Month: March 2026

    Scientists have uncovered a unique modification in a key plant enzyme that could dramatically improve photosynthesis and increase crop yields, offering a promising breakthrough for global agriculture. At the centre of this discovery is Rubisco, the enzyme responsible for capturing carbon dioxide and converting it into energy-rich sugars during photosynthesis. While essential for plant life, Rubisco is notoriously inefficient because it often reacts with oxygen instead of carbon dioxide. This mistake produces a toxic byproduct and forces plants to expend extra energy through a process called photorespiration, ultimately reducing growth and productivity. Researchers studying hornworts, a group of simple land plants, have now identified a completely new way to improv...

    A silent crisis is unfolding beneath the Earth’s surface, where groundwater reserves are rapidly declining without visible warning. According to the United Nations University, this hidden depletion is putting drinking water, agriculture and global food systems at serious risk. Unlike shrinking rivers or reservoirs, groundwater loss often goes unnoticed. Scientists warn that aquifers, which act like natural water banks, are being overdrawn as extraction exceeds natural recharge. This imbalance has led experts to describe the situation as “water bankruptcy,” where water is consumed faster than it can be replenished. Regions such as India, northeastern China and the western United States are already facing severe depletion. As groundwater levels fall, wells may event...

    Scientists have successfully decoded the long and complex geological history of the Ladakh Magmatic Arc, revealing how this ancient system records over 130 million years of tectonic activity that ultimately led to the formation of the Himalaya. According to researchers from the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, the region we now know as Ladakh was once located above the ancient Neo-Tethys Ocean. Deep beneath this ocean, a powerful geological process known as subduction took place, where an oceanic plate slowly moved under the Eurasian plate, generating heat and magma. This continuous subduction led to the formation of the Ladakh Magmatic Arc, a vast belt of igneous rocks that developed between the Jurassic and Eocene periods, approximately 201 to 34 million ye...

    A simple and cost-effective water solution is helping drought-prone regions in South Africa restore their groundwater supplies, offering hope for communities facing growing climate stress. Researchers from the University of the Free State have successfully implemented small-scale managed aquifer recharge (MAR) systems across five towns, demonstrating how excess rainwater can be stored underground for long-term use. South Africa is among the driest countries globally, with over 400 towns relying heavily on groundwater. In recent years, severe droughts have pushed some areas, including Sutherland, to “Day Zero” — when water supplies effectively run out. Traditional solutions like water-shedding have only provided temporary relief, especially as rainfall patterns bec...

    A recent scientific study has revealed that road dust re-suspension is a major and often overlooked contributor to air pollution across key stretches of New Delhi. The findings highlight a serious environmental concern along an 82.5-kilometre corridor stretching from Mayapuri to Punjabi Bagh via major highways including NH-44 and NH-9. The study, conducted by CSIR-NEERI and the Central Road Research Institute for the Commission for Air Quality Management, found that poor road conditions are significantly worsening dust pollution. Only 34 percent of the examined road stretch was classified as being in good condition, while the remaining 66 percent fell into moderate to poor categories. These degraded surfaces allow dust to accumulate easily and become airborne with pa...

    Scientists have created the first global map showing how ocean tides influence rivers far inland, revealing a major but overlooked flood risk affecting millions worldwide. The research, led by Technical University of Munich, shows that tides do not stop at coastlines. Instead, they travel upstream through rivers, increasing flood risks in inland areas. The study found that over 725 million people live in regions affected by tidal river influence, with more than 175,000 kilometres of rivers impacted globally. In some cases, tidal effects extend hundreds of kilometres inland, such as in the Amazon River. This new mapping tool helps identify vulnerable regions and track how risks may shift with climate change and rising sea levels. Researchers say the data will be...

The Union government has approved key amendments to the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA), 2010, aiming to strengthen oversight of foreign funds flowing into India. The proposed bill, cleared by the Union Cabinet, introduces stricter timelines for utilisation of funds and a new mechanism to regulate assets created through foreign contributions. India currently has around 16,000 FCRA-registered associations, receiving nearly ₹22,000 crore annually from foreign sources. These funds support a wide range of activities, including social work, education, and development projects. However, concerns over misuse and lack of transparency have prompted the government to tighten regulations. A major provision in the amendment mandates that organisations must utilise foreign contributi...

    New research suggests that Neanderthals may have used sticky tar made from tree bark not just as a tool-making adhesive, but also as a medicinal substance to treat wounds, highlighting their surprising knowledge of natural remedies. The study, led by Tjaark Siemssen from the University of Oxford, focused on birch bark tar a substance commonly found at Neanderthal archaeological sites across Europe dating back to the late Pleistocene period. While it has long been known that this tar was used to attach stone tools to wooden handles, researchers wanted to explore whether it also had medicinal properties. To investigate this, scientists recreated birch tar using methods that would have been available to Neanderthals. They collected bark from species such as Betula pu...

    A growing wave of human wildlife conflict in western Nepal is placing rural women at heightened risk, particularly in forest-edge communities surrounding Bardiya National Park, where daily survival activities are bringing them into dangerous proximity with wild animals. In villages like Madhuwan, women routinely enter nearby forests at dawn to collect fodder, firewood, and other essentials. These same areas are also key wildlife corridors used by animals such as tigers and leopards, creating frequent and often deadly encounters. Recent incidents have highlighted the severity of the situation, with multiple fatalities reported within weeks, many involving women engaged in routine tasks like cutting grass or grazing livestock. The increasing danger is closely linked...

    A new scientific study has challenged a long-standing idea in evolutionary biology, offering fresh insight into why some groups of organisms rapidly evolve into thousands of species while others remain limited. The research, inspired by questions first raised by Charles Darwin, suggests that the speed of evolutionary change rather than specific traits may be the key driver of biodiversity. The study, conducted by researchers from the University of Reading, focuses on cacti, one of the most diverse yet threatened plant families in the world. Despite being known for their slow physical growth, cacti have evolved rapidly over millions of years, producing around 1,850 species in just 20 to 35 million years a relatively short period in geological terms. For decades, sc...