For decades, fluorescent proteins have been among the most powerful tools in biology. They glow when illuminated, allowing scientists to see where molecules are inside cells and how they move. From tracking cancer cells to mapping neural circuits, these luminous markers transformed the life sciences, work recognised with a Nobel Prize in 2008. Now, two … Read more
Scientists find bouba-kiki effect in three-day chicks Humans often match “bouba” with round shapes and “kiki” with spiky ones. Researchers raised baby chicks, then played the sounds while showing them the two shapes. Three-day-old chicks chose the round shapes more often when they heard “bouba” and spiky shapes more often when they heard “kiki”. The … Read more
A group of quantum researchers has issued a manifesto urging colleagues to resist what it calls the “militarisation” of quantum science. The authors, who describe themselves as “Quantum Scientists for Disarmament”, say they oppose military uses of quantum research, reject military funding for academic work, and want universities to disclose which quantum projects take defence … Read more
Wildfire smoke in the northeast Pacific Ocean, September 2020. | Photo Credit: NASA A: Sometimes wildfire smoke in the stratosphere collects into a compact bubble of smoke that spins in a coherent vortex, clockwise in the northern hemisphere and counter-clockwise in the southern hemisphere. Two new studies, published in Weather and Climate Dynamics and presented … Read more
Malabar Trogon | Photo Credit: Special arrangement A total of 238 bird species were documented across Thiruvananthapuram district during the Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC), an annual four-day global citizen science initiative held from February 13 to 16. Endemic species such as Grey-fronted Green-Pigeon, Malabar Imperial-Pigeon, Malabar Grey Hornbill, Malabar Flameback, Malabar Parakeet, Malabar Woodshrike, … Read more
The Food and Drug Administration plans to drop its longtime standard of requiring two rigorous studies to win approval for new drugs, the latest change from Trump administration officials vowing to speed up the availability of certain medical products. Going forward, the FDA’s “default position” will be to require one study for new drugs and … Read more
The project is an integrated infrastructure development plan proposed by the Andaman and Nicobar Islands Integrated Development Corporation Limited (ANIIDCO). | Photo Credit: Getty Images/istockphoto The story so far: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) recently concluded a high-stakes legal battle over the ‘Holistic Development of Great Nicobar Island’, and ruled that all environment safeguards are … Read more
There aren’t many everyday routines that are both overtly essential, while at the same time almost a form of art. Cooking, however, is one such routine that blends creativity, skill, and science to transform individual ingredients into dishes that are not just essential for our consumption and living, but also double up as unique, flavourful … Read more
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman (L) holds a press conference with (L-R) Artemis II mission specialist Jeremy Hansen, Christina Koch, pilot Victor Glover, and Commander Reid Wiseman, as NASA’s Artemis II (behind them) is rolled from the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center on January 17, 2026 in Cape Canaveral, Florida. | Photo Credit: … Read more
India is among just four countries that contribute almost 70% to the world’s total applied toxicity (TAT) in the form of pesticide, which is directed at agricultural pests, but in affect unleashes huge collateral damage among “non-target” species (that is, species that pesticides claimed as collateral). In 2022, at the United Nations Biodiversity Conference, countries … Read more
NASA on Thursday (February 19, 2026) released a sweeping report on Boeing’s botched Starliner mission that left two astronauts stuck on the International Space Station for nearly a year, detailing communication breakdowns and “unprofessional behavior” as the agency and its longtime contractor struggled to agree on how to safely return the crew to Earth. NASA … Read more
People who score better for optimism have been shown to have healthier hearts. | Photo Credit: Pablo Guerrero/Unsplash Helen Keller, the American author and activist who was deaf and blind, became an international symbol of human potential. She wrote, “Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence.” … Read more
A file photo of the image of the Sun captured by Aditya-L1 during May solar storm. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT Observations and measurements made by India’s maiden solar mission, Aditya-L1, have helped to decode the unusual dawn-time geomagnetic disturbances during strong solar storms. Geomagnetic storms are large disturbances in Earth’s magnetic field caused by … Read more
File photo shows Space Launch System (SLS), with the Orion crew capsule, stands at launch complex 39B as preprations continue for the Artemis 2 mission to the Moon at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral | Photo Credit: Reuters NASA on Thursday (February 19, 2026) said it successfully rehearsed the launch of its massive SLS … Read more
President Donald Trump said that he’s directing the Pentagon and other government agencies to identify and release files related to extraterrestrials and UFOs because of “tremendous interest.” Image used for illustration purpose only. | Photo Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto President Donald Trump said on Thursday (February 19, 2026) that he’s directing the Pentagon and other government … Read more
Fatigue, brain fog, irritability, headaches, and palpitations are not isolated symptoms. Doctors report seeing these especially among young professionals who stay up past midnight juggling project deadlines and household responsibilities, working long shifts, where restorative sleep feels impossible. Over time, this continuous lack of rest gradually alters the brain and body, affecting cognition, mood, metabolism, … Read more
There continues to be intense debate worldwide about the definition of biological sex, boosted by some recent executive orders. The official theme of LGBTQ+ History Month (February) this year is ‘Science & Innovation’ and the natural universe is replete with examples of how the simple binary of sexes and genders to which some people would … Read more
The story so far: In 1999, California-based Nvidia Corp. marketed a chip called GeForce 256 as “the world’s first GPU”. Its purpose was to make videogames run better and look better. In the 2.5 decades since, GPUs have moved from the discretionary world of games and visual effects to becoming part of the core infrastructure … Read more
Pruning to let more light into the canopy often reduces one-sided flowering. | Photo Credit: Kevin Saunders/Unsplash – Gayatri Chandrashekar Shrubs and trees often flower and fruit more on the sunlit side because the planet’s energy budget on that side is different. Sunlit leaves capture more usable light so they photosynthesise more and make more … Read more
If increasing cigarette taxes is a public health measure to discourage smoking, then lowering beedi taxes to ‘protect’ rural workers ignores the long-term cost to their lives. While most tobacco products are taxed at the highest Goods and Services Tax (GST) slab of 40%, beedis are taxed at just 18%, making them significantly cheaper than … Read more
An optical colour composite image of the viewing field taken from the PanSTARRS survey. The yellow cross-hair indicates the position of the star. | Photo Credit: DOI: 10.1126/science.adt485 When a sufficiently massive star runs out of fuel, its core collapses and triggers a supernova, a dramatic explosion that scatters the star’s outer layers into space. … Read more
A panel discussion on ‘Building Innovation-First GCCs: AI, R&D & Digital Transformation’ was organised as part of BioAsia 2026 in Hyderabad on Wednesday (February 18, 2025) | Photo Credit: SIDDHANT THAKUR Hyderabad is emerging as a key hub for building artificial intelligence-driven capabilities for global pharmaceutical and medical technology companies, with several multinational firms developing … Read more
The Science Quiz: The science hidden in proverbs and idioms 1 / 6 | Name this hydrocarbon. It’s the reason “one bad apple spoils the bunch”: as an apple ripens, it releases more of this compound, which causes nearby fruit to ripen faster. 2 / 6 | What’s the proverb based on the following fact? … Read more
India’s direct tax system has undergone a significant expansion over the last decade, marked by a sharp rise in the number of taxpayers as well as sustained improvements in administrative efficiency. Time-series data released by the Income-Tax Department indicate that this expansion has been broad-based and persistent, reflecting deeper formal participation rather than a short-lived … Read more
India’s textile sector has been steadily losing ground in global export markets. In contrast, Bangladesh has woven together a remarkable export success. Given the recently signed India-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA), and with Bangladesh poised to lose its Least Developed Country (LDC) status, this is an opportune moment for India’s textile industry. Within the textile … Read more
The linear no-threshold (LNT) model and the ALARA principle have served as the conceptual and operational foundations of the global radiation protection framework for many decades. The LNT model is a risk estimation framework that says any amount of ionising radiation, no matter how small, carries some risk of causing harm, especially cancer. In other … Read more
Passive human structures like roads and settlements sometimes reduced animal vigilance, an Indian Institute of Science release said. File | Photo Credit: The Hindu Humans have climbed to the top of the food chain by skillfully hunting, trapping, and fishing for other animals at scales that far exceed other predators, altering how the animals behave … Read more
Collaboration between Australia and India in life sciences and biotechnology is beginning to yield early results following the Australia-India Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement, with Queensland positioning itself as a key partner for Indian companies and institutions across clinical research, translational science and healthcare innovation. This momentum was highlighted during an exclusive media roundtable held … Read more
(From left) Winselow Tucker (president and GM of Lilly India), Stefan Miltenyi (founder CEO and president of Miltenyi Biotec, Germany), G.V.Prasad (co-chairman & MD of Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories), Eric Mansion (GM, India & South-East Asia of Sanofi, Singapore) and Shreehas Tambe (MD and CEO of Biocon Biologics) at a panel discussion during BioAsia 2026 in … Read more
