Physical sciences

Hubble Telescope finds Water Vapour on Habitable-Zone Exoplanet

For the first time have Astronomers have discovered water vapour signatures in the atmosphere of a planet beyond our solar system that resides in the habitable zone (the region around a star which can support liquid water given sufficient atmospheric ..

Underwater Robot gives rare glimpse beneath Antarctic sea ice

Remotely Operated Vehicle sent down by scientists of the Australian Antarctic Division (AAD) has captured a rare glimpse beneath the Antarctic sea ice through a small hole drilled in the ice. It also recorded the acidity, oxygen, salinity and temperature ..

19-metre wave has set a new world record

The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) has announced that a wave which was recorded by an automated buoy in the North Atlantic ocean between Iceland and the UK in February 2013 to be the “the highest significant wave height measured by a ..

Half yearly review of nutrient-based subsidy rates approved

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs which is headed by PM Narendra Modi  has approved a half-yearly review of the nutrient-based rates of phosphate and potassium fertilizers. Hitherto these were reviewed annually. Futhermore, the Committee also reached a decision to ..

EU reaches deal to curb funding of conflict minerals

The European Union has concluded a deal to stem the flow of gold and other metals used for funding of armed conflicts or produced in conditions that violated human rights. EU importers of minerals like tin, tungsten, tantalum, gold and ..

Roundest known Space Object discovered

Researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research and the University of Gottingen in Germany have discovered the star Kepler 11145123, which is claimed to be the roundest natural object in space ever measured. The scientists have measured ..

India becomes Associate Member of CERN

India and European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) have signed an agreement making India the Associate Member State of CERN. Resolution to this effect was adopted earlier on September 15, 2016. Presently, the CERN consists of 22 member states, 4 ..

Researchers discover a “super-Earth” type planet – GJ 536 b

Scientists have discovered a “super-Earth” type planet, GJ 536 b, in orbit around a nearby very bright star. The exoplanet has a mass of around 5.4 Earth masses and is not within the star’s habitable zone. It is orbiting a ..