Finally, firm no to software patents
The Patent Office has clearly said software patents can only be granted if linked to novel hardware
What international scientists have to say on the detection of gravitational waves
The consensus is that the discovery will reveal to us a completely different side of the universe
Gifts of the non-patenters
Inventors like Tim Berners-Lee didn't apply for patents on their innovations, leaving enduring benefits for all of us
What caused heavy rains in Tamil Nadu
An independent weather forecaster tries to explain the record-breaking December rains in Tamil Nadu
Blocking out the bulls
Amul is importing semen to increase the birth rate of female cows, while reducing the chances of the males
Possibility of severe thunderstorms in parts of India
Existing weather system can even cause hailstorms in eastern Rajasthan, northern Madhya Pradesh and parts of Uttar Pradesh
Why lunar touchdown offers real payoff for India
If Chandrayaan-3 is successful, it will highlight how space is becoming more accessible, and demonstrate India’s continued perseverance and …
Chandrayaan-3 successfully launched but what is its purpose?
It will help collect data about the chemical and mineralogical composition of the lunar surface
As ISRO launches Chandrayaan-3, here’s its predecessor’s story
Chandrayaan 2 detected noble gas Argon-40 on the Moon; it also mapped a possible Lunar lobate scarp which meant that the Moon is still warm …
Did ancient Americans settle in Polynesia? The evidence doesn’t stack up
Indigenous Americans have no history of open ocean voyaging. Similarly, there is no archaeological evidence of pre-Polynesian occupation on any …
China’s quantum satellite enables first totally secure long-range messages
A successful long-distance quantum communications link ushers in a new era of communication security
CSIR lab to organise nationwide summer research training programme
The programme’s objective is to ameliorate the stagnancy created in the national academic scenario due to the COVID-19 pandemic
US Department of Energy announces breakthrough in nuclear fusion, sets path to clean energy source
The Department of Energy expects the private sector to enter the arena and provide the necessary support
Rare microbial predators with voracious appetite form a new branch in ‘tree of life’: Study
Learning more about these undiscovered branches of life can help shed more light on the foundations of the living world and how evolution works
Cutting-edge tech at low cost behind India’s first private rocket
Down To Earth catches up with Pawan Kr Chandana, co-founder of Skyroot Aerospace, whose Vikram-S became the first privately made rocket to …
Scientists identify genes to improve fertiliser nitrogen use efficiency in rice
Every year, urea worth Rs 50,000 crore is lost from Indian farms, with rice and wheat accounting for about two-thirds of it
Evidence of brand new physics at Cern? Why we’re cautiously optimistic about our new findings
The standard model has withstood every experimental test thrown at it since it was assembled in the 1970s
Mars early water may be trapped in its crust: Scientists
The new findings challenge the prevalent theory that water from the Red Planet escaped into space
Gender bias in medicine and medical research is still putting women’s health at risk
Women’s health has too often been considered a niche area — even though it involves roughly 50% of the world’s population
Carl Sagan, the animal rights visionary
He was talking about global warming and humane treatment of animals before they became fashionable
How do you weigh a dinosaur? There are two ways, and it turns out they’re both right
An animal’s body mass is a fundamental property of its biology. It dictates what an animal can eat, how far and fast it can move, and how …
Broken cable damages Arecibo radio telescope in Puerto Rico
The Arecibo Observatory is one of the largest radio telescopes in the world. It features prominently in the last part of the 1995 movie GoldenEye
Botswana is humanity’s ancestral home, claims major study – well, actually …
Mitochondrial DNA comes almost only ever from mothers, so the story of its inheritance is much simpler than the histories of other genes
Chemistry Nobel for development of lithium-ion batteries
John B Goodenough, M Stanley Whittingham and Akira Yoshino are recipients of the prize for 2019
Milky Way to collide with another galaxy
UK researchers find that this will happen in the next two billion years and will send our solar system hurtling into space