‘WTF?’: Newly discovered ghostly circles in the sky can’t be explained by current theories, and astronomers are excited

WTF? is a picture of a ghostly circle of radio emission, hanging out in space like a cosmic smoke-ring. It had not been seen before, and …

Chandrayaan-3 successfully launched, soft landing on Moon expected by late August

ISRO also aims to demonstrate the ability of the rover to move on the Moon and conduct a few experiments, including studying the seismicity & …

As ISRO gears up for Chandrayaan 3, here is a look at what India’s first trip to Moon achieved

It confirmed the presence of water on the Moon; the government and private agencies now hope to mine the water ice to produce air, drinking water,…

Humans will leave Earth not to explore, but to exploit

Wing Commander (retired) Rakesh Sharma recently completed 35 years of being the first Indian to have ever set foot in space. He talked to Down To …

Did the Cow lead scientists to birth of a black hole?

A rare celestial explosion, nicknamed the Cow, has scientists scrambling for an explanation

Antarctica lost more than 3 trillion tonnes of ice in 25 years, but where is all the water going?

It’s time researchers and policy makers think about managing the water when even the more resilient of the two poles has given in to …

Has forest cover really increased?

The provisional figures for India's forest cover are now ready, and Down To Earth has managed to acquire a copy. The figures, when compared to …

Why can't Indians access maps for 43 per cent of their country?

How is it that you can buy a map of India in Paris with details as fine as the location of all tyre puncture shops in Delhi (updated every six …

India's Chandrayaan programme is "ambitious"

A moon rush is hotting up, with India, China and Japan devising substantial space exploration programmes to compete with the big players -- the …

Uttarakhand rain data to be used for improved cloudburst forecast

Model developed by scientists at ISRO's Space Applications Centre got some predictions about cloudbursts on June 16 right

Economic Survey 2022-23: Indian startup ecosystem faces several challenges, causing companies to ‘flip’

Many Indian companies are setting up bases overseas to circumvent the challenges

Ocean warming ‘hiding’ effects of global warming

Indian, Pacific Oceans have been trapping more heat than previously thought

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Earth-like tectonic plates on ancient Venus may explain its carbon dioxide- & nitrogen-rich atmosphere

New research suggests Earth’s sister planet may have been home to microbial life billions of years ago due to tectonic activities

Writing on the wall: Infrastructure projects are destroying Western Ghats

The time to put off the inevitable question about human relationship to nature is long past. Our assumption that we can control and modify nature …

ExoMars mission delayed, rover will now take off in 2022

European Space Agency cited software problems with the spacecraft as a reason for the delay

DTE Analysis: How normal was April 2022 in India

Peninsular India was actually cooler while the northern parts of the country experienced temperature differences normally associated with the …

Fast Radio Bursts following pattern may be related to young neutron stars: Abraham Loeb

Only a few such pulses from deep space found repeating cycles so far; pinpointing their location remains challenging

Little to show for crores of rupees spent

Inefficient use funds, not lack of resources, is responsible for the failure of scientific departments to meet their targets, says a recent CAG …

NASA tests autonomous drill to explore signs of life on Mars

The drill can operate without real-time human input. If it gets stuck, it can also dislodge itself

Only six out of 22 river basins in India have potential to cope with climate change threats: study

Drastic reduction in water use efficiency under driest conditions was observed for some basins, which highlights their inability to cope with …

ISRO launches record 104 satellites in one go: some facts you must know

Cartosat-2 Series, the primary satellite, will provide remote sensing services that will be useful for creating land use maps, distribution of …

Solar Impulse's biggest legacy will be in your home – not in the skies

Solar Impulse has raised the profile of solar power and people might consider how they can do their bit to use cleaner energy

A new awakening

When India launches its maiden Aditya-1 Mission, it will further illuminate our understanding of the sun

How the ExoMars mission could sniff out life on Mars – and what to do next

If we do find life on Mars, it will be difficult to prove that we didn't bring it there from Earth. An insider talks us through what's at stake