Did we just discover the Moon's sibling?

Scientists have reason to believe that the Earth’s Moon has a sibling. According to The Guardian, its official name is (101429) 1998 VF31, and it could be our Moon’s sibling. The celestial body is probably 4.5 billion years old, with a lunar appearance, and is twinned with the moon.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/science/water-more-widespread-on-moon-than-previously-thought-339296" hreflang="en">Water more widespread on Moon than previously thought</a>

Until now, scientists didn’t know our natural satellite even had a sibling. Turns out, it was too small to be noticed by astronomers. Considering how old it is, we are rather discovering it late.

Where is the Moon's sibling located?

Just because it may be the Moon’s siblings does not mean they’re aligned nearby. The asteroid ‘sibling’, with a diameter of 1 kilometres has been hiding behind the red planet, Mars for most of its life.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/science/scientists-found-unexpected-molecule-in-atmosphere-of-saturns-largest-moon-338725" hreflang="en">Scientists found unexpected molecule in atmosphere of Saturn’s largest moon</a>

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How is it Moon’s sibling?

Scientists posit that the moon is one of the largest natural satellites in the solar system, relative to the size of its planet - Earth. This is due to the fact that a large body had collided into the Earth, breaking apart the previous body, parts of which constitute our current moon, explaining its huge size.

According to scientists, the relatively small asteroid is made of the same stuff as our Moon, making them somehow related.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/science/nasa-discovers-water-on-sunlit-surface-of-the-moon-338137" hreflang="en">NASA discovers water on sunlit surface of the Moon</a>

This was ascertained by a spectroscopic observation, which was noticed by the Very Large Telescope (no pun intended) in the Atacama Desert in Chile.

The lead author of the study, which was undertaken by Armagh Observatory and Planetarium (AOP) - Dr Apostolos Christou told The Guardian that it has the same colour as the moon.

Based on the analysis, the asteroid boasts pyroxene and iron, constituting a “dead-ringer” for moon’s parts.

Even though the relationship between the moon and this object was ascertained just recently, the object was discovered in 1998, and it is a “Trojan”, which are space bodies stationed between the gravitational fields of sun and Mars, and are called “Lagrange points”.

It is possible that this asteroid is part of the Moon which broke off and found its own way.

Did we just discover the Moon's sibling? Scientists have reason to believe that the Earth’s Moon has a sibling. According to The Guardian, its official name is (101429) 1998 VF31, and it could be our Moon’s sibling.

Did we just discover the Moon's sibling? Scientists have reason to believe that the Earth’s Moon has a sibling. According to The Guardian, its official name is (101429) 1998 VF31, and it could be our Moon’s sibling. The celestial body is probably 4.5 billion years old, with a lunar appearance, and is twinned with the moon. Also read: Water more widespread on Moon than previously thought Until now, scientists didn’t know our natural satellite even had a sibling. Turns out, it was too small to be noticed by astronomers. Considering how old it is, we are rather discovering it late. Where is the Moon's sibling located? Just because it may be the Moon’s siblings does not mean they’re aligned nearby. The asteroid ‘sibling’, with a diameter of 1 kilometres has been hiding behind the red planet, Mars for most of its life. Also read: Scientists found unexpected molecule in atmosphere of Saturn’s largest moon How is it Moon’s sibling? Scientists posit that the moon is one of the largest natural satellites in the solar system, relative to the size of its planet - Earth. This is due to the fact that a large body had collided into the Earth, breaking apart the previous body, parts of which constitute our current moon, explaining its huge size. According to scientists, the relatively small asteroid is made of the same stuff as our Moon, making them somehow related. Also read: NASA discovers water on sunlit surface of the Moon This was ascertained by a spectroscopic observation, which was noticed by the Very Large Telescope (no pun intended) in the Atacama Desert in Chile. The lead author of the study, which was undertaken by Armagh Observatory and Planetarium (AOP) - Dr Apostolos Christou told The Guardian that it has the same colour as the moon. Based on the analysis, the asteroid boasts pyroxene and iron, constituting a “dead-ringer” for moon’s parts. Even though the relationship between the moon and this object was ascertained just recently, the object was discovered in 1998, and it is a “Trojan”, which are space bodies stationed between the gravitational fields of sun and Mars, and are called “Lagrange points”. It is possible that this asteroid is part of the Moon which broke off and found its own way.

Did we just discover the Moon's long-lost sibling?

The Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR), located in Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu has developed spin-off technologies that find applications in fields ranging from healthcare, defence, water management, agriculture among others. Director of the centre said that these spin-off technologies were ready to be transferred to start-ups and industries. The technologies were developed over the last decade.

According to the IGCAR, their major offerings for which Intent of MOU will be exchanged include Thermal Imaging technology for early detection of breast cancer, Autonomous Gamma Dose Logger (to measure radiation), Portable Air volume sampler (for pollution analysis) and Application of Ionising Radiations in Agriculture and Related areas to improve the shelf life of vegetables and fruits. The organization has said that the Intent of MOU will be exchanged for these technologies/products developed at IGCAR.

On Friday, KNVyas, Secretry, Department of Atomic Energy inaugurated a technology Incubation Centre at IGCAR, via the virtual mode. The Incubation center is meant to be catalytic in incubating technologies from IGCAR and also spin-off technologies from Bhabha Atomic Research Centre and other units of DAE in the Southern Part of the country through appropriate handholding with entrepreneurs and MSMEs. 30th October 2020 also marks the 111th Birth Anniversary of Dr Homi Jehangir Bhabha, the Father of the Indian Atomic Energy program.&nbsp;

A.K.Bhaduri, Director, IGCAR, spoke of some of the products their facility had developed, such as an explosive detector, narcotics detector, access control systems used for securing vital installations, greenhouse gas sensors and waste water management solutions among others. He emphasized that some of their offerings cost just 25 per cent of the imported ones.&nbsp;

The IGCAR signs up non-exclusive MoUs with interested parties, with a one-time technology transfer fee of Rs 5 lakh and there is also a provision of some share in the profits earned by the company.

When asked about the thermal imaging for detection fo breast cancer, IGCAR officials told Zee Media that they had developed a grading scale for a standard imaging device and that it was a portable system.&nbsp;

“By integrating three approaches, we have enhanced specificity and sensitivity. We have validated this product’s results with ultrasound and mammography in over 700 cases and it has 90% sensitivity. It is non-contact, non-harmful and not painful and can be used for detection in women below the age of 40(which is the usual age)” they said.

The Autonomous Gamma Dose Logger is a radiation monitor to measure environmental radiation in nuclear installations and other places, and it transmits data wirelessly. ICGAR says it is possible to have large deployments of these units including across rough terrains and it can be installed across borders to monitor movement of radioactive materials.

Portable Air volume sampler is a lightweight device made of fibre reinforced plastic, which is employed to collect airborne particulates in a filter paper. It can be used by pollution control boards for collecting suspended particulate matter in monitoring environmental pollution and in industries discharging particulate effluents.

ICGAR said that BARC has pioneered the application of radioisotopes and radiation technologies in agriculture, increasing the shelf life of agricultural products, food preservation and a host of other areas. The application cited was the use of radiation to significantly increase the shelf life of vegetables and other perishables.

The Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR), located in Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu has developed spin-off technologies that find applications in fields ranging from healthcare, defence, water management, agriculture among others.

The Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR), located in Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu has developed spin-off technologies that find applications in fields ranging from healthcare, defence, water management, agriculture among others. Director of the centre said that these spin-off technologies were ready to be transferred to start-ups and industries. The technologies were developed over the last decade. According to the IGCAR, their major offerings for which Intent of MOU will be exchanged include Thermal Imaging technology for early detection of breast cancer, Autonomous Gamma Dose Logger (to measure radiation), Portable Air volume sampler (for pollution analysis) and Application of Ionising Radiations in Agriculture and Related areas to improve the shelf life of vegetables and fruits. The organization has said that the Intent of MOU will be exchanged for these technologies/products developed at IGCAR. On Friday, KNVyas, Secretry, Department of Atomic Energy inaugurated a technology Incubation Centre at IGCAR, via the virtual mode. The Incubation center is meant to be catalytic in incubating technologies from IGCAR and also spin-off technologies from Bhabha Atomic Research Centre and other units of DAE in the Southern Part of the country through appropriate handholding with entrepreneurs and MSMEs. 30th October 2020 also marks the 111th Birth Anniversary of Dr Homi Jehangir Bhabha, the Father of the Indian Atomic Energy program. A.K.Bhaduri, Director, IGCAR, spoke of some of the products their facility had developed, such as an explosive detector, narcotics detector, access control systems used for securing vital installations, greenhouse gas sensors and waste water management solutions among others. He emphasized that some of their offerings cost just 25 per cent of the imported ones. The IGCAR signs up non-exclusive MoUs with interested parties, with a one-time technology transfer fee of Rs 5 lakh and there is also a provision of some share in the profits earned by the company. When asked about the thermal imaging for detection fo breast cancer, IGCAR officials told Zee Media that they had developed a grading scale for a standard imaging device and that it was a portable system. “By integrating three approaches, we have enhanced specificity and sensitivity. We have validated this product’s results with ultrasound and mammography in over 700 cases and it has 90% sensitivity. It is non-contact, non-harmful and not painful and can be used for detection in women below the age of 40(which is the usual age)” they said. The Autonomous Gamma Dose Logger is a radiation monitor to measure environmental radiation in nuclear installations and other places, and it transmits data wirelessly. ICGAR says it is possible to have large deployments of these units including across rough terrains and it can be installed across borders to monitor movement of radioactive materials. Portable Air volume sampler is a lightweight device made of fibre reinforced plastic, which is employed to collect airborne particulates in a filter paper. It can be used by pollution control boards for collecting suspended particulate matter in monitoring environmental pollution and in industries discharging particulate effluents. ICGAR said that BARC has pioneered the application of radioisotopes and radiation technologies in agriculture, increasing the shelf life of agricultural products, food preservation and a host of other areas. The application cited was the use of radiation to significantly increase the shelf life of vegetables and other perishables.

Atomic research facility IGCAR to transfer spin-off tech to start-ups, industries

Scientists have discovered that 'Fireball' meteorite that fell to Earth in January 2018 has a rich inventory of extraterrestrial organic compounds, that is, compounds that formed in outer space. The meteorite is 12 million-year-old and was collected soon after it fell on Earth in 2018. Scientists were able to obtain a piece of the fallen meteorite relatively quickly before it got contaminated by conditions prevalent on the Earth.

The meteorite lit up the sky as it fell on Earth on January 16, 2018. What helped in its quick discovery was weather radar. Usually weather radar is used for weather-related predictions and observations. But the size-range of the meteorite made it detectable by weather radar.

A piece of the meteorite was found by the scientists on a frozen lake in Michigan. The rock was found to be in a 'pristine' condition.

Early detection and collection of extraterrestrial objects is essential for accurate analysis of their contents and chemical composition. The pieces of meteorite on Earth start get affected due to Oxygen, water and other elements and agents on the Earth's surface. Researchers were able to scoop the piece of the meteorite two days after it had fallen to Earth. The chemical composition was found to be largely unaltered. The findings have been published in Meteoritics &amp; Planetary Science journal.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/strange-cluster-of-lights-spotted-in-hawaii-skies-over-the-weekend-what-is-it-338295">Strange cluster of lights spotted in Hawaii skies over the weekend. What is it?</a> 
 
Philipp Heck, professor at University of Chicago and lead author of the study said that the meteorite was found to have rich inventory of extraterrestrial compounds. He was quoted by CNN.

As per one theory of origin of life on Earth, basic building blocks for life were delivered to Earth by meteorites. Earth has been battered by countless meteorites even before it had life. It is believed by school of scientists that meteorites were responsible for initiation of life on Earth.

Scientists have discovered that 'Fireball' meteorite that fell to Earth in January 2018 has a rich inventory of extraterrestrial organic compounds, that is, compounds that formed in outer space.

Scientists have discovered that 'Fireball' meteorite that fell to Earth in January 2018 has a rich inventory of extraterrestrial organic compounds, that is, compounds that formed in outer space. The meteorite is 12 million-year-old and was collected soon after it fell on Earth in 2018. Scientists were able to obtain a piece of the fallen meteorite relatively quickly before it got contaminated by conditions prevalent on the Earth. The meteorite lit up the sky as it fell on Earth on January 16, 2018. What helped in its quick discovery was weather radar. Usually weather radar is used for weather-related predictions and observations. But the size-range of the meteorite made it detectable by weather radar. A piece of the meteorite was found by the scientists on a frozen lake in Michigan. The rock was found to be in a 'pristine' condition. Early detection and collection of extraterrestrial objects is essential for accurate analysis of their contents and chemical composition. The pieces of meteorite on Earth start get affected due to Oxygen, water and other elements and agents on the Earth's surface. Researchers were able to scoop the piece of the meteorite two days after it had fallen to Earth. The chemical composition was found to be largely unaltered. The findings have been published in Meteoritics & Planetary Science journal. Also Read | Strange cluster of lights spotted in Hawaii skies over the weekend. What is it? Philipp Heck, professor at University of Chicago and lead author of the study said that the meteorite was found to have rich inventory of extraterrestrial compounds. He was quoted by CNN. As per one theory of origin of life on Earth, basic building blocks for life were delivered to Earth by meteorites. Earth has been battered by countless meteorites even before it had life. It is believed by school of scientists that meteorites were responsible for initiation of life on Earth.

'Fireball' meteorite in Michigan found to have extraterrestrial compounds

Evidence of a 'lost' river that ran through Thar Desert in India have been found. The river flowed though the desert 172 thousand years ago near present-day Bikaner. Researchers say that the river may have been a life-line to human population inhabiting the region.

The study was carried out by researchers from Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History in Germany along with Anna University in Tamil Nadu, and IISER Kolkata. The study indicates that Stone Age populations lived in Thar Desert landscape that was distinctly different than today.

The findings, published in the journal Quaternary Science Reviews, represent the oldest directly dated phase of river activity at Nal Quarry in the central Thar Desert.

The evidence indicates a river flowed with phases of activity dating to approximately up to 172 thousand years ago, nearby to Bikaner, Rajasthan, which is over 200 kilometres away from the nearest modern river.

These findings predate evidence for activity in modern river courses across the Thar Desert as well as dried up course of the Ghaggar-Hakra River, the researchers said.

The presence of a river running through the central Thar Desert would have offered a life-line to Paleolithic populations, and potentially an important corridor for migrations, they said.

The researchers noted that the potential importance of 'lost' rivers for earlier inhabitants of the Thar Desert have been overlooked.

"The Thar Desert has a rich prehistory, and we've been uncovering a wide range of evidence showing how Stone Age populations not only survived but thrived in these semi-arid landscapes," said Jimbob Blinkhorn from The Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History.

"We know how important rivers can be to living in this region, but we have little detail on what river systems were like during key periods of prehistory," Blinkhorn said.

Studies of satellite imagery have shown a dense network of river channels crossing the Thar Desert, according to the researchers.

"These studies can indicate where rivers and streams have flowed in the past, but they can't tell us when," explained Professor Hema Achyuthan of Anna University.

"To demonstrate how old such channels are, we had to find evidence on the ground for river activity in the middle of the desert," Achyuthan said.

The team studied a deep deposit of river sands and gravels, which had been exposed by quarrying activity near the village of Nal.

The researchers were able to document different phases of river activity by studying the different deposits.

"We immediately saw evidence for a substantial and very active river system from the bottom of the fluvial deposits, which gradually decreased in power through time," Achyuthan said.

The researchers used a method called luminescence dating to understand when quartz grains in the river sands were buried.

The results indicated that the strongest river activity at Nal occurred at approximately 172 and 140 thousand years ago, at a time when the monsoon was much weaker than today in the region.

River activity continued at the site between 95 to 78 thousand years ago, after which only limited evidence for the presence of a river at the site, with evidence for a brief reactivation of the channel 26 thousand years ago, the study found.

The river was flowing at its strongest during a phase of weak monsoonal activity in the region, and may have been a life-line to human populations enabling them to inhabit the Thar Desert, the researchers said.

The timeframe over which this river was active also overlaps with significant changes in human behaviour in the region, which have been linked with the earliest expansions of Homo sapiens from Africa into India, they said.

"This river flowed at a critical timeframe for understanding human evolution in the Thar Desert, across South Asia and beyond," said Blinkhorn.

"This suggests a landscape in which the earliest members of our own species, Homo sapiens, first encountered the monsoons and crossed the Thar Desert may have been very different to the landscape we can see today," he added. 
&nbsp;

Evidence of a 'lost' river that ran through Thar Desert in India have been found. The river flowed though the desert 172 thousand years ago near present-day Bikaner.

Evidence of a 'lost' river that ran through Thar Desert in India have been found. The river flowed though the desert 172 thousand years ago near present-day Bikaner. Researchers say that the river may have been a life-line to human population inhabiting the region. The study was carried out by researchers from Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History in Germany along with Anna University in Tamil Nadu, and IISER Kolkata. The study indicates that Stone Age populations lived in Thar Desert landscape that was distinctly different than today. The findings, published in the journal Quaternary Science Reviews, represent the oldest directly dated phase of river activity at Nal Quarry in the central Thar Desert. The evidence indicates a river flowed with phases of activity dating to approximately up to 172 thousand years ago, nearby to Bikaner, Rajasthan, which is over 200 kilometres away from the nearest modern river. These findings predate evidence for activity in modern river courses across the Thar Desert as well as dried up course of the Ghaggar-Hakra River, the researchers said. The presence of a river running through the central Thar Desert would have offered a life-line to Paleolithic populations, and potentially an important corridor for migrations, they said. The researchers noted that the potential importance of 'lost' rivers for earlier inhabitants of the Thar Desert have been overlooked. "The Thar Desert has a rich prehistory, and we've been uncovering a wide range of evidence showing how Stone Age populations not only survived but thrived in these semi-arid landscapes," said Jimbob Blinkhorn from The Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History. "We know how important rivers can be to living in this region, but we have little detail on what river systems were like during key periods of prehistory," Blinkhorn said. Studies of satellite imagery have shown a dense network of river channels crossing the Thar Desert, according to the researchers. "These studies can indicate where rivers and streams have flowed in the past, but they can't tell us when," explained Professor Hema Achyuthan of Anna University. "To demonstrate how old such channels are, we had to find evidence on the ground for river activity in the middle of the desert," Achyuthan said. The team studied a deep deposit of river sands and gravels, which had been exposed by quarrying activity near the village of Nal. The researchers were able to document different phases of river activity by studying the different deposits. "We immediately saw evidence for a substantial and very active river system from the bottom of the fluvial deposits, which gradually decreased in power through time," Achyuthan said. The researchers used a method called luminescence dating to understand when quartz grains in the river sands were buried. The results indicated that the strongest river activity at Nal occurred at approximately 172 and 140 thousand years ago, at a time when the monsoon was much weaker than today in the region. River activity continued at the site between 95 to 78 thousand years ago, after which only limited evidence for the presence of a river at the site, with evidence for a brief reactivation of the channel 26 thousand years ago, the study found. The river was flowing at its strongest during a phase of weak monsoonal activity in the region, and may have been a life-line to human populations enabling them to inhabit the Thar Desert, the researchers said. The timeframe over which this river was active also overlaps with significant changes in human behaviour in the region, which have been linked with the earliest expansions of Homo sapiens from Africa into India, they said. "This river flowed at a critical timeframe for understanding human evolution in the Thar Desert, across South Asia and beyond," said Blinkhorn. "This suggests a landscape in which the earliest members of our own species, Homo sapiens, first encountered the monsoons and crossed the Thar Desert may have been very different to the landscape we can see today," he added.

'Lost' river that flowed through Thar Desert 172k years ago found

Black holes are perhaps the most famous celestial bodies in popular culture. There are theories like black holes being portals of time travel, a passage to another universe etc. It's not surprising that the mysterious black holes hold great importance in popular perception.

Everyone knows that there is a supermassive black hole at the centre of our galaxy. But that's too far away. There 'was' a black hole closer to home, about 1120 light-years away. Now, a study has said that there may not be a black hole here at all.

Earlier hypothesis

It was considered that a binary star system HR 6819 had a black hole in it. But now, scientists have discovered that there is no black hole there at all.

One of the two stars in the system is a Be spectral type and the other is B3 III star. Both the stars were considered to have equal mass.

In a binary system, when two stars have equal mass, they orbit around each other. However, in this star system, it was observed that the Be spectral star was almost spinning in one place while the B3 III star was in orbit.

This defied the science of binary star systems having stars of equal masses. Both of these stars should have been in orbit. But they weren't

It was hence concluded that a black hole was exerting its gravitational effect on the star system and was holding Be spectral star in its place

The competing theory

This theory suggested that there was mistake in calculating masses of the stars and that they were NOT equal.

In reality, the theory said, the Be spectral star (which spun in one place) was bigger than B3 III star. Not only that, the bigger star took away huge chunk of stellar material off the smaller star.

If this was true then there should have been variations in the disc of Hydrogen gas being emanated from the bigger star.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nasas-osiris-rex-grabs-a-piece-of-asteroid-bennu-in-historic-mission-336773">NASA's Osiris-Rex grabs a piece of asteroid Bennu in historic mission</a> 
 
These variations have now been found

“This indicates that HR 6819 is a binary system consisting of a massive Be star and a low-mass companion that is the stripped-down remnant of a former mass donor star in a mass transfer binary,” wrote Douglas Gies and Luqian Wang, astronomers from Georgia State University.

They have hence concluded that there is no black hole in this binary star system. The title of nearest black hole from earth may hence be now changing hands.

Black holes are perhaps the most famous celestial bodies in popular culture. There are theories like black holes being portals of time travel, a passage to another universe etc.

Black holes are perhaps the most famous celestial bodies in popular culture. There are theories like black holes being portals of time travel, a passage to another universe etc. It's not surprising that the mysterious black holes hold great importance in popular perception. Everyone knows that there is a supermassive black hole at the centre of our galaxy. But that's too far away. There 'was' a black hole closer to home, about 1120 light-years away. Now, a study has said that there may not be a black hole here at all. Earlier hypothesis It was considered that a binary star system HR 6819 had a black hole in it. But now, scientists have discovered that there is no black hole there at all. One of the two stars in the system is a Be spectral type and the other is B3 III star. Both the stars were considered to have equal mass. In a binary system, when two stars have equal mass, they orbit around each other. However, in this star system, it was observed that the Be spectral star was almost spinning in one place while the B3 III star was in orbit. This defied the science of binary star systems having stars of equal masses. Both of these stars should have been in orbit. But they weren't It was hence concluded that a black hole was exerting its gravitational effect on the star system and was holding Be spectral star in its place The competing theory This theory suggested that there was mistake in calculating masses of the stars and that they were NOT equal. In reality, the theory said, the Be spectral star (which spun in one place) was bigger than B3 III star. Not only that, the bigger star took away huge chunk of stellar material off the smaller star. If this was true then there should have been variations in the disc of Hydrogen gas being emanated from the bigger star. Also Read | NASA's Osiris-Rex grabs a piece of asteroid Bennu in historic mission These variations have now been found “This indicates that HR 6819 is a binary system consisting of a massive Be star and a low-mass companion that is the stripped-down remnant of a former mass donor star in a mass transfer binary,” wrote Douglas Gies and Luqian Wang, astronomers from Georgia State University. They have hence concluded that there is no black hole in this binary star system. The title of nearest black hole from earth may hence be now changing hands.

Closest 'black hole' to earth has lost its status as one

Right after scientists discovered the possibility of life on the planet Venus, the Russian space agency has claimed the country’s ownership on the planet.

Russian space organisation Roscosmos intends to explore Venus independently.&nbsp;

The head of Russia's space corporation Dmitry Rogozin even announced initiating a national project to study the planet.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/science/potential-sign-of-alien-life-detected-on-inhospitable-venus-327530" hreflang="en">Potential sign of alien life detected on inhospitable Venus</a>

According to the space agency, the first missions to explore the Earth's distant neighbour were carried out by the Soviet Union. Does this give them an upper hand to claim the planet as their own?

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Roscosmos&nbsp;in a statement said that the enormous gap between the Soviet Union and its competitors in the investigation of Venus contributed to the fact that the United States called Venus a Soviet planet.

The new project would be in addition to the "venera-d" project that the Russians are currently working on with the US space agency NASA.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/science/not-a-dormant-planet-venus-is-home-to-37-recently-active-volcanic-structures-314808" hreflang="en">Not a dormant planet: Venus is home to 37 recently active volcanic structures!</a>

Earlier it was said that Russia is planning to cut down their international partners on Venera-d project to limit international interference.

But later, Russian media reported that the space agency would launch a separate project to explore Venus.

Scientists have recently discovered that the planet Venus contains phosphine gas that hints towards a possible existence of micro organisms on the planet.

Right after scientists discovered the possibility of life on the planet Venus, the Russian space agency has claimed the country’s ownership on the planet. Russian space organisation Roscosmos intends to explore Venus independently.

Right after scientists discovered the possibility of life on the planet Venus, the Russian space agency has claimed the country’s ownership on the planet. Russian space organisation Roscosmos intends to explore Venus independently. The head of Russia's space corporation Dmitry Rogozin even announced initiating a national project to study the planet. Also read: Potential sign of alien life detected on inhospitable Venus According to the space agency, the first missions to explore the Earth's distant neighbour were carried out by the Soviet Union. Does this give them an upper hand to claim the planet as their own? × Roscosmos in a statement said that the enormous gap between the Soviet Union and its competitors in the investigation of Venus contributed to the fact that the United States called Venus a Soviet planet. The new project would be in addition to the "venera-d" project that the Russians are currently working on with the US space agency NASA. Also read: Not a dormant planet: Venus is home to 37 recently active volcanic structures! Earlier it was said that Russia is planning to cut down their international partners on Venera-d project to limit international interference. But later, Russian media reported that the space agency would launch a separate project to explore Venus. Scientists have recently discovered that the planet Venus contains phosphine gas that hints towards a possible existence of micro organisms on the planet.

Is Venus a 'Russian planet'? The country's space agency chief seems to think so!

Dr VK Saraswat, member of the Niti Aayog said that India needed to focus on small satellites (smallsats). He said small satellites would play a major role in the coming years. He was speaking at an international space conference on 'Ushering the new in Indian Space Sector'

Small satellites (smallsats) is a generic term used to refer to satellites that weigh lesser than 500kg.&nbsp;

“709 satellites were launched in the short interval between November 2018 and March 2020” Dr. VK Saraswat. He projects that 7,038 Small satellites would be launched between 2018 and 2027, where most of them would be used for earth observation, technology and telecommunication purposes. For context, there are only 2,666 in orbit as of March 2020 and a three-fold increase in being foreseen by 2027.&nbsp;

Speaking about the way the space business was evolving, he said that reusable rockets (one-stage or two-stage) and small expendable vehicles were going to be of immense value, as there was tremendous growth in re-usable and low-cost rockets. He also made a mention of ISRO’s upcoming Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) which is aimed at this segment.

It is notable that the world record of launching maximum number of satellites into orbit is held by the Indian PSLV rocket - which placed 104 satellites in orbit. Over 80 satellites carried by that rocket were owned by an American firm that operates small satellites for imaging purposes. It is such constellations of small satellites that are being touted as the future.&nbsp;

Small satellites make technology accessible to all, by ensuring it is affordable and it serves as a platform to test new technologies. While larger satellites serve multiple purposes, smaller ones can be made for a single-purpose and can reduce the complexity, cost and development time.&nbsp;

According to statistics shared by Saraswat, there were about 1000 Smallsats launched between 2012-17 and about 700 of them were Cubesats. Cubesats are an even smaller category of Smallsats that are cubes with dimensions in multiples of 10cm.&nbsp;

However, Saraswat also referred to some challenges for the SmallSat category, in terms of new technologies for telemetry, tracking and command, besides network for ground and space segment. Also, the Prague Declaration of 2015 showed the need for smallest developers to adhere to international laws, regulations and procedures. &nbsp;There are also challenges in the domains of authorization, registration, frequency allocation, risk, liability, insurance and space debris mitigation.

Dr VK Saraswat, member of the Niti Aayog said that India needed to focus on small satellites (smallsats). He said small satellites would play a major role in the coming years.

Dr VK Saraswat, member of the Niti Aayog said that India needed to focus on small satellites (smallsats). He said small satellites would play a major role in the coming years. He was speaking at an international space conference on 'Ushering the new in Indian Space Sector' Small satellites (smallsats) is a generic term used to refer to satellites that weigh lesser than 500kg. “709 satellites were launched in the short interval between November 2018 and March 2020” Dr. VK Saraswat. He projects that 7,038 Small satellites would be launched between 2018 and 2027, where most of them would be used for earth observation, technology and telecommunication purposes. For context, there are only 2,666 in orbit as of March 2020 and a three-fold increase in being foreseen by 2027. Speaking about the way the space business was evolving, he said that reusable rockets (one-stage or two-stage) and small expendable vehicles were going to be of immense value, as there was tremendous growth in re-usable and low-cost rockets. He also made a mention of ISRO’s upcoming Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) which is aimed at this segment. It is notable that the world record of launching maximum number of satellites into orbit is held by the Indian PSLV rocket - which placed 104 satellites in orbit. Over 80 satellites carried by that rocket were owned by an American firm that operates small satellites for imaging purposes. It is such constellations of small satellites that are being touted as the future. Small satellites make technology accessible to all, by ensuring it is affordable and it serves as a platform to test new technologies. While larger satellites serve multiple purposes, smaller ones can be made for a single-purpose and can reduce the complexity, cost and development time. According to statistics shared by Saraswat, there were about 1000 Smallsats launched between 2012-17 and about 700 of them were Cubesats. Cubesats are an even smaller category of Smallsats that are cubes with dimensions in multiples of 10cm. However, Saraswat also referred to some challenges for the SmallSat category, in terms of new technologies for telemetry, tracking and command, besides network for ground and space segment. Also, the Prague Declaration of 2015 showed the need for smallest developers to adhere to international laws, regulations and procedures. There are also challenges in the domains of authorization, registration, frequency allocation, risk, liability, insurance and space debris mitigation.

India needs to focus on small satellites for Digital India: Niti Aayog member

You may no longer need to charge your smartphone thrice a day, err, years!

NDB, a company based in California has developed a self-charging battery which could last for an eternity, or at least 28,000 years on a single charge.

They did it by ‘trapping’ carbon-14 nuclear waste in an artificial diamond-case.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/the-earth-is-contributing-towards-rust-on-the-moon-325381" hreflang="en">The Earth is contributing towards rust on the Moon</a>

NDB claims that the battery can be used to power an array of things: electric vehicles, cellular devices, tablets, watches, laptops, camera, monitors, sensors, etc. The utility of this battery is vast.

The company claims the battery is totally safe, for it is coated with a non-radioactive diamond which prevents leakage.

How does it work?

The battery generates electricity within itself. This is achieved due to the electrons which are formed due to radioactive elements in the diamond case.

According to media reports, the company is aiming to make the battery even last longer than 28,000 years, to enable its usage in computer chips and very small devices.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/astronomers-detect-most-powerful-black-hole-explosion-ever-324893" hreflang="en">Astronomers detect most powerful black hole explosion ever</a>

By further using an even purer estimation of carbon-14, the company may be able to achieve this.

According to the company, it would cost $100 billion to dispose of 33 million cubic metres of nuclear waste generated around the world. Radioactive waste is not economical to store and process at all.

Over time, NBD intends to use the battery to power homes, with plans to sell extra electricity to the grid.

Additionally, it may bring relief in healthcare as well. For instance, pacemakers and implants may run on this battery, eliminating the need for regular changing of the battery.

The question here is, are you ready to live a recharge free life?

You may no longer need to charge your smartphone thrice a day, err, years! NDB, a company based in California has developed a self-charging battery which could last for an eternity, or at least 28,000 years on a single charge.

You may no longer need to charge your smartphone thrice a day, err, years! NDB, a company based in California has developed a self-charging battery which could last for an eternity, or at least 28,000 years on a single charge. They did it by ‘trapping’ carbon-14 nuclear waste in an artificial diamond-case. Also read: The Earth is contributing towards rust on the Moon NDB claims that the battery can be used to power an array of things: electric vehicles, cellular devices, tablets, watches, laptops, camera, monitors, sensors, etc. The utility of this battery is vast. The company claims the battery is totally safe, for it is coated with a non-radioactive diamond which prevents leakage. How does it work? The battery generates electricity within itself. This is achieved due to the electrons which are formed due to radioactive elements in the diamond case. According to media reports, the company is aiming to make the battery even last longer than 28,000 years, to enable its usage in computer chips and very small devices. Also read: Astronomers detect most powerful black hole explosion ever By further using an even purer estimation of carbon-14, the company may be able to achieve this. According to the company, it would cost $100 billion to dispose of 33 million cubic metres of nuclear waste generated around the world. Radioactive waste is not economical to store and process at all. Over time, NBD intends to use the battery to power homes, with plans to sell extra electricity to the grid. Additionally, it may bring relief in healthcare as well. For instance, pacemakers and implants may run on this battery, eliminating the need for regular changing of the battery. The question here is, are you ready to live a recharge free life?

This battery powered by nuclear waste could run anything for 28,000 years!

Dinosaurs aren't exactly the cute types. Even the most docile plant-eating dinos have a towering presence and can crush average human to death in no time. The fiere animosity of the T-Rex is stuff of legends. But now a fossil of what a scientist is calling the 'cutest dinosaur' has come to light.

The fossil is of a dinosaur embryo. A Saurapod to be precise. What's special about this fossil is the the head of the tiny embryo has been found preserved in 3 dimensional projection. Fossils are preserved under enormous pressure of rocks and soil for millions of years. Often this flattens the fossilized material and hence such fossils are found to be in a two-dimentional condition. Moreover, small fossils have greater chance of giving way to the enourmous pressure of rock and soil that preserves it.

This and another aspect of the fossil is a matter of surprise for Martin Kundrat,a paleobiologist at the Center for Interdisciplinary Biosciences at Pavol Jozef Safarik University in Slovakia.

This type of dinosaurs are not known to have horns. However, a small bump on the snout of this baby dino caught Kundrat and other scientists' attention.

Stephen Brusatte, one of the scientists who was not directly involved in the study said that the Saurapod embryo was one of the "cutest dinosaurs" he had seen. The little bump on the nose of the Saurapod (which may represent a horn) may be the reason why the baby dino was called such. Stephen Brussatte was quoted by The New York Times.

Martin Kundrat along with his associates wrote a paper on this in Current Biology, a scientific journal.

Scientists made another fascinating observation. They noticed that the baby Saurapod had its eyes in the front of the skull. Such an arrangement of eyes, like in humans, gives an animal a better depth perception.

So what's the point? Adults dinosaurs of this type did not have such an arrangement of eyes. They had eyes on either side of their skulls (like, for example in a crow)

This 3-dimensional preservation of Saurapod embryo is bound to shed considerable light on the life of dinosaurs from the embryonic stage to the adulthood.

Dinosaurs aren't exactly the cute types. Even the most docile plant-eating dinos have a towering presence and can crush average human to death in no time. The fiere animosity of the T-Rex is stuff of legends.

Dinosaurs aren't exactly the cute types. Even the most docile plant-eating dinos have a towering presence and can crush average human to death in no time. The fiere animosity of the T-Rex is stuff of legends. But now a fossil of what a scientist is calling the 'cutest dinosaur' has come to light. The fossil is of a dinosaur embryo. A Saurapod to be precise. What's special about this fossil is the the head of the tiny embryo has been found preserved in 3 dimensional projection. Fossils are preserved under enormous pressure of rocks and soil for millions of years. Often this flattens the fossilized material and hence such fossils are found to be in a two-dimentional condition. Moreover, small fossils have greater chance of giving way to the enourmous pressure of rock and soil that preserves it. This and another aspect of the fossil is a matter of surprise for Martin Kundrat,a paleobiologist at the Center for Interdisciplinary Biosciences at Pavol Jozef Safarik University in Slovakia. This type of dinosaurs are not known to have horns. However, a small bump on the snout of this baby dino caught Kundrat and other scientists' attention. Stephen Brusatte, one of the scientists who was not directly involved in the study said that the Saurapod embryo was one of the "cutest dinosaurs" he had seen. The little bump on the nose of the Saurapod (which may represent a horn) may be the reason why the baby dino was called such. Stephen Brussatte was quoted by The New York Times. Martin Kundrat along with his associates wrote a paper on this in Current Biology, a scientific journal. Scientists made another fascinating observation. They noticed that the baby Saurapod had its eyes in the front of the skull. Such an arrangement of eyes, like in humans, gives an animal a better depth perception. So what's the point? Adults dinosaurs of this type did not have such an arrangement of eyes. They had eyes on either side of their skulls (like, for example in a crow) This 3-dimensional preservation of Saurapod embryo is bound to shed considerable light on the life of dinosaurs from the embryonic stage to the adulthood.

Is it a duck? No, it is 'one of the cutest dinosaurs'

With the help of a core sample that had been kept in the United States, scientists have solved an enduring mystery about Stonehenge, determining the place of origin of many of the megaliths that make up the famed monument in Wiltshire, England.

Scientists solve mystery of the origin of Stonehenge's megaliths

Scientists never stop surprising, for better or for worse. What seemed to have been a heavy year for bad news owing to the coronavirus pandemic, scientists may have just done the unthinkable.

A team at Japan’s Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology successfully revived microbes that had been lying on the ocean floor since the age of dinosaurs.

"Feed and multiply"

When resuscitated, the microbes were able to feed and also multiply.

Microorganisms can live for tens of millions of years without needing food or oxygen, and are sometimes called the planet’s most primitive species for that reason.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/world/plastic-pollution-flowing-into-oceans-to-triple-by-2040-study-315624" hreflang="en">Plastic pollution flowing into oceans to triple by 2040: Study</a>

It is owing to such characteristics that scientists successfully brought them back to life in laboratory conditions.

To achieve this goal, the scientists picked up and analysed sediment samples from 100 million years ago, laying dormant in the seabed of the South Pacific.

<h6><img alt="This picture shows an Indian Ocean Crocodile fish lying on the sea bed at Marsa Murey diving site off the coasts of al-Quseir in the Egyptian Red Sea on October 8, 2018. " data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="e35f2bf7-a2f9-4a9a-9d8a-a02b72c4b6c2" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design-3_30.jpg" /> 
This picture shows an Indian Ocean Crocodile fish lying on the sea bed at Marsa Murey diving site off the coasts of al-Quseir in the Egyptian Red Sea on October 8, 2018. | AFP</h6>

The territory in question hosts lesser nutrients than normal, which is why the findings are so shocking, for the terrain cannot sustain life over long periods of time.

After attempting to incubate the samples of microbes, nearly all of them came back to life.

Scepticism&nbsp;

The lead author Yuki Morono told AFP that upon finding the results, they were sceptical of their findings. Many thought it could have been owing to an error or an experiment failure.

However, it wasn’t any of that. They had successfully brought back the microbes from their deep sleep.

Morono said, “We now know that there is no age limit for [organisms in the] sub-seafloor biosphere”.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/science/subsurface-ocean-on-jupiters-moon-europa-deemed-potentially-habitable-308564" hreflang="en">Subsurface ocean on Jupiter's moon Europa deemed potentially 'habitable'</a>

These microbes were sought out by drilling into the seabed, which opened a peephole into the oldest sediment to ever exist.

Another author of the study said&nbsp;that even with the “least amount of food, there are still living organisms, and they can wake up, grow and multiply”.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/world/ocean-bed-now-has-more-microplastics-than-ever-before-296144" hreflang="en">Ocean bed now has more microplastics than ever before</a>

But how did they survive for so long? Oxygen! Owing to the trapped oxygen in the sediments, microbes can survive for millions of years without needing anything else.

The microbes on the ocean floor anyway require less oxygen than the ones lingering on the surface.

However, this was not an ideal condition for life to sustain, which is why the results were so shocking to the scientists.

Studies undertaken earlier have exhibited how bacteria can live on world’s least hospitable places, even in areas that lack oxygen.

Scientists never stop surprising, for better or for worse. What seemed to have been a heavy year for bad news owing to the coronavirus pandemic, scientists may have just done the unthinkable.

Scientists never stop surprising, for better or for worse. What seemed to have been a heavy year for bad news owing to the coronavirus pandemic, scientists may have just done the unthinkable. A team at Japan’s Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology successfully revived microbes that had been lying on the ocean floor since the age of dinosaurs. "Feed and multiply" When resuscitated, the microbes were able to feed and also multiply. Microorganisms can live for tens of millions of years without needing food or oxygen, and are sometimes called the planet’s most primitive species for that reason. Also read: Plastic pollution flowing into oceans to triple by 2040: Study It is owing to such characteristics that scientists successfully brought them back to life in laboratory conditions. To achieve this goal, the scientists picked up and analysed sediment samples from 100 million years ago, laying dormant in the seabed of the South Pacific. This picture shows an Indian Ocean Crocodile fish lying on the sea bed at Marsa Murey diving site off the coasts of al-Quseir in the Egyptian Red Sea on October 8, 2018. | AFP The territory in question hosts lesser nutrients than normal, which is why the findings are so shocking, for the terrain cannot sustain life over long periods of time. After attempting to incubate the samples of microbes, nearly all of them came back to life. Scepticism The lead author Yuki Morono told AFP that upon finding the results, they were sceptical of their findings. Many thought it could have been owing to an error or an experiment failure. However, it wasn’t any of that. They had successfully brought back the microbes from their deep sleep. Morono said, “We now know that there is no age limit for [organisms in the] sub-seafloor biosphere”. Also read: Subsurface ocean on Jupiter's moon Europa deemed potentially 'habitable' These microbes were sought out by drilling into the seabed, which opened a peephole into the oldest sediment to ever exist. Another author of the study said that even with the “least amount of food, there are still living organisms, and they can wake up, grow and multiply”. Also read: Ocean bed now has more microplastics than ever before But how did they survive for so long? Oxygen! Owing to the trapped oxygen in the sediments, microbes can survive for millions of years without needing anything else. The microbes on the ocean floor anyway require less oxygen than the ones lingering on the surface. However, this was not an ideal condition for life to sustain, which is why the results were so shocking to the scientists. Studies undertaken earlier have exhibited how bacteria can live on world’s least hospitable places, even in areas that lack oxygen.

Dinosaur-era microbes lying dormant in ocean resuscitated by scientists

Turns out, shooting people’s heads off in the virtual amount does not imply you will run off shooting in the streets. This revelation, which runs contrary to all previous research about gaming linking&nbsp;long-term exposure to increased violence and thoughts of violence, is based on a reanalysis of data from over 21,000 young gamers on the planet.

Fronted by Aaron Drummond from Massey University in New Zealand, the research claims playing video games is not a contributing factor to one’s aggression and/or&nbsp;violent tendencies. To reach this conclusion, Drummond reanalysed 28 meta-analytical studies that linked violence to gaming.

"Small effect"

His pursuit revealed that only a very small number of people exhibited aggression after gaming, and this positive correlation was too negligible to be taken as the primary signifier of game induced violence. The researchers claimed that it is such a small number, that it does not qualify to even producing a “small effect”.

Published in the Royal Society Open Science journal on Wednesday. 
 
Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/opinions-blogs/how-coronavirus-outbreak-is-impacting-the-gaming-industry-289481" hreflang="en">How coronavirus outbreak is impacting the gaming industry</a>

The report said that the “current research is unable to support the hypothesis that violent video games have a meaningful long-term predictive impact on youth aggression”.

The studies that were analysed by the study head went as back as 2008 showed a small positive correlation between violence and video-games. Over a quarter of the gamers were said to have been susceptible to real-life aggression. There was no concrete conclusion linking violence to gamers in any of these studies. In fact, a study from 2011 showed a negative correlation between aggression and gaming.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/world/world-health-organisation-officially-recognises-gaming-addiction-as-mental-disorder-221949" hreflang="en">World Health Organisation officially recognises gaming addiction as 'mental disorder'</a>

Accumulation of micro violence?

The most common argument against violent gaming is that an accumulation of micro-violence is one major negative effect of gaming. Over a long-time, this may change one’s temperament, making one susceptible to aggression. However, the study showed no evidence of such accumulation, but in fact paints a totally opposite picture.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/world/tambola-online-antakshari-community-gaming-on-the-rise-in-times-of-social-distancing-288528" hreflang="en">Tambola, online antakshari: Community gaming on the rise in times of social distancing</a>

The report mentions that “long-term impacts of violent games on youth aggression are near zero”.

Most scientific scholars and groups have based their violence-linked studies to negligible relationship observed between gamers and aggression.

Many studies have also attempted to map emotional behaviour linked to gaming. A research from 2018 done by the University of New South Wales found that gamers used to violence were able to ignore depictions of violence in other contexts.

Turns out, shooting people’s heads off in the virtual amount does not imply you will run off shooting in the streets. This revelation, which runs contrary to all previous research about gaming linking long-term exposure to increased violence and thoughts of violence, is based on a reanalysis of data from over 21,000 young gamers on the planet.

Turns out, shooting people’s heads off in the virtual amount does not imply you will run off shooting in the streets. This revelation, which runs contrary to all previous research about gaming linking long-term exposure to increased violence and thoughts of violence, is based on a reanalysis of data from over 21,000 young gamers on the planet. Fronted by Aaron Drummond from Massey University in New Zealand, the research claims playing video games is not a contributing factor to one’s aggression and/or violent tendencies. To reach this conclusion, Drummond reanalysed 28 meta-analytical studies that linked violence to gaming. "Small effect" His pursuit revealed that only a very small number of people exhibited aggression after gaming, and this positive correlation was too negligible to be taken as the primary signifier of game induced violence. The researchers claimed that it is such a small number, that it does not qualify to even producing a “small effect”. Published in the Royal Society Open Science journal on Wednesday. Also read: How coronavirus outbreak is impacting the gaming industry The report said that the “current research is unable to support the hypothesis that violent video games have a meaningful long-term predictive impact on youth aggression”. The studies that were analysed by the study head went as back as 2008 showed a small positive correlation between violence and video-games. Over a quarter of the gamers were said to have been susceptible to real-life aggression. There was no concrete conclusion linking violence to gamers in any of these studies. In fact, a study from 2011 showed a negative correlation between aggression and gaming. Also read: World Health Organisation officially recognises gaming addiction as 'mental disorder' Accumulation of micro violence? The most common argument against violent gaming is that an accumulation of micro-violence is one major negative effect of gaming. Over a long-time, this may change one’s temperament, making one susceptible to aggression. However, the study showed no evidence of such accumulation, but in fact paints a totally opposite picture. Also read: Tambola, online antakshari: Community gaming on the rise in times of social distancing The report mentions that “long-term impacts of violent games on youth aggression are near zero”. Most scientific scholars and groups have based their violence-linked studies to negligible relationship observed between gamers and aggression. Many studies have also attempted to map emotional behaviour linked to gaming. A research from 2018 done by the University of New South Wales found that gamers used to violence were able to ignore depictions of violence in other contexts.

Gaming does not make you more aggressive, after all!

One of the most frustrating things about being human is perhaps not growing old, but the apparent physical changes age brings with it. The bones get weaker, skin gets saggier, eye sight deteriorates, and memory may be impaired over time.

However, a group of scientists may have found a solution to ageing. Ageing quite literally refers to body’s reaction to growing old. Many develop wrinkles, eyebags, and other visible features.

Yeast effect

Scientists from the University of California San Diego (UCSD) studied ageing in yeast, whose cells can be easily manipulated. Their goal was to ascertain whether different cells exhibit the same rate of ageing, and whether they do it to achieve the same goal.

Turns out, that’s not true. They found that cells that were made of near-identical genetic material spurring in the same environment aged in “distinct ways”. The findings were published in the journal “Science”.

Out of the tested yeast cells, half aged because of the deterioration of nucleolus, the round body situated in a cell’s nucleus.&nbsp; Using computer modelling and other sophisticated techniques, scientists came to this striking conclusion.

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On the other hand, the remaining half cells showed signs of ageing because the mitochondria stopped functioning normally. This component of the cell is responsible for creating energy. There are two ways for cells to die - nuclear or mitochondrial. They choose their path in the early stages of their inception, and then eventually die out over time regardless of the path.

“We identified the molecular processes underlying each ageing route and the connections among them, revealing a molecular circuit that controls cell ageing, analogous to electric circuits that control home appliances," Nan Hao, senior author of the study, told CNN.

A big feat!

Scientists after establishing an “ageing landscape” manipulated and reconfigured the ageing process. This was achieved by modifying the DNA of the cells, achieved through computer simulations.

You might also like:&nbsp;<a href="/science/scientists-map-out-six-clusters-to-understand-severity-of-coronavirus-symptoms-and-chances-of-developing-complications-314886" hreflang="en">Scientists map out six clusters to understand severity of coronavirus symptoms, and chances of developing complications</a>

The study says they were then able to create a “novel ageing route”, which increased the lifespan of the cell, implying the ageing process can be delayed through such modifications.

This is a big medical feat, for it gives credence to gene-altering programmes that intend to improve human life by increasing the lifespan and stopping the deterioration of health.

The scientists intend to plan their tests in more complicated cells, then moving on to other organisms before they test it on human beings.

One of the most frustrating things about being human is perhaps not growing old, but the apparent physical changes age brings with it. The bones get weaker, skin gets saggier, eye sight deteriorates, and memory may be impaired over time.

One of the most frustrating things about being human is perhaps not growing old, but the apparent physical changes age brings with it. The bones get weaker, skin gets saggier, eye sight deteriorates, and memory may be impaired over time. However, a group of scientists may have found a solution to ageing. Ageing quite literally refers to body’s reaction to growing old. Many develop wrinkles, eyebags, and other visible features. Yeast effect Scientists from the University of California San Diego (UCSD) studied ageing in yeast, whose cells can be easily manipulated. Their goal was to ascertain whether different cells exhibit the same rate of ageing, and whether they do it to achieve the same goal. Turns out, that’s not true. They found that cells that were made of near-identical genetic material spurring in the same environment aged in “distinct ways”. The findings were published in the journal “Science”. Out of the tested yeast cells, half aged because of the deterioration of nucleolus, the round body situated in a cell’s nucleus. Using computer modelling and other sophisticated techniques, scientists came to this striking conclusion. You might also like: Sturddlefish: Scientists in Hungary accidentally create hybrid fish On the other hand, the remaining half cells showed signs of ageing because the mitochondria stopped functioning normally. This component of the cell is responsible for creating energy. There are two ways for cells to die - nuclear or mitochondrial. They choose their path in the early stages of their inception, and then eventually die out over time regardless of the path. “We identified the molecular processes underlying each ageing route and the connections among them, revealing a molecular circuit that controls cell ageing, analogous to electric circuits that control home appliances," Nan Hao, senior author of the study, told CNN. A big feat! Scientists after establishing an “ageing landscape” manipulated and reconfigured the ageing process. This was achieved by modifying the DNA of the cells, achieved through computer simulations. You might also like: Scientists map out six clusters to understand severity of coronavirus symptoms, and chances of developing complications The study says they were then able to create a “novel ageing route”, which increased the lifespan of the cell, implying the ageing process can be delayed through such modifications. This is a big medical feat, for it gives credence to gene-altering programmes that intend to improve human life by increasing the lifespan and stopping the deterioration of health. The scientists intend to plan their tests in more complicated cells, then moving on to other organisms before they test it on human beings.

Scientists successfully delay ageing in cells; to be tried on humans soon

Astronomers may have just discovered the source of all life in the universe!&nbsp;A new study published on Monday in the journal Nature Astronomy claims that the source of all life is white dwarfs.

For clarity - all stars have an expiry date. When they die, they go out with a large explosion which is called a “supernova”. Stars usually collapse due to the weight of gravity when they run out of fuel, which produces a strong explosion. Additionally, some stars simply morph into a black hole. There are the two ways for stars to go out.

What are white dwarfs?&nbsp;

Most stars, after completing their life cycle simply become white dwarfs, which refers to the core of what once used to be a star. And now, astronomers claim that the core material is the key ingredient in all living forms.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/science/a-massive-star-in-a-far-off-galaxy-just-disappeared-leaving-behind-no-trace-310032" hreflang="en">A massive star in a far-off galaxy just disappeared, leaving behind no trace!</a>

This core contains carbon atoms, which are the key components of every living form.&nbsp;90 per cent of all stars in the universe turn into white dwarfs after finishing their life-cycle.

<h6><img alt="These Hubble Space Telescope images released 24 April 2002 by NASA show the oldest burned-out stars in our Milky Way Galaxy. Located in the globular cluster M4, these small, dying stars - called white dwarfs, circled in blue, - are giving astronomers a fresh reading on one of the biggest questions in astronomy: How old is the universe? The ancient white dwarfs in M4 are about 12 to 13 billion years old. A section of that region is seen in the picture at left . A sampling of an even smaller region of the cluster is shown at right and is only about one light-year across" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="21bbf761-b9f5-48ce-afe2-5aca63ea721a" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/space%202.jpg" /> 
These Hubble Space Telescope images released 24 April 2002 by NASA show the oldest burned-out stars in our Milky Way Galaxy. Located in the globular cluster M4, these small, dying stars - called white dwarfs, circled in blue, - are giving astronomers a fresh reading on one of the biggest questions in astronomy: How old is the universe? The ancient white dwarfs in M4 are about 12 to 13 billion years old. A section of that region is seen in the picture at left . A sampling of an even smaller region of the cluster is shown at right and is only about one light-year across | AFP 
&nbsp;</h6>

What's in the core?

The dwarfs have a very high temperature, running as high as 99,000 degree Celsius. Over billions of years, the stars cool down and become dimmer, until only the core remains. The other remains that are shedded off by these bodies contain carbon, which is the fourth-most&nbsp;found chemical in the universe. No life can function without carbon!&nbsp;All of the carbon in the universe is released by stars.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/science/a-blazing-fireball-produced-a-sonic-boom-in-tokyo-skies-leaving-residents-confused-311108" hreflang="en">A blazing fireball produced a sonic boom in Tokyo skies, leaving residents confused!</a>

In the study mentioned above, scientists observed stars in the Milky Way, and analysed the data of a star before they became dwarfs and in the aftermath. The bigger the star, the bigger its dwarf, ie, the core! However, scientists realised the mass of the core was much bigger than previously thought.

Based on the study, the astronomers ascertained that stars bigger than 2 solar masses contributed in the universal dissemination of carbon, while stars smaller than 1.5 solar masses did not.

Their study points to a basic and imperative conclusion, that carbon has been trapped in the universe for more than 4.6 billion years, when our Solar System was formed.

Astronomers may have just discovered the source of all life in the universe! A new study published on Monday in the journal Nature Astronomy claims that the source of all life is white dwarfs.

Astronomers may have just discovered the source of all life in the universe! A new study published on Monday in the journal Nature Astronomy claims that the source of all life is white dwarfs. For clarity - all stars have an expiry date. When they die, they go out with a large explosion which is called a “supernova”. Stars usually collapse due to the weight of gravity when they run out of fuel, which produces a strong explosion. Additionally, some stars simply morph into a black hole. There are the two ways for stars to go out. What are white dwarfs? Most stars, after completing their life cycle simply become white dwarfs, which refers to the core of what once used to be a star. And now, astronomers claim that the core material is the key ingredient in all living forms. Also read: A massive star in a far-off galaxy just disappeared, leaving behind no trace! This core contains carbon atoms, which are the key components of every living form. 90 per cent of all stars in the universe turn into white dwarfs after finishing their life-cycle. These Hubble Space Telescope images released 24 April 2002 by NASA show the oldest burned-out stars in our Milky Way Galaxy. Located in the globular cluster M4, these small, dying stars - called white dwarfs, circled in blue, - are giving astronomers a fresh reading on one of the biggest questions in astronomy: How old is the universe? The ancient white dwarfs in M4 are about 12 to 13 billion years old. A section of that region is seen in the picture at left . A sampling of an even smaller region of the cluster is shown at right and is only about one light-year across | AFP What's in the core? The dwarfs have a very high temperature, running as high as 99,000 degree Celsius. Over billions of years, the stars cool down and become dimmer, until only the core remains. The other remains that are shedded off by these bodies contain carbon, which is the fourth-most found chemical in the universe. No life can function without carbon! All of the carbon in the universe is released by stars. Also read: A blazing fireball produced a sonic boom in Tokyo skies, leaving residents confused! In the study mentioned above, scientists observed stars in the Milky Way, and analysed the data of a star before they became dwarfs and in the aftermath. The bigger the star, the bigger its dwarf, ie, the core! However, scientists realised the mass of the core was much bigger than previously thought. Based on the study, the astronomers ascertained that stars bigger than 2 solar masses contributed in the universal dissemination of carbon, while stars smaller than 1.5 solar masses did not. Their study points to a basic and imperative conclusion, that carbon has been trapped in the universe for more than 4.6 billion years, when our Solar System was formed.

'We all come from star dust' is no longer just a saying, and scientists agree!

A boom was heard in the skies of Tokyo on Thursday morning. At the same time, a bright and purple&nbsp;object was seen&nbsp;whirling towards the city.

According to media reports, the object could be seen in the sky for a few seconds at 2.30 AM local time. Described by many as a green and purple hue flying in the sky, the blaze fizzled out after a few seconds.

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A bright meteor crossed the sky last night above Tokyo, with many saying they heard a loud explosion. 
The National Astronomical Observatory said it is rare for people to hear anything from a Meteor sighting. ☄<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/meteor?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#meteor</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Fireball?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Fireball</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Tokyo?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Tokyo</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FridayThoughts?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FridayThoughts</a> <a href="https://t.co/rzBs5h2HMb">pic.twitter.com/rzBs5h2HMb</a>
— ~Marietta✌ (@_MariettaDavis) <a href="https://twitter.com/_MariettaDavis/status/1279154689137946624?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 3, 2020</a></blockquote>
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A local tweeted that he thought the person living on the floor above his had dropped something huge, like a shelf, when he heard the noise.

A sonic boom accompanied the blaze, which lit up the night sky in the city.

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Fireball?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Fireball</a> in news, sighted by many living in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Tokyo?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Tokyo</a>, Japan🇯🇵 1st July 2020 ~ 17:30 GMT, detected acoustically by <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IMS?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IMS</a> Infrasound stations I45RU &amp; I44RU at distances of approximately 1100km &amp; 2300km, respectively. Latest signal enhancement techniques used by <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IDC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IDC</a> in analysis: <a href="https://t.co/vhqHWhlWWg">pic.twitter.com/vhqHWhlWWg</a>
— Lassina Zerbo (@SinaZerbo) <a href="https://twitter.com/SinaZerbo/status/1279049808033038336?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 3, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Scientists believe that it may have been a small asteroid which entered our atmosphere briefly. Its footprint was picked up by infrasound monitoring stations around the world, which are overseen by the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization.

According to the International Meteor Organization (IMO), the object could be seen in Japan’s Kanto region.

Massive energy

What’s even more alarming is the energy produced by the object. According to IMO’s blog post on the object, it produced energy amounting to over 165 tonnes or 150 metric tonnes of TNT!

"We were able to calculate a source energy of the entering asteroid of about (165 tons or 150 metric tonnes) of TNT," the post said.&nbsp;The follow-up conducted by the IMO claimed that the rock had a diameter of 1.6 metres and a mass of 1.6 metric tonnes.

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Tokyo, JAPAN – July 2, 2020, 2:32 AM local time, U.S. Government sensors detected a large meteor fireball travelling ENE at 14.1 km/s, ending near Tokyo, above the Chiba Prefecture. Total atmospheric impact energy was equivalent to 165 tonnes of TNT! <a href="https://t.co/rGFHml6cml">https://t.co/rGFHml6cml</a> <a href="https://t.co/jbxa90njLB">pic.twitter.com/jbxa90njLB</a>
— Strewnify (@strewnify) <a href="https://twitter.com/strewnify/status/1279780736502059009?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 5, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Fireballs are a common event in the sky, but this one was different owing to the sonic boom it produced. According to the National Astronomical Observatory, fireballs are observed every month, but the sound is unusual!

A similar event took place in Russia in 2013, which destroyed thousands of windows in the city of Chelyabinsk and was probably 20-30 times bigger than this rock.

A boom was heard in the skies of Tokyo on Thursday morning. At the same time, a bright and purple object was seen whirling towards the city. According to media reports, the object could be seen in the sky for a few seconds at 2.

A boom was heard in the skies of Tokyo on Thursday morning. At the same time, a bright and purple object was seen whirling towards the city. According to media reports, the object could be seen in the sky for a few seconds at 2.30 AM local time. Described by many as a green and purple hue flying in the sky, the blaze fizzled out after a few seconds. A bright meteor crossed the sky last night above Tokyo, with many saying they heard a loud explosion. The National Astronomical Observatory said it is rare for people to hear anything from a Meteor sighting. ☄#meteor#Fireball#Tokyo#FridayThoughts pic.twitter.com/rzBs5h2HMb — ~Marietta✌ (@_MariettaDavis) July 3, 2020 × A local tweeted that he thought the person living on the floor above his had dropped something huge, like a shelf, when he heard the noise. A sonic boom accompanied the blaze, which lit up the night sky in the city. #Fireball in news, sighted by many living in #Tokyo, Japan🇯🇵 1st July 2020 ~ 17:30 GMT, detected acoustically by #IMS Infrasound stations I45RU & I44RU at distances of approximately 1100km & 2300km, respectively. Latest signal enhancement techniques used by #IDC in analysis: pic.twitter.com/vhqHWhlWWg — Lassina Zerbo (@SinaZerbo) July 3, 2020 × Scientists believe that it may have been a small asteroid which entered our atmosphere briefly. Its footprint was picked up by infrasound monitoring stations around the world, which are overseen by the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization. According to the International Meteor Organization (IMO), the object could be seen in Japan’s Kanto region. Massive energy What’s even more alarming is the energy produced by the object. According to IMO’s blog post on the object, it produced energy amounting to over 165 tonnes or 150 metric tonnes of TNT! "We were able to calculate a source energy of the entering asteroid of about (165 tons or 150 metric tonnes) of TNT," the post said. The follow-up conducted by the IMO claimed that the rock had a diameter of 1.6 metres and a mass of 1.6 metric tonnes. Tokyo, JAPAN – July 2, 2020, 2:32 AM local time, U.S. Government sensors detected a large meteor fireball travelling ENE at 14.1 km/s, ending near Tokyo, above the Chiba Prefecture. Total atmospheric impact energy was equivalent to 165 tonnes of TNT! https://t.co/rGFHml6cml pic.twitter.com/jbxa90njLB — Strewnify (@strewnify) July 5, 2020 × Fireballs are a common event in the sky, but this one was different owing to the sonic boom it produced. According to the National Astronomical Observatory, fireballs are observed every month, but the sound is unusual! A similar event took place in Russia in 2013, which destroyed thousands of windows in the city of Chelyabinsk and was probably 20-30 times bigger than this rock.

A blazing fireball produced a sonic boom in Tokyo skies, leaving residents confused!

Human speech evolved from chimpanzee "lip smacking", a new study by UK scientists has concluded after drawing a connection between the rhythm of the lip-smacks and spoken language.

A consortium of researchers led by the University of Warwick found that the rhythm of chimpanzee lip-smacks exhibit a speech-like signature after studying two captive and two wild populations of chimpanzees.

The study published in the journal 'Biology Letters' used video recordings collected at Edinburgh Zoo in Scotland and Leipzig Zoo in Germany as well as recordings of wild apes in Uganda.

"Our results prove that spoken language was pulled together within our ancestral lineage using 'ingredients' that were already available and in use by other primates and hominids," said Dr Adriano Lameira, from the Department of Psychology at the University of Warwick.

"This dispels much of the scientific enigma that language evolution has represented so far. We can also be reassured that our ignorance has been partly a consequence of our huge underestimation of the vocal and cognitive capacities of our great ape cousins," he said.

In all languages people open and shut their mouths between two and seven times a second, which seems to be a key facet of communication in every language. The latest research, captured in a paper entitled "Chimpanzee lip-smacks confirm primate continuity for speech-rhythm evolution', adds to similar results seen in other apes.

"Orangutans babble, gibbons sing " all with this rhythm," said Lameira.

He and his colleagues argue that this implies we inherited the trait from a common ancestor. And while most descendants use it as a general form of interaction, one particular ape added more complex sounds and grammar and it became language. It shows that to speak humans appropriated this animal instinct, which helps with understanding how speech came to be.

Geoffrey Pullum, from the University of Edinburgh, said: "It is quite plausible that rhythmic organisation of vocal gestures might be, to some extent, among the capabilities of great apes, and necessary for any development of linguistic capabilities. But the distance from rhythmic organisation of vocal gestures to language is huge."

The latest findings support the hypothesis that speech recruited ancient primate rhythmic signals and suggest that multi-site studies may still reveal new windows of understanding about these signals' use and production along the evolutionary timeline of speech.

Human speech evolved from chimpanzee "lip smacking", a new study by UK scientists has concluded after drawing a connection between the rhythm of the lip-smacks and spoken language.

Human speech evolved from chimpanzee "lip smacking", a new study by UK scientists has concluded after drawing a connection between the rhythm of the lip-smacks and spoken language. A consortium of researchers led by the University of Warwick found that the rhythm of chimpanzee lip-smacks exhibit a speech-like signature after studying two captive and two wild populations of chimpanzees. The study published in the journal 'Biology Letters' used video recordings collected at Edinburgh Zoo in Scotland and Leipzig Zoo in Germany as well as recordings of wild apes in Uganda. "Our results prove that spoken language was pulled together within our ancestral lineage using 'ingredients' that were already available and in use by other primates and hominids," said Dr Adriano Lameira, from the Department of Psychology at the University of Warwick. "This dispels much of the scientific enigma that language evolution has represented so far. We can also be reassured that our ignorance has been partly a consequence of our huge underestimation of the vocal and cognitive capacities of our great ape cousins," he said. In all languages people open and shut their mouths between two and seven times a second, which seems to be a key facet of communication in every language. The latest research, captured in a paper entitled "Chimpanzee lip-smacks confirm primate continuity for speech-rhythm evolution', adds to similar results seen in other apes. "Orangutans babble, gibbons sing " all with this rhythm," said Lameira. He and his colleagues argue that this implies we inherited the trait from a common ancestor. And while most descendants use it as a general form of interaction, one particular ape added more complex sounds and grammar and it became language. It shows that to speak humans appropriated this animal instinct, which helps with understanding how speech came to be. Geoffrey Pullum, from the University of Edinburgh, said: "It is quite plausible that rhythmic organisation of vocal gestures might be, to some extent, among the capabilities of great apes, and necessary for any development of linguistic capabilities. But the distance from rhythmic organisation of vocal gestures to language is huge." The latest findings support the hypothesis that speech recruited ancient primate rhythmic signals and suggest that multi-site studies may still reveal new windows of understanding about these signals' use and production along the evolutionary timeline of speech.

UK scientists link chimpanzee lip-smacking to human speech

Images taken by an European observatory claim to show a new planet being formed. WION's Executive Editor Palki Sharma Upadhyay gets you a report on this historic development.

Gravitas: Is a new planet on its way?

Turns out, we all came from a critter!

Scientists recently discovered one of the earliest ancestors of life as we know it: a wormlike critter, scientifically named Ikaria Wariootia, which translated into “meeting place”, Newsweek reported.

The Ikaria was a bilaterian, ie, having symmetrical left and right sides as a body, just like most of the living beings, including humans. Bilaterian beings have two openings on either side of the body, connected by a gut.

Only a handful of living beings are not considered bilaterian, including comb jellies and cnidarians. Based on the research undertaken by Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, this bilateral bodily symmetry is one of the underlying facets of evolution as we know it.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://wionews.com/science-technology/mystery-of-lifespan-gap-between-sexes-solved-scientists-284154" hreflang="en">Mystery of lifespan gap between sexes solved: Scientists</a>

About 600 million years ago, simple organisms evolved into more complex lifeforms.

Earlier, the organisms resembled sponges, and had no mouth and gut, hence not bilaterian. The organism then was simple with only basic sensory inhibitions.

The evidence of such organisms was found in burrows, ie, the patterns left behind by such organisms on surfaces owing to their movements.

As 3D scanning gets more sophisticated, a dozen more such burrows have been in South Australia. "This is what evolutionary biologists predicted," Mary Droser, Professor of Geology at the University of California Riverside, said in a statement.

"It's really exciting that what we have found lines up so neatly with their prediction."

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://wionews.com/world/all-modern-humans-possess-neanderthal-dna-study-278329" hreflang="en">All modern humans possess Neanderthal DNA: Study</a>

In fact, the Ikaria is very small in size, with a maximum length of 6.7 millimetres and a maximum width of 2.4 millimeters.&nbsp;

Researchers posit that their largest size did not exceed 7 millimetres, making them as big as a grain of rice.

The shape left behind by them in the burrows explains their movement, which is somewhat similar to contemporary worms, who use their muscles to trigger movement.

Even though the organism may come off as simple, it was quite complex for its time. Using their senses, the organisms could dig into the seabed to find food. Data suggests that the organisms had a mouth, a gut, and an anus.

Turns out, we all came from a critter! Scientists recently discovered one of the earliest ancestors of life as we know it: a wormlike critter, scientifically named Ikaria Wariootia, which translated into “meeting place”, Newsweek reported.

Turns out, we all came from a critter! Scientists recently discovered one of the earliest ancestors of life as we know it: a wormlike critter, scientifically named Ikaria Wariootia, which translated into “meeting place”, Newsweek reported. The Ikaria was a bilaterian, ie, having symmetrical left and right sides as a body, just like most of the living beings, including humans. Bilaterian beings have two openings on either side of the body, connected by a gut. Only a handful of living beings are not considered bilaterian, including comb jellies and cnidarians. Based on the research undertaken by Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, this bilateral bodily symmetry is one of the underlying facets of evolution as we know it. Also read: Mystery of lifespan gap between sexes solved: Scientists About 600 million years ago, simple organisms evolved into more complex lifeforms. Earlier, the organisms resembled sponges, and had no mouth and gut, hence not bilaterian. The organism then was simple with only basic sensory inhibitions. The evidence of such organisms was found in burrows, ie, the patterns left behind by such organisms on surfaces owing to their movements. As 3D scanning gets more sophisticated, a dozen more such burrows have been in South Australia. "This is what evolutionary biologists predicted," Mary Droser, Professor of Geology at the University of California Riverside, said in a statement. "It's really exciting that what we have found lines up so neatly with their prediction." Also read: All modern humans possess Neanderthal DNA: Study In fact, the Ikaria is very small in size, with a maximum length of 6.7 millimetres and a maximum width of 2.4 millimeters. Researchers posit that their largest size did not exceed 7 millimetres, making them as big as a grain of rice. The shape left behind by them in the burrows explains their movement, which is somewhat similar to contemporary worms, who use their muscles to trigger movement. Even though the organism may come off as simple, it was quite complex for its time. Using their senses, the organisms could dig into the seabed to find food. Data suggests that the organisms had a mouth, a gut, and an anus.

Have scientists found the ancestor of all living beings?

As archeologists explore more and more of the land, they are finding more and more artifacts of Mayan civilizations underground in the waters of what they have termed the "Great Mayan Aquifer."

Underwater ancient Mayan sites in Mexico to be protected, investigated

A robot bartender began serving drinks in a Tokyo pub this month, in a trial that could signal the start of an automation wave to sweep through restaurants and other industries struggling to hire workers in an ageing Japan.

Tokyo's robot bartender begins mixing cocktails as Japan looks towards automation

Here is all that you need to know about ISRO’s first half-humanoid, Vyommitra. She will be sent to unmanned space mission in December 2020 on Gaganyaan. Watch to know more.

Meet Vyommitra, India's first female humanoid robot

The European Commission has announced plans to ban the use of facial recognition in public areas for at least five years.

According to the officials, regulators want to stop the technology from being misused, BBC reported.

The facial recognition technology is mostly used by police forces around the world to curate watch lists, based on the CCTV footage.

According to BBC, exceptions will be made in this regard for reasons pertaining to security, research, and development.

In an 18-page document, the European Commission suggested new rules within existing regulations about privacy and data rights.

The Commission has suggested the creation of an authority to monitor new rules. Within the dictate of the proposal, rules will be imposed on both the developers and users of artificial intelligence.&nbsp;

<h6><img alt="facial" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0b3d592e-fe32-4ee1-be8d-f782f20c5f0d" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%283%29_32.jpg" /> 
Image: AI (artificial intelligence) security cameras with facial recognition technology are seen at the 14th China International Exhibition on Public Safety and Security at the China International Exhibition Center in Beijing on October 24, 2019 | AFP 
&nbsp;</h6>

The ban is expected to last between three and five years, and as BBC reported is "a sound methodology for assessing the impacts of this technology and possible risk management measures could be identified and developed".

There has major global outcry over the use of artificial intelligence and the role played by facial recognition and the data it gathers. Campaigners in the UK want the police to stop using facial recognition for public surveillance.

Recently, King’s Cross, a major rail hub, was at the centre of controversy when it was found that the owners were employing recognition technology without the informed consent of the public.&nbsp;

Many activists and campaigners feel that the facial technology, as it exists presently, is only partially accurate, highly intrusive and circumvents many fundamental rights guaranteed to citizens across democracies, like the right to privacy. &nbsp;

BBC reported that a recent study found facial recognition algorithms are racially incongruent. For clarity, the technology less accurate at identifying black and Asian faces compared with white faces.

<h6><img alt="facial" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="45bebe0b-f01d-45c0-8812-ca57de10478a" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%284%29_19.jpg" /> 
Image: A construction worker walks past facial recognition screens at the entrance to the terminal building of the new Beijing Daxing International Airport, in Beijing on March 1, 2019 | AFP 
&nbsp;</h6>

China has been stepping up its public surveillance programmes with the help of facial recognition technologies. For instance, recently, the government had been tracking certain people in Shanghai's pharmacies for buying certain drugs.

As part of this scheme, people who intend to buy certain medicines, such as ones with psychotropic substances, will be forced to verify their identity using facial recognition technology.&nbsp;

China has been clamping down on drugs and this is the latest move in its aspiration to halt the production of illegal drugs.&nbsp;

And even though the West has shown reservations with facial recognition technology, China has embraced it with open arms.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/racial-bias-found-in-facial-recognition-tools-us-government-study-269383">Racial bias found in facial recognition tools: US government study</a>

The European Commission has announced plans to ban the use of facial recognition in public areas for at least five years. According to the officials, regulators want to stop the technology from being misused, BBC reported.

The European Commission has announced plans to ban the use of facial recognition in public areas for at least five years. According to the officials, regulators want to stop the technology from being misused, BBC reported. The facial recognition technology is mostly used by police forces around the world to curate watch lists, based on the CCTV footage. According to BBC, exceptions will be made in this regard for reasons pertaining to security, research, and development. In an 18-page document, the European Commission suggested new rules within existing regulations about privacy and data rights. The Commission has suggested the creation of an authority to monitor new rules. Within the dictate of the proposal, rules will be imposed on both the developers and users of artificial intelligence. Image: AI (artificial intelligence) security cameras with facial recognition technology are seen at the 14th China International Exhibition on Public Safety and Security at the China International Exhibition Center in Beijing on October 24, 2019 | AFP The ban is expected to last between three and five years, and as BBC reported is "a sound methodology for assessing the impacts of this technology and possible risk management measures could be identified and developed". There has major global outcry over the use of artificial intelligence and the role played by facial recognition and the data it gathers. Campaigners in the UK want the police to stop using facial recognition for public surveillance. Recently, King’s Cross, a major rail hub, was at the centre of controversy when it was found that the owners were employing recognition technology without the informed consent of the public. Many activists and campaigners feel that the facial technology, as it exists presently, is only partially accurate, highly intrusive and circumvents many fundamental rights guaranteed to citizens across democracies, like the right to privacy. BBC reported that a recent study found facial recognition algorithms are racially incongruent. For clarity, the technology less accurate at identifying black and Asian faces compared with white faces. Image: A construction worker walks past facial recognition screens at the entrance to the terminal building of the new Beijing Daxing International Airport, in Beijing on March 1, 2019 | AFP China has been stepping up its public surveillance programmes with the help of facial recognition technologies. For instance, recently, the government had been tracking certain people in Shanghai's pharmacies for buying certain drugs. As part of this scheme, people who intend to buy certain medicines, such as ones with psychotropic substances, will be forced to verify their identity using facial recognition technology. China has been clamping down on drugs and this is the latest move in its aspiration to halt the production of illegal drugs. And even though the West has shown reservations with facial recognition technology, China has embraced it with open arms. Also read: Racial bias found in facial recognition tools: US government study

European Union considering five-year ban on facial recognition technology at public places

Thirty-six year-old Vallejo has worked with volcanoes at the Geophysical Institute of the National Polytechnic School for the last 13 years, where she is also a teacher. Her observations serve for the development and updating of risk maps.

Ecuadorean vulcanologist studies Reventador's explosive eruptions

SpaceX launched its third batch of 60 Starlink satellites on Monday (January 6), the first of its 2020 push to get 1.5k satellites into space to become operational before year's end.

SpaceX launches first batch of 2020 Starlink satellites

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the fifth India International Science Festival at 4 pm on Tuesday and address a gathering in Kolkata through video conferencing.

The announcement was tweeted by the Prime Minister`s Office (PMO).

"The prime objective of the festival is to instill scientific temper among people, showcase India`s contribution in the field of science and technology and encourage translation of its benefits to people. It aims to build a strategy for inclusive advancement of science and technology," the PMO tweeted.

"Thus, the theme for this year`s festival is RISEN India - Research, Innovation, and Science Empowering the Nation," it said in a follow-up tweet.

Minister for Science and Technology, Earth Sciences and Health and Family Welfare, Dr Harsh Vardhan, along with several other Cabinet ministers and state science and technology ministers, dignitaries, scientists, academicians and government officials will be part of the event that will be held from November 5 to 8, according to an official statement.

The India International Science Festival (IISF) 2019 is an annual event organised jointly by the science and technology-related ministries and Departments of the Government of India and Vijnana Bharati (Vibha), which is being held in Kolkata this year.

This is the fifth edition since its inception in 2015.

"IISF-2019 is a festival to celebrate the achievements of India`s scientific and technological advancements with students, innovators, craftsmen, farmers, scientists and technocrats from India and abroad," the statement said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the fifth India International Science Festival at 4 pm on Tuesday and address a gathering in Kolkata through video conferencing.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the fifth India International Science Festival at 4 pm on Tuesday and address a gathering in Kolkata through video conferencing. The announcement was tweeted by the Prime Minister`s Office (PMO). "The prime objective of the festival is to instill scientific temper among people, showcase India`s contribution in the field of science and technology and encourage translation of its benefits to people. It aims to build a strategy for inclusive advancement of science and technology," the PMO tweeted. "Thus, the theme for this year`s festival is RISEN India - Research, Innovation, and Science Empowering the Nation," it said in a follow-up tweet. Minister for Science and Technology, Earth Sciences and Health and Family Welfare, Dr Harsh Vardhan, along with several other Cabinet ministers and state science and technology ministers, dignitaries, scientists, academicians and government officials will be part of the event that will be held from November 5 to 8, according to an official statement. The India International Science Festival (IISF) 2019 is an annual event organised jointly by the science and technology-related ministries and Departments of the Government of India and Vijnana Bharati (Vibha), which is being held in Kolkata this year. This is the fifth edition since its inception in 2015. "IISF-2019 is a festival to celebrate the achievements of India`s scientific and technological advancements with students, innovators, craftsmen, farmers, scientists and technocrats from India and abroad," the statement said.

PM Modi to inaugurate 5th India International Science Festival

Diwali, the festival of lights, is just around the corner; and while all of us must stay away from crackers, there's no harm in pampering our loved ones with some gifts! Here&nbsp;we hand-pick some of the best products in our tech gift guide! So get set, there are plenty of options to suit all kinds of budgets coming your way.

<h3>Under Rs 5000</h3>

Are you looking to buy a present under 5,000 rupees? Here's a list of four gadgets that cost about that much. These quirky yet handy devices are sure to make Diwali more memorable for the lucky receivers.

Xech iSoothe eye massager 
This gift idea is for those who spend a lot of time peering into screens. The Xech iSoothe is an automated massager for the eyes. It claims to relax and rejuvenate tired eyes within minutes. Priced at Rs 4,999, it is designed by an Indian company Xech. The headset looks sturdy and has a good build quality. Also, the controls are neatly placed on one side. It is comfortable to wear and the foldable design makes it portable. Xech iSoothe massages the area around the eyes and forehead and stimulates blockages. The user can feel the&nbsp;difference within ten&nbsp;minutes. It uses a combination of intelligent air pressure, vibration techniques, and gentle infrared heat to soothe away stress, strain and aches. The iSoothe comes with five different massage modes, automatic, fresh, smart, lenses and sleep mode. Users can choose the mode as per their requirement. And that’s not all, it comes with embedded speakers which means you can enjoy music along with the massage.

Carvaan Go 
This one is for those who love the golden era Hindi songs. The Carvaan Go is the most compact music player Saregama has released so far. Like other Carvaan audio players, this one can also play your favourite evergreen Hindi songs, but its USP is that it’s portable, lightweight and slim; which means you can easily slip it into your pocket and take it wherever you go which makes it the true companion for travellers. Encased in a metal body, the Carvaan Go has premium looks. &nbsp;There are a few buttons to control the different features of the device and they are neatly designed and aesthetically placed. It is priced at Rs 3,990. The Carvaan Go comes pre-loaded with 3000 evergreen Hindi songs from celebrated artists like Lata Mangeshkar, Kishore Kumar, and Mohammed Rafi.

Songs are categorised not just by the name of the singers but also, as per moods such as happy, sad or romantic. It also has 50 curated playlists to match your activities like driving, walking and travelling. The Carvaan go also includes FM, as well as a MicroSD card slot so that you can tune into your own playlists too. The user also can easily connect the player to earphones or external speakers via Bluetooth and Aux.

We say it’s a good gift item for those who love to collect all things retro.

Mi soundbar 
Next up in our list is Xiaomi's Mi soundbar, which is touted to offer a home theatre-like experience at an affordable price. Priced at Rs 4,999, the Mi Soundbar has a slim and minimalistic design and you can either mount it on the wall or just keep it on a table; either way, it nicely blends with the aesthetics of the living room. This compact soundbar includes multiple connectivity options such as Bluetooth, S/PDIF, aux-in, and line-in connectivity ports that allow you to connect it to any television or mobile device. Not just the design, the audio quality is also very good and gives the surround sound experience. The Mi Soundbar can be a good addition to your friend’s living room this Diwali.

Shifu Plugo 
Our gift guide isn’t just about adults, we have something in store for kids also. An augmented reality-based educational toy, Shifu Plugo can turn electronic devices into a great source of learning. It comes with different types of gaming kits and it’s targetted at children over the age of five. The price of this toy is Rs 2,499. Shifu Plugo is also very easy to set up. Just download the Plugo app unfold and set the gamepad, which houses a magnetic area to play games; and then just attach a compatible tablet or a smartphone.

Shifu Plugo allows children to play different games, such as the link game, which comes with hexagon-shaped building blocks. It's fun and challenging at the same time. There are several games too that are compatible with this kit. The Shifu Plugo claims to improve children’s logical reasoning, boost their mental abilities, and enhance their problem-solving skills. Quite a fun way to brighten up Diwali for children.

Under Rs 10,000

Huami Amazfit GTR 
There are many smartwatches available under 10,000 rupees, but the Huami Amazfit GTR is the one that ticks all the right boxes. In terms of design, the watch has very premium looks. The dial is made of aluminium and gives quite elegant looks. It is also slim and doesn't weigh much which makes it comfortable to wear for long hours. The watch is priced at Rs 9,999. The display of this watch is another highlight. It has a 1.2-inch AMOLED screen which is a treat to the eyes. The display is vibrant, highly responsive and offers a smooth experience. Most importantly, it’s visible in bright sunlight!

That’s about the look and feel.&nbsp;Huami Amazfit GTR is simple to use; just install the Amazfit app to pair the watch with your phone. Once that's done you can access all the data of the watch with the phone. Like many other smartwatches, the Amazfit GTR uses a set of sensors to track the number of steps, calories burned, heart rate and sleep patterns. It not only records but also offers smart analysis of all the activities undertaken. Also, you can receive call alerts and read messages on the watch. The user can also personalise the watch before strapping it on your wrist as it comes with a hundred watch faces to give you plenty of variety.

The battery life is also good. It can last for around a week with basic usage. The Amazfit GTR is also water-resistant which is a pleasant surprise for a watch at this price range. It is water-resistant to a depth of 50 metres which means and can be used for activities like swimming and snorkelling. 
 
Skullcandy Indy 
Wireless earbuds are all the rage these days. So why not surprise a loved one with a wireless audio device? Like most wireless earbuds, the Indy comes with its own storage case that doubles up as a charger. All you need is a micro USB cable. The sound quality is good and loud enough with decent bass. Its noise cancellation is also excellent.

It scores a perfect ten when it comes to comfort. The fit is snug enough to keep the buds in place without being tight. The case is pretty handy and lightweight and will fit easily in a small bag, or even a trouser pocket. You’ll keep looking for buttons on the earbuds and the case, but there are none as it has the tap technology. You can change songs, adjust volume, and manage calls just by tapping your earbuds. How minimalist is that!

The earbuds' battery lasts for around 3-4 hours. All in all, these wireless earbuds make a good present.

Under Rs 20,000

Fujifilm Instax Share SP-2 smartphone printer 
If you have dear ones who love to collect photographs, this would be a thoughtful gift. The Fujifilm Instax Share SP-2 smartphone printer can print smartphone photos with ease, to bring those heartwarming moments to life. The instant printer has a neat design with a few buttons. Just like a regular printer, it has a separate compartment to accommodate print sheets and outlet that dispenses the printed photos.

The led lights near the dispenser will update you about the number of sheets left inside. The printer is it’s light-weight and easy to use and it can be paired with your phone via wifi. Photos can be printed from the phone’s gallery or from social media accounts like Instagram and Facebook. The printer gives good photo quality and reasonably detailed. The colours and contrast are good as well. It is priced at Rs 13,499. All in all, we think the printer is value for money.

Kent CamEye 
Kent CamEye is an interesting product for your car. The device aims to ensure the safety of the vehicle as well as the passengers. The device has two cameras, one on each side, that record everything that's happening both inside and outside of the car while the entire footage is live-streamed to your phone. Since it's always on, Kent CamEye live-streams videos to your phone and keeps you up to date with the whereabouts of the car.

It also alerts you if your driver is being rash, over-speeding, or taking intentional detours for personal work. It also alerts you if the driver sleeps in the car with the AC on. The CamEye combines the work of a dash-cam, and a GPS tracker, making for a neat safety device. The security camera offers a lot of features and they work smoothly. It is also very easy to pair it with your phone. The CamEye is priced at 17,999 rupees and comes with a free subscription of 3 months.

&nbsp;

Diwali, the festival of lights, is just around the corner; and while all of us must stay away from crackers, there's no harm in pampering our loved ones with some gifts!

Diwali, the festival of lights, is just around the corner; and while all of us must stay away from crackers, there's no harm in pampering our loved ones with some gifts! Here we hand-pick some of the best products in our tech gift guide! So get set, there are plenty of options to suit all kinds of budgets coming your way. Under Rs 5000 Are you looking to buy a present under 5,000 rupees? Here's a list of four gadgets that cost about that much. These quirky yet handy devices are sure to make Diwali more memorable for the lucky receivers. Xech iSoothe eye massager This gift idea is for those who spend a lot of time peering into screens. The Xech iSoothe is an automated massager for the eyes. It claims to relax and rejuvenate tired eyes within minutes. Priced at Rs 4,999, it is designed by an Indian company Xech. The headset looks sturdy and has a good build quality. Also, the controls are neatly placed on one side. It is comfortable to wear and the foldable design makes it portable. Xech iSoothe massages the area around the eyes and forehead and stimulates blockages. The user can feel the difference within ten minutes. It uses a combination of intelligent air pressure, vibration techniques, and gentle infrared heat to soothe away stress, strain and aches. The iSoothe comes with five different massage modes, automatic, fresh, smart, lenses and sleep mode. Users can choose the mode as per their requirement. And that’s not all, it comes with embedded speakers which means you can enjoy music along with the massage. Carvaan Go This one is for those who love the golden era Hindi songs. The Carvaan Go is the most compact music player Saregama has released so far. Like other Carvaan audio players, this one can also play your favourite evergreen Hindi songs, but its USP is that it’s portable, lightweight and slim; which means you can easily slip it into your pocket and take it wherever you go which makes it the true companion for travellers. Encased in a metal body, the Carvaan Go has premium looks. There are a few buttons to control the different features of the device and they are neatly designed and aesthetically placed. It is priced at Rs 3,990. The Carvaan Go comes pre-loaded with 3000 evergreen Hindi songs from celebrated artists like Lata Mangeshkar, Kishore Kumar, and Mohammed Rafi. Songs are categorised not just by the name of the singers but also, as per moods such as happy, sad or romantic. It also has 50 curated playlists to match your activities like driving, walking and travelling. The Carvaan go also includes FM, as well as a MicroSD card slot so that you can tune into your own playlists too. The user also can easily connect the player to earphones or external speakers via Bluetooth and Aux. We say it’s a good gift item for those who love to collect all things retro. Mi soundbar Next up in our list is Xiaomi's Mi soundbar, which is touted to offer a home theatre-like experience at an affordable price. Priced at Rs 4,999, the Mi Soundbar has a slim and minimalistic design and you can either mount it on the wall or just keep it on a table; either way, it nicely blends with the aesthetics of the living room. This compact soundbar includes multiple connectivity options such as Bluetooth, S/PDIF, aux-in, and line-in connectivity ports that allow you to connect it to any television or mobile device. Not just the design, the audio quality is also very good and gives the surround sound experience. The Mi Soundbar can be a good addition to your friend’s living room this Diwali. Shifu Plugo Our gift guide isn’t just about adults, we have something in store for kids also. An augmented reality-based educational toy, Shifu Plugo can turn electronic devices into a great source of learning. It comes with different types of gaming kits and it’s targetted at children over the age of five. The price of this toy is Rs 2,499. Shifu Plugo is also very easy to set up. Just download the Plugo app unfold and set the gamepad, which houses a magnetic area to play games; and then just attach a compatible tablet or a smartphone. Shifu Plugo allows children to play different games, such as the link game, which comes with hexagon-shaped building blocks. It's fun and challenging at the same time. There are several games too that are compatible with this kit. The Shifu Plugo claims to improve children’s logical reasoning, boost their mental abilities, and enhance their problem-solving skills. Quite a fun way to brighten up Diwali for children. Under Rs 10,000 Huami Amazfit GTR There are many smartwatches available under 10,000 rupees, but the Huami Amazfit GTR is the one that ticks all the right boxes. In terms of design, the watch has very premium looks. The dial is made of aluminium and gives quite elegant looks. It is also slim and doesn't weigh much which makes it comfortable to wear for long hours. The watch is priced at Rs 9,999. The display of this watch is another highlight. It has a 1.2-inch AMOLED screen which is a treat to the eyes. The display is vibrant, highly responsive and offers a smooth experience. Most importantly, it’s visible in bright sunlight! That’s about the look and feel. Huami Amazfit GTR is simple to use; just install the Amazfit app to pair the watch with your phone. Once that's done you can access all the data of the watch with the phone. Like many other smartwatches, the Amazfit GTR uses a set of sensors to track the number of steps, calories burned, heart rate and sleep patterns. It not only records but also offers smart analysis of all the activities undertaken. Also, you can receive call alerts and read messages on the watch. The user can also personalise the watch before strapping it on your wrist as it comes with a hundred watch faces to give you plenty of variety. The battery life is also good. It can last for around a week with basic usage. The Amazfit GTR is also water-resistant which is a pleasant surprise for a watch at this price range. It is water-resistant to a depth of 50 metres which means and can be used for activities like swimming and snorkelling. Skullcandy Indy Wireless earbuds are all the rage these days. So why not surprise a loved one with a wireless audio device? Like most wireless earbuds, the Indy comes with its own storage case that doubles up as a charger. All you need is a micro USB cable. The sound quality is good and loud enough with decent bass. Its noise cancellation is also excellent. It scores a perfect ten when it comes to comfort. The fit is snug enough to keep the buds in place without being tight. The case is pretty handy and lightweight and will fit easily in a small bag, or even a trouser pocket. You’ll keep looking for buttons on the earbuds and the case, but there are none as it has the tap technology. You can change songs, adjust volume, and manage calls just by tapping your earbuds. How minimalist is that! The earbuds' battery lasts for around 3-4 hours. All in all, these wireless earbuds make a good present. Under Rs 20,000 Fujifilm Instax Share SP-2 smartphone printer If you have dear ones who love to collect photographs, this would be a thoughtful gift. The Fujifilm Instax Share SP-2 smartphone printer can print smartphone photos with ease, to bring those heartwarming moments to life. The instant printer has a neat design with a few buttons. Just like a regular printer, it has a separate compartment to accommodate print sheets and outlet that dispenses the printed photos. The led lights near the dispenser will update you about the number of sheets left inside. The printer is it’s light-weight and easy to use and it can be paired with your phone via wifi. Photos can be printed from the phone’s gallery or from social media accounts like Instagram and Facebook. The printer gives good photo quality and reasonably detailed. The colours and contrast are good as well. It is priced at Rs 13,499. All in all, we think the printer is value for money. Kent CamEye Kent CamEye is an interesting product for your car. The device aims to ensure the safety of the vehicle as well as the passengers. The device has two cameras, one on each side, that record everything that's happening both inside and outside of the car while the entire footage is live-streamed to your phone. Since it's always on, Kent CamEye live-streams videos to your phone and keeps you up to date with the whereabouts of the car. It also alerts you if your driver is being rash, over-speeding, or taking intentional detours for personal work. It also alerts you if the driver sleeps in the car with the AC on. The CamEye combines the work of a dash-cam, and a GPS tracker, making for a neat safety device. The security camera offers a lot of features and they work smoothly. It is also very easy to pair it with your phone. The CamEye is priced at 17,999 rupees and comes with a free subscription of 3 months.

Smartwatch to soundbar: Your complete Diwali gift guide suiting all kinds of budget ranges

Three researchers on Wednesday won the Nobel Chemistry Prize for the development of lithium-ion batteries, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences said.

John Goodenough of the US - at 97 the oldest person to be awarded a Nobel prize - Britain's Stanley Whittingham and Japan's Akira Yoshino will share the $914,000&nbsp;prize sum equally.

"This lightweight, rechargeable and powerful battery is now used in everything from mobile phones to laptops and electric vehicles... (and) can also store significant amounts of energy from solar and wind power, making possible a fossil fuel-free society," the jury said.

"Lithium batteries have revolutionised our lives since they first entered the market in 1991," it said, adding they were "of the greatest benefit to humankind".

The three will receive the prize from King Carl XVI Gustaf at a formal ceremony in Stockholm on December 10, the anniversary of the 1896 death of scientist Alfred Nobel who created the prizes in his last will and testament.

Last year, the honour went to US scientists Frances Arnold and George Smith and British researcher Gregory Winter for developing enzymes used for greener and safer chemistry and antibody drugs with fewer side effects.

Arnold was just the fifth woman to clinch chemistry's most prestigious honour since Marie Curie was honoured in 1911.

This year's Nobel prize season kicked off on Monday with the Medicine Prize awarded to Americans William Kaelin and Gregg Semenza, and Britain's Peter Ratcliffe.

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The 2019 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NobelPrize?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NobelPrize</a> in Chemistry has been awarded to John B. Goodenough, M. Stanley Whittingham and Akira Yoshino “for the development of lithium-ion batteries.” <a href="https://t.co/LUKTeFhUbg">pic.twitter.com/LUKTeFhUbg</a>
— The Nobel Prize (@NobelPrize) <a href="https://twitter.com/NobelPrize/status/1181868876734324737?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 9, 2019</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

Peace Prize on Friday

They won for research into how human cells sense and adapt to changing oxygen levels, opening up new strategies to fight such diseases as cancer and anaemia.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/peebles-mayor-and-queloz-win-2019-nobel-prize-for-physics-254501">On Tuesday, the Physics Prize honoured Canadian-American cosmologist James Peebles and Swiss astronomers Michel Mayor and Didier Queloz for research on how the Universe evolved after the Big Bang, and the first discovery of a planet outside our solar system, known as an exoplanet.</a>

The Literature Prize will follow on Thursday, with two laureates to be crowned after a sexual harassment scandal forced the Swedish Academy to postpone the 2018 award, for the first time in 70 years.

Some names creating a buzz ahead of this year's literature prize are Canadian poet Anne Carson, Kenyan writer Ngugi Wa Thiong'o, Romanian poet and novelist Mircea Cartarescu and Polish writer and activist Olga Tokarczuk.

On Friday the action moves to Norway where the Peace Prize is awarded, with bookies predicting a win for Swedish teen climate activist Greta Thunberg on betting sites such as Ladbrokes.

The Economics Prize will wrap up the Nobel prize season on Monday, October 14.

Three researchers on Wednesday won the Nobel Chemistry Prize for the development of lithium-ion batteries, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences said. John Goodenough of the US - at 97 the oldest person to be awarded a Nobel prize - Britain's Stanley Whittingham and Japan's Akira Yoshino will share the $914,000 prize sum equally.

Three researchers on Wednesday won the Nobel Chemistry Prize for the development of lithium-ion batteries, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences said. John Goodenough of the US - at 97 the oldest person to be awarded a Nobel prize - Britain's Stanley Whittingham and Japan's Akira Yoshino will share the $914,000 prize sum equally. "This lightweight, rechargeable and powerful battery is now used in everything from mobile phones to laptops and electric vehicles... (and) can also store significant amounts of energy from solar and wind power, making possible a fossil fuel-free society," the jury said. "Lithium batteries have revolutionised our lives since they first entered the market in 1991," it said, adding they were "of the greatest benefit to humankind". The three will receive the prize from King Carl XVI Gustaf at a formal ceremony in Stockholm on December 10, the anniversary of the 1896 death of scientist Alfred Nobel who created the prizes in his last will and testament. Last year, the honour went to US scientists Frances Arnold and George Smith and British researcher Gregory Winter for developing enzymes used for greener and safer chemistry and antibody drugs with fewer side effects. Arnold was just the fifth woman to clinch chemistry's most prestigious honour since Marie Curie was honoured in 1911. This year's Nobel prize season kicked off on Monday with the Medicine Prize awarded to Americans William Kaelin and Gregg Semenza, and Britain's Peter Ratcliffe. The 2019 #NobelPrize in Chemistry has been awarded to John B. Goodenough, M. Stanley Whittingham and Akira Yoshino “for the development of lithium-ion batteries.” pic.twitter.com/LUKTeFhUbg — The Nobel Prize (@NobelPrize) October 9, 2019 × Peace Prize on Friday They won for research into how human cells sense and adapt to changing oxygen levels, opening up new strategies to fight such diseases as cancer and anaemia. On Tuesday, the Physics Prize honoured Canadian-American cosmologist James Peebles and Swiss astronomers Michel Mayor and Didier Queloz for research on how the Universe evolved after the Big Bang, and the first discovery of a planet outside our solar system, known as an exoplanet. The Literature Prize will follow on Thursday, with two laureates to be crowned after a sexual harassment scandal forced the Swedish Academy to postpone the 2018 award, for the first time in 70 years. Some names creating a buzz ahead of this year's literature prize are Canadian poet Anne Carson, Kenyan writer Ngugi Wa Thiong'o, Romanian poet and novelist Mircea Cartarescu and Polish writer and activist Olga Tokarczuk. On Friday the action moves to Norway where the Peace Prize is awarded, with bookies predicting a win for Swedish teen climate activist Greta Thunberg on betting sites such as Ladbrokes. The Economics Prize will wrap up the Nobel prize season on Monday, October 14.

US-UK-Japan trio win chemistry Nobel for lithium-ion battery

Scientists James Peebles, Michel Mayor and Didier Queloz won the 2019 Nobel Prize for Physics for ground-breaking work in astronomy, the award-giving body said on Tuesday.

Peebles was awarded half the prize while Mayor and Queloz shared the other half.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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BREAKING NEWS: 
The 2019 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NobelPrize?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NobelPrize</a> in Physics has been awarded with one half to James Peebles “for theoretical discoveries in physical cosmology” and the other half jointly to Michel Mayor and Didier Queloz “for the discovery of an exoplanet orbiting a solar-type star.” <a href="https://t.co/BwwMTwtRFv">pic.twitter.com/BwwMTwtRFv</a>
— The Nobel Prize (@NobelPrize) <a href="https://twitter.com/NobelPrize/status/1181507664582467585?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 8, 2019</a></blockquote>
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"This year's Laureates have transformed our ideas about the cosmos," the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences said on awarding the 9 million Swedish crown ($910,000) prize.

"While James Peebles' theoretical discoveries contributed to our understanding of how the universe evolved after the Big Bang, Michel Mayor and Didier Queloz explored our cosmic neighbourhoods on the hunt for unknown planets. Their discoveries have forever changed our conceptions of the world."

Scientists James Peebles, Michel Mayor and Didier Queloz won the 2019 Nobel Prize for Physics for ground-breaking work in astronomy, the award-giving body said on Tuesday.

Scientists James Peebles, Michel Mayor and Didier Queloz won the 2019 Nobel Prize for Physics for ground-breaking work in astronomy, the award-giving body said on Tuesday. Peebles was awarded half the prize while Mayor and Queloz shared the other half. BREAKING NEWS: The 2019 #NobelPrize in Physics has been awarded with one half to James Peebles “for theoretical discoveries in physical cosmology” and the other half jointly to Michel Mayor and Didier Queloz “for the discovery of an exoplanet orbiting a solar-type star.” pic.twitter.com/BwwMTwtRFv — The Nobel Prize (@NobelPrize) October 8, 2019 × "This year's Laureates have transformed our ideas about the cosmos," the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences said on awarding the 9 million Swedish crown ($910,000) prize. "While James Peebles' theoretical discoveries contributed to our understanding of how the universe evolved after the Big Bang, Michel Mayor and Didier Queloz explored our cosmic neighbourhoods on the hunt for unknown planets. Their discoveries have forever changed our conceptions of the world."

Peebles, Mayor and Queloz win 2019 Nobel Prize for physics

Thousands gathered in Paris on Sunday to protest the government's plan to let single women and lesbians become pregnant with fertility treatments, the country's first major social reform since France legalised gay marriage in 2013.

Waving red and green flags, a crowd marched from the French Senate toward the monolithic Tour Montparnasse skyscraper, chanting "Liberty, Equality, Paternity" -&nbsp;a play on the French motto which ends with "Fraternity."

Many wore the distinctive cone-shaped red Phrygian hats that are a symbol of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/google-cant-escape-copyright-laws-frances-emmanuel-macron-253863">French republic</a>.

Organisers said they hoped 100,000 will turn out against the law, which was approved by the lower house of parliament last month, but officials said they were expecting 10,000 to 20,000 people.

"For two years now our attempts at dialogue have gone nowhere... the street is the only place left for us to be heard," Ludovine de la Rochere, president of the Protest for Everyone association, told journalists Sunday.

President Emmanuel Macron pledged during his 2017 election campaign to push the law despite deep resistance among&nbsp;rightwing opponents as well as conservative Roman Catholics and other religious groups.

They had mobilised massively in 2012 and 2013 against a move by Macron's Socialist predecessor Francois Hollande to legalise marriage for homosexual couples, with one Paris protest attracting 340,000 people according to police.

But that law did not allow lesbian couples or single women to have children via in-vitro fertilisation or other medically assisted means, long a taboo in France.

Many women have instead been forced to go abroad for such treatments, and French courts often refuse to recognise the second mother's maternity rights in the case of same-sex couples.

Under the proposed law, France's healthcare system would cover the cost of the procedure for all women under 43.

It would also allow children conceived with donated sperm to find out the donor's identity when they turn 18, a change from the country's strict donor anonymity protections.

If approved, the law would bring French legislation in line with other European nations including Britain, Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, Ireland, Belgium and Scandinavian countries, which authorise medically assisted procreation for all women.

'Much less divided'

Opponents say the law deprives children of a necessary paternal figure and threatens a traditional family structure, and would open the door to legalising surrogacy, including for gay men.

Protest organisers chartered two high-speed TGV trains and around 100 buses to bring people to Paris on Sunday and said they had distributed some three million flyers against the law in recent weeks.

"The family, with a mother and a father, is an ecosystem that needs protecting," said Christian Kersabiec, 68, who came to the march Sunday from Vannes in Brittany, denouncing "this new society where they play the sorcerer's apprentice."

But analysts say <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/frances-political-class-unites-to-honour-jacques-chirac-at-funeral-service-252898">French society</a> has become more accepting of non-traditional families since the gay marriage law was passed in 2013.

Last week, National Assembly lawmakers voted to make it easier for parents who have children via a surrogate mother abroad, in countries where it is legal, to have them officially recognised in France -- though Macron's government has said it opposes the move.

And an Ifop poll in September found that 68 per cent approved IVF and other medically assisted procreation (MAP) for single women, and 65 per cent for lesbian couples.

"It's hard to predict what will happen Sunday but public opinion is much less divided on MAP than on gay marriage," Frederic Dabi, an Ifop director, told AFP.

Gerard Larcher, the rightwing president of the Senate who protested against the gay marriage law six years ago, is not expected to attend the rally Sunday.

"The people demonstrating will be doing it more out of moral conviction, a sense of duty, rather than to try to make the government back down," said Yann Raison de Cleuziou, a sociologist who has studied the conservative Catholic movement against the family reforms.

Thousands gathered in Paris on Sunday to protest the government's plan to let single women and lesbians become pregnant with fertility treatments, the country's first major social reform since France legalised gay marriage in 2013.

Thousands gathered in Paris on Sunday to protest the government's plan to let single women and lesbians become pregnant with fertility treatments, the country's first major social reform since France legalised gay marriage in 2013. Waving red and green flags, a crowd marched from the French Senate toward the monolithic Tour Montparnasse skyscraper, chanting "Liberty, Equality, Paternity" - a play on the French motto which ends with "Fraternity." Many wore the distinctive cone-shaped red Phrygian hats that are a symbol of the French republic. Organisers said they hoped 100,000 will turn out against the law, which was approved by the lower house of parliament last month, but officials said they were expecting 10,000 to 20,000 people. "For two years now our attempts at dialogue have gone nowhere... the street is the only place left for us to be heard," Ludovine de la Rochere, president of the Protest for Everyone association, told journalists Sunday. President Emmanuel Macron pledged during his 2017 election campaign to push the law despite deep resistance among rightwing opponents as well as conservative Roman Catholics and other religious groups. They had mobilised massively in 2012 and 2013 against a move by Macron's Socialist predecessor Francois Hollande to legalise marriage for homosexual couples, with one Paris protest attracting 340,000 people according to police. But that law did not allow lesbian couples or single women to have children via in-vitro fertilisation or other medically assisted means, long a taboo in France. Many women have instead been forced to go abroad for such treatments, and French courts often refuse to recognise the second mother's maternity rights in the case of same-sex couples. Under the proposed law, France's healthcare system would cover the cost of the procedure for all women under 43. It would also allow children conceived with donated sperm to find out the donor's identity when they turn 18, a change from the country's strict donor anonymity protections. If approved, the law would bring French legislation in line with other European nations including Britain, Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, Ireland, Belgium and Scandinavian countries, which authorise medically assisted procreation for all women. 'Much less divided' Opponents say the law deprives children of a necessary paternal figure and threatens a traditional family structure, and would open the door to legalising surrogacy, including for gay men. Protest organisers chartered two high-speed TGV trains and around 100 buses to bring people to Paris on Sunday and said they had distributed some three million flyers against the law in recent weeks. "The family, with a mother and a father, is an ecosystem that needs protecting," said Christian Kersabiec, 68, who came to the march Sunday from Vannes in Brittany, denouncing "this new society where they play the sorcerer's apprentice." But analysts say French society has become more accepting of non-traditional families since the gay marriage law was passed in 2013. Last week, National Assembly lawmakers voted to make it easier for parents who have children via a surrogate mother abroad, in countries where it is legal, to have them officially recognised in France -- though Macron's government has said it opposes the move. And an Ifop poll in September found that 68 per cent approved IVF and other medically assisted procreation (MAP) for single women, and 65 per cent for lesbian couples. "It's hard to predict what will happen Sunday but public opinion is much less divided on MAP than on gay marriage," Frederic Dabi, an Ifop director, told AFP. Gerard Larcher, the rightwing president of the Senate who protested against the gay marriage law six years ago, is not expected to attend the rally Sunday. "The people demonstrating will be doing it more out of moral conviction, a sense of duty, rather than to try to make the government back down," said Yann Raison de Cleuziou, a sociologist who has studied the conservative Catholic movement against the family reforms.

Thousands protest French IVF law for lesbians, single women

We know what Neanderthals looked like. Now, thanks to ancient DNA, Israeli scientists have unveiled the appearance of another of our ancient relatives.

Very few clues exist about the lives of the Denisovans cousins of Neanderthals who went extinct around 50,000 years ago: three teeth, a pinky bone, and a lower jaw.

But that was enough for researchers at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem to draw conclusions on their appearance.

The mission was challenging, according to Professor Liran Carmel, one of two scientists leading the study.

"It is very difficult to start from DNA sequences and end up with an anatomical profile," he said.

If it were that easy, police around the world would be pulling DNA from crime scenes and drawing up profiles of the suspects, he added.

Instead, he and his team reconstructed the appearance of the Denisovans after three years of examining the patterns of chemical changes in their ancient DNA.

They then compared these motifs to those of the DNA of Neanderthals and modern man.

Using knowledge of human disorders in which genes lose their function for anatomical features, they explored what those differences might mean.

Using this method which Carmel described as "85 per cent reliable" they highlighted 56 differences between the Denisovan and modern man and/or Neanderthals.

"The Denisovan is more similar to Neanderthal than to us because they are evolutionarily closer," he said.

Denisovan skulls were likely wider than those of modern humans or Neanderthals, the study found, and they probably had no chins.

Scientists hope the new technique will allow them to identify skulls discovered in China a few years ago and whose width seems to indicate they might be Denisovans.

Ancient human hybrid

Contemporaries of the Neanderthals, the Denisovans first came to light a decade ago.

A finger bone was unearthed a decade ago in a cave called Denisova in southern Siberia near the Mongolian border.

The tiny bone "belonged to a 13-year-old Denisovan girl, who died in the cave" around&nbsp;70,000 years ago, Carmel explained.

"That pinky bone reopened a whole new chapter in the evolution of man," he said.

Denisovans and Neanderthals branched off some 400,000 to 500,000 years ago into two distinct branches, separate from the Homo Sapiens branch of modern humans.

While Neanderthals travelled from Africa to Europe and West Asia, Denisovans were present in east Asia.

Scientists don't know why these human relatives became extinct, but believe they left some of their genomes to some modern-day men.

Up to six per cent of present-day Melanesians and Aboriginal Australians have Denisovan DNA, according to the Hebrew University.

They are also thought to have transmitted a gene to the Tibetans allowing them to breathe at high altitude.

The fossilised jawbone of a Denisovan found in the mountains of Tibet proves they adapted to live at high altitude at least 160,000 years ago.

The Denisovans may have made tools and even jewellery, new research published in January showed.

Neanderthals migrated into regions where Denisovans lived, said Erella Hovers, a prehistoric archaeology professor at the Hebrew University.

Scientists even found a bone fragment from a young girl born to a Denisovan father and Neanderthal mother, she said.

But, she added, the cultural relationships between the branches of the human family remain unclear.

We know what Neanderthals looked like. Now, thanks to ancient DNA, Israeli scientists have unveiled the appearance of another of our ancient relatives. Very few clues exist about the lives of the Denisovans cousins of Neanderthals who went extinct around 50,000 years ago: three teeth, a pinky bone, and a lower jaw.

We know what Neanderthals looked like. Now, thanks to ancient DNA, Israeli scientists have unveiled the appearance of another of our ancient relatives. Very few clues exist about the lives of the Denisovans cousins of Neanderthals who went extinct around 50,000 years ago: three teeth, a pinky bone, and a lower jaw. But that was enough for researchers at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem to draw conclusions on their appearance. The mission was challenging, according to Professor Liran Carmel, one of two scientists leading the study. "It is very difficult to start from DNA sequences and end up with an anatomical profile," he said. If it were that easy, police around the world would be pulling DNA from crime scenes and drawing up profiles of the suspects, he added. Instead, he and his team reconstructed the appearance of the Denisovans after three years of examining the patterns of chemical changes in their ancient DNA. They then compared these motifs to those of the DNA of Neanderthals and modern man. Using knowledge of human disorders in which genes lose their function for anatomical features, they explored what those differences might mean. Using this method which Carmel described as "85 per cent reliable" they highlighted 56 differences between the Denisovan and modern man and/or Neanderthals. "The Denisovan is more similar to Neanderthal than to us because they are evolutionarily closer," he said. Denisovan skulls were likely wider than those of modern humans or Neanderthals, the study found, and they probably had no chins. Scientists hope the new technique will allow them to identify skulls discovered in China a few years ago and whose width seems to indicate they might be Denisovans. Ancient human hybrid Contemporaries of the Neanderthals, the Denisovans first came to light a decade ago. A finger bone was unearthed a decade ago in a cave called Denisova in southern Siberia near the Mongolian border. The tiny bone "belonged to a 13-year-old Denisovan girl, who died in the cave" around 70,000 years ago, Carmel explained. "That pinky bone reopened a whole new chapter in the evolution of man," he said. Denisovans and Neanderthals branched off some 400,000 to 500,000 years ago into two distinct branches, separate from the Homo Sapiens branch of modern humans. While Neanderthals travelled from Africa to Europe and West Asia, Denisovans were present in east Asia. Scientists don't know why these human relatives became extinct, but believe they left some of their genomes to some modern-day men. Up to six per cent of present-day Melanesians and Aboriginal Australians have Denisovan DNA, according to the Hebrew University. They are also thought to have transmitted a gene to the Tibetans allowing them to breathe at high altitude. The fossilised jawbone of a Denisovan found in the mountains of Tibet proves they adapted to live at high altitude at least 160,000 years ago. The Denisovans may have made tools and even jewellery, new research published in January showed. Neanderthals migrated into regions where Denisovans lived, said Erella Hovers, a prehistoric archaeology professor at the Hebrew University. Scientists even found a bone fragment from a young girl born to a Denisovan father and Neanderthal mother, she said. But, she added, the cultural relationships between the branches of the human family remain unclear.

Israel scientists unveil the appearance of ancient human relative

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-launches-floating-nuclear-reactor-in-arctic-despite-warnings-244918">Russia's world-first floating nuclear power station</a> on Saturday completed a 5,000-kilometre (3,100-mile) Arctic transfer to the country's far east, the Rosatom nuclear agency said.

"The Akademik Lomonosov floating nuclear plant arrived at Pevek, in the autonomous district of Chukotka," where it is to start operating by year-end once connected to the local electricity grid, Rosatom said.

What will be the world's northernmost nuclear power plant left Murmansk in Russia's far north on August 23 after being loaded with combustible nuclear fuel?

The 21-ton, 144-metre (470 feet) long and 30-metre wide platform, which is designed to meet the energy needs of remote communities, was towed into Pevek by a clutch of vessels.

The station houses two 35-megawatt reactors, more in line with the power of nuclear-powered ice breakers than typical new-generation nuclear plants boasting nearer 1,000 MW capacity.

The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russias-floating-nuclear-reactor-ready-for-arctic-operations-environmentalists-concerned-232605">Akademik Lomonosov</a>&nbsp;is to provide energy for around 100,000 people and also power oil platforms as Russia develops extraction of natural resources in a mineral-rich area whose eastern tip is a few dozen kilometres from Alaska.

"It is perhaps a small step towards sustainable development in the Arctic&nbsp;but it's a giant step towards decarbonisation of remote, off-grid zones and a turning point in the global development of small modular nuclear plants," Rosatom head Alexei Likhachev said in a statement.

Environmental groups led by Greenpeace Russia have, however, long criticised the project warning it will have "serious consequences" for a fragile ecosystem in case of storms or accidents.

Greenpeace has warned of the risk of a "nuclear Titanic" and "Chernobyl on ice" and environmental fears were heightened following an August explosion at a nuclear research facility in Russia's far north which saw local radiation levels briefly spike.

The nuclear industry generally has been looking to reinvent itself in a depressed market, notably by producing small-scale, modular reactors with attractive price tags to win over potential new clients.

The industry has been cheered by strong demand notably for nuclear-powered submarines as well as ice-breakers and aircraft carriers, increasingly destined for isolated and infrastructure-poor regions.

Russia's world-first floating nuclear power station on Saturday completed a 5,000-kilometre (3,100-mile) Arctic transfer to the country's far east, the Rosatom nuclear agency said.

Russia's world-first floating nuclear power station on Saturday completed a 5,000-kilometre (3,100-mile) Arctic transfer to the country's far east, the Rosatom nuclear agency said. "The Akademik Lomonosov floating nuclear plant arrived at Pevek, in the autonomous district of Chukotka," where it is to start operating by year-end once connected to the local electricity grid, Rosatom said. What will be the world's northernmost nuclear power plant left Murmansk in Russia's far north on August 23 after being loaded with combustible nuclear fuel? The 21-ton, 144-metre (470 feet) long and 30-metre wide platform, which is designed to meet the energy needs of remote communities, was towed into Pevek by a clutch of vessels. The station houses two 35-megawatt reactors, more in line with the power of nuclear-powered ice breakers than typical new-generation nuclear plants boasting nearer 1,000 MW capacity. The Akademik Lomonosov is to provide energy for around 100,000 people and also power oil platforms as Russia develops extraction of natural resources in a mineral-rich area whose eastern tip is a few dozen kilometres from Alaska. "It is perhaps a small step towards sustainable development in the Arctic but it's a giant step towards decarbonisation of remote, off-grid zones and a turning point in the global development of small modular nuclear plants," Rosatom head Alexei Likhachev said in a statement. Environmental groups led by Greenpeace Russia have, however, long criticised the project warning it will have "serious consequences" for a fragile ecosystem in case of storms or accidents. Greenpeace has warned of the risk of a "nuclear Titanic" and "Chernobyl on ice" and environmental fears were heightened following an August explosion at a nuclear research facility in Russia's far north which saw local radiation levels briefly spike. The nuclear industry generally has been looking to reinvent itself in a depressed market, notably by producing small-scale, modular reactors with attractive price tags to win over potential new clients. The industry has been cheered by strong demand notably for nuclear-powered submarines as well as ice-breakers and aircraft carriers, increasingly destined for isolated and infrastructure-poor regions.

Russia's world-first floating nuclear plant arrives in port

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