A handout image of the star Betelgeuse, a colour composite made from exposures from the Digitized Sky Survey 2 (DSS2). The image was released on July 28, 2026.
| Photo Credit: ESO/Digitized Sky Survey 2
Famous supergiant star Betelgeuse may not be alone
Using the Very Large Telescope, astronomers have found strong evidence that Betelgeuse, the famous red supergiant star, has a close companion, now called Betelgeuse B. It seems to be a young star around 2.6-3.1-times as heavy as our sun. And it could explain why Betelgeuse’s brightness changes in a six-year cycle: that is likely caused by the companion periodically blocking some of Betelgeuse’s light. The team is awaiting a second observation to confirm the data.
Children more exposed to extreme humid heat than elderly
Researchers found that children aged 0-9 are currently exposed to roughly thrice as many additional heat stress days as adults in their 60s, meaning they are disproportionately more exposed to extreme humid heat. The root of the disparity is the vast majority of the world’s children living in tropical, low-latitude areas where heat is increasing most intensely. These findings are critical because children are physically more vulnerable to heat and face potential lifelong health risks.
Microclimate under solar panels leads to ‘inferior greening’
By analysing data from 2,344 counties China between 2014 and 2023, researchers found policies promoting large-scale solar farms also supported ‘inferior greening’: while solar installations increased the amount of green on the ground, the new growth was often dense and lacked the variety of natural habitats that supports many bird species. The study found these consequences were also most pronounced in wealthy, non-desert regions, so its authors recommended clustering large solar projects in desert areas.
Published – August 30, 2026 08:00 am IST
