New finding forces search for ultra-rare decay process to continue

by

Last month, Microsoft announced a new quantum computing chip called Majorana 1 that it expected would “realise quantum computers capable of solving meaningful, industrial-scale problems in years, not decades”. Independent scientists soon raised doubts about this claim — grandiose as it is — but also acknowledged Microsoft had taken on a great challenge to build … Read more

IIT-M sets up facility for fluid and thermal science research

by

The S. Ramakrishnan Centre of Excellence in Fluid and Thermal Science Research is housed at IIT-M’s Department of Mechanical Engineering. File | Photo Credit: The Hindu A state-of-the-art research facility for fluid and thermal science was commissioned at the Indian Institute of Technology-Madras (IIT-M) here on Monday.  The S. Ramakrishnan Centre of Excellence in Fluid and Thermal … Read more

From mines to minds: how lithium shapes energy and psychiatry

by

Lithium, a silvery-white alkali metal, was discovered in 1817 when Swedish chemist Johan August identified it within the mineral petalite. Photograph used for representational purposes only | Photo Credit: Dnn87, CC BY 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons In a significant stride towards bolstering strategic resources, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to the United States … Read more

SpaceX crew Dragon splashdown LIVE: Sunita Williams, Butch Wilmore to return to Earth at 5.57 p.m. EST

by

NASA will provide a live coverage of the agency’s SpaceX Crew-9 return to Earth from the International Space Station, beginning with Dragon spacecraft hatch closure preparations at 10:45 p.m. EDT on Monday, March 17. You can check the schedule on https://www.nasa.gov/live NASA and SpaceX launched a crewed mission to the International Space Station (ISS) to … Read more

How could you forget? The mysterious, mischievous memory-machine

by

Whether we are trying to pull off a pickle recipe for our family or trying to impress a gathering with a well-timed joke, a large chunk of our daily cognitive, social, and communicative activities are invested towards making memories, and retrieving old ones. I use the word chunk not because it sounds cool (it undoubtedly … Read more

Tamil Nadu budget 2025, Pakistan train hijack, Ranya Rao gold smuggling case, and more: The week in 5 charts

by

(1) Key takeaways Tamil Nadu budget 2025 In its final full budget before the 2026 Assembly elections, the M.K. Stalin-led government sought to strike a balance by catering to its core voter base—women and government employees—while addressing key sectors of the economy. The budget has a total disbursement outlay of ₹4,39,293 crores, excluding public debt, … Read more

Pi Day was on March 14. Why is it celebrated?

by

A pi symbol hands on a wall in Nafplio, Greece, July 2021. | Photo Credit: Taso Katsionis/Unsplash Mathematics enthusiasts around the world, from college students to rocket scientists, celebrate Pi Day, which is on March 14 every year. The date was chosen because it can be written 3/14 — the first three digits of an … Read more

Suni Williams, Butch Wilmore to return to Earth on March 18: NASA

by

NASA video shows Suni Williams and other astronauts greeting each other after the SpaceX capsule docked with the International Space Station, on March 16, 2025. | Photo Credit: PTI A pair of U.S. astronauts stuck for more than nine months on the International Space Station (ISS) will be returned to Earth on Tuesday (March 18, … Read more

Centre has accorded approval for Chandrayaan-5 Mission: ISRO chief

by

ISRO. File | Photo Credit: Reuters The Centre has recently accorded approval for the ambitious Chandrayaan-5 mission to study the Moon, ISRO Chairman V Narayanan said on Sunday (March 16, 2025). At an event to felicitate him for taking over as the Chairman of the Bengaluru-headquartered Indian Space Research Organisation, Narayanan said that unlike the … Read more

Sci-Five | The Hindu Science Quiz: On Telephone

by

Sci-Five | The Hindu Science Quiz: On Telephone A view of Old Telephone at Kerala Saloon in Pondy Bazaar on Monday. START THE QUIZ 1 / 5 | Who is credited with inventing the first practical telephone?  Thomas Edison Alexander Graham Bell Nikola Tesla Guglielmo Marconi Alexander Graham Bell is credited with inventing the first … Read more

Saving countless lives, the Lister way…

by

Did you know that mortality rates from major operations were slashed from around 40% in the second half of the 19th Century, to less than 3% by the end of the first decade of the 20th Century? Current estimates of global mortality rate following major surgery still hovers around 1-4%, suggesting that the vast changes … Read more

How long does it take for bees to return to restored grasslands?

by

The importance of preserving old grasslands as reservoirs of biodiversity, even if it is just as ski slopes, has become clear. Recovered grasslands need more than 75 years of continuous management to regain their biodiversity because specialised pollinators are slow to return. It takes 75 years of continuous management for the plant diversity in recovered grasslands … Read more

Environmental mapping reveals melioidosis in Odisha peak during monsoon

by

Environmental conditions are primarily responsible for the survival of the bacteria | Photo Credit: Dr. Todd Parker Globally, research on climate/environmentally driven infectious diseases has been largely biased towards vector-borne diseases like malaria, dengue, etc. Melioidosis is a bacterial infectious disease caused by Burkholderia pseudomallei, and is primarily acquired by inoculation, inhalation and/or ingestion of soil- and … Read more

Increasing greenhouse gas emissions may threaten satellites  

by

Increasing levels of human-caused greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere may reduce the total number of satellites that can safely orbit Earth by up to 66% of the current carrying capacity by the end of the century, under a high-emissions scenario. The findings from the modelling study are described in Nature Sustainability.  Previous research has established that … Read more

Treating chikungunya using HIV/AIDS drug efavirenz

by

Aedes aegypti mosquitoes transmit chikungunya virus to people A preliminary study has found that efavirenz — a non-nucleoside inhibitor of HIV virus that is used for treating HIV/AIDS — can be repurposed for the treatment of chikungunya. Currently, no antiviral compound has been approved for treating chikungunya and only a limited number of novel compounds have been tested against … Read more

NASA’s Sunita Williams, Butch Wilmore to return as SpaceX launches new crew to space station to replace them

by

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft launches from the Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center on March 14, 2025 in Cape Canaveral, Florida. | Photo Credit: Getty Images via AFP The replacements for NASA’s two stuck astronauts launched to the International Space Station on Friday (March 14, 2025) night, paving the … Read more

Aditya-L1 mission: IIA scientists report observations of a flareless coronal mass ejection from the solar atmosphere

by

The Aditya-L1 mission is India’s first scientific mission dedicated to studying the Sun. | Photo Credit: X/Ani/ISRO Scientists from the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) have reported observations of a flareless coronal mass ejection (CME) from the solar atmosphere with the Visible Emission Line Coronagraph (VELC) instrument onboard Aditya-L1 mission. The Aditya-L1 mission is India’s … Read more

The Science Quiz | Discoveries that transformed their fields

by

Questions: 1. The accidental discovery of X in 1964 — even though its existence had been predicted in 1948 — set off a series of important studies into the evolution and structure of the universe. For example, in 1987-1988, the examination of one of its features suggested the universe was almost flat, not curved. What … Read more

Centre makes ‘quantum hubs’ operational

by

The Centre has made operational “hubs” in four leading institutions to develop quantum computer technology and earmarked funds for them, according to information made public in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday (March 12, 2025). Uttar Pradesh, with an allocation of ₹28.7 crore during 2024-25, leads States funded by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) … Read more

Inventors from Hyderabad-based LVPEI get Australian patent for potential therapy to treat damaged corneas

by

(From left) Dr. Sayan Basu and Dr. Vivek Singh, inventors from L.V. Prasad Eye Institute (LVPEI) in Hyderabad. | Photo Credit: By Arrangement Two inventors from L.V. Prasad Eye Institute (LVPEI) in Hyderabad have been granted an Australian patent for a cell therapy that can be used to repair damaged corneas from a variety of corneal diseases. … Read more

The Psychology of Colour: How hues affect our moods

by

Colour is more than just a visual sensation; it’s a powerful force that subtly shapes our moods, behaviours, and even our subconscious thoughts. From the vibrant hues that invigorate us to the soothing shades that calm our minds, colour holds an undeniable influence over our experiences. Science of colour psychology Colours aren’t just visual experiences—they’re … Read more

ISRO undocks SpaDex satellites – The Hindu

by

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) launches Polar Satellite Launch vehicle (PSLV-C60) with two Space Docking Experiment (SpaDex) satellites and 24 other innovative payloads into orbit from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC), in Sriharikota on December 30, 2024. | Photo Credit: ANI The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully undocked the SpaDex satellites. In … Read more

Science for all newsletter How bird songs have evolved?

by

(This article forms a part of the Science for All newsletter that takes the jargon out of science and puts the fun in! Subscribe now!)  Birds have long fascinated scientists and nature lovers alike with the rich variety of sounds they produce. From melodic songs to sharp alarm calls, bird vocalisations serve a variety of … Read more