Science news

Nalini Joshi, an Indian-origin mathematician, has been named New South Wales’ Scientist of the Year, the first mathematician to receive this top Australian science honour. Her pioneering work in applied mathematics, particularly in integrable systems, has significantly advanced fields like fibre-optic technology and quantum cryptography, highlighting mathematics' crucial role in addressing modern challenges.

The Vera C. Rubin Observatory has identified asteroid 2025 MN45, a 710-meter object spinning at an unprecedented rate of once every 1.88 minutes. This discovery challenges existing models of asteroid structure, suggesting a cohesive strength previously thought impossible for such large, fast-rotating bodies. The finding offers new insights into solar system history and asteroid material properties.

Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt and his wife Wendy are privately funding four ambitious telescope projects, including the space telescope Lazuli, designed to be a modern Hubble successor. This initiative aims to accelerate astronomical discovery through faster development timelines and open access to data for scientists worldwide, utilizing modular ground-based designs and advanced computing.

An annular solar eclipse, a "ring of fire," is set for February 2026. This spectacular event will be visible in the Southern Hemisphere, with Antarctica at its center. Unfortunately, India will not witness this celestial display. The eclipse will occur below the horizon for Indian observers. Those in India can follow the event through live broadcasts and international coverage.

Ancient horsetail plants, surviving for 400 million years, are revealing Earth's climate history. Their unique water filtration process creates unusual oxygen isotope signatures, once mistaken for extraterrestrial. Scientists are now using these plants and their fossilized silica structures, called phytoliths, as natural humidity recorders to understand past atmospheric moisture levels, even from the age of dinosaurs.

India's space agency ISRO is set to launch PSLV-C62 on January 12, deploying DRDO's advanced surveillance satellite EOS-N1. This mission also carries a Spanish mini-satellite and 17 international and domestic commercial payloads, showcasing India's growing prowess in satellite launches and global space commercialization. The launch from Sriharikota marks a significant start to 2026.

Astronomers have discovered 3I/ATLAS, a fast-moving interstellar object detected in mid-2025. Researchers believe this ancient comet, potentially 8-14 billion years old, originated from the Milky Way's earliest era, predating our Sun. Its unique chemical composition, including iron and nickel, further supports its alien origins, offering a rare glimpse into material forged around ancient stars.

Scientists are baffled by solid gold particles found in Norway spruce needles. Previously thought impossible, this discovery reveals a partnership between trees and specific bacteria. These microbes, not the trees, are believed to convert dissolved gold ions into solid nanoparticles, a process crucial for understanding mineral deposits and potentially cleaning polluted environments.

Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson confronts Moon-landing denial during a podcast appearance, rejecting scepticism with physics, scale and evidence. From lunar rocks and Saturn V maths to the implausibility of a 400,000-person conspiracy, he explains why Apollo isn’t belief-based history. The argument matters because mistrust survives not through gaps in proof, but misunderstanding, and modern spaceflight puts the debate in perspective.

Astronauts aboard the International Space Station experienced New Year 2026 sixteen times, witnessing the transition to a new year with each of their 90-minute orbits.This unique perspective highlights the vast differences in time perception between Earth and space, where daily cycles of daylight and darkness are compressed.Their adherence to Greenwich Mean Time structures life in orbit.