35 C Others / The Times of India
SpaceX achieved a milestone on April 24, 2025, with the successful Starlink 6-74 mission, launching 28 satellites into low Earth orbit. This launch, part of SpaceX's mission to provide global high-speed internet, marked the company's 47th Falcon 9 launch of the year. The mission also highlighted the reusability of the Falcon 9 booster, contributing to SpaceX's record-breaking launch pace.
Scientists in Brazil found a very old ant fossil. This fossil is 113 million years old. It is of a 'hell ant,' a type of predator. The discovery changes what we know about ant history. Ants were around when dinosaurs lived. The fossil shows ants were complex even long ago. This find is important for understanding ant evolution.
Indian and French scientists collaborated on microgravity experiments during the 68th CNES parabolic flight campaign, potentially revolutionizing material fabrication in space. IISc Professors Saptarshi Basu and Aloke Kumar, along with French counterparts, studied droplet behavior to advance bio-printing, electronics, and other applications in extraterrestrial environments.
Using the MeerKAT radio telescope, scientists have detected numerous plasma structures near a twinkling pulsar, J0437-4715, revealing new insights into our cosmic neighborhood. The study unveils 25 scintillation arcs, indicating a surprising abundance of plasma within the Local Bubble, challenging previous assumptions of its emptiness.
Nasa's Lucy spacecraft successfully completed a flyby of asteroid Donaldjohanson, revealing its unexpectedly large and irregular bowling pin shape, measuring approximately 5 miles long. The mission, a rehearsal for future Trojan asteroid encounters near Jupiter, saw Lucy pass within 600 miles of the space rock. Further data analysis will refine understanding of the asteroid's dimensions.
Comet SWAN, a newly discovered green comet from the Oort Cloud, has likely disintegrated after its recent solar passage, diminishing hopes for naked-eye visibility. Discovered by amateur astronomers, this icy relic from the early solar system may not survive its first trip past the sun.