Fact Check Archives - Disasters News

Feb262026 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Under Ice Robot Detects Warm Water Intrusions Beneath Antarctica’s Thwaites Glacier

A torpedo-shaped underwater robot that spent eight months drifting beneath Antarctica’s vast Thwaites Glacier has detected concentrated flows of warm ocean water eroding the glacier from below a development scientists have long warned could accelerate global sea-level rise. The autonomous submersible, known as Icefin, was deployed through a narrow borehole drilled deep into the ice in West Antarctica. Operating without GPS beneath hundreds of metres of ice, it mapped water temperatures, salinity and melt rates in areas previously unreachable by humans or satellites. After 240 days under the glacier, data transmitted back to researchers revealed pulses of unusually warm, salty water pushing inland beneath the ice shelf. Rather than melting uniformly, the water appe...

Feb102026 by Editor DeskNo Comments

400 Year Old Shark: How a Cold-Water Giant Lives Longer Than Any Other Vertebrate

Environment, Fact Check

Deep beneath the icy, lightless waters of the Arctic and North Atlantic oceans, an ancient predator glides silently through the depths. The Greenland shark, one of the most mysterious creatures on Earth, has stunned scientists by rewriting the limits of animal lifespan. Living for centuries, it is officially the longest-lived vertebrate ever discovered. Some Greenland sharks alive today may have been born before the Industrial Revolution, long before modern nations existed. Their extraordinary longevity has made them a subject of intense scientific fascination, offering rare insights into ageing, endurance, and survival in extreme environments. For decades, researchers struggled to determine the age of Greenland sharks because they lack bones or scales that ty...

Feb92026 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Ancient Fossils Reveal Early Animals May Have Used Earth’s Magnetic Field to Navigate

Environment, Fact Check

Fossils dating back nearly 97 million years are offering surprising evidence that some of Earth’s earliest animals may have possessed a built-in sense of direction. Scientists studying unusual magnetic crystals preserved in ancient marine sediments now believe these structures functioned as biological compasses, allowing early life forms to detect Earth’s magnetic field long before complex navigation systems evolved. The fossils, known as giant magnetofossils, are made of magnetite a naturally magnetic mineral but their size, precision and consistency rule out a purely geological origin. Unlike the tiny magnetic particles produced by modern bacteria, these crystals are several microns long and appear to have been formed under tight biological control. Magnetic Cry...

Jan302026 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Lower GST on Recyclables Can Accelerate Green Economy, CSE Tells Finance Ministry Ahead of Budget 2026

Climate Actions, Fact Check

The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) has urged the Union government to rationalise the goods and services tax on recycled materials, arguing that lower GST rates could significantly strengthen India’s green economy, support small businesses and bring millions of informal waste workers into the formal system. The recommendations were submitted to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman ahead of the Union Budget 2026. According to the Delhi-based think tank, tax reform in the waste sector is critical if India is to maintain momentum on green growth and move closer to its Net Zero by 2070 goal. While recent budgets have prioritised clean energy and industrial decarbonisation, CSE says the recycling economy remains constrained by a tax structure that treats recycled ...

Jan292026 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Africa Tectonic Split Measurable Today Though Visible Change Will Take Millennia

Disasters, Fact Check

On a hazy morning in Kenya’s Great Rift Valley, the land looks calm. Farmers follow paths their grandparents once walked. Goats wander through dry soil. At first glance, nothing feels unusual. Then you notice a shallow, jagged scar cutting across a field, filled with rainwater and bits of plastic. A child hops across it without a second thought, unaware that this small crack is part of a process unfolding over millions of years. Scientists say Africa is slowly tearing itself apart. What makes this remarkable is not the drama of the idea, but the fact that the movement is already measurable today. The African continent is not a single solid block. Beneath the surface, it is divided into tectonic plates. In East Africa, two of them matter most: the Nubian Plate to t...

Sep52025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

A Greener Ghee: Researcher Patents Bioplastic from Dairy Waste

Fact Check, Idea & Innovations

VISAKHAPATNAM – Dr. Rasheeda Khanam, a faculty member at Gitam Deemed to be University, has been granted a patent for an innovative, eco-friendly bioplastic derived from a common dairy industry byproduct: ghee residue. This dark, mass-like substance, typically discarded by dairies, has no practical use and is often dumped in agricultural fields. Dr. Khanam's research transforms this waste into a sustainable alternative to conventional plastic, suitable for various applications. The patented bioplastic is made by blending a ghee residue extract with glycerol to provide flexibility. To enhance its durability and water resistance, she incorporates natural, hydrophobic compounds like beeswax, chitin, and zein protein. The resulting material is a biodegradable and non-toxic film that can be ...

Sep32025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

The Invisible Threat: Study Finds Pathogenic Bacteria Double in Crowded Delhi Areas

Fact Check

NEW DELHI – A new study reveals that densely populated parts of Delhi have twice the concentration of airborne pathogenic bacteria compared to less crowded areas. The research, conducted by the Bose Institute, highlights a serious and often-overlooked public health risk in India’s capital, where millions are already grappling with toxic air pollution. Pollution and Population: A Dangerous Combination Delhi’s unique location in the Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP) makes it particularly vulnerable to poor air quality. During winter, a combination of stagnant winds, low temperatures, and high humidity traps pollutants near the ground. The study found that this seasonal "cocktail" of poor ventilation and high particulate matter creates an ideal environment for airborne microbes to thrive. T...

Aug262025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Climate Swings Could Accelerate Mosquito-Borne Disease Outbreaks, Study Warns

Fact Check

Unpredictable changes in climate may bring mosquito-borne disease outbreaks years earlier than expected, according to a new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). Scientists warn that governments must strengthen surveillance and preparedness to counter this growing risk. Researchers examined the impact of internal climate variability (ICV) the natural year-to-year swings in temperature and weather patterns on the spread of vector-borne diseases (VBDs) such as dengue. The study found that ICV significantly increases uncertainty in predicting when and where outbreaks will occur, with fluctuations potentially accelerating the appearance of suitable conditions for disease transmission. Mosquito Risks Expanding Globally Climate change has already...

Jun52025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Mizoram delays official visits as floods and landslides disrupt lives, Tripura turns schools into shelters

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Disasters, Fact Check

June 5, 2025 — As relentless rains continue to batter India’s Northeast, the states of Mizoram and Tripura are grappling with severe weather disruptions that have triggered landslides, flash floods, and large-scale displacement. The Mizoram government has postponed all official visits, including those by dignitaries and state officials, to prioritize disaster management and public safety. In a circular issued on June 2 by Mizoram’s General Administration Department, authorities confirmed that prolonged and intense rainfall has led to widespread destruction. Key districts have been affected by landslides and mudslides, with critical infrastructure damaged and normal life severely hampered. District Disaster Management Authorities (DDMAs), led by Deputy Commissioners, are on high aler...

Jun22025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Climate Change Doubled Extreme Heat Days in Nearly Every Country, New Report Finds

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Fact Check

A new analysis shows that human-caused climate change made 67 extreme heat events between May 2024 and May 2025 more likely including record-shattering heatwaves in the Mediterranean, Central Asia, and South Sudan. All 67 events either broke temperature records, caused serious damage, or both. Using the Climate Shift Index, researchers found that every country and territory experienced more extreme heat days due to climate change. In 195 countries, the number of such days has at least doubled compared to a world without global warming. Nearly 4 billion people half the world’s population faced an extra month of extreme heat over the past year. The report, compiled by Climate Central, World Weather Attribution, and the Red Cross Climate Centre, points to a troubling global pattern. In ...