Science

An “unusual” La Niña event has been confirmed, bringing cooler atmospheric and oceanic conditions in the tropical Pacific. Despite expectations for its arrival last year, the phenomenon has emerged later and is forecast to be weaker and shorter in duration. The event, part of the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) cycle, is known for influencing global

Solar activity over the past three years has been transformed into audible sound through data collected by the Solar Orbiter, a joint mission by the European Space Agency (ESA) and NASA. This innovative sonification captures the progression of solar flares, highlighting changes in solar activity as the Sun approaches its 11-year cycle peak. Visual and

A new passenger plane design featuring a revolutionary “blended wing” structure is set to take flight within the next five years, marking a significant departure from conventional aircraft designs. Developed to integrate the wings with the fuselage into a seamless, unified shape, the aircraft is anticipated to slash fuel consumption by half and significantly lower

A new category of particles, termed “paraparticles,” has been theorized by physicists, offering a fresh perspective on the fundamental building blocks of nature. These particles defy traditional classifications of fermions and bosons, presenting unique properties that could revolutionize understanding in quantum mechanics and potentially enhance quantum computing capabilities. The mathematical model defining paraparticles opens up

Astronomers recently observed a rare cosmic event where a supermassive black hole, located approximately 408 million light-years away, consumed one star from a binary system while the other narrowly escaped. This unusual phenomenon, known as a double-flash tidal disruption event (TDE), occurred in the galaxy WISEA J122045.05+493304.7. These powerful events, visible from billions of light-years

A groundbreaking discovery has been made in Antarctica, where a team of scientists successfully extracted a 2.8-kilometre-long ice core believed to contain air bubbles and particles from 1.2 million years ago. This ancient ice sample, retrieved under extreme conditions with temperatures reaching -35 degree Celsius, holds the potential to reveal crucial insights about a critical

Efforts to unravel the mysteries of dark matter have gained momentum with a new approach exploring its potential conversion into detectable signals within Earth’s ionosphere. Dark matter, believed to constitute most of the universe’s mass, has remained undetectable despite extensive searches. Recent research proposes that particles like axions or dark photons could convert into low-frequency

A Blue Moon, a term often associated with rarity, will next occur on May 31, 2026. This event refers to the second full moon within a single calendar month, a phenomenon that arises due to the lunar cycle of approximately 29.5 days. Typically, 12 full moons are observed annually; however, the slight mismatch between the

A discovery has shed light on the early evolution of nervous systems in ecdysozoan animals, a group that includes insects, nematodes, and priapulid worms. Fossil evidence from the early Cambrian Kuanchuanpu Formation has revealed details of the ventral nerve cord structure in ancient organisms, providing key insights into the evolutionary history of this critical component

A peak resembling a man-made pyramid, situated in the snow-covered expanse of Antarctica, has captured widespread attention due to its striking symmetry. Located within the southern Ellsworth Mountains, this natural formation features four steep, symmetrical faces, drawing comparisons to ancient Egyptian pyramids. Rising approximately 4,150 feet (1,265 meters), the mountain has become a focal point

NASA is preparing to deploy the Lunar Environment Heliospheric X-ray Imager (LEXI) to the moon, aiming to provide groundbreaking observations of Earth’s magnetic field. Using advanced X-ray technology, LEXI will capture images of the magnetosphere’s movements, offering insights into how it reacts to solar wind. This mission seeks to enhance understanding of space weather, which

A newly identified form of cartilage, distinct from the three commonly recognised types, has been described by scientists. This tissue, termed “lipocartilage,” stands out due to its unique composition. Unlike typical cartilage, which features thick fibre matrices, lipocartilage contains balloon-like cells filled with oils. These cells are uniform and closely packed, forming a springy yet

Scientists have discovered a unique link between ferroelectric domain walls and superconductivity in two-dimensional van der Waals materials. This breakthrough, credited to research by Gaurav Chaudhary from the University of Cambridge and Ivar Martin from Argonne National Laboratory, sheds light on how specific structural features in these materials enable strong electron interactions. The findings are

The launch of Blue Origin’s highly anticipated New Glenn rocket has been delayed due to adverse weather conditions. Initially planned for Friday, January 10, the liftoff was rescheduled to Sunday, January 12, at 1:00 a.m. EST (0600 GMT). This decision was taken because rough seas in the Atlantic Ocean could jeopardise the landing of the

Jupiter’s atmospheric composition has been called into question through observations made using an old technique by an amateur astronomer, Steve Hill. The findings have indicated that the planet’s iconic swirling clouds may not be composed of ammonia ice, as previously assumed. This revelation stems from data collected with commercial telescopes and spectral filters, presenting new

A breakthrough in auroral research has been made through artificial intelligence, aiding scientists in the classification and study of northern lights. Over 700 million images of auroral phenomena have been sorted and labelled, paving the way for better forecasting of geomagnetic storms that can disrupt critical communication and security systems on Earth. The categorisation stems

A remarkable discovery has been made in Lithuania’s Vilnius Cathedral, where 16th-century royal burial regalia were recovered after being concealed for nearly a century. The artefacts, including crowns, rings, chains, a sceptre, and coffin plaques, had been hidden in a crypt at the start of World War II. These treasures, once belonging to significant figures

Another significant mission was undertaken by SpaceX on January 9, with the deployment of a new set of spy satellites for the United States government. A Falcon 9 rocket carried the NROL-153 mission from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, lifting off at 10:53 p.m. EST. This launch marked the seventh instalment of the National

A significant discovery involving a supernova remnant in the Milky Way, identified as G278.94+1.35, has been made by a team of international astronomers. This structure, resulting from a massive stellar explosion, was initially thought to be approximately 8,800 light years away. New findings have revised this distance to about 3,300 light years, making it closer

Evidence has emerged pointing to a significant role played by an ancient geographic hotspot in shaping the Great Lakes. Researchers have linked the formation of these massive water bodies to a hotspot that interacted with the Earth’s lithosphere millions of years ago. While the lakes are commonly attributed to glacial activity during the Ice Age,

A groundbreaking discovery has been made in the Caucasus Mountains where an ancient Bronze Age settlement, Dmanisis Gora, has been mapped using drone technology. This site, believed to be over 3,000 years old, reveals new insights into the evolution of large-scale settlements during the Late Bronze Age and Early Iron Age. Spanning an area far