The Times of India

Ancient horsetail plants, surviving for 400 million years, are revealing Earth's climate history. Their unique water filtration process creates unusual oxygen isotope signatures, once mistaken for extraterrestrial. Scientists are now using these plants and their fossilized silica structures, called phytoliths, as natural humidity recorders to understand past atmospheric moisture levels, even from the age of dinosaurs.

A rare total solar eclipse, dubbed the 'Eclipse of the Decade,' will grace the skies on August 2, 2027. This celestial event, lasting over six minutes near Luxor, Egypt, will offer an extended period of twilight and reveal the Sun's corona. The path of totality stretches across parts of Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East, promising an unforgettable spectacle.

India's space agency ISRO is set to launch PSLV-C62 on January 12, deploying DRDO's advanced surveillance satellite EOS-N1. This mission also carries a Spanish mini-satellite and 17 international and domestic commercial payloads, showcasing India's growing prowess in satellite launches and global space commercialization. The launch from Sriharikota marks a significant start to 2026.

Look up this January 2026 for celestial wonders. Jupiter will shine brighter than ever on January 10. Later, the Moon and Saturn will appear close together on January 23. The Beehive Cluster also remains visible. These events require no special equipment, just a clear sky and a few minutes of your time. NASA guides skygazers to these quiet moments.

A powerful earthquake off Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula provided a real-world test for NASA's new GUARDIAN system. This experimental technology detected subtle atmospheric pressure waves caused by the resulting tsunami, sending alerts to researchers within minutes. This space-based monitoring offers a crucial early warning, potentially adding valuable time for coastal communities facing threats.

A new study suggests a comet exploded in the sky 13,000 years ago. This event caused Earth's sudden cooling, known as the Younger Dryas. Large animals like mammoths vanished. The Clovis people disappeared. Evidence includes melted glass and shocked quartz found in ancient soil. This theory explains the abrupt changes without a ground impact crater.

Astronomers have observed a distant star being torn apart by a supermassive black hole, revealing a surprising wobble in the resulting disc and jets. This phenomenon, matching Einstein's century-old prediction of 'frame dragging,' provides compelling evidence that spinning black holes twist spacetime itself, influencing cosmic events and refining our understanding of galactic evolution.

Yellowstone's volcanic past reveals a dynamic system of repeated caldera-forming eruptions and smaller lava flows, with magma reservoirs assembling and erupting on geologically brief timescales. Beneath the surface, a crystal-rich mush stores melt, capable of rapid renewal. This ancient activity also records Earth's magnetic history, offering crucial global chronological data.

Astronomers have discovered 3I/ATLAS, a fast-moving interstellar object detected in mid-2025. Researchers believe this ancient comet, potentially 8-14 billion years old, originated from the Milky Way's earliest era, predating our Sun. Its unique chemical composition, including iron and nickel, further supports its alien origins, offering a rare glimpse into material forged around ancient stars.

Pearls begin as irritants within oysters, which respond by slowly covering the foreign object with layers of nacre. This controlled biological process, influenced by environmental factors and diet, transforms discomfort into a stable, beautiful structure. Cultured pearls follow the same natural oyster response, with quality determined by nacre thickness and lustre, not just size.

Albert Einstein encountered a curious math puzzle involving an old car on a hill. The problem, seemingly simple, highlighted how intuition can be misleading. It demonstrated that faster speeds do not always compensate for slower ones and that averages can obscure critical limitations. This thought experiment, shared through correspondence, underscored the importance of careful examination even of basic questions.

Evidence of a past Martian ice age has been revealed in Coloe Fossae, where long, shallow grooves suggest ice once flowed across the landscape. These features, formed by slow-moving mixtures of ice and rock, indicate glaciers spread into mid-latitudes, offering a glimpse into Mars's icy history as recently as half a million years ago.

AI's rapid rise hides a massive thirst for water and energy. Training complex models like ChatGPT demands immense power, leading to significant water consumption for cooling data centers. Experts propose solutions like efficient cooling, smaller models, and renewable energy to mitigate AI's growing environmental footprint.

Mice are indispensable in biomedical research due to their genetic and anatomical similarities to humans, short lifespans, and rapid reproduction. They have been crucial in developing treatments for cancers, vaccines for pandemics like COVID-19, and understanding neurodegenerative disorders. Ethical guidelines ensure responsible use, with advancements like CRISPR enhancing accuracy and reducing animal numbers.

Scientists are baffled by solid gold particles found in Norway spruce needles. Previously thought impossible, this discovery reveals a partnership between trees and specific bacteria. These microbes, not the trees, are believed to convert dissolved gold ions into solid nanoparticles, a process crucial for understanding mineral deposits and potentially cleaning polluted environments.