Study shows Earth radiated less heat in a month of 2020, reducing lunar surface temperatures. Five years ago, the global COVID-19 lockdown briefly halted human activity, triggering a drastic drop in air pollution and temporary banishing of haze. Clear sky over cities reduced Earth’s ability to trap heat and radiate it back to space, incredibly […]
Carcass tells the story of ocean ecosystem 20 million years ago, near Kutch Scientists have discovered fossilised vertebrae and ribs of a whale on the bank of a dried, seasonal river in Kutch of Gujarat1. The bones, dated between 23 and 20 million years, were found alongside fossils of boneless marine creatures such as snails, […]
A map of venom types offers hope for regionally targeted therapies The potency of snake venom lies in its toxic enzymes that have evolved over millions of years through a never-ending battle between snakes and their prey. New research shows climate has a role too1. Factors such as temperature and rainfall are likely to have […]
Global study reveals key differences that explains vulnerability to infections and chronic illness Why do some people frequently catch cold, while others are prone to bone diseases? An international research team inches closer to finding why our susceptibility to disease varies. They have discovered that the composition of specific human immune cells, which are shaped […]
Camera traps reveal the population size and distribution of snow leopards across a 59,000 km2 landscape in India’s Ladakh territory, in the north of the country. The study, by an international research team, estimated that Ladakh is home to 477 snow leopards, representing 68% of India’s total population. The density of snow leopards varied between […]
In June, people in Kolkata’s Belgachia area watch the spectacular mass arrival of Indian cormorants (Phalacocorax fuscicollis) at the campus of the West Bengal University of Animal and Fishery Sciences (WBUAFS).
The display is impressive, but the fish-eating birds carry an antimicrobial resistant bacterium, a WBUAFS research team has found by analysing their faeces1.
A new book by Satyendra Nath Bose’s studentand particle physicist Partha Ghose talks of Bose’s relations with Albert Einstein. Nature India caught up with Ghose to discuss some untold stories that find place in his Bengali autobiography Kanamatra. Nature India: What inspired you to embark on a career in particle physics? Partha Ghose: In 1961, I went to Imperial College […]
Citizen science-led study says most species are declining but Indian peafowls and rock pigeons are doing well A study based on 30 million field observations has identified that 178 wild bird species in India — including teals, sarus cranes and greater flamingos — need immediate attention. The State of India’s Birds 2023 report finds that while Asian […]
Ahead of Chandrayaan-3’s touchdown, scientists look closely at the smooth, sunlit polar landing site On 23 August 2023, India’s lunar lander and rover are expected to soft-land somewhere in the Moon’s polar region. As Chandrayaan-3 entered the lunar orbit, scientists are keenly assessing the exact spot, days ahead of the mission’s final descent. Will the […]
From smoke signals to Snapchat, an exhibition takes visitors through the history of communication Human communication technologies have evolved from smoke signals and messenger pigeons to mobile phone calls and Snapchat. An exhibition at a museum in Kolkata charts their development. The artefacts on display at the Birla Industrial and Technological Museum (BITM) are laid […]