A conceptual illustration of CD-35 2722, featuring an object resembling a moon (Credit: ESO) For decades, astronomers have been finding planets orbiting stars far beyond our solar system. More than 6,000 exoplanets are now known.But there is one glaring omission.Not a single moon outside our Solar System has been confirmed with the same level of…
Bank holiday on August 19 If you are planning a bank visit on Wednesday, August 19, you may want to check your state’s holiday calendar first. Banks in Tripura will remain closed tomorrow to mark the birthday of Maharaja Bir Bikram Kishore Manikya Bahadur.The holiday, however, is not applicable to banks across India. Bank holidays…
Henrietta Lacks (Image Credit: Wikipedia) In 1951, Henrietta Lacks, a 31-year-old African-American woman, was diagnosed with cervical cancer at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. During her treatment, doctors removed tissue from her tumour for research without telling her or obtaining her permission. The cells behaved unlike any human cells scientists had successfully maintained before: they…
Indian currency notes. Photo credit: Reuters MUMBAI: The US banknote, the most ubiquitous currency in the world used in everything from drug deals to legally accepted tender in multiple countries, falls short of the rupee when it comes to circulation numbers. RBI deputy governor Shirish Chandra Murmu said there are three times as many rupee…
Representative image of CME (Image credit: Nasa) BENGALURU: Scientists have developed a computer model that could help predict how quickly powerful eruptions from the Sun will travel towards Earth, potentially improving warnings for disruptions to satellites, power grids and communication systems.The three-dimensional model was developed by researchers at the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), an…
For Indian ships, the Arctic route could reduce the sailing distance by as much as 40%. (Image for representative purpose) In an important move, India may look to send its first cargo ship via the Northern Sea Route (NSR) to Russia next year. Russia’s Arkhangelsk region has held discussions with New Delhi on ways to…
Ornithoptera priamus. Image Credit: Robert Nash/Curator of Entomology Ulster Museum/Wikipedia Butterfly wings could offer a unique solution to one of the biggest problems faced by solar panels, which is ‘sunlight that bounces away before it can be used.’ A study published in ‘Solar Energy’ explored how the tiny structures found on the black scales of…
Spot gold is expected to trade with a positive bias in the short run on reduced rate hike possibility. Gold price prediction today: Gold prices are likely to trade with a positive bias in the near-term and buying on dips is the recommended strategy, says Praveen Singh, Head Currencies and Commodities, Mirae Asset ShareKhan. Gold…
A juvenile and an adult Black Drongo perch on a tree branch (ANI Photo) In 1935, the Japanese South Seas Development Company made a decision that would have repercussions for Mariana Islands’ ecosystems for nearly 100 years. In search of a natural method for controlling agricultural pests, they imported black drongos (Dicrurus macrocercus) from Taiwan…
Indian equities face a mix of domestic and global factors, with crude oil prices, foreign fund flows, currency movements and developments in global markets likely to remain key areas of focus. The trajectory of oil prices could remain important for investor sentiment, particularly as elevated energy costs have already featured prominently in market commentary. Investors…