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Stephen Hawking was a British theoretical physicist, cosmologist and author whose study and work on black holes and the universe made him one of the most recognisable figures in the field of science. He was born in Oxford to a medical family in 1942, where he studied physics at University College, Oxford (graduating in 1962), then pursued cosmology at Trinity Hall, Cambridge.&nbsp;At the age of 21, Hawking was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). As a result, he said that he will remain alive only for two years; however, Hawking defied the prognosis and stayed alive until 76, while gradually losing physical control. To stay alive, he used a speech synthesiser after losing his speech, voicing iconic lines like “women” in 2014.<h3>What were Hawking's greatest contributions to Science?</h3><h3>Singularities</h3>As per the report in the Space, Stephen Hawking made groundbreaking contributions to understanding gravity under extreme conditions, beginning with his work on singularities. Building on Roger Penrose’s proofs, Hawking demonstrated that singularities are not limited to black holes but also exist at the birth of the universe, showing that the Big Bang began from a point of infinite density.<h3>Black hole physics</h3>He then revolutionised black hole physics by discovering that black holes are not completely black. By combining general relativity with quantum mechanics, Hawking showed that black holes emit radiation, now known as Hawking radiation, causing them to slowly lose mass and eventually evaporate. This insight led him to develop the laws of black hole thermodynamics, revealing a deep connection between gravity, energy, heat and entropy.<h3>Cosmology</h3>In cosmology, Hawking played a crucial role in developing the theory of cosmic inflation. While Alan Guth first proposed rapid expansion in the early universe, Hawking helped turn inflation into a rigorous and testable framework. He also explored the earliest moments of the Big Bang, questioning whether the universe truly had a beginning and how quantum mechanics shapes its origin.<h3>Time travel</h3>Hawking extensively studied the nature of space-time, including wormholes and their physical feasibility. Recognising their implications for time travel, he proposed the chronology protection conjecture, arguing that the laws of physics prevent travel into the past. Although not focused on creating a single “theory of everything,” Hawking’s work on quantum gravity profoundly influenced the field. His ideas, especially on black holes and inflation, continue to guide efforts to unify quantum mechanics and gravity.&nbsp;He also collaborated on string theory, M‑theory and quantum gravity, consulted on films (Star Trek, The Simpsons) and advocated for space exploration, artificial intelligence risks and climate action. Awarded CBE (1982), Companion of Honour (1989), and Presidential Medal of Freedom (2009), he died at 76 in Cambridge.<h3>Hawking's Books​</h3>Hawking also popularised science through books: A Brief History of Time (1988) sold over 25 million copies, explaining cosmology accessibly; The Universe in a Nutshell (2001), A Briefer History of Time (2005), The Grand Design (2010) with Leonard Mlodinow, and Black Holes and Baby Universes (1993).

Hawking extensively studied the nature of space-time, including wormholes and their physical feasibility. Recognising their implications for time travel, he proposed the chronology protection conjecture, arguing that the laws of physics prevent travel into the past.

Stephen Hawking was a British theoretical physicist, cosmologist and author whose study and work on black holes and the universe made him one of the most recognisable figures in the field of science. He was born in Oxford to a medical family in 1942, where he studied physics at University College, Oxford (graduating in 1962), then pursued cosmology at Trinity Hall, Cambridge. At the age of 21, Hawking was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). As a result, he said that he will remain alive only for two years; however, Hawking defied the prognosis and stayed alive until 76, while gradually losing physical control. To stay alive, he used a speech synthesiser after losing his speech, voicing iconic lines like “women” in 2014. What were Hawking's greatest contributions to Science? Singularities As per the report in the Space, Stephen Hawking made groundbreaking contributions to understanding gravity under extreme conditions, beginning with his work on singularities. Building on Roger Penrose’s proofs, Hawking demonstrated that singularities are not limited to black holes but also exist at the birth of the universe, showing that the Big Bang began from a point of infinite density. Black hole physics He then revolutionised black hole physics by discovering that black holes are not completely black. By combining general relativity with quantum mechanics, Hawking showed that black holes emit radiation, now known as Hawking radiation, causing them to slowly lose mass and eventually evaporate. This insight led him to develop the laws of black hole thermodynamics, revealing a deep connection between gravity, energy, heat and entropy. Cosmology In cosmology, Hawking played a crucial role in developing the theory of cosmic inflation. While Alan Guth first proposed rapid expansion in the early universe, Hawking helped turn inflation into a rigorous and testable framework. He also explored the earliest moments of the Big Bang, questioning whether the universe truly had a beginning and how quantum mechanics shapes its origin. Time travel Hawking extensively studied the nature of space-time, including wormholes and their physical feasibility. Recognising their implications for time travel, he proposed the chronology protection conjecture, arguing that the laws of physics prevent travel into the past. Although not focused on creating a single “theory of everything,” Hawking’s work on quantum gravity profoundly influenced the field. His ideas, especially on black holes and inflation, continue to guide efforts to unify quantum mechanics and gravity. He also collaborated on string theory, M‑theory and quantum gravity, consulted on films (Star Trek, The Simpsons) and advocated for space exploration, artificial intelligence risks and climate action. Awarded CBE (1982), Companion of Honour (1989), and Presidential Medal of Freedom (2009), he died at 76 in Cambridge. Hawking's Books Hawking also popularised science through books: A Brief History of Time (1988) sold over 25 million copies, explaining cosmology accessibly; The Universe in a Nutshell (2001), A Briefer History of Time (2005), The Grand Design (2010) with Leonard Mlodinow, and Black Holes and Baby Universes (1993).

Hawking extensively studied the nature of space-time, including wormholes and their physical feasibility. Recognising their implications for time travel, he proposed the chronology protection conjecture, arguing that the laws of physics prevent travel into the past.

Who was Stephen Hawking? All about his life, books and greatest discoveries that reshaped modern Physics

NASA James Webb and Hubble space telescopes have made some startling discoveries. The Chandra X-ray telescope captured a famous supernova remnant over several years. Here are some new findings made by these astonishing pieces of technology. 

Latest NASA findings: 5 discoveries made by Webb, Hubble and Chandra Space Telescopes

The Taftan volcano in Iran, which has never erupted in human history, is showing signs of activity, with scientists saying it is stirring up. A new study has flagged that the volcano in southeastern Iran has risen by about 3.5 inches in just 10 months. This means that certain forces have become active underneath, and it is important to monitor the Taftan. But the volcano does not have on-the-ground instruments such as continuous GPS receivers, and so satellites become the best way to look at it. InSAR, a radar method that measures ground motion from space, was used to track changes in the volcano. Researchers gathered data from Sentinel-1 satellites, which spotted that the uplift in the Taftan continued for 10 months and was located at the centre of the summit, Earth.com reported.&nbsp;The pressure is still there since this uplift has not gone down. The exact point where the pressure has built sits around 1,600 to 2,070 feet below the surface. This shallow location suggests that the gases are located in a hydrothermal system where hot water and gases move around under a volcano. Researchers have flagged a need to monitor the Taftan volcano regularly, but since it is located in an extremely remote area, they will have to turn to space technology to gather data on it. Pablo J. González from the Institute of Natural Products and Agrobiology’s Spanish National Research Council (IPNA) is the lead author of the study published in Geophysical Research Letters.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/50km-hidden-object-reveals-ancient-volcano-on-moon-that-last-erupted-3-5-billion-years-ago-1765785642169">What's so hot? Two moon craters are hiding an ancient volcano that last erupted 3.5 billion years ago</a><h2>The Taftan volcano and the uplift</h2>To be sure that no external forces were to blame for this surge, scientists checked whether heavy rain and earthquakes could be a catalyst. However, they were quickly ruled out, and they are sure that internal forces are at work inside the volcano. The shallow pressure zone sits above the body of magma, which is flowing 3.2 kilometres below the volcano. The uplift could be caused by two reasons: Either the gas is building up in tight rocks and fractures, or a small pulse of melt has released volatiles into the shallower plumbing deep down.&nbsp;Taftan volcano is 12,9270 feet high and built of layers of lava and ash. There is a lack of proper records on its eruption history in the past 10,000 years. But, research has found that its last eruption happened roughly 710,000 years ago. It has witnessed a total of five different active eruption periods.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Taftan volcano in Iran is showing signs of activity, with satellites spotting an uplift at the summit. This volcano is believed to have last erupted 710,000 years ago, with clear data from 10,000 years being pretty scant.

The Taftan volcano in Iran, which has never erupted in human history, is showing signs of activity, with scientists saying it is stirring up. A new study has flagged that the volcano in southeastern Iran has risen by about 3.5 inches in just 10 months. This means that certain forces have become active underneath, and it is important to monitor the Taftan. But the volcano does not have on-the-ground instruments such as continuous GPS receivers, and so satellites become the best way to look at it. InSAR, a radar method that measures ground motion from space, was used to track changes in the volcano. Researchers gathered data from Sentinel-1 satellites, which spotted that the uplift in the Taftan continued for 10 months and was located at the centre of the summit, Earth.com reported. The pressure is still there since this uplift has not gone down. The exact point where the pressure has built sits around 1,600 to 2,070 feet below the surface. This shallow location suggests that the gases are located in a hydrothermal system where hot water and gases move around under a volcano. Researchers have flagged a need to monitor the Taftan volcano regularly, but since it is located in an extremely remote area, they will have to turn to space technology to gather data on it. Pablo J. González from the Institute of Natural Products and Agrobiology’s Spanish National Research Council (IPNA) is the lead author of the study published in Geophysical Research Letters. Also Read: What's so hot? Two moon craters are hiding an ancient volcano that last erupted 3.5 billion years ago The Taftan volcano and the uplift To be sure that no external forces were to blame for this surge, scientists checked whether heavy rain and earthquakes could be a catalyst. However, they were quickly ruled out, and they are sure that internal forces are at work inside the volcano. The shallow pressure zone sits above the body of magma, which is flowing 3.2 kilometres below the volcano. The uplift could be caused by two reasons: Either the gas is building up in tight rocks and fractures, or a small pulse of melt has released volatiles into the shallower plumbing deep down. Taftan volcano is 12,9270 feet high and built of layers of lava and ash. There is a lack of proper records on its eruption history in the past 10,000 years. But, research has found that its last eruption happened roughly 710,000 years ago. It has witnessed a total of five different active eruption periods.

The Taftan volcano in Iran is showing signs of activity, with satellites spotting an uplift at the summit. This volcano is believed to have last erupted 710,000 years ago, with clear data from 10,000 years being pretty scant.

Taftan volcano stirs up after 700,000 years as ground seen rising from space

A recently launched Spanish satellite was struck by a space particle as it was moving towards its operational position in the geostationary orbit, according to an official statement by a stakeholder issued on January 2. SpainSat NG-2 was the second military communications satellite sent to space in 2025 as part of a program meant to serve the communications needs of the government and the military. However, now it might not be able to achieve its goal of completing a secure communications constellation duo. Indra Group, the majority stakeholder of Hisdesat, which owns and operates the SpainSat NG-2 satellite on behalf of Spain’s Ministry of Defence, informed about the mishap. The satellite was launched on October 23 on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.&nbsp;After being launched on 24 October, the satellite was on its way to the geostationary orbit when a "space particle" slammed into it. Indra Group said that the impact happened at an altitude of about 50,000 kilometres. Notably, the geostationary orbit lies 35,786 km above Earth, which means the satellite had travelled far beyond its intended location. The current status of SpainSat NG-2 is not known. "Hisdesat implemented a contingency plan to ensure that the Ministry of Defence and other clients are not affected," Indra Group said in the statement. The extent of damage to the satellite is being ascertained. The group added that, depending on the nature of the problem, SpainSat NG-2 could also be replaced.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">Remote Iran volcano stirs up after 700,000 years as satellites spot a bulge at the summit</a><h2>The first Airbus satellite for SpainSat</h2>SpainSat NG-1 was the first of the duo to be launched, shooting to space in January 2025 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. It was fully operational in August 2025. Both satellites have been built by Airbus for $2.3 billion. According to Airbus, the duo was designed as an "advanced government communications system in Europe." The communications satellites are supposed to serve the government and military's secure communications needs.&nbsp;

A Spanish military communications satellite was struck by a space particle while on its way to the geostationary orbit above Earth. The tech team is trying to gauge the damage, and if it is not fixable, another one could be launched later. 

A recently launched Spanish satellite was struck by a space particle as it was moving towards its operational position in the geostationary orbit, according to an official statement by a stakeholder issued on January 2. SpainSat NG-2 was the second military communications satellite sent to space in 2025 as part of a program meant to serve the communications needs of the government and the military. However, now it might not be able to achieve its goal of completing a secure communications constellation duo. Indra Group, the majority stakeholder of Hisdesat, which owns and operates the SpainSat NG-2 satellite on behalf of Spain’s Ministry of Defence, informed about the mishap. The satellite was launched on October 23 on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. After being launched on 24 October, the satellite was on its way to the geostationary orbit when a "space particle" slammed into it. Indra Group said that the impact happened at an altitude of about 50,000 kilometres. Notably, the geostationary orbit lies 35,786 km above Earth, which means the satellite had travelled far beyond its intended location. The current status of SpainSat NG-2 is not known. "Hisdesat implemented a contingency plan to ensure that the Ministry of Defence and other clients are not affected," Indra Group said in the statement. The extent of damage to the satellite is being ascertained. The group added that, depending on the nature of the problem, SpainSat NG-2 could also be replaced. Also Read: Remote Iran volcano stirs up after 700,000 years as satellites spot a bulge at the summit The first Airbus satellite for SpainSat SpainSat NG-1 was the first of the duo to be launched, shooting to space in January 2025 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. It was fully operational in August 2025. Both satellites have been built by Airbus for $2.3 billion. According to Airbus, the duo was designed as an "advanced government communications system in Europe." The communications satellites are supposed to serve the government and military's secure communications needs.

A Spanish military communications satellite was struck by a space particle while on its way to the geostationary orbit above Earth. The tech team is trying to gauge the damage, and if it is not fixable, another one could be launched later.

$1bn Spanish satellite collides with a cosmic particle 50,000 kilometres above Earth

The Thwaites Glacier in Antarctica has been jolted by hundreds of glacial earthquakes over nearly 13 years, according to new research. Also known as the Doomsday Glacier, it is so large that a complete collapse could lead global sea levels to rise by 10 feet. The latest study has found something even more shocking. Researchers say that previous analysis on the stability of Thwaites could be wrong. According to Thanh-Son Pham, a researcher at the Australian National University, it is a lot less stable and has been hit by hundreds of iceberg earthquakes between 2010 and 2023, Gizmodo reported. Thanh-Son Pham says that most of these earthquakes weren't detected because of low-frequency seismic waves.&nbsp;&nbsp;According to a study published in Geophysical Research Letters, a total of 362 glacial earthquakes have struck Antarctica for more than a decade, of which 245 took place in Doomsday Glacier. The Thwaites has already been flagged as a danger for the world's coasts, as the increasing temperatures are fast melting this giant, free-floating body of ice. Add to it the scenario of earthquakes shaking it further, and we have a perfect recipe for disaster waiting to happen.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/doomsday-gets-closer-cracks-on-thwaites-glacier-have-doubled-in-two-decades-1766981007538">Doomsday gets closer: Cracks on Thwaites Glacier have doubled in two decades</a> Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/a-robot-got-lost-in-antarctica-it-revealed-scary-secrets-from-underneath-another-glacier-1766997802759">A robot got lost in Antarctica. It revealed scary secrets from underneath another glacier</a><h2>What are glacial earthquakes?</h2>They are a new group of earthquakes that produce low-frequency waves, with a magnitude of around 5. They were first detected in 2003 and are caused when large icebergs collapse. Most of them have been recorded along the coast of Greenland till now and have a higher magnitude. Scientists have assumed that they occur in Antarctica as well, but detecting them has been hard because of their lower magnitude. Thanh-Son Pham decided to find proof of glacial earthquakes in Antarctica and used the seismic stations in Antarctica itself. Data showed several of them had occurred in the region but had never been detected by the global network of seismic detectors.<h2>What is going on with Thwaites?</h2> Scientists have discovered a scary unfolding at the Doomsday Glacier, with the amount of ice flowing from it doubling in the span of three decades. Thanh-Son Pham says the glacial earthquakes are occurring parallel to this accelerated flow of melting water from the glacier. The majority of seismic events were reported at Thwaites, with the rest happening at Pine Island Glacier. Strangely, the study notes that capsizing icebergs did not cause the temblors at this glacier. "The nature of earthquakes in Pine Island Glaciers remains puzzling and warrants further investigation," the research states.&nbsp;

Over 300 earthquakes in Antarctica have gone undetected for more than a decade. A scientist has found that the Thwaites Glacier, also known as the Doomsday Glacier, bore the majority of brunt of these tremors, and could have made it much weaker. 

The Thwaites Glacier in Antarctica has been jolted by hundreds of glacial earthquakes over nearly 13 years, according to new research. Also known as the Doomsday Glacier, it is so large that a complete collapse could lead global sea levels to rise by 10 feet. The latest study has found something even more shocking. Researchers say that previous analysis on the stability of Thwaites could be wrong. According to Thanh-Son Pham, a researcher at the Australian National University, it is a lot less stable and has been hit by hundreds of iceberg earthquakes between 2010 and 2023, Gizmodo reported. Thanh-Son Pham says that most of these earthquakes weren't detected because of low-frequency seismic waves. According to a study published in Geophysical Research Letters, a total of 362 glacial earthquakes have struck Antarctica for more than a decade, of which 245 took place in Doomsday Glacier. The Thwaites has already been flagged as a danger for the world's coasts, as the increasing temperatures are fast melting this giant, free-floating body of ice. Add to it the scenario of earthquakes shaking it further, and we have a perfect recipe for disaster waiting to happen. Also Read: Doomsday gets closer: Cracks on Thwaites Glacier have doubled in two decades Also Read: A robot got lost in Antarctica. It revealed scary secrets from underneath another glacier What are glacial earthquakes? They are a new group of earthquakes that produce low-frequency waves, with a magnitude of around 5. They were first detected in 2003 and are caused when large icebergs collapse. Most of them have been recorded along the coast of Greenland till now and have a higher magnitude. Scientists have assumed that they occur in Antarctica as well, but detecting them has been hard because of their lower magnitude. Thanh-Son Pham decided to find proof of glacial earthquakes in Antarctica and used the seismic stations in Antarctica itself. Data showed several of them had occurred in the region but had never been detected by the global network of seismic detectors. What is going on with Thwaites? Scientists have discovered a scary unfolding at the Doomsday Glacier, with the amount of ice flowing from it doubling in the span of three decades. Thanh-Son Pham says the glacial earthquakes are occurring parallel to this accelerated flow of melting water from the glacier. The majority of seismic events were reported at Thwaites, with the rest happening at Pine Island Glacier. Strangely, the study notes that capsizing icebergs did not cause the temblors at this glacier. "The nature of earthquakes in Pine Island Glaciers remains puzzling and warrants further investigation," the research states.

Over 300 earthquakes in Antarctica have gone undetected for more than a decade. A scientist has found that the Thwaites Glacier, also known as the Doomsday Glacier, bore the majority of brunt of these tremors, and could have made it much weaker.&nbsp;

Major catastrophe unfolding in Antarctica as hundreds of earthquakes slam Doomsday Glacier

A study has found that even though the planet is warming up, we might be going towards another ice age. It sounds paradoxical, but scientists say it is possible. Researchers from the University of California, Riverside, and the University of Bremen believe that as carbon dioxide levels rise and Earth heats up to an extreme point, heat would end in cold because of "a glitch in the matrix", ultimately returning us to an Ice Age. According to the researchers, Earth has a natural thermostat which helps it regulate its temperature when things get out of hand. More carbon dioxide and heat in the atmosphere cause it to rain more, eroding rocks and pulling all the CO2 into the ocean. In the sea, microscopic plankton feed on it and then die and sink. With them, CO2 also disappears for thousands of years. This cools down the planet, and the cycle resets.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/a-robot-got-lost-in-antarctica-it-revealed-scary-secrets-from-underneath-another-glacier-1766997802759">A robot got lost in Antarctica. It revealed scary secrets from underneath another glacier</a><h2>Earth's chemistry will go off track</h2>However, the latest study suggests that if Earth witnesses extreme warning, way over the edge, this thermostat fails to function as expected. An overreaction occurs, and the ocean is filled with nutrients, mainly phosphorus, causing the plankton to overgrow. A lot more CO2 starts getting absorbed by the seafloor, quicker than what is released into the atmosphere by volcanoes and other occurrences. In even warmer seas with low oxygen levels, phosphorus is released again, providing more of it to the plankton, which keep growing. With CO2 &nbsp;fast depleting, a vicious cycle sets in and temperatures will plummet rapidly, pushing Earth into an Ice Age.&nbsp;Researchers state that this is what will ultimately happen to Earth someday, but not today. This process would take place over hundreds of thousands of years, and humans would not be here to see this Ice Age. The cycle will happen as it usually does, with a warming climate, extreme heat, rising sea levels that would wash away much of the coasts and much more.&nbsp;

Climate change threatens to end our world, but it might not wither away from heat and could be pushed into extreme cold. Scientists say if Earth hits extremely hot temperatures, we could enter an Ice Age. Will humans be here to witness it?

A study has found that even though the planet is warming up, we might be going towards another ice age. It sounds paradoxical, but scientists say it is possible. Researchers from the University of California, Riverside, and the University of Bremen believe that as carbon dioxide levels rise and Earth heats up to an extreme point, heat would end in cold because of "a glitch in the matrix", ultimately returning us to an Ice Age. According to the researchers, Earth has a natural thermostat which helps it regulate its temperature when things get out of hand. More carbon dioxide and heat in the atmosphere cause it to rain more, eroding rocks and pulling all the CO2 into the ocean. In the sea, microscopic plankton feed on it and then die and sink. With them, CO2 also disappears for thousands of years. This cools down the planet, and the cycle resets. Also Read: A robot got lost in Antarctica. It revealed scary secrets from underneath another glacier Earth's chemistry will go off track However, the latest study suggests that if Earth witnesses extreme warning, way over the edge, this thermostat fails to function as expected. An overreaction occurs, and the ocean is filled with nutrients, mainly phosphorus, causing the plankton to overgrow. A lot more CO2 starts getting absorbed by the seafloor, quicker than what is released into the atmosphere by volcanoes and other occurrences. In even warmer seas with low oxygen levels, phosphorus is released again, providing more of it to the plankton, which keep growing. With CO2 fast depleting, a vicious cycle sets in and temperatures will plummet rapidly, pushing Earth into an Ice Age. Researchers state that this is what will ultimately happen to Earth someday, but not today. This process would take place over hundreds of thousands of years, and humans would not be here to see this Ice Age. The cycle will happen as it usually does, with a warming climate, extreme heat, rising sea levels that would wash away much of the coasts and much more.

Climate change threatens to end our world, but it might not wither away from heat and could be pushed into extreme cold. Scientists say if Earth hits extremely hot temperatures, we could enter an Ice Age. Will humans be here to witness it?

Scientists warn intense heat due to climate change could freeze Earth, ushering in a new Ice Age

Earth is a rare cosmic body which supports life with just the right balance of ingredients and is in the optimal zone near the Sun where it is warm enough for life to thrive. Our planet has an atmosphere us from solar radiation and a magnetic field. A new study has suggested that for a planet like Earth to be born, we need a warm solar system, and this is triggered by short-lived radioisotopes (SLRs). When these isotopes decay, a warmer cosmic environment is formed. This prevents terrestrial planets like Earth from holding on to too much water. If these isotopes did not exist, those planets similar to Earth in size would turn into a theoretical type of exoplanet, called Hycean worlds. Such bodies have a deep global ocean underneath a thick, hydrogen-rich atmosphere.&nbsp;So, how do we know that our solar system had these crucial isotopes? This is proven by meteorites, as research has shown these isotopes, or SLRs, to be present in these rocks. For these short-lived radioisotopes to form, a supernova is needed, a stellar explosion leading to the death of a star. However, this powerful cosmic event would rip apart the protoplanetary disk of a young star. But the Sun's early disk remained unscathed, and we got our solar system. If a supernova is needed for a planet to form, it would mean that Earth-like planets are rare.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/earth-has-a-tail-flowing-for-millions-of-kilometres-into-space-on-its-dark-side-1765431481520">Earth has a tail, flowing for millions of kilometres into space on its dark side</a>Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/catastrophe-in-2-8-days-scientists-say-earth-at-risk-of-disastrous-chain-reaction-in-space-1765868167625">Catastrophe in 2.8 days: Scientists say Earth at risk of disastrous chain reaction in space</a><h2>Earth-like worlds could be very common</h2>However, a new study states that Earth-like planets could be extremely common in the universe. Researchers say that the early solar system was covered with cosmic rays triggered from a supernova that was extremely far away. According to a report by Universe Today, "if at least one supernova occurred within a parsec of us," enough cosmic rays would be formed to create the level of radioactive isotopes necessary to match those of meteorites found in the solar system. Sun-like stars form within star clusters, which means the chances of such a supernova are quite good, and hence, there might be several more Earth-like planets.&nbsp;

For Earth to be born, our solar system needed certain isotopes which could only be formed by supernovae. But, shouldn't such a stellar violent event kill a planet-forming disk? Here is what a study says about such events and how common Earth-like bodies are.

Earth is a rare cosmic body which supports life with just the right balance of ingredients and is in the optimal zone near the Sun where it is warm enough for life to thrive. Our planet has an atmosphere us from solar radiation and a magnetic field. A new study has suggested that for a planet like Earth to be born, we need a warm solar system, and this is triggered by short-lived radioisotopes (SLRs). When these isotopes decay, a warmer cosmic environment is formed. This prevents terrestrial planets like Earth from holding on to too much water. If these isotopes did not exist, those planets similar to Earth in size would turn into a theoretical type of exoplanet, called Hycean worlds. Such bodies have a deep global ocean underneath a thick, hydrogen-rich atmosphere. So, how do we know that our solar system had these crucial isotopes? This is proven by meteorites, as research has shown these isotopes, or SLRs, to be present in these rocks. For these short-lived radioisotopes to form, a supernova is needed, a stellar explosion leading to the death of a star. However, this powerful cosmic event would rip apart the protoplanetary disk of a young star. But the Sun's early disk remained unscathed, and we got our solar system. If a supernova is needed for a planet to form, it would mean that Earth-like planets are rare. Also Read: Earth has a tail, flowing for millions of kilometres into space on its dark side Also Read: Catastrophe in 2.8 days: Scientists say Earth at risk of disastrous chain reaction in space Earth-like worlds could be very common However, a new study states that Earth-like planets could be extremely common in the universe. Researchers say that the early solar system was covered with cosmic rays triggered from a supernova that was extremely far away. According to a report by Universe Today, "if at least one supernova occurred within a parsec of us," enough cosmic rays would be formed to create the level of radioactive isotopes necessary to match those of meteorites found in the solar system. Sun-like stars form within star clusters, which means the chances of such a supernova are quite good, and hence, there might be several more Earth-like planets.

For Earth to be born, our solar system needed certain isotopes which could only be formed by supernovae. But, shouldn't such a stellar violent event kill a planet-forming disk? Here is what a study says about such events and how common Earth-like bodies are.

Earth was formed with lots of cosmic rays from a supernova, and many of them could be out there

&nbsp;Comets continued to grab the limelight in the new year as well, with C/2025 R3 scheduled to fly by Earth in the coming months. It follows a string of other comets that made headlines in the past two years, including "Devil Comet" 12P/Pons-Brooks and C/2024 G3 (ATLAS), that became visible in 2024 and early 2025, and C/2025 A6 (Lemmon) and C/2025 R2 (SWAN) in 2025. There was also C/2025 K1 (ATLAS), dubbed the Other Atlas, that broke up into several pieces, and there was a chance that it could turn into a headless comet. In 2026, we have a new comet to look forward to. C/2025 R3 is expected to brighten considerably and might even be visible with the naked eye.However, this is where things get tricky. This scenario depends on a phenomenon called forward scattering.&nbsp;&nbsp;Comet C/2025 R3 will reach perihelion (nearest point to the Sun) on April 20 and will be 76.3 million kilometres from the Sun. It will make its closest approach to Earth on April 27, coming within 70.8 million kilometres. This means it will be within the orbits of Mercury and Venus, offering a good opportunity to astronomers. But to reach a higher magnitude of brightness and become visible without telescopes or binoculars, sunlight will play a major role.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><h2>How sunlight can make the comet brighter</h2>When the comet passes between Earth and the sun, the dust particles in its tail will reflect the sunlight, and this can intensify the comet's brightness. Several comets in the past have become brighter because of this effect, and the same could happen to C/2025 R3. The new moon on April 17, 2026, days before perihelion, will also affect the comet's visibility. Since at this time the skies will be dark in the absence of the Moon, it will be easier to spot the comet in the pre-dawn hours from the Northern Hemisphere. By mid-April, the comet will appear about 15 degrees above the eastern horizon and will be visible an hour before sunrise.&nbsp;<h2>More about C/2025 R3</h2>C/2025 R3 was first spotted on September 8, 2025, by the Pan-STARRS observatory that sits atop Haleakalā volcano in Hawaii. The Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope helped confirm its orbit and offer an idea of the path it was expected to take in the coming months. Its nearly parabolic trajectory suggests that it is a new comet originating from the outer Oort Cloud, which means it is passing through the solar system for the first time.&nbsp;

New comet of 2026: Comet C/2025 R3 is generating excitement in the new year as it is set to reach its closest point to Earth in April. It is a new comet originating from the outer Oort Cloud and is on its first trip through the solar system. 

Comets continued to grab the limelight in the new year as well, with C/2025 R3 scheduled to fly by Earth in the coming months. It follows a string of other comets that made headlines in the past two years, including "Devil Comet" 12P/Pons-Brooks and C/2024 G3 (ATLAS), that became visible in 2024 and early 2025, and C/2025 A6 (Lemmon) and C/2025 R2 (SWAN) in 2025. There was also C/2025 K1 (ATLAS), dubbed the Other Atlas, that broke up into several pieces, and there was a chance that it could turn into a headless comet. In 2026, we have a new comet to look forward to. C/2025 R3 is expected to brighten considerably and might even be visible with the naked eye. However, this is where things get tricky. This scenario depends on a phenomenon called forward scattering. Comet C/2025 R3 will reach perihelion (nearest point to the Sun) on April 20 and will be 76.3 million kilometres from the Sun. It will make its closest approach to Earth on April 27, coming within 70.8 million kilometres. This means it will be within the orbits of Mercury and Venus, offering a good opportunity to astronomers. But to reach a higher magnitude of brightness and become visible without telescopes or binoculars, sunlight will play a major role. Also Read: 1.2 billion light-years away, a triple black hole collision is occurring for the first time How sunlight can make the comet brighter When the comet passes between Earth and the sun, the dust particles in its tail will reflect the sunlight, and this can intensify the comet's brightness. Several comets in the past have become brighter because of this effect, and the same could happen to C/2025 R3. The new moon on April 17, 2026, days before perihelion, will also affect the comet's visibility. Since at this time the skies will be dark in the absence of the Moon, it will be easier to spot the comet in the pre-dawn hours from the Northern Hemisphere. By mid-April, the comet will appear about 15 degrees above the eastern horizon and will be visible an hour before sunrise. More about C/2025 R3 C/2025 R3 was first spotted on September 8, 2025, by the Pan-STARRS observatory that sits atop Haleakalā volcano in Hawaii. The Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope helped confirm its orbit and offer an idea of the path it was expected to take in the coming months. Its nearly parabolic trajectory suggests that it is a new comet originating from the outer Oort Cloud, which means it is passing through the solar system for the first time.

New comet of 2026: Comet C/2025 R3 is generating excitement in the new year as it is set to reach its closest point to Earth in April. It is a new comet originating from the outer Oort Cloud and is on its first trip through the solar system.&nbsp;

Comet C/2025 R3: Origin, brightness and how forward scattering can improve its visibility

Space rockets may soon use nuclear-powered engines based on nuclear thermal propulsion, or NTP technology. While no nuclear engine will fly this year, the field is approaching a major milestone, with the first in-space demonstration of an NTP engine currently planned for early 2026. If successful, this could open the door to practical nuclear-powered missions later in the 2020s and into the 2030s. NTP is often presented as a promising technology for faster and more capable deep-space missions, especially to Mars. At the same time, it raises concerns about safety, radiation, and the potential proliferation of nuclear material in space and on Earth. As development accelerates, it is time to understand both the prospects and the problems associated with nuclear thermal propulsion.<h2>What is nuclear thermal propulsion or NTP?</h2>Nuclear thermal propulsion uses nuclear fission rather than chemical combustion to produce thrust. Instead of burning fuel and oxidiser, an NTP engine pumps liquid hydrogen through a small nuclear reactor built into the engine. Inside the reactor, uranium atoms undergo fission, releasing extreme levels of heat. This heat raises the temperature of the hydrogen, which is then expelled through a nozzle to generate thrust for the rocket.<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/nasa-russian-crew-returns-to-earth-after-epic-168-million-kilometer-journey-1765336718719/embed">https://www.wionews.com/videos/nasa-russian-crew-returns-to-earth-after-epic-168-million-kilometer-journey-1765336718719/embed</a><h2>What are the advantages of NTP?</h2>Nuclear thermal engines can be roughly twice as efficient as the best chemical rockets in use today. This means a spacecraft can travel farther using less propellant, and carry heavier payloads for the same amount of fuel. Because hydrogen is very light, it accelerates more easily than the heavier exhaust gases produced by chemical rockets, such as water vapour.Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/live-updates/science/axiom-4-mission-live-updates-indian-astronaut-shubhanshu-shukla-landing-time-check-latest-news-nasa-spacex-isro-iss-1750927403236">HIGHLIGHTS | Axiom 4 Mission Landing: Shubhanshu Shukla makes first remarks on ISS, says 'been a wonderful ride'</a><h2>NTP engines' two-step process to enable thrust outside Earth</h2>NTP process in rocket engines would not be used for lift-off from Earth. Instead, missions would follow a two-step process. First, the spacecraft would be launched into orbit using a conventional chemical rocket. The nuclear thermal engine would only be activated once the vehicle is safely in space. This approach significantly reduces the risk associated with launching nuclear material from Earth, at least in theory.<h2>NTP engines to help Mars missions and wider launch windows</h2>For missions to Mars, NTP could reduce travel time by up to about 25 per cent. Shorter journeys would reduce astronauts’ exposure to cosmic radiation and the health effects of long periods in microgravity. NTP systems are also less dependent on precise planetary alignments, allowing wider launch windows. In addition, the higher performance of nuclear propulsion could make it easier for crew to abort missions if needed.Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science-tech/watch-stunning-visuals-show-spacexs-crew-10-dragon-capsule-docking-at-international-space-station-8862579">Watch | Stunning visuals show SpaceX’s Crew-10 Dragon capsule docking at International Space Station</a><h2>What NASA is doing now on nuclear engines</h2>The most advanced current effort is a joint programme between NASA and the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), called DRACO. Short for Demonstration Rocket for Agile Cislunar Operations, DRACO aims to demonstrate a nuclear thermal rocket in space for the first time. The current plan is for the engine to be activated in Earth orbit in early 2026, although the schedule could slip into 2027. Lockheed Martin is developing the spacecraft. BWX Technologies is responsible for the reactor and fuel.&nbsp;<h2>What is India doing on nuclear propulsion rockets?</h2>India’s space agency, ISRO, is working on nuclear power systems and related foundational technologies to support nuclear propulsion. But an active nuclear thermal rocket programme could be years away. In the UK, private companies such as Pulsar Fusion are exploring nuclear fusion-based rocket concepts. Fusion propulsion promises very high performance, but the technology for it far less mature than fission-based NTP.<h2>Risks of nuclear engines for rockets</h2>Using uranium as rocket fuel raises security and safety concerns. NASA and the US Department of Energy are therefore working to use low-enriched uranium rather than highly enriched fuel, to cut both proliferation risks and security cost. Ground tests have shown that newer fuel types can survive the extreme temperatures and radiation inside an NTP reactor without significant damage.Radiation remains the most obvious risk for both spacecraft and people. Shielding sensitive components and orienting the reactor away from crew areas are the solutions.&nbsp;Launch failures are another major concern, amid fears of nuclear material releasing into the Earth's atmosphere or space. To address this, engineers are developing robust fuel forms designed to remain intact even in severe accidents.<h2>Nuclear-powered rockets: Challenges and prospects ahead</h2>NTP reactors operate at extremely high temperatures, pushing materials to their limits and making engineering especially challenging.&nbsp;Storing and managing liquid hydrogen in space for long periods is also technically difficult. Beyond engineering, nuclear propulsion faces political, regulatory, and international policy hurdles over nuclear safety, environmental protection, and non-proliferation.NTP offers significant potential benefits for deep-space exploration. But complex technical, safety, and political challenges remain. The planned in-space test in early 2026 will help decide whether NTP rockets can move from theory to real use in future space missions.

Nuclear thermal propulsion or NPT technology could power future rockets, with NASA planning the first in-space test in early 2026. The technology is both promising and potentially horrifying. Here is why

Space rockets may soon use nuclear-powered engines based on nuclear thermal propulsion, or NTP technology. While no nuclear engine will fly this year, the field is approaching a major milestone, with the first in-space demonstration of an NTP engine currently planned for early 2026. If successful, this could open the door to practical nuclear-powered missions later in the 2020s and into the 2030s. NTP is often presented as a promising technology for faster and more capable deep-space missions, especially to Mars. At the same time, it raises concerns about safety, radiation, and the potential proliferation of nuclear material in space and on Earth. As development accelerates, it is time to understand both the prospects and the problems associated with nuclear thermal propulsion. What is nuclear thermal propulsion or NTP? Nuclear thermal propulsion uses nuclear fission rather than chemical combustion to produce thrust. Instead of burning fuel and oxidiser, an NTP engine pumps liquid hydrogen through a small nuclear reactor built into the engine. Inside the reactor, uranium atoms undergo fission, releasing extreme levels of heat. This heat raises the temperature of the hydrogen, which is then expelled through a nozzle to generate thrust for the rocket. https://www.wionews.com/videos/nasa-russian-crew-returns-to-earth-after-epic-168-million-kilometer-journey-1765336718719/embed What are the advantages of NTP? Nuclear thermal engines can be roughly twice as efficient as the best chemical rockets in use today. This means a spacecraft can travel farther using less propellant, and carry heavier payloads for the same amount of fuel. Because hydrogen is very light, it accelerates more easily than the heavier exhaust gases produced by chemical rockets, such as water vapour. Also read: HIGHLIGHTS | Axiom 4 Mission Landing: Shubhanshu Shukla makes first remarks on ISS, says 'been a wonderful ride' NTP engines' two-step process to enable thrust outside Earth NTP process in rocket engines would not be used for lift-off from Earth. Instead, missions would follow a two-step process. First, the spacecraft would be launched into orbit using a conventional chemical rocket. The nuclear thermal engine would only be activated once the vehicle is safely in space. This approach significantly reduces the risk associated with launching nuclear material from Earth, at least in theory. NTP engines to help Mars missions and wider launch windows For missions to Mars, NTP could reduce travel time by up to about 25 per cent. Shorter journeys would reduce astronauts’ exposure to cosmic radiation and the health effects of long periods in microgravity. NTP systems are also less dependent on precise planetary alignments, allowing wider launch windows. In addition, the higher performance of nuclear propulsion could make it easier for crew to abort missions if needed. Also read: Watch | Stunning visuals show SpaceX’s Crew-10 Dragon capsule docking at International Space Station What NASA is doing now on nuclear engines The most advanced current effort is a joint programme between NASA and the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), called DRACO. Short for Demonstration Rocket for Agile Cislunar Operations, DRACO aims to demonstrate a nuclear thermal rocket in space for the first time. The current plan is for the engine to be activated in Earth orbit in early 2026, although the schedule could slip into 2027. Lockheed Martin is developing the spacecraft. BWX Technologies is responsible for the reactor and fuel. What is India doing on nuclear propulsion rockets? India’s space agency, ISRO, is working on nuclear power systems and related foundational technologies to support nuclear propulsion. But an active nuclear thermal rocket programme could be years away. In the UK, private companies such as Pulsar Fusion are exploring nuclear fusion-based rocket concepts. Fusion propulsion promises very high performance, but the technology for it far less mature than fission-based NTP. Risks of nuclear engines for rockets Using uranium as rocket fuel raises security and safety concerns. NASA and the US Department of Energy are therefore working to use low-enriched uranium rather than highly enriched fuel, to cut both proliferation risks and security cost. Ground tests have shown that newer fuel types can survive the extreme temperatures and radiation inside an NTP reactor without significant damage. Radiation remains the most obvious risk for both spacecraft and people. Shielding sensitive components and orienting the reactor away from crew areas are the solutions. Launch failures are another major concern, amid fears of nuclear material releasing into the Earth's atmosphere or space. To address this, engineers are developing robust fuel forms designed to remain intact even in severe accidents. Nuclear-powered rockets: Challenges and prospects ahead NTP reactors operate at extremely high temperatures, pushing materials to their limits and making engineering especially challenging. Storing and managing liquid hydrogen in space for long periods is also technically difficult. Beyond engineering, nuclear propulsion faces political, regulatory, and international policy hurdles over nuclear safety, environmental protection, and non-proliferation. NTP offers significant potential benefits for deep-space exploration. But complex technical, safety, and political challenges remain. The planned in-space test in early 2026 will help decide whether NTP rockets can move from theory to real use in future space missions.

Nuclear thermal propulsion or NPT technology could power future rockets, with NASA planning the first in-space test in early 2026. The technology is both promising and potentially horrifying. Here is why

Nuclear engines for space rockets soon? First in-space test planned in early 2026. Promises vs risks

The first full moon of 2026, known as the Wolf Supermoon, is all set to rise this weekend on January 3, 2026, marking the year’s opening celestial highlight. As per NASA, a supermoon occurs when the full Moon coincides with the Moon’s closest approach to Earth in its elliptical orbit, known as perigee, making it appear larger and brighter than a typical full moon. January’s full Moon will be at its peak illumination, at around 10:03 GMT (5:03 am EST), though it will be visible on the evenings of January 2 and 3 as it climbs the eastern horizon at dusk.&nbsp;<h2>The Name</h2>&nbsp;The name Wolf Moon has deep historical roots. Live Sciences says that according to the Old Farmer's Almanac, the full moon gets its name because wolves were more likely to be heard howling during these cold winter nights. Other western cultures names of this full moon includes the Cold Moon or Freeze-Up Moon, reflecting seasonal conditions and light influences from ancient observations. This will be the first of three supermoons in 2026, with the year’s largest and closest supermoon scheduled for December 24.&nbsp;<h2>How to view and enjoy the supermoon</h2>&nbsp;To see the Wolf Supermoon at its best, observers should look to the eastern horizon at sunset on January 2 and 3. When the Moon is low in the sky, optical effects such as the moon illusion can make it appear impressively large to the naked eye. Unlike dimmer night-sky phenomena, a supermoon is bright enough to be visible even from urban locations with light pollution.&nbsp;Because it's the full moon closest to the winter solstice on Dec. 21, the Wolf Moon will also make the highest arc through the night sky of any full moon, as seen from the Northern Hemisphere. At the perigee the Moon is about 2,20,000 miles away from Earth, compared to at its furthest point - or apogee - around 2,50,000 miles away. The Wolf Moon in January 2026 happens to be the final one in a sequence that began back in late 2025.

The Wolf Moon in January 2026 ]happens to be the final one in a sequence that began back in late 2025.

The first full moon of 2026, known as the Wolf Supermoon, is all set to rise this weekend on January 3, 2026, marking the year’s opening celestial highlight. As per NASA, a supermoon occurs when the full Moon coincides with the Moon’s closest approach to Earth in its elliptical orbit, known as perigee, making it appear larger and brighter than a typical full moon. January’s full Moon will be at its peak illumination, at around 10:03 GMT (5:03 am EST), though it will be visible on the evenings of January 2 and 3 as it climbs the eastern horizon at dusk. The Name The name Wolf Moon has deep historical roots. Live Sciences says that according to the Old Farmer's Almanac, the full moon gets its name because wolves were more likely to be heard howling during these cold winter nights. Other western cultures names of this full moon includes the Cold Moon or Freeze-Up Moon, reflecting seasonal conditions and light influences from ancient observations. This will be the first of three supermoons in 2026, with the year’s largest and closest supermoon scheduled for December 24. How to view and enjoy the supermoon To see the Wolf Supermoon at its best, observers should look to the eastern horizon at sunset on January 2 and 3. When the Moon is low in the sky, optical effects such as the moon illusion can make it appear impressively large to the naked eye. Unlike dimmer night-sky phenomena, a supermoon is bright enough to be visible even from urban locations with light pollution. Because it's the full moon closest to the winter solstice on Dec. 21, the Wolf Moon will also make the highest arc through the night sky of any full moon, as seen from the Northern Hemisphere. At the perigee the Moon is about 2,20,000 miles away from Earth, compared to at its furthest point - or apogee - around 2,50,000 miles away. The Wolf Moon in January 2026 happens to be the final one in a sequence that began back in late 2025.

The Wolf Moon in January 2026 ]happens to be the final one in a sequence that began back in late 2025.

What is the Wolf Supermoon? All you need to know about the first full moon of 2026

Some studies have reportedly shown that for some cells, death is not the end. Xenobots, a lab-designed multicellular organism originally tiny cells found in a frog's embryo, exhibit properties that are controversial and sometimes extraordinary. They are not robots; they are biological machines that were assembled by scientists with the help of certain computer-based tools.These xenobots perform more roles beyond their functions. For example the cells designed by &nbsp;Peter Noble, PhD, a microbiologist from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, along with Alex Pozhitkov, PhD, a bioinformatics researcher at the City of Hope cancer center were from skin and heart, but they could perform tasks like movement using hairlike cilia, collect or push microscopic particles, almost like tiny janitors, self-organise into clusters or repair themselves if damaged, perform collective behaviors. This was baffling because these cells did not behave the same way within the frog. These cells were natural cells, but were given a new job in a new structure.&nbsp;The scientists concluded that cells can reorganise into a new form and new structure in a new environment. It implies a state of biological autonomy that exists outside, irrespective of the organism as a whole. The authors argue that xenobots form a kind of “third state” of life, wherein cells can reorganise after the death of an organism to form something new. These forms likely wouldn’t materialise in nature, but xenobots show that cells have a surprising ability to adapt to changes in their environment. Experiments with human cells, or “anthrobots,” exhibit this behaviour, too.Our life and our death were supposed to be the two states. But the third state of the xenbots autonomy at the cellular level does not fit both life and death, but lies somewhere in the grey zones. &nbsp;“The third state suggests that (an organism’s) death may play a significant role in how life transforms over time,” wrote the authors in the conversation.&nbsp;

Xenobots made from frog cells show surprising autonomy, raising questions about a possible third state of life beyond life and death.

Some studies have reportedly shown that for some cells, death is not the end. Xenobots, a lab-designed multicellular organism originally tiny cells found in a frog's embryo, exhibit properties that are controversial and sometimes extraordinary. They are not robots; they are biological machines that were assembled by scientists with the help of certain computer-based tools. These xenobots perform more roles beyond their functions. For example the cells designed by Peter Noble, PhD, a microbiologist from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, along with Alex Pozhitkov, PhD, a bioinformatics researcher at the City of Hope cancer center were from skin and heart, but they could perform tasks like movement using hairlike cilia, collect or push microscopic particles, almost like tiny janitors, self-organise into clusters or repair themselves if damaged, perform collective behaviors. This was baffling because these cells did not behave the same way within the frog. These cells were natural cells, but were given a new job in a new structure. The scientists concluded that cells can reorganise into a new form and new structure in a new environment. It implies a state of biological autonomy that exists outside, irrespective of the organism as a whole. The authors argue that xenobots form a kind of “third state” of life, wherein cells can reorganise after the death of an organism to form something new. These forms likely wouldn’t materialise in nature, but xenobots show that cells have a surprising ability to adapt to changes in their environment. Experiments with human cells, or “anthrobots,” exhibit this behaviour, too. Our life and our death were supposed to be the two states. But the third state of the xenbots autonomy at the cellular level does not fit both life and death, but lies somewhere in the grey zones. “The third state suggests that (an organism’s) death may play a significant role in how life transforms over time,” wrote the authors in the conversation.

Xenobots made from frog cells show surprising autonomy, raising questions about a possible third state of life beyond life and death.

Is there a place between life and death? Scientists explore the ‘third state’ of life

New research published by British theoretical physicist from the University of Portsmouth, Melvin Vopson, reveals a new role for gravity. His highly speculative and controversial idea is that “gravity reduces information entropy”, meaning that it helps in information processing, ie, organising, which is characteristic of a computational system. The paper has been peer reviewed and published by the American Institute of Physics in mid-2025.<h2>How did Vopson link gravity to information order?</h2>&nbsp;Vopson's hypothesis draws upon the concept of "Entropic Gravity", an idea first explored in 2011 by Dutch theoretical physicist Erik Verlinde. In Newtonian classical physics, mass attracts mass. Gravity is a force. In Einstein's general relativity, gravity is a space-time curvature caused by mass and energy. The concept is that gravity isn't a fundamental force, but an emergent phenomenon, something that appears from the collective behaviour of smaller components. Just as temperature, which emerges from the motion of molecules, similarly, gravity might emerge from the way information is organised in the universe.&nbsp;Melvin Vopson further built on the previous ideas of Claude Shannon and Rolf Landauer’s which suggest that information is not abstract. There is a relation between information and thermodynamics. That information has a physical cost, such as energy, heat, and entropy. From which he induces that information must then obey laws like matter and energy. In classical physics, the second law of thermodynamics posits that the total entropy (disorder) of an isolated system always increases.He proposes a new idea, which he calls the “Second Law of Infodynamics”, which is contrary to traditional thermodynamics, suggesting that information-entropy decreases over time. “The Second Law of Information Dynamics requires information entropy to decrease; it requires less computational power and less data storage,” said Vopson.&nbsp;&nbsp;“I was a bit too brave. I postulated with a collaborator of mine that this is a universal law, but I only gave two examples … since then, all my efforts were geared toward finding other systems where this is valid,” Vopson said ambitiously. As he was trying to find evidence for his presumptuously declared "law" of the universe, &nbsp;he took COVID-19 as a specimen.&nbsp;After analysing the readily available data related to the mutations of the SARS-CoV-2, the microscopic menace behind the pandemic, Vopson determined that when the virus mutated, information entropy decreased. According to Vopson, “if the universe were a super-sophisticated simulation, it would require built-in optimisation and compression to reduce complexity. So perhaps these genetic mutations are evidence of that optimisation at work, since mutations appeared to decrease information entropy.”&nbsp;He admits that the idea is speculative and in the realm of hypothesis. Despite six years of these kinds of rapid-fire bold claims, they are very far from certain. But he also acknowledges that he faced very little pushback from the scientific community. “We have a public duty to publish results, publish ideas, bring them into the public domain so we can debate them, so we can disprove them,” said Melvin Vopson.&nbsp;

British physicist Melvin Vopson proposes that gravity reduces information entropy, hinting that the universe may function like a computational system.

New research published by British theoretical physicist from the University of Portsmouth, Melvin Vopson, reveals a new role for gravity. His highly speculative and controversial idea is that “gravity reduces information entropy”, meaning that it helps in information processing, ie, organising, which is characteristic of a computational system. The paper has been peer reviewed and published by the American Institute of Physics in mid-2025. How did Vopson link gravity to information order? Vopson's hypothesis draws upon the concept of "Entropic Gravity", an idea first explored in 2011 by Dutch theoretical physicist Erik Verlinde. In Newtonian classical physics, mass attracts mass. Gravity is a force. In Einstein's general relativity, gravity is a space-time curvature caused by mass and energy. The concept is that gravity isn't a fundamental force, but an emergent phenomenon, something that appears from the collective behaviour of smaller components. Just as temperature, which emerges from the motion of molecules, similarly, gravity might emerge from the way information is organised in the universe. Melvin Vopson further built on the previous ideas of Claude Shannon and Rolf Landauer’s which suggest that information is not abstract. There is a relation between information and thermodynamics. That information has a physical cost, such as energy, heat, and entropy. From which he induces that information must then obey laws like matter and energy. In classical physics, the second law of thermodynamics posits that the total entropy (disorder) of an isolated system always increases. He proposes a new idea, which he calls the “Second Law of Infodynamics”, which is contrary to traditional thermodynamics, suggesting that information-entropy decreases over time. “The Second Law of Information Dynamics requires information entropy to decrease; it requires less computational power and less data storage,” said Vopson. “I was a bit too brave. I postulated with a collaborator of mine that this is a universal law, but I only gave two examples … since then, all my efforts were geared toward finding other systems where this is valid,” Vopson said ambitiously. As he was trying to find evidence for his presumptuously declared "law" of the universe, he took COVID-19 as a specimen. After analysing the readily available data related to the mutations of the SARS-CoV-2, the microscopic menace behind the pandemic, Vopson determined that when the virus mutated, information entropy decreased. According to Vopson, “if the universe were a super-sophisticated simulation, it would require built-in optimisation and compression to reduce complexity. So perhaps these genetic mutations are evidence of that optimisation at work, since mutations appeared to decrease information entropy.” He admits that the idea is speculative and in the realm of hypothesis. Despite six years of these kinds of rapid-fire bold claims, they are very far from certain. But he also acknowledges that he faced very little pushback from the scientific community. “We have a public duty to publish results, publish ideas, bring them into the public domain so we can debate them, so we can disprove them,” said Melvin Vopson.

British physicist Melvin Vopson proposes that gravity reduces information entropy, hinting that the universe may function like a computational system.

Is gravity a clue we live in a simulation? New theory links gravity to information processing

The race to conquer space has now moved to artificial intelligence as countries vie to launch AI infrastructure into low-Earth orbit. China is believed to be leading in this arena and is reportedly working to place space supercomputers above Earth soon. Researchers at the Institute of Computing Technology (ICT) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing are preparing to launch an AI data centre. This structure will include 10,000 high-performance computing cards, Popular Mechanics reported. Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and Google CEO Sundar Pichai are also developing these cosmic AI hubs, and whoever manages to have the most perfect space centres will lead computing in space.&nbsp;NVIDIA-backed startup Starcloud is potentially winning this race. Nvidia H100 graphics processing unit managed to get its Starcloud-1 satellite past Earth’s atmosphere last month. It not only launched an 80-gigabyte chip, but also trained the NanoGPT large language model from Terra Firma. While the chip is 100 times more powerful than any chip that has ever been sent to space, NanoGPT is the first AI ever trained in space.<h2>Bezos and Musk plan on having AI data hubs in orbit</h2>Meanwhile, Blue Origin has been working on aI data hub for space for over a year, while Musk plans to upgrade Starlink satellites to handle AI computing payloads. Pichai confirmed Project Suncatcher, which will place micro-racks of machines on board satellites. Having AI infrastructure in space will reduce the huge amounts of energy and water the technology uses and reduce greenhouse gases. In space, it will rely on solar power, which means 10 times less use of electricity by the AI data centres.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nasa-just-saved-a-precious-drill-on-mars-from-212-million-kilometres-away-1767174556834">NASA just saved a precious drill stuck on Mars since 8 months from 212 million kilometres away</a>&nbsp;China is way ahead in this race and recently placed the first computing constellation in space. Guoxing Aerospace and the research institute Zhejiang Lab together deployed 12 satellites into low-Earth orbit. The constellation could be the foundation for an orbiting supercomputer in the future. &nbsp;Aerospace company Zhongke Tiansuan launched a space supercomputer in 2022, while &nbsp;Zhongke Tiansuan’s satellite is in stable orbit for more than a thousand days. This puts China way ahead of other countries in the quest to have AI hubs and supercomputers in space.&nbsp;AI data centres in Earth's orbit are the future. The Starcloud team said in a white paper published last year, "Gigawatt-scale orbital data centres are among the most ambitious space projects of all time. We are convinced that orbital data centres are feasible, economically viable, and necessary to realise the potential of AI, the most important technology of the 21st century, in a rapid and sustainable manner."&nbsp;This endeavour can soon become a reality as experts are sure that an actual supercomputer could be operational in space by the 2030s. However, who will be the first to launch one remains to be seen.&nbsp;

AI data hubs and supercomputers in space can soon become a reality as several experts are working on the same. China is said to be in the lead, as some companies have already launched what could form the basis for an orbiting supercomputer.

The race to conquer space has now moved to artificial intelligence as countries vie to launch AI infrastructure into low-Earth orbit. China is believed to be leading in this arena and is reportedly working to place space supercomputers above Earth soon. Researchers at the Institute of Computing Technology (ICT) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing are preparing to launch an AI data centre. This structure will include 10,000 high-performance computing cards, Popular Mechanics reported. Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and Google CEO Sundar Pichai are also developing these cosmic AI hubs, and whoever manages to have the most perfect space centres will lead computing in space. NVIDIA-backed startup Starcloud is potentially winning this race. Nvidia H100 graphics processing unit managed to get its Starcloud-1 satellite past Earth’s atmosphere last month. It not only launched an 80-gigabyte chip, but also trained the NanoGPT large language model from Terra Firma. While the chip is 100 times more powerful than any chip that has ever been sent to space, NanoGPT is the first AI ever trained in space. Bezos and Musk plan on having AI data hubs in orbit Meanwhile, Blue Origin has been working on aI data hub for space for over a year, while Musk plans to upgrade Starlink satellites to handle AI computing payloads. Pichai confirmed Project Suncatcher, which will place micro-racks of machines on board satellites. Having AI infrastructure in space will reduce the huge amounts of energy and water the technology uses and reduce greenhouse gases. In space, it will rely on solar power, which means 10 times less use of electricity by the AI data centres. Also Read: NASA just saved a precious drill stuck on Mars since 8 months from 212 million kilometres away China is way ahead in this race and recently placed the first computing constellation in space. Guoxing Aerospace and the research institute Zhejiang Lab together deployed 12 satellites into low-Earth orbit. The constellation could be the foundation for an orbiting supercomputer in the future. Aerospace company Zhongke Tiansuan launched a space supercomputer in 2022, while Zhongke Tiansuan’s satellite is in stable orbit for more than a thousand days. This puts China way ahead of other countries in the quest to have AI hubs and supercomputers in space. AI data centres in Earth's orbit are the future. The Starcloud team said in a white paper published last year, "Gigawatt-scale orbital data centres are among the most ambitious space projects of all time. We are convinced that orbital data centres are feasible, economically viable, and necessary to realise the potential of AI, the most important technology of the 21st century, in a rapid and sustainable manner." This endeavour can soon become a reality as experts are sure that an actual supercomputer could be operational in space by the 2030s. However, who will be the first to launch one remains to be seen.

AI data hubs and supercomputers in space can soon become a reality as several experts are working on the same. China is said to be in the lead, as some companies have already launched what could form the basis for an orbiting supercomputer.

Supercomputers in space: China leads race for AI data hubs in Earth orbit as Musk, Bezos and Pichai also fight it out

NASA recently carried out a tricky manoeuvre from 212 million kilometres away, when a drill on the Perseverance rover got stuck in a rock sample. The rover is currently exploring the Jezero crater on Mars. Recently, while poking at the rocks, a part of its drill got lodged in a rock. Scientists back on Earth found themselves in a bind, racking their brains about how to dislodge a drill from another planet. The problem could have caused Perseverance to lose a precious tool, as letting go of it would have been easier. However, that would have left it without a way to retrieve the rock samples. But the engineers pulled an incredible feat and managed to pull it out. A NASA spokesperson told Mashable on Wednesday, "The team was working to extract a drill bit from the most recent sample collection attempt, which was successfully accomplished as of late Tuesday night."&nbsp;They added that the rover was designed for such an eventuality, and even if it had to lose a drill bit, it had others on board. NASA did not reveal exactly how it was able to get the drill out of the Martian rock. Jezero Crater has been an area of interest on Mars because scientists believe a river once flowed into a delta here. The crater is believed to have formed after a collision 4.6 billion years ago. There are layered rocks in an area called the Witch Hazel Hill in this region of Mars that consist of alternating light and dark bands.&nbsp;<h2>Drill on Perseverance was stuck since April</h2>Earlier this month, the rover dug into one of the light-toned layers filled with tiny rock pieces. Recently, it was checking out the dark ones when pictures beamed back showed that the drill was stuck. NASA believes this happened on April 22.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;Perseverance has been collecting samples from Mars, filling up a tube with dirt and rocks. NASA plans on bringing these samples back to Earth as part of a return mission and is aiming to do so by 2030. However, its original plan has effectively failed because of high costs, and now it is looking at alternative ways to bring the samples to Earth.

Perseverance rover got one of its drills stuck in a rock on Mars, and NASA only got to know about it months later. There were chances that the rover would lose the drill, but the space agency said that it had successfully retrieved it. 

NASA recently carried out a tricky manoeuvre from 212 million kilometres away, when a drill on the Perseverance rover got stuck in a rock sample. The rover is currently exploring the Jezero crater on Mars. Recently, while poking at the rocks, a part of its drill got lodged in a rock. Scientists back on Earth found themselves in a bind, racking their brains about how to dislodge a drill from another planet. The problem could have caused Perseverance to lose a precious tool, as letting go of it would have been easier. However, that would have left it without a way to retrieve the rock samples. But the engineers pulled an incredible feat and managed to pull it out. A NASA spokesperson told Mashable on Wednesday, "The team was working to extract a drill bit from the most recent sample collection attempt, which was successfully accomplished as of late Tuesday night." They added that the rover was designed for such an eventuality, and even if it had to lose a drill bit, it had others on board. NASA did not reveal exactly how it was able to get the drill out of the Martian rock. Jezero Crater has been an area of interest on Mars because scientists believe a river once flowed into a delta here. The crater is believed to have formed after a collision 4.6 billion years ago. There are layered rocks in an area called the Witch Hazel Hill in this region of Mars that consist of alternating light and dark bands. Drill on Perseverance was stuck since April Earlier this month, the rover dug into one of the light-toned layers filled with tiny rock pieces. Recently, it was checking out the dark ones when pictures beamed back showed that the drill was stuck. NASA believes this happened on April 22. Also Read: 1.2 billion light-years away, a triple black hole collision is occurring for the first time Perseverance has been collecting samples from Mars, filling up a tube with dirt and rocks. NASA plans on bringing these samples back to Earth as part of a return mission and is aiming to do so by 2030. However, its original plan has effectively failed because of high costs, and now it is looking at alternative ways to bring the samples to Earth.

Perseverance rover got one of its drills stuck in a rock on Mars, and NASA only got to know about it months later. There were chances that the rover would lose the drill, but the space agency said that it had successfully retrieved it.&nbsp;

NASA just saved a precious drill stuck on Mars since 8 months from 212 million kilometres away

A giant, triple collision is about to happen 1.2 billion light-years from Earth, with three galaxies set to crash into each other. Named J1218/1219+1035, it is a rare cosmic event where a system is forming, where each of the three supermassive black holes will also collide. All of them are gobbling material at extreme speeds, releasing radio lights and actively launching jets. This mind-blowing occurrence will turn the concept of triple radio-active galactic nuclei (AGN) into reality. It also offers a peek into the life cycle of supermassive black holes." Astrophysicist Emma Schwartzman of the US Naval Research Laboratory said, “Triple active galaxies like this are incredibly rare, and catching one in the middle of a merger gives us a front-row seat to how massive galaxies and their black holes grow together.”<h2>How common are galaxy mergers?</h2>Galaxy mergers are quite common in the universe. In the Milky Way alone, three to four major galaxy mergers have occurred over 13 billion years. But that is true for a double galaxy merger. J1218/1219+1035 is rare in more ways than one. Having a triple galaxy collision has hardly ever happened before, and an event where all three come together at the same time, instead of in a staggered manner, seldom happens. Besides, this is the first galaxy merger where all three AGNs are shining in radio light, and only the third where all three galaxies have AGN. The findings were published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters.&nbsp;The triple galaxy merger was spotted by the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer. Initially, it appeared like two galaxies were coming together, with their edges already overlapping. Each had a radio-active galactic nucleus, which was confirmed in later observations. They were around 74,000 light-years away from each other. But then they saw a third galaxy with a blazing AGN located about 316,000 light-years away was also at play. A tail of gas flowing from the third one towards the other two showed that a triple collision was happening.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

1.2 billion light-years from Earth, scientists have spotted a rare cosmic event where not two, but three galaxies are set to crash into each other, along with all three of their blazing supermassive black holes. Experts are watching them closely to see the end result. 

A giant, triple collision is about to happen 1.2 billion light-years from Earth, with three galaxies set to crash into each other. Named J1218/1219+1035, it is a rare cosmic event where a system is forming, where each of the three supermassive black holes will also collide. All of them are gobbling material at extreme speeds, releasing radio lights and actively launching jets. This mind-blowing occurrence will turn the concept of triple radio-active galactic nuclei (AGN) into reality. It also offers a peek into the life cycle of supermassive black holes." Astrophysicist Emma Schwartzman of the US Naval Research Laboratory said, “Triple active galaxies like this are incredibly rare, and catching one in the middle of a merger gives us a front-row seat to how massive galaxies and their black holes grow together.” How common are galaxy mergers? Galaxy mergers are quite common in the universe. In the Milky Way alone, three to four major galaxy mergers have occurred over 13 billion years. But that is true for a double galaxy merger. J1218/1219+1035 is rare in more ways than one. Having a triple galaxy collision has hardly ever happened before, and an event where all three come together at the same time, instead of in a staggered manner, seldom happens. Besides, this is the first galaxy merger where all three AGNs are shining in radio light, and only the third where all three galaxies have AGN. The findings were published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters. The triple galaxy merger was spotted by the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer. Initially, it appeared like two galaxies were coming together, with their edges already overlapping. Each had a radio-active galactic nucleus, which was confirmed in later observations. They were around 74,000 light-years away from each other. But then they saw a third galaxy with a blazing AGN located about 316,000 light-years away was also at play. A tail of gas flowing from the third one towards the other two showed that a triple collision was happening.

1.2 billion light-years from Earth, scientists have spotted a rare cosmic event where not two, but three galaxies are set to crash into each other, along with all three of their blazing supermassive black holes. Experts are watching them closely to see the end result.&nbsp;

1.2 billion light-years away, a triple black hole collision is occurring for the first time

Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS is believed to be between 8 and 14 billion years old, much older than our solar system, which was born only about 4.6 billion years ago. This dating means that it could even belong to a star that no longer exists. Associate Professor Michele Bannister, from the School of Physical and Chemical Sciences at Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury (UC), who has been studying the comet, has made several revelations about the comet ever since it was discovered in July 2025. Calling it a "once in a lifetime opportunity" that she has spent her career preparing for, Bannister says interstellar objects like 3I/ATLAS offer a peek into the building blocks of planet formation in other corners of the Milky Way. "This comet is a calling card from the past, and we only have a few hundred days to try and interpret what it’s telling us," she told Astrobiology.&nbsp;“That’s the great joy of interstellar objects, they’re giving us clues, because they’re made up of the building blocks of planet formation elsewhere in the galaxy. They’re telling us about a star that’s so ancient it might not even exist anymore," she said. The UC team, in collaboration with Professor Chris Lintott at the University of Oxford, was the first to offer a theoretical insight into the age of 3I/ATLAS based on its velocity days after it was discovered.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>Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/3i-atlas-heartbeat-aligns-with-a-144-second-timing-system-used-by-ancient-indians-researcher-claims-1766144196301">3I/ATLAS 'heartbeat' aligns with a 144-second timing system used by ancient Indians, researcher claims</a><h2>Studying the coma and tails of 3I/ATLAS</h2>Bannister and her team at the UC have an extensive theoretical model, called the Ōtautahi-Oxford model, that is used to learn more about interstellar objects - their formation, how they move in the galaxy, and their chemical properties. The team also studied the composition of the comet, its coma and its tails (It has two - a tail and an anti-tail in the direction of the Sun). According to her, the visible tails of the comet are made up of grains of ice and dust, which reflect sunlight. She calls 3I/ATLAS "a dusty wee snowball" for this reason.&nbsp;Its composition speaks volumes about its home environment, Bannister says, adding that they saw an "unusually rich atomic nickel and iron emission as it entered our skies."

3I/ATLAS update: The interstellar comet is on its way out of the solar system. Scientists studying it have observed its composition and velocity, which reveal what the comets home would have been like, a star that might not even exist today.

Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS is believed to be between 8 and 14 billion years old, much older than our solar system, which was born only about 4.6 billion years ago. This dating means that it could even belong to a star that no longer exists. Associate Professor Michele Bannister, from the School of Physical and Chemical Sciences at Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury (UC), who has been studying the comet, has made several revelations about the comet ever since it was discovered in July 2025. Calling it a "once in a lifetime opportunity" that she has spent her career preparing for, Bannister says interstellar objects like 3I/ATLAS offer a peek into the building blocks of planet formation in other corners of the Milky Way. "This comet is a calling card from the past, and we only have a few hundred days to try and interpret what it’s telling us," she told Astrobiology. “That’s the great joy of interstellar objects, they’re giving us clues, because they’re made up of the building blocks of planet formation elsewhere in the galaxy. They’re telling us about a star that’s so ancient it might not even exist anymore," she said. The UC team, in collaboration with Professor Chris Lintott at the University of Oxford, was the first to offer a theoretical insight into the age of 3I/ATLAS based on its velocity days after it was discovered. Also Read: Scientist says a trillion 3I/ATLAS-like objects are in the solar system right now Also Read: 3I/ATLAS 'heartbeat' aligns with a 144-second timing system used by ancient Indians, researcher claims Studying the coma and tails of 3I/ATLAS Bannister and her team at the UC have an extensive theoretical model, called the Ōtautahi-Oxford model, that is used to learn more about interstellar objects - their formation, how they move in the galaxy, and their chemical properties. The team also studied the composition of the comet, its coma and its tails (It has two - a tail and an anti-tail in the direction of the Sun). According to her, the visible tails of the comet are made up of grains of ice and dust, which reflect sunlight. She calls 3I/ATLAS "a dusty wee snowball" for this reason. Its composition speaks volumes about its home environment, Bannister says, adding that they saw an "unusually rich atomic nickel and iron emission as it entered our skies."

3I/ATLAS update: The interstellar comet is on its way out of the solar system. Scientists studying it have observed its composition and velocity, which reveal what the comet's home would have been like, a star that might not even exist today.

3I/ATLAS could be coming from a star that is already dead: 'A star that’s so ancient...'

A fungus that is resistant to drugs and extremely lethal is fast spreading across the world, a new study has found. According to researchers, the risk to public health from Candida auris has increased sharply, and there is an urgent need to develop "antifungal agents with broad-spectrum activity against human fungal pathogens." C. auris was only discovered in 2009 and cannot be treated with existing drugs. Outbreaks of the fungus have been reported across the globe, including in the US, in the past, triggering a need for better diagnostic systems and medicines. The paper on the fungus was published in the journal Microbiology and Molecular Biology Reviews. The fungus has been found in over 50 countries till now and in at least 39 US states.&nbsp;Study authors wrote, "Taken together, these data underscore the need to develop novel antifungal agents with broad-spectrum activity against human fungal pathogens, to improve diagnostic tests, and to develop immune- and vaccine-based adjunct modalities for the treatment of high-risk patients." A study noted last year that fungal infections are responsible for the death of nearly 4 million people every year. However, Candida auris is a deadlier one, first seen inside the ear of a patient in Japan.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/zombie-spiders-infected-by-a-fungus-invade-us-homes-people-fear-the-last-of-us-like-apocalypse-can-it-infect-humans-1755861628898">Zombie spiders infected by a fungus invade US homes. People fear 'The Last of Us'-like apocalypse. Can it infect humans?</a><h2>Candida auris infection on skin and blood are lethal</h2>People with weakened immune systems are at a higher risk of being infected by the fungus, as it can quickly turn life-threatening. According to research, it can kill one-third of affected patients whose skin is directly affected by it, and if it enters the bloodstream, the fatality rate climbs to 50 per cent. Candida auris becomes a bigger risk because it is resistant to the most common antifungal medications, including instances where it was found to be resistant against all four major classes of antifungals. Additionally, current tests fail to detect the fungus and often misclassify it as another Candida species.&nbsp;Climate change is believed to be driving its spread globally, as the fungus has adapted to increasingly warmer temperatures. Scientists have warned that better methods to detect it are needed, along with drugs that can fight the fungus.&nbsp;&nbsp;

A deadly fungus is fast spreading across the globe, according to scientists, who have raised concerns about current tests that fail to identify it on time. It is resistant to current medicines and has already been detected in over 50 countries. 

A fungus that is resistant to drugs and extremely lethal is fast spreading across the world, a new study has found. According to researchers, the risk to public health from Candida auris has increased sharply, and there is an urgent need to develop "antifungal agents with broad-spectrum activity against human fungal pathogens." C. auris was only discovered in 2009 and cannot be treated with existing drugs. Outbreaks of the fungus have been reported across the globe, including in the US, in the past, triggering a need for better diagnostic systems and medicines. The paper on the fungus was published in the journal Microbiology and Molecular Biology Reviews. The fungus has been found in over 50 countries till now and in at least 39 US states. Study authors wrote, "Taken together, these data underscore the need to develop novel antifungal agents with broad-spectrum activity against human fungal pathogens, to improve diagnostic tests, and to develop immune- and vaccine-based adjunct modalities for the treatment of high-risk patients." A study noted last year that fungal infections are responsible for the death of nearly 4 million people every year. However, Candida auris is a deadlier one, first seen inside the ear of a patient in Japan. Also Read: Zombie spiders infected by a fungus invade US homes. People fear 'The Last of Us'-like apocalypse. Can it infect humans? Candida auris infection on skin and blood are lethal People with weakened immune systems are at a higher risk of being infected by the fungus, as it can quickly turn life-threatening. According to research, it can kill one-third of affected patients whose skin is directly affected by it, and if it enters the bloodstream, the fatality rate climbs to 50 per cent. Candida auris becomes a bigger risk because it is resistant to the most common antifungal medications, including instances where it was found to be resistant against all four major classes of antifungals. Additionally, current tests fail to detect the fungus and often misclassify it as another Candida species. Climate change is believed to be driving its spread globally, as the fungus has adapted to increasingly warmer temperatures. Scientists have warned that better methods to detect it are needed, along with drugs that can fight the fungus.

A deadly fungus is fast spreading across the globe, according to scientists, who have raised concerns about current tests that fail to identify it on time. It is resistant to current medicines and has already been detected in over 50 countries.&nbsp;

Lethal fungus resistant to drugs has picked up pace across the world, scientists warn

3I/ATLAS might only be the third interstellar object seen in our solar system. But it is not special in the sense that there are 10^{23}, or one hundred sextillion, such objects in the Milky Way alone. What's even more intriguing is the fact that there could be a trillion such interstellar objects in the solar system right now. This object has been classified as a comet by scientists at NASA, ESA and other space agencies. It was discovered on July 1 by the ATLAS observatory in Chile. The object's trajectory was a dead giveaway of its origins. It was on a hyperbolic path and not attached to the Sun's gravity. This meant that it was travelling from some corner of the Milky Way, although scientists are still not sure where it originated. 3I/ATLAS isn't unique, Avi Loeb says, and there are billions and trillions of such objects traversing through our galaxy.<h2>3I/ATLAS has been in the solar system for 8.000 years</h2>He also says that 3I/ATLAS has been journeying through our solar system for over 8,000 years. It has been "travelling through the region containing objects that are gravitationally bound to the Sun, the so-called solar system." Loeb says, considering that it is a natural object, it can be used to deduce the number of such objects moving "through the Solar system out to the edge of the Oort Cloud at a distance of 100,000 AU."Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/3i-atlas-could-display-its-most-remarkable-anomaly-near-jupiter-rare-coincidence-at-perijove-1764325401352">3I/ATLAS could display its 'most remarkable anomaly' near Jupiter - Rare coincidence at perijove</a>&nbsp;"Given that 3I/ATLAS was discovered at a distance of ~5 AU in a survey that lasted 5 years, I calculate that there should be a trillion objects like 3I/ATLAS in the solar system right now!" Loeb wrote in his blog. The edge of the Oort cloud is roughly halfway to the nearest star system, Alpha Centauri. He cites this information to deduce that a trillion objects like 3I/ATLAS are being produced per star in the Milky Way.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/3i-atlas-could-have-spewed-poisonous-gas-at-earth-could-it-reach-us-1766461842998">3I/ATLAS could have spewed poisonous gas at Earth. Could it reach us?</a>Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/3i-atlas-latest-update-methanol-hydrogen-cyanide-nucleus-coma-1765510271069">3I/ATLAS is chemically unusual, with methanol raging not just in the nucleus</a><h2>A billion interstellar objects have travelled towards Earth</h2>The Milky Way is believed to contain 100 billion stars, and they likely "process 3 million solar masses to make a population of interstellar comets like 3I/ATLAS over the past 10 billion years." Loeb says that this means that there are “10^{23} similar objects in the Milky Way galaxy alone and 10^{34} of them in the observable volume of the Universe.” The Harvard scientist says this means that 3I/ATLAS isn't really special, and Earth has been visited by a billion similar interstellar objects over its lifetime.&nbsp;

3I/ATLAS is not unique, in the sense that there could be billions and trillions of such objects in the Milky Way. In fact, there could be a trillion objects like 3I/ATLAS in the solar system right now, and over a billion of them have visited Earth over its lifetime.

3I/ATLAS might only be the third interstellar object seen in our solar system. But it is not special in the sense that there are 10^{23}, or one hundred sextillion, such objects in the Milky Way alone. What's even more intriguing is the fact that there could be a trillion such interstellar objects in the solar system right now. This object has been classified as a comet by scientists at NASA, ESA and other space agencies. It was discovered on July 1 by the ATLAS observatory in Chile. The object's trajectory was a dead giveaway of its origins. It was on a hyperbolic path and not attached to the Sun's gravity. This meant that it was travelling from some corner of the Milky Way, although scientists are still not sure where it originated. 3I/ATLAS isn't unique, Avi Loeb says, and there are billions and trillions of such objects traversing through our galaxy. 3I/ATLAS has been in the solar system for 8.000 years He also says that 3I/ATLAS has been journeying through our solar system for over 8,000 years. It has been "travelling through the region containing objects that are gravitationally bound to the Sun, the so-called solar system." Loeb says, considering that it is a natural object, it can be used to deduce the number of such objects moving "through the Solar system out to the edge of the Oort Cloud at a distance of 100,000 AU." Also Read: 3I/ATLAS could display its 'most remarkable anomaly' near Jupiter - Rare coincidence at perijove "Given that 3I/ATLAS was discovered at a distance of ~5 AU in a survey that lasted 5 years, I calculate that there should be a trillion objects like 3I/ATLAS in the solar system right now!" Loeb wrote in his blog. The edge of the Oort cloud is roughly halfway to the nearest star system, Alpha Centauri. He cites this information to deduce that a trillion objects like 3I/ATLAS are being produced per star in the Milky Way. Also Read: 3I/ATLAS could have spewed poisonous gas at Earth. Could it reach us? Also Read: 3I/ATLAS is chemically unusual, with methanol raging not just in the nucleus A billion interstellar objects have travelled towards Earth The Milky Way is believed to contain 100 billion stars, and they likely "process 3 million solar masses to make a population of interstellar comets like 3I/ATLAS over the past 10 billion years." Loeb says that this means that there are “10^{23} similar objects in the Milky Way galaxy alone and 10^{34} of them in the observable volume of the Universe.” The Harvard scientist says this means that 3I/ATLAS isn't really special, and Earth has been visited by a billion similar interstellar objects over its lifetime.

3I/ATLAS is not unique, in the sense that there could be billions and trillions of such objects in the Milky Way. In fact, there could be a trillion objects like 3I/ATLAS in the solar system right now, and over a billion of them have visited Earth over its lifetime.

Scientist says a trillion 3I/ATLAS-like objects are in the solar system right now

A surprising case came in the Netherlands when a teenage boy woke up from a routine knee surgery and was found speaking a foreign language instead of his native language. The 17-year-old boy has Dutch as his native language. He woke up and was found speaking only English, a language he primarily used in school. Initially, the staff at the hospital where he was admitted assumed it was a behaviour that would pass in a while, but it did not. Later on, the case was documented by doctors and was identified as an instance of foreign language syndrome, an exceptionally rare condition that remains poorly understood.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/-this-terrorist-action-is-kremlin-says-russia-s-stance-on-peace-negotiation-remains-unchanged-despite-ukrainian-drone-attack-on-putin-s-house-1767096434947">Kremlin says Russia’s stance on peace negotiation remains unchanged despite ‘Ukrainian drone attack’</a>&nbsp;The boy was in a hospital for a knee surgery after he was injured playing football. The surgery was successful and safe, and there was no immediate complication. But later on, when the boy woke from general anaesthesia, he spoke exclusively in English and repeatedly insisted that he was in the United States.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/-russia-has-a-long-record-of-false-claims-ukraine-fm-rejects-drone-attack-on-putin-s-house-claim-says-there-s-no-plausible-evidence-1767104656376">‘Russia has a long record of false claims’: Ukraine FM rejects ‘drone attack on Putin’s house’ claim, says there’s ‘no plausible evidence’</a>&nbsp;The boy did not even recognise his parents, and neither was able to speak or understand Dutch, his native language. According to the medical report, he had no prior psychiatric history and no relevant family medical history, apart from instances of depression on his mother’s side. Doctors diagnosed the teenager with foreign language syndrome (FLS), a condition in which patients suddenly and involuntarily switch to speaking a second language instead of their native one.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/kimmel-vs-trump-late-night-host-claims-tyranny-is-booming-in-us-says-my-country-s-president-would-like-to-shut-me-up-because-1766763187731">Kimmel vs Trump: Late-night host claims ‘tyranny is booming’ in US, says ‘my country’s president would like to shut me up because...’</a>

The case was documented by doctors and was identified as an instance of foreign language syndrome, an exceptionally rare condition that remains poorly understood.

A surprising case came in the Netherlands when a teenage boy woke up from a routine knee surgery and was found speaking a foreign language instead of his native language. The 17-year-old boy has Dutch as his native language. He woke up and was found speaking only English, a language he primarily used in school. Initially, the staff at the hospital where he was admitted assumed it was a behaviour that would pass in a while, but it did not. Later on, the case was documented by doctors and was identified as an instance of foreign language syndrome, an exceptionally rare condition that remains poorly understood. Also read: Kremlin says Russia’s stance on peace negotiation remains unchanged despite ‘Ukrainian drone attack’ The boy was in a hospital for a knee surgery after he was injured playing football. The surgery was successful and safe, and there was no immediate complication. But later on, when the boy woke from general anaesthesia, he spoke exclusively in English and repeatedly insisted that he was in the United States. Also read: ‘Russia has a long record of false claims’: Ukraine FM rejects ‘drone attack on Putin’s house’ claim, says there’s ‘no plausible evidence’ The boy did not even recognise his parents, and neither was able to speak or understand Dutch, his native language. According to the medical report, he had no prior psychiatric history and no relevant family medical history, apart from instances of depression on his mother’s side. Doctors diagnosed the teenager with foreign language syndrome (FLS), a condition in which patients suddenly and involuntarily switch to speaking a second language instead of their native one. Also read: Kimmel vs Trump: Late-night host claims ‘tyranny is booming’ in US, says ‘my country’s president would like to shut me up because...’

The case was documented by doctors and was identified as an instance of foreign language syndrome, an exceptionally rare condition that remains poorly understood.

Teen boy wakes up from knee surgery speaking only foreign language, refuses to recognise parents. Here’s what doctors found

Palaeontologists were left scratching their heads when they came across a fossil of an ancient bird that died from eating rocks, over 800 of them. This creature lived 120 million years ago and was classified as a new species of bird by the researchers at the Field Museum. Named Chromeornis funkyi, or a “Funky Chromeo bird,” it was basically a dinosaur and was discovered at the Shandong Tianyu Museum of Nature in China. The most striking thing about the fossil is the reason for this bird's death. It had swallowed over 800 rocks and died of suffocation. Scientists cannot explain why it would eat so many rocks. The discovery will be discussed in an upcoming paper in Palaeontologia Electronica.&nbsp;Field Museum curator Jingmai O’Connor led a team of researchers who came across the Chromeornis fossil while scanning through the bird fossil collection at the museum. Gizmodo reported that they saw a tiny chunk of rock, about the size of a sparrow, preserving a fossil that in turn looked like a larger bird species called Longipteryx. It had similarly big teeth at the end of its beak, "but it’s a tiny little guy," she said, adding that this was a clue that it was a new species.However, what was even more strange was what they found in its oesophagus. There was “an unusual mass of stones” inside it, going all the way up against its neck bones.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/thousands-of-dinosaur-footprints-from-210-million-years-ago-uncovered-in-italian-national-park-1765962474353">210-million-years old dinosaur footprints numbering thousands uncovered in Italian national park</a>&nbsp;They further analysed the composition and the placement of the rocks and found that the creature swallowed those stones, and they did not gather there during fossilisation. Birds like owls and chickens are known to eat rocks, which are ground up in a muscular organ called the gizzard. But O’Connor noted that of all the fossils of birds of the same group, “none have ever been found with gizzard stones.”Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/t-rex-tooth-leads-scientists-to-make-a-shocking-discovery-about-brute-that-ate-dinosaurs-1765876628520">T. rex tooth leads scientists to make a shocking discovery about brute that ate dinosaurs</a><h2>Why did the bird eat the rocks?</h2>“We found over 800 tiny stones in this bird’s throat—way more than we would have expected in other birds with gizzards,” O’Connor said in the statement to the publication. Not all of them were rocks, but some were "more like tiny clay balls." The researchers think this bird was likely sick, and so started eating rocks. “It swallowed too many, and it tried to regurgitate them in one big mass. But the mass of stones was too big, and it got lodged in the oesophagus," she said.&nbsp;Birds from the same group as Chromeornis were the most populous group towards the end of the dinosaur era. The asteroid killed all dinosaurs 66 million years ago, except the birds that could fly. O’Connor says that learning about how they managed to survive, and yet were vulnerable, can help predict the course of the current cycle of mass extinction."

A bird fossil in China from the time of dinosaurs showed a huge chunk of rock inside the creature's throat. However, it turned out to be stranger than thought, as the bird had swallowed hundreds of these pieces for some unexplainable reason.   

Palaeontologists were left scratching their heads when they came across a fossil of an ancient bird that died from eating rocks, over 800 of them. This creature lived 120 million years ago and was classified as a new species of bird by the researchers at the Field Museum. Named Chromeornis funkyi, or a “Funky Chromeo bird,” it was basically a dinosaur and was discovered at the Shandong Tianyu Museum of Nature in China. The most striking thing about the fossil is the reason for this bird's death. It had swallowed over 800 rocks and died of suffocation. Scientists cannot explain why it would eat so many rocks. The discovery will be discussed in an upcoming paper in Palaeontologia Electronica. Field Museum curator Jingmai O’Connor led a team of researchers who came across the Chromeornis fossil while scanning through the bird fossil collection at the museum. Gizmodo reported that they saw a tiny chunk of rock, about the size of a sparrow, preserving a fossil that in turn looked like a larger bird species called Longipteryx. It had similarly big teeth at the end of its beak, "but it’s a tiny little guy," she said, adding that this was a clue that it was a new species. However, what was even more strange was what they found in its oesophagus. There was “an unusual mass of stones” inside it, going all the way up against its neck bones. Also Read: 210-million-years old dinosaur footprints numbering thousands uncovered in Italian national park They further analysed the composition and the placement of the rocks and found that the creature swallowed those stones, and they did not gather there during fossilisation. Birds like owls and chickens are known to eat rocks, which are ground up in a muscular organ called the gizzard. But O’Connor noted that of all the fossils of birds of the same group, “none have ever been found with gizzard stones.” Also Read: T. rex tooth leads scientists to make a shocking discovery about brute that ate dinosaurs Why did the bird eat the rocks? “We found over 800 tiny stones in this bird’s throat—way more than we would have expected in other birds with gizzards,” O’Connor said in the statement to the publication. Not all of them were rocks, but some were "more like tiny clay balls." The researchers think this bird was likely sick, and so started eating rocks. “It swallowed too many, and it tried to regurgitate them in one big mass. But the mass of stones was too big, and it got lodged in the oesophagus," she said. Birds from the same group as Chromeornis were the most populous group towards the end of the dinosaur era. The asteroid killed all dinosaurs 66 million years ago, except the birds that could fly. O’Connor says that learning about how they managed to survive, and yet were vulnerable, can help predict the course of the current cycle of mass extinction."

A bird fossil in China from the time of dinosaurs showed a huge chunk of rock inside the creature's throat. However, it turned out to be stranger than thought, as the bird had swallowed hundreds of these pieces for some unexplainable reason. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Dinosaur-era bird found with 800 stones jammed in its throat: It ate them all. Why?

Quantum physics explains how matter and energy behave at the smallest level, including atoms, electrons, photons and subatomic particles. Its core ideas include superposition, where particles exist in multiple states at once and entanglement, where distant particles remain linked.

'Small tech, big impact': How quantum physics is making weapons smarter, not bigger

Scientists have discovered a spider on Jupiter's moon Europa, which seems to have been formed when salty water erupted to the surface following an impact that gouged a crater. The Manannán crater was recently studied by researchers from the Planetary Science Institute, the University of Central Florida, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and other institutions. It looks like the spiders seen on Mars and Earth, but the reason for their formation is different. The Martian spiders are formed when carbon dioxide gas escapes from underground, eroding the dust to form spider-like shapes. On Earth, such features are found on frozen lakes and ponds and are called lake stars, and are formed when snow falls on frozen lakes.&nbsp;In the Manannán crater, this "spider" has been nicknamed Damhán Alla, the Irish term for the arachnid. It is one of the largest craters on Europa, stretching 21-23 kilometres in diameter, with the spider right at the centre. Previous studies of the crater have revealed ice and hydrated water minerals in concentrated form around it. Now, according to findings published in The Planetary Science Journal on December 2, 2025, briny water was released from the crater billions of years ago, causing this spider to take shape in the crater, EarthSky reported.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nasa-just-recreated-spiders-seen-on-mars-in-a-lab-on-earth-758451">NASA just recreated 'spiders' seen on Mars in a lab on Earth</a>Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/spiders-on-mars-esas-mars-express-captures-unique-phenomenon-on-the-red-planet-714917">Spiders on Mars? European mission captures weird black spots near Inca City</a><h2>Manannán impact opened up a subsurface brine reservoir</h2>Co-author of the study, Elodie Lesage of the Planetary Science Institute, said, "This spider-like feature might have formed through the eruption of melted brines following the Manannán impact." This discovery can reveal what the subsurface was like at the time of the impact. "This would mean that it can inform us on subsurface properties and brine composition at the time of the impact," he added.&nbsp;To check their theory, the researchers looked at the lake stars in Breckenridge, Colorado. They used Europa ice simulants cooled with liquid nitrogen to recreate the process in a cryogenic glovebox at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). Lauren McKeown, a planetary geomorphologist at the University of Central Florida and lead author of the study, said, "We flowed water through these simulants under different temperatures and found that similar star-like patterns formed even under extremely cold temperatures."&nbsp;McKeown explained that on Earth, "the weight of the snow creates holes in the ice, allowing water to flow through the snow, melting it and spreading in a way that is energetically favourable" to form these patterns. &nbsp;"On Europa, we believe a subsurface brine reservoir could have erupted [after an impact] and spread through porous surface ice, producing a similar pattern," she added.&nbsp;

One giant spider has been observed on Jupiter's moon Europa, sitting right in the middle of its largest crater. Scientists have a theory about Damhán Alla, the name given to this spider. Is it really a spider, or simply another phenomenon on the Jovian moon?

Scientists have discovered a spider on Jupiter's moon Europa, which seems to have been formed when salty water erupted to the surface following an impact that gouged a crater. The Manannán crater was recently studied by researchers from the Planetary Science Institute, the University of Central Florida, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and other institutions. It looks like the spiders seen on Mars and Earth, but the reason for their formation is different. The Martian spiders are formed when carbon dioxide gas escapes from underground, eroding the dust to form spider-like shapes. On Earth, such features are found on frozen lakes and ponds and are called lake stars, and are formed when snow falls on frozen lakes. In the Manannán crater, this "spider" has been nicknamed Damhán Alla, the Irish term for the arachnid. It is one of the largest craters on Europa, stretching 21-23 kilometres in diameter, with the spider right at the centre. Previous studies of the crater have revealed ice and hydrated water minerals in concentrated form around it. Now, according to findings published in The Planetary Science Journal on December 2, 2025, briny water was released from the crater billions of years ago, causing this spider to take shape in the crater, EarthSky reported. Also Read: NASA just recreated 'spiders' seen on Mars in a lab on Earth Also Read: Spiders on Mars? European mission captures weird black spots near Inca City Manannán impact opened up a subsurface brine reservoir Co-author of the study, Elodie Lesage of the Planetary Science Institute, said, "This spider-like feature might have formed through the eruption of melted brines following the Manannán impact." This discovery can reveal what the subsurface was like at the time of the impact. "This would mean that it can inform us on subsurface properties and brine composition at the time of the impact," he added. To check their theory, the researchers looked at the lake stars in Breckenridge, Colorado. They used Europa ice simulants cooled with liquid nitrogen to recreate the process in a cryogenic glovebox at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). Lauren McKeown, a planetary geomorphologist at the University of Central Florida and lead author of the study, said, "We flowed water through these simulants under different temperatures and found that similar star-like patterns formed even under extremely cold temperatures." McKeown explained that on Earth, "the weight of the snow creates holes in the ice, allowing water to flow through the snow, melting it and spreading in a way that is energetically favourable" to form these patterns. "On Europa, we believe a subsurface brine reservoir could have erupted [after an impact] and spread through porous surface ice, producing a similar pattern," she added.

One giant spider has been observed on Jupiter's moon Europa, sitting right in the middle of its largest crater. Scientists have a theory about Damhán Alla, the name given to this spider. Is it really a spider, or simply another phenomenon on the Jovian moon?

Giant 'spider' right in the middle of Europa's Manannán crater proof of water? Scientists say...

Scientists have gotten a look at an area of Antarctica that has been hard to reach, even with the best technology. It wasn't done intentionally, but a robot thought lost to time resurfaced and revealed secrets about the underbelly of the Denman Glacier. This ocean robot was sent to collect data from the Totten Glacier, but it ended up under the Denman Glacier. The findings published in ScienceAdvances journal in December 2025 mention that this robot was a free-floating device, and a pull by a current led it astray from its destination. With features like salinity and temperature sensors, it was meant to go below the water and surface once every 10 days to transmit data to satellites. This is a common method to study the impact of climate change on the glaciers.&nbsp;The Australian national science agency CSIRO intended for this robot to do the same for the Totten Glacier. The primary purpose was to know by how much the sea levels could rise if this particular one in Antarctica melted. But it was navigationally lost instead and never surfaced again. However, it proved to be a blessing in disguise as it gathered data from the Denman Glacier. Nine months later, the robot resurfaced with plenty of data on this ice body and the impact of climate change on Antarctica.Also Red: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/doomsday-gets-closer-cracks-on-thwaites-glacier-have-doubled-in-two-decades-1766981007538">Doomsday gets closer: Cracks on Thwaites Glacier have doubled in two decades</a>&nbsp;<h2>The robot showed how East Antarctica could be affected&nbsp;</h2>It got trapped beneath the Denman Glacier and the Shackleton ice shelf. During this time, it did what it was intended to do, except for a different glacier. It measured water salinity and temperature from the sea floor up to the base of the ice shelf. It also tried to resurface, but every time it did, the robot bumped the ice shelf, measuring its depth unintentionally. When the researchers compared the data of the ice shelf's depth to satellite measurements of the area, they could tell which way it went and from where it was transmitting the data.&nbsp;The robot revealed that the Shackleton ice shelf is in no danger right now. However, the Denman has warm water under it, and this is causing it to melt. If it melts, global sea levels could rise by almost 5 feet. The information it transmitted is crucial as it provided the first ever line of oceanographic measurements under an East Antarctic ice shelf. This region of Antarctica has more ice than West Antarctica, and melting glaciers here can prove more dangeroud to the world.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

An Australian team of scientists sent a free-floating robot to study a particular glacier in Antarctica. But it drifted away from its destination and ended up in an area that is extremely tough to observe and analyse. It was thought lost, but was actually trapped somewhere else.

Scientists have gotten a look at an area of Antarctica that has been hard to reach, even with the best technology. It wasn't done intentionally, but a robot thought lost to time resurfaced and revealed secrets about the underbelly of the Denman Glacier. This ocean robot was sent to collect data from the Totten Glacier, but it ended up under the Denman Glacier. The findings published in ScienceAdvances journal in December 2025 mention that this robot was a free-floating device, and a pull by a current led it astray from its destination. With features like salinity and temperature sensors, it was meant to go below the water and surface once every 10 days to transmit data to satellites. This is a common method to study the impact of climate change on the glaciers. The Australian national science agency CSIRO intended for this robot to do the same for the Totten Glacier. The primary purpose was to know by how much the sea levels could rise if this particular one in Antarctica melted. But it was navigationally lost instead and never surfaced again. However, it proved to be a blessing in disguise as it gathered data from the Denman Glacier. Nine months later, the robot resurfaced with plenty of data on this ice body and the impact of climate change on Antarctica. Also Red: Doomsday gets closer: Cracks on Thwaites Glacier have doubled in two decades The robot showed how East Antarctica could be affected It got trapped beneath the Denman Glacier and the Shackleton ice shelf. During this time, it did what it was intended to do, except for a different glacier. It measured water salinity and temperature from the sea floor up to the base of the ice shelf. It also tried to resurface, but every time it did, the robot bumped the ice shelf, measuring its depth unintentionally. When the researchers compared the data of the ice shelf's depth to satellite measurements of the area, they could tell which way it went and from where it was transmitting the data. The robot revealed that the Shackleton ice shelf is in no danger right now. However, the Denman has warm water under it, and this is causing it to melt. If it melts, global sea levels could rise by almost 5 feet. The information it transmitted is crucial as it provided the first ever line of oceanographic measurements under an East Antarctic ice shelf. This region of Antarctica has more ice than West Antarctica, and melting glaciers here can prove more dangeroud to the world.

An Australian team of scientists sent a free-floating robot to study a particular glacier in Antarctica. But it drifted away from its destination and ended up in an area that is extremely tough to observe and analyse. It was thought lost, but was actually trapped somewhere else.

A robot got lost in Antarctica. It revealed scary secrets from underneath another glacier

An international team of astronomers have recently observed a dramatic event unfolding in the heart of NGC 3783, a spiral galaxy located about 130 million light-years from Earth. At its centre lies a supermassive black hole around 30 million times the mass of the Sun. Astronomers detected a bright X-ray flare erupting from the black hole, before swiftly fading away. As it faded, powerful winds emerged, blasting material into space at approximately 60,000 km per second, about one-fifth the speed of light. These winds were generated so quickly that researchers were able to watch them form over the course of a single day. “We’ve not watched a black hole create winds this speedily before,” said Liyi Gu, the lead researcher at&nbsp;Space Research Organisation Netherlands (SRON).&nbsp;<h2>Devouring material</h2>&nbsp;This discovery was made through coordinated observations by the European Space Agency’s XMM-Newton and the XRISM mission, an X-ray telescope developed by JAXA with ESA and NASA participation. XMM-Newton monitored the bright flare and tracked changes in the region’s X-ray emission, while XRISM’s sensitive instruments measured both the speed and structure of the emerging winds. The flare’s rapid rise and decline appeared to trigger the ultra-fast outflow, offering new insight into how black holes influence their surroundings. According to ESA, the black hole in question is as massive as 30 million Suns. As it feasts on nearby material, it powers an extremely bright and active region at the heart of the spiral galaxy. &nbsp;The work has been published in Astronomy and Astrophysics.&nbsp;<h2>A link to solar physics and galaxy evolution</h2>&nbsp;The characteristics of this event have surprising parallels with phenomena seen on our own Sun. The winds from the black hole bear resemblance to solar eruptions from material known as coronal mass ejections. These are powerful eruptions of plasma and magnetic field that the Sun periodically hurls into space. This analogy arises because, as the X-ray flare faded, tangled magnetic fields of the Active Galactic Nucleus (AGN) of the black hole may have 'untwisted', launching the high-speed winds, similar to the flares that erupt from the Sun, but on a scale almost too big to imagine.&nbsp;

As it faded, powerful winds emerged, blasting material into space at approximately 60,000 km per second, about one-fifth the speed of light.

An international team of astronomers have recently observed a dramatic event unfolding in the heart of NGC 3783, a spiral galaxy located about 130 million light-years from Earth. At its centre lies a supermassive black hole around 30 million times the mass of the Sun. Astronomers detected a bright X-ray flare erupting from the black hole, before swiftly fading away. As it faded, powerful winds emerged, blasting material into space at approximately 60,000 km per second, about one-fifth the speed of light. These winds were generated so quickly that researchers were able to watch them form over the course of a single day. “We’ve not watched a black hole create winds this speedily before,” said Liyi Gu, the lead researcher at Space Research Organisation Netherlands (SRON). Devouring material This discovery was made through coordinated observations by the European Space Agency’s XMM-Newton and the XRISM mission, an X-ray telescope developed by JAXA with ESA and NASA participation. XMM-Newton monitored the bright flare and tracked changes in the region’s X-ray emission, while XRISM’s sensitive instruments measured both the speed and structure of the emerging winds. The flare’s rapid rise and decline appeared to trigger the ultra-fast outflow, offering new insight into how black holes influence their surroundings. According to ESA, the black hole in question is as massive as 30 million Suns. As it feasts on nearby material, it powers an extremely bright and active region at the heart of the spiral galaxy. The work has been published in Astronomy and Astrophysics. A link to solar physics and galaxy evolution The characteristics of this event have surprising parallels with phenomena seen on our own Sun. The winds from the black hole bear resemblance to solar eruptions from material known as coronal mass ejections. These are powerful eruptions of plasma and magnetic field that the Sun periodically hurls into space. This analogy arises because, as the X-ray flare faded, tangled magnetic fields of the Active Galactic Nucleus (AGN) of the black hole may have 'untwisted', launching the high-speed winds, similar to the flares that erupt from the Sun, but on a scale almost too big to imagine.

As it faded, powerful winds emerged, blasting material into space at approximately 60,000 km per second, about one-fifth the speed of light.

Astronomers observe a flaring supermassive black hole firing winds at 60,000 km/s!

NASA has transformed the cycle of the stars into music for the first time, with an imaginative fusion of science and art. The initiative turns astronomical observations into music, allowing people to ‘hear’ the cosmos in a way that complements traditional images. Using a process known as data sonification, scientists take measurements from space telescopes and map them to audible tones, pitch and rhythm. This method translates data normally seen in images into sound, providing both an alternative way to experience space and a potential new tool for scientific insight.&nbsp;The project began by translating raw telescope data into sonic signatures. Stars emit light, energy, and electromagnetic waves continuously. For example, a brighter source might be represented by a louder or higher pitched note. Although sound does not travel through the vacuum of space, this process uses precise mathematical mapping to produce audio that reflects real observational data.&nbsp;&nbsp;"This composition was made by the stars - literally! 🎼Two new orchestral works have been made by using real data from the @chandraxray and @NASAWebb telescopes - transforming the life cycle of stars into music.", NASA Marshall said in a post on X.&nbsp;<h2>From telescopes to symphonies</h2><h2>&nbsp;</h2>Composer Sophie Kastner worked closely with NASA to compose three movements of music. The current effort brings together data from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory, James Webb Space Telescope to produce musical compositions that trace the life cycle of stars. These compositions focus on iconic cosmic regions such as the Galactic Centre, the Crab Nebula and the Pillars of Creation in the Eagle Nebula.&nbsp;

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">This composition was made by the stars - literally! 🎼 Two new orchestral works have been made by using real data from the <a href="https://twitter.com/chandraxray?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@chandraxray</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/NASAWebb?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NASAWebb</a> telescopes - transforming the life cycle of stars into music. Play these pieces yourself by visiting <a href="https://t.co/WuEcBcZ2HZ">https://t.co/WuEcBcZ2HZ</a> <a href="https://t.co/22xk3ALaGC">pic.twitter.com/22xk3ALaGC</a>&mdash; NASA Marshall (@NASA_Marshall) <a href="https://twitter.com/NASA_Marshall/status/2005002254726631583?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 27, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;“I approached the form from a different perspective than the original sonifications. Instead of scanning horizontally, I focused on small sections of the image and created short vignettes to accompany those events, as if crafting a film score. The Galactic Centre image was rich with information, prompting me to direct the listener's attention to smaller moments within the extensive dataset”, Kastner said, describing her approach.&nbsp;<h2>Broadening access and scientific engagement</h2>&nbsp;According to NASA's official website, one key aim of the sonification work is to make astrophysical data accessible to a wider audience, including those who are blind or visually impaired. By offering an auditory experience, these sonifications open a new sensory gateway to the universe that can engage both the public and researchers in novel ways.&nbsp;

Although sound does not travel through the vacuum of space, this process uses precise mathematical mapping to produce audio that reflects real observational data. 

NASA has transformed the cycle of the stars into music for the first time, with an imaginative fusion of science and art. The initiative turns astronomical observations into music, allowing people to ‘hear’ the cosmos in a way that complements traditional images. Using a process known as data sonification, scientists take measurements from space telescopes and map them to audible tones, pitch and rhythm. This method translates data normally seen in images into sound, providing both an alternative way to experience space and a potential new tool for scientific insight. The project began by translating raw telescope data into sonic signatures. Stars emit light, energy, and electromagnetic waves continuously. For example, a brighter source might be represented by a louder or higher pitched note. Although sound does not travel through the vacuum of space, this process uses precise mathematical mapping to produce audio that reflects real observational data. "This composition was made by the stars - literally! 🎼Two new orchestral works have been made by using real data from the @chandraxray and @NASAWebb telescopes - transforming the life cycle of stars into music.", NASA Marshall said in a post on X. From telescopes to symphonies Composer Sophie Kastner worked closely with NASA to compose three movements of music. The current effort brings together data from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory, James Webb Space Telescope to produce musical compositions that trace the life cycle of stars. These compositions focus on iconic cosmic regions such as the Galactic Centre, the Crab Nebula and the Pillars of Creation in the Eagle Nebula.

Although sound does not travel through the vacuum of space, this process uses precise mathematical mapping to produce audio that reflects real observational data.&nbsp;

Cosmic music: NASA converts the life cycle of stars into sound using real space data

The fate of the universe has changed, and according to scientists, we won't be torn to shreds but will be compressed, falling under the pressure of gravity. A team of South Korean scientists notes in a study that the universe will likely end in the Big Crunch. This is because of dark energy that is becoming weaker, and this will hand over power to gravity, which will pull everything together. Previously, scientists believed gravity would eventually slow down the expansion of the universe. But then in 1998, they saw signs of dark energy and said that this force is speeding up the expansion of the universe. This process was assumed to rip apart atoms in the future, causing the Big Rip.&nbsp;The South Korean scientists gathered supernova data that first revealed dark energy nearly three decades ago. Prof Young Wook Lee, of Yonsei University in Seoul, and his team adjusted this information and noted a change in dark energy, and that the acceleration of the universe was slowing down. This, he says, has changed the fate of the universe. In such a scenario, where dark energy weakens, gravity would take over and pull the galaxies back together. This opens up the possibility of Big Crunch becoming very real. Professor Ofer Lahav of University College London told the BBC that with dark energy going up and down, the entire physics would be shaken up.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/hubble-spots-600bn-km-wide-scaled-up-version-of-our-early-solar-system-dracula-s-chivito-shocks-scientists-1766582525866">Hubble spots 600bn km wide scaled-up version of our early solar system: Dracula’s Chivito shocks scientists</a><h2>Big Bang in reverse</h2>What will happen is a Big Bang in reverse, with the universe falling in on itself. There would be no forces left to expand the universe any further, and all intergalactic matter would condense together. A core would start burning up, and all the stars and planets would be sucked into it, setting every other celestial body on fire. There would be no space or time, and all that would be left is a huge fireball.&nbsp;However, Lee's theory does not have many takers. The larger view still is that the universe is continuously expanding and dark energy remains unchanged. What would the Big Crunch look like to us? Several papers have talked about the Big Crunch, and here is what it would appear like to us on Earth. The visible stars and galaxy clusters will become closer to each other and start merging. Stars will collide with each other, and the cosmic microwave background, as observed by telescopes, would reach thousands of degrees Celsius. Right now, the temperature of this radiation is just under 3 degrees above "absolute zero".&nbsp;

The universe will end someday, as it is expanding and stretching due to dark energy. But a South Korean scientist says this force is weakening, and the expansion has slowed down. Soon, gravity will become the bigger force and the universe will end in a Big Crunch.

The fate of the universe has changed, and according to scientists, we won't be torn to shreds but will be compressed, falling under the pressure of gravity. A team of South Korean scientists notes in a study that the universe will likely end in the Big Crunch. This is because of dark energy that is becoming weaker, and this will hand over power to gravity, which will pull everything together. Previously, scientists believed gravity would eventually slow down the expansion of the universe. But then in 1998, they saw signs of dark energy and said that this force is speeding up the expansion of the universe. This process was assumed to rip apart atoms in the future, causing the Big Rip. The South Korean scientists gathered supernova data that first revealed dark energy nearly three decades ago. Prof Young Wook Lee, of Yonsei University in Seoul, and his team adjusted this information and noted a change in dark energy, and that the acceleration of the universe was slowing down. This, he says, has changed the fate of the universe. In such a scenario, where dark energy weakens, gravity would take over and pull the galaxies back together. This opens up the possibility of Big Crunch becoming very real. Professor Ofer Lahav of University College London told the BBC that with dark energy going up and down, the entire physics would be shaken up. Also Read: Hubble spots 600bn km wide scaled-up version of our early solar system: Dracula’s Chivito shocks scientists Big Bang in reverse What will happen is a Big Bang in reverse, with the universe falling in on itself. There would be no forces left to expand the universe any further, and all intergalactic matter would condense together. A core would start burning up, and all the stars and planets would be sucked into it, setting every other celestial body on fire. There would be no space or time, and all that would be left is a huge fireball. However, Lee's theory does not have many takers. The larger view still is that the universe is continuously expanding and dark energy remains unchanged. What would the Big Crunch look like to us? Several papers have talked about the Big Crunch, and here is what it would appear like to us on Earth. The visible stars and galaxy clusters will become closer to each other and start merging. Stars will collide with each other, and the cosmic microwave background, as observed by telescopes, would reach thousands of degrees Celsius. Right now, the temperature of this radiation is just under 3 degrees above "absolute zero".

The universe will end someday, as it is expanding and stretching due to dark energy. But a South Korean scientist says this force is weakening, and the expansion has slowed down. Soon, gravity will become the bigger force and the universe will end in a Big Crunch.

Universe will collapse into one big fireball, with stars and planets sucked into a core

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Cosmic music: NASA converts life cycle of stars into sound using real space data

Universe will turn into big fireball, with stars and planets sucked into a core