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The Big Bang is believed to be the beginning of our universe 13.8 billion years ago. But some scientists believe that it didn't just start something, but it was also the end of another universe. Nobel laureate Roger Penrose proposed that ours isn't the first universe and also not the last. After he won the Nobel Prize in Physics &nbsp;2020, Penrose stated that the Big Bang actually "began with something which was the remote future of a previous aeon". Which means, the Big Bang was actually the last stage of the life of another world. He calls this alternate theory Conformal Cyclic Cosmology (CCC). It basically means a cold end of one world is the hot start of another. He believes the afterglow of the Big Bang, or the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB), comes from supermassive black holes from the previous universe that evaporated. His idea has been dismissed by other scientists who say the "hot spots" Penrose sees are just random statistical noise.<h2>Hindu texts say there were many universes before ours</h2>While there is no scientific proof for what Penrose proposes, this cycle has been mentioned in historic Indian texts. As Penrose's theory started floating on social media again, people pointed out that this exact belief has been enshrined in ancient Hindu texts for nearly 2,000 years. &nbsp;The Puranas, Vedas, Upanishads, and the Bhagavad Gita all talk about a cycle comprising Srishti (creation), Kalpa (a single cycle of the cosmos), and pralay (cosmic dissolution), or the end. The cycle starts with the creation of a new universe, which then stretches for around 4,320 million human years, and the cosmos ends with pralay, or destruction.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/what-would-earth-look-like-after-it-dies-mysterious-iron-bar-inside-ring-nebula-could-be-our-planet-s-fate-1768555967282">What would Earth look like after it dies? Mysterious iron bar inside Ring Nebula could be our planet's fate</a>&nbsp;Penrose proposed this theory to solve the Second Law of Thermodynamics, which states that entropy, or disorder, always increases. Scientists say that this means that when the Big Bang happened, the universe should have been a chaotic place. However, observations show the early universe was actually highly ordered.&nbsp;Penrose states that black holes are like entropy sinks that evaporate at the end of an aeon and reset the entropy. So everything starts from a blank slate in an extremely calm place. He based this theory on the so-called "hot spots" in the CMB. He believes these bright points are scars of supermassive black holes from the previous universe that evaporated. The burst of energy that survived the transition into our current aeon remained visible.&nbsp;

Is our universe the first? Nobel laureate Roger Penrose believes there was another universe before ours, and our beginning was the end of another. While his theory has been dismissed, people have pointed out that this is true according to ancient Hindu texts.

The Big Bang is believed to be the beginning of our universe 13.8 billion years ago. But some scientists believe that it didn't just start something, but it was also the end of another universe. Nobel laureate Roger Penrose proposed that ours isn't the first universe and also not the last. After he won the Nobel Prize in Physics 2020, Penrose stated that the Big Bang actually "began with something which was the remote future of a previous aeon". Which means, the Big Bang was actually the last stage of the life of another world. He calls this alternate theory Conformal Cyclic Cosmology (CCC). It basically means a cold end of one world is the hot start of another. He believes the afterglow of the Big Bang, or the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB), comes from supermassive black holes from the previous universe that evaporated. His idea has been dismissed by other scientists who say the "hot spots" Penrose sees are just random statistical noise. Hindu texts say there were many universes before ours While there is no scientific proof for what Penrose proposes, this cycle has been mentioned in historic Indian texts. As Penrose's theory started floating on social media again, people pointed out that this exact belief has been enshrined in ancient Hindu texts for nearly 2,000 years. The Puranas, Vedas, Upanishads, and the Bhagavad Gita all talk about a cycle comprising Srishti (creation), Kalpa (a single cycle of the cosmos), and pralay (cosmic dissolution), or the end. The cycle starts with the creation of a new universe, which then stretches for around 4,320 million human years, and the cosmos ends with pralay, or destruction. Also Read: What would Earth look like after it dies? Mysterious iron bar inside Ring Nebula could be our planet's fate Penrose proposed this theory to solve the Second Law of Thermodynamics, which states that entropy, or disorder, always increases. Scientists say that this means that when the Big Bang happened, the universe should have been a chaotic place. However, observations show the early universe was actually highly ordered. Penrose states that black holes are like entropy sinks that evaporate at the end of an aeon and reset the entropy. So everything starts from a blank slate in an extremely calm place. He based this theory on the so-called "hot spots" in the CMB. He believes these bright points are scars of supermassive black holes from the previous universe that evaporated. The burst of energy that survived the transition into our current aeon remained visible.

Is our universe the first? Nobel laureate Roger Penrose believes there was another universe before ours, and our beginning was the end of another. While his theory has been dismissed, people have pointed out that this is true according to ancient Hindu texts.

Ancient Indian texts say one universe ends, and another is born. Is this what Big Bang was?

Astronomers have known about the Ring Nebula for years now, yet they had missed something inside it. Located 2,283 light-years from Earth, they have just noticed a mysterious "iron bar" stretching across the nebula, something they have never seen before in the universe. They are not sure what it is or how it formed, but one theory suggests that it could be plasma left from the vaporisation of a rocky planet that got caught in the final rites of its star. It could be a glimpse into the future of Earth, which will be swallowed by the Sun billions of years from now. The discovery was made by a European team led by astronomers at University College London (UCL) and Cardiff University. The &nbsp;James Webb Space Telescope and other telescopes have often pictured this elliptically shaped nebula. The team used a mode (Large Integral Field Unit of LIFU) on a new instrument, the WHT Enhanced Area Velocity Explorer (WEAVE)4, installed on the Isaac Newton Group’s 4.2-metre William Herschel Telescope5. They were astonished to see a cloud of iron stretching 500 times that of Pluto’s orbit around the Sun.<h2>Iron inside the nebula stretches to unimaginable lengths</h2>Lead author Dr Roger Wesson said that WEAVE revealed a new aspect about the Ring Nebula that has been studied using many different telescopes and instruments in the past. "When we processed the data and scrolled through the images, one thing popped out as clear as anything – this previously unknown 'bar' of ionised iron atoms, in the middle of the familiar and iconic ring," he said. What this iron bar is and how it formed remains a mystery. The researchers say more analysis is needed to understand its true nature. However, for now, they have two theories, as stated in the study published in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/scientists-set-up-a-phone-line-between-earth-and-spacecraft-in-cosmos-1768305689447">Scientists set up a 'phone line' between Earth and spacecraft in cosmos</a><h2>How nebulae form?</h2>First, let's understand how nebulae form. Astronomers believe that the Ring Nebula formed when a dying star threw away its outer layers about 4,000 years ago, creating this colourful shell. Stars like the Sun run on nuclear fuel, which will end someday. When this happens, its outer layers swell and become gigantic, pulling in the planets in its orbit. On the other hand, the core shrinks and cools and becomes a white dwarf. The outer layers that create a sort of boundary form the planetary nebula.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/monster-cosmic-hamburger-could-soon-be-full-of-planets-an-arc-of-sulfur-1768224771444">Monster 'cosmic hamburger' shows signs of major activity that points to something huge</a><h2>Do other nebulae also have similar iron bar?</h2>The Ring Nebula was also formed similarly. Scientists think that this iron rod inside it is nothing but an arc of plasma left behind from the vaporisation of a rocky planet that was gobbled up by the star as it expanded. The second possibility is that it could be something humans still don't know about, how the ejection of the nebula by the parent star happens. WEAVE is set to carry out our eight surveys over the next five years, during which it will observe white dwarfs and galaxies. Astronomers don't know whether they would see a similar iron bar in other nebulae. Wesson says it would be pretty surprising if it were unique to the Ring Nebula. Similar observations elsewhere could reveal the origin of the iron. &nbsp;

The Ring Nebula has a mysterious iron bar inside it. Scientists had never seen anything like it before, and the discovery has left them shocked. Where did this iron come from? Could it have been left behind by a planet like Earth?

Astronomers have known about the Ring Nebula for years now, yet they had missed something inside it. Located 2,283 light-years from Earth, they have just noticed a mysterious "iron bar" stretching across the nebula, something they have never seen before in the universe. They are not sure what it is or how it formed, but one theory suggests that it could be plasma left from the vaporisation of a rocky planet that got caught in the final rites of its star. It could be a glimpse into the future of Earth, which will be swallowed by the Sun billions of years from now. The discovery was made by a European team led by astronomers at University College London (UCL) and Cardiff University. The James Webb Space Telescope and other telescopes have often pictured this elliptically shaped nebula. The team used a mode (Large Integral Field Unit of LIFU) on a new instrument, the WHT Enhanced Area Velocity Explorer (WEAVE)4, installed on the Isaac Newton Group’s 4.2-metre William Herschel Telescope5. They were astonished to see a cloud of iron stretching 500 times that of Pluto’s orbit around the Sun. Iron inside the nebula stretches to unimaginable lengths Lead author Dr Roger Wesson said that WEAVE revealed a new aspect about the Ring Nebula that has been studied using many different telescopes and instruments in the past. "When we processed the data and scrolled through the images, one thing popped out as clear as anything – this previously unknown 'bar' of ionised iron atoms, in the middle of the familiar and iconic ring," he said. What this iron bar is and how it formed remains a mystery. The researchers say more analysis is needed to understand its true nature. However, for now, they have two theories, as stated in the study published in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. Also Read: Scientists set up a 'phone line' between Earth and spacecraft in cosmos How nebulae form? First, let's understand how nebulae form. Astronomers believe that the Ring Nebula formed when a dying star threw away its outer layers about 4,000 years ago, creating this colourful shell. Stars like the Sun run on nuclear fuel, which will end someday. When this happens, its outer layers swell and become gigantic, pulling in the planets in its orbit. On the other hand, the core shrinks and cools and becomes a white dwarf. The outer layers that create a sort of boundary form the planetary nebula. Also Read: Monster 'cosmic hamburger' shows signs of major activity that points to something huge Do other nebulae also have similar iron bar? The Ring Nebula was also formed similarly. Scientists think that this iron rod inside it is nothing but an arc of plasma left behind from the vaporisation of a rocky planet that was gobbled up by the star as it expanded. The second possibility is that it could be something humans still don't know about, how the ejection of the nebula by the parent star happens. WEAVE is set to carry out our eight surveys over the next five years, during which it will observe white dwarfs and galaxies. Astronomers don't know whether they would see a similar iron bar in other nebulae. Wesson says it would be pretty surprising if it were unique to the Ring Nebula. Similar observations elsewhere could reveal the origin of the iron.

The Ring Nebula has a mysterious iron bar inside it. Scientists had never seen anything like it before, and the discovery has left them shocked. Where did this iron come from? Could it have been left behind by a planet like Earth?

What would Earth look like after it dies? Mysterious iron bar inside Ring Nebula could be our planet's fate

A research team at KAIST, which included an active duty Army Major, aim to develop a quicker and more dependable method to control bleeding instantly, a leading cause of death in emergencies. Their effort resulted in a next-generation powder-based hemostatic agent that can stop bleeding within a second when sprayed directly onto a wound, potentially saving lives on the battlefield.&nbsp;On December 29th, KAIST said a joint team led by Professor Steve Park of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering and Professor Sangyong Jon from the Department of Biological Sciences had developed a powder-based hemostatic agent, which rapidly forms a strong hydrogel barrier. Once applied to an injured part of the body, it transforms in about one second, immediately sealing the injury.&nbsp;Developed with real battlefield conditions in mind, the technology benefits from the Army Major’s direct involvement to ensure practical usability. The agent hardens instantly even in extreme environments such as combat zones or disaster sites and remains stable during storage, allowing rapid deployment in emergency care, according to a report in SciTechDaily.&nbsp;PhD candidate Kyusoon Park (Army Major), who participated in the research, said, “The core of modern warfare is minimising the loss of human life,” and added, “I started the research with a sense of mission to save even one more soldier.” He continued, “I hope this technology will be used as a life-saving technology in both national defence and private medical fields.”&nbsp;A patch-type hemostatic products often used as medicine to treat deep or irregular wounds because of its flat shape. It is also sensitive to heat and moisture, limiting its storage and use in demanding settings.<h3>‘AGCL powder’</h3>To overcome these issues, the KAIST team came up with the hemostatic agent in the form of powder that can be applied to wounds of any shape and sizes as well as deep or uneven. A single formulation can also be utilised in a wide range of injury types, which can improve flexibility in emergency care.&nbsp;The ‘AGCL powder’, which has been developed possess a structure in combination of biocompatible natural materials that include Alginate and Gellan Gum (which react with calcium for ultra-fast gelation and physical sealing) as well as Chitosan (which bonds with blood components to enhance chemical and biological hemostasis). It works in the body after reacting with cations such as calcium in the blood in order to turn into a gel state in one second, quickly sealing the wound.&nbsp;AGCL powder is made entirely from natural materials and is safe for use with blood, with tests showing a hemolysis rate below 3 per cent, cell viability above 99 per cent, and antibacterial effectiveness of 99.9 per cent. In surgical liver injury trials, it significantly reduced blood loss and shortened the time needed to stop bleeding compared to existing commercial hemostatic agents. Liver function returned to normal within two weeks after surgery, and no signs of systemic toxicity were detected.&nbsp;While the technology was developed primarily for national defence applications, it holds strong promise for broader use in emergency medicine, including disaster response, developing regions and underserved healthcare settings. The innovation is also seen as a notable example of defence-driven science successfully transitioning to civilian use, with applications ranging from battlefield emergency care to internal surgical bleeding control. &nbsp;

Developed with real battlefield conditions in mind, the technology benefits from the Army Major’s direct involvement to ensure practical usability. The agent hardens instantly, even in extreme environments such as combat zones or disaster sites and remains stable during storage.

A research team at KAIST, which included an active duty Army Major, aim to develop a quicker and more dependable method to control bleeding instantly, a leading cause of death in emergencies. Their effort resulted in a next-generation powder-based hemostatic agent that can stop bleeding within a second when sprayed directly onto a wound, potentially saving lives on the battlefield. On December 29th, KAIST said a joint team led by Professor Steve Park of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering and Professor Sangyong Jon from the Department of Biological Sciences had developed a powder-based hemostatic agent, which rapidly forms a strong hydrogel barrier. Once applied to an injured part of the body, it transforms in about one second, immediately sealing the injury. Developed with real battlefield conditions in mind, the technology benefits from the Army Major’s direct involvement to ensure practical usability. The agent hardens instantly even in extreme environments such as combat zones or disaster sites and remains stable during storage, allowing rapid deployment in emergency care, according to a report in SciTechDaily. PhD candidate Kyusoon Park (Army Major), who participated in the research, said, “The core of modern warfare is minimising the loss of human life,” and added, “I started the research with a sense of mission to save even one more soldier.” He continued, “I hope this technology will be used as a life-saving technology in both national defence and private medical fields.” A patch-type hemostatic products often used as medicine to treat deep or irregular wounds because of its flat shape. It is also sensitive to heat and moisture, limiting its storage and use in demanding settings. ‘AGCL powder’ To overcome these issues, the KAIST team came up with the hemostatic agent in the form of powder that can be applied to wounds of any shape and sizes as well as deep or uneven. A single formulation can also be utilised in a wide range of injury types, which can improve flexibility in emergency care. The ‘AGCL powder’, which has been developed possess a structure in combination of biocompatible natural materials that include Alginate and Gellan Gum (which react with calcium for ultra-fast gelation and physical sealing) as well as Chitosan (which bonds with blood components to enhance chemical and biological hemostasis). It works in the body after reacting with cations such as calcium in the blood in order to turn into a gel state in one second, quickly sealing the wound. AGCL powder is made entirely from natural materials and is safe for use with blood, with tests showing a hemolysis rate below 3 per cent, cell viability above 99 per cent, and antibacterial effectiveness of 99.9 per cent. In surgical liver injury trials, it significantly reduced blood loss and shortened the time needed to stop bleeding compared to existing commercial hemostatic agents. Liver function returned to normal within two weeks after surgery, and no signs of systemic toxicity were detected. While the technology was developed primarily for national defence applications, it holds strong promise for broader use in emergency medicine, including disaster response, developing regions and underserved healthcare settings. The innovation is also seen as a notable example of defence-driven science successfully transitioning to civilian use, with applications ranging from battlefield emergency care to internal surgical bleeding control.

Developed with real battlefield conditions in mind, the technology benefits from the Army Major’s direct involvement to ensure practical usability. The agent hardens instantly, even in extreme environments such as combat zones or disaster sites and remains stable during storage.

Life saving medicine? Scientists develop spray-on powder that stops bleeding in one second, offers hope in war zones

Scientists in China working on the "artificial sun" have managed to break a long-standing "speed limit" in physics known as the Greenwald limit. The breakthrough on the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST) came on January 1, and it also changes the rules for building stars on Earth. This limit occurs in a scenario in which there is a fusion reactor shaped like a doughnut where scientists pack in super-hot gas (plasma) to create energy, just like the sun. But there is a rule for how much of it you can add, and this ceiling is what is known as the Greenwald limit. If too much plasma is added to the bottle, the gas would become unstable, and the reaction would crash. However, Chinese scientists have worked a way around it. They can now add 1.3 to 1.6 times more fuel than what was believed could be squeezed in, the team wrote in a new paper published in Science Advances.&nbsp;They achieved this state using precise microwave heating and a "self-cleaning" method, both of which keep the reactor walls cool and clean. This creates an environment in which impurities do not accumulate, and this prevents them from ruining the reaction. The scientists were able to create a "density-free regime" where the plasma stabilises itself and does not tear apart. This breakthrough has several benefits when it comes to energy production. "The findings suggest a practical and scalable pathway for extending density limits in tokamaks and next-generation burning plasma fusion devices,” says Zhu Ping, co-lead of the study, who is a professor at Huazhong University of Science and Technology.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/scientists-set-up-a-phone-line-between-earth-and-spacecraft-in-cosmos-1768305689447">Scientists set up a 'phone line' between Earth and spacecraft in cosmos</a><h2>How does breaking the Greenwald Limit help energy production?</h2>One of the benefits is that the energy produced increases, not just by double, but four times. In fusion, doubling the fuel translates to quadrupling the energy. Breaking this limit means reactors can produce way more power. Secondly, packing in more energy into a smaller space means that future fusion power plants don't necessarily need to be humongous, billion-dollar megastructures. They could be smaller, simpler, and cheaper to build. Besides, breaking the Greenwald Limit shows that it was merely a hurdle and not something defined by nature. The achievement opens doors for limitless, clean energy and can make international fusion projects more efficient.

Scientists in China have broken the Greenwald limit, achieving a major breakthrough in fusion reaction. They solved a crucial problem while working on the "artificial sun", or the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST).

Scientists in China working on the "artificial sun" have managed to break a long-standing "speed limit" in physics known as the Greenwald limit. The breakthrough on the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST) came on January 1, and it also changes the rules for building stars on Earth. This limit occurs in a scenario in which there is a fusion reactor shaped like a doughnut where scientists pack in super-hot gas (plasma) to create energy, just like the sun. But there is a rule for how much of it you can add, and this ceiling is what is known as the Greenwald limit. If too much plasma is added to the bottle, the gas would become unstable, and the reaction would crash. However, Chinese scientists have worked a way around it. They can now add 1.3 to 1.6 times more fuel than what was believed could be squeezed in, the team wrote in a new paper published in Science Advances. They achieved this state using precise microwave heating and a "self-cleaning" method, both of which keep the reactor walls cool and clean. This creates an environment in which impurities do not accumulate, and this prevents them from ruining the reaction. The scientists were able to create a "density-free regime" where the plasma stabilises itself and does not tear apart. This breakthrough has several benefits when it comes to energy production. "The findings suggest a practical and scalable pathway for extending density limits in tokamaks and next-generation burning plasma fusion devices,” says Zhu Ping, co-lead of the study, who is a professor at Huazhong University of Science and Technology. Also Read: Scientists set up a 'phone line' between Earth and spacecraft in cosmos How does breaking the Greenwald Limit help energy production? One of the benefits is that the energy produced increases, not just by double, but four times. In fusion, doubling the fuel translates to quadrupling the energy. Breaking this limit means reactors can produce way more power. Secondly, packing in more energy into a smaller space means that future fusion power plants don't necessarily need to be humongous, billion-dollar megastructures. They could be smaller, simpler, and cheaper to build. Besides, breaking the Greenwald Limit shows that it was merely a hurdle and not something defined by nature. The achievement opens doors for limitless, clean energy and can make international fusion projects more efficient.

Scientists in China have broken the Greenwald limit, achieving a major breakthrough in fusion reaction. They solved a crucial problem while working on the "artificial sun", or the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST).

China's 'artificial sun' cracked a major code, setting a new record in physics

NASA has carried out a medical evacuation for the first time in the history of the International Space Station on January 14. Crew 11 is on its way to splashing down after its time on the observatory in orbit was cut short after one of the astronauts faced a health issue. The crew comprises US astronauts Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, Russian cosmonaut Oleg Platonov and Japanese astronaut Kimiya Yu. NASA has not confirmed which of them faced the problem and the nature of the health scare. Crew-11's Dragon capsule, named Endeavour, undocked at 5:20 pm EST. The spacecraft will face around an 11-hour deorbit trajectory, and is expected to splash down on Thursday (January 15) at 3:41 am EST. A post-landing press conference is scheduled for 5:45 am EST, in which the space agency is expected to share all details of the problem that occurred on the space station.<h2>NASA medical evacuation from ISS</h2>The crew was launched on August 1, 2025, and was supposed to spend six months in space. On January 8, a spacewalk was supposed to take place, to be carried out by Mike Fincke, the ISS commander, and flight engineer Zena Cardman. However, a few hours before it was to start, a medical problem arose, after which it was cancelled. Later, the space agency announced that it would be returning the crew in the next few days because of a health problem. Dr James Polk, NASA's chief health and medical officer, said at the time that it was not an emergency, but they were "erring on the side of caution for the crew member".Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nasa-evacuating-iss-crew-on-medical-grounds-for-the-first-time-1767929858137">NASA evacuating ISS crew on medical grounds for the first time</a><h2>Who is left on the ISS? Is the space station empty?</h2>NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman announced the end of the mission and that the spacewalk had been cancelled. A change of command ceremony took plance and Fincke handed over the symbolic ISS key to Roscosmos cosmonaut Sergey Kud-Sverchov. "I'm proud of the swift effort across the agency thus far to ensure the safety of our astronauts," Isaacman said. The early return means that the ISS is without a new crew as the next one will not launch before February 15. The ISS now has only three people on board - Kud-Sverchov and fellow cosmonaut Sergei Mikaev, as well as NASA astronaut Chris Williams.&nbsp; &nbsp;

NASA ISS medical evacuation: Dragon capsule Endeavour undocked from the space station on the evening of January 14 and will splash down late at night on January 15. NASA returned a crew early on medical grounds for the first time. 

NASA has carried out a medical evacuation for the first time in the history of the International Space Station on January 14. Crew 11 is on its way to splashing down after its time on the observatory in orbit was cut short after one of the astronauts faced a health issue. The crew comprises US astronauts Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, Russian cosmonaut Oleg Platonov and Japanese astronaut Kimiya Yu. NASA has not confirmed which of them faced the problem and the nature of the health scare. Crew-11's Dragon capsule, named Endeavour, undocked at 5:20 pm EST. The spacecraft will face around an 11-hour deorbit trajectory, and is expected to splash down on Thursday (January 15) at 3:41 am EST. A post-landing press conference is scheduled for 5:45 am EST, in which the space agency is expected to share all details of the problem that occurred on the space station. NASA medical evacuation from ISS The crew was launched on August 1, 2025, and was supposed to spend six months in space. On January 8, a spacewalk was supposed to take place, to be carried out by Mike Fincke, the ISS commander, and flight engineer Zena Cardman. However, a few hours before it was to start, a medical problem arose, after which it was cancelled. Later, the space agency announced that it would be returning the crew in the next few days because of a health problem. Dr James Polk, NASA's chief health and medical officer, said at the time that it was not an emergency, but they were "erring on the side of caution for the crew member". Also Read: NASA evacuating ISS crew on medical grounds for the first time Who is left on the ISS? Is the space station empty? NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman announced the end of the mission and that the spacewalk had been cancelled. A change of command ceremony took plance and Fincke handed over the symbolic ISS key to Roscosmos cosmonaut Sergey Kud-Sverchov. "I'm proud of the swift effort across the agency thus far to ensure the safety of our astronauts," Isaacman said. The early return means that the ISS is without a new crew as the next one will not launch before February 15. The ISS now has only three people on board - Kud-Sverchov and fellow cosmonaut Sergei Mikaev, as well as NASA astronaut Chris Williams.

NASA ISS medical evacuation: Dragon capsule Endeavour undocked from the space station on the evening of January 14 and will splash down late at night on January 15. NASA returned a crew early on medical grounds for the first time.&nbsp;

NASA crew evacuated from ISS: What time will astronauts return, who is left and media briefing schedule

Physicists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have calculated that clocks on Mars tick 477 microseconds (millionths of a second) faster per day than clocks on Earth. This is because of Mars' stretched orbit and gravitational influences from other bodies. It has also been discovered that the time difference can vary by as much as 226 microseconds per day throughout the Martian year.&nbsp;The idea has been sourced from Albert Einstein, who showed that time is not the same everywhere in the universe as the rate at which a clock ticks heavily depends on gravity, showing that clocks run slightly slower where there is a stronger gravity and faster in weaker gravity. In addition, time coordination across Earth is complex and extends across the solar system, which is far more challenging.<h3>Time on Mars</h3>The study, recently published in The Astronomical Journal, builds on a 2024 paper in which scientists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) proposed a framework for ultra-precise timekeeping on the Moon. NIST physicist Bijunath Patla said that accurately measuring time on Mars will be vital for future missions.&nbsp;Mars follows a markedly different rhythm from Earth, as a Martian day is roughly 40 minutes longer than an Earth day, while a Martian year lasts 687 Earth days, compared with 365 on Earth. Beyond these differences, scientists needed to determine whether time on Mars flows at the same rate as it does on Earth.&nbsp;An atomic clock placed on Mars would operate normally and tick just as it would on Earth. The challenge arises when that clock is compared with one on Earth, as the two gradually fall out of sync. Researchers, therefore, had to calculate the precise offset between the two, similar to defining a planetary time zone.&nbsp;The task proved more complex than anticipated. Under Einstein’s theory of relativity, gravity influences the passage of time, with clocks running slower in stronger gravitational fields and faster in weaker ones. A planet’s motion through space also affects time, as orbital speed introduces additional variations.&nbsp;To carry out the calculations, NIST scientists chose a specific reference point on Mars, similar to sea level at Earth's equator. Drawing on data collected from decades of Mars missions, Patla and fellow NIST physicist Neil Ashby estimated the planet's surface gravity, which is about five times weaker than Earth's.&nbsp;However, Mars’s gravity alone did not provide the full answer. The solar system is a constantly shifting environment in which massive bodies exert gravitational forces on one another. The Sun, which holds more than 99 per cent of the solar system’s mass, plays the dominant role in shaping planetary motion.&nbsp;The position in the solar system, which includes its distance from the Sun and interactions with neighbouring bodies such as Earth, the Moon, Jupiter and Saturn, results in a more stretched and elliptical orbit. In contrast, Earth and the Moon follow relatively stable orbits. As a consequence, time on the Moon runs consistently about 56 microseconds faster per day than on Earth.&nbsp;"But for Mars, that's not the case. Its distance from the Sun and its eccentric orbit make the variations in time larger. A three-body problem is extremely complicated. Now we're dealing with four: the Sun, Earth, the Moon and Mars," NIST physicist Bijunath Patla explained. “The heavy lifting was more challenging than I initially thought.” After factoring in Martian surface gravity, orbital dynamics and the gravitational influence of the Sun, Earth and the Moon, Patla and Ashby reached their final calculation. &nbsp;

Mars follows a markedly different rhythm from Earth, as a Martian day is roughly 40 minutes longer than an Earth day, while a Martian year lasts 687 Earth days, compared with 365 on Earth.

Physicists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have calculated that clocks on Mars tick 477 microseconds (millionths of a second) faster per day than clocks on Earth. This is because of Mars' stretched orbit and gravitational influences from other bodies. It has also been discovered that the time difference can vary by as much as 226 microseconds per day throughout the Martian year. The idea has been sourced from Albert Einstein, who showed that time is not the same everywhere in the universe as the rate at which a clock ticks heavily depends on gravity, showing that clocks run slightly slower where there is a stronger gravity and faster in weaker gravity. In addition, time coordination across Earth is complex and extends across the solar system, which is far more challenging. Time on Mars The study, recently published in The Astronomical Journal, builds on a 2024 paper in which scientists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) proposed a framework for ultra-precise timekeeping on the Moon. NIST physicist Bijunath Patla said that accurately measuring time on Mars will be vital for future missions. Mars follows a markedly different rhythm from Earth, as a Martian day is roughly 40 minutes longer than an Earth day, while a Martian year lasts 687 Earth days, compared with 365 on Earth. Beyond these differences, scientists needed to determine whether time on Mars flows at the same rate as it does on Earth. An atomic clock placed on Mars would operate normally and tick just as it would on Earth. The challenge arises when that clock is compared with one on Earth, as the two gradually fall out of sync. Researchers, therefore, had to calculate the precise offset between the two, similar to defining a planetary time zone. The task proved more complex than anticipated. Under Einstein’s theory of relativity, gravity influences the passage of time, with clocks running slower in stronger gravitational fields and faster in weaker ones. A planet’s motion through space also affects time, as orbital speed introduces additional variations. To carry out the calculations, NIST scientists chose a specific reference point on Mars, similar to sea level at Earth's equator. Drawing on data collected from decades of Mars missions, Patla and fellow NIST physicist Neil Ashby estimated the planet's surface gravity, which is about five times weaker than Earth's. However, Mars’s gravity alone did not provide the full answer. The solar system is a constantly shifting environment in which massive bodies exert gravitational forces on one another. The Sun, which holds more than 99 per cent of the solar system’s mass, plays the dominant role in shaping planetary motion. The position in the solar system, which includes its distance from the Sun and interactions with neighbouring bodies such as Earth, the Moon, Jupiter and Saturn, results in a more stretched and elliptical orbit. In contrast, Earth and the Moon follow relatively stable orbits. As a consequence, time on the Moon runs consistently about 56 microseconds faster per day than on Earth. "But for Mars, that's not the case. Its distance from the Sun and its eccentric orbit make the variations in time larger. A three-body problem is extremely complicated. Now we're dealing with four: the Sun, Earth, the Moon and Mars," NIST physicist Bijunath Patla explained. “The heavy lifting was more challenging than I initially thought.” After factoring in Martian surface gravity, orbital dynamics and the gravitational influence of the Sun, Earth and the Moon, Patla and Ashby reached their final calculation.

Mars follows a markedly different rhythm from Earth, as a Martian day is roughly 40 minutes longer than an Earth day, while a Martian year lasts 687 Earth days, compared with 365 on Earth.

Mars proves Einstein right as time ticks differently on the Red Planet, scientists confirm

In 2025, Earth experienced its third-warmest year on record with average temperatures exceeding 1.5 degrees Celsius of global warming over three years, marking the longest period since records began, EU scientists confirmed on Wednesday, news agency Reuters reported.&nbsp;Data from the EU’s European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts showed that the past three years were the hottest on record, with 2025 only 0.01 degrees Celsius cooler than 2023. The UK Met Office, Britain's national weather service, also confirmed 2025 as the third-warmest in since 1850 when records began. These temperature figures are likely to be published by the World Meteorological Organisation on Wednesday.&nbsp;The ECMWF said the planet has also recorded its first three-year stretch in which average global temperatures were 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, a threshold scientists warn could trigger severe, and in some cases irreversible, consequences of global warming.&nbsp;"1.5 C is not a cliff edge. However, we know that every fraction of a degree matters, particularly for worsening extreme weather events," said Samantha Burgess, strategic lead for climate at ECMWF.<h3>Commitment to limiting global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius</h3>Under the 2015 Paris Agreement, governments committed to limiting global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, measured over several decades. However, ECMWF stated that inadequate cuts in greenhouse gas emissions mean the world could cross this limit before 2030 — around a decade earlier than expected when the accord was signed.&nbsp;"We are bound to pass it," said Carlo Buontempo, director of the EU's Copernicus Climate Change Service. "The choice we now have is how to best manage the inevitable overshoot and its consequences on societies and natural systems."&nbsp;At present, the world's long-term warming level is about 1.4 °C more than the pre-industrial era, according to ECMWF. On a short-term basis, the 1.5-degree threshold was already surpassed in 2024. Even a temporary breach of the long-term 1.5 °C limit would result in more intense and widespread impacts, such as longer and hotter heatwaves, along with stronger storms and flooding.&nbsp;Meanwhile, wildfires in Europe generated the highest total emissions on record in 2025. However, scientific studies indicated that specific weather events were made worse by climate change, which include Hurricane Melissa in the Caribbean and monsoon rains in Pakistan, claiming the lives of over 1,000 people in floods.&nbsp;

Data from the EU’s European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts showed that the past three years were the hottest on record, with 2025 only 0.01 degrees Celsius cooler than 2023. Britain's national weather service also confirmed 2025 as the third-warmest year since 1850.

In 2025, Earth experienced its third-warmest year on record with average temperatures exceeding 1.5 degrees Celsius of global warming over three years, marking the longest period since records began, EU scientists confirmed on Wednesday, news agency Reuters reported. Data from the EU’s European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts showed that the past three years were the hottest on record, with 2025 only 0.01 degrees Celsius cooler than 2023. The UK Met Office, Britain's national weather service, also confirmed 2025 as the third-warmest in since 1850 when records began. These temperature figures are likely to be published by the World Meteorological Organisation on Wednesday. The ECMWF said the planet has also recorded its first three-year stretch in which average global temperatures were 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, a threshold scientists warn could trigger severe, and in some cases irreversible, consequences of global warming. "1.5 C is not a cliff edge. However, we know that every fraction of a degree matters, particularly for worsening extreme weather events," said Samantha Burgess, strategic lead for climate at ECMWF. Commitment to limiting global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius Under the 2015 Paris Agreement, governments committed to limiting global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, measured over several decades. However, ECMWF stated that inadequate cuts in greenhouse gas emissions mean the world could cross this limit before 2030 — around a decade earlier than expected when the accord was signed. "We are bound to pass it," said Carlo Buontempo, director of the EU's Copernicus Climate Change Service. "The choice we now have is how to best manage the inevitable overshoot and its consequences on societies and natural systems." At present, the world's long-term warming level is about 1.4 °C more than the pre-industrial era, according to ECMWF. On a short-term basis, the 1.5-degree threshold was already surpassed in 2024. Even a temporary breach of the long-term 1.5 °C limit would result in more intense and widespread impacts, such as longer and hotter heatwaves, along with stronger storms and flooding. Meanwhile, wildfires in Europe generated the highest total emissions on record in 2025. However, scientific studies indicated that specific weather events were made worse by climate change, which include Hurricane Melissa in the Caribbean and monsoon rains in Pakistan, claiming the lives of over 1,000 people in floods.

Data from the EU’s European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts showed that the past three years were the hottest on record, with 2025 only 0.01 degrees Celsius cooler than 2023. Britain's national weather service also confirmed 2025 as the third-warmest year since 1850.

Earth logs third-warmest year in 2025 as 1.5°C threshold breached for three years, scientists confirm

NASA has announced the date when humanity will return to the Moon after over 50 years. The Artemis II mission will take off with four astronauts on board on February 6. It will be the first manned mission since the Apollo program ended in 1972. The space agency added that the launch window will remain open from January 31 to February 14, with a few other dates also being kept in reserve. The launch on February 6 will depend on several factors, including the weather. If the Artemis II mission is not launched on the said date, attempts would be made on February 7, 8, 10, and 11. Other backup dates are also being worked out, NASA said. The mission will carry NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen on a 10-day journey around the moon and back to Earth. The mission will neither orbit nor land on the Moon, and will instead only involve a close flyby.<h2>Artemis II launch in February</h2>The Artemis II launch will happen from Cape Canaveral, with the astronauts on board an Orion spacecraft, carried by NASA's powerful Space Launch System (SLS) rocket system. The spacecraft will first orbit Earth a few times to test the life support equipment. If all goes well, it will then shoot towards the Moon. Here, a close flyby will occur after which Orion will return to Earth. This will be the first time in 53 years that humans will leave low Earth orbit and move out into space. The return has been planned to lower dependency on the cogs and machines. Orion will use the Moon's gravity to slingshot towards Earth. So if anything goes wrong, the spacecraft would still manage to return.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/scientists-set-up-a-phone-line-between-earth-and-spacecraft-in-cosmos-1768305689447">Scientists set up a 'phone line' between Earth and spacecraft in cosmos</a> &nbsp;Artemis II is like a trial mission before humans actually set foot on the Moon once again. It is meant to check the spacecraft, the systems, safety and support equipment and the feasibility of going that far. Artemis III will finally take humans to the Moon once again, and hopefully land them successfully. Meanwhile, the first phase of Artemis II starts January 17, when the fully stacked SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft will "roll out" from NASA's Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39B at Kennedy Space Centre. Test launches will be carried out at Cape Canaveral, complete with a fake countdown. Later, the fuel will be safely drained until the final day of the launch.

NASA has set a date for the launch of the Artemis II mission. Early this year, humans will take a huge step towards returning to the Moon. The Orion spacecraft will launch from Cape Canaveral, with several backup dates also being set.

NASA has announced the date when humanity will return to the Moon after over 50 years. The Artemis II mission will take off with four astronauts on board on February 6. It will be the first manned mission since the Apollo program ended in 1972. The space agency added that the launch window will remain open from January 31 to February 14, with a few other dates also being kept in reserve. The launch on February 6 will depend on several factors, including the weather. If the Artemis II mission is not launched on the said date, attempts would be made on February 7, 8, 10, and 11. Other backup dates are also being worked out, NASA said. The mission will carry NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen on a 10-day journey around the moon and back to Earth. The mission will neither orbit nor land on the Moon, and will instead only involve a close flyby. Artemis II launch in February The Artemis II launch will happen from Cape Canaveral, with the astronauts on board an Orion spacecraft, carried by NASA's powerful Space Launch System (SLS) rocket system. The spacecraft will first orbit Earth a few times to test the life support equipment. If all goes well, it will then shoot towards the Moon. Here, a close flyby will occur after which Orion will return to Earth. This will be the first time in 53 years that humans will leave low Earth orbit and move out into space. The return has been planned to lower dependency on the cogs and machines. Orion will use the Moon's gravity to slingshot towards Earth. So if anything goes wrong, the spacecraft would still manage to return. Also Read: Scientists set up a 'phone line' between Earth and spacecraft in cosmos Artemis II is like a trial mission before humans actually set foot on the Moon once again. It is meant to check the spacecraft, the systems, safety and support equipment and the feasibility of going that far. Artemis III will finally take humans to the Moon once again, and hopefully land them successfully. Meanwhile, the first phase of Artemis II starts January 17, when the fully stacked SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft will "roll out" from NASA's Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39B at Kennedy Space Centre. Test launches will be carried out at Cape Canaveral, complete with a fake countdown. Later, the fuel will be safely drained until the final day of the launch.

NASA has set a date for the launch of the Artemis II mission. Early this year, humans will take a huge step towards returning to the Moon. The Orion spacecraft will launch from Cape Canaveral, with several backup dates also being set.

Artemis II launch date announced: Humanity returns to the Moon after 53 years

The European Space Agency (ESA) has inaugurated a massive new deep space antenna called New Norcia 3, built to communicate with spacecraft travelling in deep space. It is a collaboration between Europe and Australia, and the 115-foot deep-space antenna is located in Western Australia's outback. It is part of Estrack, Europe’s tracking station network for spacecraft links and other missions out in the solar system. ESA’s ground stations are the critical link between Earth and space and ensure mission teams stay connected to their spacecraft. This is important in order to coordinate flight plans, download scientific data, and keep the crew or equipment safe. These stations also help download data much faster from spacecraft to keep space free. Modern spacecraft are equipped with high-quality cameras, spectrometers, and particle sensors that create huge files.&nbsp;Located near Perth, New Norcia 3 joins two other stations in Spain and Argentina. In tandem, these three locations allow Earth to stay in regular contact with spacecraft in the universe, out on probes as the planet rotates. This is important because in deep space, radio signals are extremely weak at ground receivers. The farther the object, the more the waves spread out. The receiver catches less energy, so thermal motion in electronics might not be able to capture all the details. This problem can be fixed by having large reflectors and quiet receivers because bigger surfaces collect more signal. Picking up faint signals becomes possible because of the components that are cooled to -263°C (-441°F)—nearly absolute zero—to eliminate electronic "noise."Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/monster-cosmic-hamburger-could-soon-be-full-of-planets-an-arc-of-sulfur-1768224771444">Monster 'cosmic hamburger' shows signs of major activity that points to something huge</a><h2>The probes and spacecraft New Norcia 3 will support</h2>Key missions that the antenna in Perth will support include the Juice mission, currently exploring the icy moons of Jupiter; the Solar Orbiter, which is studying the Sun from a close distance; BepiColombo, a probe studying Mercury; Vigil, a mission designed to warn Earth of dangerous solar storms, and the Euclid space mission which is investigating how dark matter and dark energy have shaped the universe. As humanity pushes the boundaries of space and tries to go deeper, the €62 million antenna has its job cut out. It will ensure that as more spacecraft leave Earth, we have a reliable "phone line" to bring back the photos and data that change our understanding of the universe.

New Norcia 3, an antenna installed in Perth by the European Space Agency, will prove fruitful in keeping the spacecraft in space connected with Earth. It will ensure data is received quickly and that the channel of communication never breaks. 

The European Space Agency (ESA) has inaugurated a massive new deep space antenna called New Norcia 3, built to communicate with spacecraft travelling in deep space. It is a collaboration between Europe and Australia, and the 115-foot deep-space antenna is located in Western Australia's outback. It is part of Estrack, Europe’s tracking station network for spacecraft links and other missions out in the solar system. ESA’s ground stations are the critical link between Earth and space and ensure mission teams stay connected to their spacecraft. This is important in order to coordinate flight plans, download scientific data, and keep the crew or equipment safe. These stations also help download data much faster from spacecraft to keep space free. Modern spacecraft are equipped with high-quality cameras, spectrometers, and particle sensors that create huge files. Located near Perth, New Norcia 3 joins two other stations in Spain and Argentina. In tandem, these three locations allow Earth to stay in regular contact with spacecraft in the universe, out on probes as the planet rotates. This is important because in deep space, radio signals are extremely weak at ground receivers. The farther the object, the more the waves spread out. The receiver catches less energy, so thermal motion in electronics might not be able to capture all the details. This problem can be fixed by having large reflectors and quiet receivers because bigger surfaces collect more signal. Picking up faint signals becomes possible because of the components that are cooled to -263°C (-441°F)—nearly absolute zero—to eliminate electronic "noise." Also Read: Monster 'cosmic hamburger' shows signs of major activity that points to something huge The probes and spacecraft New Norcia 3 will support Key missions that the antenna in Perth will support include the Juice mission, currently exploring the icy moons of Jupiter; the Solar Orbiter, which is studying the Sun from a close distance; BepiColombo, a probe studying Mercury; Vigil, a mission designed to warn Earth of dangerous solar storms, and the Euclid space mission which is investigating how dark matter and dark energy have shaped the universe. As humanity pushes the boundaries of space and tries to go deeper, the €62 million antenna has its job cut out. It will ensure that as more spacecraft leave Earth, we have a reliable "phone line" to bring back the photos and data that change our understanding of the universe.

New Norcia 3, an antenna installed in Perth by the European Space Agency, will prove fruitful in keeping the spacecraft in space connected with Earth. It will ensure data is received quickly and that the channel of communication never breaks.&nbsp;

Scientists set up a 'phone line' between Earth and spacecraft in cosmos

One of the most active volcanoes in the world, Hawaii’s Kilauea, began its 40th eruptive episode on Monday (Jan 12), the US Geological Survey (USGS) confirmed. The volcano, which has been regularly erupting for over a year now, unleashed a lava fountain of more than 1,500 feet (460 meters) high into the air, with thick plumes of smoke and gases rising as high as 20,000 feet (6 kilometres).The recent eruption lasted nearly 10 hours, starting at 8:22 am and abruptly ending at 6:04 pm. Streams of lava poured from several vents within the Halemaʻumaʻu crater on Kilauea. The gas released during the eruption reacts in the atmosphere to form a visible haze known as vog—volcanic smog—which can trigger respiratory issues and other health problems.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">🚨Profilo:Kīlauea volcano erupts in Episode 40—sustained lava fountains soar over 660 feet at the summit, tephra blankets crater rims, and a gas plume rises more than 13,000 feet above Hawaii.<a href="https://twitter.com/USGSVolcanoes?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@USGSVolcanoes</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Hawaii_EMA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Hawaii_EMA</a> <a href="https://t.co/knQIkm58yA">pic.twitter.com/knQIkm58yA</a>&mdash; Kingsley Chukwuka (@profilopolitics) <a href="https://twitter.com/profilopolitics/status/2010957152735649831?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 13, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

The eruption also sends tiny strands of volcanic glass, called ‘Pele’s hair’, into the air. Named after Pele, the Hawaiian goddess of volcanoes, these hair-like filaments are extremely sharp and can irritate the skin and eyes.While the officials say the eruption poses no immediate threat to nearby communities, the caldera has remained closed to the public for nearly two decades.Kilauea has been regularly spewing thousands of tonnes of molten rock and gases since it erupted in December 2024. The volcano has been very active since 1983 with frequent eruptions. It is one of the six active volcanoes in the Hawaiian Islands, where the world’s largest volcano, Mauna Loa, is also located. Although much smaller than Mauna Loa, Kilauea is far more active and frequently captivates helicopter-borne tourists with its dramatic, glowing lava displays.

Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano began its 40th eruptive episode on January 12, sending lava fountains up to 1,500 feet high and ash plumes 20,000 feet into the air. The eruption lasted nearly 10 hours, releasing volcanic smog and gases.

One of the most active volcanoes in the world, Hawaii’s Kilauea, began its 40th eruptive episode on Monday (Jan 12), the US Geological Survey (USGS) confirmed. The volcano, which has been regularly erupting for over a year now, unleashed a lava fountain of more than 1,500 feet (460 meters) high into the air, with thick plumes of smoke and gases rising as high as 20,000 feet (6 kilometres). The recent eruption lasted nearly 10 hours, starting at 8:22 am and abruptly ending at 6:04 pm. Streams of lava poured from several vents within the Halemaʻumaʻu crater on Kilauea. The gas released during the eruption reacts in the atmosphere to form a visible haze known as vog—volcanic smog—which can trigger respiratory issues and other health problems.

Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano began its 40th eruptive episode on January 12, sending lava fountains up to 1,500 feet high and ash plumes 20,000 feet into the air. The eruption lasted nearly 10 hours, releasing volcanic smog and gases.

WATCH | Stunning video captures Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano unleashing lava fountain

The mid-flight failure of the Indian space agency ISRO's PSLV-C62 rocket launch mission on Monday, (12th Jan), has led to the loss of 15 satellites from India and abroad. In a major setback to India's national security apparatus, the million-dollar hyperspectral Earth-imaging satellite built by the Government's Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) was also among the satellites destroyed. For the $4 trillion economy behemoth that is the Indian Government, a million-dollar satellite's loss is one loss among a few failed missions in the last 12 months. However, a less discussed aspect is that of six satellites belonging to fledgling Indian startups that have been destroyed in this mission. The question also lingers whether these firms had managed to obtain insurance cover for their little spacecrafts. In comparison, it is known that ISRO does not insure its own rockets and satellites that are launched from home soil. However, ISRO has insured its own satellites when they fly on foreign rockets. The contrast here is stark: The Indian Government Space agency ISRO has been enjoying considerable taxpayer funding since the year 1969. In recent years, ISRO has been utilising lesser funds than actually allocated to it, and has been returning excess funds to the Government's coffers. ISRO also had a monopoly over rocket launches and satellite building until the year 2020. In contrast, India's space startups cropped up over the last five years, after the Government enabled their foray. In what is widely regarded as a risk-averse nation, these startups built by youngsters have been taking a leap of faith into a high-risk, low-return business with zero tolerance for failure. Fuelled by hard-won private funding, these startups are taking baby steps in the highly competitive sector, where India has less than 2 per cent share in the global space economy. It is amid such a scenario that several satellites from Indian startups were hit by the PSLV-C62 failure.WION sought responses from the startups involved to understand what this 'PSLV-C62' launch mission meant to them, the satellite-based technology they intended to demonstrate or operationalise in space, and the impact that this failure may have on their future operations and business.AyulSat from OrbitaidAll satellites have a limited lifetime, and that limit is imposed by how much fuel they can carry. When satellites in space run out of fuel, they lose the ability to steer themselves, make minor adjustments to their orbital path, and point in the intended direction. When satellites reach the end of their life, it is predominantly because they run out of fuel. So, what if satellites can be refuelled by another satellite in space? Pretty much like how a large military plane refuels a small fighter jet. AyulSat by Orbitaid was to make a brave attempt in this regard: can liquid fuel be moved from one tank to another in space?"Our 25kg Ayulsat had two fuel tanks. One tank was filled with propane fuel, while the other tank was empty. In the microgravity environment of space, everything floats, including fuel. We wanted to try and transfer the fuel from one tank to another, a feat that's simple on Earth and highly sophisticated while in space. This would have also validated our proprietary Standard Interface Docking and Refuelling Port(SIDRP). AyulSat was also to serve as a target satellite for our future space docking experiment, where two satellites would meet up in space, orient themselves perfectly to get mechanically attached, perform transfer of power, data, and fuel," Sakthikumar, CEO of Orbitaid, explained to this author.Queried about whether the AyulSat satellite was covered by insurance, he said that multiple attempts to obtain insurance from Indian and foreign companies did not materialise. He added that insurance firms are hesitant to provide cover for innovative, experimental first-time satellites built by startups, given the high risk of failure. He also added that the aspect of failure was never discussed with ISRO's commercial arm NSIL, given the stellar record of PSLV. However, he added that the company has a backup plan and hopes to launch two satellites in about 7 months from now to complete the planned space docking experiment.MOI-1 satellite from Eon Space Labs, TakeMe2SpaceEON Space Labs integrated their advanced multispectral imaging payload MIRA, integrated with MOI-1, a CubeSat, weighing a mere 14 kgs, developed by fellow startup TakeMe2Space. This small craft was to demonstrate the viability of an AI-powered orbital image laboratory. The mission was meant to enable near real-time, in-orbit processing of Earth observation data, significantly lowering data downlink costs.According to Sanjay Kumar, Co-founder of Eon Space Labs, the launch of MIRA aboard MOI-1 was to cause a shift in how Earth observation missions are designed and utilised. Instead of merely capturing images and sending raw data back to Earth like most common satellites, our experimental satellite was to generate insights in orbit.The company did not offer a response to the author's query on whether they had insured the satellite. They said, we are grateful to ISRO for the opportunity to be part of the PSLV-C62 mission. While the result was not what we had hoped for, the learnings from this mission are valuable, and our focus remains firmly on execution and moving forward with clarity and resilience, they added. As for the next mission, the company said they are prioritising MOI-2 as the next flight opportunity, and are targeting a mid-2026 launch to space, using an available launch platform, subject to mission alignment and availability.CGUSAT, DSUSAT, Thybolt-3, LACHIT from Dhruva SpaceDhruva Space, a full-stack space engineering company, had contributed towards several small satellites aboard the PSLV-C61. Emphasising that Space missions are inherently complex, Sanjay Nekkanti, CEO &amp; Co-founder, Dhruva Space said, at this stage, our focus is on a measured and timely turnaround. These capabilities enable us and our customers to be ready for upcoming Launch opportunities in under a few weeks. We continue to see strong momentum and maturity in the Indian Space programme and we are confident the ecosystem will grow, as envisioned in the Decadal Vision. However, there was no response from the company on whether the said satellites were insured.In a first, PSLV disappointed foreign customers: handful of foreign satellites lostIn its 33 years of flight, the PSLV has launched well over 350 satellites for Indian and foreign customers. While PSLV has suffered major failures on four occasions(1993, 2017, 2025, 2026), it is only the 2026 failure that has led to the loss of foreign satellites or satellites belonging to customers. The aforementioned failures led to the loss of Indian Government satellites. Notably, PSLV has been launching foreign satellites since the year 1999, when India began commercial spacefaring by launching South Korea's KITSAT-3 and DLR-TUBSAT from Germany. Since then, there has been no looking back for PSLV.Theos-2 satellite, jointly built by Thailand and the UK, Munal satellite for Nepal University, and five satellites from Brazil were lost in the aftermath of the PSLV-C62 failure on Monday. It is not known if these satellites were insured by their respective owners.

In recent years, ISRO has been utilising lesser funds than actually allocated to it, and has been returning excess funds to the Government's coffers.

The mid-flight failure of the Indian space agency ISRO's PSLV-C62 rocket launch mission on Monday, (12th Jan), has led to the loss of 15 satellites from India and abroad. In a major setback to India's national security apparatus, the million-dollar hyperspectral Earth-imaging satellite built by the Government's Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) was also among the satellites destroyed. For the $4 trillion economy behemoth that is the Indian Government, a million-dollar satellite's loss is one loss among a few failed missions in the last 12 months. However, a less discussed aspect is that of six satellites belonging to fledgling Indian startups that have been destroyed in this mission. The question also lingers whether these firms had managed to obtain insurance cover for their little spacecrafts. In comparison, it is known that ISRO does not insure its own rockets and satellites that are launched from home soil. However, ISRO has insured its own satellites when they fly on foreign rockets. The contrast here is stark: The Indian Government Space agency ISRO has been enjoying considerable taxpayer funding since the year 1969. In recent years, ISRO has been utilising lesser funds than actually allocated to it, and has been returning excess funds to the Government's coffers. ISRO also had a monopoly over rocket launches and satellite building until the year 2020. In contrast, India's space startups cropped up over the last five years, after the Government enabled their foray. In what is widely regarded as a risk-averse nation, these startups built by youngsters have been taking a leap of faith into a high-risk, low-return business with zero tolerance for failure. Fuelled by hard-won private funding, these startups are taking baby steps in the highly competitive sector, where India has less than 2 per cent share in the global space economy. It is amid such a scenario that several satellites from Indian startups were hit by the PSLV-C62 failure. WION sought responses from the startups involved to understand what this 'PSLV-C62' launch mission meant to them, the satellite-based technology they intended to demonstrate or operationalise in space, and the impact that this failure may have on their future operations and business. AyulSat from Orbitaid All satellites have a limited lifetime, and that limit is imposed by how much fuel they can carry. When satellites in space run out of fuel, they lose the ability to steer themselves, make minor adjustments to their orbital path, and point in the intended direction. When satellites reach the end of their life, it is predominantly because they run out of fuel. So, what if satellites can be refuelled by another satellite in space? Pretty much like how a large military plane refuels a small fighter jet. AyulSat by Orbitaid was to make a brave attempt in this regard: can liquid fuel be moved from one tank to another in space? "Our 25kg Ayulsat had two fuel tanks. One tank was filled with propane fuel, while the other tank was empty. In the microgravity environment of space, everything floats, including fuel. We wanted to try and transfer the fuel from one tank to another, a feat that's simple on Earth and highly sophisticated while in space. This would have also validated our proprietary Standard Interface Docking and Refuelling Port(SIDRP). AyulSat was also to serve as a target satellite for our future space docking experiment, where two satellites would meet up in space, orient themselves perfectly to get mechanically attached, perform transfer of power, data, and fuel," Sakthikumar, CEO of Orbitaid, explained to this author. Queried about whether the AyulSat satellite was covered by insurance, he said that multiple attempts to obtain insurance from Indian and foreign companies did not materialise. He added that insurance firms are hesitant to provide cover for innovative, experimental first-time satellites built by startups, given the high risk of failure. He also added that the aspect of failure was never discussed with ISRO's commercial arm NSIL, given the stellar record of PSLV. However, he added that the company has a backup plan and hopes to launch two satellites in about 7 months from now to complete the planned space docking experiment. MOI-1 satellite from Eon Space Labs, TakeMe2Space EON Space Labs integrated their advanced multispectral imaging payload MIRA, integrated with MOI-1, a CubeSat, weighing a mere 14 kgs, developed by fellow startup TakeMe2Space. This small craft was to demonstrate the viability of an AI-powered orbital image laboratory. The mission was meant to enable near real-time, in-orbit processing of Earth observation data, significantly lowering data downlink costs. According to Sanjay Kumar, Co-founder of Eon Space Labs, the launch of MIRA aboard MOI-1 was to cause a shift in how Earth observation missions are designed and utilised. Instead of merely capturing images and sending raw data back to Earth like most common satellites, our experimental satellite was to generate insights in orbit. The company did not offer a response to the author's query on whether they had insured the satellite. They said, we are grateful to ISRO for the opportunity to be part of the PSLV-C62 mission. While the result was not what we had hoped for, the learnings from this mission are valuable, and our focus remains firmly on execution and moving forward with clarity and resilience, they added. As for the next mission, the company said they are prioritising MOI-2 as the next flight opportunity, and are targeting a mid-2026 launch to space, using an available launch platform, subject to mission alignment and availability. CGUSAT, DSUSAT, Thybolt-3, LACHIT from Dhruva Space Dhruva Space, a full-stack space engineering company, had contributed towards several small satellites aboard the PSLV-C61. Emphasising that Space missions are inherently complex, Sanjay Nekkanti, CEO & Co-founder, Dhruva Space said, at this stage, our focus is on a measured and timely turnaround. These capabilities enable us and our customers to be ready for upcoming Launch opportunities in under a few weeks. We continue to see strong momentum and maturity in the Indian Space programme and we are confident the ecosystem will grow, as envisioned in the Decadal Vision. However, there was no response from the company on whether the said satellites were insured. In a first, PSLV disappointed foreign customers: handful of foreign satellites lost In its 33 years of flight, the PSLV has launched well over 350 satellites for Indian and foreign customers. While PSLV has suffered major failures on four occasions(1993, 2017, 2025, 2026), it is only the 2026 failure that has led to the loss of foreign satellites or satellites belonging to customers. The aforementioned failures led to the loss of Indian Government satellites. Notably, PSLV has been launching foreign satellites since the year 1999, when India began commercial spacefaring by launching South Korea's KITSAT-3 and DLR-TUBSAT from Germany. Since then, there has been no looking back for PSLV. Theos-2 satellite, jointly built by Thailand and the UK, Munal satellite for Nepal University, and five satellites from Brazil were lost in the aftermath of the PSLV-C62 failure on Monday. It is not known if these satellites were insured by their respective owners.

In recent years, ISRO has been utilising lesser funds than actually allocated to it, and has been returning excess funds to the Government's coffers.

6 satellites of Indian startups doomed in ISRO PSLV failure. Were they insured?

Scientists looking to understand how to communicate with aliens say that honeybees are the key to achieving the right methods to do so. Bees might be tiny insects that forage through flowers for nectar. But they are known to possess incredible brains and can even solve simple mathematical problems, as demonstrated by an eight-year study. They were found to be able to add, subtract and also knew the difference between odd and even numbers. This led scientists to wonder if communication with aliens could be based on mathematics. "If two species considered alien to each other – humans and honeybees – can perform mathematics, along with many other animals, then perhaps mathematics could form the basis of a universal language,” researchers argue in a piece in The Conversation.&nbsp;This theory is part of a thought experiment published in the journal Leonardo. "The ancestors of bees and humans diverged over 600 million years ago, yet we both possess communication, sociality, and some mathematical ability," the writers wrote. It is based on the philosophical idea that mathematics is not limited to merely being a way to solve the mysteries of the universe. “If there are extraterrestrial species, and they have sufficiently sophisticated brains, then our work suggests they may have the capacity to do mathematics,” researchers say.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/cia-statement-on-3i-atlas-has-reignited-debate-about-the-nature-of-interstellar-object-1767756573233">CIA statement on 3I/ATLAS has reignited debate about the nature of interstellar object</a> Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/3i-atlas-is-not-unique-scientist-says-a-trillion-interstellar-objects-are-in-the-solar-system-right-now-1767097867958">Scientist says a trillion 3I/ATLAS-like objects are in the solar system right now</a><h2>Bees attended maths sessions in the tests</h2>Between 2016 and 2024, scientists explored the ability of bees to learn mathematics. They freely attended the outdoor maths tests to receive sugar water. During this study, scientists noticed that the bees showed evidence of being able to carry out simple addition and subtraction, distinguish between odd and even, and order quantities of items, including an understanding of “zero”. They could even link symbols with numbers.<h2>Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 also carry mathematical etchings</h2>This isn't the first time such a suggestion has been made. Previous efforts to communicate with extraterrestrial beings also used mathematics and numbers. Something similar can be found on the Golden Records aboard Voyager 1 and 2. The probes that are now floating in space, far away from the solar system, have mathematical quantities etched on the Records. This was done with the view that aliens might understand them and humans would be able to “communicate a story of our world to extraterrestrials”. Similarly, the 1974 Arecibo radio message beamed out into space consisted of 1,679 zeros and ones. Its intention was to tell any aliens out there about the numbers one to ten and the atomic numbers of the elements that make up DNA.&nbsp;

Humans have yet to find aliens. But they are already preparing for the day this happens, and have been working on languages that they both can use to communicate. Scientists had a lightbulb moment when they observed bees doing maths. Here is what happened.

Scientists looking to understand how to communicate with aliens say that honeybees are the key to achieving the right methods to do so. Bees might be tiny insects that forage through flowers for nectar. But they are known to possess incredible brains and can even solve simple mathematical problems, as demonstrated by an eight-year study. They were found to be able to add, subtract and also knew the difference between odd and even numbers. This led scientists to wonder if communication with aliens could be based on mathematics. "If two species considered alien to each other – humans and honeybees – can perform mathematics, along with many other animals, then perhaps mathematics could form the basis of a universal language,” researchers argue in a piece in The Conversation. This theory is part of a thought experiment published in the journal Leonardo. "The ancestors of bees and humans diverged over 600 million years ago, yet we both possess communication, sociality, and some mathematical ability," the writers wrote. It is based on the philosophical idea that mathematics is not limited to merely being a way to solve the mysteries of the universe. “If there are extraterrestrial species, and they have sufficiently sophisticated brains, then our work suggests they may have the capacity to do mathematics,” researchers say. Also Read: CIA statement on 3I/ATLAS has reignited debate about the nature of interstellar object Also Read: Scientist says a trillion 3I/ATLAS-like objects are in the solar system right now Bees attended maths sessions in the tests Between 2016 and 2024, scientists explored the ability of bees to learn mathematics. They freely attended the outdoor maths tests to receive sugar water. During this study, scientists noticed that the bees showed evidence of being able to carry out simple addition and subtraction, distinguish between odd and even, and order quantities of items, including an understanding of “zero”. They could even link symbols with numbers. Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 also carry mathematical etchings This isn't the first time such a suggestion has been made. Previous efforts to communicate with extraterrestrial beings also used mathematics and numbers. Something similar can be found on the Golden Records aboard Voyager 1 and 2. The probes that are now floating in space, far away from the solar system, have mathematical quantities etched on the Records. This was done with the view that aliens might understand them and humans would be able to “communicate a story of our world to extraterrestrials”. Similarly, the 1974 Arecibo radio message beamed out into space consisted of 1,679 zeros and ones. Its intention was to tell any aliens out there about the numbers one to ten and the atomic numbers of the elements that make up DNA.

Humans have yet to find aliens. But they are already preparing for the day this happens, and have been working on languages that they both can use to communicate. Scientists had a lightbulb moment when they observed bees doing maths. Here is what happened.

Bees did MATHS, and solved an alien communication problem

A "cosmic hamburger", one of the biggest planet-forming disks of gas and dust, or protoplanetary disks, has revealed a surprise. Scientists have detected the first signs of planet formation in this system. Known as Gomez's Hamburger (GoHam), its dense gas layers have been spotted with hints that planets might soon be born in this system. GoHam appears like a burger from Earth because it is seen edge-on with stacked layers of gas that look like "buns" rotating around a young star that makes up the "burger" in this case. The dust and other particles sit in the middle, while the gas takes up an enormous amount of space, spreading to a width of 2,000 times the distance between the sun and the Earth. Its height was a mind-boggling several 100 times this area. This makes it the biggest protoplanetary disk ever seen in the universe. The team observed the disk through the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), a powerful array of 66 radio antennas located in northern Chile. "GoHam gives us a rare and clear view of the vertical and radial structure of a very large, nearly edge‑on disk," lead researcher Charles Law of the University of Virginia said in a statement.&nbsp;He added that GoHam is a "benchmark system for testing detailed models of how disks evolve and form planets." He added that it is the "perfect laboratory for understanding how giant planets can form far from their star" because of "the combination of extreme disk size, strong asymmetries, winds, and potential planet formation." They can also understand how the birth of planets "reshapes the surrounding gas and dust."Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/hive-mind-meets-deep-space-honeybees-did-maths-revealing-what-an-alien-s-first-words-could-be-1768222431811">Hive mind meets deep space: Honeybees did MATHS, revealing what an alien’s first words could be</a><h2>Dust grains, gases and signs of planet formation</h2>Through ALMA, the team was able to map the locations of dust grains and gas molecules in the system. They noted that these elements had placed themselves in distinct layers, and the gases included two forms of carbon monoxide and several sulfur-based molecules. The lightest gas resided above the midplane of GoHam, while the heaviest ones were near the midplane. The enormous amount of dust present in this disk is a sign that it could be home to several planets in the future. This cosmic burger is lopsided, has an extended and brighter dust emission on one side, and traces of a "photoevaporative wind" on the northern side. The former is what will give birth to planets someday. An arc of sulfur monoxide beyond the dust of the disk and only on one side aligns with a dense clump of material labelled "GoHam b". Astronomers believe this is matter collapsing under its own gravity, and possibly the earliest stage of planet formation in the outer disk.

The biggest known cosmic hamburger, a giant protoplanetary disk, is showing signs of planet formation. Scientists are watching closely as they eagerly await planets to be formed from all the dust that is present in this system.

A "cosmic hamburger", one of the biggest planet-forming disks of gas and dust, or protoplanetary disks, has revealed a surprise. Scientists have detected the first signs of planet formation in this system. Known as Gomez's Hamburger (GoHam), its dense gas layers have been spotted with hints that planets might soon be born in this system. GoHam appears like a burger from Earth because it is seen edge-on with stacked layers of gas that look like "buns" rotating around a young star that makes up the "burger" in this case. The dust and other particles sit in the middle, while the gas takes up an enormous amount of space, spreading to a width of 2,000 times the distance between the sun and the Earth. Its height was a mind-boggling several 100 times this area. This makes it the biggest protoplanetary disk ever seen in the universe. The team observed the disk through the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), a powerful array of 66 radio antennas located in northern Chile. "GoHam gives us a rare and clear view of the vertical and radial structure of a very large, nearly edge‑on disk," lead researcher Charles Law of the University of Virginia said in a statement. He added that GoHam is a "benchmark system for testing detailed models of how disks evolve and form planets." He added that it is the "perfect laboratory for understanding how giant planets can form far from their star" because of "the combination of extreme disk size, strong asymmetries, winds, and potential planet formation." They can also understand how the birth of planets "reshapes the surrounding gas and dust." Also Read: Hive mind meets deep space: Honeybees did MATHS, revealing what an alien’s first words could be Dust grains, gases and signs of planet formation Through ALMA, the team was able to map the locations of dust grains and gas molecules in the system. They noted that these elements had placed themselves in distinct layers, and the gases included two forms of carbon monoxide and several sulfur-based molecules. The lightest gas resided above the midplane of GoHam, while the heaviest ones were near the midplane. The enormous amount of dust present in this disk is a sign that it could be home to several planets in the future. This cosmic burger is lopsided, has an extended and brighter dust emission on one side, and traces of a "photoevaporative wind" on the northern side. The former is what will give birth to planets someday. An arc of sulfur monoxide beyond the dust of the disk and only on one side aligns with a dense clump of material labelled "GoHam b". Astronomers believe this is matter collapsing under its own gravity, and possibly the earliest stage of planet formation in the outer disk.

The biggest known cosmic hamburger, a giant protoplanetary disk, is showing signs of planet formation. Scientists are watching closely as they eagerly await planets to be formed from all the dust that is present in this system.

Monster 'cosmic hamburger' shows signs of major activity that points to something huge

NASA recorded a signal that travelled from deep space over 13 billion years, and lasted merely 10 seconds. This discovery highlights several ignored aspects about the early universe, how time warps in space and how things really unfold in the universe.

10-second 'death cry' that took 13 billion years to reach Earth

Scientists have discovered a spider species with a smaller genome while maintaining high genetic diversity, in a first-of-its-kind case. The creature on the Canary Islands is changing the way evolution is believed to work. Throughout its time on Earth, Dysdera tilosensis has reduced its DNA content by half, a genome downsizing seen for the first time in an animal. The island spider was compared to its mainland counterpart, and the two closely related spiders were found to be extremely different. The study was published in Molecular Biology and Evolution by a team of researchers from the University of Barcelona. The scientists collaborated with the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) and the University of Neuchâtel to study this unique spider that has managed to do the unthinkable. They used high-quality sequencing methods to compare Dysdera catalonica, a continental species found in Catalonia and southern France, and D. tilosensis, which lives only on Gran Canaria.<h2>Smaller genome, greater genetic diversity</h2>The researchers were stunned to see that D. catalonica has a genome of about 3.3 billion base pairs, while D. tilosensis carries just 1.7 billion. Despite carrying almost half the genome, the latter does not display reduced genetic diversity. Professor Julio Rozas wrote, "Despite having a smaller genome, the species from the Canary Islands shows greater genetic diversity." The findings contradict the belief that creatures with small, isolated populations experience hurdles in genetic growth and a drop in diversity. The number of chromosomes was also found to differ, with D. catalonica recording four autosomes and one X sex chromosome, while D. tilosensis has six autosomes plus the X.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/dinosaur-era-bird-found-with-800-stones-jammed-in-its-throat-1767012949400">Dinosaur-era bird found with 800 stones jammed in its throat: It ate them all. Why?</a><h2>D. tilosensis defies the basic rule of evolution&nbsp;</h2>Evolutionary biology has long believed that species living in isolated spots, such as islands, accumulate non-functional DNA and expand their genomes over several years. However, the reverse is in fact true for D. tilosensis. Professor Sara Guirao says that the two spiders had a common ancestor, and genome analysis and flow cytometry measurements indicate that it had a genome close to 3 billion base pairs. Since D. tilosensis carries just 1.7 billion of these, it proves that the reduction is acquired and has happened over time. The finding shows that instead of adapting by adding new DNA, the spider likely underwent a process of genomic streamlining, which caused repetitive sequences that had no function to be eliminated.&nbsp;

A spider species that has gone in reverse during evolution has left scientists stumped. This Dysdera tilosensis has reduced its DNA content by half, something that should not have happened, going by the current rules of life.

Scientists have discovered a spider species with a smaller genome while maintaining high genetic diversity, in a first-of-its-kind case. The creature on the Canary Islands is changing the way evolution is believed to work. Throughout its time on Earth, Dysdera tilosensis has reduced its DNA content by half, a genome downsizing seen for the first time in an animal. The island spider was compared to its mainland counterpart, and the two closely related spiders were found to be extremely different. The study was published in Molecular Biology and Evolution by a team of researchers from the University of Barcelona. The scientists collaborated with the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) and the University of Neuchâtel to study this unique spider that has managed to do the unthinkable. They used high-quality sequencing methods to compare Dysdera catalonica, a continental species found in Catalonia and southern France, and D. tilosensis, which lives only on Gran Canaria. Smaller genome, greater genetic diversity The researchers were stunned to see that D. catalonica has a genome of about 3.3 billion base pairs, while D. tilosensis carries just 1.7 billion. Despite carrying almost half the genome, the latter does not display reduced genetic diversity. Professor Julio Rozas wrote, "Despite having a smaller genome, the species from the Canary Islands shows greater genetic diversity." The findings contradict the belief that creatures with small, isolated populations experience hurdles in genetic growth and a drop in diversity. The number of chromosomes was also found to differ, with D. catalonica recording four autosomes and one X sex chromosome, while D. tilosensis has six autosomes plus the X. Also Read: Dinosaur-era bird found with 800 stones jammed in its throat: It ate them all. Why? D. tilosensis defies the basic rule of evolution Evolutionary biology has long believed that species living in isolated spots, such as islands, accumulate non-functional DNA and expand their genomes over several years. However, the reverse is in fact true for D. tilosensis. Professor Sara Guirao says that the two spiders had a common ancestor, and genome analysis and flow cytometry measurements indicate that it had a genome close to 3 billion base pairs. Since D. tilosensis carries just 1.7 billion of these, it proves that the reduction is acquired and has happened over time. The finding shows that instead of adapting by adding new DNA, the spider likely underwent a process of genomic streamlining, which caused repetitive sequences that had no function to be eliminated.

A spider species that has gone in reverse during evolution has left scientists stumped. This Dysdera tilosensis has reduced its DNA content by half, something that should not have happened, going by the current rules of life.

Creature that has chomped down on its DNA by half is evolving in reverse

Scientists have discovered a set of ultra-fast-rotating asteroids in the solar system, with one of them spinning at dizzying speeds never seen before. NSF–DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory, jointly funded by the US National Science Foundation and the US Department of Energy's Office of Science, spotted 19 of them in the Asteroid Belt that sits between Mars and Jupiter. Rubin Observatory is a joint Program of NSF NOIRLab and DOE’s SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory. The findings were described in a study published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters. Researchers say that the speed of rotation of an asteroid can indicate how it was formed, its composition and the changes it underwent throughout its life. If an asteroid is spinning at an extremely fast pace, it could mean that it encountered another rock and could even break apart soon. Of the 76 asteroids mentioned in the paper, 16 are super-fast rotators, rotating between 13 minutes and 2.2 hours, while three are ultra-fast ones, rotating once every five minutes or less.&nbsp;All 19 asteroids are a minimum of 300 feet long, with some over 3,000 feet in diameter. The one that is the most intriguing is 2025 MN45, as it has been given the title of the fastest-spinning asteroid among rocks measuring 500 metres or more. This asteroid is a whopping 2,300 feet in diameter and rotates once every 1.88 minutes. This speed should have led it to break apart, but that hasn't happened. “Clearly, this asteroid must be made of material that has very high strength in order to keep it in one piece as it spins so rapidly,” lead author Sarah Greenstreet said in a NOIRLab statement.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/orphan-saturn-10-000-light-years-away-billions-of-rogue-planets-could-be-lost-in-the-milky-way-1767881425029">Orphan Saturn 10,000 light-years away: Billions of rogue planets could be lost in the Milky Way</a><h2>Asteroids spinning at ultra-fast speeds</h2>Greenstreet is also the lead of Rubin Observatory’s Solar System Science Collaboration’s Near-Earth Objects and Interstellar Objects working group. She added that asteroid 2025 MN45 should have a strength of a solid piece of rock to have remained intact till now. "This is somewhat surprising since most asteroids are believed to be what we call ‘rubble pile’ asteroids, which means they are made of many, many small pieces of rock and debris that coalesced under gravity during Solar System formation or subsequent collisions," she said.&nbsp;She also heaped praises on the Rubin observatory, saying, "Rubin is successfully allowing us to study a population of relatively small, very-rapidly-rotating main-belt asteroids that hadn’t been reachable before." The Rubin Observatory, with the Simonyi Survey Telescope and LSST Camera at its core, is conducting&nbsp;the 10-year Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST).

An asteroid spinning every 1.88 minutes has been discovered in the Asteroid Belt. Scientists are stunned to see the 2,300-foot rock going at such a fast speed. The discovery was made by the NSF–DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory.

Scientists have discovered a set of ultra-fast-rotating asteroids in the solar system, with one of them spinning at dizzying speeds never seen before. NSF–DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory, jointly funded by the US National Science Foundation and the US Department of Energy's Office of Science, spotted 19 of them in the Asteroid Belt that sits between Mars and Jupiter. Rubin Observatory is a joint Program of NSF NOIRLab and DOE’s SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory. The findings were described in a study published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters. Researchers say that the speed of rotation of an asteroid can indicate how it was formed, its composition and the changes it underwent throughout its life. If an asteroid is spinning at an extremely fast pace, it could mean that it encountered another rock and could even break apart soon. Of the 76 asteroids mentioned in the paper, 16 are super-fast rotators, rotating between 13 minutes and 2.2 hours, while three are ultra-fast ones, rotating once every five minutes or less. All 19 asteroids are a minimum of 300 feet long, with some over 3,000 feet in diameter. The one that is the most intriguing is 2025 MN45, as it has been given the title of the fastest-spinning asteroid among rocks measuring 500 metres or more. This asteroid is a whopping 2,300 feet in diameter and rotates once every 1.88 minutes. This speed should have led it to break apart, but that hasn't happened. “Clearly, this asteroid must be made of material that has very high strength in order to keep it in one piece as it spins so rapidly,” lead author Sarah Greenstreet said in a NOIRLab statement. Also Read: Orphan Saturn 10,000 light-years away: Billions of rogue planets could be lost in the Milky Way Asteroids spinning at ultra-fast speeds Greenstreet is also the lead of Rubin Observatory’s Solar System Science Collaboration’s Near-Earth Objects and Interstellar Objects working group. She added that asteroid 2025 MN45 should have a strength of a solid piece of rock to have remained intact till now. "This is somewhat surprising since most asteroids are believed to be what we call ‘rubble pile’ asteroids, which means they are made of many, many small pieces of rock and debris that coalesced under gravity during Solar System formation or subsequent collisions," she said. She also heaped praises on the Rubin observatory, saying, "Rubin is successfully allowing us to study a population of relatively small, very-rapidly-rotating main-belt asteroids that hadn’t been reachable before." The Rubin Observatory, with the Simonyi Survey Telescope and LSST Camera at its core, is conducting the 10-year Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST).

An asteroid spinning every 1.88 minutes has been discovered in the Asteroid Belt. Scientists are stunned to see the 2,300-foot rock going at such a fast speed. The discovery was made by the NSF–DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory.

Asteroid spinning every 1.88 minutes is an anomaly because of its massive size

Scientists have discovered a "deep-sea oasis" nearly 4,000 meters beneath the Arctic Ocean that changes previous understanding of how deep-sea biodiversity works. The findings include the deepest known methane hydrate mounds, also known as Freya mounds, below the surface on the Molloy Ridge in the Greenland Sea. A team of researchers, led by Giuliana Panieri and Jonathan T. Copley, published the findings in Nature Communications. The study rewrites the understanding of how life survives in the most extreme conditions on Earth. It mentions how solid structures are trapping methane, other gases and crude oil under the Arctic seafloor. This oasis is teeming with life, as amphipods and caridean red shrimp inhabit the waters around the mounds.&nbsp;Lead author &nbsp;Panieri, of UiT The Arctic University of Norway, said, "These hydrate mounds represent the deepest cold seeps ever found in the Arctic. They are active, dynamic systems that host unique life forms and play a role in global carbon cycling. “This discovery rewrites the playbook for Arctic deep-sea ecosystems and carbon cycling.”Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/remote-iran-volcano-stirs-up-after-700-000-years-as-satellites-spot-a-bulge-at-the-summit-1767685621653">Taftan volcano stirs up after 700,000 years as ground seen rising from space</a><h2>"Freya mounds" are made up of frozen methane</h2>These are the deepest methane hydrate mounds ever recorded in the Arctic. Scientists found a thriving ecosystem supported by chemosynthesis in a region that is completely dark and has extremely cold conditions, essentially making it impossible to support life. A unique food web has formed in the region, with bacteria feeding on methane and sulfide as energy sources. The "Freya mounds" are made up of frozen methane, other gases, and crude oil and are shaped like a cone. They release massive gas flares, plumes of methane-rich bubbles that rise over 3,300 metres high. The researchers used a remotely operated vehicle named Aurora to find a whole new world where these six-metre-wide conical mounds reside.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/hidden-network-of-tunnels-and-caves-could-surround-the-world-s-deepest-blue-hole-1767861906466">World's deepest blue hole remained a secret until 2021 because it is invisible from space</a><h2>“Forests” of shrimp, snails, and amphipods were found</h2>The ROV captured images of over 20 species living in this oasis, with a dense population of Sclerolinum tube worms, caridean red shrimp, snails, and amphipods present. The expedition took place in May 2024 and also led them to uncover chemical "fingerprints" that reveal the hydrocarbons (methane, propane, and butane) leaking from the seafloor originate from source rock dating back to the Miocene age, millions of years ago. This discovery alters the understanding of global carbon cycling, systems that play a critical role in how the greenhouse gas methane is stored and released from the seabed. The gas mixture also includes ethane, propane, and butane, suggesting that they are coming from deep in the Earth's crust.<h2>Deep-sea mining</h2>Norway opened this Arctic region for seabed mineral exploration in early 2024. Following pressure from the public, it paused issuing new mining licenses and has suspended public funding for further seabed mineral mapping until at least the end of 2029. This discovery proves that there is a lot humans still don't know about seafloors. It is crucial to know about them before we go digging them up, something that can have grave consequences.

An unknown world has been found 4,000 meters beneath the Arctic Ocean, below the Molloy Ridge in the Greenland Sea. The Freya mounds host unique life forms like tube worms and shrimp, fueled by ancient methane. This discovery sparks debate about the implications of deep-sea mining.

Scientists have discovered a "deep-sea oasis" nearly 4,000 meters beneath the Arctic Ocean that changes previous understanding of how deep-sea biodiversity works. The findings include the deepest known methane hydrate mounds, also known as Freya mounds, below the surface on the Molloy Ridge in the Greenland Sea. A team of researchers, led by Giuliana Panieri and Jonathan T. Copley, published the findings in Nature Communications. The study rewrites the understanding of how life survives in the most extreme conditions on Earth. It mentions how solid structures are trapping methane, other gases and crude oil under the Arctic seafloor. This oasis is teeming with life, as amphipods and caridean red shrimp inhabit the waters around the mounds. Lead author Panieri, of UiT The Arctic University of Norway, said, "These hydrate mounds represent the deepest cold seeps ever found in the Arctic. They are active, dynamic systems that host unique life forms and play a role in global carbon cycling. “This discovery rewrites the playbook for Arctic deep-sea ecosystems and carbon cycling.” Also Read: Taftan volcano stirs up after 700,000 years as ground seen rising from space "Freya mounds" are made up of frozen methane These are the deepest methane hydrate mounds ever recorded in the Arctic. Scientists found a thriving ecosystem supported by chemosynthesis in a region that is completely dark and has extremely cold conditions, essentially making it impossible to support life. A unique food web has formed in the region, with bacteria feeding on methane and sulfide as energy sources. The "Freya mounds" are made up of frozen methane, other gases, and crude oil and are shaped like a cone. They release massive gas flares, plumes of methane-rich bubbles that rise over 3,300 metres high. The researchers used a remotely operated vehicle named Aurora to find a whole new world where these six-metre-wide conical mounds reside. Also Read: World's deepest blue hole remained a secret until 2021 because it is invisible from space “Forests” of shrimp, snails, and amphipods were found The ROV captured images of over 20 species living in this oasis, with a dense population of Sclerolinum tube worms, caridean red shrimp, snails, and amphipods present. The expedition took place in May 2024 and also led them to uncover chemical "fingerprints" that reveal the hydrocarbons (methane, propane, and butane) leaking from the seafloor originate from source rock dating back to the Miocene age, millions of years ago. This discovery alters the understanding of global carbon cycling, systems that play a critical role in how the greenhouse gas methane is stored and released from the seabed. The gas mixture also includes ethane, propane, and butane, suggesting that they are coming from deep in the Earth's crust. Deep-sea mining Norway opened this Arctic region for seabed mineral exploration in early 2024. Following pressure from the public, it paused issuing new mining licenses and has suspended public funding for further seabed mineral mapping until at least the end of 2029. This discovery proves that there is a lot humans still don't know about seafloors. It is crucial to know about them before we go digging them up, something that can have grave consequences.

An unknown world has been found 4,000 meters beneath the Arctic Ocean, below the Molloy Ridge in the Greenland Sea. The Freya mounds host unique life forms like tube worms and shrimp, fueled by ancient methane. This discovery sparks debate about the implications of deep-sea mining.

Scientists just found 'deep-sea oasis' in an Arctic region thought to be barren

NASA is evacuating a crew from the International Space Station for the first time in the history of the laboratory orbiting Earth. The space agency said that the step was being taken because an astronaut had faced a medical issue. Crew-11 went to the ISS in August 2025 and was to spend six months in space. It consists of US astronauts Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, Russian cosmonaut Oleg Platonov and Japanese astronaut Kimiya Yu. NASA said on Thursday (January 8) that the US-Russian crew will return earlier than planned. This comes after it cancelled a spacewalk scheduled for the same day because of health concerns. It has not revealed the nature of the medical problem or the name of the astronaut. Dr James Polk, NASA's chief health and medical officer, said they were "erring on the side of caution for the crew member" even though it is not an emergency.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/first-spacewalk-of-2026-postponed-after-astronaut-suffers-medical-emergency-1767877990727">First spacewalk of 2026 postponed after astronaut suffers medical emergency</a><h2>Two spacewalks were scheduled for January 2026</h2>Polk added that this is the first medical evacuation in the history of the space station. In the past, astronauts have been treated for issues like toothaches and ear pain aboard the ISS. Thursday's spacewalk was to be carried out by Fincke, the ISS commander, and Zena Cardman, a flight engineer. They were to prepare an outer portion of the ISS for a future rollout of solar panels that would have helped the station function through its end years before it is de-orbited in 2030. Cardman was to perform his first spacewalk on his maiden trip to the ISS. It would have been the 10th spacewalk for Fincke. "I'm proud of the swift effort across the agency thus far to ensure the safety of our astronauts," NASA administrator Jared Isaacman said.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/nasa-saw-something-bizarre-happening-88kms-above-earth-from-space-what-was-it-1767858927469">NASA saw something bizarre happening 88 km above Earth from space. What was it?</a><h2>How many astronauts are at the space station right now?</h2>Another spacewalk was due to take place on January 15, involving two other astronauts who were not named yet. They were to replace a high-definition camera, set up a new docking aid for spacecraft visiting the ISS, besides a few other things. However, now that NASA has announced plans to return the entire crew, this spacewalk is also effectively cancelled. The four astronauts were launched by SpaceX in August. Besides them, three other astronauts - NASA's Chris Williams and Russia's Sergei Mikaev and Sergei Kud-Sverchkov - are at the ISS after arriving in November aboard a Soyuz rocket for an eight-month mission.&nbsp;

For the first time in the history of the International Space Station, NASA is returning a crew early for medical reasons. An astronaut has suffered a health episode, following which NASA made this decision. The nature of the issue or the name of the astronaut has not been disclosed.  

NASA is evacuating a crew from the International Space Station for the first time in the history of the laboratory orbiting Earth. The space agency said that the step was being taken because an astronaut had faced a medical issue. Crew-11 went to the ISS in August 2025 and was to spend six months in space. It consists of US astronauts Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, Russian cosmonaut Oleg Platonov and Japanese astronaut Kimiya Yu. NASA said on Thursday (January 8) that the US-Russian crew will return earlier than planned. This comes after it cancelled a spacewalk scheduled for the same day because of health concerns. It has not revealed the nature of the medical problem or the name of the astronaut. Dr James Polk, NASA's chief health and medical officer, said they were "erring on the side of caution for the crew member" even though it is not an emergency. Also Read: First spacewalk of 2026 postponed after astronaut suffers medical emergency Two spacewalks were scheduled for January 2026 Polk added that this is the first medical evacuation in the history of the space station. In the past, astronauts have been treated for issues like toothaches and ear pain aboard the ISS. Thursday's spacewalk was to be carried out by Fincke, the ISS commander, and Zena Cardman, a flight engineer. They were to prepare an outer portion of the ISS for a future rollout of solar panels that would have helped the station function through its end years before it is de-orbited in 2030. Cardman was to perform his first spacewalk on his maiden trip to the ISS. It would have been the 10th spacewalk for Fincke. "I'm proud of the swift effort across the agency thus far to ensure the safety of our astronauts," NASA administrator Jared Isaacman said. Also Read: NASA saw something bizarre happening 88 km above Earth from space. What was it? How many astronauts are at the space station right now? Another spacewalk was due to take place on January 15, involving two other astronauts who were not named yet. They were to replace a high-definition camera, set up a new docking aid for spacecraft visiting the ISS, besides a few other things. However, now that NASA has announced plans to return the entire crew, this spacewalk is also effectively cancelled. The four astronauts were launched by SpaceX in August. Besides them, three other astronauts - NASA's Chris Williams and Russia's Sergei Mikaev and Sergei Kud-Sverchkov - are at the ISS after arriving in November aboard a Soyuz rocket for an eight-month mission.

For the first time in the history of the International Space Station, NASA is returning a crew early for medical reasons. An astronaut has suffered a health episode, following which NASA made this decision. The nature of the issue or the name of the astronaut has not been disclosed. &nbsp;

NASA evacuating ISS crew on medical grounds for the first time

Scientists have discovered a rogue Saturn for the first time, roaming 10,000 light-years away from us. This discovery is important since astronomers think there could be billions of orphan planets zooming through the Milky Way. While rogue planets are common in the Milky Way, what's surprising is that this exo-Saturn (KMT-2024-BLG-0792) with such an enormous mass was dislocated from its position around its star. This planet could have either been entirely kicked out of its star system, or it could simply have been moved out of its orbit, Sky and Telescope reported. This could have happened because of a gravitational interaction with another cosmic body that possibly happened billions of years ago. Since these bodies neither orbit a parent star nor do they emit their own light, it is hard to locate or study these bodies. This planet was successfully analysed because scientists observed it from two locations - telescopes on Earth and the Gaia space telescope located 1.5 million kilometres away.<h2>Microlensing has revealed nine rogue planets in the Milky Way</h2>This double observation led to a parallax, that a shift in the planet and star’s positions when seen from two different vantage points. When they measured the relative parallax between the planet and the background star, astronomers could tell the distance between them and deduce the mass of the planet. Microlensing has revealed nine rogue planets in the past, where a star or planet in the foreground bends and magnifies the light from a more distant background star. However, since they were not observed from two different points, it was hard to tell their distances or their mass.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/how-to-create-an-earth-get-a-star-to-explode-and-die-at-a-comfortable-distance-1767623926496">Earth was formed with lots of cosmic rays from a supernova, and many of them could be out there</a><h2>Another planet could have kicked out the exoSaturn</h2>Using a technique called depth perception, scientists could tell that the planet had a mass of around 22 per cent of Jupiter’s. Notably, Saturn is 30 per cent of Jupiter’s mass, leading to it being classified as a Saturn. Talking about what caused it to be thrown out, lead author Subo Dong of Peking University, China, wrote in a paper published in Science, that it likely had a gravitational interaction with another planet, and this caused it to be flung into an extremely wide orbit or completely out of its system. The researchers are sure that it was born in another solar system since it is relatively small.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/1-2-billion-light-years-away-a-triple-black-hole-collision-is-occurring-for-the-first-time-1767166848929">1.2 billion light-years away, a triple black hole collision is occurring for the first time</a> &nbsp;The finding has led astronomers to conclude that billions of such orphan planets could be zooming through the Milky Way. In fact, they could even outnumber the stars. Discovering them would become easier after NASA’s Roman Space Telescope and China’s Chinese Space Station Telescope (CSST) are launched in late 2026.&nbsp;

A planet about the size of Saturn has been discovered roaming through the Milky Way. It is a rogue body that was kicked out of its star system billions of years ago. This is the first time astronomers have been able to measure the mass of a rogue planet.

Scientists have discovered a rogue Saturn for the first time, roaming 10,000 light-years away from us. This discovery is important since astronomers think there could be billions of orphan planets zooming through the Milky Way. While rogue planets are common in the Milky Way, what's surprising is that this exo-Saturn (KMT-2024-BLG-0792) with such an enormous mass was dislocated from its position around its star. This planet could have either been entirely kicked out of its star system, or it could simply have been moved out of its orbit, Sky and Telescope reported. This could have happened because of a gravitational interaction with another cosmic body that possibly happened billions of years ago. Since these bodies neither orbit a parent star nor do they emit their own light, it is hard to locate or study these bodies. This planet was successfully analysed because scientists observed it from two locations - telescopes on Earth and the Gaia space telescope located 1.5 million kilometres away. Microlensing has revealed nine rogue planets in the Milky Way This double observation led to a parallax, that a shift in the planet and star’s positions when seen from two different vantage points. When they measured the relative parallax between the planet and the background star, astronomers could tell the distance between them and deduce the mass of the planet. Microlensing has revealed nine rogue planets in the past, where a star or planet in the foreground bends and magnifies the light from a more distant background star. However, since they were not observed from two different points, it was hard to tell their distances or their mass. Also Read: Earth was formed with lots of cosmic rays from a supernova, and many of them could be out there Another planet could have kicked out the exoSaturn Using a technique called depth perception, scientists could tell that the planet had a mass of around 22 per cent of Jupiter’s. Notably, Saturn is 30 per cent of Jupiter’s mass, leading to it being classified as a Saturn. Talking about what caused it to be thrown out, lead author Subo Dong of Peking University, China, wrote in a paper published in Science, that it likely had a gravitational interaction with another planet, and this caused it to be flung into an extremely wide orbit or completely out of its system. The researchers are sure that it was born in another solar system since it is relatively small. Also Read: 1.2 billion light-years away, a triple black hole collision is occurring for the first time The finding has led astronomers to conclude that billions of such orphan planets could be zooming through the Milky Way. In fact, they could even outnumber the stars. Discovering them would become easier after NASA’s Roman Space Telescope and China’s Chinese Space Station Telescope (CSST) are launched in late 2026.

A planet about the size of Saturn has been discovered roaming through the Milky Way. It is a rogue body that was kicked out of its star system billions of years ago. This is the first time astronomers have been able to measure the mass of a rogue planet.

Orphan Saturn 10,000 light-years away: Billions of rogue planets could be lost in the Milky Way

Mites and ticks are often mistaken for insects. Actually, they belong to the broader category of ‘arachnids’, creatures with two body segments and eight legs. They range from invisible dust mites in homes to blood-feeding ticks on pets and in forests, making them among the most widespread organisms on the planet.&nbsp;While many species are harmless, others are parasites that cause diseases such as scabies, lumpy skin disease, and crop-damaging plant galls. Together, they impose a high cost on public health, livestock and agriculture. Scientists are now turning to genomics to better understand which species pose disease risk.<h3>What researcher said?</h3>A new genomic study led by Siddharth Kulkarni, a Ramanujan faculty member at the CSIR–Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), Hyderabad, together with three undergraduate students from the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Thiruvananthapuram, sheds light on how parasitism in mites and ticks evolved over deep time. The findings could help improve disease surveillance and control, particularly as climate change alters the spread of vectors.&nbsp;The research addresses a long-standing evolutionary question by tracing how parasitic traits emerged and diversified over more than 100 million years. The team analysed 90 arachnid genomes, the largest dataset of its kind, to reconstruct ancient relationships among mites, ticks and their relatives.&nbsp;Instead of focusing only on individual genes, the researchers studied how genes are arranged on chromosomes. “Think of it like a deck of cards. Over millions of years, the cards (genes) get shuffled. But if you find two different groups of mites that have the exact same hand of cards in the same order, you know they share a common ancestor,” Dr Kulkarni explained.&nbsp;The analysis indicated that mites and ticks belong to two separate evolutionary lineages that originated independently from separate ancestors: Acariformes (which includes most mites) and Parasitiformes (which includes ticks and the remaining mites).&nbsp;Dr Kulkarni further added that the finding is a vital move toward reconstructing the evolutionary relationships among arachnids — from camel spiders to marine horseshoe crabs — whose group have long remained unclear. Finding these relationships can help scientists to predict the spread of known infections and identify potential new vectors before outbreaks take place.

Dr Siddharth Kulkarni sheds light on how parasitism in mites and ticks evolved over deep time. The findings could help improve disease surveillance and control, particularly as climate change alters the spread of vectors.

Mites and ticks are often mistaken for insects. Actually, they belong to the broader category of ‘arachnids’, creatures with two body segments and eight legs. They range from invisible dust mites in homes to blood-feeding ticks on pets and in forests, making them among the most widespread organisms on the planet. While many species are harmless, others are parasites that cause diseases such as scabies, lumpy skin disease, and crop-damaging plant galls. Together, they impose a high cost on public health, livestock and agriculture. Scientists are now turning to genomics to better understand which species pose disease risk. What researcher said? A new genomic study led by Siddharth Kulkarni, a Ramanujan faculty member at the CSIR–Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), Hyderabad, together with three undergraduate students from the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Thiruvananthapuram, sheds light on how parasitism in mites and ticks evolved over deep time. The findings could help improve disease surveillance and control, particularly as climate change alters the spread of vectors. The research addresses a long-standing evolutionary question by tracing how parasitic traits emerged and diversified over more than 100 million years. The team analysed 90 arachnid genomes, the largest dataset of its kind, to reconstruct ancient relationships among mites, ticks and their relatives. Instead of focusing only on individual genes, the researchers studied how genes are arranged on chromosomes. “Think of it like a deck of cards. Over millions of years, the cards (genes) get shuffled. But if you find two different groups of mites that have the exact same hand of cards in the same order, you know they share a common ancestor,” Dr Kulkarni explained. The analysis indicated that mites and ticks belong to two separate evolutionary lineages that originated independently from separate ancestors: Acariformes (which includes most mites) and Parasitiformes (which includes ticks and the remaining mites). Dr Kulkarni further added that the finding is a vital move toward reconstructing the evolutionary relationships among arachnids — from camel spiders to marine horseshoe crabs — whose group have long remained unclear. Finding these relationships can help scientists to predict the spread of known infections and identify potential new vectors before outbreaks take place.

Dr Siddharth Kulkarni sheds light on how parasitism in mites and ticks evolved over deep time. The findings could help improve disease surveillance and control, particularly as climate change alters the spread of vectors.

Invisible but found everywhere: How climate change is making mites, ticks bigger threat to human health

An underwater sinkhole off the southeastern coast of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula is much deeper than previously thought. Scientists have also detected strange conditions at a certain depth, which hints at the presence of tunnels and caves. Taam Ja' Blue Hole (TJBH) was discovered in 2021 and goes 1,380 feet deep below sea level, as per new analysis. Earlier estimates had placed this figure at 900 feet, meaning it is an additional 480 feet deep. This also puts it ahead of the Sansha Yongle Blue Hole, or the Dragon Hole, in the South China Sea, as the one in Mexico is 390 feet deeper than it. Scientists stated in a study published in 2024 that it is the deepest known blue hole on Earth, and "its bottom is still not reached." For the analysis, the researchers used a special probe that can read water properties to measure depth, temperature and conductivity. The data was transmitted in real time, and proved that Taam Ja' Blue Hole is deeper than expected, and one whose bottom is yet to be reached.&nbsp;The blue hole also has different layers of water, with the most striking one present at 1,312 feet. Under this region, the temperature and salinity conditions are similar to those observed in the Caribbean Sea and nearby coastal reef lagoons. The authors think that this could be because of a hidden network of tunnels and caves that possibly connects the blue hole to the ocean.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/nasa-saw-something-bizarre-happening-88kms-above-earth-from-space-what-was-it-1767858927469">NASA saw something bizarre happening 88kms above Earth from space. What was it?</a>Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/30-foot-wide-sinkhole-opens-up-in-melbourne-near-26bn-highway-tunnel-project-1767673155361">30-foot-wide sinkhole opens up in Melbourne near $26bn highway tunnel project</a><h2>An ocean anomaly invisible from space</h2>Another fascinating information about the Taam Ja' Blue Hole in Mexico is that even though the world's oceans are mapped from space, this hole remained a secret until 2021. It was never seen by the satellites and remains practically invisible from above. Scientists learned about it in 2021 when local fishermen who knew about it told them. Its depth meant that their probe could not reach the bottom, and they had to stop because their CTD profiler ran out of cable at 1,380 feet. This means the hole could go as deep as the "Twilight Zone."<h2>What are blue holes?</h2> These structures in the oceans present a bizarre image. They look intriguing and are still a mystery to humans. What goes on at the bottom of the hole is a secret, as scientists find it hard to reach the bottom of these pits. Blue holes are nothing but sinkholes, similar to those that form on Earth. As ground caves in on land, it also does in the ocean. Their name carries the word "blue" because they appear darker than the rest of the water around them. According to NOAA Ocean Exploration, these holes are not empty and are home to various kinds of plants and animals. They are all different from each other, but scientists haven't had much success in digging deep since they aren't easily accessible. Most of them start several hundred feet below the surface, and aren't as wide. Some of these blue holes have such narrow openings that most probes cannot enter them.

A blue hole in the sea near Mexico is so deep that humans have yet to reach its bottom. It also has certain conditions that scientists think could be because of the presence of certain tunnels and caves connecting the hole to the ocean. But what are blue holes? 

An underwater sinkhole off the southeastern coast of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula is much deeper than previously thought. Scientists have also detected strange conditions at a certain depth, which hints at the presence of tunnels and caves. Taam Ja' Blue Hole (TJBH) was discovered in 2021 and goes 1,380 feet deep below sea level, as per new analysis. Earlier estimates had placed this figure at 900 feet, meaning it is an additional 480 feet deep. This also puts it ahead of the Sansha Yongle Blue Hole, or the Dragon Hole, in the South China Sea, as the one in Mexico is 390 feet deeper than it. Scientists stated in a study published in 2024 that it is the deepest known blue hole on Earth, and "its bottom is still not reached." For the analysis, the researchers used a special probe that can read water properties to measure depth, temperature and conductivity. The data was transmitted in real time, and proved that Taam Ja' Blue Hole is deeper than expected, and one whose bottom is yet to be reached. The blue hole also has different layers of water, with the most striking one present at 1,312 feet. Under this region, the temperature and salinity conditions are similar to those observed in the Caribbean Sea and nearby coastal reef lagoons. The authors think that this could be because of a hidden network of tunnels and caves that possibly connects the blue hole to the ocean. Also Read: NASA saw something bizarre happening 88kms above Earth from space. What was it? Also Read: 30-foot-wide sinkhole opens up in Melbourne near $26bn highway tunnel project An ocean anomaly invisible from space Another fascinating information about the Taam Ja' Blue Hole in Mexico is that even though the world's oceans are mapped from space, this hole remained a secret until 2021. It was never seen by the satellites and remains practically invisible from above. Scientists learned about it in 2021 when local fishermen who knew about it told them. Its depth meant that their probe could not reach the bottom, and they had to stop because their CTD profiler ran out of cable at 1,380 feet. This means the hole could go as deep as the "Twilight Zone." What are blue holes? These structures in the oceans present a bizarre image. They look intriguing and are still a mystery to humans. What goes on at the bottom of the hole is a secret, as scientists find it hard to reach the bottom of these pits. Blue holes are nothing but sinkholes, similar to those that form on Earth. As ground caves in on land, it also does in the ocean. Their name carries the word "blue" because they appear darker than the rest of the water around them. According to NOAA Ocean Exploration, these holes are not empty and are home to various kinds of plants and animals. They are all different from each other, but scientists haven't had much success in digging deep since they aren't easily accessible. Most of them start several hundred feet below the surface, and aren't as wide. Some of these blue holes have such narrow openings that most probes cannot enter them.

A blue hole in the sea near Mexico is so deep that humans have yet to reach its bottom. It also has certain conditions that scientists think could be because of the presence of certain tunnels and caves connecting the hole to the ocean. But what are blue holes?&nbsp;

World's deepest blue hole remained a secret until 2021 because it is invisible from space

NASA detected something strange above Earth from the International Space Station, which proved that what goes on at the ground level doesn't necessarily remain restricted there. This strange phenomenon is linked to Hurricane Helene, which slammed the Florida coast in September 2024. An instrument on the ISS detected an unknown phenomenon rushing through Earth's atmosphere, around 88 kilometres above the planet. NASA was baffled to see something that was not visible from the ground, yet was picked up from space. What it saw were atmospheric waves, and to see them high above Earth shows that strong weather events not only devastate land, but also have an effect on the different layers of the atmosphere. The phenomenon was observed in the mesosphere, the third layer of Earth's atmosphere that extends from 50 to 85 km.&nbsp;As Helene smashed into Florida, a NASA instrument aboard the ISS saw hints of a type of atmospheric wave that typically forms when events like hurricanes occur, Earth.com reported. The Atmospheric Wave Instrument (AWE) was installed outside the ISS in 2023 to detect “atmospheric glow,” a light displayed by gases at high altitudes. When Helene hit, AWE observed a pattern that appeared to be like ripples high above Earth. NASA said that this happened because of the storm, which was so strong that it stirred the air so far above.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/earth-might-freeze-not-burn-up-due-to-extreme-heat-scientists-warn-new-ice-age-is-waiting-1767610266625">Scientists warn intense heat due to climate change could freeze Earth, ushering in a new Ice Age</a>&nbsp;The pattern travelled towards the West, meaning the disturbance did not remain restricted to the storm zone. The ISS orbits 400 kilometres above the surface, and caught something that did not show up in ordinary weather measurements. This makes it the perfect vantage point for making similar observations in the future.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/major-catastrophe-unfolding-in-antarctica-as-hundreds-of-earthquakes-slam-doomsday-glacier-1767680441864">Major catastrophe unfolding in Antarctica as hundreds of earthquakes slam Doomsday Glacier</a><h2>How AWE on ISS and a set of telescopes can find more new phenomena</h2>AWE was made with the aim of understanding what goes on in the upper atmosphere when storms hit the ground. Learning of this impact in the thin air at higher altitudes can prove crucial to gauging the ripple effects and how they impact a region that ultimately affects the conditions that matter for satellites. Even a slight shift in the density of air in the upper atmosphere could lead satellites to run into problems. AWE can help learn more about these observations and help prevent any problems that might impact satellites. AWE, alongside Advanced Mesospheric Temperature Mapper (AMTM), a set of telescopes that can detect details that ordinary sensors miss, can continue to monitor such never-before-seen phenomena higher up.&nbsp;

NASA saw a strange occurrence in the upper atmosphere in 2024 when a hurricane slammed into Florida. Scientists are intrigued by the detection since it can impact satellites and also proves how weather on the ground can ripple to such high levels.

NASA detected something strange above Earth from the International Space Station, which proved that what goes on at the ground level doesn't necessarily remain restricted there. This strange phenomenon is linked to Hurricane Helene, which slammed the Florida coast in September 2024. An instrument on the ISS detected an unknown phenomenon rushing through Earth's atmosphere, around 88 kilometres above the planet. NASA was baffled to see something that was not visible from the ground, yet was picked up from space. What it saw were atmospheric waves, and to see them high above Earth shows that strong weather events not only devastate land, but also have an effect on the different layers of the atmosphere. The phenomenon was observed in the mesosphere, the third layer of Earth's atmosphere that extends from 50 to 85 km. As Helene smashed into Florida, a NASA instrument aboard the ISS saw hints of a type of atmospheric wave that typically forms when events like hurricanes occur, Earth.com reported. The Atmospheric Wave Instrument (AWE) was installed outside the ISS in 2023 to detect “atmospheric glow,” a light displayed by gases at high altitudes. When Helene hit, AWE observed a pattern that appeared to be like ripples high above Earth. NASA said that this happened because of the storm, which was so strong that it stirred the air so far above. Also Read: Scientists warn intense heat due to climate change could freeze Earth, ushering in a new Ice Age The pattern travelled towards the West, meaning the disturbance did not remain restricted to the storm zone. The ISS orbits 400 kilometres above the surface, and caught something that did not show up in ordinary weather measurements. This makes it the perfect vantage point for making similar observations in the future. Also Read: Major catastrophe unfolding in Antarctica as hundreds of earthquakes slam Doomsday Glacier How AWE on ISS and a set of telescopes can find more new phenomena AWE was made with the aim of understanding what goes on in the upper atmosphere when storms hit the ground. Learning of this impact in the thin air at higher altitudes can prove crucial to gauging the ripple effects and how they impact a region that ultimately affects the conditions that matter for satellites. Even a slight shift in the density of air in the upper atmosphere could lead satellites to run into problems. AWE can help learn more about these observations and help prevent any problems that might impact satellites. AWE, alongside Advanced Mesospheric Temperature Mapper (AMTM), a set of telescopes that can detect details that ordinary sensors miss, can continue to monitor such never-before-seen phenomena higher up.

NASA saw a strange occurrence in the upper atmosphere in 2024 when a hurricane slammed into Florida. Scientists are intrigued by the detection since it can impact satellites and also proves how weather on the ground can ripple to such high levels.

NASA saw something bizarre happening 88 km above Earth from space. What was it?

Earth’s Rotation Day explains how Earth’s spin affects day and night, time zones, winds, weather, oceans and human biological rhythms.

Earth’s Rotation Day: 7 Ways Earth’s spin affects our daily life

Earth's Rotation Day commemorates the significant discovery by French Physicist Leon Foucault. In 1851, Foucault proved that Earth rotates on its axis, using a swinging pendulum famously called Foucault's Pendulum. Foucault's Pendulum is a complex device consisting of a single suspended lead ball surrounded by pins which the ball knocks down as it completes rotation. Earth's Rotation Day is annually observed on January 8 to recognise the fact that the Earth completes one rotation on its almost vertical axis every 24 hours, which gives one complete day.&nbsp;<h2>Why January 8?</h2>Earth's Rotation Day is celebrated on January 8 to mark the anniversary of Foucault's presentation of the pendulum at the Pantheon in Paris in front of scientists, scholars and the general public, to visibly prove Earth's rotation. 2026 marks 175 years of the demonstration.<h2>History of Earth's Rotation Day</h2>How the Earth and its rotation influence our daylight cycle has baffled humans for thousands of years. Heraclides of Pontus, Greece, was among the first known thinkers to suggest that the Earth rotate on its axis in the 4th century BCE. Many of the earliest theories which dominated in Europe were geocentric, with the stationary Earth at the centre, the sun, the moon, and other planets rotating around it. However, there were earlier theorisations of the Earth rotating on its axis and the apparent motion of stars in the works of Aryabhata in the 5th century CE. In Europe, Nicolaus Copernicus in the 1500s first posited that the Earth revolves around the sun in circular orbits and also rotates on its axis. Then, in 1609, German Mathematician Johannes Kepler theorised that the Earth doesn't rotate in a circular orbit but in an elliptical orbit and provided a mathematical model for it. Then came Galileo Galilei, who supported the heliocentric theory with observations. But definitive experimental proof was still lacking until Leon Foucault proved that the Earth moved on an axis with his pendulum experiment. Foucault first conducted his pendulum experiment in the Paris Observatory, then the Panthéon, where it remains an impressive centrepiece today.&nbsp;<h2>Significance of Earth Rotation Day</h2>The observation and the experiment by Foucault unlocked several mysteries in astronomy and paved the way for further progress in understanding weather patterns and ocean currents. It also provided a base from which the apparent motion of the Sun and stars across the sky was studied. These discoveries may not be directly related, but all of them are like small pieces of a huge jigsaw puzzle which humankind has been putting together to solve the mysteries of the universe.&nbsp;

Earth’s Rotation Day, observed on January 8, marks Léon Foucault’s 1851 pendulum experiment proving Earth’s rotation. Know its history and significance.

Earth's Rotation Day commemorates the significant discovery by French Physicist Leon Foucault. In 1851, Foucault proved that Earth rotates on its axis, using a swinging pendulum famously called Foucault's Pendulum. Foucault's Pendulum is a complex device consisting of a single suspended lead ball surrounded by pins which the ball knocks down as it completes rotation. Earth's Rotation Day is annually observed on January 8 to recognise the fact that the Earth completes one rotation on its almost vertical axis every 24 hours, which gives one complete day. Why January 8? Earth's Rotation Day is celebrated on January 8 to mark the anniversary of Foucault's presentation of the pendulum at the Pantheon in Paris in front of scientists, scholars and the general public, to visibly prove Earth's rotation. 2026 marks 175 years of the demonstration. History of Earth's Rotation Day How the Earth and its rotation influence our daylight cycle has baffled humans for thousands of years. Heraclides of Pontus, Greece, was among the first known thinkers to suggest that the Earth rotate on its axis in the 4th century BCE. Many of the earliest theories which dominated in Europe were geocentric, with the stationary Earth at the centre, the sun, the moon, and other planets rotating around it. However, there were earlier theorisations of the Earth rotating on its axis and the apparent motion of stars in the works of Aryabhata in the 5th century CE. In Europe, Nicolaus Copernicus in the 1500s first posited that the Earth revolves around the sun in circular orbits and also rotates on its axis. Then, in 1609, German Mathematician Johannes Kepler theorised that the Earth doesn't rotate in a circular orbit but in an elliptical orbit and provided a mathematical model for it. Then came Galileo Galilei, who supported the heliocentric theory with observations. But definitive experimental proof was still lacking until Leon Foucault proved that the Earth moved on an axis with his pendulum experiment. Foucault first conducted his pendulum experiment in the Paris Observatory, then the Panthéon, where it remains an impressive centrepiece today. Significance of Earth Rotation Day The observation and the experiment by Foucault unlocked several mysteries in astronomy and paved the way for further progress in understanding weather patterns and ocean currents. It also provided a base from which the apparent motion of the Sun and stars across the sky was studied. These discoveries may not be directly related, but all of them are like small pieces of a huge jigsaw puzzle which humankind has been putting together to solve the mysteries of the universe.

Earth’s Rotation Day, observed on January 8, marks Léon Foucault’s 1851 pendulum experiment proving Earth’s rotation. Know its history and significance.

Earth’s Rotation Day 2026: Date, history, significance and why it is celebrated

Moon has been pulling away material from Earth for billions of years, according to a new study. Scientists say that it did not happen before the magnetic field was formed, but instead, this process is facilitated by our planet's magnetic tail.

Earth's tail has been helping Moon steal from our planet for billions of years

3I/ATLAS is flying towards Jupiter and will come close to the Hill radius, the region where the planet's gravity is stronger than the Sun's. It will also come near its irregular moon Eupheme a day later, setting up another amazing rendezvous. 

3I/ATLAS sets date with Eupheme, an irregular moon orbiting Jupiter

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