The human heart beats more than 1 lakh times a day, pushing blood through the body under constant physical strain. Every second, it encounters circulating cells, including cancer cells that travel through the bloodstream. Yet tumours of the heart are strikingly rare. For decades, scientists have tried to explain this puzzle using genetics, immune surveillance,...
Tag: Science
IIT-M, IISc team makes carbon-free version of the ferrocene sandwich
A compound called ferrocene has been a landmark of chemistry for over seven decades. It consists of an iron atom sandwiched between two flat carbon rings. Its discovery launched the field of organometallic chemistry, with numerous applications in materials science and medicine. Since then, chemists have been trying to create a version of this sandwich...
Scientists trigger ‘controlled’ earthquakes under Swiss Alps
Researchers have made the ground shake in southern Switzerland, triggering thousands of tiny earthquakes in a monitored setting, as they seek to discover seismicity insights that could reduce risks. “It was a success!” said Domenico Giardini, one of the lead researchers on the project, as he inspected a crack in the rock wall lining a...
1998 Pokhran nuclear tests reflected India’s scientific excellence: PM on National Technology Day
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday (May 11, 2026) greeted people on the National Technology Day — which commemorates the momentous events of May 11, 1998, when India conducted successful nuclear tests at Rajasthan’s Pokhran — and said technology has become a key pillar in building a self-reliant India. Mr. Modi said the landmark moment...
Physical activity has stalled for 20 years, hurting health and climate
Global levels of physical activity remained unchanged despite policy recommendations and adoption over the last two decades, with large differences across gender and socio-economic groups, three new research reports have shown. Current efforts to promote participation in physical activity are both insufficient and have made no dent, the reports say. Worldwide, more than five million...
Global study reveals how psychedelics dissolve the brain’s hierarchy
For decades, people using psychedelics have described a feeling where the line between ‘me’ and the world vanishes. While it is clear these drugs cause intense shifts in vision and thought, scientists have struggled to pin down exactly what the brain is doing. A new multi-centric study published in Nature Medicine on April 6 has...
Science Snapshots: May 10, 2026
Nepal’s vulnerable communities need insect pollinators A study in Nepal has found that insect pollinators are essential for both human health and financial survival. Researchers tracked the diets and incomes of smallholder farming families and found insects are responsible for 44% of a family’s farming income and over 20% of its intake of vital nutrients,...
Can data centres in orbit solve for AI models’ soaring energy demand?
Datacentres are a growing share of global electricity consumption, and artificial intelligence (AI) is driving those power demands up. This is because AI datacentres use dense clusters of graphics processing units (GPUs) for running machine learning workloads, both when training large language models and deploying them. Since the generative AI boom shows no signs of...
How do butterflies taste what they eat?
You must have seen butterflies on top of flowers and leaves, but have you ever wondered what they are up to? Or more specifically, have you wondered how they eat and taste? This might either disgust you or intrigue you to know more. Feet are the answer. Yes, you heard it right! Butterflies get different...
