December 2024 - Page 3 of 9

Dec252024 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Astronomers Discover 140 trillion Water Reservoir Orbiting Distant Quasar

Astronomers have uncovered a colossal water reservoir in a distant corner of the universe, orbiting a quasar more than 12 billion light-years away. This discovery located in the quasar APM 08279+5255, dates back to a time when the universe was still in its infancy. The water reservoir contains an astonishing 140 trillion times the volume of Earth's oceans, making it the largest and most distant water source ever identified. This vast supply exists near a supermassive black hole approximately 20 billion times more massive than our Sun. The quasar itself emits energy equivalent to a thousand trillion suns creating an extreme environment filled with unique molecules and radiation. Water vapour spans a region hundreds of light-years across surrounding the quasar. Although the gas is s...

Dec242024 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Astronomers Discover Universe’s Largest Water Reservoir in Distant Quasar

Breaking News, Learning & Developments, Space

Astronomers have identified an enormous water reservoir surrounding a quasar located over 12 billion light-years away, offering a glimpse into the universe’s distant past. This quasar, APM 08279+5255, is powered by a supermassive black hole approximately 20 billion times the mass of the Sun and emits energy equivalent to a thousand trillion suns. The discovery reveals an astonishing 140 trillion times the volume of Earth’s oceans in water vapour, making it the largest and farthest known water source in the universe. The quasar’s environment is highly unique, with a mix of hydrogen-rich gases like water vapour and carbon monoxide forming a region spanning hundreds of light-years. Despite the gases being sparse compared to Earth’s atmosphere, they are remarkably warm and dense for such...

Dec242024 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Tamil Nadu Prepares for Heavy Rains Ahead of Christmas, Holiday Plans at Risk

Breaking News, Disasters, Environment

Tamil Nadu, which has already recorded an impressive Northeast monsoon season with excess rainfall, is now bracing for another spell of precipitation that could disrupt Christmas celebrations across the state. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has reported that a well-marked low-pressure system over the Bay of Bengal, along with an associated cyclonic circulation, is advancing toward North Tamil Nadu. Currently positioned near the South Andhra coast, the system is expected to bring moderate to heavy rainfall to the region starting Tuesday, December 24, and continuing through Thursday, December 26. North coastal districts, including Chennai, are likely to see widespread rains during this period, with heavy downpours forecast in isolated pockets of Chengalpattu, Viluppuram, and...

Dec242024 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Melting Glaciers Linked to Increased Earthquake Activity in Colorado’s Sangre de Cristo Mountains

Breaking News, Disasters, Environment

Southern Colorado’s Sangre de Cristo Mountains, known for their dramatic rise from the flat San Luis Valley, have long been shaped by tectonic activity and glacial forces. Now, a groundbreaking study in Geology suggests that the melting of alpine glaciers thousands of years ago may have significantly increased earthquake frequency in the region by relieving pressure on the underlying fault system. The research connects Earth’s changing climate to tectonic movements, a rare link that sheds light on how warming temperatures like those seen today might trigger fault activity. “Areas where glaciers are retreating or where hydrologic changes occur over active faults could experience elevated earthquake activity,” explained study co-author Sean Gallen, a geologist at Colorado State University...

Dec232024 by Editor DeskNo Comments

NASA and SpaceX Set 2025 Launch for Interstellar Mapping Probe and Two Other Heliophysics Missions

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Environment, Space

NASA and SpaceX have announced a revised launch schedule for the Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe (IMAP), targeting no earlier than September 2025. The adjustment allows NASA additional preparation time for the spacecraft. The IMAP mission is poised to explore the Sun's heliosphere a magnetic bubble that shields the solar system from interstellar particles. By sampling and mapping particles streaming toward Earth, the mission will offer critical insights into this protective boundary, which impacts space weather, human exploration, and even the existence of life in the universe. Rideshare Missions to L1 IMAP will share its SpaceX Falcon 9 flight with two additional heliophysics observatories: This mission will study Earth's geocorona, the ultraviolet-emitting outermo...

Dec232024 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Nasa’s Parker Solar Probe to Make Historic Christmas Eve Flyby of Sun

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Space

In a groundbreaking event Nasa's Parker Solar Probe is set to make its closest approach to the Sun on Christmas Eve December 24, 2024. The spacecraft will pass within approximately 6.1 million kilometers of the Sun's surface at 5:23 pm IST, marking the closest any human-made object has ever ventured toward a star. Mission operators at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) in Maryland last communicated with the probe on December 21, confirming that all systems were functioning normally. However, during the critical close approach, the spacecraft will lose contact with Earth as it endures the intense conditions near the Sun. Nick Pinkine, mission operations manager for the Parker Solar Probe, expressed excitement about the flyby, calling it an unprecedented opportunity. “N...

Dec232024 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Delhi Chokes as Air Quality Dips to ‘Severe’ Levels Amid Winter Fog

Breaking News, Disasters, Environment

The national capital continues to battle dangerously toxic air, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) hitting 410 in the early hours of Monday, as per the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). This grim figure places Delhi firmly in the ‘severe’ category, with PM2.5 levels tiny particulate matter harmful to respiratory health remaining critically high across the city. A dense layer of fog blanketed Delhi on Monday morning, reducing visibility and plunging the minimum temperature to 9.2°C at 5:30 a.m., according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The city also experienced light rain, adding to the winter chill. Visuals from Lodhi Road showed people huddled in night shelters, seeking refuge from the harsh cold. "The temperatures have dropped here because it has been raining… th...

Dec232024 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Wobbly Earth Shifts in Molten Core Could Be Altering Day-Length Fluctuations

Breaking News, Environment, Learning & Developments

Earth's day-night cycle, defined as a precise 24-hour period, serves as the cornerstone of our daily routines. Yet, the reality of our planet's rotation is far from precise. As Earth hurtles around the Sun at a staggering 107,000 kilometers per hour (67,000 miles per hour), its wobbly, molten interior and interactions with the Moon introduce subtle irregularities to the planet's rotation. Decoding Earth's Wobbly Spin While many short-term fluctuations in Earth's day-length have well-known causes such as the Moon's gravitational pull and shifting water volumes geophysicists have observed minute variations over millennial timescales that remain enigmatic. These fluctuations, amounting to just 3 to 4 milliseconds every thousand years, have perplexed scientists for decades. A team of ...

Dec212024 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Kolkata’s Air Pollution Woes: Is It the Next Delhi?

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Disasters, Environment

KOLKATA – As Delhi grapples with hazardous air pollution levels, Kolkata’s deteriorating air quality raises pressing questions about its future. Though Kolkata has not reached Delhi’s alarming Air Quality Index (AQI) highs, its current AQI of 150-200 (classified as "very unhealthy") highlights an escalating problem that demands immediate attention. With Delhi’s AQI peaking at an unprecedented 700 in some areas this year, emergency measures were implemented, including school closures and a return to masks reminiscent of the COVID-19 era. The crisis has underscored the urgent need for sustained action not just in the capital but across the nation. Kolkata, while geographically distinct, faces its own set of challenges that could lead to a similar scenario if not addressed proactively. ...

Dec212024 by Editor DeskNo Comments

NASA Juno Uncovers the Secret of Io Volcanic Activity

Breaking News, Environment, Learning & Developments

NASA’s Juno mission has resolved a 44-year-old mystery about Io, Jupiter’s fiery moon. New research reveals that each of Io’s volcanoes is powered by its own localized magma chamber, dismissing the long-held theory of a global magma ocean beneath the moon's surface. The groundbreaking discovery was unveiled in a study published in Nature on December 12 and was also a highlight of the American Geophysical Union’s annual meeting in Washington. The finding deepens our understanding of Io, the most volcanically active body in the solar system, and its role in planetary science. Io, about the size of Earth’s Moon, hosts over 400 volcanoes that constantly spew lava and gas. While the moon was discovered by Galileo Galilei in 1610, its volcanic activity wasn’t observed until 1979, when NASA...