The world's longest experiment has been going on for almost 100 years, and yet it has barely scratched the surface. Physicist Thomas Parnell started it in 1927 at the University of Queensland. He poured pitch, a substance that looks solid, but isn't, into a funnel. He used asphalt for the experiment, which is moving, but you cannot see it happening. However, since the stem of the funnel was first cut, only nine drops have fallen. The last one was in 2014, and the tenth one is forming. This experiment offers an important lesson in physics and how even one tiny drop being released changes the entire dynamics of what is going on inside that funnel. To begin with, Parnell took asphalt and heated it until it softened enough to be poured into the funnel. The material was left to cool down for three years.&nbsp;With his experiment, Parnell wanted to show that not everything one sees is as it appears. A solid substance could also behave like a liquid in another form, as is evident in the Pitch experiment. Asphalt can break apart when struck in its hard form, yet it can flow like a liquid when heated, but it displays immense resistance. It is 100 billion times more viscous than water, and two million times more viscous than honey. &nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/94-years-9-drops-worlds-longest-experiment-started-in-1927-and-hasnt-ended-yet-776414">94 years, 9 drops: World's longest experiment started nearly 100 yrs ago and is still on</a><h2>Timeline of drops in the Pitch experiment</h2>The first drop of the pitch fell in December 1938, with the next one in February 1947, the third in April 1954, then in May 1962, the fifth drop in August 1970, the sixth in April 1979, the seventh in July 1988, and the eighth in November 2000. The ninth drop fell in April 2014, and the tenth one has only now started forming, indicating that separation will not happen soon.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/researchers-develop-new-quantum-device-that-turns-electricity-into-sound-at-nanoscale-here-s-how-1777384361024">Researchers develop new quantum device that turns electricity into sound at nanoscale</a><h2>Why is the time between drops increasing?</h2>The time difference between the initial drops was eight to nine years. However, the pitch took 12 years to fall in the year 2000. This gap increased to nearly 14 years the next time around. It has already been 12 years since the last drop came out, and yet the tenth drop is still just taking shape. This increase in time between the pitch fall indicates something about the changing physics inside the glass funnel. Experts say that as the pitch drains out, the pressure forcing it out is decreasing. However, something else happened in that building in the 1980s that probably changed things. Air conditioning was installed, which cooled the air around the pitch funnel. While this drop in temperature doesn't seem like a lot, it is believed to have affected the surroundings measurably enough for the pitch to behave differently.&nbsp;Two scientists - Parnell and John Mainstone - are associated with the Pitch experiment. While Parnell started it, Mainstone brought it to the public eye. However, none of them ever saw a drop fall. The experiment earned Parnell and Mainstone the Ig Nobel prize in physics in 2005. It is a parody of the Nobel Prizes, and is awarded for scientific studies that make you laugh, and then wonder.&nbsp;

The world's longest experiment is nearing the 100-year mark and can go on for many more centuries. The Pitch experiment has witnessed only nine drops, with the time between each of them increasing. Scientists say the physics inside the funnel is changing. 

The world's longest experiment has been going on for almost 100 years, and yet it has barely scratched the surface. Physicist Thomas Parnell started it in 1927 at the University of Queensland. He poured pitch, a substance that looks solid, but isn't, into a funnel. He used asphalt for the experiment, which is moving, but you cannot see it happening. However, since the stem of the funnel was first cut, only nine drops have fallen. The last one was in 2014, and the tenth one is forming. This experiment offers an important lesson in physics and how even one tiny drop being released changes the entire dynamics of what is going on inside that funnel. To begin with, Parnell took asphalt and heated it until it softened enough to be poured into the funnel. The material was left to cool down for three years. With his experiment, Parnell wanted to show that not everything one sees is as it appears. A solid substance could also behave like a liquid in another form, as is evident in the Pitch experiment. Asphalt can break apart when struck in its hard form, yet it can flow like a liquid when heated, but it displays immense resistance. It is 100 billion times more viscous than water, and two million times more viscous than honey. Also Read: 94 years, 9 drops: World's longest experiment started nearly 100 yrs ago and is still on Timeline of drops in the Pitch experiment The first drop of the pitch fell in December 1938, with the next one in February 1947, the third in April 1954, then in May 1962, the fifth drop in August 1970, the sixth in April 1979, the seventh in July 1988, and the eighth in November 2000. The ninth drop fell in April 2014, and the tenth one has only now started forming, indicating that separation will not happen soon. Also Read: Researchers develop new quantum device that turns electricity into sound at nanoscale Why is the time between drops increasing? The time difference between the initial drops was eight to nine years. However, the pitch took 12 years to fall in the year 2000. This gap increased to nearly 14 years the next time around. It has already been 12 years since the last drop came out, and yet the tenth drop is still just taking shape. This increase in time between the pitch fall indicates something about the changing physics inside the glass funnel. Experts say that as the pitch drains out, the pressure forcing it out is decreasing. However, something else happened in that building in the 1980s that probably changed things. Air conditioning was installed, which cooled the air around the pitch funnel. While this drop in temperature doesn't seem like a lot, it is believed to have affected the surroundings measurably enough for the pitch to behave differently. Two scientists - Parnell and John Mainstone - are associated with the Pitch experiment. While Parnell started it, Mainstone brought it to the public eye. However, none of them ever saw a drop fall. The experiment earned Parnell and Mainstone the Ig Nobel prize in physics in 2005. It is a parody of the Nobel Prizes, and is awarded for scientific studies that make you laugh, and then wonder.

The world's longest experiment is nearing the 100-year mark and can go on for many more centuries. The Pitch experiment has witnessed only nine drops, with the time between each of them increasing. Scientists say the physics inside the funnel is changing.&nbsp;

99 years and counting: How an office upgrade further slowed down the world’s slowest experiment

Donald Trump has fired all 22 members of the National Science Board, and this decision could prove ominous for America. An email sent to them on Friday read, "On behalf of President Donald J. Trump,” their positions were "terminated, effective immediately." No explanation was offered for the decision that has shocked scientists across the country. The evisceration of the entire National Science Board could have serious repercussions on the future of scientific endeavours. However, the sudden move could be a way to make way for people who align more closely with the administration's mindset and goals. NSB members are appointed by the president, and each of them holds the position for six years, with the terms overlapping. Notably, according to other members who spoke to Nature News, the board's next meeting was scheduled for May 5, which was about to release a major report that could have shaken the foundation of the scientific community in the United States.<h2>Why the National Science Board story matters</h2> The reason for removing all 22 members has not been revealed. The NSB is an independent advisory board which helps steer the National Science Foundation. It advises the president and Congress on scientific and engineering issues. The board releases a report about every two years for Congress called Science and Engineering Indicators. It provides details on where the United States stands in the fields of &nbsp;R&amp;D, STEM education, and workforce development, and is considered a "gold standard" against which the country's progress in the field is compared with the rest of the world. On May 5, the board was reportedly set to release a report stating that America is falling behind China in the field of science. The terminated board members are worried about the political interference and believe the latest decision is aimed at placing people who align with the administration's goals.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/donald-trump-image-to-appear-in-limited-edition-us-passports-to-mark-america-s-250th-anniversary-1777409380769">Donald Trump image to appear in limited-edition US passports to mark America's 250th Anniversary</a><h2>Trump bulldozed through the National Science Board last year</h2>Experts are angry at the decision to suddenly remove all members of the NSB. Keivan Stassun, a professor of physics and astronomy at Vanderbilt University, was among those terminated. He told The Los Angeles Times that it was “a wholesale evisceration of American leadership in science and technology globally.” Stassun is also the director of the Vanderbilt Initiative in Data-intensive Astrophysics. This is not the first time the Trump administration has made a move on the board. In 2025, it proposed cutting its $9 billion budget by 55 per cent, terminating a huge number of staff members. Hundreds of active research grants were also ended, while new grants started lagging.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-announces-pentagon-ufo-files-release-we-found-many-very-interesting-documents-1776492394923">Trump announces Pentagon UFO files release: ‘We found many very interesting documents’</a><h2>Why was National Science Board members terminated?</h2>&nbsp;The director of the board appointed by Trump resigned, and he later nominated biotech investor Jim O’Neill, who holds no scientific expertise. Roger Beachy, another member who was terminated, believes O’Neill will bring in his own men. This happened with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as well. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr, a known anti-vaxxer, removed all 17 members of a vaccine advisory board and replaced them with unqualified members who shared Kennedy’s anti-vaccine views.

National Science Board members terminated: Donald Trump has removed all 22 members of the board, which acts as a mirror for the country's scientific achievements. The move has come at a time when the board was reportedly going to expose the failings in the system.

Donald Trump has fired all 22 members of the National Science Board, and this decision could prove ominous for America. An email sent to them on Friday read, "On behalf of President Donald J. Trump,” their positions were "terminated, effective immediately." No explanation was offered for the decision that has shocked scientists across the country. The evisceration of the entire National Science Board could have serious repercussions on the future of scientific endeavours. However, the sudden move could be a way to make way for people who align more closely with the administration's mindset and goals. NSB members are appointed by the president, and each of them holds the position for six years, with the terms overlapping. Notably, according to other members who spoke to Nature News, the board's next meeting was scheduled for May 5, which was about to release a major report that could have shaken the foundation of the scientific community in the United States. Why the National Science Board story matters The reason for removing all 22 members has not been revealed. The NSB is an independent advisory board which helps steer the National Science Foundation. It advises the president and Congress on scientific and engineering issues. The board releases a report about every two years for Congress called Science and Engineering Indicators. It provides details on where the United States stands in the fields of R&D, STEM education, and workforce development, and is considered a "gold standard" against which the country's progress in the field is compared with the rest of the world. On May 5, the board was reportedly set to release a report stating that America is falling behind China in the field of science. The terminated board members are worried about the political interference and believe the latest decision is aimed at placing people who align with the administration's goals. Also Read: Donald Trump image to appear in limited-edition US passports to mark America's 250th Anniversary Trump bulldozed through the National Science Board last year Experts are angry at the decision to suddenly remove all members of the NSB. Keivan Stassun, a professor of physics and astronomy at Vanderbilt University, was among those terminated. He told The Los Angeles Times that it was “a wholesale evisceration of American leadership in science and technology globally.” Stassun is also the director of the Vanderbilt Initiative in Data-intensive Astrophysics. This is not the first time the Trump administration has made a move on the board. In 2025, it proposed cutting its $9 billion budget by 55 per cent, terminating a huge number of staff members. Hundreds of active research grants were also ended, while new grants started lagging. Also Read: Trump announces Pentagon UFO files release: ‘We found many very interesting documents’ Why was National Science Board members terminated? The director of the board appointed by Trump resigned, and he later nominated biotech investor Jim O’Neill, who holds no scientific expertise. Roger Beachy, another member who was terminated, believes O’Neill will bring in his own men. This happened with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as well. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr, a known anti-vaxxer, removed all 17 members of a vaccine advisory board and replaced them with unqualified members who shared Kennedy’s anti-vaccine views.

National Science Board members terminated: Donald Trump has removed all 22 members of the board, which acts as a mirror for the country's scientific achievements. The move has come at a time when the board was reportedly going to expose the failings in the system.

Trump wipes off entire science board days before crucial report on US-China race was due - Why it matters

McGill University's researchers have developed a device that generates sound-like particles at extremely cold temperatures. This particle, also known as ‘phonons’, can be used to create phonon lasers, with possible applications in communications and medical diagnostics. "Modern communication is largely based on light, including electromagnetic waves and electrical currents. In a medium such as oceans, sound can travel, whereas light and electrical currents cannot," said Michael Hilke. "In the human body, sound waves can also be a useful tool," he added. Michael Hilke, an Associate Professor of Physics and co-author of the study published in Physical Review Letters. The study revealed that the device was built and analysed at McGill and the National Research Council of Canada, and the material was synthesised at Princeton University.<h3>Two-dimensional layer of a crystal</h3>The device sends an electrical current through a two-dimensional layer of crystal and holds electrons within an area just a few atoms thick. The researchers have discovered that when electrons are thrust hard enough using this channel, they release in the form of energy because of bursts of sound-like vibrations, also called phonons, in predictable and tunable patterns. This is achieved by cooling the devices to extremely low temperatures, ranging from around 10 milli-Kelvin to 3.9 Kelvin, causing electrons to behave in a more controlled and predictable way. Under such conditions, scientists can observe quantum effects, where matter exhibits wave-like properties instead of acting purely as solid particles. "At absolute zero temperatures, that is, the world of quantum physics, no sound is created unless electrons travel collectively at the speed of sound or above," Hilke explained. "Earlier work had observed related effects as electron speeds approached the sound barrier. Our study goes further by pushing the system well beyond that point and showing that existing theories need to be reassessed by considering that electrons can be very hot even if the host crystal is close to absolute zero temperature," he added. Hilke noted that the next phase involves testing the device with alternative materials such as graphene, which could enable it to function at even higher speeds. This advancement may pave the way for faster communication technologies, improved sensing devices, applications in biological research, and more sophisticated medical systems. "Phonons are hard to generate and harness in a controlled way, so we are exploring new regimes. At a broad level, this is about how electrical current and energy move and are converted inside advanced electronic materials," he said.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/how-early-universe-gravitational-waves-may-have-formed-dark-matter-new-study-reveals-surprising-link-1777211788168/1777211788170">How early-universe gravitational waves may have formed dark matter: New study reveals surprising link</a>

Researchers at McGill University have developed a device that generates phonons, sound-like particles, at ultra-cold temperatures. The breakthrough could enable phonon lasers and transform communications, sensing, and medical diagnostics using quantum effects.

McGill University's researchers have developed a device that generates sound-like particles at extremely cold temperatures. This particle, also known as ‘phonons’, can be used to create phonon lasers, with possible applications in communications and medical diagnostics. "Modern communication is largely based on light, including electromagnetic waves and electrical currents. In a medium such as oceans, sound can travel, whereas light and electrical currents cannot," said Michael Hilke. "In the human body, sound waves can also be a useful tool," he added. Michael Hilke, an Associate Professor of Physics and co-author of the study published in Physical Review Letters. The study revealed that the device was built and analysed at McGill and the National Research Council of Canada, and the material was synthesised at Princeton University. Two-dimensional layer of a crystal The device sends an electrical current through a two-dimensional layer of crystal and holds electrons within an area just a few atoms thick. The researchers have discovered that when electrons are thrust hard enough using this channel, they release in the form of energy because of bursts of sound-like vibrations, also called phonons, in predictable and tunable patterns. This is achieved by cooling the devices to extremely low temperatures, ranging from around 10 milli-Kelvin to 3.9 Kelvin, causing electrons to behave in a more controlled and predictable way. Under such conditions, scientists can observe quantum effects, where matter exhibits wave-like properties instead of acting purely as solid particles. "At absolute zero temperatures, that is, the world of quantum physics, no sound is created unless electrons travel collectively at the speed of sound or above," Hilke explained. "Earlier work had observed related effects as electron speeds approached the sound barrier. Our study goes further by pushing the system well beyond that point and showing that existing theories need to be reassessed by considering that electrons can be very hot even if the host crystal is close to absolute zero temperature," he added. Hilke noted that the next phase involves testing the device with alternative materials such as graphene, which could enable it to function at even higher speeds. This advancement may pave the way for faster communication technologies, improved sensing devices, applications in biological research, and more sophisticated medical systems. "Phonons are hard to generate and harness in a controlled way, so we are exploring new regimes. At a broad level, this is about how electrical current and energy move and are converted inside advanced electronic materials," he said. Also read: How early-universe gravitational waves may have formed dark matter: New study reveals surprising link

Researchers at McGill University have developed a device that generates phonons, sound-like particles, at ultra-cold temperatures. The breakthrough could enable phonon lasers and transform communications, sensing, and medical diagnostics using quantum effects.

Researchers develop new quantum device that turns electricity into sound at nanoscale: Here's how

The monkeys of Gibraltar are eating dirt because of being fed all kinds of junk food by humans. A study has found that the animals have shaped their lives around the tourists who flock to the area and routinely give them things that are making them sick. So to soothe their stomachs, the monkeys are turning to dirt. A team of scientists was tracking the Barbary macaques in Gibraltar when they discovered this eating pattern. The amount of dirt consumed by these monkeys was directly related to the time they spent around humans. Their soil consumption spiked during the holiday season. While the researchers observed the monkeys eating soil, they didn't exactly see a reason for it. However, they believe it is a way to protect their digestive system. The one hint they got was from a group of isolated monkeys, far away from the tourists, who were not eating soil.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/chimpanzees-are-acting-like-humans-and-killing-their-own-in-civil-wars-study-finds-1775825677714">Chimpanzees are acting like humans and killing their own in civil wars, study finds</a><h2>Monkeys of Gibraltar eating soil for their stomachs</h2>Notably, the monkeys of Gibraltar live in eight groups and are given fruit, vegetables and seeds by local authorities. However, tourists feed them things like chips, chocolates and ice creams, foods not exactly animal-friendly. Dr Sylvain Lemoine, a primate behavioural ecologist at the University of Cambridge, and a senior author of the study, said the animals are possibly turning to dirt to rebalance their gut microbiomes, which are affected by fatty, salty and sugary snacks. “We think that eating this junk food disrupts the composition of the microbiome, and we know that bacteria and minerals in soil can help recompose the microbiome and alleviate the negative effects,” Lemoine said. “We think there’s a protective effect of the soil.” The study was published in Scientific Reports.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/colombia-will-kill-pablo-escobar-s-80-cocaine-hippos-1776146638105">Colombia will kill Pablo Escobar's 80 'cocaine hippos'. Here's why</a><h2>Monkeys ate more junk food during tourist season&nbsp;</h2>Scientists observed between the summer of 2002 and the spring of 2024 that monkeys at the top of the rock, where tourists flock to in large numbers, were twice as likely to eat junk food. These monkeys also consumed the largest amount of dirt. Researchers recorded 44 monkeys eating dirt on 46 occasions, and they mostly did so right after eating ice cream. Talking about their favourite junk foods, Lemoine said, "There’s a lot of ice cream. They love Magnums and Cornettos. What they don’t like very much is sorbet." They also gorged on chocolate bars, crisps, dried pasta, bread, Coca-Cola, orange juice, and M&amp;M’s. During the off-season, their junk food consumption dropped, and they were 40 per cent less likely to eat such items, and more than 30 per cent less likely to eat soil.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/killer-whales-eating-great-white-sharks-marauding-couple-on-liver-hunt-triggered-a-great-vanishing-in-south-africa-1776071449937">Marauding couple on liver hunt triggered a great vanishing in South Africa</a>&nbsp;They also had a preference for the type of soil and copied each other. Terra rossa, or red clay, found across Gibraltar, was the favourite of the majority of monkeys, while the Ape’s Den troop, near the lower western slopes, favours tar-clogged soil from potholes in asphalt roads.

Humans are inadvertently pushing monkeys in Gibraltar to eat soil by feeding them chocolates, ice creams, chips, pasta, and Coke. Scientists have found a pattern which shows the monkeys are suffering from ill health from these foods and then turning to dirt to soothe their stomachs.  

The monkeys of Gibraltar are eating dirt because of being fed all kinds of junk food by humans. A study has found that the animals have shaped their lives around the tourists who flock to the area and routinely give them things that are making them sick. So to soothe their stomachs, the monkeys are turning to dirt. A team of scientists was tracking the Barbary macaques in Gibraltar when they discovered this eating pattern. The amount of dirt consumed by these monkeys was directly related to the time they spent around humans. Their soil consumption spiked during the holiday season. While the researchers observed the monkeys eating soil, they didn't exactly see a reason for it. However, they believe it is a way to protect their digestive system. The one hint they got was from a group of isolated monkeys, far away from the tourists, who were not eating soil. Also Read: Chimpanzees are acting like humans and killing their own in civil wars, study finds Monkeys of Gibraltar eating soil for their stomachs Notably, the monkeys of Gibraltar live in eight groups and are given fruit, vegetables and seeds by local authorities. However, tourists feed them things like chips, chocolates and ice creams, foods not exactly animal-friendly. Dr Sylvain Lemoine, a primate behavioural ecologist at the University of Cambridge, and a senior author of the study, said the animals are possibly turning to dirt to rebalance their gut microbiomes, which are affected by fatty, salty and sugary snacks. “We think that eating this junk food disrupts the composition of the microbiome, and we know that bacteria and minerals in soil can help recompose the microbiome and alleviate the negative effects,” Lemoine said. “We think there’s a protective effect of the soil.” The study was published in Scientific Reports. Also Read: Colombia will kill Pablo Escobar's 80 'cocaine hippos'. Here's why Monkeys ate more junk food during tourist season Scientists observed between the summer of 2002 and the spring of 2024 that monkeys at the top of the rock, where tourists flock to in large numbers, were twice as likely to eat junk food. These monkeys also consumed the largest amount of dirt. Researchers recorded 44 monkeys eating dirt on 46 occasions, and they mostly did so right after eating ice cream. Talking about their favourite junk foods, Lemoine said, "There’s a lot of ice cream. They love Magnums and Cornettos. What they don’t like very much is sorbet." They also gorged on chocolate bars, crisps, dried pasta, bread, Coca-Cola, orange juice, and M&M’s. During the off-season, their junk food consumption dropped, and they were 40 per cent less likely to eat such items, and more than 30 per cent less likely to eat soil. Also Read: Marauding couple on liver hunt triggered a great vanishing in South Africa They also had a preference for the type of soil and copied each other. Terra rossa, or red clay, found across Gibraltar, was the favourite of the majority of monkeys, while the Ape’s Den troop, near the lower western slopes, favours tar-clogged soil from potholes in asphalt roads.

Humans are inadvertently pushing monkeys in Gibraltar to eat soil by feeding them chocolates, ice creams, chips, pasta, and Coke. Scientists have found a pattern which shows the monkeys are suffering from ill health from these foods and then turning to dirt to soothe their stomachs. &nbsp;

Monkeys of Gibraltar are relishing junk food followed by dirt because of humans

Scientists have pieced together the largest CT scan of the universe, with a whopping 47 million galaxies and 20 million additional stars present in one picture. This was part of a project that ran for over five years to create the largest and most detailed 3D map of our cosmic outdoors. The Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI)'s 5,000 eyes have been locking in on tiny portions of the sky since 2021, and we finally have the much-awaited picture. Now all of those images have been combined to create this unimaginable spectacle. The observations made by the DESI survey are a massive leap forward, combining observations from over six times as many galaxies and quasars—the brilliant signals emitted by black holes—than all previous surveys put together. The stunning image shows light from galaxies as old as 11 billion years, merely two billion years after the universe was born.<h2>Map of galaxies</h2>Dr Seshadri Nadathur, a Portsmouth University researcher, who serves as co–chair of the DESI galaxy and quasar clustering working group, said, "We've barely scratched the surface so far" and termed "this DESI map of galaxies" extremely important for cosmology. The fibre–optic lens with an accuracy of 10 microns, or less than the width of a hair, moved and observed a new spot every 20 minutes. By splitting the collected light into a spectrum of colours, ten spectrographs allowed researchers to determine the chemical composition, velocity, and spatial position of each target. &nbsp;This led to the creation of the most detailed and precise 3D map of the universe. Each dot in the photo is a galaxy, while the dark spots are areas where the thick edge of the Milky Way blocked out light from distant stars. Initially, DESI projected a view of 34 million galaxies and quasars, but it exceeded that number.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/scientists-create-galaxies-in-lab-watch-and-hear-them-evolve-in-video-1776424893000">Scientists create galaxies in laboratory - Watch and hear them born and evolve | VIDEO</a><h2>Dark energy project</h2>The project involved over 900 scientists from 70 institutions who started off with the aim of studying dark energy, the force believed to be responsible for the expansion of the universe. How and when the universe will end depends on the balance between matter and dark energy. The first three years of the program collected data, which showed that dark energy could be changing. &nbsp;Scientists are hoping that the full map will offer a view into whether this evolution is bigger or smaller than estimated. The first dark energy results from the five–year survey are expected in 2027.

Scientists have created the largest map of the universe showing 47 million galaxies. The images were captured over five years by the 5,000 eyes of the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument. The project will soon reveal additional data on dark energy.

Scientists have pieced together the largest CT scan of the universe, with a whopping 47 million galaxies and 20 million additional stars present in one picture. This was part of a project that ran for over five years to create the largest and most detailed 3D map of our cosmic outdoors. The Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI)'s 5,000 eyes have been locking in on tiny portions of the sky since 2021, and we finally have the much-awaited picture. Now all of those images have been combined to create this unimaginable spectacle. The observations made by the DESI survey are a massive leap forward, combining observations from over six times as many galaxies and quasars—the brilliant signals emitted by black holes—than all previous surveys put together. The stunning image shows light from galaxies as old as 11 billion years, merely two billion years after the universe was born. Map of galaxies Dr Seshadri Nadathur, a Portsmouth University researcher, who serves as co–chair of the DESI galaxy and quasar clustering working group, said, "We've barely scratched the surface so far" and termed "this DESI map of galaxies" extremely important for cosmology. The fibre–optic lens with an accuracy of 10 microns, or less than the width of a hair, moved and observed a new spot every 20 minutes. By splitting the collected light into a spectrum of colours, ten spectrographs allowed researchers to determine the chemical composition, velocity, and spatial position of each target. This led to the creation of the most detailed and precise 3D map of the universe. Each dot in the photo is a galaxy, while the dark spots are areas where the thick edge of the Milky Way blocked out light from distant stars. Initially, DESI projected a view of 34 million galaxies and quasars, but it exceeded that number. Also Read: Scientists create galaxies in laboratory - Watch and hear them born and evolve | VIDEO Dark energy project The project involved over 900 scientists from 70 institutions who started off with the aim of studying dark energy, the force believed to be responsible for the expansion of the universe. How and when the universe will end depends on the balance between matter and dark energy. The first three years of the program collected data, which showed that dark energy could be changing. Scientists are hoping that the full map will offer a view into whether this evolution is bigger or smaller than estimated. The first dark energy results from the five–year survey are expected in 2027.

Scientists have created the largest map of the universe showing 47 million galaxies. The images were captured over five years by the 5,000 eyes of the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument. The project will soon reveal additional data on dark energy.

MIND BLOWN! See 47 million galaxies in the largest 3D map of the universe. Each dot in this photo is a galaxy

Donald Trump supporters live in their own delusional world, as three separate psychological research papers show that all of them have a common coping mechanism to keep backing their leader even when his lies and sexual abuse history are exposed. The papers were published together in the Journal of Social and Political Psychology. In October 2019, psychologists surveyed 128 adults who voted for Trump in the 2016 elections and asked them how they continued to back him even when things like rape allegations emerged. They all said they simply didn't believe them to be true. A second study was carried out in December 2019, two days after lawmakers voted to impeach Trump. Researchers talked to 173 MAGA supporters, and most of them outrightly denied the accusations against Trump, while some of them changed the topic and highlighted his policy decisions as president. Fifteen per cent of them said they don’t care. The last survey was done in 2022 after Trump was arraigned for playing a role in inciting the January 6 riots at the Capitol. More than 60 per cent of the participants said the accusations against him were not true.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/-drill-baby-drill-trump-urges-uk-to-expand-north-sea-oil-and-gas-production-says-aberdeen-should-be-booming-1776194462115">Trump urges UK to expand North Sea oil and gas production, says Aberdeen ‘should be booming’</a><h2>Denial of facts linked to anxiety triggered by cognitive dissonance</h2>The researchers concluded that, in scientific terms, all three studies showed that denial of factual information is a psychological defence mechanism. This denial often functions as a direct response to the anxiety triggered by cognitive dissonance, where individuals subconsciously filter out information that goes against their established beliefs. Study author Cindy Harmon-Jones, senior lecturer in psychology at Western Sydney University, told PsyPost that the motivation behind carrying out the studies was to understand why people continued to support Trump despite being aware of the numerous sexual assault, corruption and illegal activities allegations against him.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/-it-s-close-to-over-trump-s-stunning-prediction-for-the-iran-war-revealed-1776214629874">'It's close to over': Trump’s stunning prediction for the Iran war REVEALED</a><h2>Scientists want to see whether they would react the same way to Obama or Clinton&nbsp;</h2>The three studies used an open-ended questioning method, which meant that the Trump supporters had a lot more room to explain away their preconceived notions. &nbsp;Harmon-Jones said they now want to separate cognitive dissonance from questions linked to Trump and change the subject to see if the response follows the same line. “Would supporters of Barack Obama or Bill Clinton react similarly if they learned of similar accusations against them?” she posed to PsyPost. Trump was impeached twice during his first term, in 2019 and 2021. Calls are going for the use of the 25th Amendment to remove him as president following his rants and threats against Iran linked to the ongoing war.

Why do Donald Trump's supporters back him despite revelations about sexual misconduct, abuse and that he was close to paedophile Jeffrey Epstein? Scientists surveyed his backers to understand why, and found one common thing among them.

Donald Trump supporters live in their own delusional world, as three separate psychological research papers show that all of them have a common coping mechanism to keep backing their leader even when his lies and sexual abuse history are exposed. The papers were published together in the Journal of Social and Political Psychology. In October 2019, psychologists surveyed 128 adults who voted for Trump in the 2016 elections and asked them how they continued to back him even when things like rape allegations emerged. They all said they simply didn't believe them to be true. A second study was carried out in December 2019, two days after lawmakers voted to impeach Trump. Researchers talked to 173 MAGA supporters, and most of them outrightly denied the accusations against Trump, while some of them changed the topic and highlighted his policy decisions as president. Fifteen per cent of them said they don’t care. The last survey was done in 2022 after Trump was arraigned for playing a role in inciting the January 6 riots at the Capitol. More than 60 per cent of the participants said the accusations against him were not true. Also Read: Trump urges UK to expand North Sea oil and gas production, says Aberdeen ‘should be booming’ Denial of facts linked to anxiety triggered by cognitive dissonance The researchers concluded that, in scientific terms, all three studies showed that denial of factual information is a psychological defence mechanism. This denial often functions as a direct response to the anxiety triggered by cognitive dissonance, where individuals subconsciously filter out information that goes against their established beliefs. Study author Cindy Harmon-Jones, senior lecturer in psychology at Western Sydney University, told PsyPost that the motivation behind carrying out the studies was to understand why people continued to support Trump despite being aware of the numerous sexual assault, corruption and illegal activities allegations against him. Also Read: 'It's close to over': Trump’s stunning prediction for the Iran war REVEALED Scientists want to see whether they would react the same way to Obama or Clinton The three studies used an open-ended questioning method, which meant that the Trump supporters had a lot more room to explain away their preconceived notions. Harmon-Jones said they now want to separate cognitive dissonance from questions linked to Trump and change the subject to see if the response follows the same line. “Would supporters of Barack Obama or Bill Clinton react similarly if they learned of similar accusations against them?” she posed to PsyPost. Trump was impeached twice during his first term, in 2019 and 2021. Calls are going for the use of the 25th Amendment to remove him as president following his rants and threats against Iran linked to the ongoing war.

Why do Donald Trump's supporters back him despite revelations about sexual misconduct, abuse and that he was close to paedophile Jeffrey Epstein? Scientists surveyed his backers to understand why, and found one common thing among them.

For Trump supporters, delulu is the only solulu - Science reveals why they back him, no matter what

Germans were terrified of a serial killer for 16 years between 1993 and 2009, but after all this time, they were shocked to learn that there never was a serial killer. The murderer was linked to 40 crime scenes, six of which were murders. Despite the best efforts, police failed to find the mystery mastermind behind these crimes. The reason why all the murders were linked to one person was that the same DNA was identified at all these scenes. It indicated that the perpetrator was a woman of Eastern European descent. She came to be known as the “Phantom of Heilbronn" because no one could trace her or locate her. For 16 years, no one knew who she was. The police were literally hunting a ghost. However, things changed in 2007 when police officer Michèle Kiesewetter was shot during her lunch break. She and her colleague, identified as Martin A, were attacked. While Martin was put in a medically induced coma, Michèle died. The murder was believed to have been committed by the Phantom of Heilbronn.<h2>Major anomalies in murder mystery</h2>The investigation showed some anomalies. While DNA evidence insisted the "Phantom" was female, eyewitnesses and evidence from the shooting of Officer Kiesewetter identified both suspects as male. Second, during a separate case, &nbsp;the Phantom’s DNA was detected on documents recovered from a fatal fire. However, when those same documents were re-analysed later, the DNA had vanished. Two years later, the DNA found at the crime scenes linked to the Phantom finally led the police to one person. This was a woman who worked at a cotton swab factory, and this basically unravelled the mystery of the “Phantom of Heilbronn".<h2>How cotton swabs created a serial killer</h2>Everything that unfolded in the past 16 years came down to the cotton swabs used for forensic testing. These swabs were produced by the factory where the “Phantom” worked. The factory workers were accidentally contaminating the swabs with their own DNA during the manufacturing process. Forensic DNA testing was still a relatively new field at this time, so the police didn't realise that "sterile" swabs aren't necessarily "DNA-free." So every time a police officer used a new swab to collect evidence at a crime scene, they were inadvertently "planting" the factory worker's DNA on the evidence. The companies producing the cotton swabs insisted they were not meant to be used for forensic investigations. This meant that the police had been chasing a serial killer that didn't even exist for 16 years. This person was once believed to be operating on a large scale in several countries, but in the end, it turned out to be an embarrassing error.&nbsp; &nbsp;

German police hunted a serial killer who terrified the community for 16 years. No matter how much they tried, they could not find her. She came to be known as a Phantom. But when the mystery was finally solved, the police were left red-faced.  

Germans were terrified of a serial killer for 16 years between 1993 and 2009, but after all this time, they were shocked to learn that there never was a serial killer. The murderer was linked to 40 crime scenes, six of which were murders. Despite the best efforts, police failed to find the mystery mastermind behind these crimes. The reason why all the murders were linked to one person was that the same DNA was identified at all these scenes. It indicated that the perpetrator was a woman of Eastern European descent. She came to be known as the “Phantom of Heilbronn" because no one could trace her or locate her. For 16 years, no one knew who she was. The police were literally hunting a ghost. However, things changed in 2007 when police officer Michèle Kiesewetter was shot during her lunch break. She and her colleague, identified as Martin A, were attacked. While Martin was put in a medically induced coma, Michèle died. The murder was believed to have been committed by the Phantom of Heilbronn. Major anomalies in murder mystery The investigation showed some anomalies. While DNA evidence insisted the "Phantom" was female, eyewitnesses and evidence from the shooting of Officer Kiesewetter identified both suspects as male. Second, during a separate case, the Phantom’s DNA was detected on documents recovered from a fatal fire. However, when those same documents were re-analysed later, the DNA had vanished. Two years later, the DNA found at the crime scenes linked to the Phantom finally led the police to one person. This was a woman who worked at a cotton swab factory, and this basically unravelled the mystery of the “Phantom of Heilbronn". How cotton swabs created a serial killer Everything that unfolded in the past 16 years came down to the cotton swabs used for forensic testing. These swabs were produced by the factory where the “Phantom” worked. The factory workers were accidentally contaminating the swabs with their own DNA during the manufacturing process. Forensic DNA testing was still a relatively new field at this time, so the police didn't realise that "sterile" swabs aren't necessarily "DNA-free." So every time a police officer used a new swab to collect evidence at a crime scene, they were inadvertently "planting" the factory worker's DNA on the evidence. The companies producing the cotton swabs insisted they were not meant to be used for forensic investigations. This meant that the police had been chasing a serial killer that didn't even exist for 16 years. This person was once believed to be operating on a large scale in several countries, but in the end, it turned out to be an embarrassing error.

German police hunted a serial killer who terrified the community for 16 years. No matter how much they tried, they could not find her. She came to be known as a Phantom. But when the mystery was finally solved, the police were left red-faced. &nbsp;

16-year hunt for 'Phantom' serial killer led to a shocking scientific error in Germany

Scientists have recorded dark spots inside a light wave that seem to be moving much faster than light itself. Even though they appear to be in a quicker motion, they carry no energy or information, and hence, nothing really happens. These dark spots inside a complex light wave are formed when some points go completely dark, because the wave cancels itself out. So there is no light, only darkness. Scientists have known about them for a long time. A study published in Nature states that they have been filmed for the first time. Researchers at the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology collaborated with others from Harvard, Stanford, MIT and other institutions to track these dark points. An electron microscope that can capture events lasting just three femtoseconds, or three quadrillionths of a second, was used to see them passing through a special material. Their work confirmed a long-held belief that what we believe to be darkness can outrun the light surrounding it.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/chaos-heat-and-a-star-that-went-bonkers-scientists-see-major-collision-between-two-planets-1773668599698">Chaos, heat and a star that went bonkers: Scientists see major collision between two planets</a>&nbsp;Known as phase singularities, they appear at the exact point where a light wave’s amplitude drops to zero, leaving its phase undefined. The light vanishes into darkness, while the surrounding phase wraps smoothly through a full 360° rotation around the void. These dark points come in two types, based on the spin direction of the phase. One has a positive charge, the other a negative. They can only disappear if they meet each other. As they move closer, they speed up, and right before they collide and vanish, their speed is expected to shoot toward infinity. This extreme behaviour had been theorised before, but it hadn’t been directly measured until now.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/earth-days-are-getting-longer-it-has-not-happened-in-3-6-million-years-1773408587727">Earth days are getting longer. It has not happened in 3.6 million years</a><h2>Watching dark points inside light</h2>“Phase singularities do not carry energy or information and thus can ‘move’ superluminally without breaking causality,” the authors write. What we think is faster than light, is just “a pure kinematic property of the evolving phase landscape.” But witnessing these dark points needs special conditions. Scientists identified hexagonal boron nitride, a two-dimensional crystal that supports a special class of light-matter waves called hyperbolic phonon polaritons, as the ideal material. Inside it, the waves travel more than 100 times slower than light in a vacuum, and this is what sends the dark points racing. The spacing of dark points matched existing theories, as they mirrored the distance patterns found among molecules in a liquid.

Light carries darkness, which sounds contradictory but is actually true. Scientists have known about dark points inside light for a long time, yet they have only now been able to record them. A new study published in Nature details the experiment.

Scientists have recorded dark spots inside a light wave that seem to be moving much faster than light itself. Even though they appear to be in a quicker motion, they carry no energy or information, and hence, nothing really happens. These dark spots inside a complex light wave are formed when some points go completely dark, because the wave cancels itself out. So there is no light, only darkness. Scientists have known about them for a long time. A study published in Nature states that they have been filmed for the first time. Researchers at the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology collaborated with others from Harvard, Stanford, MIT and other institutions to track these dark points. An electron microscope that can capture events lasting just three femtoseconds, or three quadrillionths of a second, was used to see them passing through a special material. Their work confirmed a long-held belief that what we believe to be darkness can outrun the light surrounding it. Also Read: Chaos, heat and a star that went bonkers: Scientists see major collision between two planets Known as phase singularities, they appear at the exact point where a light wave’s amplitude drops to zero, leaving its phase undefined. The light vanishes into darkness, while the surrounding phase wraps smoothly through a full 360° rotation around the void. These dark points come in two types, based on the spin direction of the phase. One has a positive charge, the other a negative. They can only disappear if they meet each other. As they move closer, they speed up, and right before they collide and vanish, their speed is expected to shoot toward infinity. This extreme behaviour had been theorised before, but it hadn’t been directly measured until now. Also Read: Earth days are getting longer. It has not happened in 3.6 million years Watching dark points inside light “Phase singularities do not carry energy or information and thus can ‘move’ superluminally without breaking causality,” the authors write. What we think is faster than light, is just “a pure kinematic property of the evolving phase landscape.” But witnessing these dark points needs special conditions. Scientists identified hexagonal boron nitride, a two-dimensional crystal that supports a special class of light-matter waves called hyperbolic phonon polaritons, as the ideal material. Inside it, the waves travel more than 100 times slower than light in a vacuum, and this is what sends the dark points racing. The spacing of dark points matched existing theories, as they mirrored the distance patterns found among molecules in a liquid.

Light carries darkness, which sounds contradictory but is actually true. Scientists have known about dark points inside light for a long time, yet they have only now been able to record them. A new study published in Nature details the experiment.

Scientists see darkness inside light for the first time, and it moves even faster

Utah is paying hunters to kill as many mountain lions, or cougars, as possible, and this is going to continue until 2029. It is being done as part of a study to understand how the removal of predators would affect mule deer and bighorn sheep populations. The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources &nbsp;(DWR) started the program late last year in six of the state’s 30 hunting units. The lions have killed several sheep in the area, causing major losses to herders. The agency started asking hunters to cull lions in October 2025, while it itself is keeping a check on the number of deer. According to DWR spokesperson Faith Jolley, 45 cougars have been killed till March 19. Biologists started catching and collaring mule deer in December. Several people, including herders who have lost their sheep, have raised concerns about the so-called study, which is extremely aggressive. High Country News quoted Andy Rice, a sheep herder, as saying, "My concern is that the government that I pay into, and the conservation organisations that I’ve trusted my whole life as a hunter in Utah, are willfully creating programs that are destructive to our communities."&nbsp;Elliot Ross, a National Geographic explorer, in Utah, told the outlet that to call it a "study" seems "hollow and disingenuous" and termed it "an extermination campaign masquerading as science." The study is termed "Utah’s Watershed Restoration Initiative Predator Management Study" and is a joint program by scientists, sporting groups and the state wildlife agency. Brigham Young University biologists Brock McMillan and Randy Larsen are expected to analyse the data and help with capturing mule deer. The entire project is expected to cost $1.29 million. The project will run through December 2029, and the data will be analysed in 2030 and 2031.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/how-did-corgi-and-his-friends-know-where-to-go-earth-s-magnetic-field-helped-them-1774428020545">How did Corgi and his friends know where to go? Dogs have an ‘internal compass’</a><h2>Utah Wildlife Bill was changed in 2023</h2>According to the report, state legislators want to reduce the populations of mountain lions, &nbsp;bears and coyotes urgently. The H.B. 125 law, passed in 2020, mandates the DWR director to cull mountain lions if the number of deer and elk falls below a given size in the state. Jolley says these numbers have been below target size for several years, but since it didn't go into effect until May 2025, they weren't required to take any action. Recreational hunting of mountain lions in Utah has been legal for decades, but each hunter could kill only one per season. However, in 2023, a change in the Wildlife Bill removed these restrictions.&nbsp; &nbsp;

In Utah, hunters have been told to kill as many mountain lions as they can. This is being done as part of a study. People are not happy with the aggressive approach which is being done keeping in mind the mule deer population.

Utah is paying hunters to kill as many mountain lions, or cougars, as possible, and this is going to continue until 2029. It is being done as part of a study to understand how the removal of predators would affect mule deer and bighorn sheep populations. The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR) started the program late last year in six of the state’s 30 hunting units. The lions have killed several sheep in the area, causing major losses to herders. The agency started asking hunters to cull lions in October 2025, while it itself is keeping a check on the number of deer. According to DWR spokesperson Faith Jolley, 45 cougars have been killed till March 19. Biologists started catching and collaring mule deer in December. Several people, including herders who have lost their sheep, have raised concerns about the so-called study, which is extremely aggressive. High Country News quoted Andy Rice, a sheep herder, as saying, "My concern is that the government that I pay into, and the conservation organisations that I’ve trusted my whole life as a hunter in Utah, are willfully creating programs that are destructive to our communities." Elliot Ross, a National Geographic explorer, in Utah, told the outlet that to call it a "study" seems "hollow and disingenuous" and termed it "an extermination campaign masquerading as science." The study is termed "Utah’s Watershed Restoration Initiative Predator Management Study" and is a joint program by scientists, sporting groups and the state wildlife agency. Brigham Young University biologists Brock McMillan and Randy Larsen are expected to analyse the data and help with capturing mule deer. The entire project is expected to cost $1.29 million. The project will run through December 2029, and the data will be analysed in 2030 and 2031. Also Read: How did Corgi and his friends know where to go? Dogs have an ‘internal compass’ Utah Wildlife Bill was changed in 2023 According to the report, state legislators want to reduce the populations of mountain lions, bears and coyotes urgently. The H.B. 125 law, passed in 2020, mandates the DWR director to cull mountain lions if the number of deer and elk falls below a given size in the state. Jolley says these numbers have been below target size for several years, but since it didn't go into effect until May 2025, they weren't required to take any action. Recreational hunting of mountain lions in Utah has been legal for decades, but each hunter could kill only one per season. However, in 2023, a change in the Wildlife Bill removed these restrictions.

In Utah, hunters have been told to kill as many mountain lions as they can. This is being done as part of a study. People are not happy with the aggressive approach which is being done keeping in mind the mule deer population.

Utah is aggressively culling cougars for a study. Critics call it 'an extermination campaign'

Scientists have successfully brought a frozen brain back to life with neurons perfectly generating electrical activity, the mitochondria functioning without any signs of damage and other delicate membranes intact. This is a revolutionary occurrence in the field of cryopreservation. A team of neurologists at the University of Erlangen–Nuremberg in Germany managed to overcome a major hurdle - &nbsp;freezing complex biological tissue without damaging it irreversibly. Cryopreserving brains has been deemed particularly hard because of the formation of ice crystals. As the water freezes, crystals form and expand and can disrupt the delicate network of neurons which are responsible for thought, memory and consciousness. When the brain is thawed, it is incapable of working in the same way as before because of damaged tissues. Scientists in Erlangen–Nuremberg came up with a technique known as vitrification. The study was published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).<h2>How was the brain frozen and then thawed?</h2>Using this process, they were able to prevent the formation of ice crystals. All liquids freeze so rapidly that crystallisation does not occur, and the liquids inside and around the cells transform into a glass-like state. All molecular motion instantly stops, and the tissue's inherent structure remains as it is. They tested the technology on thin slices of mouse hippocampus, a region in the brain linked to learning and memory. Liquid nitrogen at -196 degrees Celsius was used to freeze the brain portions. They were then stored for 10 minutes to a week. Thawing them was just as important, and the warming was done quickly to prevent ice from forming. Researchers checked for any signs of life.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/shake-off-the-pain-turns-out-even-nature-favours-the-men-and-no-it-is-not-about-emotions-1772195515303">Shake off the pain? We can't. Turns out, even nature favours the men. And no, it is not about emotions</a>Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/7-second-gravity-collapse-on-earth-august-12-nasa-scientists-1768886441014">7-second gravity collapse on Earth could never happen, unless…</a><h2>How was the brain responding?&nbsp;</h2>They found that delicate neuronal and synaptic membranes showed no changes. The mitochondria, the energy source inside cells, were functioning, and the neurons showed electrical activity. The complex, functional circuitry that forms the basis of cognition was also intact. Only a slight difference was seen in how the he cells responded to electrical stimuli. Mrityunjay Kothari, a mechanical engineer specialising in cryobiology, told Nature, "This kind of progress is what gradually turns science fiction into scientific possibility." However, he conceded that long-term banking of large organs or mammals remains "far beyond the capabilities of the study." What it can do is pave the way for further research on protecting the brain after severe injury or during disease. &nbsp;

German scientists froze a brain and then brought it back to life in almost the way it was before. Cryopreservation companies have been freezing the brain, but no one knows whether they would ever be revived. But this new method might prove to be a game-changer.

Scientists have successfully brought a frozen brain back to life with neurons perfectly generating electrical activity, the mitochondria functioning without any signs of damage and other delicate membranes intact. This is a revolutionary occurrence in the field of cryopreservation. A team of neurologists at the University of Erlangen–Nuremberg in Germany managed to overcome a major hurdle - freezing complex biological tissue without damaging it irreversibly. Cryopreserving brains has been deemed particularly hard because of the formation of ice crystals. As the water freezes, crystals form and expand and can disrupt the delicate network of neurons which are responsible for thought, memory and consciousness. When the brain is thawed, it is incapable of working in the same way as before because of damaged tissues. Scientists in Erlangen–Nuremberg came up with a technique known as vitrification. The study was published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). How was the brain frozen and then thawed? Using this process, they were able to prevent the formation of ice crystals. All liquids freeze so rapidly that crystallisation does not occur, and the liquids inside and around the cells transform into a glass-like state. All molecular motion instantly stops, and the tissue's inherent structure remains as it is. They tested the technology on thin slices of mouse hippocampus, a region in the brain linked to learning and memory. Liquid nitrogen at -196 degrees Celsius was used to freeze the brain portions. They were then stored for 10 minutes to a week. Thawing them was just as important, and the warming was done quickly to prevent ice from forming. Researchers checked for any signs of life. Also Read: Shake off the pain? We can't. Turns out, even nature favours the men. And no, it is not about emotions Also Read: 7-second gravity collapse on Earth could never happen, unless… How was the brain responding? They found that delicate neuronal and synaptic membranes showed no changes. The mitochondria, the energy source inside cells, were functioning, and the neurons showed electrical activity. The complex, functional circuitry that forms the basis of cognition was also intact. Only a slight difference was seen in how the he cells responded to electrical stimuli. Mrityunjay Kothari, a mechanical engineer specialising in cryobiology, told Nature, "This kind of progress is what gradually turns science fiction into scientific possibility." However, he conceded that long-term banking of large organs or mammals remains "far beyond the capabilities of the study." What it can do is pave the way for further research on protecting the brain after severe injury or during disease.

German scientists froze a brain and then brought it back to life in almost the way it was before. Cryopreservation companies have been freezing the brain, but no one knows whether they would ever be revived. But this new method might prove to be a game-changer.

Science fiction turns real  as frozen brain wakes up in near-perfect form

Van Allen Probe A is tumbling down and will soon crash somewhere on Earth, although the expectation is that most of the satellite will burn up in the atmosphere, and the fragments will fall into the ocean. The probe was supposed to stay in orbit for another eight years at least. So, what prompted its early re-entry? The answer lies in its orbit. Van Allen Probe A and its twin satellite B were launched in 2012 to study a zone that protects Earth from the sun's radiation. The first layers that protect Earth are the Van Allen Belts, named after American physicist James Van Allen, who discovered them in 1958. They form an invisible shield around Earth and are our first line of defence. This region is shaped like a doughnut and comprises protons and electrons trapped by Earth's magnetic field. They remain at altitudes varying from a few hundred to nearly 96,000 kilometres above the surface. The Van Allen probes had one purpose - to study this area above Earth.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/moon-is-safe-jwst-pulls-off-near-impossible-feat-locates-asteroid-2024-yr4-1772796801306">JWST pulls off near-impossible feat, locates asteroid that had gone into hiding</a><h2>Why understanding the Van Allen belt is important&nbsp;</h2>If humans want to return to the Moon and travel beyond, they will have to cross this dangerous region. This is why it was important to study it, and so the Van Allen probes set out on their mission. This region is unlike the low-Earth orbit where most of our satellites are. Since these belts form a shield, trapping and deflecting cosmic radiation, any spacecraft here endures extreme damage. When the Sun is at its maximum and unleashes plasma and coronal mass ejections, the belts swell, affecting satellites and communication systems. The probes were on a two-year mission, which eventually extended to seven. In 2019, the probes stopped functioning. NASA estimated that they will drag down on their own in the next few years, with Van Allen Probe A given time till 2034. However, since the sun has been extremely active in the past few years, the timeline changed.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/scientists-pin-source-of-three-mysterious-signals-from-centre-of-milky-way-to-excited-dark-matter-1772794076955">Scientists pin source of three mysterious signals coming from centre of Milky Way to…</a><h2>How the sun led Van Allen probe A to return six years early</h2>Solar maximum inflated Earth's upper atmosphere, causing more drag on satellites. Van Allen Probe A's orbit started decaying and this meant it would crash down much earlier than anticipated. The 600-kilogram spacecraft was expected to return by the evening of March 10, with NASA saying the window could extend by up to 24 hours. Can it cause any destruction on Earth? Experts say the chances of the satellite harming anyone are roughly 1 in 4,200. The odds of the debris and remaining fragments falling into the ocean are much higher since Earth is mostly covered with water. Meanwhile, Van Allen Probe B, which was given time till 2030, might also follow its twin in the coming months.

Van Allen Belt shields Earth from solar radiation. The satellite sent to study this zone is now crashing down way before it was supposed to. Ironically, Van Allen probe A was supposed to study the sun's behaviour, and now the sun is what has led it to return early.

Van Allen Probe A is tumbling down and will soon crash somewhere on Earth, although the expectation is that most of the satellite will burn up in the atmosphere, and the fragments will fall into the ocean. The probe was supposed to stay in orbit for another eight years at least. So, what prompted its early re-entry? The answer lies in its orbit. Van Allen Probe A and its twin satellite B were launched in 2012 to study a zone that protects Earth from the sun's radiation. The first layers that protect Earth are the Van Allen Belts, named after American physicist James Van Allen, who discovered them in 1958. They form an invisible shield around Earth and are our first line of defence. This region is shaped like a doughnut and comprises protons and electrons trapped by Earth's magnetic field. They remain at altitudes varying from a few hundred to nearly 96,000 kilometres above the surface. The Van Allen probes had one purpose - to study this area above Earth. Also Read: JWST pulls off near-impossible feat, locates asteroid that had gone into hiding Why understanding the Van Allen belt is important If humans want to return to the Moon and travel beyond, they will have to cross this dangerous region. This is why it was important to study it, and so the Van Allen probes set out on their mission. This region is unlike the low-Earth orbit where most of our satellites are. Since these belts form a shield, trapping and deflecting cosmic radiation, any spacecraft here endures extreme damage. When the Sun is at its maximum and unleashes plasma and coronal mass ejections, the belts swell, affecting satellites and communication systems. The probes were on a two-year mission, which eventually extended to seven. In 2019, the probes stopped functioning. NASA estimated that they will drag down on their own in the next few years, with Van Allen Probe A given time till 2034. However, since the sun has been extremely active in the past few years, the timeline changed. Also Read: Scientists pin source of three mysterious signals coming from centre of Milky Way to… How the sun led Van Allen probe A to return six years early Solar maximum inflated Earth's upper atmosphere, causing more drag on satellites. Van Allen Probe A's orbit started decaying and this meant it would crash down much earlier than anticipated. The 600-kilogram spacecraft was expected to return by the evening of March 10, with NASA saying the window could extend by up to 24 hours. Can it cause any destruction on Earth? Experts say the chances of the satellite harming anyone are roughly 1 in 4,200. The odds of the debris and remaining fragments falling into the ocean are much higher since Earth is mostly covered with water. Meanwhile, Van Allen Probe B, which was given time till 2030, might also follow its twin in the coming months.

Van Allen Belt shields Earth from solar radiation. The satellite sent to study this zone is now crashing down way before it was supposed to. Ironically, Van Allen probe A was supposed to study the sun's behaviour, and now the sun is what has led it to return early.

Van Allen probe A returns: How solar maximum caused it to crash years ahead of schedule

For years, scientists have been puzzled by three mysterious signals coming from the centre of the Milky Way, a chaotic and violent place where Sagittarius A*, a supermassive black hole, sits. A study has now found that they could be the result of "excited dark matter". The centre of our galaxy has been releasing sudden spikes in energy which deep–space telescopes, such as the European Space Agency's INTEGRAL mission, can detect. However, dark matter itself has never been directly observed. It is believed to form a quarter of our universe, but scientists have never found any proof. This hypothetical form of matter is believed to surround the galaxies but does not interact with light or electromagnetic forces, making detection impossible. Researchers of a new paper published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters say that the three signals coming from the centre of our galaxy are the result of a type of dark matter.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/another-study-claims-signals-at-heart-of-milky-way-triggered-by-dark-matter-1764154545112">Another study claims signals at heart of Milky Way triggered by dark matter</a><h2>Milky Way's chaotic centre&nbsp;</h2>Lead author Dr Shyam Balaji, of King's College London, says that regular cosmic events, such as stellar explosions, do not explain the "specific energy and shape observed coming from the centre of the Milky Way." But now, the "one excited dark matter model could account for at least two – possibly even three – of these kinds of unexplained signals at once." The vicious forces at work at the centre of the Milky Way trigger violent events where huge clouds of gas are crushed into stars. Besides, Sagittarius A* creates an extremely intense gravitational force. All these together release radiation that space telescopes have picked up. But not everything can be explained.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/eerie-glow-at-the-centre-of-milky-way-could-reveal-a-cosmic-giant-never-seen-before-1760700098843">Eerie glow at the centre of Milky Way could reveal a cosmic giant never seen before</a><h2>Mysterious 511–keV emission line</h2>One specific occurrence is a sharp spike in gamma–ray radiation at an extremely specific wavelength - the 511–keV emission line. Normal matter does not lead to something like this. The paper solves this mystery, theorising that "excited dark matter" is to blame. Harvard University describes it as an event that happens when dark matter particles collide and reach a higher-energy state before falling back to a lower energy state. This process releases energy in pairs of electrons and its anti-matter, a positron. Telescopes that sit outside Earth's radiation belts, like INTEGRAL, located at an altitude of 60,000 km, can detect this energy spike.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/scientists-say-extraterrestrial-object-slammed-into-brazil-6-3mn-years-ago-but-left-no-crater-there-is-another-proof-1772099549598">Scientists say extraterrestrial object slammed into Brazil 6.3mn years ago, but left no crater. There is another proof</a>&nbsp;https://www.wionews.com/videos/dark-matter-s-grip-on-the-milky-way-explained-1770470485519/embed&nbsp;Comparing this data to a model of how positrons might move through space showed the researchers that this exact phenomenon could lead to a spike in gamma–ray radiation, just like the mysterious 511–keV emission line they had observed. They think that excited dark matter can also explain other signals. Scientists think that a very high–energy light coming from the centre of the galaxy, known as the 2 MeV gamma–ray continuum, could also be originating from excited dark matter.&nbsp;

Milky Way's chaotic and violent heart has been producing three mysterious signals, which scientists say could be coming from a particular kind of dark matter. Could this hypothetical substance be the source of the extreme energy spikes?

For years, scientists have been puzzled by three mysterious signals coming from the centre of the Milky Way, a chaotic and violent place where Sagittarius A*, a supermassive black hole, sits. A study has now found that they could be the result of "excited dark matter". The centre of our galaxy has been releasing sudden spikes in energy which deep–space telescopes, such as the European Space Agency's INTEGRAL mission, can detect. However, dark matter itself has never been directly observed. It is believed to form a quarter of our universe, but scientists have never found any proof. This hypothetical form of matter is believed to surround the galaxies but does not interact with light or electromagnetic forces, making detection impossible. Researchers of a new paper published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters say that the three signals coming from the centre of our galaxy are the result of a type of dark matter. Also Read: Another study claims signals at heart of Milky Way triggered by dark matter Milky Way's chaotic centre Lead author Dr Shyam Balaji, of King's College London, says that regular cosmic events, such as stellar explosions, do not explain the "specific energy and shape observed coming from the centre of the Milky Way." But now, the "one excited dark matter model could account for at least two – possibly even three – of these kinds of unexplained signals at once." The vicious forces at work at the centre of the Milky Way trigger violent events where huge clouds of gas are crushed into stars. Besides, Sagittarius A* creates an extremely intense gravitational force. All these together release radiation that space telescopes have picked up. But not everything can be explained. Also Read: Eerie glow at the centre of Milky Way could reveal a cosmic giant never seen before Mysterious 511–keV emission line One specific occurrence is a sharp spike in gamma–ray radiation at an extremely specific wavelength - the 511–keV emission line. Normal matter does not lead to something like this. The paper solves this mystery, theorising that "excited dark matter" is to blame. Harvard University describes it as an event that happens when dark matter particles collide and reach a higher-energy state before falling back to a lower energy state. This process releases energy in pairs of electrons and its anti-matter, a positron. Telescopes that sit outside Earth's radiation belts, like INTEGRAL, located at an altitude of 60,000 km, can detect this energy spike. Also Read: Scientists say extraterrestrial object slammed into Brazil 6.3mn years ago, but left no crater. There is another proof https://www.wionews.com/videos/dark-matter-s-grip-on-the-milky-way-explained-1770470485519/embed Comparing this data to a model of how positrons might move through space showed the researchers that this exact phenomenon could lead to a spike in gamma–ray radiation, just like the mysterious 511–keV emission line they had observed. They think that excited dark matter can also explain other signals. Scientists think that a very high–energy light coming from the centre of the galaxy, known as the 2 MeV gamma–ray continuum, could also be originating from excited dark matter.

Milky Way's chaotic and violent heart has been producing three mysterious signals, which scientists say could be coming from a particular kind of dark matter. Could this hypothetical substance be the source of the extreme energy spikes?

Scientists pin source of three mysterious signals coming from centre of Milky Way to...

Pain lasts longer for women than men; this is a fact scientists have known for a long time. However, the exact reason for this has remained unclear. Scientists have attributed it to psychological, emotional or social factors. But science hasn't really looked into why women continue to feel pain when it subsides in a man much before them. When pain remains for more time than it should, it turns chronic, and this is something that needs to be dealt with. A new study has shed more light on the problem and states that the reason pain lasts longer in women is because of their immune system. A paper in The Conversation by neuroimmunologist Geoffroy Laumet suggests that immune cells are critical to helping pain resolve, and “differences in how these cells function between men and women may influence how quickly pain goes away.”<h2>Hormones help ease pain more quickly in men&nbsp;</h2>Laumet and his team set out to understand why women continue to be in pain long after the injury has healed. They combined data from experiments done on mice with that of people who had been in motor vehicle collisions. The researchers focused on a molecule called interleukin-10 that helps reduce inflammation. They found that this molecule not only calms inflammation, but also communicates with pain-sensing nerve cells to shut them down. But it behaved differently in males and females. In men, immune cells called monocytes were more likely to produce IL-10, but the same did not happen for women. The researchers also found that their production was linked to testosterone levels - the more testosterone, the higher the production of IL-10. This means that biology favours men while pain maintains a chokehold on women.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/hope-for-millions-china-shocks-the-world-with-breakthrough-diabetes-cure-here-s-how-it-succeeded-1772027132267">China shocks the world with breakthrough diabetes cure</a><h2>Immune system and pain</h2>Laumet says that the finding shows that the immune system needs to be viewed as a key player in resolving pain. While the study focused on men and women, differences in immune cell function could also be why some people recover more quickly than others, irrespective of sex. The finding can help invent new treatments that work to boost the body’s own pain resolution system. The study can help prevent and treat chronic pain and better understand how pain differs based on sex. &nbsp;

Why do women suffer more pain and for a longer time than men? It has nothing to do with their strength or stamina. Turns out, the human body is such that men are naturally at an advantage when it comes to pain, and women can't do anything about it.

Pain lasts longer for women than men; this is a fact scientists have known for a long time. However, the exact reason for this has remained unclear. Scientists have attributed it to psychological, emotional or social factors. But science hasn't really looked into why women continue to feel pain when it subsides in a man much before them. When pain remains for more time than it should, it turns chronic, and this is something that needs to be dealt with. A new study has shed more light on the problem and states that the reason pain lasts longer in women is because of their immune system. A paper in The Conversation by neuroimmunologist Geoffroy Laumet suggests that immune cells are critical to helping pain resolve, and “differences in how these cells function between men and women may influence how quickly pain goes away.” Hormones help ease pain more quickly in men Laumet and his team set out to understand why women continue to be in pain long after the injury has healed. They combined data from experiments done on mice with that of people who had been in motor vehicle collisions. The researchers focused on a molecule called interleukin-10 that helps reduce inflammation. They found that this molecule not only calms inflammation, but also communicates with pain-sensing nerve cells to shut them down. But it behaved differently in males and females. In men, immune cells called monocytes were more likely to produce IL-10, but the same did not happen for women. The researchers also found that their production was linked to testosterone levels - the more testosterone, the higher the production of IL-10. This means that biology favours men while pain maintains a chokehold on women. Also Read: China shocks the world with breakthrough diabetes cure Immune system and pain Laumet says that the finding shows that the immune system needs to be viewed as a key player in resolving pain. While the study focused on men and women, differences in immune cell function could also be why some people recover more quickly than others, irrespective of sex. The finding can help invent new treatments that work to boost the body’s own pain resolution system. The study can help prevent and treat chronic pain and better understand how pain differs based on sex.

Why do women suffer more pain and for a longer time than men? It has nothing to do with their strength or emotions. Turns out, the human body is such that men are naturally at an advantage when it comes to pain, and women can't do anything about it.

Shake off the pain? We can't. Turns out, even nature favours the men. And no, it is not about emotions

A scientist has suggested that heaven might be a physical place in the universe and has even theorised its location. According to Michael Guillén, PhD, a former Harvard physics lecturer and science communicator, who wrote in an op-ed recently that this place we call paradise could be sitting beyond the Cosmic Horizon. Hubble's Law states that the farther a galaxy is from Earth, the faster it’s moving away from us. Edwin Hubble discovered that galaxies are speeding away from each other at such a speed that only the speed of light can match it. Guillen says that "heaven may be located on the other side of the Cosmic Horizon." This distance is 439 billion trillion kilometres away from Earth. However, his theory has been dismissed by other scientists who think this is a topic of metaphysics and not science.&nbsp;Guillen presents four reasons for stating this. He cites modern cosmology, which states that "an entire universe exists beyond the Cosmic Horizon. But it’s permanently hidden from us because we can never reach, let alone cross over, the Cosmic Horizon." Alex Gianninas, PhD, an associate teaching professor of astronomy at Connecticut College, argues against it. He told Popular Mechanics, “The cosmic horizon is not a physical place, but a finite boundary beyond which we simply cannot see or communicate."Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/earth-radio-signal-every-22-minutes-cosmic-oxymoron-1771576248446">Every 22 minutes, a strange object has been sending a signal to Earth for 38 years</a> Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/ancient-indian-texts-say-one-universe-ends-and-another-begins-is-this-what-big-bang-was-1768563626475">Ancient Indian texts say one universe ends, and another is born. Is this what Big Bang was?</a><h2>Universe extends beyond we can see</h2>Just because we cannot see beyond it, doesn't mean the universe ends there. Since the universe is about 13.8 billion years old, and light moves at around 300,000 kilometres per second, it is only possible to see regions from where light has had enough time to reach Earth. Other places are so far that light from there would never reach us.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/scientists-think-we-have-received-a-signal-from-a-parallel-universe-via-a-wormhole-1758602937635">Scientists think we have received a signal from a parallel universe via a WORMHOLE</a>&nbsp;Another argument Guillen presents is Einstein’s theories of special and general relativity. He says that Einstein states that time stops at the Cosmic Horizon. This means there is no past, present or future after this point, and heaven likely lies in a place with timelessness. He further argues that modern cosmology states that the Cosmic Horizon has the "very oldest celestial objects in the observable universe". Which means, anything beyond this is so old that they possibly "predate the so-called big bang".&nbsp;Guillen is not the only scientist to talk about "partially religious, spiritual, or metaphysical" entities. Some of them have stated that treating the Big Bang as the end-all, be-all beginning risks a "creation-story language".&nbsp; &nbsp;

A scientist has claimed the place we cannot see beyond the observable universe is where heaven could be located. This place begins from where the Cosmic Horizon ends. However, critics have dismissed his theory.

A scientist has suggested that heaven might be a physical place in the universe and has even theorised its location. According to Michael Guillén, PhD, a former Harvard physics lecturer and science communicator, who wrote in an op-ed recently that this place we call paradise could be sitting beyond the Cosmic Horizon. Hubble's Law states that the farther a galaxy is from Earth, the faster it’s moving away from us. Edwin Hubble discovered that galaxies are speeding away from each other at such a speed that only the speed of light can match it. Guillen says that "heaven may be located on the other side of the Cosmic Horizon." This distance is 439 billion trillion kilometres away from Earth. However, his theory has been dismissed by other scientists who think this is a topic of metaphysics and not science. Guillen presents four reasons for stating this. He cites modern cosmology, which states that "an entire universe exists beyond the Cosmic Horizon. But it’s permanently hidden from us because we can never reach, let alone cross over, the Cosmic Horizon." Alex Gianninas, PhD, an associate teaching professor of astronomy at Connecticut College, argues against it. He told Popular Mechanics, “The cosmic horizon is not a physical place, but a finite boundary beyond which we simply cannot see or communicate." Also Read: Every 22 minutes, a strange object has been sending a signal to Earth for 38 years Also Read: Ancient Indian texts say one universe ends, and another is born. Is this what Big Bang was? Universe extends beyond we can see Just because we cannot see beyond it, doesn't mean the universe ends there. Since the universe is about 13.8 billion years old, and light moves at around 300,000 kilometres per second, it is only possible to see regions from where light has had enough time to reach Earth. Other places are so far that light from there would never reach us. Also Read: Scientists think we have received a signal from a parallel universe via a WORMHOLE Another argument Guillen presents is Einstein’s theories of special and general relativity. He says that Einstein states that time stops at the Cosmic Horizon. This means there is no past, present or future after this point, and heaven likely lies in a place with timelessness. He further argues that modern cosmology states that the Cosmic Horizon has the "very oldest celestial objects in the observable universe". Which means, anything beyond this is so old that they possibly "predate the so-called big bang". Guillen is not the only scientist to talk about "partially religious, spiritual, or metaphysical" entities. Some of them have stated that treating the Big Bang as the end-all, be-all beginning risks a "creation-story language".

A scientist has claimed the place we cannot see beyond the observable universe is where heaven could be located. This place begins from where the Cosmic Horizon ends. However, critics have dismissed his theory.

Scientist claims heaven lies in the physical universe, and tells its EXACT location

Astronomers have identified a candidate exoplanet almost 146 light-years from Earth that has a striking resemblance to Earth. The planet has almost the same orbital path as our Earth and has a star which is astonishingly similar to our Sun. Among the 6000 or more exoplanets known to earth this has the most potential.&nbsp;<h2>How was the planet discovered?</h2>The planet was discovered by amateur researchers in the citizen science project "Planet Hunters." It went through archive data from the Kepler space telescope of the K2 mission, which monitored the brightness of more than 5000 stars between 2009 and 2018. They observed only a single transit in 2017: the star dimmed slightly for about 10 hours. Normally, several such transit is required. But the researchers are confident about the size and orbital period from the duration and depth of this single signal.

Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/epstein-files-jpmorgan-baal-occult-claims-explained-1770134864645">Epstein Files: JPMorgan wire transfer sparks online occult claims over ‘Baal’ reference</a><h2>Could this be another Earth?</h2>The planet identified as HD 137010 b has an orbit only six per cent larger than the Earth's and takes 355 days for one complete rotation. Its central star is also similar to our sun, only 1,000 degrees cooler and significantly less luminous. The planet receives less than a third of the energy that we receive from the sun. Its surface temperature is minus 68 to minus 70 degrees Celsius, which is more similar to Mars than a habitable Earth.<h2>Is it habitable?</h2>The exoplanet is placed at the outer edge of the habitable zone. In principle, liquid water could be possible at the orbit of the Earth. There is little information about the atmosphere of the new Earth; however, climate model shows that if the planet has a dense atmosphere with high carbon dioxide levels, a greenhouse effect could warm the surface and liquid water could be induced. Due to its short distance from its star, the planet would be an ideal candidate for future atmospheric analysis. This could focus on gases like oxygen or methane, which are considered possible indicators of life. But given its massive distance from our earth, it will take hundreds of thousands of years to reach the planet with the available technology.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Astronomers have identified an Earth-like exoplanet 146 light-years away with a similar orbit and a Sun-like star. Could it support life?

Astronomers have identified a candidate exoplanet almost 146 light-years from Earth that has a striking resemblance to Earth. The planet has almost the same orbital path as our Earth and has a star which is astonishingly similar to our Sun. Among the 6000 or more exoplanets known to earth this has the most potential. How was the planet discovered? The planet was discovered by amateur researchers in the citizen science project "Planet Hunters." It went through archive data from the Kepler space telescope of the K2 mission, which monitored the brightness of more than 5000 stars between 2009 and 2018. They observed only a single transit in 2017: the star dimmed slightly for about 10 hours. Normally, several such transit is required. But the researchers are confident about the size and orbital period from the duration and depth of this single signal.

The newly identified planet follows an orbit strikingly close to Earth’s and circles a star similar to the Sun, making it one of the most promising candidates yet.

Is this another Earth? Astronomers find Earth-like exoplanet 146 light-years away

Taking paracetamol during pregnancy is safe and does not increase the risk of autism, ADHD or other developmental conditions in children, shows a major new scientific review. The findings are in direct contradiction of the controversial claims made by US President Donald Trump a few months back. In September, Trump told pregnant women in the United States to avoid Tylenol and “tough it out,” and tied the painkiller, which is known as paracetamol outside America, to autism. Researchers say the evidence presented in the latest review published in The Lancet journal is strong enough to put the debate to rest.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/who-s-on-trump-s-gaza-board-of-peace-from-tony-blair-to-jared-kushner-in-pics-1768634224725">Who’s on Trump’s Gaza ‘Board of Peace’? From Tony Blair to Jared Kushner | In Pics</a><h2>Findings contradict Trump claims</h2>The review directly contradicts comments made last year by Trump, who claimed paracetamol was dangerous in pregnancy and urged women to avoid it. In a speech that was reminiscent of his anti-vaccination push, Donald Trump repeatedly said, “Don’t take it (Tylenol),” adding that pregnant women should only consider acetaminophen, the main ingredient in Tylenol, if battling an “extremely high fever.” He then told them to “fight like hell not to take it.”The US president claimed that, “There's a rumour—and I don't know if it's so or not—that Cuba, they don't have Tylenol because they don't have the money for Tylenol. And they have virtually no autism.” He also contended that the Amish, traditionalist people known for their horse-drawn carts and rejection of modern technology, "have essentially no autism".Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-tells-pregnant-women-to-tough-it-out-without-paracetamol-claims-amish-have-no-autism-because-they-lack-tylenol-1758589438052">Trump tells pregnant women to ‘tough it out’ without paracetamol, claims Amish have ‘no autism’ because they lack Tylenol</a>Those remarks drew sharp criticism from medical bodies worldwide and left many pregnant women uncertain about what pain relief was safe.<h2>What the research examined</h2>Experts say this latest research, published in The Lancet Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Women’s Health, is among the most rigorous analyses ever conducted on the issue. The review analysed 43 high-quality studies involving hundreds of thousands of women. Crucially, it focused on robust comparisons, including sibling studies, which allow researchers to rule out different genes and family environments as explanations for developmental outcomes.The authors also prioritised studies with low risk of bias and those that followed children for more than five years. Across this data, they found no evidence linking paracetamol use in pregnancy to autism, ADHD or intellectual disability.Lead author Professor Asma Khalil said, "When we did this analysis, we found no links, there was no association, there's no evidence that paracetamol increases the risk of autism. The message is clear – paracetamol remains a safe option during pregnancy when taken as guided".<h2>Why this matters for mothers</h2>Medical guidance already warns that untreated pain or high fever during pregnancy can itself be harmful, increasing the risk of miscarriage, premature birth or developmental complications. Paracetamol is widely recommended as the first-line treatment because alternatives such as ibuprofen carry known risks later in pregnancy. &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

A major new scientific review has put to rest fears around using paracetamol during pregnancy, directly contradicting claims made by US President Donald Trump last year. Here’s what this really means, and why it matters.

Taking paracetamol during pregnancy is safe and does not increase the risk of autism, ADHD or other developmental conditions in children, shows a major new scientific review. The findings are in direct contradiction of the controversial claims made by US President Donald Trump a few months back. In September, Trump told pregnant women in the United States to avoid Tylenol and “tough it out,” and tied the painkiller, which is known as paracetamol outside America, to autism. Researchers say the evidence presented in the latest review published in The Lancet journal is strong enough to put the debate to rest. Also read | Who’s on Trump’s Gaza ‘Board of Peace’? From Tony Blair to Jared Kushner | In Pics Findings contradict Trump claims The review directly contradicts comments made last year by Trump, who claimed paracetamol was dangerous in pregnancy and urged women to avoid it. In a speech that was reminiscent of his anti-vaccination push, Donald Trump repeatedly said, “Don’t take it (Tylenol),” adding that pregnant women should only consider acetaminophen, the main ingredient in Tylenol, if battling an “extremely high fever.” He then told them to “fight like hell not to take it.” The US president claimed that, “There's a rumour—and I don't know if it's so or not—that Cuba, they don't have Tylenol because they don't have the money for Tylenol. And they have virtually no autism.” He also contended that the Amish, traditionalist people known for their horse-drawn carts and rejection of modern technology, "have essentially no autism". Also read | Trump tells pregnant women to ‘tough it out’ without paracetamol, claims Amish have ‘no autism’ because they lack Tylenol Those remarks drew sharp criticism from medical bodies worldwide and left many pregnant women uncertain about what pain relief was safe. What the research examined Experts say this latest research, published in The Lancet Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Women’s Health, is among the most rigorous analyses ever conducted on the issue. The review analysed 43 high-quality studies involving hundreds of thousands of women. Crucially, it focused on robust comparisons, including sibling studies, which allow researchers to rule out different genes and family environments as explanations for developmental outcomes. The authors also prioritised studies with low risk of bias and those that followed children for more than five years. Across this data, they found no evidence linking paracetamol use in pregnancy to autism, ADHD or intellectual disability. Lead author Professor Asma Khalil said, "When we did this analysis, we found no links, there was no association, there's no evidence that paracetamol increases the risk of autism. The message is clear – paracetamol remains a safe option during pregnancy when taken as guided". Why this matters for mothers Medical guidance already warns that untreated pain or high fever during pregnancy can itself be harmful, increasing the risk of miscarriage, premature birth or developmental complications. Paracetamol is widely recommended as the first-line treatment because alternatives such as ibuprofen carry known risks later in pregnancy.

A major new scientific review has put to rest fears around using paracetamol during pregnancy, directly contradicting claims made by US President Donald Trump last year. Here’s what this really means, and why it matters.

Science debunks Trump's claim: Paracetamol in pregnancy not linked to autism, finds Lancet study

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bees did MATHS, and solved an alien communication problem

Archaeologists have unearthed a human-created fire took place in the east of England 400,000 years ago. The discovery indicated that the origin of human fire dates back to more than 350,000 years, far earlier than previously thought. It was discovered that the ability to create fire has changed everything for humans, as it gave warmth as per need and allowed our ancestors to cook and eat meat, resulting in the growth of the brains of the people.&nbsp;It meant we were no longer a group of animals struggling to survive; it gave us time to think and invent, and become the advanced species we are today. The team reported discovering baked earth alongside what appears to be the earliest Stone Age lighter – a flint struck against pyrite, or fool's gold, to produce a spark.<h3>What is hidden beneath Barnham Forest</h3>Hidden beneath the canopy of Barnham Forest lies an archaeological gem, buried just a few metres below the Earth and dating back to the furthest depths of human pre-history, according to a report by the BBC. Around a small clearing, lush green branches seem to part like a curtain, slowly unveiling a forgotten chapter of the forest’s history.&nbsp;Archaeologists at East Farm Barnham in Suffolk have uncovered a prehistoric fireplace at the centre of what may have been a Stone Age “town hall,” where early humans gathered hundreds of thousands of years ago. The central hearth suggests this could have been a key site for the development of early language and social interaction.&nbsp;Excavations by Prof Nick Ashton and his team revealed flint tools altered by heat and layers of clay deposited after Britain’s last major ice age. The most significant find was fragments of iron pyrite—fool’s gold—used to spark fire, marking a pivotal moment in human innovation.

Archaeologists at East Farm Barnham in Suffolk have uncovered a prehistoric fireplace at the centre of what may have been a Stone Age “town hall,” where early humans gathered hundreds of thousands of years ago. 

Archaeologists have unearthed a human-created fire took place in the east of England 400,000 years ago. The discovery indicated that the origin of human fire dates back to more than 350,000 years, far earlier than previously thought. It was discovered that the ability to create fire has changed everything for humans, as it gave warmth as per need and allowed our ancestors to cook and eat meat, resulting in the growth of the brains of the people. It meant we were no longer a group of animals struggling to survive; it gave us time to think and invent, and become the advanced species we are today. The team reported discovering baked earth alongside what appears to be the earliest Stone Age lighter – a flint struck against pyrite, or fool's gold, to produce a spark. What is hidden beneath Barnham Forest Hidden beneath the canopy of Barnham Forest lies an archaeological gem, buried just a few metres below the Earth and dating back to the furthest depths of human pre-history, according to a report by the BBC. Around a small clearing, lush green branches seem to part like a curtain, slowly unveiling a forgotten chapter of the forest’s history. Archaeologists at East Farm Barnham in Suffolk have uncovered a prehistoric fireplace at the centre of what may have been a Stone Age “town hall,” where early humans gathered hundreds of thousands of years ago. The central hearth suggests this could have been a key site for the development of early language and social interaction. Excavations by Prof Nick Ashton and his team revealed flint tools altered by heat and layers of clay deposited after Britain’s last major ice age. The most significant find was fragments of iron pyrite—fool’s gold—used to spark fire, marking a pivotal moment in human innovation.

Archaeologists at East Farm Barnham in Suffolk have uncovered a prehistoric fireplace at the centre of what may have been a Stone Age “town hall,” where early humans gathered hundreds of thousands of years ago.&nbsp;

A 400,000-year-old fire discovery in England rewrites human history: Could this be birthplace of blaze?

Three new species of toads in Tanzania that exhibit a highly unusual trait have been identified by the scientists. They discovered that the new species of toads give birth to fully formed baby toads, or “toadlets,” completely skipping the tadpole stage. Normally, frogs and toads lay eggs that develop into tadpoles before transforming into adults. However, members of the Nectophrynoides group, also known as “tree toads," follow a different reproductive path and bypass the tadpole phase entirely.&nbsp;Until now, only 17 out of over 7,000 known frog and toad species were known to give birth to live young, and 13 of those belonged to this same Nectophrynoides lineage. The three newly discovered species, Nectophrynoides saliensis, Nectophrynoides luhomeroensis, and Nectophrynoides uhehe, were identified during an extensive study of toads in the Eastern Arc Mountains of Tanzania, according to a report in the Indian Express.<h3>Nectophrynoides viviparus</h3>Researchers examined hundreds of preserved specimens, recorded their calls in natural habitats and analysed their DNA to distinguish these species from the one previously classified as Nectophrynoides viviparus. Although the new species resembles N. viviparus, subtle differences in genetics, head structure, and gland placement revealed that what was thought to be a single widespread species is actually four separate species, each with smaller, isolated populations.&nbsp;The discovery plays a significant role in conservation as the smaller, scattered homes of these toads might make them more at risk than previously expected. As per the report, one related species, Nectophrynoides asperginis, went extinct in the wild in 2009 because of a dam construction nearby and fungal disease.&nbsp;A biologist at the University of Dar es Salaam, John Lyakurwa, said, “The forests where these toads live are disappearing quickly,” and underscored that human activities and climate change threaten these rare toads’ habitats.&nbsp;The discovery highlights the need to protect the fragile environment these live-bearing toads depend on, along with additional understanding of amphibians. Scientists expect that future research will help to figure out about each species and efforts to conserve them.

The three newly discovered species, Nectophrynoides saliensis, Nectophrynoides luhomeroensis, and Nectophrynoides uhehe, were identified during an extensive study of toads in the Eastern Arc Mountains of Tanzania.

Three new species of toads in Tanzania that exhibit a highly unusual trait have been identified by the scientists. They discovered that the new species of toads give birth to fully formed baby toads, or “toadlets,” completely skipping the tadpole stage. Normally, frogs and toads lay eggs that develop into tadpoles before transforming into adults. However, members of the Nectophrynoides group, also known as “tree toads," follow a different reproductive path and bypass the tadpole phase entirely. Until now, only 17 out of over 7,000 known frog and toad species were known to give birth to live young, and 13 of those belonged to this same Nectophrynoides lineage. The three newly discovered species, Nectophrynoides saliensis, Nectophrynoides luhomeroensis, and Nectophrynoides uhehe, were identified during an extensive study of toads in the Eastern Arc Mountains of Tanzania, according to a report in the Indian Express. Nectophrynoides viviparus Researchers examined hundreds of preserved specimens, recorded their calls in natural habitats and analysed their DNA to distinguish these species from the one previously classified as Nectophrynoides viviparus. Although the new species resembles N. viviparus, subtle differences in genetics, head structure, and gland placement revealed that what was thought to be a single widespread species is actually four separate species, each with smaller, isolated populations. The discovery plays a significant role in conservation as the smaller, scattered homes of these toads might make them more at risk than previously expected. As per the report, one related species, Nectophrynoides asperginis, went extinct in the wild in 2009 because of a dam construction nearby and fungal disease. A biologist at the University of Dar es Salaam, John Lyakurwa, said, “The forests where these toads live are disappearing quickly,” and underscored that human activities and climate change threaten these rare toads’ habitats. The discovery highlights the need to protect the fragile environment these live-bearing toads depend on, along with additional understanding of amphibians. Scientists expect that future research will help to figure out about each species and efforts to conserve them.

The three newly discovered species, Nectophrynoides saliensis, Nectophrynoides luhomeroensis, and Nectophrynoides uhehe, were identified during an extensive study of toads in the Eastern Arc Mountains of Tanzania.

THESE 3 newly found Tanzanian toads break nature’s rules: Know what it is

A California-based startup has plans to change night into day by placing huge mirrors in space. Aptly named &nbsp;Reflect Orbital, the company thinks it can launch thousands of satellites with reflective panels that can redirect sunlight towards the night side of Earth. The owners have pitched several benefits of their plan that go against Mother Nature. For starters, the solar light can help power solar panels, help with rescue and other operations and help treat seasonal depression that comes with a lack of sunlight. It wants to start work by next year and has approached the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for a license, Smithsonian magazine reported.&nbsp;However, astronomers are not happy with this idea, as it goes against the natural order of things. They say the sun should when it's supposed to, and humans shouldn't be able to control such a powerful force. The first problem with these massive reflective satellites is that they will be brighter than the moon, blocking out the view of on-ground telescopes, making it harder to observe cosmic bodies, and making astronomy work harder. Also, forcefully turning night into day will also mess with the human body, which depends on this day-night cycle for rest. The dark is the body's cue to go to sleep. When it won't happen, many things could go wrong with the human body.&nbsp;James Lowenthal, an astronomer at Smith College, told Smithsonian magazine, "It goes against every fibre of my existence to imagine that we could intentionally banish the night." The mirrors will be made up of Mylar, which will add to the reflectivity. They are proposed to be square-shaped and will be about 33 feet to 180 feet across. The first satellite with a 60-foot mirror, called Earendil-1, is scheduled to be launched in April 2026. It will be a prototype and will be followed by many more such satellites. Reflect Orbital plans to place 4,000 satellites in orbit by 2030.&nbsp;The satellites will be in low orbit and move quickly, lighting up an area only for a small amount of time. This is why several of them will be needed to make the plan a success. The idea of space mirrors is not new. &nbsp;In 1923, German rocket pioneer Hermann Oberth proposed it in his thesis. Later, other scientists also talked about it to help with solar power. In 1993, a Russian satellite known as Znamya 2 with an 80-foot mirror was launched to extend daylight hours in Arctic Siberia, but it was later de-orbited.&nbsp;

Can humans end night? Should we be tampering with Mother Nature? That is the question astronomers across the world are raising as one company gets ready to launch huge mirrors into space to reflect sunlight on the darker side of Earth. 

A California-based startup has plans to change night into day by placing huge mirrors in space. Aptly named Reflect Orbital, the company thinks it can launch thousands of satellites with reflective panels that can redirect sunlight towards the night side of Earth. The owners have pitched several benefits of their plan that go against Mother Nature. For starters, the solar light can help power solar panels, help with rescue and other operations and help treat seasonal depression that comes with a lack of sunlight. It wants to start work by next year and has approached the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for a license, Smithsonian magazine reported. However, astronomers are not happy with this idea, as it goes against the natural order of things. They say the sun should when it's supposed to, and humans shouldn't be able to control such a powerful force. The first problem with these massive reflective satellites is that they will be brighter than the moon, blocking out the view of on-ground telescopes, making it harder to observe cosmic bodies, and making astronomy work harder. Also, forcefully turning night into day will also mess with the human body, which depends on this day-night cycle for rest. The dark is the body's cue to go to sleep. When it won't happen, many things could go wrong with the human body. James Lowenthal, an astronomer at Smith College, told Smithsonian magazine, "It goes against every fibre of my existence to imagine that we could intentionally banish the night." The mirrors will be made up of Mylar, which will add to the reflectivity. They are proposed to be square-shaped and will be about 33 feet to 180 feet across. The first satellite with a 60-foot mirror, called Earendil-1, is scheduled to be launched in April 2026. It will be a prototype and will be followed by many more such satellites. Reflect Orbital plans to place 4,000 satellites in orbit by 2030. The satellites will be in low orbit and move quickly, lighting up an area only for a small amount of time. This is why several of them will be needed to make the plan a success. The idea of space mirrors is not new. In 1923, German rocket pioneer Hermann Oberth proposed it in his thesis. Later, other scientists also talked about it to help with solar power. In 1993, a Russian satellite known as Znamya 2 with an 80-foot mirror was launched to extend daylight hours in Arctic Siberia, but it was later de-orbited.

Can humans end night? Should we be tampering with Mother Nature? That's the question astronomers across the world are raising as one company gets ready to launch huge mirrors into space to reflect sunlight on the darker side of Earth.&nbsp;

California company wants to 'banish the night' with mirrors in space: 'It goes against every...'

A new study has now found that microscopic remnants of long-dead organisms may still rest frozen in Mars' ice, enduring far longer than previously believed, even under extreme and life-hostile conditions. The findings indicate that bacterial traces could survive up to 50 million years of cosmic radiation if sealed in pure ice, giving hope of uncovering biological evidence beneath the frozen surface of Mars.&nbsp;In order to get findings, the team recreated conditions similar to the Mars environment in the lab using E. coli bacteria and pure water ice. The samples were frozen at minus 60 degrees Fahrenheit and exposed to a high amount of radiation similar to what Mars has been experiencing for millions of years, according to a report in The Earth.<h3>How results show life on Mars?</h3>When the result came, it surprised the researchers, showing over 10 per cent of the amino acids – the molecules that form proteins – remained unharmed. “Fifty million years is far greater than the expected age for some current surface ice deposits on Mars. That means if there are bacteria near the surface of Mars, future missions can find it," said Christopher House of Penn State.&nbsp;Samples containing Martian soil or rock broke down much more quickly, while pure ice offered protection by trapping harmful particles before they could spread. When radiation strikes ice mixed with minerals, it generates reactive radicals that move freely and destroy amino acids. In contrast, solid ice keeps these radicals frozen in place, minimising damage.&nbsp;“While in solid ice, harmful particles created by radiation get frozen in place and may not be able to reach organic compounds,” Pavlov said. This shows that, the pure ice, without rocky soil, there could be a possibility of life on Mars.&nbsp;Researchers also discovered that clay minerals such as montmorillonite provide no protection—in fact, they may worsen molecular decay by forming thin liquid films that allow radiation to travel more easily. Temperature proved a crucial factor too: under warmer, Mars-like conditions, amino acids deteriorated faster than in the frigid, Europa-like environment.&nbsp;At higher temperatures, radiation produces more mobile oxidants that rapidly react with organic matter. Interestingly, water content also played an unexpected role, contrary to earlier assumptions that more water speeds destruction; the new study found a more complex relationship at work.&nbsp;The radicals which were formed in pure ice were unable to move easily. However, it could still travel through thin liquid-like layers in minerals with small amounts of water and break molecules apart faster. The result indicated why ice, even after exposure, is still a better long-term protector than wet clay or rock mixtures.&nbsp;The study also indicates that if microbial life once existed on Mars, its chemical traces might still be hidden beneath the planet’s icy surface. Pure ice, researchers found, can preserve organic material for tens of millions of years, potentially long enough for future human missions to uncover it.&nbsp;Backed by NASA’s Planetary Science Division and scientists from Penn State, the research underscores one key insight: the search for life’s remnants should focus on ice rather than rock. The clues to Mars’s biological past may already be there, locked in the frozen layers, preserved across cosmic time and shielded from decay.

The study indicated that if microbial life once existed on Mars, its chemical traces might still be hidden beneath the planet’s icy surface. Pure ice, researchers found, can preserve organic material for 10 million years, potentially long enough for future human missions to uncover it.

A new study has now found that microscopic remnants of long-dead organisms may still rest frozen in Mars' ice, enduring far longer than previously believed, even under extreme and life-hostile conditions. The findings indicate that bacterial traces could survive up to 50 million years of cosmic radiation if sealed in pure ice, giving hope of uncovering biological evidence beneath the frozen surface of Mars. In order to get findings, the team recreated conditions similar to the Mars environment in the lab using E. coli bacteria and pure water ice. The samples were frozen at minus 60 degrees Fahrenheit and exposed to a high amount of radiation similar to what Mars has been experiencing for millions of years, according to a report in The Earth. How results show life on Mars? When the result came, it surprised the researchers, showing over 10 per cent of the amino acids – the molecules that form proteins – remained unharmed. “Fifty million years is far greater than the expected age for some current surface ice deposits on Mars. That means if there are bacteria near the surface of Mars, future missions can find it," said Christopher House of Penn State. Samples containing Martian soil or rock broke down much more quickly, while pure ice offered protection by trapping harmful particles before they could spread. When radiation strikes ice mixed with minerals, it generates reactive radicals that move freely and destroy amino acids. In contrast, solid ice keeps these radicals frozen in place, minimising damage. “While in solid ice, harmful particles created by radiation get frozen in place and may not be able to reach organic compounds,” Pavlov said. This shows that, the pure ice, without rocky soil, there could be a possibility of life on Mars. Researchers also discovered that clay minerals such as montmorillonite provide no protection—in fact, they may worsen molecular decay by forming thin liquid films that allow radiation to travel more easily. Temperature proved a crucial factor too: under warmer, Mars-like conditions, amino acids deteriorated faster than in the frigid, Europa-like environment. At higher temperatures, radiation produces more mobile oxidants that rapidly react with organic matter. Interestingly, water content also played an unexpected role, contrary to earlier assumptions that more water speeds destruction; the new study found a more complex relationship at work. The radicals which were formed in pure ice were unable to move easily. However, it could still travel through thin liquid-like layers in minerals with small amounts of water and break molecules apart faster. The result indicated why ice, even after exposure, is still a better long-term protector than wet clay or rock mixtures. The study also indicates that if microbial life once existed on Mars, its chemical traces might still be hidden beneath the planet’s icy surface. Pure ice, researchers found, can preserve organic material for tens of millions of years, potentially long enough for future human missions to uncover it. Backed by NASA’s Planetary Science Division and scientists from Penn State, the research underscores one key insight: the search for life’s remnants should focus on ice rather than rock. The clues to Mars’s biological past may already be there, locked in the frozen layers, preserved across cosmic time and shielded from decay.

The study indicated that if microbial life once existed on Mars, its chemical traces might still be hidden beneath the planet’s icy surface. Pure ice, researchers found, can preserve organic material for 10 million years, potentially long enough for future human missions to uncover it.

Life on Mars? Study finds traces of life may still lie beneath the planet's frozen surface

In something right out of a sci-fi horror movie, scientists have revived an ancient infectious lifeform that could potentially piggyback on an animal and eventually cause the next human pandemic. These microorganisms were reportedly frozen in Alaska for nearly 40,000 years. But now,&nbsp;researchers from the University of Colorado Boulder thawed samples of ancient permafrost — a mixture of frozen soil, rock, and ice — and found that once warmed, the microbes slowly returned to life.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ice-turns-arrest-into-meme-mocks-detainee-in-bizarre-ride-of-shame-video-outrage-erupts-as-white-house-reposts-video-watch-1759732361629">ICE turns arrest into meme; mocks detainee in bizarre ‘ride of shame’ video — outrage erupts as White House reposts video. Watch!</a><h2>How were the dormant ancient viruses brought to life?</h2>At first, nothing happened. But within months, the long-dormant microorganisms began forming thriving colonies, prompting concerns about what else could awaken as the Arctic melts, according to the Daily Mail.“These are not dead samples by any means,” said Dr Tristan Caro, a geoscientist who led the study published in Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences.The microbes, invisible to the naked eye, were collected from Alaska’s Permafrost Research Tunnel near Fairbanks — an underground passage known as an “icy graveyard.” Scientists incubated the samples at temperatures between 3°C and 12°C to simulate a warming Arctic summer.Within six months, microbial communities had transformed dramatically, forming biofilms — slimy layers of bacteria that are hard to eliminate.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/-living-nostradamus-warns-of-imminent-crisis-makes-chilling-prophecy-about-trump-s-plans-for-us-military-1759738646707">‘Living Nostradamus’ warns of 'imminent crisis,' makes chilling prophecy about Trump's plans for US military</a><h2>Can these ancient viruses infect humans?</h2>While these microbes “likely couldn’t infect people,” researchers warned they could still pose serious risks, said the team behind their resurrection. As they reawaken, they release carbon dioxide and methane — greenhouse gases that accelerate climate change.However, longer, warmer Arctic summers could supercharge this process, Dr Caro said. “You might have a single hot day in the Alaskan summer, but what matters much more is the lengthening of the summer season to where these warm temperatures extend into the autumn and spring.”The ability of these microorganisms to survive tens of thousands of years raises deeper concerns. Experts fear that melting permafrost could one day expose ancient bacteria or viruses capable of infecting modern hosts.Dr Brigitta Evengård, an infectious disease expert from Sweden, cautioned that permafrost could release antibiotic-resistant bacteria. “The two that we know could come out of the permafrost are anthrax and pox viruses; other than that, it’s Pandora's box,” she told Greenpeace.Another study, published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B, found that melting glaciers increase the risk of “viral spillover” — when a virus jumps to a new host species. As meltwater flows into Arctic lakes, ancient pathogens could find new routes to infect animals, or even humans.

Scientists have revived ancient microorganisms frozen in Alaska’s permafrost for nearly 40,000 years — sparking fears of what else could awaken as the Arctic warms. Here's why they did this. 

In something right out of a sci-fi horror movie, scientists have revived an ancient infectious lifeform that could potentially piggyback on an animal and eventually cause the next human pandemic. These microorganisms were reportedly frozen in Alaska for nearly 40,000 years. But now, researchers from the University of Colorado Boulder thawed samples of ancient permafrost — a mixture of frozen soil, rock, and ice — and found that once warmed, the microbes slowly returned to life. Also read | ICE turns arrest into meme; mocks detainee in bizarre ‘ride of shame’ video — outrage erupts as White House reposts video. Watch! How were the dormant ancient viruses brought to life? At first, nothing happened. But within months, the long-dormant microorganisms began forming thriving colonies, prompting concerns about what else could awaken as the Arctic melts, according to the Daily Mail. “These are not dead samples by any means,” said Dr Tristan Caro, a geoscientist who led the study published in Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences. The microbes, invisible to the naked eye, were collected from Alaska’s Permafrost Research Tunnel near Fairbanks — an underground passage known as an “icy graveyard.” Scientists incubated the samples at temperatures between 3°C and 12°C to simulate a warming Arctic summer. Within six months, microbial communities had transformed dramatically, forming biofilms — slimy layers of bacteria that are hard to eliminate. Also read | ‘Living Nostradamus’ warns of 'imminent crisis,' makes chilling prophecy about Trump's plans for US military Can these ancient viruses infect humans? While these microbes “likely couldn’t infect people,” researchers warned they could still pose serious risks, said the team behind their resurrection. As they reawaken, they release carbon dioxide and methane — greenhouse gases that accelerate climate change. However, longer, warmer Arctic summers could supercharge this process, Dr Caro said. “You might have a single hot day in the Alaskan summer, but what matters much more is the lengthening of the summer season to where these warm temperatures extend into the autumn and spring.” The ability of these microorganisms to survive tens of thousands of years raises deeper concerns. Experts fear that melting permafrost could one day expose ancient bacteria or viruses capable of infecting modern hosts. Dr Brigitta Evengård, an infectious disease expert from Sweden, cautioned that permafrost could release antibiotic-resistant bacteria. “The two that we know could come out of the permafrost are anthrax and pox viruses; other than that, it’s Pandora's box,” she told Greenpeace. Another study, published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B, found that melting glaciers increase the risk of “viral spillover” — when a virus jumps to a new host species. As meltwater flows into Arctic lakes, ancient pathogens could find new routes to infect animals, or even humans.

Scientists have revived ancient microorganisms frozen in Alaska’s permafrost for nearly 40,000 years — sparking fears of what else could awaken as the Arctic warms. Here's why they did this.&nbsp;

Why?? Scientists revive 40,000-year-old ancient virus with 'pandemic potential' from Arctic ice

A team of doctors in China successfully implanted a pig's lung into a human for the first time. They connected a gene-edited pig lung to a man who had been pronounced brain dead. The implanted lung functioned for 9 days and transported oxygen into the blood till the immune system destroyed it.&nbsp;The transplantation was part of xenotransplantation, a process in which the use of animal organs took place to help people who required transplants. This method plays a significant role for humankind, as several patients die waiting for an organ if their lungs fail.&nbsp;Researchers documented the case in a peer-reviewed paper, tracking the transplanted pig lung for 216 hours, or nine days. The development allowed doctors to observe how the human immune system responds to a pig organ over an extended period, according to a report in Earth.com.&nbsp;The operation and analysis were directed by the lead surgeon, Jianxing He of the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, whose group works in lung surgery and transplant research in Guangzhou, China. According to a report in OPTN, the United States performed 3,340 lung transplants in 2024. Despite the increase, the demand remains high, and waiting lists are long.<h3>How a pig’s lung was implanted into a man</h3>In this experimental surgery, doctors removed the left lung of a genetically modified Bama Xiang pig, a small native Chinese breed commonly used in xenotransplantation because its organs closely match human sizes. Then they attached the pig's organ to a 39-year-old brain-dead man after the lung was edited multiple times with the help of CRISPR technology, a tool that changes DNA in precise ways.&nbsp;Scientists modified the pig lung by deleting three genes that typically trigger strong immune reactions and inserting three human genes that regulate blood clotting and the complement system. The lung was surgically attached to the patient’s airway and blood vessels using standard transplant methods, while the other natural lung was left intact to maintain stability and allow safe data collection.&nbsp;Once blood flow resumed, the lung began exchanging gases and readings from its vein confirmed normal oxygen levels, indicating that the organ was functioning at a basic level. The most serious issue emerged within the first 24 hours—fluid build-up in the tissue, resembling primary graft dysfunction, a complication often seen after lung transplants.&nbsp;By the third and sixth days, tests revealed antibody activity and complement system attacks that were damaging the tissue. Although some improvements were noted by day nine, the researchers chose to end the experiment and remove the lung for further study.<h3>How will the implantation help patients?</h3>Recent developments with pig kidney transplants in humans have shown remarkable results. One patient has successfully lived for more than six months with a transplanted pig kidney.&nbsp;However, lungs pose a greater risk due to different biological complexities, so kidney progress does not transfer directly. Still, the kidney breakthrough shows that carefully designed genetic modifications and tailored drug therapies can extend the acceptance of animal organs.&nbsp;If researchers succeed in identifying the right balance of gene edits and medicines for lung transplants, it could be transformative. Patients suffering from conditions such as cystic fibrosis, pulmonary fibrosis, or severe emphysema could get options that are currently unavailable.&nbsp;

Doctors documented the case in a peer-reviewed paper, tracking the transplanted pig lung for 216 hours, or nine days. The development allowed doctors to observe how the human immune system responds to a pig organ over an extended period.

A team of doctors in China successfully implanted a pig's lung into a human for the first time. They connected a gene-edited pig lung to a man who had been pronounced brain dead. The implanted lung functioned for 9 days and transported oxygen into the blood till the immune system destroyed it. The transplantation was part of xenotransplantation, a process in which the use of animal organs took place to help people who required transplants. This method plays a significant role for humankind, as several patients die waiting for an organ if their lungs fail. Researchers documented the case in a peer-reviewed paper, tracking the transplanted pig lung for 216 hours, or nine days. The development allowed doctors to observe how the human immune system responds to a pig organ over an extended period, according to a report in Earth.com. The operation and analysis were directed by the lead surgeon, Jianxing He of the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, whose group works in lung surgery and transplant research in Guangzhou, China. According to a report in OPTN, the United States performed 3,340 lung transplants in 2024. Despite the increase, the demand remains high, and waiting lists are long. How a pig’s lung was implanted into a man In this experimental surgery, doctors removed the left lung of a genetically modified Bama Xiang pig, a small native Chinese breed commonly used in xenotransplantation because its organs closely match human sizes. Then they attached the pig's organ to a 39-year-old brain-dead man after the lung was edited multiple times with the help of CRISPR technology, a tool that changes DNA in precise ways. Scientists modified the pig lung by deleting three genes that typically trigger strong immune reactions and inserting three human genes that regulate blood clotting and the complement system. The lung was surgically attached to the patient’s airway and blood vessels using standard transplant methods, while the other natural lung was left intact to maintain stability and allow safe data collection. Once blood flow resumed, the lung began exchanging gases and readings from its vein confirmed normal oxygen levels, indicating that the organ was functioning at a basic level. The most serious issue emerged within the first 24 hours—fluid build-up in the tissue, resembling primary graft dysfunction, a complication often seen after lung transplants. By the third and sixth days, tests revealed antibody activity and complement system attacks that were damaging the tissue. Although some improvements were noted by day nine, the researchers chose to end the experiment and remove the lung for further study. How will the implantation help patients? Recent developments with pig kidney transplants in humans have shown remarkable results. One patient has successfully lived for more than six months with a transplanted pig kidney. However, lungs pose a greater risk due to different biological complexities, so kidney progress does not transfer directly. Still, the kidney breakthrough shows that carefully designed genetic modifications and tailored drug therapies can extend the acceptance of animal organs. If researchers succeed in identifying the right balance of gene edits and medicines for lung transplants, it could be transformative. Patients suffering from conditions such as cystic fibrosis, pulmonary fibrosis, or severe emphysema could get options that are currently unavailable.

Doctors documented the case in a peer-reviewed paper, tracking the transplanted pig lung for 216 hours, or nine days. The development allowed doctors to observe how the human immune system responds to a pig organ over an extended period.

Doctors in China successfully implant Pig’s lung into a human in historic first

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has detected a new moon orbiting Uranus, adding to the planet’s already fascinating collection of natural satellites. &nbsp;According to <a href="https://science.nasa.gov/blogs/webb/2025/08/19/new-moon-discovered-orbiting-uranus-using-nasas-webb-telescope/">NASA’s official release</a>, the discovery was made during a survey aimed at studying Uranus’ atmosphere and ring system. The faint object was identified through detailed infrared images captured by Webb’s powerful cameras.&nbsp;This marks a rare finding, as Uranus’ moons are difficult to detect because of their small size and distance from Earth. The newly found moon brings the total count of Uranian moons to 28.&nbsp;<h2>Why This Discovery Matters</h2>Scientists say this discovery will help them understand how Uranus and its moons formed billions of years ago.&nbsp;Dr Mark Showalter, a planetary scientist involved in the study, explained that detecting such a small moon shows the “unprecedented sensitivity” of the Webb telescope. The moon appears to be only a few kilometres across, making it one of the smallest in Uranus’ system.&nbsp;The new moon’s orbit also provides clues about the planet’s complex gravitational interactions. Researchers will continue observing it to learn more about its composition and movement.&nbsp;<h2>Naming the New Moon</h2>Following tradition, Uranus’ moons are named after characters from the works of William Shakespeare and Alexander Pope.&nbsp;Once the discovery is confirmed by the International Astronomical Union (IAU), the new moon will receive an official name. Previous Uranian moons have names such as Titania, Oberon, and Miranda, all drawn from Shakespeare’s plays.&nbsp;NASA scientists say they expect the naming process to be completed later this year, after further observations.&nbsp;The Webb telescope continues to reveal new details about our solar system, from distant galaxies to hidden moons. This latest discovery highlights how advanced space technology is helping scientists explore worlds that were once out of reach.

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has found a tiny new moon orbiting Uranus, raising the total moons to 28. This discovery reveals Uranus’ complex gravitational system and shows Webb’s unmatched sensitivity, opening new paths for exploring our solar system’s distant worlds.

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has detected a new moon orbiting Uranus, adding to the planet’s already fascinating collection of natural satellites. According to NASA’s official release, the discovery was made during a survey aimed at studying Uranus’ atmosphere and ring system. The faint object was identified through detailed infrared images captured by Webb’s powerful cameras. This marks a rare finding, as Uranus’ moons are difficult to detect because of their small size and distance from Earth. The newly found moon brings the total count of Uranian moons to 28. Why This Discovery Matters Scientists say this discovery will help them understand how Uranus and its moons formed billions of years ago. Dr Mark Showalter, a planetary scientist involved in the study, explained that detecting such a small moon shows the “unprecedented sensitivity” of the Webb telescope. The moon appears to be only a few kilometres across, making it one of the smallest in Uranus’ system. The new moon’s orbit also provides clues about the planet’s complex gravitational interactions. Researchers will continue observing it to learn more about its composition and movement. Naming the New Moon Following tradition, Uranus’ moons are named after characters from the works of William Shakespeare and Alexander Pope. Once the discovery is confirmed by the International Astronomical Union (IAU), the new moon will receive an official name. Previous Uranian moons have names such as Titania, Oberon, and Miranda, all drawn from Shakespeare’s plays. NASA scientists say they expect the naming process to be completed later this year, after further observations. The Webb telescope continues to reveal new details about our solar system, from distant galaxies to hidden moons. This latest discovery highlights how advanced space technology is helping scientists explore worlds that were once out of reach.

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has found a tiny new moon orbiting Uranus, raising the total moons to 28. This discovery reveals Uranus’ complex gravitational system and shows Webb’s unmatched sensitivity, opening new paths for exploring our solar system’s distant worlds.

NASA’s James Webb Telescope discovers tiny new moon orbiting Uranus

Elon Musk's SpaceX hit pause on its latest Starship test flight Sunday (Aug 24), scrubbing the much-hyped launch just minutes before liftoff, saying it had things to troubleshoot. The cancellation marked yet another setback for Elon Musk's giant rocket — the one he insists will one day carry people to the Moon and eventually Mars. The 403-foot behemoth was supposed to blast off from Starbase in Texas at 6:30 pm local time (2330 GMT) for its tenth test flight. Musk himself had teased the launch an hour earlier, posting "Starship 10 launching tonight" on X. But despite the rocket already being fuelled, SpaceX abruptly called it off just 15 minutes before launch.<h2>Why was the SpaceX launch cancelled?</h2>On X, the space company said, "Standing down from today's tenth flight of Starship to allow time to troubleshoot an issue with ground systems". However, it did not elaborate on what issue it needed to troubleshoot.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Standing down from today's tenth flight of Starship to allow time to troubleshoot an issue with ground systems— SpaceX (@SpaceX) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1959755893324865963?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 24, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

For now, the cancelled launch could be rescheduled as early as Monday or Tuesday, according to local road closure notices near Starbase.&nbsp;<h2>SpaceX's string of failures grows</h2>The latest delay piles onto a string of high-profile failures. Starship's upper stage has exploded in all three of its test flights this year, with debris falling over Caribbean islands in two cases and one stage breaking apart after reaching space. Another blew up on the ground during a June static fire test. So far, the rocket hasn't managed to deliver a payload to orbit or return its upper stage intact.That's a problem, because Starship isn't just Musk's passion project — NASA is banking on a version of it to land astronauts on the Moon.<h2>Starship: Humanity's dream of reaching Mars</h2>US President Donald Trump's former DOGE chief Elon Musk, as per AFP, has pegged SpaceX's entire future to the entirely reusable rocket, planning to eventually phase out the workhorse Falcon rockets in favour of Starship.Despite the setbacks, SpaceX is sticking to its "fail fast, learn fast" approach, pushing ahead with test after test. The company has managed to successfully catch Starship's massive lower stage booster with "chopstick" launch tower arms three times.Still, critics are starting to wonder if Musk's most ambitious gamble is wobbling."I think there is a lot of pressure on this mission," space analyst Dallas Kasaboski told AFP. "We've had so many tests and it hasn't proven itself reliable -- the successes have not exceeded the failures." Others, like Will Lockett, a former engineer turned commentator, have gone further, questioning whether the whole Starship concept is "fundamentally flawed".

The 10th flight of Starship, Elon Musk's dream megarocket, which he claims would one day take humanity to Mars, was cancelled over the need to “troubleshoot” some issues. This follows a string of explosions and failures of the SpaceX rocket. All you need to know. 

Elon Musk's SpaceX hit pause on its latest Starship test flight Sunday (Aug 24), scrubbing the much-hyped launch just minutes before liftoff, saying it had things to troubleshoot. The cancellation marked yet another setback for Elon Musk's giant rocket — the one he insists will one day carry people to the Moon and eventually Mars. The 403-foot behemoth was supposed to blast off from Starbase in Texas at 6:30 pm local time (2330 GMT) for its tenth test flight. Musk himself had teased the launch an hour earlier, posting "Starship 10 launching tonight" on X. But despite the rocket already being fuelled, SpaceX abruptly called it off just 15 minutes before launch. Why was the SpaceX launch cancelled? On X, the space company said, "Standing down from today's tenth flight of Starship to allow time to troubleshoot an issue with ground systems". However, it did not elaborate on what issue it needed to troubleshoot.

The 10th flight of Starship, Elon Musk's dream megarocket, which he claims would one day take humanity to Mars, was cancelled over the need to “troubleshoot” some issues. This follows a string of explosions and failures of the SpaceX rocket. All you need to know.&nbsp;

Is Musk's dream rocket cursed? Space X scrubs megarocket Starship's 10th test amid string of explosions and failures

Scientists have warned that a mysterious space object the size of Manhattan is hurtling towards the Earth, and the danger it poses isn't what you're thinking. According to a new study, the space object may be an alien spacecraft that can attack our planet, possibly in November 2025. The object 3I/ATLAS (previously known as A11pl3Z), as per researchers, may be an alien technology that could launch a surprise attack on our planet. Behind the warning, as one of the authors is Avi Loeb, a prominent Harvard astrophysicist known for his contribution to the research on aliens, his contributions to the search for life "out there" and for his controversial conspiracy theories, including one that posed that the 2017 interstellar object ʻOumuamua might be an artificial probe created by an alien civilisation.<h2>Alien invasion imminent?</h2>As per the study, which is yet to be peer-reviewed, the object's orbit would make it easier for the object (if it is an intelligent alien craft) to approach Earth without being noticed. The team of scientists – Harvard researcher Avi Loeb, Adam Hibberd and Adam Crowl from the Initiative for Interstellar Studies in London – postulate that the object will get closest to the Sun in late November. They say that at its closest, the object would be hidden from Earth's view, which means that it could carry out a secret high-speed manoeuvre.The object was first spotted by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) survey telescope at Río Hurtado, Chile. At 10 to 20 kilometres wide, the object is moving towards our planet at the speed of over 60 kilometres per second.<h2>Can this actually happen?</h2>As per the study authors, the paper is clearly from a hypothetical point of view and not something they necessarily think would happen. They wrote, "This paper is contingent on a remarkable but, as we shall show, testable hypothesis, to which the authors do not necessarily ascribe, yet is certainly worthy of an analysis and a report." However, they also warn that if it were to come true, it would be dire. "The consequences, should the hypothesis turn out to be correct, could potentially be dire for humanity, and would possibly require defensive measures to be undertaken (though these might prove futile)."&nbsp;

The object known as 3I/ATLAS (previously known as A11pl3Z), as per scientists, may be an alien technology that could potentially launch a surprise attack on our planet. 

Scientists have warned that a mysterious space object the size of Manhattan is hurtling towards the Earth, and the danger it poses isn't what you're thinking. According to a new study, the space object may be an alien spacecraft that can attack our planet, possibly in November 2025. The object 3I/ATLAS (previously known as A11pl3Z), as per researchers, may be an alien technology that could launch a surprise attack on our planet. Behind the warning, as one of the authors is Avi Loeb, a prominent Harvard astrophysicist known for his contribution to the research on aliens, his contributions to the search for life "out there" and for his controversial conspiracy theories, including one that posed that the 2017 interstellar object ʻOumuamua might be an artificial probe created by an alien civilisation. Alien invasion imminent? As per the study, which is yet to be peer-reviewed, the object's orbit would make it easier for the object (if it is an intelligent alien craft) to approach Earth without being noticed. The team of scientists – Harvard researcher Avi Loeb, Adam Hibberd and Adam Crowl from the Initiative for Interstellar Studies in London – postulate that the object will get closest to the Sun in late November. They say that at its closest, the object would be hidden from Earth's view, which means that it could carry out a secret high-speed manoeuvre. The object was first spotted by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) survey telescope at Río Hurtado, Chile. At 10 to 20 kilometres wide, the object is moving towards our planet at the speed of over 60 kilometres per second. Can this actually happen? As per the study authors, the paper is clearly from a hypothetical point of view and not something they necessarily think would happen. They wrote, "This paper is contingent on a remarkable but, as we shall show, testable hypothesis, to which the authors do not necessarily ascribe, yet is certainly worthy of an analysis and a report." However, they also warn that if it were to come true, it would be dire. "The consequences, should the hypothesis turn out to be correct, could potentially be dire for humanity, and would possibly require defensive measures to be undertaken (though these might prove futile)."

The object known as 3I/ATLAS (previously known as A11pl3Z), as per scientists, may be alien technology and could potentially launch a surprise attack on our planet.&nbsp;

Alien attack in November? Harvard scientists warn mysterious object hurtling towards Earth

Back in 2015, a grave digger in Peru stumbled onto something straight out of science fiction — a stash of strange mummified bodies hidden in a cave. What made them instantly infamous? Each had just three fingers and three toes. Since then, the so-called alien mummies of Nazca have been at the centre of wild debates. Were they extraterrestrials? A lost human species? Or just an elaborate scam cooked up to fool the world? Now, nearly a decade later, the mystery refuses to die. About two dozen of the remains are under serious scientific examination.<h2>Aliens, humans, or something in between?</h2>According to researchers, the mummies still have preserved tissue, muscles, and even organs. One appears to have been pregnant when she died. Podcast host Jesse Michels, who runs American Alchemy, recently visited the site. His verdict: "I found no evidence that they are not from Earth". Instead, he floated a new theory — they could be a long-lost subterranean species.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/alien-attack-in-november-harvard-scientist-flags-mysterious-object-hurtling-towards-earth-1753526257304">Alien attack in November? Harvard scientists warn mysterious object hurtling towards Earth</a><h2>A genetic twist</h2>So what explains the eerie three-fingered look? A bioinformatics expert dug into the publicly available DNA and found a mutation in a gene called Gli3 — the same gene linked to polydactyly, a condition that causes humans to have extra or oddly shaped digits.Alaina Hardie, who studied the genetic data, admitted she set out to debunk the mutation theory, but instead found evidence pointing toward it. "I found a list of 50 genes involved in the pathway," said Hardie, as quoted by the Express. "There is a mutation in one of those genes, called Gli3, that is associated with polydactyly," she added. Ancient Peruvian remains have shown signs of the same condition before, adds the report.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/-something-we-wouldn-t-want-to-meet-stephen-hawking-s-terrifying-warning-about-beings-from-other-worlds-resurfaces-amid-alien-attack-fears-1754293769816">Stephen Hawking’s terrifying alien attack warning resurfaces amid 'mothership' UFO fears: It is 'something we wouldn't want to meet'</a>One of the tested specimens, a headless humanoid nicknamed "Victoria," turned out to have DNA of human origins, even if she looked anything but. Michels also pointed to examples like a tribe in Zimbabwe with "ectrodactyly", or "Ostrich Foot Syndrome," where central digits are missing. "There are these mutations rendered adaptive in certain environments and persist over time," he explained. “So it could be just that, which would be remarkable all on its own.”Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/mexican-congress-deems-three-fingered-mummies-real-but-refrains-from-confirming-alien-origins-656555">Mexican congress deems three-fingered mummies 'real,' but refrains from confirming alien origins</a><h2>Human… or hybrid?</h2>But not everyone is convinced. José Zace of the Mexican Navy’s medical division, who is part of the team examining the so-called alien mummies, said tests showed 70 per cent of the DNA matches humans — the other 30 per cent, he claims, is "completely different."Dr David Ruiz Vela meanwhile, suggested they might even be hybrids, with traits pointing to natural interbreeding between early human and primate groups in Asia and Africa thousands of years ago.That's why Michels wants biotech giant Colossal Biosciences — famous for resurrecting the dire wolf — to run their advanced DNA tests on the mummies. "If the (Peru) government won't allow a top American biotech company to use their proprietary ancient DNA testing techniques on these mummies, then I don't know what else you need to understand their position on the subject," he told the Daily Mail.<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/its-all-in-the-name-astronomers-clash-over-renaming-galaxies-for-a-more-inclusive-cosmos-659401/embed">https://www.wionews.com/videos/its-all-in-the-name-astronomers-clash-over-renaming-galaxies-for-a-more-inclusive-cosmos-659401/embed</a>So what are they? Humans with rare mutations? Primitive hybrids? Or the remains of something alien? Whatever the answer, Peru's "alien" mystery is far from buried.

Scientists have made a new shocking revelation about Peru’s Nazca “alien mummies” — three-fingered, three-toed remains found in 2015. Are they humans with rare mutations? Primitive hybrids? Or the remains of something alien? 

Back in 2015, a grave digger in Peru stumbled onto something straight out of science fiction — a stash of strange mummified bodies hidden in a cave. What made them instantly infamous? Each had just three fingers and three toes. Since then, the so-called alien mummies of Nazca have been at the centre of wild debates. Were they extraterrestrials? A lost human species? Or just an elaborate scam cooked up to fool the world? Now, nearly a decade later, the mystery refuses to die. About two dozen of the remains are under serious scientific examination. Aliens, humans, or something in between? According to researchers, the mummies still have preserved tissue, muscles, and even organs. One appears to have been pregnant when she died. Podcast host Jesse Michels, who runs American Alchemy, recently visited the site. His verdict: "I found no evidence that they are not from Earth". Instead, he floated a new theory — they could be a long-lost subterranean species. Also read | Alien attack in November? Harvard scientists warn mysterious object hurtling towards Earth A genetic twist So what explains the eerie three-fingered look? A bioinformatics expert dug into the publicly available DNA and found a mutation in a gene called Gli3 — the same gene linked to polydactyly, a condition that causes humans to have extra or oddly shaped digits. Alaina Hardie, who studied the genetic data, admitted she set out to debunk the mutation theory, but instead found evidence pointing toward it. "I found a list of 50 genes involved in the pathway," said Hardie, as quoted by the Express. "There is a mutation in one of those genes, called Gli3, that is associated with polydactyly," she added. Ancient Peruvian remains have shown signs of the same condition before, adds the report. Also read | Stephen Hawking’s terrifying alien attack warning resurfaces amid 'mothership' UFO fears: It is 'something we wouldn't want to meet' One of the tested specimens, a headless humanoid nicknamed "Victoria," turned out to have DNA of human origins, even if she looked anything but. Michels also pointed to examples like a tribe in Zimbabwe with "ectrodactyly", or "Ostrich Foot Syndrome," where central digits are missing. "There are these mutations rendered adaptive in certain environments and persist over time," he explained. “So it could be just that, which would be remarkable all on its own.” Also read | Mexican congress deems three-fingered mummies 'real,' but refrains from confirming alien origins Human… or hybrid? But not everyone is convinced. José Zace of the Mexican Navy’s medical division, who is part of the team examining the so-called alien mummies, said tests showed 70 per cent of the DNA matches humans — the other 30 per cent, he claims, is "completely different." Dr David Ruiz Vela meanwhile, suggested they might even be hybrids, with traits pointing to natural interbreeding between early human and primate groups in Asia and Africa thousands of years ago. That's why Michels wants biotech giant Colossal Biosciences — famous for resurrecting the dire wolf — to run their advanced DNA tests on the mummies. "If the (Peru) government won't allow a top American biotech company to use their proprietary ancient DNA testing techniques on these mummies, then I don't know what else you need to understand their position on the subject," he told the Daily Mail. https://www.wionews.com/videos/its-all-in-the-name-astronomers-clash-over-renaming-galaxies-for-a-more-inclusive-cosmos-659401/embed So what are they? Humans with rare mutations? Primitive hybrids? Or the remains of something alien? Whatever the answer, Peru's "alien" mystery is far from buried.

Scientists have made a new shocking revelation about Peru’s Nazca “alien mummies” — three-fingered, three-toed remains found in 2015. Are they humans with rare mutations? Primitive hybrids? Or the remains of something alien?&nbsp;

Peru's 'alien mummies' mystery deepens: Scientists say they’re human…but not entirely - All you need to know

After 9/11, the world couldn't stop talking about a person named Nostradamus. He was a French astrologer who lived in the 16th century and apparently predicted the terrorist attack on the Twin Towers in New York. He wrote about a "fire approaching a great new city", which people interpret to mean the aeroplanes that hit the World Trade Centre towers in the bustling American city. Baba Vanga is another mystic from Bulgaria who is believed to have had visions about the Chernobyl disaster, World War II, Princess Diana's death, the September 11 attacks, the 2004 tsunami and even her own death. Ryo Tatsuki of Japan recently became famous as she apparently saw the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami in her dreams and wrote about it in a manga comic. There is no evidence to suggest that these events were predicted by these people. However, premonitions are not unheard of. Even regular people have them. Remember the gut feeling you had about someone, or felt off about visiting a place? All that might be linked to our brain taking a trip to the future. At least that's what some scientists think. In fact, this theory also explains why we have a sense of deja vu, that something has already happened.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/signal-from-the-early-universe-radio-burst-travels-10-billion-years-to-reach-earth-1755065679461">Signal from the early universe: Radio burst travels 10 billion years to reach Earth. It came from a...</a>&nbsp;<h2>Is time linear? Experts think time is very different from how humans see it</h2>The scientific term for having a feeling about a future event, or that something is going to happen in the future, is precognition. It is an extrasensory perception or foreknowledge of an event. At times, we also feel like we have already experienced something before. Cognitive neuroscientist Julia Mossbridge got pulled towards studying it after she had these visions as a child. Once her father got on a plane for a business trip and was in a crash. When she heard the news, she recalled thinking at the time he left that she would never see him again. How do we get that feeling about something that hasn't happened yet? We view time as linear, something that can only go forward without skipping any of the parts. However, some experts think that time is not how humans perceive it.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/would-you-dare-to-take-a-400-year-one-way-trip-to-alpha-centauri-on-this-ship-1754642146307">Would you dare to take a 400‑year one‑way trip to Alpha Centauri on this ship?</a>&nbsp;Psychologists and neuroscientists have been trying to understand this extrasensory perception. Mossbridge, who is a visiting scholar at Northwestern University and a fellow at the Institute of Noetic Sciences, was quoted by Popular Mechanics as saying. "We don’t understand how time works. Even physicists are admitting they really don’t know how it works. We are stuck on this idea that, if you’re truly scientific, you are going to think about time linearly, but is it really linear?"Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/on-19-january-2038-we-will-return-137-years-back-in-time-because-of-y2k-like-crisis-1754552664119">Another Y2K? On 19 Jan, 2038, we'll return 137 years back in time if...</a><h2>Quantum mechanics says time isn't a physical reality</h2>Parapsychologist Dean Radin, PhD, the chief scientist at the Institute of Noetic Sciences, says our consciousness is likely beyond the linear perception of time that humans have. “Time is not how we experience it on an everyday level," he says. “In quantum mechanics, time may not even be part of our physical reality. It’s not that time doesn’t exist. It just behaves in a much stranger way than how it is seen through the lens of the human experience.”Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/alien-world-discovered-thriving-in-total-darkness-31000-feet-below-the-ocean-1754035524455">Between Japan and Alaska, a dark alien world at 31,000 feet has stunned scientists. Here's why</a>&nbsp;Mossbridge and Radin conducted experiments to dig deeper into this unshakeable feeling. Participants were wired to an EEG machine and shown random images. When they saw a positive image, their brain showed little activity. When there was a spike in brain activity, it meant that they had a feeling that the next image would be a negative one. They discovered that everyone has some level of precognition. Radin even studied Tibetan oracles who could peek into the future. He says their visions happened as a result of their ability to not only go beyond time but also space.&nbsp;<h2>Humans have a memory from future</h2>Radin has a scientific explanation for precognition. He says it is a form of quantum entanglement where particles entangled with each other are supposed to share the same information and behave in the same way. Radin thinks this explains why humans have a memory about something that hasn't happened yet. He adds that "our consciousness can jump outside ordinary experience and receive information from the past or future." This memory also explains why we sometimes have a sudden feeling of having been to a place before, or the exact same things unfolding that feel like they have happened before.&nbsp;“Some people hypothesise that precognition is your brain entangled with itself in the future, because entanglement is not only things separated in space, but also separated in time,” Radin states. “If it can be entangled with itself in the future, in the present, you’d be feeling something like a memory that is going to happen in the future.” This explains not only precognition, but also déja vû and that feeling in the pit of your stomach.&nbsp; &nbsp;

It is common to feel something is about to happen even when you have no way of knowing it. This is believed to happen because our consciousness can possibly travel to the future, as in reality, time is not linear. This is why our brain has memories of things that have not happened yet.

After 9/11, the world couldn't stop talking about a person named Nostradamus. He was a French astrologer who lived in the 16th century and apparently predicted the terrorist attack on the Twin Towers in New York. He wrote about a "fire approaching a great new city", which people interpret to mean the aeroplanes that hit the World Trade Centre towers in the bustling American city. Baba Vanga is another mystic from Bulgaria who is believed to have had visions about the Chernobyl disaster, World War II, Princess Diana's death, the September 11 attacks, the 2004 tsunami and even her own death. Ryo Tatsuki of Japan recently became famous as she apparently saw the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami in her dreams and wrote about it in a manga comic. There is no evidence to suggest that these events were predicted by these people. However, premonitions are not unheard of. Even regular people have them. Remember the gut feeling you had about someone, or felt off about visiting a place? All that might be linked to our brain taking a trip to the future. At least that's what some scientists think. In fact, this theory also explains why we have a sense of deja vu, that something has already happened. Also Read: Signal from the early universe: Radio burst travels 10 billion years to reach Earth. It came from a... Is time linear? Experts think time is very different from how humans see it The scientific term for having a feeling about a future event, or that something is going to happen in the future, is precognition. It is an extrasensory perception or foreknowledge of an event. At times, we also feel like we have already experienced something before. Cognitive neuroscientist Julia Mossbridge got pulled towards studying it after she had these visions as a child. Once her father got on a plane for a business trip and was in a crash. When she heard the news, she recalled thinking at the time he left that she would never see him again. How do we get that feeling about something that hasn't happened yet? We view time as linear, something that can only go forward without skipping any of the parts. However, some experts think that time is not how humans perceive it. Also Read: Would you dare to take a 400‑year one‑way trip to Alpha Centauri on this ship? Psychologists and neuroscientists have been trying to understand this extrasensory perception. Mossbridge, who is a visiting scholar at Northwestern University and a fellow at the Institute of Noetic Sciences, was quoted by Popular Mechanics as saying. "We don’t understand how time works. Even physicists are admitting they really don’t know how it works. We are stuck on this idea that, if you’re truly scientific, you are going to think about time linearly, but is it really linear?" Also Read: Another Y2K? On 19 Jan, 2038, we'll return 137 years back in time if... Quantum mechanics says time isn't a physical reality Parapsychologist Dean Radin, PhD, the chief scientist at the Institute of Noetic Sciences, says our consciousness is likely beyond the linear perception of time that humans have. “Time is not how we experience it on an everyday level," he says. “In quantum mechanics, time may not even be part of our physical reality. It’s not that time doesn’t exist. It just behaves in a much stranger way than how it is seen through the lens of the human experience.” Also Read: Between Japan and Alaska, a dark alien world at 31,000 feet has stunned scientists. Here's why Mossbridge and Radin conducted experiments to dig deeper into this unshakeable feeling. Participants were wired to an EEG machine and shown random images. When they saw a positive image, their brain showed little activity. When there was a spike in brain activity, it meant that they had a feeling that the next image would be a negative one. They discovered that everyone has some level of precognition. Radin even studied Tibetan oracles who could peek into the future. He says their visions happened as a result of their ability to not only go beyond time but also space. Humans have a memory from future Radin has a scientific explanation for precognition. He says it is a form of quantum entanglement where particles entangled with each other are supposed to share the same information and behave in the same way. Radin thinks this explains why humans have a memory about something that hasn't happened yet. He adds that "our consciousness can jump outside ordinary experience and receive information from the past or future." This memory also explains why we sometimes have a sudden feeling of having been to a place before, or the exact same things unfolding that feel like they have happened before. “Some people hypothesise that precognition is your brain entangled with itself in the future, because entanglement is not only things separated in space, but also separated in time,” Radin states. “If it can be entangled with itself in the future, in the present, you’d be feeling something like a memory that is going to happen in the future.” This explains not only precognition, but also déja vû and that feeling in the pit of your stomach.

It is common to feel something is about to happen even when you have no way of knowing it. This is believed to happen because our consciousness can possibly travel to the future, as in reality, time is not linear. This is why our brain has memories of things that haven't happened yet.

Déjà vu: A glitch in your brain or did your consciousness travel to the future?

Did the Big Bang give birth to two universes? One in which we live, and the other that runs parallel to us but in rewind. A theory suggests that when our universe was born, another mirror anti-universe also came to life, where time runs backwards.

Did the Big Bang give birth to two universes? One in which we live, and the other that runs parallel to us but in rewind. A theory suggests that when our universe was born, another mirror anti-universe also came to life, where time runs backwards.

An anti-universe in rewind: Big Bang birthed two worlds, ours and a twin

Millions of years ago, Pangea broke apart to form seven continents. Now, the continents are drifting together to form a new supercontinent named Amasia - Asia, Australia and America. Australia is moving upwards; in fact, it never stopped moving. A collision is imminent.

Millions of years ago, Pangea broke apart to form seven continents. Now, the continents are drifting together to form a new supercontinent named Amasia - Asia, Australia and America. Australia is moving upwards; in fact, it never stopped moving. A collision is imminent.

A new supercontinent: Australia is drifting upwards and will crash right into us

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