It takes approximately 50 minutes to fully reload an S-400 launcher, though highly trained crews can reduce this to 30 minutes. The process requires a specialised 22T6 transloader crane, creating a dangerous vulnerability window during combat.

How long does it take to reload an S-400 launcher?

From Muttiah Muralitharan to Malcolm Marshall, here's a look at top five bowlers fastest to take 300 wickets in Test cricket. This list also includes Ravichandran Ashwin, Dennis Lillee and Richard Hadlee

Meet top 5 bowlers fastest to 300 Test wickets

To intercept an ICBM, an S-400 missile would need to exceed Mach 20 (24,000 km/h) to catch the hypersonic re-entry vehicle. The current 40N6E missile peaks at Mach 14, forcing Russia to build the S-500 Prometheus for true intercontinental defence.

How fast would an S-400 missile need to be to intercept an ICBM?

An ICBM is significantly faster than any S-400 missile. Strategic ICBMs reach staggering velocities of Mach 20 to Mach 25 (30,000 km/h) in space, easily outpacing the S-400's fastest interceptor, the 40N6E, which peaks at Mach 14 (17,000 km/h).

ICBM vs S-400 missile: Which one is actually faster?

The S-400's famous 400-km range only applies to aircraft. Against ballistic missiles, its protection envelope shrinks to a 60-km radius (11,300 sq km) due to the extreme speed of incoming threats, forcing it into a strict point-defence role.

How much territory could an S-400 actually protect from a ballistic missile?

'160,000 year journey': Once-in-a-lifetime comet G3 ATLAS to be visible from Earth

Comet G3 ATLAS

Discovered by ATLAS Survey

A Close Encounter

Southern Hemisphere Observers

Brightening and Outburst

Possible Visibility Window

Viewing Tips and Risks

Comet G3 ATLAS is set to reach its peak brightness later this week. The comet, which was discovered in April 2024, is anticipated to become one of the brightest comets in nearly two decade

'One last ride': NASA's Sunita Williams to conduct final spacewalk before returning to Earth

Scheduled on January 16

NICER X-ray Telescope Repair

Preparation for AMS Upgrades

Ensuring ISS Readiness

Additional Spacewalk 

Mission Preparation

Delayed Return

Astronauts Sunita Williams and Nick Hague will carry out a spacewalk on 16 January 2025 to address maintenance tasks on the International Space Station (ISS).

NASA shuts down JPL lab due to raging fire in LA

Wildfire Forces JPL Closure

Critical NASA Missions Affected

Eaton Fire Details

Evacuations and Damage

Emergency Personnel at Work

 Multiple Fires

Recent Challenges for JPL

The Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) near Los Angeles has been temporarily closed due to the Eaton Fire, which broke out near Altadena on January 7.


JAXA deploys first ever wooden satellite in space from ISS

LignoSat Deployed

Unique And Sustainable

Wood’s Potential in Space

Durability in Extreme Conditions

Potential for Lunar Exploration

Reducing Space Debris Impact

Sustainable Space Future

LignoSat, the world’s first wooden satellite, was deployed into Earth’s orbit last month at an altitude of 400 km. It was delivered to the International Space Station in November 2024 onboard a SpaceX Dragon cargo capsule.

Elon Musk's China problem! Beijing can track US stealth fighters using Starlink satellites

 Starlink in China’s Crosshairs

Guangdong Experiment

 How Starlink Enables Detection

 Implications for Stealth Aircraft

China’s Broader Detection Efforts

Concerns Over Starlink’s Role

Challenges and Limitations

Chinese scientists claim they can now detect stealth aircraft, such as the F-22 and F-35, using Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite network. This development could challenge US military's air superiority in potential conflicts.

'China vs NASA': A billion dollar battle to bring 1st Martian sample back to Earth

Mars Sample Return

China's Simpler Mission Plan

NASA's Lander Options

Technological Shifts

Cost and Time Estimates

China's Plan

International Collaboration

China plans to utilise two Long March-5 carrier rockets for its Mars sample return mission, named Tianwen-3, scheduled to launch in 2028. These rockets will support both the landing and return phases of the mission. While exact costs have not been disclosed publicly, estimates suggest that China's less complex approach might keep the mission's expenses significantly lower than those projected for NASA.


'China vs NASA': A billion dollar battle to bring 1st Martian sample

'Earth to get its first Martian sample': NASA explores dual landing options with the help of ESA

Dual Landing Strategies

Cost and Schedule Efficiency

Two Approaches

Enhanced Platform Features

Sample Storage

ESA's Role in Sample Return

Decode Martian Mysteries

NASA has announced a new approach to its Mars Sample Return Program by simultaneously pursuing two landing strategies during the formulation phase. 

NASA plans first historic return of Martian samples to Earth

Step 4

Upholding Legacy

Gaganyaan Mission

Technological Innovation

Budget Management

International Competition

Public and Political Expectations

Environmental Considerations

V Narayanan steps into the role previously held by S Somanath, who left a legacy with the successful Chandrayaan-3 mission. Narayanan must maintain this momentum

ISRO's new chief V Narayanan to face major challenges

'Dragon Galaxy': NASA's James Webb Telescope discovers 44 stars situated 6.5 billion light-years-away

Discovery of 44 Stars

Role of Gravitational Lensing

Age of the Observed Galaxy

Characteristics of the Stars

Dragon Galaxy

Twinkling Effect Observed

Published Study

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has identified 44 individual stars in a galaxy located halfway across the observable universe.

'Man who landed India on Moon': A recap of ISRO chief S Somanath's legacy as he bids farewell

Successful Chandrayaan-3 Mission

International Recognition

Expansion of Space Program

Development of Rocket Technology

Leadership in Major Missions

Policy and Collaboration

Inspiring Future Generations

New ISRO Chief

Under S Somanath's leadership, ISRO achieved a historic milestone with the successful soft landing of Chandrayaan-3 near the lunar South Pole on August 23, 2023.

Meet V Narayanan, ISRO's new Commander-in-Chief succeeding S Somanath

New ISRO Chairman Appointed

Leadership Transition Date

Career at ISRO

Key Contributions

Major Mission Involvements

Development of Advanced Technologies

Awards and Academic Achievements

Role in Policy and Roadmaps

V Narayanan, the Director of the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC), has been named the next chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).

China is slowing down Earth’s rotation, says NASA

Three Gorges Dam

Largest Hydroelectric Facility

Impact on Earth's Rotation

Increase in Day Length

Subtle Changes in Earth’s Shape

Environmental and Social Impact

Future Hydroelectric Projects

Science Technology: Discover how NASA's findings link China's massive Three Gorges Dam to changes in Earth's rotation, sparking global discussions on environmental impacts and engineering marvels.

Vice City Adds 160 New Missions While We Await GTA VI Release

Grand Theft Auto (GTA) Vice City, one of the best games of the franchise, has added 160 new missions. This comes as good news to people awaiting the release of GTA VI, which will mark the return of Vice City.

Recently, footage shared by NASA showed what a solar eclipse would look like on Mars. The footage captured by the NASA rovers Opportunity and Curiosity captured eclipses that are very different from those on Earth.

The original Vice City has a total of 87 missions. The new mod of 160 more missions would provide a longer gameplay experience.

The release of GTA VI has been scheduled for fall 2025.

Most Downloaded Mobile Apps Worldwide in March 2024

10. WhatsApp Business (21 million downloads)

Fascinating Photos Of Jupiter’s Moon Io Clicked By Juno

1. Jupiter’s moon lo is the innermost of the four Galilean moons of Jupiter and the fourth-largest moon in our Solar System.

2. lo is approximately 3,630 km (2,556 miles) across, slightly bigger than our own Moon.

3. It is the only known place in the Solar System with volcanoes erupting hot lava like that on our planet.

4. Io has more than 400 active volcanoes, which are caused by tidal heating.

5. Io has a thin atmosphere that can teach us about the exotic moon’s volcanic activity.

6. NASA’s Juno spacecraft spotted stunning images of the lunar surface - a mountain and an island amidst a lava lake.

Jupiter’s moon lo is the innermost of the four Galilean moons of Jupiter and the fourth-largest moon in our Solar System.

Are You Getting An Electric Shock When Touching Someone? Here's why

Objects Sending Electric Shock In Your Body?


Are you wondering why you sometimes get an electric shock by just touching a door knob or some electrical switch? Or why do you feel the current when you brush up with someone else? This happens when static electricity gets generated between two objects. 

When the materials come in contact with each other, charges get transferred between them. Because of this, one object carries an excess positive charge and the other one has an equal amount of negative charge. Once they get separated, one becomes positively charged and the other negatively charged. 

How High Can The Voltage Be In Static Electricity?

The voltage in this static charge can reach as high as 15,000 volts. 

Dry Conditions Also Lead To Static Electricity


Dry conditions, caused by indoor heating or cold weather, also play an important part in creating static shocks.

How To Keep Oneself Safe From These Shocks?

One can start walking barefoot indoors to avoid getting a shock. Also, humid weather can keep people away from such shocks.


Are You Getting An Electric Shock When Touching Someone? Let's Find Out Why

Nations Where YouTube Deleted Most Number of Videos 



Google-owned video streaming platform YouTube said Tuesday (Mar 26) it removed 9 million videos worldwide during the fourth quarter of 2023 (October-December) for policy violations.



Most number of videos were removed in India. YouTube removed 2.2 million videos over non-compliance of its community guidelines.







A whopping 1.24 million videos were removed in Singapore during the same period. YouTube said it took the action to protect users' interests.










Above 780,000 videos were removed in the US. Videos were removed for violating community norms on parameters like harmful or dangerous content, child safety, violent or graphic content.





Indonesia came in fourth place where more than 770,000 videos were removed.

YouTube also removed more than 1.1 billion comments during the quarter worldwide for policy violations.



Google-owned video streaming platform YouTube said Tuesday (Mar 26) it removed 9 million videos worldwide .

GTA VI Hacker Gets Indefinite Hospital Order

All images: Rockstar Games, Pexels (For representative images)

British Teenager Faces Restricted Hospital Order for 'Unlimited Period'

Eighteen-year-old Arion Kurtaj, responsible for leaking 90 GTA VI clips, was sentenced to a restricted hospital order. According to the City of London Police, the sentence was given under sections 37 and 41 of the Mental Health Act 1983 and section 5 of the Criminal Procedure Act 1964."

Teen Hacked Rockstar Games Despite Being on Police Protection

Kurtaj hacked Rockstar Games despite being on police protection at a hotel. Even though his laptop was confiscated, Kurtaj carried out his hacks using an Amazon Firestick on his hotel television, and a mobile phone.

Rehabilitation, Supervision: What Does the Order Contain?

As per the hospital order, Kurtaj would have an 18-month supervision requirement, a six-month rehabilitation requirement, and a three-month intensive supervision and surveillance requirement.

According to a report by The Guardian, a Southwark crown court heard that Kurtaj was unfit to stand trial due to his acute autism. The court in its hearing said that Kurtaj had been violent while in custody, with reports of injury and property damage, and was deemed unfit by doctors.

From WhatsApp to Facebook: Apple Reveals Most Downloaded Apps of 2023 in India

Apple released the list of most downloaded apps of the year in more than 35 countries and regions across the world and here’s what Indians downloaded from the App Store in 2023.

Trailing behind on the list of major apps, Meta’s Facebook managed to rank 10th among the most downloaded apps from Apple’s App Store in India.


Google’s Chrome browser remains among the most popular choices among users in this category and has secured the 9th spot on this list this year.


With 1.8 billion people, Google’s email service has the highest number of users across the world and is the 8th most downloaded app from the App Store in India.


Google Pay, more commonly known as GPay is becoming increasingly popular, particularly in India, for offering seamless digital payment. It secured the 7th spot on the list.


The social media and messaging platform, Snap Inc.’s Snapchat was the 6th most downloaded app from the App Store by Indian users.


The tech giant’s search engine claims the 5th position and remains a popular choice among users to navigate the internet.  


JioCinema has quickly become a major video streaming service in India offering a range of TV shows and films both local and international. The freemium OTT platform was the 4th most downloaded app on the App Store in India.

Google’s online video-sharing service was the third most downloaded app on Apple devices in India this year.


The online photo-sharing app and social media platform, also owned by Facebook’s parent company, continues to be popular among users in India and was the second most downloaded app on the App Store.


Unsurprisingly, particularly in the Indian context, WhatsApp with its range of features like messaging, audio and video calls, and sharing photos or documents, secured the top spot on the list as the most downloaded app on Apple devices.


Apple released the list of most downloaded apps of the year.

Artificial Intelligence To Be The Future of Conflicts?

Artificial Intelligence (AI), one of the most widely talked about topics this year, is slowly entering in the fields of education, healthcare, manufacturing and other such sectors. However, now, AI will also impact wars fought between countries, according to a report in The Conversation.

Recently, reports emerged that Israel was using an AI system called Habsora to select targets in its war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The system had been used to find targets for bombing, link locations to Hamas operatives and estimate the likely numbers of civilian deaths in advance.

The Conversation report said the advantages can make soldiers more efficient, and likely enhance the speed and lethality of warfare. AI systems also have the potential to reshape the character of war, making it easier to enter into a conflict.

AI can contribute to disinformation, creating and amplifying dangerous misunderstandings during a conflict. Another problem with such systems could be differentiating between combatants and civilians while launching airstrikes.


Google Removes 17 'SpyLoan' Apps from Play Store. What are They?


Google recently deleted 17 SpyLoan apps from the Play Store with millions of downloads. A report by Slovak software company ESET said that these apps were designed to defraud users by offering them high-interest-rate loans and were endorsed with deceitful descriptions.


An Alarming Growth In Deceptive Android Apps

ESET said that since the start of 2023, there has been an alarming growth in deceptive Android loan apps, which present themselves as legitimate personal loan services, promising quick and easy access to funds.

SpyLoan apps falsely represent themselves as a legitimate financial service for personal loans, promising easy access to funds. This is done only to trick users into signing up for high-interest payments.
During the signup process, users' personal and financial details are also leaked.


The 17 apps are - AA Kredit, Amor Cash, GuayabaCash, EasyCredit, Cashwow, CrediBus, FlashLoan, PréstamosCrédito, Préstamos De Crédito-YumiCash, Go Crédito, Instantáneo Préstamo, Cartera grande, Rápido Crédito, Finupp Lending, 4S Cash, TrueNaira, and EasyCash.
These apps targeted users living in Southeast Asia, Africa, and Latin America.


Cricket, Shah Rukh Khan’s Films and More: Wikipedia’s Most Read Articles in India in 2023

The annual verdict is out. The internet’s most sought-after Wikipedia pages remained on top of search engine results in 2023 too. In India, and for most Indians, these Wikipedia pages garnered most attention. 

The Pink tsunami of Barbie swept India too, with over 18 million visits on its Wikipedia pages.

The desi Swifties (as popstar Taylor Swift’s fans are called) flooded the Instagram with reels of theatres which showed Era’s Tour. In a year where Swift dominated the trends chart, her Wikipedia page’s emergence on most-viewed list is hardly a surprise. 

11. The Last of Us (TV series): 19,791,789 pageviews


Game of Thrones stars Bella Ramsay and Pedro Pascal donned the hat of Ellie and Joel in this post-apocalyptic HBO drama. The series’ Wikipedia page was widely viewed in India. 

10. Pathaan (film): 19,932,509 pageviews 

The Shah Rukh Khan-starrer dominated the box office as ‘the last of the stars’ returned to assert his star-power in India’s vast entertainment universe.

9. 2023 Indian Premier League: 20,694,974 pageviews

The annual Indian festival of T20 cricket also dominated the internet in terms of Wikipedia page visits.

The second of Shah Rukh Khan’s 2023 release was a bigger hit than Pathaan. And the Wikipedia page visits just show that with abject magnanimity.

On December 5, 2023, the Wikimedia Foundation released its annual list of the most viewed articles on English Wikipedia in 2023.

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Photos

How long does it take to reload an S-400 launcher?

Meet top 5 bowlers fastest to 300 Test wickets

How fast would an S-400 missile need to be to intercept an ICBM?

ICBM vs S-400 missile: Which one is actually faster?

How much territory could an S-400 actually protect from a ballistic missile?