Category: Science

A meticulous new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on August 4 has warned that systematic scientific fraud is no longer a fringe concern but a pervasive, organised, and rapidly growing threat that jeopardises the foundations of research worldwide. The study has revealed a fine-grained break-up of the actors, methods,…

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In September 2013, whistleblower Edward Snowden revealed that American and British intelligence agencies had successfully cracked much of the online encryption internet users used to keep their personal data private. Snowden’s solution appeared ironic to many: to adopt end-to-end encryption en masse, rendering mass surveillance prohibitively expensive and cumbersome. In end-to-end encryption, an algorithm converts…

Read More “A random number generator using quantum physics and a blockchain” »

A parachute lets you float in the sky, gazing at the vast lands below, before gently landing back on your feet. For adventure lovers, it’s an adrenaline rush and a moment to cherish forever. The purpose: Slow and steady A parachute’s main purpose is simple but life-saving: it slows you down in mid-air. When someone…

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Researchers have found a ‘cold rain zone’ in the western Pacific and Indian Oceans where rain was associated with more heat loss. | Photo Credit: Hassan Rafhan/Unsplash When it rains over the ocean, does it make the surface water more buoyant? Scientists have long assumed so because rainwater is fresh and freshwater is lighter than…

Read More “Tropical rain destabilises oceans only when it falls lightly: study” »

In the first half of 2025, India added around 3.5 GW to the wind sector – an 82% year-on-year growth – taking the total installed capacity to 51.3 GW. Even so, India’s wind power remains largely untapped. According to the National Institute of Wind Energy, India’s gross wind power potential is 1163.9 GW at 150…

Read More “Bird deaths raise red flags as India expands wind energy” »

A supervisor inspects pre-filled syringes of a biosimilar of Adalimumab at a Zydus Group facility in Changodar, Gujarat, 2014. The biosimilar is used to treat rheumatoid arthritis. | Photo Credit: AFP Most of the drugs that we consume are called ‘small molecule drugs’. Their chemical structure is reasonably simple. Disprin, for instance, has a molecular…

Read More “Simpler tests could slash biosimilar costs, widen patient access” »

Search for power The concept of underwater transport is deeply embedded in human history. It wasn’t until the 17th Century, however, that the first practical submarine was built. And it was only during World War I that submarines became a huge factor in naval warfare.  Even in the decades after World War I, the submarines…

Read More “The first undersea voyage to the North Pole” »