotics. This robot is not limited to conventional robots that are restricted to flat surfaces, but it moves across steel floors, vertical walls and ceilings using magnetic feet. The video has been shared on the social media platform X with the caption, “Robots are already climbing ship walls and welding steel on their own.” “This four-legged spider robot from DIDEN Robotics uses magnetic feet to move across steel surfaces, climb vertical walls, and weld in places that are hard and dangerous for humans to reach. It’s a great example of where industrial robotics is heading: mobile robots doing real work directly on massive structures instead of staying fixed in one place. The future of automation looks wild," the post further read.

The 30 kg Spider, which moves on uneven surfaces, tight openings and complex structures, has been designed to relieve workers inside shipyards, where they need to operate in cramped and difficult-to-reach spaces.&nbsp;

Climbs walls, welds steel and more: South Korea-based 'Diden Spider' robot leaves internet amazed with magnetic leg - WATCH

Climate change is the reality of our world today. While we know human actions are the primary cause of global warming, some researchers also link it to an event our Earth undergoes every few thousand to millions of years. This event is the flipping of the magnetic field. But is this really true? Could magnetic pole reversal trigger a mass extinction?&nbsp;According to research, when the poles reverse, that is, the north and south magnetic poles swap places, the magnetic field weakens. According to scientists, this protective field has weakened by about 9 per cent in the last 200 years. This could be an indication that the pole reversal is due.&nbsp;Some people claim that this event can have a significant effect on the climate. This can happen from cosmic rays, the energetic charged particles streaming through outer space produced by coronal mass ejections and supernovae. When these mingle with Earth's atmosphere, secondary radiation is formed, which can reach the surface of our planet. Studies have shown that this event causes ionisation, which can affect atmospheric processes and also damage human DNA.&nbsp;The magnetic field deflects these rays, protecting equatorial regions more than the poles where the field lines dip. A weakened magnetic field could make it easier for this radiation to penetrate Earth. Several studies, including by researchers like Jacob Svensmark, have shown that this could cause ionisation rates to rise globally at sea level and become substantially higher in the upper atmosphere.&nbsp;This is when our planet likely becomes vulnerable to changes in the climate. Increased atmospheric ionisation could change cloud cover patterns and influence climate, as aerosol and water condensation processes are impacted in this scenario. But this might be it when it comes to climate.<h2>What could happen when magnetic poles flip?</h2> According to NASA, past geomagnetic reversals have not triggered mass extinctions or cataclysmic physical disasters. Fossil records show no correlation between pole flips and extinction events. A small risk lies during the weak transition phase when chances of solar particle radiation reaching Earth's upper atmosphere increase. During this time, power grids, satellite communications, aviation networks, and GPS systems could be affected.<h2>How long does pole reversal take?</h2> Magnetic pole reversal is not a sudden event. A full reversal could take anywhere from 2,000 to 10,000 years. In the transition period, the primary dipole field degrades and turns into a complex multipole field. Earth might likely have multiple weak magnetic poles scattered around before stabilising.<h2>When will the next magnetic pole reversal happen?</h2> Predicting this flip is not possible. Historically, magnetic reversals occur roughly every 200,000 to 300,000 years. But the most recent one occurred approximately 780,000 years ago. Known as the Brunhes–Matuyama reversal, the entire process was completed over several thousand years. Despite this long gap, there is no way to say for sure that the reversal is overdue.<h2>Could the pole reversal have already started?</h2> Scientists have seen some indications that hint that the magnetic poles could already be in the process of exchanging places. As mentioned in the beginning, the dipole strength of Earth's magnetic field has decreased by about 9 per cent over the last 150–200 years. The Magnetic North is also drifting and is moving from northern Canada toward Siberia at speeds of 50–60 km/year in recent decades. There is a growing region of weak magnetic field over South America and the southern Atlantic Ocean, impacting satellites in lower orbits. However, it is unclear whether this is happening due to a pole reversal or not.&nbsp;Conclusion: Even if we assume that the pole reversal has already started, fossil records have established that this event is not linked to a mass extinction.&nbsp; &nbsp;

Could the weakening of the magnetic field trigger climate change and ultimately the end of humanity? Some people claim that magnetic pole reversal, which weakens this field, could be affecting our climate. Is there historical proof of a mass extinction linked to this reversal?

Climate change is the reality of our world today. While we know human actions are the primary cause of global warming, some researchers also link it to an event our Earth undergoes every few thousand to millions of years. This event is the flipping of the magnetic field. But is this really true? Could magnetic pole reversal trigger a mass extinction? According to research, when the poles reverse, that is, the north and south magnetic poles swap places, the magnetic field weakens. According to scientists, this protective field has weakened by about 9 per cent in the last 200 years. This could be an indication that the pole reversal is due. Some people claim that this event can have a significant effect on the climate. This can happen from cosmic rays, the energetic charged particles streaming through outer space produced by coronal mass ejections and supernovae. When these mingle with Earth's atmosphere, secondary radiation is formed, which can reach the surface of our planet. Studies have shown that this event causes ionisation, which can affect atmospheric processes and also damage human DNA. The magnetic field deflects these rays, protecting equatorial regions more than the poles where the field lines dip. A weakened magnetic field could make it easier for this radiation to penetrate Earth. Several studies, including by researchers like Jacob Svensmark, have shown that this could cause ionisation rates to rise globally at sea level and become substantially higher in the upper atmosphere. This is when our planet likely becomes vulnerable to changes in the climate. Increased atmospheric ionisation could change cloud cover patterns and influence climate, as aerosol and water condensation processes are impacted in this scenario. But this might be it when it comes to climate. What could happen when magnetic poles flip? According to NASA, past geomagnetic reversals have not triggered mass extinctions or cataclysmic physical disasters. Fossil records show no correlation between pole flips and extinction events. A small risk lies during the weak transition phase when chances of solar particle radiation reaching Earth's upper atmosphere increase. During this time, power grids, satellite communications, aviation networks, and GPS systems could be affected. How long does pole reversal take? Magnetic pole reversal is not a sudden event. A full reversal could take anywhere from 2,000 to 10,000 years. In the transition period, the primary dipole field degrades and turns into a complex multipole field. Earth might likely have multiple weak magnetic poles scattered around before stabilising. When will the next magnetic pole reversal happen? Predicting this flip is not possible. Historically, magnetic reversals occur roughly every 200,000 to 300,000 years. But the most recent one occurred approximately 780,000 years ago. Known as the Brunhes–Matuyama reversal, the entire process was completed over several thousand years. Despite this long gap, there is no way to say for sure that the reversal is overdue. Could the pole reversal have already started? Scientists have seen some indications that hint that the magnetic poles could already be in the process of exchanging places. As mentioned in the beginning, the dipole strength of Earth's magnetic field has decreased by about 9 per cent over the last 150–200 years. The Magnetic North is also drifting and is moving from northern Canada toward Siberia at speeds of 50–60 km/year in recent decades. There is a growing region of weak magnetic field over South America and the southern Atlantic Ocean, impacting satellites in lower orbits. However, it is unclear whether this is happening due to a pole reversal or not. Conclusion: Even if we assume that the pole reversal has already started, fossil records have established that this event is not linked to a mass extinction.

Could the weakening of the magnetic field trigger climate change and ultimately the end of humanity? Some people claim that magnetic pole reversal, which weakens this field, could be affecting our climate. Is there historical proof of a mass extinction linked to this reversal?

Will Earth's magnetic poles flip soon, and could it trigger a mass extinction?

SpaceX's 14th test flight of Starship took off on Monday and made history by entering Earth's orbit for the first time. The rocket was given the go-ahead to move towards orbit after all tests were completed. The next step was the deployment of Starlink V3 satellites via Starship V3, with a total of 26 on board. All of them were successfully deployed, and the team posted in an update that it had made contact with all of them.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The <a href="https://x.com/Starlink?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Starlink</a> team has made contact with all 26 satellites <a href="https://t.co/qiAubuhytS">https://t.co/qiAubuhytS</a>&mdash; SpaceX (@SpaceX) <a href="https://x.com/SpaceX/status/2104571161254474020?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Starship’s 14th flight is set to launch on Monday, Sept 28. The 75-minute launch window opens at 7:15 a.m. CT. Live coverage of the mission starts ~35 minutes before launch → <a href="https://t.co/uQKQvgaTmJ">https://t.co/uQKQvgaTmJ</a>&mdash; SpaceX (@SpaceX) <a href="https://x.com/SpaceX/status/2104354931595423762?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 27, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Till now, all Starship test missions have been suborbital. Once the most powerful rocket ever made enters orbit, it will circle the planet about six times over 10 hours. The company completed a wet dress rehearsal on Thursday (September 24). It was stationed at Starbase with a 75-minute launch window that opened at &nbsp;8:15 am ET. The launch is being live-streamed and will be available on the SpaceX website and its X page.<h2>Starship, Moon and Mars</h2>Elon Musk plans to use the Starship to return humans to the Moon and even take them to Mars. His dream of building a human colony on the Red Planet depends on its ability to demonstrate orbital flight.&nbsp;With Starship, SpaceX is aiming to deploy its larger Starlink V3 satellites and help NASA return astronauts to the Moon. The company also wants to achieve full, rapid reusability to prove its commercial viability. &nbsp;Starship went around Earth six times before it was given the go-ahead to move towards orbit. As it successfully reached its destination, engineers on the ground erupted in applause. Later, it started deploying the V3 satellites, with a total of 26 of them on board. The team successfully made contact with two of them soon after deployment.<h2>Starlink V3 satellites&nbsp;</h2>&nbsp;Starlink V3 is SpaceX’s next-generation satellite platform designed specifically to harness the massive volume and mass capacity of the Starship launch system. Compared to previous generations, V3 upgrades the bandwidth, array size, and network processing capabilities.

Starship launch LIVE: SpaceX's most powerful rocket made history by successfully entering orbit for the first time. It also started deploying Starlink V3 satellites. The launch was telecast LIVE on SpaceX's website and its X page. Here is everything you need to know.

SpaceX's 14th test flight of Starship took off on Monday and made history by entering Earth's orbit for the first time. The rocket was given the go-ahead to move towards orbit after all tests were completed. The next step was the deployment of Starlink V3 satellites via Starship V3, with a total of 26 on board. All of them were successfully deployed, and the team posted in an update that it had made contact with all of them.

Starship launch LIVE: SpaceX's most powerful rocket made history by successfully entering orbit for the first time. It also started deploying Starlink V3 satellites. The launch was telecast LIVE on SpaceX's website and its X page. Here is everything you need to know.

Starship’s 14th flight makes history, reaches orbit and deploys 26 Starlink V3 satellites

With the entry of AI and machine learning, predictive targeting has become part of marketing agencies' and different firms' efforts to predict future customer decisions based on behaviour patterns and historical data. The move comes as data is being utilised to predict the probability or likelihood of people's actions, such as making a purchase, engaging with products, or converting. The tools can also facilitate brands in creating better customer personas, deciding on a targeted audience for campaigns, and ensuring potential customers see the most relevant ads possible. Predictive targeting has now become possible because AI and machine learning can process huge amounts of data to make predictions, which can be used in advertising and marketing to detect signals and get the right ad in front of the right person, at the right time. Other major development including integration of personal AI assistants and AI agents that empower brands to make routine online purchases, book services, and negotiate deals on behalf of users. These tools began helping customers with a degree of autonomy, covering sectors like e-commerce platforms, online travel agencies, insurance marketplaces and the stock market. Experts noted that AI can predict purchase propensity, identify customers likely to churn, suggest the next product and even flag when a creative is beginning to lose its pull. They also added that AI is becoming fantastically good at identifying patterns.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/from-financial-awareness-to-financial-entertainment-how-india-s-money-mindset-is-changing-in-the-age-of-ai-1788432396144">From financial awareness to financial entertainment: How India's money mindset is changing in the age of AI</a> Reacting to the question of whether AI can predict what consumers will buy before they even know it themselves, Anuja Bhardhwaj, Creative Director at BC Web Wise, said, "Perhaps. But not because it can read our minds. It can read the trail we leave behind. Every search, pause, abandoned cart, repeat visit and change in browsing behaviour creates a signal. Individually, they mean little. Together, they can reveal patterns that suggest what someone is likely to do next. The Target pregnancy-prediction story made this idea famous years ago. The retailer wasn't psychic. It recognised a combination of behaviours that often preceded a major life change. Today, AI can process millions of such signals in real time. That changes the marketer's question from “What worked?” to “What is likely to work, for whom, and when?” "AI can predict purchase propensity, identify customers likely to churn, recommend the next product and even flag when a creative is beginning to lose its pull. The rear-view mirror is becoming the least interesting screen in marketing. But prediction comes with a catch. If an algorithm repeatedly nudges you towards something and you eventually buy it, did it predict your desire or help create it?" he also questioned. "That question becomes even more interesting as AI agents start shopping on our behalf. The next battle may not be winning the consumer's click, but winning the consumer's AI. For creative leaders, however, there is another risk: performance without progress. Algorithms learn from what has worked before. Feed them enough successful campaigns, and they will get very good at making the next one look like the last one. And that is where human creativity still has an unfair advantage. AI can identify patterns, optimise decisions and predict the next likely move. But the idea that changes the pattern altogether? That still requires instinct, cultural understanding and a willingness to do something the data didn't ask for. The future isn't AI versus creativity. It's intelligence giving creativity more room to surprise us. Because the most valuable consumer behaviour may still be the one nobody saw coming," he added.<h3>AI is becoming fantastically good</h3>Expressing a different answer, Pratish nMepani, Founder, Starting Monday Design and Branding Co, said," Yes, I mean, the answer is both yes and no. But mainly, yes. Because AI is not really predicting the future; it is identifying patterns. There is a difference. But it certainly feels like prediction. Most of us have experienced that slightly uncomfortable moment when a shopping platform recommends something we were already considering buying, a streaming service suggests exactly what we're in the mood to watch, or an advertisement that appears for something we had only vaguely been thinking about. It can sometimes feel as though technology knows us better than we know ourselves. And in some cases, perhaps it does." He said that AI is becoming fantastically good at identifying patterns, noting that every click, search, pause, purchase and interaction leaves behind a trail of signals. Pratish added that billions of these signals are jointly analysed, and thus AI can identify behaviours and preferences long before people consciously recognise them. "But this is also where things get interesting. We spend a lot of time predicting consumers. We spend far less time understanding them. Data reveals patterns. Human insights reveal meaning. Throughout my career in branding and design, i've learned that people rarely make decisions for purely rational reasons. We would like to believe that we buy products because of specifications, pricing and features. In reality, we often buy because of trust, memory, aspiration, belonging, recommendation or simply emotion," he also said. "AI can predict behaviour. Human beings create meaning. And human meaning has a habit of disrupting predictions. A consumer may fit the perfect profile for one brand and still choose another because a friend recommended it, because it reminds them of childhood, because of a memorable experience, or simply because it feels right. This is the wonderful inconvenience of being human. This is why I believe the future of predictive marketing will not belong to AI alone. It will belong to organisations that combine data with empathy, technology with real human insight and prediction with genuine understanding. Brands that succeed will not simply know what consumers might buy next. They will understand why. In branding, the "why" has always mattered far more than the "what"," he added.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Experts noted that AI can predict purchase propensity, identify customers likely to churn, suggest the next product and even flag when a creative is beginning to lose its pull. They also added that AI is becoming fantastically good at identifying patterns.

With the entry of AI and machine learning, predictive targeting has become part of marketing agencies' and different firms' efforts to predict future customer decisions based on behaviour patterns and historical data. The move comes as data is being utilised to predict the probability or likelihood of people's actions, such as making a purchase, engaging with products, or converting. The tools can also facilitate brands in creating better customer personas, deciding on a targeted audience for campaigns, and ensuring potential customers see the most relevant ads possible. Predictive targeting has now become possible because AI and machine learning can process huge amounts of data to make predictions, which can be used in advertising and marketing to detect signals and get the right ad in front of the right person, at the right time. Other major development including integration of personal AI assistants and AI agents that empower brands to make routine online purchases, book services, and negotiate deals on behalf of users. These tools began helping customers with a degree of autonomy, covering sectors like e-commerce platforms, online travel agencies, insurance marketplaces and the stock market. Experts noted that AI can predict purchase propensity, identify customers likely to churn, suggest the next product and even flag when a creative is beginning to lose its pull. They also added that AI is becoming fantastically good at identifying patterns. Also read: From financial awareness to financial entertainment: How India's money mindset is changing in the age of AI Reacting to the question of whether AI can predict what consumers will buy before they even know it themselves, Anuja Bhardhwaj, Creative Director at BC Web Wise, said, "Perhaps. But not because it can read our minds. It can read the trail we leave behind. Every search, pause, abandoned cart, repeat visit and change in browsing behaviour creates a signal. Individually, they mean little. Together, they can reveal patterns that suggest what someone is likely to do next. The Target pregnancy-prediction story made this idea famous years ago. The retailer wasn't psychic. It recognised a combination of behaviours that often preceded a major life change. Today, AI can process millions of such signals in real time. That changes the marketer's question from “What worked?” to “What is likely to work, for whom, and when?” "AI can predict purchase propensity, identify customers likely to churn, recommend the next product and even flag when a creative is beginning to lose its pull. The rear-view mirror is becoming the least interesting screen in marketing. But prediction comes with a catch. If an algorithm repeatedly nudges you towards something and you eventually buy it, did it predict your desire or help create it?" he also questioned. "That question becomes even more interesting as AI agents start shopping on our behalf. The next battle may not be winning the consumer's click, but winning the consumer's AI. For creative leaders, however, there is another risk: performance without progress. Algorithms learn from what has worked before. Feed them enough successful campaigns, and they will get very good at making the next one look like the last one. And that is where human creativity still has an unfair advantage. AI can identify patterns, optimise decisions and predict the next likely move. But the idea that changes the pattern altogether? That still requires instinct, cultural understanding and a willingness to do something the data didn't ask for. The future isn't AI versus creativity. It's intelligence giving creativity more room to surprise us. Because the most valuable consumer behaviour may still be the one nobody saw coming," he added. AI is becoming fantastically good Expressing a different answer, Pratish nMepani, Founder, Starting Monday Design and Branding Co, said," Yes, I mean, the answer is both yes and no. But mainly, yes. Because AI is not really predicting the future; it is identifying patterns. There is a difference. But it certainly feels like prediction. Most of us have experienced that slightly uncomfortable moment when a shopping platform recommends something we were already considering buying, a streaming service suggests exactly what we're in the mood to watch, or an advertisement that appears for something we had only vaguely been thinking about. It can sometimes feel as though technology knows us better than we know ourselves. And in some cases, perhaps it does." He said that AI is becoming fantastically good at identifying patterns, noting that every click, search, pause, purchase and interaction leaves behind a trail of signals. Pratish added that billions of these signals are jointly analysed, and thus AI can identify behaviours and preferences long before people consciously recognise them. "But this is also where things get interesting. We spend a lot of time predicting consumers. We spend far less time understanding them. Data reveals patterns. Human insights reveal meaning. Throughout my career in branding and design, i've learned that people rarely make decisions for purely rational reasons. We would like to believe that we buy products because of specifications, pricing and features. In reality, we often buy because of trust, memory, aspiration, belonging, recommendation or simply emotion," he also said. "AI can predict behaviour. Human beings create meaning. And human meaning has a habit of disrupting predictions. A consumer may fit the perfect profile for one brand and still choose another because a friend recommended it, because it reminds them of childhood, because of a memorable experience, or simply because it feels right. This is the wonderful inconvenience of being human. This is why I believe the future of predictive marketing will not belong to AI alone. It will belong to organisations that combine data with empathy, technology with real human insight and prediction with genuine understanding. Brands that succeed will not simply know what consumers might buy next. They will understand why. In branding, the "why" has always mattered far more than the "what"," he added.

Experts noted that AI can predict purchase propensity, identify customers likely to churn, suggest the next product and even flag when a creative is beginning to lose its pull. They also added that AI is becoming fantastically good at identifying patterns.

Can AI predict what consumers will buy before they even know it themselves? Future of predictive digital marketing

Dogs may understand more about human speech than previously thought. A new study has found that canine brains process spoken language in a way that researchers had previously considered uniquely human.Scientists discovered that dogs can use consonants to break continuous streams of sounds into individual words, a process known as a “consonant bias”. Until now, this feature had been documented in humans and had not even been observed in primates, despite their closer evolutionary relationship to people.<h2>Dogs use consonants to identify words</h2>Researchers compared the brain responses of 20 humans and 20 companion dogs while they listened to speech. Their analysis, published in the journal Science, found that both species were better at recognising word patterns when consonants provided the structure of words rather than vowels.The dogs' brains also synchronised with the rhythm of consonant-based words in a pattern similar to that seen in human brains.“This is the first evidence that a consonant bias can also emerge in the brain of a species other than humans,” co-author Kinga G. Tóth said.The findings challenge the idea that the brain needs specifically human language abilities to develop such a way of processing speech. “These findings suggest that the brain's tuning to speech, and specifically the emergence of consonant bias, does not require a pre-wired brain and human-like language abilities,” said Attila Andics of Eötvös Loránd University.“Instead, regular exposure to speech may be enough to change how the brain functions and to give rise to processing characteristics previously observed only in humans, even in a species evolutionarily distant from us.”<h2>Speech exposure may shape the canine brain</h2>The researchers also compared family pets with dogs that had spent their early months in shelters or on the streets.Both groups developed the same strong consonant bias, suggesting that prolonged exposure to human speech, rather than a particular upbringing, may help shape this aspect of the canine brain.The researchers also found an important difference between humans and dogs. People were able to detect words built around vowel patterns as well, although they performed better when consonants carried the word structure.Dogs, by comparison, did not show the same ability to detect the less familiar vowel-based patterns. Researchers said this may indicate that humans are better at learning unexpected linguistic patterns.<h2>Some dogs can learn words by listening in</h2>The findings add to growing research into how dogs process human language.A separate study published earlier this year found that some highly skilled dogs could learn new words simply by listening to their owners' conversations. Researchers said the dogs needed to follow their owner's gaze and attention, recognise communicative signals and identify individual words from a continuous flow of speech.That ability had also been considered largely unique to humans. The researchers found that some dogs displayed language-learning behaviours comparable to those seen in children between 18 and 23 months old.“Under the right conditions, some dogs present behaviours strikingly similar to those of young children,” said lead author Dr Shany Dror of the University for Veterinary Medicine in Vienna.Together, the findings suggest that a dog's ability to pick up patterns in human speech may be rooted not only in training, but also in the way its brain adapts to living alongside people.

A new study has found that dogs’ brains process continuous human speech using a pattern previously considered uniquely human. The surprising clue is consonants, which appear to help dogs break streams of sounds into individual words. Here's all you need to know.

Dogs may understand more about human speech than previously thought. A new study has found that canine brains process spoken language in a way that researchers had previously considered uniquely human. Scientists discovered that dogs can use consonants to break continuous streams of sounds into individual words, a process known as a “consonant bias”. Until now, this feature had been documented in humans and had not even been observed in primates, despite their closer evolutionary relationship to people. Dogs use consonants to identify words Researchers compared the brain responses of 20 humans and 20 companion dogs while they listened to speech. Their analysis, published in the journal Science, found that both species were better at recognising word patterns when consonants provided the structure of words rather than vowels. The dogs' brains also synchronised with the rhythm of consonant-based words in a pattern similar to that seen in human brains. “This is the first evidence that a consonant bias can also emerge in the brain of a species other than humans,” co-author Kinga G. Tóth said. The findings challenge the idea that the brain needs specifically human language abilities to develop such a way of processing speech. “These findings suggest that the brain's tuning to speech, and specifically the emergence of consonant bias, does not require a pre-wired brain and human-like language abilities,” said Attila Andics of Eötvös Loránd University. “Instead, regular exposure to speech may be enough to change how the brain functions and to give rise to processing characteristics previously observed only in humans, even in a species evolutionarily distant from us.” Speech exposure may shape the canine brain The researchers also compared family pets with dogs that had spent their early months in shelters or on the streets. Both groups developed the same strong consonant bias, suggesting that prolonged exposure to human speech, rather than a particular upbringing, may help shape this aspect of the canine brain. The researchers also found an important difference between humans and dogs. People were able to detect words built around vowel patterns as well, although they performed better when consonants carried the word structure. Dogs, by comparison, did not show the same ability to detect the less familiar vowel-based patterns. Researchers said this may indicate that humans are better at learning unexpected linguistic patterns. Some dogs can learn words by listening in The findings add to growing research into how dogs process human language. A separate study published earlier this year found that some highly skilled dogs could learn new words simply by listening to their owners' conversations. Researchers said the dogs needed to follow their owner's gaze and attention, recognise communicative signals and identify individual words from a continuous flow of speech. That ability had also been considered largely unique to humans. The researchers found that some dogs displayed language-learning behaviours comparable to those seen in children between 18 and 23 months old. “Under the right conditions, some dogs present behaviours strikingly similar to those of young children,” said lead author Dr Shany Dror of the University for Veterinary Medicine in Vienna. Together, the findings suggest that a dog's ability to pick up patterns in human speech may be rooted not only in training, but also in the way its brain adapts to living alongside people.

A new study has found that dogs’ brains process continuous human speech using a pattern previously considered uniquely human. The surprising clue is consonants, which appear to help dogs break streams of sounds into individual words. Here's all you need to know.

Thanks to a surprising brain trick, dogs really do ‘understand’ human speech, study finds

A team of scientists has detected radio signals coming directly from a planet outside our solar system. Radio detections in the past could not be certainly attributed to coming from the exoplanet or its star. But this one is reaching us from the exoplanet. However, before you get excited thinking we may have finally found alien life, you should know that this signal is actually coming from the auroras on the planet. Scientists were observing a star 63.4 light-years away when they stumbled upon this signal.&nbsp;The authors wrote in the paper that previously, auroral radio bursts have been seen in Solar System planets and in some ultracool dwarfs. But "no radio detection has previously been unambiguously localised to an extrasolar planet rather than its host star."&nbsp;When charged particles interact with the atmosphere and magnetic fields, energy is released, which is what is reaching Earth. "We detect rapid, recurring, and highly circularly polarised bursts, as well as persistent emission, at frequencies of 0.85 to 3.5 GHz," they wrote. The frequencies, or the radio signals, were picked up by the MeerKAT radio telescope array in South Africa, four different times in &nbsp;2025 and 2026.<h2>Could the radio signal be coming from Beta Pictoris?&nbsp;</h2>Beta Pictoris has three known planets - Beta Pictoris b, Beta Pictoris c, and Beta Pictoris d. Researchers detected short, repeating radio bursts with strongly circularly polarised radio waves, something that clearly signals that it is from an aurora. Beta Pictoris is an "early-type" star that has never been known to emanate radio signals. The structure of such stars is different from our Sun, and they are also hotter and bigger. Using quasars as reference points, they determined that the signal was coming from the planet Beta Pictoris b.&nbsp;"This constitutes the first direct measurement of magnetic field strength for an exoplanet, and is consistent with dynamo-scaling predictions for a young, massive giant planet," the researchers wrote in the paper which is yet to be published in a peer-reviewed journal.<h2>Beta Pictoris B</h2>Isolating the radio signal also revealed that Electron Cyclotron Maser Instability (ECMI), the same process that produces auroras on Earth and Jupiter, was responsible for what was happening on planet b. This shows that Beta Pictoris B has a strong magnetic field, &nbsp;thousands of times stronger than Earth's. It completes one spin in just 8-9 hours, and this speedy rotation possibly powers the auroral radio emission. The planet is 10 times the mass of Jupiter.&nbsp;

Scientists have detected strong radio signals coming from an exoplanet located 63.4 light-years away. This planet is huge, about 10 times the mass of Jupiter and completes one spin in nearly 9 hours. Where are the signals coming from? 

A team of scientists has detected radio signals coming directly from a planet outside our solar system. Radio detections in the past could not be certainly attributed to coming from the exoplanet or its star. But this one is reaching us from the exoplanet. However, before you get excited thinking we may have finally found alien life, you should know that this signal is actually coming from the auroras on the planet. Scientists were observing a star 63.4 light-years away when they stumbled upon this signal. The authors wrote in the paper that previously, auroral radio bursts have been seen in Solar System planets and in some ultracool dwarfs. But "no radio detection has previously been unambiguously localised to an extrasolar planet rather than its host star." When charged particles interact with the atmosphere and magnetic fields, energy is released, which is what is reaching Earth. "We detect rapid, recurring, and highly circularly polarised bursts, as well as persistent emission, at frequencies of 0.85 to 3.5 GHz," they wrote. The frequencies, or the radio signals, were picked up by the MeerKAT radio telescope array in South Africa, four different times in 2025 and 2026. Could the radio signal be coming from Beta Pictoris? Beta Pictoris has three known planets - Beta Pictoris b, Beta Pictoris c, and Beta Pictoris d. Researchers detected short, repeating radio bursts with strongly circularly polarised radio waves, something that clearly signals that it is from an aurora. Beta Pictoris is an "early-type" star that has never been known to emanate radio signals. The structure of such stars is different from our Sun, and they are also hotter and bigger. Using quasars as reference points, they determined that the signal was coming from the planet Beta Pictoris b. "This constitutes the first direct measurement of magnetic field strength for an exoplanet, and is consistent with dynamo-scaling predictions for a young, massive giant planet," the researchers wrote in the paper which is yet to be published in a peer-reviewed journal. Beta Pictoris B Isolating the radio signal also revealed that Electron Cyclotron Maser Instability (ECMI), the same process that produces auroras on Earth and Jupiter, was responsible for what was happening on planet b. This shows that Beta Pictoris B has a strong magnetic field, thousands of times stronger than Earth's. It completes one spin in just 8-9 hours, and this speedy rotation possibly powers the auroral radio emission. The planet is 10 times the mass of Jupiter.

Scientists have detected strong radio signals coming from an exoplanet located 63.4 light-years away. This planet is huge, about 10 times the mass of Jupiter and completes one spin in nearly 9 hours. Where are the signals coming from?&nbsp;

Scientists detect first radio signals directly from faraway planet

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