A tiny crustacean discovered from the Kavaratti lagoon in the Lakshadweep islands has now been established as a new genus and a new species. The organism, which belongs to the family Laophontidae within the Copepoda class, is so minuscule that it can be properly studied only with a microscope. The crustacean has been named Indiaphonte...
Category: Science & Tech
What is Point Nemo, the most isolated place on Earth?
Point Nemo lies in the South Pacific Ocean, at 48°52.6′ south latitude and 123°23.6′ west longitude to be exact. It is about 2,700 kilometres away from the nearest land in all directions. Also known as ‘pole of inaccessibility’ which is used to describe locations that are harder to reach than any other point on Earth...
What does ‘visibility’ mean in weather science?
A: In weather science, ‘visibility’ is a colloquial term for a quantity called the meteorological optical range. It’s defined as the distance a beam of light can travel through the atmosphere before its intensity drops to 5% of its original value. In an older time, a human observer would stand at a point and look...
What happened to ISRO’s PSLV-C62 mission? | Explained
The story so far: On January 12, the Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) PSLV-C62 mission lifted off from Sriharikota carrying the EOS-N1 satellite along with 15 co-passenger satellites. Within minutes, ISRO said the mission had “encountered an anomaly during end of the PS3 stage”, and that a detailed analysis was initiated. What was the anomaly? In a televised briefing after the launch, ISRO chairman...
The “biggest blunder” of Einstein’s life
If there’s one scientist that everyone, or at least most of us, know, then it has to be German-born theoretical physicist Albert Einstein. As someone who has fundamentally altered humanity’s understanding of space, time, gravity and energy, Einstein enjoys fame and popularity unlike anyone else from the realm of science. The greatest achievement of a...
Satellite launching facility will come up on Hope Island in the Kakinada Bay, says Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on January 17, 2026 (Saturday) announced that the Andhra Pradesh Government was preparing to develop a satellite launching facility as part of the Space City project on the Hope Island in the Kakinada Bay. Hope Island, which is a part of the Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary in the Godavari...
Mysuru: The Hindu in School Science Festival inspires young innovators
The Hindu in School Science Festival and Ramanujam Spark Quest elicited an overwhelming response from students of various schools in Mysuru city as well as Mandya and Chamarajanagar districts. The annual event, held at the Nanjaraja Bahadur Choultry on Vinoba Road here on January 17, witnessed a vibrant congregation of children driven by a zeal...
NIMHANS study proposes new model for early protein deposit formation in Parkinson’s disease
Researchers at NIMHANS, Bengaluru have shed new light on early molecular events that may trigger Parkinson’s Disease (PD), proposing a shift from conventional theory that has guided drug development for decades. Their study has suggested that disease-specific chemical changes in α-Synuclein (αSyn) — a protein strongly linked to Parkinson’s — may promote the trapping of...
Assam scientists probe Sun to rethink gravity
The Sun may be doing more than warming planet Earth. It may also be helping scientists rethink one of nature’s most fundamental forces. Researchers at Tezpur University in north-central Assam have used observations of the Sun’s internal movements to test a new concept on the nature of gravity, marking a step towards understanding the hidden...
Why participatory science is crucial to tackling coconut root wilt disease
Coconut is one of the largest horticultural crops in peninsular India, and an increasing number of farmers are taking up coconut plantations due to a lack of labour availability and the intensive attention required to raise annual crops. The three States of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala together account for about 82-83 % of India’s...
