Scientist

Late astrophysicist Jayant Narlikar selected for Vigyan Ratna award

India's most celebrated astrophysicist Jayant Narlikar, who passed away in May, was on Saturday selected for the Vigyan Ratna Puraskar. Narlikar challenged the Big Bang theory, which states that the universe was created in a single moment. He, along with British astronomer Fred Hoyle, proposed that the universe had always existed with continuous creation of new matter into infinity. Narlikar died on May 20 at the age of 86. Modelled on the Padma awards, the Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar is the country's top science award. The winners for 2025, the second edition of the Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar, were announced on the website of the national awards -- awards.gov.in -- on Saturday. The government also announced eight Vigyan Shri, 14 Vigyan Yuva and one Vigyan Team awards. Noted agriculture scientist Gyanendra Pratap Singh, popularly known as the wheat breeder, won the Vigyan Shri award for his contribution to the field of Agricultural Science. Yusuf Mohammad Seikh, Director of the phys

Jane Goodall, renowned primatologist who studied chimps, passes away at 91

Her discoveries in the 1960s about how chimpanzees behaved in the wild broke new ground and represented what was called "one of the Western world's great scientific achievements"

Scientists find 'plant-inspired molecule' to turn sunlight into fuel: Study

This model may pave the way for eco-friendly fuels, as scientists mimic photosynthesis to use sunlight for producing solar fuels like hydrogen, methanol and synthetic petrol

PM Modi asks scientists to focus on R&D, secure patents for new drugs

PM says move will ensure self-reliance in the pharmaceuticals segment

Meta appoints former OpenAI researcher to lead superintelligence AI group

Meta has been spending aggressively to recruit AI experts to develop new models and keep pace with rivals like OpenAI and Google in the race for AI dominance

US scientists warn that Donald Trump's cuts will set off a brain drain

As the United States cuts budgets and restricts immigration, China and Europe are offering researchers money and stability

Shockwaves in space: Earthquakes found to shake up satellite signals

A recent study shows that earthquakes create complex sound waves in the ionosphere, which interfere with satellite signals, challenging existing scientific theories

Malur Ramasamy Srinivasan: A nuclear scientist who advocated disarmament

After the first peaceful nuclear explosion at Pokhran in 1974, Srinivasan was one of the small group of scientists and technocrats who ensured that the country's nuclear sector achieved self-reliance

Jayant Vishnu Narlikar: A contrarian cosmologist and his worldview

He wrote alternative what-if histories, explained difficult scientific theories with funny analogies, and leavened his lectures with jokes and humorous asides

Former Atomic Energy Commission chairman MR Srinivasan dies at 95

MR Srinivasan, pioneer of India's nuclear power programme and key figure behind Apsara and Madras atomic projects, passed away in Udhagamandalam at 95

NASA reboots Voyager 1 thrusters after 20 years-24 billion kilometers away

Farthest man-made probe: NASA scientists bring Voyager 1's 'dead' thrusters back to life after nearly two decades

PM Modi suggests spending 'one day as a scientist' during Mann Ki Baat

PM Modi praised the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) for achieving a Century in its launch

Andhra-origin scientist leads US team to historic black hole breakthroughs

Largest samples of intermediate-mass black holes and dwarf galaxies hosting active black holes have been discovered by a team of scientists led by Indian-origin astrophysicist Raga Deepika Pucha

Veteran nuclear scientist Rajagopala Chidambaram passes away at 88

Veteran scientist Rajagopala Chidambaram, who played a key role in the nuclear tests of 1975 and 1998, died on Saturday, an official of the Department of Atomic Energy said. He was 88. Chidambaram, who was also associated with the nuclear weapons programme, breathed his last at Jaslok Hospital in Mumbai at 3.20 am, the official said. He was the chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission and Principal Scientific Advisor to the government of India. Chidambaram was conferred with the Padma Shri and the Padma Vibhushan in 1975 and 1999 respectively.

Scientists recreate real face of Santa Claus after 1,700 years, pics viral

For the first time in 1700 years, scientists have created the true face of Santa, Saint Nicholas of Myra, a Christian bishop renowned for his generosity and gift-giving

Scientists discover new formula to detect killer asteroids headed for Earth

Professor Noville, a Spanish scientist, has discovered a formula using the gravitational bending of light to pinpoint celestial objects including hazardous asteroids

For the first time ever, scientists capture image of star in another galaxy

A huge success for astronomers as they captured an extreme close-up image of the dying star, WOH G64, which is 1,60,000 light years away from our milky way

Japan launches world's first wooden satellite, LignoSat, into space

Japanese researchers have launched LignoSat, the world's first wooden satellite, aiming to test the viability of timber as a sustainable material in space

Scientists predict next human and mammal extinction from Earth in new study

The study claims that Earth's continents are drifting and will one day form a single supercontinent. This will be accompanied by rising temperatures, making the human and mammalian survival impossible

Mpox: How Africa's scientists are protecting the world from contagion

Meet eight Africa-based scientists and doctors using cutting-edge genomic tools, data-sharing platforms and shoe-leather epidemiology to identify, track, and counter the spread of emerging pathogens