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NEW DELHI — The withdrawal of the Southwest Monsoon is set for a delay this year, with a new low-pressure system forming over the Bay of Bengal expected to keep rainfall active across parts of India well into the first week of October. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) announced that conditions for the further retreat of the monsoon may only become favourable around October 9. This delay is linked to the fresh system, which is predicted to intensify into a depression and cross the south Odisha-north Andhra Pradesh coast. IMD Director-General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra confirmed, "Rainfall activity will continue over northeast and central parts of the country till around Oct 9-10 because of the low-pressure system over the Bay of Bengal." Heavy Rain Forecast Across East and Centr...

NEW DELHI — India reported a sharp increase in environment-related crimes in 2023, with the total number soaring to 68,994, marking an over 30% rise from the 52,920 cases recorded in 2022. The latest 'Crime in India' report released by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) highlights that the majority of these offences are linked to non-core environmental issues. Nearly 86% (59,279) of the reported environment-related crimes pertain to a single offence: the Cigarette and Other Tobacco Products Act, 2003 (COTPA), which governs the advertising, trade, and distribution of tobacco products. Top Offences and State Rankings Excluding the tobacco linked cases, the second and third most reported environment-related offences are: • Noise Pollution Act: 6,640 cases • Forest Act and...

BOSTON, MA — The critical link in the global supply chain, the Panama Canal, faces a growing risk of shipping disruptions due to increasing drought frequency and severity driven by climate change, according to a new paper by Northeastern University professor Samuel Munoz. The canal, which connects the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, relies on the freshwater from its feeder, Gatun Lake, to operate the locks that raise and lower ships. Munoz’s research, published in Geophysical Research Letters, warns that this vulnerability will increase unless significant steps are taken toward emissions mitigation or proactive adaptation. "The canal is vulnerable to drought. That vulnerability increases with climate change," Munoz stated. "The models think that the more we warm things, the more severe ...

Coastal and riverine wetlands, vital for flood protection and carbon storage in the Netherlands, are under increasing threat from salt intrusion, which is being amplified by climate change, according to new research from Eleonora Saccon at the NIOZ branch in Zeeland. Saccon master study investigated nature-based solutions to keep these crucial ecosystems effective, even as seawater flows further inland during storm surges and prolonged droughts. Black Alder Proves More Salt-Tolerant Than Willow Saccon investigated the salt tolerance of two tree species commonly found in Dutch floodplain wetlands: the black alder and the white willow. Willows have historically been planted to reinforce dikes, replacing the common black alders that predate the 14th century. In controlled containe...

A new observational study conducted by researchers in Brazil suggests a direct and statistically significant association between periods of disturbed geomagnetic activity caused by solar storms and an increase in heart attack admissions, particularly among women. The research, published in the journal Nature Communications Medicine, analyzed historical hospital admission data against daily space weather conditions. The study, led by corresponding author Luiz Felipe Campos de Rezende at Brazil National Institute for Space Research sought to determine if the timing of myocardial infarction (heart attack) admissions and in-hospital deaths aligned with fluctuations in Earth magnetic field. Women Show Higher Susceptibility on Disturbed Days Researchers utilized the Planetary Index, a s...

Major milestones in the race toward practical, fault-tolerant quantum computing were achieved in September 2025, with breakthroughs centered on increasing qubit count, enhancing operational stability, and demonstrating real-world commercial value. In a significant advance for scaling up quantum systems, Harvard scientists unveiled a system exceeding 3,000 qubits ten times larger than previous efforts that is capable of continuous operation without the need for frequent restarts. This was accomplished by implementing "optical lattice conveyor belts" and "optical tweezers" to continually and rapidly resupply lost qubits, with the system reloading up to 300,000 atoms per second. Separately, Caltech scientists built an even larger record-breaking array of 6,100 neutral-atom qubits, maint...

GUWAHATI, ASSAM — Harmful algal blooms driven by extreme eutrophication from untreated sewage, urban runoff, and solid waste, are causing severe stress in Deepor Beel, a Ramsar wetland site and crucial biodiversity hotspot in Assam. The blooms are threatening the wetland rich ecosystem, including its 68 fish species and over 234 native and migratory bird species, and jeopardizing the livelihoods of approximately 800 local fishing households. A study conducted by the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata, monitored the wetland from November 2024 to February 2025, focusing on two toxin-producing cyanobacteria: Planktothrix and Microcystis. Nutrient Pollution Drives Ecological Shifts The research clearly established that nutrient pollution sourced from untreated ...

WAYANAD, KERALA — A groundbreaking proposal has been submitted to the Kerala government to designate the site of the 2024 Wayanad landslide the largest recorded in India’s history as the country first landslide geoheritage site. The initiative seeks to transform the disaster zone, where over 400 lives were lost, into a "living laboratory" for research, education, and geotourism, while also serving as a solemn memorial. If approved, Wayanad would become a model for blending disaster memory with conservation, following international examples like Italy’s Vajont landslide memorial. The proposed geoheritage zone is located in the ‘no-go’ areas of Meppadi panchayat, running along the Punnapuzha river. Researchers argue that the scarred landscape strewn with buried homes, crushed vehicles,...

STANFORD, CA — A new study from Stanford University has overturned the assumption that diatoms tiny, single-celled algae encased in glass-like shells found in Arctic ice cores are dormant. Researchers found that these microscopic organisms are actively moving, or "skating," through the frozen environment, establishing a new record for movement in a complex eukaryotic cell at extremely low temperatures. The research, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, found that the diatoms remain active and motile until temperatures drop all the way down to -15 °C {5 °F}. This figure marks the lowest temperature ever documented for movement in a eukaryotic cell. Mucus and Molecular Motors Power Icy Movement The diatoms were collected during a 45-day Arctic research e...

CHENNAI — A new and innovative tidal mangrove nursery, the first of its kind in Tamil Nadu, has been established at Killai near Pichavaram in Cuddalore district. The facility currently holds around three lakh saplings and is specifically designed to harden mangrove seedlings under natural tidal conditions, leading to significantly higher post-transplant survival rates. Unlike conventional nurseries that struggle to replicate the harsh coastal environment, this new method utilizes the area's natural tidal movement. Seedlings are kept on floating platforms in tidal waters for six to eight months, during which they acclimatize to salinity, water movement, and tidal fluctuations. This process physically transforms the seedlings from soft, tender growth into a hardier, more resilient form wi...