The Times of India News

New discoveries on Mars reveal deep, round openings. These features are unlike known craters or volcanic pits. Scientists believe water may have shaped these cavities long ago. Such underground spaces could have protected ancient life from harsh surface conditions. These caves offer a new focus for future exploration and the search for signs of life on the Red Planet.

2026 promises a celestial spectacle with four eclipses, including a rare ing of fire and a total solar eclipse visible from mainland Europe. This year marks the beginning of a busy period for skywatchers, with significant lunar and solar events clustering together. Planetary alignments also grace the night sky, offering repeated reasons to look up.

Astronauts, including India's Shubhanshu Shukla, undergo wisdom teeth removal before space missions. This preventive measure addresses the unpredictable nature of these teeth, which can cause serious issues in orbit where medical care is limited. The decision prioritizes mission reliability over potential future discomfort, highlighting the meticulous health preparations for space travel.

2025 has been a landmark year for astronomy, revealing an interstellar comet, early supermassive black holes, and weakening dark energy. Compelling signs of past Martian life and potential biosignatures on exoplanets have emerged. New planets near Earth were found, and galactic collision predictions for the Milky Way and Andromeda were revised. The Vera C.

NASA will preview upcoming International Space Station spacewalks in a public briefing, detailing tasks and risks. Astronauts Mike Fincke and Zena Cardman will conduct the first spacewalk on January 8 to work on the power system, followed by a second on January 15 for maintenance and upgrades. These routine operations are crucial for the station's longevity and future deorbit.

The year 2025 witnessed remarkable progress in space exploration. India achieved major milestones including its 100th launch and the first Indian astronaut on the ISS. Globally, scientists mapped the Sun's winds and observed asteroid collisions. New exoplanets were discovered, expanding our cosmic understanding. Commercial space ventures also saw significant advancements, setting the stage for future endeavors.

A young American student, Matteo Paz, has astounded NASA by using AI to re-analyze old mission data. His innovative approach uncovered 1.5 million previously unseen celestial objects, impressing even NASA's director. This breakthrough highlights how fresh perspectives and advanced technology are revolutionizing astronomical discovery, with Paz now recognized as a published author.

Get ready for a dazzling 2026 meteor shower season! From the swift Quadrantids in January to the highly anticipated Perseids in August and the spectacular Geminids in December, Earth's journey through cosmic dust promises breathtaking celestial displays. Look out for bright fireballs and unique viewing opportunities throughout the year, offering a dynamic glimpse of our solar system.

Arctic sea ice is melting at an accelerated rate, leading to a warmer ocean that absorbs more sunlight. This loss of ice disrupts the polar vortex, potentially causing colder Arctic air to spill south and affect winter weather patterns in lower latitudes. Scientists are closely monitoring these changes due to multiple warning signs.

The next full moon in 2026 is detailed for India. Full moons occur when Earth is between the Sun and Moon, fully illuminating the Moon's face. This celestial event happens approximately every 29.5 days. The article lists all full moon dates for 2026, adjusted for Indian Standard Time, offering a guide for sky gazers.

Earth reaches its closest point to the Sun in early January, a phenomenon known as perihelion. Despite this proximity, the Northern Hemisphere experiences winter because its tilt away from the Sun causes sunlight to spread out and warm less effectively. This celestial alignment, driven by Earth's axial tilt, dictates seasonal changes rather than distance alone.

Mars's giant volcano, Olympus Mons, is a marvel of planetary geology. Its immense size and formation on a static crust differ greatly from Earth's dynamic plate tectonics. Recent discoveries of frost near its summit add to its enigmatic nature. Scientists continue to study this colossal structure to understand planetary evolution. Olympus Mons offers a unique window into Mars's ancient past.

Asteroid 2024 YR4, a 60-meter-wide space rock, has a 4% chance of impacting the Moon in December 2032, potentially creating a kilometer-wide crater and a visible flash from Earth. Scientists are awaiting further observations to refine its trajectory and assess potential debris risks or opportunities for defense system testing.

Stranger Things Season 5 reinterprets the Upside Down as a wormhole, a theoretical spacetime bridge. While real wormholes face stability and energy challenges, science fiction, including this show, uses them for narrative convenience, enabling faster-than-light travel and interdimensional connections. This concept, rooted in Einstein's theories, allows for dramatic storytelling about reality's fragility.

Scientists have engineered an artificial womb lining, a breakthrough allowing unprecedented observation of early human embryo implantation. This innovative model mimics the uterine environment, enabling researchers to study the crucial 'chatter' between embryos and the lining. Understanding these interactions is key to unraveling implantation failures and improving pregnancy success rates.

Asteroid Apophis will make a historic close approach to Earth on April 13, 2029, passing within 32,000 kilometers. While initial fears of a collision were widespread, years of observation and simulations have confirmed Apophis poses no threat for at least a century. This harmless encounter offers a unique scientific opportunity to study the asteroid in unprecedented detail.

Earth's days are slowly getting longer. This change is driven by the Moon's gravity and shifts in Earth's mass due to melting ice and rising seas. Scientists use advanced tools to measure these tiny shifts. A 25-hour day is a distant future event, taking millions of years. The current changes are imperceptible.

Get ready for a celestial spectacle in 2026! Witness a 'ring of fire' solar eclipse, a deep red lunar eclipse, and a rare Blue Moon. The year culminates with a spectacular total solar eclipse paired with the Perseid meteor shower, plus a supermoon on Christmas Eve. Don't miss NASA's Artemis II lunar mission!