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Mysterious Formation of Earth’s Inner Core: How Mineral Physics is Unlocking Secrets Beneath Our Feet

Mysterious Formation of Earth’s Inner Core: How Mineral Physics is Unlocking Secrets Beneath Our Feet

Breaking News, Environment, Space
Deep below Earth’s surface, at a staggering depth of over 5,100 km, lies the inner core a solid ball of iron and nickel. Despite its size and influence, this mysterious part of Earth still puzzles scientists. While we know it plays a crucial role in shaping the conditions necessary for life on Earth, how and when the inner core formed remains a topic of ongoing debate. The Earth’s inner core is responsible for generating the planet’s magnetic field, which shields us from harmful solar radiation. This magnetic field is likely key to creating the conditions that allowed life to flourish billions of years ago. Without it, our planet may not have been able to sustain life. Interestingly, the inner core wasn’t always solid. As Earth has cooled over time, the once-liquid core has been grad...
Narayan Talab Embankment Breach Incident in Satna City, Madhya Pradesh: 50 houses flooded with waterlogging

Narayan Talab Embankment Breach Incident in Satna City, Madhya Pradesh: 50 houses flooded with waterlogging

Breaking News, Disasters
The Embankment of Narayan Pond (which is nearly 70 years old)  built in ward number 22 Utaili of Satna City of Madhya Pradesh collapsed in the first week of September 2024.  Consequent to this breach many houses of the colony (Approx  50) were flooded with water. Due to the collapse of the embankment water entered the adjacent colony. The flow of water was so much that even small goods and four-wheelers were swept away. The administration reached the spot and did relief and rescue work. Many Residents were evacuated safely by the rescue operation. However, many people lost their roofs in the incident. POST-INCIDENT EUPHORIA After the boundary of Narayan pond broke, Minister of State for Urban Housing and Development Pratima Bagri was seen in alert mode and held a review meeting in th...
Alarming Climate Shift in India: Study Reveals Swapping Trends in Weather Patterns

Alarming Climate Shift in India: Study Reveals Swapping Trends in Weather Patterns

Breaking News, Climate Actions
A groundbreaking study by IPE-Global and Esri India has revealed a worrying trend in India's climate, with traditionally flood-prone areas now experiencing droughts and drought-affected regions witnessing floods. This "swapping trend" is reshaping the nation's climate risk landscape, putting millions of lives and livelihoods in jeopardy. The research, which analyzed climate data from 1973 to 2023, found that over 85% of India's districts are vulnerable to extreme weather events, with nearly 45% showing evidence of this dramatic shift. The study reported a four-fold increase in the frequency, intensity, and unpredictability of climate extremes over recent decades, with the past 10 years seeing a five-fold surge. Abinash Mohanty, Head of Climate Change and Sustainability Practice at IP...
Climate Crisis Linked to Surge in Intimate Partner Violence in Sub-Saharan Africa: UN Report

Climate Crisis Linked to Surge in Intimate Partner Violence in Sub-Saharan Africa: UN Report

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Environment
A recent report from the UN's sexual and reproductive health agency, UNFPA, highlights a deeply troubling connection between climate change and intimate partner violence in sub-Saharan Africa. The findings suggest that tens of millions of women and girls in the region will face catastrophic levels of violence if the world fails to curb rising global temperatures. According to projections, the number of individuals experiencing intimate partner violence could nearly triple by 2060, reaching 140 million in the worst-case scenario of unchecked emissions and stalled socioeconomic development. The report, Climate Change Impacts and Intimate Partner Violence in Sub-Saharan Africa, was produced by UNFPA in collaboration with the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) and ...
Six Killed in Nagaland Landslide Amid Heavy Rainfall on National Highway 29

Six Killed in Nagaland Landslide Amid Heavy Rainfall on National Highway 29

Breaking News, Disasters
Six people lost their lives in a devastating landslide along National Highway 29 in Nagaland on Tuesday night. The landslide, triggered by continuous heavy rainfall, caused significant damage to the highway, which connects the state capital Kohima with Dimapur, the commercial hub. Multiple landslides occurred along the highway, washing away or blocking sections and severing road communication between Kohima and Dimapur. Several homes and roadside eateries were also destroyed in the disaster. Vehicles remain stranded, and officials estimate it will take time to clear the road due to the severity of the situation. Nagaland's Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio expressed his concern over the extensive damage caused by the rainfall and confirmed that authorities are on-site to assess the situatio...
New Study Reveals El Niño-Southern Oscillation Linked to Increasing Heat Waves in Southwest India

New Study Reveals El Niño-Southern Oscillation Linked to Increasing Heat Waves in Southwest India

Breaking News, Climate Actions
A recent study has identified the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) as a significant contributor to the rising frequency and intensity of heat waves in southwest India. ENSO, characterized by periodic warming and cooling of sea surface temperatures and atmospheric pressure shifts in the tropical eastern Pacific Ocean, is now recognized as a major player in exacerbating heat conditions in the region. The research highlights that while ENSO is a key factor, other major climatic patterns also play roles in influencing the heat waves affecting southwest India. This finding comes amid a troubling trend of increasingly severe heat waves not only in South Asia but globally. Historical Context and Recent Trends The study is set against a backdrop of heightened concern over climate chang...
“Gateway to Hell” in Siberia Triples in Size Due to Climate Change: Study claims

“Gateway to Hell” in Siberia Triples in Size Due to Climate Change: Study claims

Breaking News, Climate Actions
In the remote Yana Highlands of Siberia, a giant and ominous hole known as the "Gateway to Hell" is expanding at an alarming rate, with scientists attributing its rapid growth to the effects of climate change. Officially known as the Batagaika Crater, this massive depression has tripled in size over the past 30 years and now spans an area of 200 acres, reaching depths of 300 feet. The Batagaika Crater, shaped like a stingray or a giant tadpole, began as a small, barely noticeable crack in the 1960s, only visible in declassified satellite imagery. However, as global temperatures rise and permafrost melts, the crater has expanded significantly, revealing one of the oldest permafrost layers on Earth. Visible from Space The crater's sheer size and rapid expansion have captured the att...
Earthquakes May Play a Key Role in the Formation of Gold Nuggets, Study Reveals

Earthquakes May Play a Key Role in the Formation of Gold Nuggets, Study Reveals

Breaking News, Idea & Innovations
A groundbreaking study has revealed that earthquakes might significantly contribute to the formation of gold nuggets within quartz veins through a process called piezoelectricity. This discovery challenges the traditional understanding of how gold forms, offering new insights into the geological processes that create this precious metal. Gold, long prized for its rarity and beauty, is typically found as nuggets embedded in quartz veins, a form of crystallized silicon dioxide. While the conventional explanation has been that gold precipitates from hot, water-rich fluids moving through cracks in the Earth's crust, the new study suggests that seismic activity could play a crucial role. The research, titled "Gold Nugget Formation from Earthquake-Induced Piezoelectricity in Quartz," was r...
Drought: A Growing Global Threat Highlighted by Economic Disparities and Slow Onset, Study Reveals

Drought: A Growing Global Threat Highlighted by Economic Disparities and Slow Onset, Study Reveals

Breaking News, Disasters
Drought, one of the most insidious and costliest natural disasters, is increasingly threatening global economies and livelihoods. Unlike sudden calamities such as earthquakes or hurricanes, droughts develop gradually, often intensifying without immediate notice. This slow progression can lead to severe consequences, including drinking water shortages and economic disruptions, particularly in vulnerable regions. A recent study published in npj Clean Water highlights the complex nature of droughts and the global awareness of their impacts. The study emphasizes the gradual onset of droughts, making them difficult to predict and manage effectively. Initially, signs of drought may include reduced rainfall, lower water levels in rivers and lakes, and minor decreases in agricultural yields. Ho...
Surge in Lightning Deaths in India Raises Alarm: Study Highlights Climate Change Impact

Surge in Lightning Deaths in India Raises Alarm: Study Highlights Climate Change Impact

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Disasters
Lightning, once a source of primal fear for early humans, remains a significant threat in the modern world, particularly in India. A recent study by Fakir Mohan University in Balasore, Odisha, has revealed a dramatic rise in lightning-related fatalities across the country. Analyzing data from India’s National Crime Records Bureau, the study found that nearly one-third of the 101,309 lightning deaths recorded between 1967 and 2020 occurred in just the last decade (2010-2020), with a staggering 29,804 deaths during that period. The study also highlighted a nearly four-fold increase in the average annual fatalities due to lightning. Today, approximately 1,900 Indians die annually from lightning strikes, with the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) logging the figure at around 2,5...