During her time at KAIST, Ku also developed “Kooroll,” an eco-friendly hair roller, which later won recognition at the 2025 Korea Outstanding Patent Awards. The product was designed to reduce plastic use by around 80% compared with conventional hair rollers, highlighting her growing interest in combining technology with beauty innovation.

The invention has since evolved into a startup venture, with Ku involved in everything from product design to branding and the patent process. The foldable roller was designed to solve portability issues common with traditional rollers and reflects the actress’s expanding role as an entrepreneur.

Ku Hye-sun was born in Incheon, South Korea, in 1984 and rose to fame as a television actress before branching into directing, writing, music and visual arts.

She first gained widespread recognition through Korean television dramas such as "Hearts of Nineteen" in 2006 and the historical drama "The King and I" in 2007. However, her breakthrough role came in the hugely popular 2009 series "Boys Over Flowers" , where she played Geum Jan-di, a spirited student who becomes romantically involved with a wealthy heir.

The drama became a major hit across Asia and cemented Ku’s status as one of the most recognisable faces in the Korean entertainment industry.

She continued to build her career with roles in several well-known dramas, including "Take Care of Us, Captain" (2012), where she played an aspiring pilot, and "Angel Eyes" (2014), a romantic melodrama about two lovers reunited after years apart. She also starred in the medical fantasy drama "Blood" (2015) alongside actor Ahn Jae-hyun.

Beyond acting, Ku has established herself as a filmmaker. She made her directorial debut with the short film "The Madonna", which was screened at international film festivals and won awards for audience appreciation. She later directed her first feature film, "Magic" (2010), which was invited to the Jecheon International Music and Film Festival and the Tokyo International Film Festival.

In 2014, she wrote, directed and starred in the film "Daughter", a psychological drama addressing child abuse and family relationships. The film was screened at the Busan International Film Festival, further establishing her reputation as a creative force beyond acting.

Sheikh Hamdan unveiled the initiative on social media during the World Governments Summit 2026, describing it as a permanent hub to showcase scientific innovation and support global efforts to protect species from extinction.

“Our goal is to inspire understanding and awareness, paving the way for a brighter future,” he said.

Visitors will be able to experience immersive recreations of extinct animals, including woolly mammoths, Tasmanian tigers, and dodos, using advanced technology. 

A central feature will be the World Preservation Lab and BioVault , which Colossal Biosciences calls “Bringing the Past to the Future.” The BioVault will store genetic material to enable both preservation and potential de-extinction.

Colossal Biosciences has used CRISPR gene-editing technology to develop prototypes of extinct species, including the woolly mammoth and thylacine, and plans to expand these efforts in Dubai.

Forbes reported that the UAE has made a major investment in the project, with Colossal Biosciences describing the BioVault as the first in a global network. CEO Ben Lamm likened it to a modern-day Noah’s Ark.

The Dubai facility will initially preserve DNA from 100 critically endangered species. Over time, it aims to store millions of samples from more than 10,000 species, prioritizing those not already preserved elsewhere.

Lamm called the project a “backup plan for life on Earth,” emphasizing the urgent need for global collaboration in the face of accelerating species loss.

The initiative has drawn backing from high-profile supporters, including Tom Brady, Tiger Woods, Paris Hilton, Peter Jackson, and the Hemsworth brothers.

Majed Al Mansoori, executive director of the Museum of the Future, highlighted the project’s focus on fieldwork and DNA research in its first year. He said the lab will lay the groundwork for long-term biodiversity protection.

“The future belongs to those who harness technology to address our greatest challenges,” Al Mansoori said. “We are taking a bold step to advance science that safeguards our planet, restores ecosystems, and builds a sustainable legacy for future generations.”

A recently studied hand stencil from Liang Metanduno cave on Muna Island, southeast of Sulawesi, has been dated to at least 67,800 years ago. If confirmed, it would be the oldest known example of cave art anywhere in the world .

The stencil is part of a wider network of rock art sites across Muna and neighbouring Buton Island. While the pigment is heavily faded, researchers identified clear traces of fingers and palm, indicating deliberate human marking rather than natural staining.

Taken together, the cave paintings suggest early humans in the region were not only capable seafarers, but also abstract thinkers — using art to express identity, belief or social meaning long before written history began.

The findings strengthen evidence that early humans in Southeast Asia were producing symbolic art tens of thousands of years earlier than once believed, challenging long-held views that such behaviour first emerged in Europe.

How it was dated

To establish its age, scientists analysed mineral deposits that formed over the artwork using uranium-series dating. This method provides a minimum age, meaning the painting could be significantly older than the figure reported.

The discoveries also carry implications for human migration. Sulawesi lies along the route early humans likely took as they moved from mainland Asia towards Australia via the ancient Sahul landmass. The presence of advanced art supports the idea that these populations had complex cognitive abilities before reaching Australia.

Some researchers caution that questions remain over which human species created the artworks, noting that Denisovans and early Homo sapiens may have shared similar artistic capacities. Others argue the dating methods are robust and consistent across multiple sites.

While the clip showed members of the joint expedition, its caption omitted any mention of the Indonesian researchers who helped make the find.

Bengkulu conservationist Septian Andriki, Oxford botanist Chris Thorogood and BRIN researcher Joko Ridho Witono located the bloom with guidance from local forest ranger Iswandi. 

The work is part of the Community for the Conservation and Research of Rafflesia (CCRR), a global partnership that also includes Indonesian experts such as University of Bengkulu botanist Agus Susatya.

Oxford reposted footage originally shared by Septian and Thorogood, but the caption’s failure to credit the Indonesian team triggered criticism on social media . Viewers accused the university of marginalising local scientists and sidelining Global South partners. 

Thorogood and Septian said they were unaware of the backlash at first, as they were travelling without mobile reception. Once informed, Thorogood asked Oxford to update the post to acknowledge Septian, which the university did. 

He later emphasised that rafflesia research “is collaborative and celebrates everyone involved,” adding that institutions must communicate in ways that reflect shared ownership.

In a written statement, Oxford said it had worked with Indonesian partners since 2022 to document and conserve rafflesia species, describing its local collaborators as “conservation heroes."

On November 27, the university published a follow-up video explicitly thanking Indonesian researchers, in what appeared to be an effort to repair relations.

Cases of Global South researchers not receiving proper recognition remain common, according to Perdana Roswaldy of Monash University Indonesia. He noted that the issue forms part of a long-standing historical pattern in which Western scientists are foregrounded while local contributors are relegated to footnotes.

Indonesian scholars argue that breaking these patterns requires action at home as well as abroad. Sociologist Fathun Karib of the National University of Singapore said local researchers must recognise their own labour and challenge unfair arrangements. 

Many, he added, do not see themselves as workers within a global system of knowledge production, making it harder to contest imbalances.

At roughly 300 microns long and 70 microns wide, it is believed to be the smallest implant ever to both detect and transmit electrical signals inside the brain without the need for wires.

The implant, known as a microscale optoelectronic tetherless electrode (MOTE), was tested in mice and remained functional for more than 12 months, capturing both individual neuron spikes and broader activity patterns while the animals continued normal behavior.

Developers say the size matters as much as the functionality. Conventional brain implants and optical fibers can trigger inflammation and immune reactions because they move against soft tissue. 

The Cornell team argues the MOTE’s footprint is small enough to reduce those effects.

“As far as we know, this is the smallest neural implant that will measure electrical activity in the brain and then report it out wirelessly,” said electrical engineer Alyosha Molnar, who co-led the project. 

Molnar said the device uses optical communication methods similar to those in satellite systems to send data with minimal power.

The implant is powered by red and infrared light that passes through brain tissue and returns data encoded in light pulses. 

Researchers said the materials and design could eventually allow neural recording during MRI scans — something current implants typically can’t withstand — and could be adapted for spinal or peripheral nerve monitoring.

The project involved engineers, physicists and neuroscientists at Cornell and Nanyang Technological University, with support from the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation.

According to her, the announcement is especially important for Uganda, where malaria remains the leading cause of death among children.

“Malaria remains the number one killer of children under the age of 5,” she said. “So this is something that doctors are struggling with,” she added, “because treating babies under the age of 5, but only having doses available for children over 5kg, meant that you're risking toxicity, increased toxicity when you're treating these children. And it was really a challenge.”

The latest malaria figures show Uganda continues to carry a heavy burden, with more than 16,000 deaths in a single year. Most of the victims are children under five, especially newborns who have limited access to safe treatment options.

Developed by Novartis and approved by Swiss authorities, the drug will now be rolled out in several African countries, including Uganda.

It has been designed for babies weighing under 5kg, an age group previously left out of malaria treatment plans.

“For that mother with a newborn facing this disease, with no safe medicine available, it has been heartbreaking,” Krystal said. “This is excellent news. We’re making ground," she added.

Across thousands of villages, expert teams have begun collecting feedback from farmers to guide research and support services.

In Karnataka alone, more than 70 interdisciplinary teams have visited over 2,000 villages, engaging with hundreds of thousands of farmers.

The data gathered will be used to design solutions specific to soil conditions , crop health, and local market needs.

The campaign also aims to ensure farmers get better returns by covering the transport costs of agricultural produce under a market intervention scheme.

The effort promotes a national strategy of “One Nation, One Agriculture, One Team,” with support from central and state governments, research institutions and agricultural extension networks.

The initiative was formally launched by India’s Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan during a public event in Bengaluru under the banner of the Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan.

This campaign forms part of a broader vision to make India a developed nation by 2047, aligning with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s long-term development agenda.

The Minister laid the foundation stone for a new biosafety lab and addressed farmers and scientists at the ICAR-IIHR campus, outlining how coordinated efforts would help meet global food demands while improving the livelihoods of Indian farmers.

As part of the event, the minister honoured several farmers from Karnataka for their contributions to sustainable agriculture.

The government has indicated that the programme will expand further in the coming months, with continued support for infrastructure, logistics and applied agricultural research to boost productivity and export potential.

HIV’s ability to remain dormant in certain white blood cells, known as the latent reservoir, has long thwarted efforts to eradicate it. This hidden reservoir allows the virus to evade both the immune system and antiretroviral drugs, requiring lifelong treatment for the nearly 40 million people living with HIV globally. According to UNAIDS , one person died every minute from HIV-related causes in 2023, underscoring the urgency of finding a cure.

The Melbourne team’s breakthrough involves delivering mRNA to these white blood cells using a novel lipid nanoparticle (LNP), dubbed LNP X. The mRNA instructs the cells to reveal the hidden virus, making it vulnerable to attack. “It was previously thought impossible to deliver mRNA to the type of white blood cell that is home to HIV,” said Dr. Paula Cevaal, co-first author of the study. “Our hope is that this new nanoparticle design could be a new pathway to an HIV cure.”

While the findings are promising, the road to a cure remains long. The study was conducted in lab settings using cells from HIV patients, and further research in animals and human safety trials will be needed, a process likely to take years. “Many things in biomedicine don’t make it to the clinic,” Cevaal cautioned. “But in terms of HIV cure research, we have never seen anything close to as good as what we are seeing.”

Dr. Michael Roche, co-senior author from the University of Melbourne, noted that the approach could have implications beyond HIV, as the targeted white blood cells are also relevant to cancers.

Parallel research at the University of Virginia’s School of Medicine offers complementary insights. Their findings reveal how subtle variations in HIV’s Rev-RRE axis, a viral control system, dictate its replication and latency. “Understanding how the virus stays latent could help us develop a lasting cure,” said Dr. Patrick Jackson, a lead author. These variations explain why some HIV strains are harder to flush out, informing strategies to target the virus more effectively.

Meanwhile, at the 25th International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2024) in Munich, a new case of long-term HIV remission was reported. A 60-year-old German man, who received a stem cell transplant in 2015 for leukaemia from a donor with a single CCR5-delta 32 mutation, has been off antiretroviral therapy since 2018 with no detectable HIV. This case, dubbed the “second Berlin patient,” builds on the success of Timothy Brown, the first person cured of HIV in 2007 via a similar transplant. “This confirms we are moving in the right direction,” said Dr. Meg Doherty of the World Health Organisation, though she stressed that stem cell transplants are high-risk and not a scalable solution.

The convergence of these findings - mRNA breakthroughs, insights into viral latency, and remission cases fuels cautious optimism. While a cure remains years away, the global HIV response continues to prioritise testing, treatment, and research to end the epidemic by 2030. As Cevaal put it, “We’re very hopeful that we could eventually do this in humans.”

They represent a population type that had not been previously recognised, vanishing from history about 2,000 years ago after being replaced by migrants from Central America . The research was published in the journal Science Advances.

The researchers focused on genetic material from 21 individuals, excavated from five archaeological sites on Colombia's high plains. Professor Cosimo Posth, the senior author of this study, states, "These are the first ancient human genomes from Colombia ever to be published." The samples were collected from bones and teeth, spanning nearly 6,000 years until just before Spanish colonisation. The oldest remains were found in the Checua site, located north of Bogotá at an altitude of about 3,000 meters.

Genomic analysis indicated that Checua's inhabitants were part of a relatively small group of hunter-gatherers. Kim-Louise Krettek, the study’s first author, noted, “Our results show that the Checua individuals derive from the earliest population that spread and differentiated across South America very rapidly.” Remarkably, the initial genetic makeup of these populations has no known descendants; Krettek observed, “We couldn’t find descendants of these early hunter-gatherers... That means in the area around Bogotá, there was a complete exchange of the population.”

Following this initial period, the study suggests that new cultural influences arrived via Central America, bringing technological advances such as ceramics and possibly the Chibchan languages, which are still present in Central America. Co-author Andrea Casas-Vargas remarked, “In addition to technological developments... the second migration probably also brought the Chibchan languages into what is present-day Colombia.”

The complete disappearance of this original genetic trace is quite atypical for South America, as noted by Casas-Vargas. Historically, populations in the Andes and southern regions have shown strong genetic continuity. She added, “It was that way as well in the populations which followed the hunter-gatherers in the Bogotá Altiplano until the arrival of European conquerors.

The sphere landed in Buga, Valle del Cauca, in March and was later recovered by researchers, the New York Post reported.

Weighing just over two kilograms, the smooth metallic object had no visible joints or welds and appeared to be made of dense materials, according to initial examinations.

Radiologist Dr. Jose Luis Velazquez, who helped inspect the object, said in a video on X, that its design suggested it was not naturally formed.

He noted that while the sphere appeared artificial, its origin remains unknown, and more testing is needed.

The sphere also had unusual markings covering the surface.

Some observers claimed the symbols resembled ancient writing systems, including runes and Mesopotamian script.

A group of researchers also suggested the markings carried a message about unity and the environment , though there has been no scientific confirmation of this interpretation.

There were also reports of strange reactions when people came into contact with the object.

A local man who touched the sphere reportedly felt sick for several days, and witnesses said water poured on it evaporated instantly.

X-ray images revealed 18 small metallic dots arranged inside the sphere. One researcher described it as a purpose-built object designed to hold the components in place.

Videos of the incident have since circulated widely online, fueling theories ranging from alien technology to experimental spacecraft debris.

Authorities and scientists have not yet released an official explanation, and investigations are ongoing.

Uturuncu , a peak in the Andes Mountains and the tallest in southwest Bolivia, has began moving again beneath the surface.

The ground around the volcano has been rising and falling slowly, creating a dome-like shape that drew the attention of scientists.

More than 1,700 small earthquakes have been recorded near the site in recent years.

Using satellite images, earthquake data, and computer models, researchers discovered that gases, magma and hot salty fluids are interacting deep underground.

They found that these movements are not likely caused by magma rising directly toward the surface, which usually leads to eruptions.

Instead, the volcano seems to be venting gas through a complex underground system.

The magma body feeding Uturuncu lies 10 to 20 kilometres underground. It is part of the Altiplano-Puna Magma Body, one of the largest known active magma reservoirs in the Earth’s crust.

Scientists say heat from the magma is pushing fluids and gases upwards.

These collect in pockets beneath the volcano and cause small quakes and surface swelling of about one centimetre per year.

“We're not seeing seismicity increasing or migrating from great depths, which would indicate magma movement. It seems the volcano is simply releasing gas and calming down,” Dr Mike Kendall from the University of Oxford was quoted by The Express Tribune.

The study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, adds to research on so-called “zombie volcanoes”, ancient volcanoes that still show signs of life without erupting.

Scientists believe they could help identify other hidden hazards or even potential sources of geothermal energy.

A research team from Huazhong Agricultural University found that QT12 interacts with the NF-Y protein complex to protect developing grains during extreme heat, stabilising starch and protein synthesis even under environmental stress, the Tribune reports.

In field trials conducted during last year’s record-breaking heatwaves, rice plants modified with QT12 showed remarkable results. When inserted into the hybrid rice variety “Huazhan,” yields increased by up to 77.9% in cities across China’s Yangtze River basin, a region that produces two-thirds of the country's rice.

“These results demonstrate QT12’s potential as a powerful tool to combat yield loss caused by rising global temperatures. This gene offers a novel molecular strategy to breed rice that performs well under heat stress without compromising quality,” said Li Yibo, the study’s corresponding author.

Li added that the discovery not only provides insight into the molecular mechanisms of heat tolerance in rice but also opens new avenues for developing climate-resilient crop varieties.

The research team is now collaborating with domestic agricultural companies to fasten the integration of QT12 into commercial rice breeding programs.

They found that eggshell powder could take out harmful metals like lead, cadmium, and iron, and kill bacteria such as E. coli, which can make people very sick.

The Nile River provides more than 95% of Egypt’s drinking water, but the river is under threat from pollution, climate change, and the country’s growing population.

This innovation serves as a cheaper and easier way to protect the Nile’s water .

In their tests, the scientists collected water from the Nile near Helwan, a heavily polluted area south of Cairo.

After cleaning eggshells collected from bakeries, they ground them into fine powder, and mixed the powder with the river water.

The results were strong. The eggshells removed more than 90% of lead, nearly 65% of cadmium, and over half of the iron in the water. They also helped kill almost all the bacteria within 24 hours.

The team explained that eggshells work well because they are full of calcium carbonate, a natural material that can capture metals and bacteria.

Using tools like electron microscopes, they confirmed that the eggshells had trapped the harmful substances after treatment.

However, the scientists said more tests are needed before it can be used on a large scale.

They believe their work can inspire other low-cost, green solutions to protect people and nature.

In a video released on March 21 , the G1 is seen lying flat before suddenly springing up like a human.

 It also showed off Tai Chi movements, smoothly copying a human partner. To prove its balance and reflexes, it stayed on its feet even after being kicked from behind.

Unitree says the video was filmed at normal speed with no digital tricks or AI effects. The company wanted to show the robot’s real abilities as they happened.

Just days before, the G1 made headlines for pulling off another difficult move—a side flip.

This was even more challenging than the backflip performed earlier this month by its predecessor, the H1.

The H1 had already gained national attention in China after performing a traditional folk dance on live TV during the Lunar New Year celebrations.

The G1 is a more advanced version of the H1. It stands 1.3 meters tall and weighs 35 kilograms, making it smaller and lighter than the 1.8-meter, 47-kilogram H1. The robot was designed to move quickly and work in places that might be too difficult or dangerous for humans.

Among the laureates, 65 women have steadily carved their place in history and overcome significant barriers of gender inequality, systemic bias, and lack of opportunity against the contrast of 904 men laureates. Their stories and nationalities reflect broader social shifts and global progress in the inclusion of women in science, literature, and activism.

The first woman to receive a Nobel Prize was Marie Curie in 1903. She was honoured in Physics alongside her husband Pierre Curie and Henri Becquerel for their work on radioactivity. Remarkably, she remains the only person to win Nobel Prizes in two different sciences—she won the Chemistry Prize in 1911 for her discovery of radium and polonium.

Since then, over 60 women have been awarded Nobel Prizes (as of 2024), with representation across all categories.

Peace (19 women winners)

The Peace Prize has historically had the highest female representation. Notable winners include:

Bertha von Suttner (Austria-Hungary) – 1905, the first woman to win the Peace Prize.

Mother Teresa (India) – 1979, for her humanitarian work.

Malala Yousafzai (Pakistan) – 2014, youngest laureate ever, honoured for advocacy of girls' education.

Literature (17 women winners)

Female voices have also resonated in the world of literature:

Selma Lagerlöf (Sweden) – 1909, first female Literature laureate.

Toni Morrison (USA) – 1993, a literary icon addressing African-American life and culture.

Olga Tokarczuk (Poland) – 2018, awarded for a "narrative imagination that represents the crossing of boundaries."

Medicine (13 women winners)

Women in medical science have received increasing recognition, such as:

Barbara McClintock (USA) – 1983, for her work in genetics.

Tu Youyou (China) – 2015, for discovering artemisinin, a breakthrough in malaria treatment.

Chemistry (8 women winners)

Aside from Marie Curie, recent milestones include:

Emmanuelle Charpentier (France) and Jennifer Doudna (USA) – 2020, for developing CRISPR gene-editing technology.

Physics (5 women winners)

Still a highly male-dominated field, but progress continues:

Donna Strickland (Canada) – 2018, third woman after Curie and Maria Goeppert-Mayer to win.

Andrea Ghez (USA) – 2020, for discoveries related to black holes.

Economic Sciences (3 women winners)

A relatively new category (established in 1969), with few female laureates:

Elinor Ostrom (USA) – 2009, the first woman to win in Economics.

Claudia Goldin (USA) – 2023, for advancing understanding of women’s labour market outcomes.

Where do they come from?

While women laureates come from a range of countries, several regions dominate:

The United States is the most represented country in terms of science and economics.

Europe: Countries like France, Germany, Sweden, and the UK have produced numerous female laureates.

Asia: India, China, Japan, Iran, and Pakistan have seen laureates mostly in Peace and Medicine.

Africa and Latin America: Representation has been limited but notable, such as Wangari Maathai (Kenya)—the first African woman to win the Peace Prize in 2004.

The camera was made in Menlo Park, California, at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory.

It is the size of a small car and weighs about 6,000 pounds . Scientists had to design special parts to build it, as no existing components were big enough for the job.

Once completed, the camera was flown to Chile on a chartered Boeing 747, along with other equipment needed for installation.

Now placed inside the Vera C. Rubin Observatory, the camera will scan the sky repeatedly, creating a detailed time-lapse of the universe.

 Scientists hope this will help answer big questions about space, including how galaxies form and why the universe is expanding so fast.

The camera will also help study dark matter, the invisible substance that makes up most of the universe, and map the Milky Way in greater detail than ever before.

The camera has a massive 3-billion-pixel sensor and the largest lens ever made for astronomy.

It was designed to capture as much of the sky as possible, making it one of the most powerful tools ever created for space research.

Aaron Roodman, the leader of the project, said, “We like to say that we're going to make a colour movie of the entire Southern Hemisphere sky.”

The first test images are expected next month. The data collected will be available to scientists in the U.S. and selected international partners.

Researchers believe the camera could lead to unexpected discoveries, as it will allow them to see space in a way never done before.

If all goes well, the full project, known as the Legacy Survey of Space and Time, will begin later this year.

This challenges what experts previously believed about plasma movement around the Moon.

The study revealed that electron levels in the Moon’s ionosphere can be nearly 100 times higher than usual when it moves through this part of space.

Researchers believe that weak magnetic fields on the Moon’s surface could be trapping these charged particles and stopping them from escaping.

Scientists used a special technique to measure these changes.

The Chandrayaan-2 orbiter sent radio signals back to Earth, allowing experts to track electron levels in different parts of the Moon’s atmosphere.

They found a sharp increase in electron density—up to 23,000 electrons per cubic centimetre—especially in certain regions.

These findings could be important for future Moon missions.

High plasma levels could affect communication, equipment, and even how lunar dust moves.

Understanding these changes will help space agencies prepare better for future robotic and human missions to the Moon.

The lead researcher, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ronnapee Chaichaowarat, says the goal is to help people with disabilities move more easily, especially in places where wheelchairs are difficult to use, like stairs or public transport.

The wheelchair was built by a Thai team and is the first of its kind in the country. Some call it "Thai Iron Man" because of its advanced technology.

The wheelchair is designed with a lightweight carbon fibre frame and has foldable wheels.

It can switch between sitting and walking modes using a motorised system that moves the hip and knee joints. The ankle joint remains flexible to help with balance.

The first prototype cost 130,000 baht (about $3,866.80) to build and was funded by research grants.

The team believes demand for such technology will grow as Thailand’s population ages. They are now working on a second version with better stability for standing and walking. Before it can be widely used, clinical trials will be done with patients.

If successful, this invention could change mobility support in Thailand and even make the country a leader in robotic technology.

A team of Tunisian engineers is working on the project, including Karim Beguir, the founder of InstaDeep, a company that specialises in AI.

They are volunteering their time to create this software, which will be 100% Tunisian-made.

The AI will assist doctors by analysing medical images, helping them make faster and more precise decisions. This is expected to ease the workload for radiologists and improve patient care.

The software will also allow hospitals without radiology departments to send images online for expert review, ensuring patients in remote areas get the care they need.

Tunisia has recently put new laws in place to regulate telemedicine, making it easier for doctors to use technology for remote medical services.

The government is also working on incentives to encourage more radiologists to join the public health system.

Ferjani praised the efforts of radiologists at La Rabta Hospital, who are already helping other hospitals by interpreting images and training doctors.

The new AI system is expected to expand such support nationwide, making medical imaging more efficient and accessible.

Experts believe the remains are more than 29,000 years old, dating back to the Palaeolithic period.

The discovery was made in a cave about 125 metres above sea level.

Inside, researchers also found ancient wall paintings, shells, plant seeds, and animal bones, suggesting that people once lived there. The skeleton appears to belong to a young boy, around six to eight years old.

A tooth found among the bones suggests he was male.

Scientists sent samples of the shells and bones to a laboratory in the United States for testing.

The results confirmed that humans lived in the cave about 29,000 years ago. This would make the skeleton the oldest human remains ever found in Thailand.

Archaeologists say that during the Palaeolithic period, the Gulf of Thailand may have been a vast landmass connected to Indonesia.

This means early humans could have travelled overland to this part of the world instead of by sea.

According to Study International, PhD stipends vary widely worldwide, often influenced by regional living costs and institutional funding policies. Many top universities are located in cities with high expenses, making it challenging for students to rely solely on stipends.

In response, some universities and governments have recently increased funding to attract and retain research talent. Canada, for instance, has expanded the number and value of stipends for the next five years, while De La Salle University now provides full tuition coverage and monthly stipends for full-time PhD students.

Austria currently offers the highest average PhD stipend, at approximately $104,328 annually, supported by over 50 higher education institutions. In Sweden, PhD candidates receive salaries instead of stipends, providing more financial stability.

Denmark offers an Industrial PhD programme, which allows students to conduct research with direct commercial applications. Meanwhile, the Netherlands has established itself as a global leader in research output and publication impact, reinforcing its strong academic reputation.

As higher education institutions worldwide compete for top research talent, financial support for PhD students continues to evolve, shaping the future of academic research.

A solar sail is a large, thin sheet that captures energy from the sun’s photons—tiny particles of light.

The sun's energy pushes the sail, just as the wind pushes a sailboat forward, allowing a spacecraft to move through space.

This means a spacecraft can keep travelling for long periods without carrying fuel or relying on engines.

The new solar sail, developed by KARI, is 10 metres wide and made of an extremely lightweight material.

It is bigger than the solar sail NASA introduced in 2023 and is made of a special film coated with aluminium.

The entire deployment system is compact, allowing the sail to be folded into a small space and then expanded when needed.

This technology is not just useful for space exploration. Scientists say it could also help clean up space debris, a growing problem in Earth's orbit.

Unused satellites and broken spacecraft parts clutter space, and a solar sail could help remove them.

KARI President Lee Sang-cheol said the team will continue working on new ways to use this technology. According to him, this could strengthen South Korea’s ability to explore deep space and contribute to future space missions.

If confirmed, it would be far older than Egypt’s Pyramids of Giza and even older than Stonehenge.

For years, Gunung Padang was thought to be a simple megalithic site, but new research has uncovered layers of stone beneath the surface, revealing a massive hidden structure.

Scientists believe it was built in stages , with the oldest parts dating back as far as 27,000 years. This is much earlier than any known civilization, meaning humans may have been building complex structures long before history books suggest.

Using advanced technology like ground-penetrating radar and radiocarbon dating, researchers have found evidence of hidden chambers inside the structure.

Some of these chambers are as large as 15 metres long with ceilings up to 10 metres high. Scientists are now working to explore these spaces, hoping to uncover more about who built the pyramid and why.

Gunung Padang is still being studied by teams of archaeologists, geologists, and other experts.

Unlike traditional hip surgeries, this method does not cut through muscle or tendons, which means patients can start moving within a few hours after surgery and return to daily activities much sooner.

The technique gets its name from the small, bikini-line incision made in the front of the hip. It offers several benefits, including less blood loss, reduced swelling, a lower risk of dislocation, and a quicker return to normal life, including driving.

The scar from the procedure is also more hidden compared to other hip surgeries, making it a preferred choice for many patients.

However, it may not be suitable for people who are severely overweight, have a lot of muscle mass, or have complex hip conditions.

In those cases, a traditional approach might still be needed, but robotic assistance can still improve the outcome.

According to the Emirates News Agency , this advanced method was introduced in the UAE by Dr. Ali Al, President of the Emirates Orthopaedic Society and a leading expert in robotic-assisted surgery.

Although the Bikini hip replacement was originally developed by Dr. Ikram Nizam, an orthopaedic surgeon from Australia, and has already been used successfully in Europe, it is the first time it is being introduced in the Middle East.

Doctors say this technique is most helpful for people with severe arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, or hip damage from an injury.

These conditions often cause pain and difficulty moving, making hip replacement surgery the best option for many patients.

DeepSeek is a new artificial intelligence (AI) tool that works like ChatGPT. It can answer questions, help with writing, and perform other tasks that AI models are designed for.

Like other AI models, Deepseek produces responses similar to human ones. But what makes it different is that it was built with less memory and at a much lower cost than its American competitors. It also does not respond to politically-sensitive questions.

Who created DeepSeek?

DeepSeek was founded in December 2023 by a Chinese businessman named Liang Wenfeng. Wenfeng, unlike other typical tech entrepreneurs, comes from a finance background and runs a hedge fund called High-Flyer. Liang has been vocal about China's need to move from copying Western technology to leading in innovation.

His dreams appear to have come true because his company’s latest AI model, DeepSeek R1, is now making waves globally.

How does DeepSeek work?

Like other AI models, DeepSeek processes large amounts of information to generate text responses. It is particularly good at reasoning-based tasks, such as solving math problems and writing code. The company claims it was developed for just $6 million, a fraction of what American companies like OpenAI spend.

Instead of relying on the most advanced AI chips, DeepSeek reportedly used a mix of older and newer chips to achieve its results.

This has challenged the belief that only the most expensive technology can build high-quality AI models.

Why is DeepSeek taking over the tech world ?

DeepSeek’s success has shocked the tech industry particularly because AI is known to be extremely expensive to develop, with companies like Meta and OpenAI spending billions of dollars. The catch here is how DeepSeek has been able to achieve similar results at a much lower cost, with questions of how this could change how AI is built worldwide.

The model’s launch sent shockwaves through financial markets. Nvidia, a major chipmaker, lost nearly $600 billion in market value in a single day as investors worried that cheaper AI development could reduce demand for high-end chips. Other major US tech companies also saw stock prices drop.

Beyond finance, DeepSeek raises big political questions. The US has restricted China’s access to advanced AI chips, hoping to slow down its progress. But DeepSeek’s success suggests that China is still moving forward in AI development, despite these limitations. The Chinese government has celebrated the achievement, seeing it as a step toward technological independence.

What’s next?

While DeepSeek’s rise is shaking the world, there are still many questions. The company has not fully disclosed how much it spent on research before launching R1. There are also concerns about censorship , as DeepSeek avoids answering politically sensitive topics. Despite this, it has quickly become one of the most downloaded apps in the US, showing that users are eager to try it.

DeepSeek’s success is forcing tech companies to rethink how AI is developed especially with the option of building at a lower cost.

This could lead to an industry shift.

But while DeepSeek is currently reshaping the global conversation around AI and global technology power, the question remains how long it will last and what possible evolutions could emerge from such discussions for the tech world.

Just a few months later, on February 1, 1958, the United States entered the arena with the launch of Explorer 1, which led to the groundbreaking discovery of the Van Allen radiation belts, regions of charged particles trapped by Earth’s magnetic field.

According to NASA gov , following these pioneering missions, other nations quickly joined the space race, showcasing their technological advancements. France became the third spacefaring nation in 1965 with the successful launch of Asterix, while Japan and China achieved orbital success in 1970 with their respective satellites, Ohsumi and Dong Fang Hong 1.

The United Kingdom followed suit in 1971, launching Prospero into orbit. Remarkably, the UK remains the only country to have independently launched a satellite and subsequently retired its space program.

In 1980, India marked a significant milestone with the launch of Rohini 1, demonstrating its growing technological independence and cementing its place in the global space community. By the late 1980s and early 1990s, more nations, including Israel, Ukraine, and post-Soviet Russia, joined the spacefaring ranks, which carried forward the legacy of Soviet-era advancements.

The 21st century has seen further expansion as countries like Iran (2009), North Korea (2012), and South Korea (2013) successfully launched their first satellites, solidifying their status as emerging players in space exploration.

From the Cold War-driven beginnings to today’s globally competitive environment, the list of spacefaring nations continues to grow, symbolizing humanity’s shared aspiration to explore and understand the cosmos.

Malaysia has established its position in healthcare manufacturing through its glove production, meeting 60% of the world’s demand.

The country is currently considered the top global producer of gloves and rubber-based products.

Dr Dzulkefly said the medical device sector contributed about RM18 billion to Malaysia’s economy in 2023 and created about 95,000 jobs locally since 2012.

He added that the New Industrial Masterplan (NIMP) 2030 has identified the medical device industry as crucial for boosting investments in the country.

This achievement was revealed during the International Medical Device Exhibition and Conference (IMDEC) 2024 held alongside the 28th Global Harmonisation Working Party (GHWP) Annual Meeting.

The event brought together more than 600 international delegates and 10,000 visitors and focused on sharing knowledge, forming partnerships, and solving challenges in the healthcare industry.

President Javier Milei, who promised drastic spending cuts to tackle Argentina’s severe economic problems, has made some rather massive changes to the science community in the country.

Cut on funding

He has slashed funding for science, a move which has affected the Innovation, Science and Technology Secretariat, which was previously a full ministry.

The secretariat under Milei now has one-third of the budget it had last year.

Scientists and researchers are panicking and have expressed pessimism about the future of science in the country if things continue like this.

Jorge Geffner, director of the Institute for Biomedical Research in Retroviruses and AIDS (INBIRS) in Buenos Aires said , “With six more months like this, there will be nothing left”.

About half of the staff at the institute are preparing to leave Argentina or are already taking steps to work abroad.

Many others say their salaries have dropped by up to 30%.

Luis Moyano, a physicist specialising in artificial intelligence, is leaving for Spain because his income in Argentina can no longer cover basic needs.

“As a scientist, I can say we were never in an ideal situation, but this is much worse,” he was quoted .

The National Agency for the Promotion of Research, Argentina’s main research funder, has also slowed down. Despite much of its budget coming from international donors, government restrictions have stopped projects from moving forward. In September, the agency’s president, Alicia Caballero, resigned after being blocked from using the funds.

President Milei’s has also called on scientists to compete in the private market instead of relying on government support, referring to those who depend on public funds as “scoundrels.”

Climate change

The president’s stance on climate change has further alarmed scientists. Milei denies human activity is causing global warming, calling it part of a natural cycle. His government pulled out of the COP29 climate talks and downplayed climate change in official plans to protect biodiversity.

The future?

As the country’s scientific infrastructure faces challenges, many are afraid Argentina will lose its ability to produce critical research and innovation.

“The government’s attitude towards science and nature has consequences,” Alejandro Valenzuela, a biologist at the National University of Tierra del Fuego was quoted as saying.

UAE students have demonstrated significant improvements since 2019, with fourth-graders achieving a 17-point increase in mathematics and a 22-point rise in science, while eighth-graders experienced a 15-point increase in mathematics and a 14-point increase in science.

The report highlights improvements in student achievement on an international scale, particularly regarding low benchmarks in mathematics and science. However, it also notes an increase in achievement gaps between genders, particularly among fourth-grade mathematics students.

The findings suggest that the resources available at home may influence students' performance in these subjects.

The report was officially presented on 4 December at Dubai's Museum of the Future, in collaboration with the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement, Boston College's TIMSS & PIRLS International Study Centre, and the UAE's Ministry of Education.

Sarah bint Yousif Al Amiri, the UAE Minister of Education, praised the students for their outstanding achievements, expressing that these results reflect the ministry's continuous efforts to elevate the UAE's standing in global educational rankings.

"The results reflect the ministry's ongoing efforts to boost the country's ranking in international educational studies," Amiri said .

TIMSS and the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) are essential assessments that measure trends in student performance across mathematics, science, and reading.

The tools are part of some 3,500 archaeological artefacts returned to Ethiopia by the European country. These items which include two stone axes and a stone cutter were samples of excavations from the prehistoric site Melka Kunture near Addis Ababa.  

French researcher Jean Chavaillon led the excavations decades ago.

“This is a handover, not a restitution, in that these objects have never been part of French public collections,” Laurent Serrano, a culture adviser at the French Embassy was quoted . 

The tools were stored at the French Embassy in Ethiopia since the 1980s but have been returned to Ethiopia’s Tourism Minister Selamawit Kassa by French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot. 

The remaining 3,500 artefacts from the site will be handed over to the Ethiopian Heritage Directorate soon.

The move is indicative of the long-standing partnership in archaeology and palaeontology that France and Ethiopia have shared over the years.

French Foreign Minister Barrot said the artefacts are “samples of nearly 3,500 items” that highlight the rich history of Ethiopia.

The new initiative blends local traditions with modern technology, allowing visitors to book water rides using the Uber app.

Each Shikara can carry up to four passengers. The rides are available daily from 10 am to 5 pm. Tourists can book rides from 12 hours to 15 days in advance, making it convenient for both spontaneous and planned trips.

The service, which started at Nehru Park on Dal Lake, aims to make Shikara rides easier and cheaper. Seven locally owned Shikaras are currently part of the project, with plans to add more based on demand.

Fares follow government-approved rates, removing the need for bargaining.

Shikara operators will receive the full fare, ensuring they benefit directly from it.

“This service standardises pricing and provides a reliable booking platform,” Wali Mohammed Bhat, President of the Shikarawala Association, was quoted .

The initiative hopes to involve more of the 4,000 Shikara operators on Dal Lake and boost tourism in the region. Tourists have praised the service for adding reliability to their travel experience.

The animals include ring-tailed lemurs, brown lemurs, spider tortoises, and radiated tortoises.

These species which are found only in Madagascar and listed as near-extinct or threatened will be placed in special care centres once they return home.

Thailand’s environment minister Chalermchai Sri-on said this is the first time animals are being returned before the end of legal proceedings.

“This is a significant step in anti-trafficking operations,” he was quoted as saying.

Max Andonirina Fontaine, Madagascar’s environment minister on his part said the move shows the power of collaboration.

“When two countries collaborate, we can really make a success story,” he was quoted .

The remains were unearthed in southern Peru’s Ocucaje region by researchers.

According to Paleontologist Mario Gamarra, the juvenile specimen measures about three to four metres and belonged to a crocodile species that no longer exists in Peru.

“This animal is a juvenile, meaning it hasn't reached its maximum size yet,” he told the AFP.

The discovery is important for further studies of how the species grew and developed.

“It opens the door to ontogenetic studies, which examine the growth of the animal as it transitions from juvenile to adult,” Gamarra added.

The fossil will help scientists better understand the evolution of crocodiles and how they lived in ancient Peru millions of years ago.

The three-year-old mongrel was chosen because she was tough and used to harsh conditions as a stray dog and scientists believed such dogs could handle the challenges of space better.

Laika was trained to eat special food and survive the tight space of the spacecraft. She was also prepared for the physical effects of space travel.

Future Manned Spacecraft Center Director Robert Gilruth told historians , “When I saw the dog go up, I said, ‘My God, we better get going because it’s going to be a legitimate program to put man in space.’”

Although the mission aimed to study the impact of space travel on living beings, she was unable to return to Earth safely because of the non-existence of technology at the time. According to NASA, engineers hadn't made provisions to recover Laika.

NASA reports that she died within hours from heat and stress after reaching orbit.

Scientists reported that the satellite's batteries expired on November 10 and receipt of data from the science experiments also ceased.

Laika’s flight was part of the Soviet Union's effort to lead in the Space Race. The launch came soon after Sputnik 1 and was timed to mark the 40th anniversary of the October Revolution. Her journey was watched by the world and proved that living beings could survive in space.

Her death sparked debates about the ethics of using animals in experiments. Critics argued it was cruel, but the mission provided important data for future human spaceflights. Laika's sacrifice became a symbol of the risks and unknowns of early space exploration.

Over the years, other animals have also contributed to space research. Dogs, monkeys, and even fruit flies have helped scientists understand how space affects living beings. Their efforts paved the way for humans to travel into space.

Laika’s story remains a powerful reminder of the triumphs and sacrifices of early space missions. Today, she is remembered as a hero who played a key role in shaping the future of space exploration.

Through the research led by Dr. Fathiya Mbarak Khamis at the Icipe research centre in Nairobi, the team first noticed the insect in chicken coop litter.

It looked like the yellow mealworm, known for eating plastic in Europe and the U.S.

The researchers fed the larvae three diets: polystyrene alone, bran alone, and a mix of both. Larvae fed on the mix survived better and ate more plastic. They broke down 12% of the plastic they ate during a month-long trial.

“We identified it using molecular tools and decided to test if it could feed on plastic,” Dr. Khamis was quoted as saying .

Khamis added that the worms' gut bacteria play a key role.

Larvae eating plastic had high levels of bacteria that can break down complex materials.

The team is optimistic that the bacteria could be used to develop new ways to manage plastic waste.

Dr. Khamis also highlighted the importance of the discovery for the African continent where plastic waste is a growing problem due to low recycling rates.

Food scarcity has become the biggest threat to these penguins who need sardines and anchovies to survive and breed, but are starving as a result of overfishing has led to starvation.

As part of efforts to curb the situation, authorities have banned commercial fishing near six penguin colonies, but experts say the zones are too small to make a difference.

“We need to limit direct competition between industrial fisheries and the penguins,” said Katta Ludynia, a researcher at the Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB).

Tourism has also become a challenge for the penguins. While tourist visits bring much-needed funds, they can disturb the birds. Conservationists emphasise that protecting penguins helps maintain a healthy ecosystem that benefits humans as well.

Scientists have expressed optimism about the recovery of the penguin population with conservation efforts including using artificial nets, etc.

"It is possible to recover the penguin population. We can’t lose hope," she said. Conservation efforts, like artificial nests and expanding fishing bans, aim to stop the decline and ensure the species’ survival.

Meanwhile, conservationists are trying to protect these penguins in their natural habitat, using measures like disease surveillance, predator management, and artificial nests.

United States (413 laureates)

United Kingdom (138 laureates)

Germany (115 laureates)

France (76 laureates)

Sweden (34 laureates)

Japan, Canada, Austria, and Switzerland have also contributed significantly through laureates in medicine, literature, and peace.

A debate has emerged in the UK this year, as many Nobel laureates studied in the UK before pursuing their PhDs abroad. This trend raises questions about how the UK could retain more Nobel-calibre talent, possibly through enhanced support for education and innovation.

This equipment could interest global buyers and remind regional rivals of its growing capabilities.

A top feature at the airshow was China’s J-35A stealth fighter jet, which may soon be operational. Alongside the J-35A, the J20 stealth jets flew in a diamond formation, demonstrating China’s expanding fleet.

“The combination of the two models greatly enhances the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF)'s ability to conduct offensive operations in high-threat and contested environments,” Military expert Wang Mingzhi was quoted.

For the first time, the airshow included a dedicated drone area, with the SS-UAV on display—a large drone that can release smaller drones for intelligence and attack missions. This follows increased drone use in conflicts like the Ukraine war, where drones have played a major role.

Russia’s Security Council secretary Sergei Shoigu was present, reflecting close ties between China and Russia.

The initiative is part of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 plan to reduce its dependence on oil.

Saudi Arabia aims to compete with leading tech hubs worldwide by improving its technology sector with this project.

The project will also invest funds into building a strong AI industry, such as data centres, tech startups, workforce training, and partnerships with major tech companies.

Under this initiative, top AI talent from around the world will be engaged. They will also invest in research, and encourage foreign companies to set up in the country.

A major partnership with Alphabet’s Google is part of the initiative. Alongside Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), Google plans to invest between $5 billion and $10 billion in AI projects in the Kingdom.

This includes developing AI models in Arabic, which will improve AI access in the region and support Saudi Arabia’s local needs.

Saudi Arabia hopes that Project Transcendence will make it one of the top 15 AI nations by 2030.

The new species was discovered during scientists’ study of the world’s longest venomous snake, the king cobra.

King cobras, scientifically known as Ophiophagus hannahs were generally thought to be widespread across southeastern Asia but the debate was on how many varied species of the snake exist.

150 king cobras from several Asia countries were tracked down for over eight years as scientists studied their make-up and appearances.

King cobras from the Philippines were observed as the most genetically and visually distinct among the collective.

Scientifically named Ophiophagus salvatana, the new species of the venomous snakes are huge, reaching 10 feet and 11 inches in length.

Also named the Luzon king cobra after the island where it was discovered, the new species possess strong bodies with large, flattened heads and black tongues with large eyes which are ringed with yellow.

They are dangerously venomous and rare in archive collections.

They are usually found in coastal forests, urban parks and agricultural fields but not much is known about their diet.

It is a camera embedded with devices for monitoring electrocardiogram (ECG), blood, oxygen level and body temperature.

Microcontrollers within the camera transmit vital data including abnormalities that are forwarded via SMS to alert clinics, hospitals and on-duty doctors for immediate attention.

These medical personnel can then remotely open the camera’s cover to communicate with the patient based on the information they have.

Dr Kornkrit Limsommut, the department’s deputy director-general, said the cameras are covered until there is a need to communicate with the patient after an alert is received. This is to protect the patient’s privacy.

Developed by the medical engineering division of the department, Konkrit said the CareCamera was patented on March, 2022 and prototypes have since been made for testing.

He further noted that the technology is likely to be transferred to the private sector. He hopes that it can be mass-produced for future purposes.

Researchers say the vaccine teaches the immune system to recognise and attack the early stages of the disease.

A jab will work similarly to the papillomavirus (HPV) jab which aims at preventing cervical cancer.

Professor Ahmed Ahmed and his team at the ovarian cancer cell laboratory at MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine at the university are working to identify cellular targets for the vaccine.

The cancer research in the UK is funding the study with up to 600,000 pounds over the next three years.

“It really will depend on the efficacy of the vaccine. So the work that we are set out to do is about testing the components of the vaccine to try to identify and shortlist components that are most likely to be the most effective ones. And then the hope is that this would have coverage of a wider group of women so that it would prevent ovarian cancer in those women,” Prof. Ahmed was quoted by the AFP.  

Whether it would eliminate as in completely abolish ovarian cancer. It's highly unlikely, but my hope is that it would have a significant impact on reducing the number of, uh, ovarian cancer cases in the future

The gecko, which is about 7 inches long, has clawed toes, spiky spurs near its tail, and dark brown markings on its back. It was found living inside and around the cave, emerging at night to hunt for food.

They are brown in colour with black and light brown stretches across the back.

The species is named after the area where it was discovered, the Khao Nam Phu hill in Saraburi Province, about 90 miles northeast of Bangkok.

The research team, including Thai and international scientists, published their findings on September 19. The research team included Montri Sumontha, Nonn Panitvong, Kirati Kunya, Nattasuda Donbundit, Winai Suthanthangjai, Maneerat Suthanthangjai, Eakarit Phanamphon and Olivier S. G. Pauwels.

Alongside the Khao Nam Phu gecko, researchers also found another new species, the Erawan bent-toed gecko. Both discoveries add to the growing list of unique wildlife hidden in Thailand’s caves.

At around 35 feet long, similar in size to a school bus, 2024 PT5 is expected to be too faint to be seen without professional telescopes.

Dan Bartlett , an astrophotographer from California, mentioned that capturing images of the asteroid will be challenging because it is faint even to most of the best amateur telescopes.

Carlos de la Fuente Marcos, the lead author of a recent study published in the Research Notes of the American Astronomical Society, explained that 2024 PT5 will follow a horseshoe-like path around Earth.

"You may say that if a true  satellite  is like a customer buying goods inside a store, objects like 2024 PT5 are window shoppers, ” Carlos told Space.com. adding that the asteroid poses no threat to Earth.

First identified by NASA’s Asteroid Terrestrial-Impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) on August 7, 2024 PT5 originates from the Arjuna asteroid belt, where many asteroids orbit relatively close to our planet sometimes as near as 2.8 million miles.

According to the study's researchers , if an asteroid is travelling at about 2,200 mph, Earth's gravity can temporarily capture it.

Although the asteroid will be difficult to spot with the naked eye, professional telescopes should be able to capture images as it moves past stars.

Mini-moons like 2024 PT5 are not unusual; some asteroids have made repeat visits. The 2022 NX1 asteroid first became a mini-moon in 1981 and returned in 2022. Scientists predict that 2024 PT5 will return to Earth's orbit in 2055.

“Understanding the Martian water cycle is critical for understanding the evolution of the climate, surface and interior,” said Dr Vashan Wright, a geophysicist at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, who led the study.

The discovery came from data collected by NASA’s Mars InSight Lander, which has been studying Mars since 2018. The lander’s seismometer recorded vibrations from Marsquakes over four years, revealing “seismic signals” that indicated the presence of liquid water.

Professor Michael Manga from the University of California, Berkeley, a co-author of the study, discussed the implications for Mars’ habitability. “Establishing that there is a big reservoir of liquid water provides some window into what the climate was like or could be like," Manga said.

"Without liquid water, you don't have life," Prof Manga told the BBC . "So if there are habitable environments on Mars, those may be now deep underground."

Prof Manga has also explained that the techniques used in the discovery are "the same techniques we use to prospect for water on Earth, or to look for oil and gas."

Despite the exciting possibilities, accessing this water would be challenging. Although there is water ice at the Martian poles and evidence of vapour in the atmosphere, this is the first confirmation of liquid water on Mars.

Determined to enhance safety for people facing similar threats, the CEO of Beba-Beggie developed an IoT automated technology solution to safeguard valuables in urban areas within Kenya’s capital.

“'Beba' means carry, 'Beggie' means bag,” he told GSW’s Wonder Hagan. From these Kiswahili words, he derived the name of his company, Beba-Beggie which means to “carry your bag”.

Storage and delivery made easy

The smart storage e-lockers have smart features that operate like the ATM, allowing users to drop off their valuables safely and retrieve them conveniently, using their mobile phones.

“For the user, it will only be required to put in their phone number and create a password. It's as simple as that. We do not necessarily require anybody to sign in with email. Depending on the size of your luggage, you get to choose a locker. You'll put in your phone number. The next thing it will check is if there are available lockers. If there is an available locker, it will tell you the sizes. You will select the available sizes that you know suit your needs, and then you'll create a pin and the locker will be allocated. Put in the items you lock, no padlocks, nothing. When you come back, you will enter the same phone number. You'll enter the pin again, and then a payment prompt will now be pushed towards your phone. You will make the payments and the locker will open. It's an easy user journey.,” Oduk said.

These e-lockers are strategically placed in secure locations throughout Nairobi, making them useful for deliveries as well.

Who can use these lockers?

Beba-Beggie’s lockers provide enhanced security not only for commuters with valuables including laptops, but businesses and event organisers as well as online business owners.

“Our target market are usually the young people. So these are people moving in, probably going through campus. So these are developers, software developers who work with very heavy, machinery and laptops. There's also the event factor. We have these mobile lockers that we move to events for storage during events or other events, as well as charging ports for the phones,” Oduk stated.

“We do have different packages. We have B to B. That is business to business. We have B to C. That is business to customer. What we do is we partner with the existing businesses, so it's probably a salon, a cyber cafe, a coffee shop, or something like that. They give us a space for the lockers, they give us also access to electricity, and then, we list them as our agents,” he added.

Safety and Security for customers

“One of the things that we do and this is a non-negotiable for our agents is we do have to conduct a security protocol,” Oduk said while addressing concerns about the use of the lockers for illicit activities, including the sale or trade of drugs and terrorism weapons. “That is a measure just to make sure that these lockers are situated in secure locations. So one of the things that we do is we deploy these lockers only in buildings where there is proper, free screen at the entrance,” he continued.

Crime in Nairobi

The product is vital to addressing Nairobi’s pressing crime problems. Nairobi ranked the ninth most unsafe city in Africa , sees a high incidence of reported robberies and muggings, with commuters frequently losing their belongings.

The Crime Research Centre data shows that the highest number of crimes reported in Kenya are burglary and housebreaking followed by stealing and muggings.

Additionally, car theft in Nairobi was reportedly the third-highest crime with a rating of 50.08 based on the index.

International recognition

Charles Oduk's innovation has won him several international awards including the 30 under 30 Techpreneur Year Award in 2020 and the 40 under 40 Africa Awards. He has also been invited by international firms including Enpact to demonstrate his work. He has also been at programs including the Africa Prize for Engineering innovation by the Royal Academy of Engineering 10th cohort

Ethiopia's coffee waste gets a second life with Coffee Resurrect’s green tech

Coffee Resurrect, an Ethiopian startup founded in 2021, repurposes unwanted coffee grounds into sustainable, high-quality products. As Africa's first coffee biorefinery, Coffee Resurrect creates all-natural ingredients for personal care, nutraceuticals, and food products. Read more here .

Nigeria: Police adopt 'Kenya style' to break up cost of living protests – Video

On August 1, 2024, Nigerian police fired tear gas and shots in the air to disperse thousands of protesters across the country. The demonstrations, driven by the worsening cost-of-living crisis, saw significant participation in cities like Abuja, Kano, and Lagos. Read more here .

Ghana parliament passes law to quicken women's empowerment

Ghana's lawmakers on July 30 passed a law to give more opportunities to women at the national level. Speaker of parliament Alban Bagbin said the law was passed with a target to increase their participation in governance and decision-making to a minimum of 30% by 2030. Read more here .

Latin America

Opposition cries fraud as Maduro declared winner in controversial Venezuelan election

Venezuelan opposition party, Plataforma Unitaria Democratica (PUD), rejected the CNE's declaration of President Nicolas Maduro as president, labelling it as fraudulent and vowing to challenge the results. Maria Corina Machado, the leader of the PUD, said that González had won with 70% of the votes, claiming he was the rightful president-elect. Read more here .

Panamanian athlete Gianna Woodruff seeks gold medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics

Gianna Woodruff, who became the first Panamanian woman to win a gold medal in athletics at the Pan American Games last year, now has her sights set on a new victory. She aims to bring home another medal from Paris. The American-Panamanian athlete, specialising in the 400-meter hurdles, is determined not to miss her second chance at the Olympics. After participating in the 2020 edition in Tokyo, she is now looking for a rematch. Read more here .

Chilean women rally against senator supporting convicted abuser

Hundreds of Chilean women rallied outside the Supreme Court of Justice in Santiago on July 24, protesting against Senator Javier Macaya, who defended his father, convicted of child sexual abuse. In a recent interview, Macaya asserted his father's innocence in the sex abuse case involving family members. He criticised the legal process, claiming his father’s conviction was based on a recording made without consent and a "highly edited" video, according to AFP. Read more here .

Asia

Scientists discover new bird-like dinosaur in Mongolia

Researchers have discovered a new species of bird-like dinosaur in Mongolia. The dinosaur belongs to the Troodontidae family, known from the Late Jurassic to Late Cretaceous period. Mongolian palaeontologist Barsbold Rinchen said that this group has posed many questions for scientists who are still conducting investigations. Read more here .

Indonesia unveils 'golden visa' for foreign investors

Indonesia has launched a golden visa scheme for individual investors. The residency by investment scheme launched on July 25 offers a five-year visa to investors who set up a local company worth $2.5 million or a 10-year visa if their company is worth $5 million. Read more here .

Thailand to 'boost' its economy with $13.8 billion digital money handout

Thailand is set to embark on an ambitious economic stimulus plan by launching a $13.8 billion digital money handout. This initiative, known as the Digital Wallet programme was announced in April and aims to strengthen the country's lagging economy by distributing digital cash to its citizens. Read more here .

Mongolian palaeontologist Barsbold Rinchen said that this group has posed many questions for scientists who are still conducting investigations.

"The composition of the group was uncertain, the connections are completely unclear. The first finds, very incomplete, were studied in Mongolia from the Upper Cretaceous deposits. Their feet were most often preserved," he was quoted .

The birds were predators with a second toe on their toes and enlarged claw phalanx, similar to that of velociraptors, small feathered dinosaurs also found in Mongolia by scientists.

According to researchers, the claw could have been used for attack and defence. Not much is known about the remaining features of the bird.

Troodontids lack the distinct pelvis and tail features seen in dromaeosaurids. However, scientists believe the two groups might be related.

This idea could be confirmed with future discoveries of more complete skeletons.

A vertical split of this tectonic plate would mean that there will be the creation of two countries, each about the size of Mongolia but studies reveal that the split is happening horizontally.

This finding was presented at the American Geophysical Union conference in December 2023.

The research, titled "Slab tearing and delamination of the Indian lithospheric mantle during flat-slab subduction, southeast Tibet," looks into the formation of the Himalayas, a mountain range, that consists of India, Pakistan, Nepal, China, and Bhutan.

The Himalayas were formed by the collision of the Indian Plate and the Eurasian Plate, a process that started 50 million years ago and is still ongoing.

The team of researchers led by Lin Liu, Danian Shi, and Simon L. Klemperer, began by exploring helium levels in Tibetan springs. Their findings showed that southern Tibet had higher helium levels than northern Tibet, suggesting that the Indian tectonic plate might be splitting beneath the Tibetan plateau. They used '3D S-wave receiver-functions' to study the Indian Plate, a method that uses earthquake data to image the Earth's internal structure.

Their results showed that the Indian Plate might be tearing or getting deformed, with its top and lower slabs coming loose.

This could mean that the plate is 'underplating' or 'subducting' beneath a 'mantle wedge,' indicating that the plate is peeling into two layers rather than breaking apart completely.

The study, published in ESS Open Archive , noted, "Our 3D S-wave receiver-functions newly reveal orogen-perpendicular tearing or warping of the Indian Plate."

This means the Indian Plate is splitting horizontally, a process that has huge significance for understanding tectonic activity and the future geology of the region.