Shubhanshu Shukla turns farmer in space; grows methi, moong seeds

Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla is aboard the International Space Station as part of a commercial mission by Axiom Space. Photo: Axiom Space via PTI. In the final leg of his space sojourn, Indian astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla turned into a farmer, taking photos of ‘moong’ and ‘methi’ seeds sprouting in petri dishes and inserting … Read more

How fast is India’s fastest man?

Animesh Kujur celebrates after winning the men’s 100m gold at the 38th National Games in Dehradun on 08 February 2025 | Photo Credit: RITU RAJ KONWAR Last Saturday, Animesh Kujur became India’s fastest man by breaking the national record in the men’s 100 metres. He clocked 10.18 seconds in Greece, becoming the first Indian to … Read more

In a first, enamel proteins 18-20 million years old from tropical, High Arctic sites unravel palaeobiology of extinct taxa

If obtaining sequences from ancient proteins found in fossils was previously limited to samples no older than four million years, two studies published in the journal Nature on Wednesday (July 9, 2025) have pushed back this timescale to more than 20 million years. The enamel proteins from extinct mammals are a staggering ten-fold older compared with the … Read more

ISRO successfully conducts hot tests of Gaganyaan propulsion system

According to ISRO, the Gaganyaan programme aims to demonstrate India’s capability to launch a crewed spacecraft into low Earth orbit. File. | Photo Credit: Reuters ISRO has successfully conducted two hot tests of the Gaganyaan Service Module Propulsion System (SMPS) at the space agency’s Propulsion Complex in Mahendragiri on July 3. The short-duration tests, lasting … Read more

Women MSMEs still struggle for credit despite schemes

Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) have become instrumental in shaping India’s generating employment, creating revenue, and in global outreach. In 2024, MSMEs contributed nearly 30% to the GDP. The aim is to raise this to 35% in the current year. This vast sector also provides opportunities for many women-led enterprises. The government has implemented … Read more

How do atoms form? – The Hindu

Richard Feynman, a famous theoretical physicist who won the Nobel Prize, said that if he could pass on only one piece of scientific information to future generations, it would be that all things are made of atoms. Understanding how atoms form is a fundamental and important question, since they make up everything with mass. The … Read more

NIPGR’s gene-edited japonica rice shows increased phosphate uptake, 20% more yield

Scientists at the Delhi-based National Institute of Plant Genome Research (NIPGR) have used CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing technology to increase phosphate uptake and transport in japonica rice varieties. The resulting rice lines had higher seed and panicle numbers, thereby increasing the yield without compromising seed quality. The studies were carried out in a greenhouse. Phosphorus is … Read more

On the Golden Dome: how Trump’s missile shield tests space law

From golden citadels to divine shields, rulers across time have dreamt of impregnable security. But in every age, these ambitions have either collapsed under their own weight or have provoked greater instability. In 2025, this ancient dream went to orbit. In May, U.S. President Donald Trump unveiled a bold new national defence initiative called the … Read more

Months ahead of COP30, Bonn climate talks fumble pressure test

As the world braces for another climate summit in November this year, the Subsidiary Bodies meeting in Bonn, Germany, brought together negotiators, scientists, policymakers, and civil society actors to tackle the complex, behind-the-scenes work that shapes the outcome of the Conference of the Parties (COP) summit. Held annually in Bonn, this mid-year gathering sets the … Read more

Study probes motive behind destruction of Queen Hatshepsut statues

After the Egyptian pharaoh Hatshepsut died around 1458 BC, many statues of her were destroyed. Archaeologists believed that they were targeted in an act of revenge by Thutmose III, her successor. Yet the condition of the statues recovered in the vicinity of her mortuary temple varies and many survive with their faces virtually intact. Now … Read more

Indian astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla dials ISRO from ISS

Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla poses for a photo with a stunning panoramic view of Earth in the background, in the 7-window Cupola Module of International Space Station (ISS). | Photo Credit: ISRO Indian astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, currently aboard the International Space Station (ISS) as part of the Axiom-4 mission, had a telephonic conversation … Read more

Gender Agenda Newsletter: STEM sells

(This article is part of the Gender Agenda newsletter. To get the newsletter in your inbox every Sunday, subscribe here.) In India, we hold a place of reverence for those who study STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering, maths). These drive people upwards, through social and financial hierarchies, sometimes enabling people to break through caste. We all … Read more

How computers are changing our relationship with the ocean

The ocean has always spoken — in waves, in currents, in silent rhythms beneath its vast surface. For centuries, sailors, scientists, and philosophers have tried to understand its patterns, often relying on observation and instinct. Today, a new listener has emerged: the computer. Armed with data from satellites, ocean sensors, and remote platforms, computers are … Read more

Gender Agenda Newsletter: STEM sells

In India, we hold a place of reverence for those who study STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering, maths). These drive people upwards, through social and financial hierarchies, sometimes enabling people to break through caste. We all know about the STEM gender gap: “Women [in South Asia] are severely underrepresented in the STEM workforce and only … Read more

Not changing your clothes can alter your room’s ozone chemistry

Fabric coated with old skin oil becomes its own chemical plant. | Photo Credit: Daeva Miles/Unsplash Our daily habits, like how often we shower or change our clothes, depend on our environs and sometimes also on our energy levels. But obviously how dirty we are also affects our immediate environment. Atoms and molecules in the … Read more

The beginning of the modern era of immunisation

A fearful mother On the morning of July 4, 1885, Joseph Meister, a nine-year-old boy from Alsace, France, was bitten by a dog. Not once or twice, but for a total of 14 times. The boy was bitten in his hands, legs, and thighs, and some of the wounds were so deep that Meister had … Read more

On early earth, a little heat could have led to more complex life

Before true cells existed on the earth, organic molecules floated freely in water. The first cell membrane created a compartment so that useful molecules like RNA and proteins could stay close enough to interact with each other, leading to more complex biological functions. However, an important question remains: how did the first protocells on early … Read more

High-quality diet may have led to bigger human brain: CSIR-CCMB-led international study reveals genetic link between diet and brain size

The research team had analysed over 8,000 genes from 50 whole genomes across primate species to understand how brain size co-evolved with diet and to identify the specific genes that may have helped make it happen. | Photo Credit: Graphics: SUBYENDHU GANGULY Our ancestors’ shift to higher-quality diets, especially with use of fire and consumption … Read more

Endocrine disruptors in plastic waste: a new public health threat

Plastics have revolutionised modern living with their convenience and affordability, but this same ubiquity is spawning an invisible, long-term health crisis. Beyond choking oceans and clogging landfills, plastics are now infiltrating our bodies through microplastic particles and a cocktail of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs). The evidence is clear and deeply concerning: these substances are interfering with … Read more