Science & Health

Rare blue jet lightning captured in amazing detail

For years, their existence has been debated: elusive electrical discharges in the upper atmosphere that sport names such as red sprites, blue jets, pixies and elves. Reported by pilots, they are difficult to study as they occur above thunderstorms.ESA astronaut Andreas Mogensen during his mission on the International Space Station in 2015 was asked to take pictures over thunderstorms with the most sensitive camera on the orbiting outpost to look for these brief features.Denmark’s National Space Institute has now published the results, confirming many kilometre-wide blue flashes around 18 km altitude, including a pulsating blue jet reaching 40 km. A video recorded by Andreas as he flew over the Bay of Bengal at 28 800 km/h on the Station shows the electrical phenomena clearly – a first of its kind.

Feb 10, 2017

Pilot whales: 8 things you need to know about the whales notorious for strandings

About 300 pilot whales died when they were stranded on a beach in New Zealand on Friday. Desperate efforts are underway to save about 100 whales still alive

Feb 10, 2017

NASA has found out that a human colony on Mars could be wiped out in minutes!

Mars' atmosphere is said to be 100 times thinner than that of the Earth.

Feb 10, 2017

New Zealand beach: Over 400 pilot whales stranded on Farewell Spit beach, majority reported dead

At least 416 pilot whales were washed ashore in the Golden Bay region's Farewell Spit located on the northern tip of New Zealand's South Island.

Feb 10, 2017

Cooking chicken? Look out for white stripes in the meat, they tell you how the chicken was raised

Nutritionists believe that while these white stripes are not harmful to humans or in no way affect the protein content in the meat, they are certainly an indicator of how the chicken was raised

Feb 10, 2017

Stunning green Comet 45P set to fly by Earth: Date, time and where to watch

It will pass by Earth at a distance of around 11.9 million kilometers (7.4 million miles), which will be the closest this century.

Feb 10, 2017

After surviving cancer this woman died of a disease so rare that it doesn't even have a name!

Her immune system was extremely weak and this was revealed last month when she was diagnosed with a rare deficiency called ARPC1B.

Feb 9, 2017

BBMP wants to cut 112 trees to widen Jayamahal Main Road in Bengaluru; here's how you can save the green

Citizens believe that the felling of trees is the first step towards the government's decision to build the controversial steel flyover that could result in the axing of over 800 trees.

Feb 9, 2017

NASA looks to Archean Era Earth for clues to what lies beneath exoplanets' hazy atmosphere

The Archean era is a geologic eon existed from 4 to 2.5 billion years ago when the Earth's crust had cooled down to an extent that continent formation was possible.

Feb 9, 2017

Dr Shawna Pandya to be third Indian-origin woman to fly into space, here's what you need to know about her

Shawna Pandya, 32, who has her roots in Mumbai, will fly to space after topping Citizen Science Astronaut programme.

Feb 9, 2017

India plans nuclear energy evolution with discovery of uranium reserves, more atomic power plants and tie-up with French company

The discovery of uranium reserves in Meghalaya means India may not have to look at foreign source for fissile materials in nuclear plants.

Feb 9, 2017

India will launch a rover on the moon, and is planning a mission to Venus

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is "planning to deploy a rover on the lunar surface in the Chandrayaan-2 mission."

Feb 9, 2017

This family went out of their way to save their 20-year-old pet goldfish Bob!

Goldfish Bob's operation carried on by the Veterinary doctor was 30 minutes long.

Feb 8, 2017

Uber's flying car initiative gets a massive boost from NASA

Uber Elevate, the flying car initiative, will have Moore as its director, in the hope that he will be able to drive the initiative to create flying cars that will be available commercially.

Feb 8, 2017

A 27m-high tsunami caused world’s biggest underwater landslide 300,000 years ago

Scattered debris found near the Great Barrier Reef are the remains of a huge ancient underwater landslide stretching for 20km and measuring 8km wide.

Feb 8, 2017