Science

Anthropocene epoch declaration unlikely soon, but the idea lives on | Explained

Scientists recently proposed to formalise an ‘Anthropocene Epoch’ on the geologic time scale, triggering several debates. The earth’s geological history is divided into multiple epochs depending on their natural character. We are officially currently in the Holocene Epoch, which started around 11,700 years ago. But many scientists believe the Holocene Epoch has ended and the Anthropocene Epoch has started – a period of time characterised by humankind’s large-scale effects…

Read More »

Climate protesters can’t rely on beliefs in criminal damage cases, UK court rules – Times of India

LONDON: Environmental activists accused of criminal damage cannot rely on their political or philosophical beliefs as a defence, London’s Court of Appeal ruled on Monday, raising the prospect of more protesters being convicted for direct action. Various groups have targeted companies and political parties in Britain, causing damage to property in order to raise awareness of climate-change issues. The rise in the use of direct action has prompted a…

Read More »

Vaccine for dengue may be available commercially by mid-2026 

Vaccine for dengue could be available commercially as early as mid-2026. Indian Immunologicals Limited has finished the first phase of clinical trials to determine the safety of the vaccine, the company’s Managing Director K. Anand Kumar said. The second and third phases of trials to test the vaccine’s efficacy are expected to begin shortly. IIL is a wholly owned subsidiary of the National Dairy Development Board, established in 1982. “We…

Read More »

‘Ram pressure can make stars’: Nasa captures Virgo Galaxy cluster – Times of India

NEW DELHI: The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa) Astronomers using the Nasa/ESA Hubble Space Telescope have captured a stunning image of LEDA 42160, a galaxy situated approximately 52 million light-years away in the constellation Virgo. This dwarf galaxy, among many others, navigates through the dense gas within the vast Virgo cluster of galaxies, experiencing the profound effects of ram pressure.“A dwarf galaxy in the constellation Coma Berenices, located…

Read More »

Nasa’s JWST unveils new insights into the universe’s smallest stars – Times of India

NEW DELHI: The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) of Nasa has provided astronomers with groundbreaking data, leading to fresh insights regarding the smallest stars in the cosmos. According to recent findings, these diminutive stellar bodies challenge our existing understanding of star formation and behavior.During an international conference on astrophysics, lead researcher Dr Emily Roper was quoted as saying, “This discovery redefines our understanding of the lower limits of star…

Read More »

Methane: a powerful gas heating the planet – Times of India

PARIS: Climate talks often revolve around reducing the most dangerous greenhouse gas CO2. But other powerful heat-trapping emissions — of methane — will be in the crosshairs at a global forum in Geneva this week. Methane — which is potent but relatively short-lived — is a key target for countries wanting to slash emissions quickly and slow climate change. That is particularly because large amounts of methane are simply…

Read More »

Scientists find potential new drug target to prevent Ebola – Times of India

NEW DELHI: Scientists have found a new way in which Ebola reproduces in the human body, identifying a potential target for drugs to prevent the viral disease. The study also sheds light on how the deadly virus that affects people mostly in sub-Saharan Africa interacts with a human protein called ubiquitin. “We used a combination of experimental and computational (using computers) methods to investigate the interaction between the Ebola…

Read More »

Acclaimed primatologist Frans de Waal dies at 75

Primatologist Frans de Waal, whose study of chimpanzees and apes helped reveal the reconciliatory and empathic nature of primates— including humans— has died at age 75, said the university where he worked for decades. De Waal, who won multiple awards over his long career, wrote several popular books and in 2007 made Time magazine’s list of the world’s 100 most influential people, succumbed to stomach cancer on March 14,…

Read More »

IISc scientists develop design to control temperature for transition from electrical insulator to conductor

Indian Institute of Science building in Bengaluru | Photo Credit: SUDHAKARA JAIN Scientists at Indian Institute of Science (IISc.), in collaboration with scientists from Japan, Denmark and the United States, have developed a synthetic material design that enables them to control the temperature at which a material can overcome electronic ‘traffic jams’ , a transition from an electrical insulator to a conductor, setting the ground for an electronic switch…

Read More »

Scientists build a camera to ‘show’ how animals see moving things

This illustration compares three flowers – summer snowflake (A, B), blue phlox (C, D), and a blue violet (D, E) – in honeybee false colour (left) and human-visible colours (right). | Photo Credit: Vasas V, et al., 2024, PLOS Biology, CC-BY 4.0 To most people, leaves are green and oranges are orange. But if our pets could speak, they’d disagree. We know there are many different ways to ‘see’…

Read More »

Tapeworm larvae found in man’s brain – how did they get there? – Times of India

LANCASTER: We have all found ourselves in a place we would rather not be, a school reunion, the never-ending work meeting or a distant relative’s wedding reception. In such situations, it is often a good option to make the best of it. Well, this isn’t just the case for people, it is also an occurrence in the world of parasites – those lifeforms that live in and on us.This…

Read More »

Microplastics may pose a risk to the Indo-Gangetic plain: Study – Times of India

PANAJI: Polymers in microplastics may pose a risk to the Indo-Gangetic plain, a study on rivers Ganga and Yamuna by the Goa-based CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography has concluded. The study titled ‘A comprehensive assessment of macro and microplastics from Rivers Ganga and Yamuna: Unveiling the seasonal, spatial and risk factors’, has been published in the ‘Journal of Hazardous Materials’. The researchers behind the study have said that their findings…

Read More »

Common sense is not actually very common

In 1776 Thomas Paine, a traitorous Englishman living in the American colonies, published a seditious 47-page pamphlet. Called “Common Sense”, it became a best-seller. It argued that the colonies should seek independence from British rule. Later that year they did exactly that. Appeals to common sense are a staple of politics, especially when an insurgent wishes to distinguish himself from a supposedly aloof and out-of-touch elite. But in a…

Read More »

‘Carpool, waste disposal, no single-use plastics’: EC’s instructions for ‘sustainable polls’ | India News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: In an effort to ensure “sustainable” polls, Election Commission on Saturday released a set of instructions for the poll machinery and political parties regarding waste management for the upcoming general elections.“In a step towards sustainable or eco-friendly elections, we are making efforts to minimise single-use plastic and encourage eco-friendly practices in the election process”, CEC Rajiv Kumar said.A set of instructions has been issued to the poll…

Read More »

Political disconnect: Why environmental issues are not winning votes in India | India News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: The poisonous air is shortening lives across India, Bengaluru is grappling with a severe water crisis, while Sikkim and Himachal Pradesh are yet to fully recover from the devastating glacial lake outburst and flash floods last year. Despite this, these issues remain secondary to livelihood concerns and are yet to hold significant sway in national elections, experts say.One reason for this, they say, is that political and…

Read More »

How women in India have fared

At the graduate/postgraduate degree level, most girls opt for arts and science, or nursing and medicine.  | Photo Credit: Getty Images International Women’s Day was celebrated on March 8, 2024. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in its ‘Gender Social Norms Index’ quantifies biases against women, capturing people’s attitude on women’s roles along four dimensions: political, educational, economic and physical integrity. It is the last two dimensions that men…

Read More »

Climate initiatives that reduce motor vehicle emissions can boost children’s health, save money – Times of India

NEW YORK: According to recent research, limiting carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from motor vehicles, as well as investing in electric cars and public transport, would reduce air pollution and improve children’s health. They’d also save money.Researchers from Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health, together with partners from the University of California, Los Angeles, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and Boston University’s School of Public Health,…

Read More »

Covid-19 origin in more probability unnatural than natural, lab leak potential source: New study – Times of India

NEW DELHI: The Covid-19 pandemic in more probability had an unnatural origin than a natural one with a potential source being a lab accident or leak, according to new research that employed a commonly used risk analysis tool to arrive at this conclusion. Originally designed to distinguish between natural epidemics and deliberate biological attacks, researchers modified the Grunow-Finke Tool (mGFT) by tweaking the criteria to determine the likelihood of…

Read More »
Back to top button