2023 in a blink: DTE’s reportage on global scientific research this year
Down To Earth recaps the primary environment, health and developmental news from 2023
How virtual humans might help our lonely elderly
Intelligent virtual human companions could help address the social isolation felt by many older people
Nobel Prize in Physics 2023: Three awarded for work on extremely short light pulses to better study electrons
The research can have applications in the field of medicine, semiconductor technology
How India’s lunar landing shapes future of space exploration, geopolitics — an expert explains
The question is, how will the rival super-space powers progress their ambitions?
Almost half of Moon missions fail. Why is space still so hard?
India’s success came just days after a spectacular Russian failure
Simply Put: Lunar reality
UN introduces 51 robots at AI summit to advance SDG goals
Several robots appeared as panelists at the UN-driven AI for Good summit in Switzerland
Highlights of Anil Agarwal Dialogue 2024
What was on the agenda this time?
Anil Agarwal Dialogue 2024 begins: CSE, DTE release 2024 State of India’s Environment report
2023-24 was a year of ‘polycrisis’, says Sunita Narain at opening ceremony
Delhi PM2.5 levels rose by 68 per cent within a day in early November: CSE
Rapid build-up in short timespan able to tip air quality into severe category as local pollution already very high, says thinktank
Chemistry Nobel 2023 goes to 3 scientists for discovery of quantum dots used in LED lamps, surgery
Quantum dots are nanoparticles of different colours depending on their size, primarily used to create coloured light
How will we know if AIs gain consciousness? A new checklist might help us assess
No current AI systems appears to be a strong candidate for consciousness, but developments likely in near future, says report
Solution for crop burning? Rice husk biochar found to efficiently remove groundwater fluoride
Ensuring sustainable & ethical sourcing of biomass for biochar production, community awareness vital for successful adoption
We cannot leave AI safety in hands of tech giants; governments should step in, say experts
Experts at the 1st UN council meeting on AI expressed concerns over malfunctioning AI systems and the interaction between AI and nuclear weapons
How has the moon transformed our evolution?
Moon has remained important to the geology of the Earth and important to the evolution of life itself.
China’s gallium and germanium controls: What they mean and what could happen next
Both elements are essential in everything from smartphones to space electronics; they are crucial to technological advancement over the next …
Prejudices against women didn’t reduce in last decade; 90% people still hold gender bias: UN
Countries with greater bias in gender social norms also show a lower presence of women in parliament
Ancient humans may have paused in Arabia for 30,000 years on their way out of Africa
These humans may have slowly adapted to life in the region’s colder climate before venturing to Eurasia and beyond
ChatGPT-powered Wall Street: The benefits and perils of using artificial intelligence to trade stocks
Even a small change in market conditions can trigger a large number of trades, leading to sudden price swings and increased volatility
Stephen Hawking and I created his final theory of the cosmos — here’s what it reveals about the origins of time and life
The enigma at the centre of our research throughout this period was how the Big Bang could have created conditions so perfectly hospitable to life
AI pioneer Geoffrey Hinton says AI is a new form of intelligence unlike our own. Have we been getting it wrong this whole time?
A new intelligence will require a paradigm shift in the way we talk about and manage AI systems
CSE urges rich countries to pay their dues ahead of crucial UN climate talks in Bonn
Means of implementation from developed to developing countries must be prioritised, think tank underlines
DNA analysis reveals how ancient nomads who disappeared from Europe 1,000 years ago lived
Avar societies meticulously preserved an ancestral memory
Climate tech: Zimbabwean scientist turns carbon dioxide into methanol to minimise emissions
Making energy materials like formic acid, methanol from carbon dioxide released from factories can be important for emerging economies, says …
Milky Way’s largest stellar black hole also second-closest to Earth, scientists discover
Gaia BH3 is 2,000 light years away from Earth
