Decoding the Universe, One Discovery at a Time: Your Daily Dose of Indian Science From ISRO's groundbreaking missions propelling India to new heights in space exploration, to indigenous innovations tackling pressing climate challenges, abtak.com brings you the latest in science and technology shaping our nation and the world. Are Indian scientists unlocking the secrets of personalized medicine? How are advancements in AI impacting our daily lives, from agriculture to healthcare? Dive into cutting-edge research, breakthroughs in biotechnology, and the minds revolutionizing our understanding of the planet and beyond. Stay informed about the implications of scientific advancements, ethical considerations, and the future of technology right here in India. Explore the mysteries of the cosmos, delve into the intricacies of the human body, and witness the transformative power of scientific inquiry. Join us as we unravel the complexities of science and its impact on our future. What breakthroughs await us tomorrow?
Kolkata: Researchers from the Kolkata-headquartered Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) discovered four new species of microscopic parasitic wasps. These wasps, belonging to the genus Idris Förster (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae), were found in West Bengal and are primary egg parasitoids of jumping spiders (Salticidae). Uniquely, they exhibit gregarious parasitism, where multiple wasps develop within a single spider egg sac.The newly identified species -- Idris bianor, Idris furvus, Idris hyllus, and Idris longiscapus -- were collected between 2021 and 2023 from agroecosystems and semi-natural habitats across West Bengal. Their identification was achieved through a meticulous combination of detailed morphological examination and cutting-edge DNA barcoding. The discovery, led by senior scientist Ks Rajmohana and her research team, was recently published in the European Journal of Taxonomy. This study not only expands highlights the remarkable variety of parasitoid wasps in lesser-explored habitats."It represents a modern, integrative approach to understanding biodiversity," ZSI director Dhriti Banerjee said."Each new species discovery adds a critical piece to the puzzle of life's diversity. Understanding these hidden members of ecosystems can reveal essential insights into ecological processes, evolution, and biodiversity patterns," said K Rajmohana, scientist E at ZSI."An integrated taxonomic approach, which combines traditional morphological studies with modern molecular analysis, is crucial for species delimitation," explained K P Dinesh, Scientist E at ZSI, Pune, who provided the molecular expertise for the study.Co-author Rupam Debnath, a researcher on the team, commented on the global significance of the findings: "DNA sequences are currently available for only a small number of described Idris species globally. This makes our contribution particularly valuable in expanding the genetic reference library for the group."Parasitoid wasps like Idris play a crucial ecological role by regulating host populations, such as spiders, thereby helping to maintain the balance of arthropod communities. "Despite their minute size, parasitoids are powerful natural regulators," noted Sushama V, lead author and DST-Inspire Fellow.This latest research builds upon earlier findings by the team, first published in the open-access journal PLOS ONE, which documented the phenomenon of gregarious parasitism by Idris species from India.
BENGALURU, India, June 5, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Marriott India proudly achieved its ambitious goal for World Environment Day 2025, a commitment to plant 100,000 trees across its extensive portfolio of over 150 hotels nationwide. This significant undertaking marked a powerful escalation of Marriott India's dedication to sustainability and ecological restoration, building upon the success of its previous environmental initiatives. This landmark endeavor was built upon the successful foundation of last year's 'Two Trees per Room' initiative, launched on World Environment Day 2024. That program, a ...Read More >
Bhubaneswar: Nature lovers have a fresh reason to visit Nandankanan Zoological Park in Odisha's Bhubaneswar, as the famed wildlife sanctuary welcomed seven baby yellow anacondas into its reptilian fold on Sunday -- a rare and exciting addition that underscores the zoo's growing reputation as a haven for exotic species. The tiny hatchlings were born to a breeding pair of yellow anacondas brought to Nandankanan from the Madras Crocodile Bank Trust in Chennai in October 2019. With these new arrivals, the zoo now proudly houses a thriving family of 14 yellow anacondas -- two adult males, two adul ...Read More >
Ludhiana: As International Plastic Bag Free Day is observed on July 3, rising use of plastics, including plastic bags, are posing an unprecedented threat to bird population. Ornithologists and conservationists are sounding urgent alarms about the growing menace of plastic pollution -- that is choking habitats, contaminating food chains, and pushing several bird species to the brink of collapse.Plastic has turned into a long-lasting hazard in natural ecosystems. Each year, over 400 million tonnes of plastic are produced globally, and a staggering amount finds its way into the open environment. ...Read More >
In a groundbreaking conservation effort, a large-scale underwater cleanup at Sindhudurg’s coral reefs removed 300 kg of marine debris, marking a significant step in protecting the fragile ecosystem. Organized by environmental groups, the Maharashtra Forest Department, and local divers, the operation targeted harmful pollutants like fishing nets, plastic, and glass bottles. The cleanup, which took place over two days, aims to restore coral health by removing debris that suffocates corals and disrupts marine life. The initiative, supported by local communities, sets the stage for further efforts ...Read More >
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has charged five individuals, including goldy Brar, in relation to the 2024 Gurugram club bombing plot, as revealed in a recently filed chargesheet. This case involves a conspiracy to bomb two clubs, aiming to disrupt communal harmony in Haryana, with the banned terrorist group Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) implicated. The NIA's investigation highlights the severity of the plot. Those charged include satinderjit Singh (Goldy Brar), Sachin Talian, Ankit, Bhavish, and Randeep Singh. News Directory 3 provides crucial updates on sensitive cases such ...Read More >
New Delhi: Three Indian citizens vanished mysteriously in Tehran. Darkness closed in as hope seemed lost. A ruthless Pakistani gang with potential links to ISI snatched them away, casting a shadow of fear. But relentless Indian diplomats refused to back down. Against all odds, a daring rescue mission ignited. Now, the captives are free, and a chilling game of espionage comes to light. The Punjab-based trio - Amritpal Singh from Hoshiarpur, Jaspal Singh from SBS Nagar and Hushnapreet Singh from Sangrur - had landed in Iran on May 1. Promised a clandestine route to Australia via Dubai and Tehra ...Read More >
Srinagar- Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Saturday said foreign countries were told clearly during the post-Operation Sindoor diplomatic outreach that in case of a fresh provocation, India would repeat its action. Speaking at a discussion at the Ahmedabad Management Association, Tharoor said Indian delegations which visited foreign countries in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor managed to convey that India acted with restraint and responsibility. "In other places, we actually were able to get some very high-placed people to say not only that they respected and supported India's right of self- ...Read More >
Navi Mumbai: In a tragic incident that has sparked outrage among environmentalists, a golden jackal was crushed to death by a speeding vehicle around midnight on Sunday near DPS Flamingo Lake, Nerul. The accident occurred on the service road parallel to Palm Beach Road, an area known for its rich biodiversity. According to a volunteer from the Wildlife Welfare Association (WWA), the jackal was hit on its back by an unidentified four-wheeler, leaving it badly mangled. The volunteer rushed to the spot after receiving a distress call around 12 a.m., but the animal could not be saved. The incide ...Read More >
New Delhi: The national capital may soon witness a second thriving habitat for leopards, signalling a remarkable ecological revival. However, to make this possible, it is crucial to gain the trust of local communities, who remain wary of the leopard's return due to unpleasant experiences in the past.Asola Wildlife Sanctuary, nestled within the Aravali ecosystem, has long supported a sustainable population of wild leopards. Recently, these apex predators have also been spotted in the Yamuna floodplain, particularly near villages adjacent to the biodiversity park. Since 2016, leopards have been ...Read More >
International Jaguar Day 2024: Tomorrow, November 29th, people from across the globe will celebrate International Jaguar Day, a special occasion dedicated to one of the rarest species in the wild -- the majestic jaguar. This day is a significant effort to raise awareness about jaguars, iconic symbols of biodiversity and ecological balance. It also highlights the importance of protecting these incredible creatures, which are not only the largest wild cats found in the Americas but also crucial apex predators that play a vital role in maintaining healthy ecosystems. International Jaguar Day pro ...Read More >
Srinagar, June 7: Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, on Saturday, congratulated the University of Kashmir for getting an A++ grade in the NAAC inspection. The Lt Governor extended his heartiest congratulations to the Vice Chancellor, faculty, staff, and students of the University of Kashmir for attaining the prestigious A++ Grade by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC), and securing an outstanding Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 3.68 on a seven-point scale. Calling it a proud moment for J&K UT, the Lt Governor said, "The A++ Grade places the Un ...Read More >
India is also undergoing a content revolution. In the past five years, short-form video platforms have witnessed a 3.6X surge in daily active users, positioning themselves as serious competitors to mainstream digital entertainment platforms. India's online commerce sector is set to skyrocket from $30 billion in 2020 to $300 billion by 2030, contributing to what is now being dubbed a $1 trillion digital consumer opportunity, according to a new report by Bessemer Venture Partners titled Click, Wat ...Read More >
Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], July 1: NBR Group, one of South India's most trusted and progressive real estate developers, has announced the launch of its new premium residential offering-- 'Soul of the Seasons', exclusive 3 BHK apartments at Mullur, off Sarjapur Road, Bengaluru. The project has received approval from RERA (Real Estate Regulatory Authority). Conceptualized around the idea of 'Resort Living, Every Day', the project blends modern urban lifestyles with the rare luxury of open, green spaces--bringing together elegance, community, and conscious living in one of Bengaluru's fastest ...Read More >
MADURAI: Likening the custodial murder of Ajith Kumar in Tiruppuvanam to an 'organised crime by police where the state kills its own citizens,' Madras high court lambasted the Tamil Nadu police and said the action against the perpetrators should be more stringent than in normal murder cases.A division bench of Justice S M Subramaniam and Justice A D Maria Clete pointed to 44 external injuries on the person of Ajith Kumar and said no part of the body was spared by the delinquent cops. "Even an ordinary murderer would not have inflicted such kind of injuries," the bench said on Tuesday.The natur ...Read More >
VISAKHAPATNAM: In a first for any zoological park in Andhra Pradesh, the Indira Gandhi Zoological Park (IGZP) in Visakhapatnam has successfully hatched 27 bird chicks through artificial incubation, while seven others were hatched naturally. The chicks belong to five bird species, including Blue Gold Macaw, Lutino Parakeet, Peach-Faced Lovebird, Red Junglefowl, and Indian Peafowl. The zoo's veterinary team, including one senior veterinarian, one conservation biologist, and two paravets and animal keepers, carried out the work. Among the 34 chicks, three Lutino Parakeets and four Peach-Faced ...Read More >
Bhubaneswar: The state cabinet, under the chairmanship of chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi, on Friday approved a comprehensive five-year biotechnology development scheme with an outlay of Rs 1,113.50 crore. The programme will be implemented from 2025-26 to 2029-30.The 'Development of Biotechnology' initiative, comprising 17 sub-schemes, aims to transform Odisha into a knowledge-driven bio-economy by leveraging the state's rich biodiversity and existing research infrastructure."This scheme will create a robust ecosystem for innovation, incubation and investment in the biotechnology sector," a ...Read More >
Silchar: Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday visited the flood-ravaged districts of Hailakandi and Sribhumi in the Barak Valley. He assured affected residents of providing timely disbursement of rehabilitation grants and swift repair of damaged infrastructure.This marks Sarma's second visit to the flood-hit region within four days, underscoring the gravity of the situation. Speaking to the media in Sribhumi after inspecting multiple relief camps, the CM said, "Flood-related problems may persist till July. I will return before Durga Puja to ensure that roads and infrastructure ar ...Read More >
Kolkata, June 28: A political slugfest has erupted in West Bengal after a woman accused Padma Shree awardee monk Kartik Maharaj, who is posted with the Murshidabad unit of Bharat Sevashram Sangha, of allegedly raping her 12 times for six months in 2013. As per the police complaint lodged by the woman, Kartik Maharaj raped her multiple times 12 years ago promising her a job at a local school. The ruling Trinamool Congress is highlighting the issue in a major way and accusing the BJP of being silent on it since the accused monk had been reportedly close to the saffron party. The woman accusin ...Read More >
Guwahati: A new tree species belonging to the Garcinia genus has been discovered in Assam, adding to the region's botanical richness. The newly identified species, Garcinia kusumae, has been named in honour of Kusum Devi, the late mother of Jatindra Sarma, a noted botanist and Chairman of Assam's State Expert Appraisal Committee under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. Ready for a challenge? Click here to take our quiz and show off your knowledge! The discovery has been detailed in the latest issue of Feddes Repertorium, a peer-reviewed journal focused on plant taxonomy ...Read More >
Jaisalmer, Jun 7 (PTI) To honour the armed forces following Operation Sindoor, a special tribute is taking shape in the border state of Rajasthan - rare Great Indian Bustard (GIB) chicks born under a conservation project in Jaisalmer have been named after key officers and significant milestones linked to the operation. Names like 'Sindoor', 'Atom', 'Mishri', 'Vyom', and 'Sophia' now resonate through the conservation centres at Sudasari and Sam, where science, strategy and national pride are working together to revive one of India's most endangered bird species. "By giving these chicks these ...Read More >
Mumbai, June 29 (SocialNews.XYZ) It was a belligerent, brilliant, and breathtaking performance from the Chennai Bulls, who were crowned the first ever champions of the Rugby Premier League, here in Mumbai, at the Shahaji Raje Bhosale Sports Complex. The Chennai Bulls thrashed the Delhi Redz by a scoreline of 41-0 in the final, to clinch the title. In fact, the margin of victory is the biggest across Season 1 of the GMR RPL. Meanwhile, the Hyderabad Heroes, who had finished top of the table in the league stage, came away with a third-place finish, after they won 17-12 against the Bengaluru Bra ...Read More >
Sikandar ka Muqaddar Controversy: A scene capturing the flamingos in the recently released Netflix movie has stirred a new row among environmentalists. As per a Free Press Journal report, the greens have alleged that the flamingo shot was captured from a close angle purportedly via a drone. The complaint was made to the Mangrove Cell with a request to take the issue in cognizance legally with the Navi Mumbai Police Commissioner, NRI Coastal police station and CIDCO. A part of the NatConnect Foundation's complaint stated that during the timeline 1:03:44 to 1:03:54 in the movie, a shot captured ...Read More >
Kolkata, Jan 10 (PTI) Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) scientists identified a new pangolin species which diverged from the Chinese pangolin (Manis pentadactyla) around 3.4 million years ago, the organisation said in a statement on Friday. The ZSI said the discovery of the Indo-Burmese pangolin (Manis indo-burmanica) sheds light on the evolutionary diversity of pangolins, likely influenced by dramatic geo-climatic changes in the region, one of the world's biodiversity hotspots. The study, led by Mukesh Thakur of the ZSI, used cutting-edge genomic tools to analyse mitochondrial genomes. "Thi ...Read More >
Nagpur: Development without ecology is not development it is devastation in disguise, remarked, environmentalist and member of the State Board for Wildlife Shrikant Tekade while addressing a World Environment Day programme organised by RTO Nagpur in collaboration with the Institute of Environment, Ecology, Health & Management (IEEHM).Speaking on this year's theme 'Beat Plastic Pollution and Deforestation', Tekade painted a grim picture of plastic misuse and its growing impact on both urban and forest ecosystems. He pointed out that Nagpur generates over 1,100 tonnes of municipal waste daily, o ...Read More >
Jaipur (Rajasthan) [India], June 29 (ANI): Aam Aadmi Party MP Sanjay Singh requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene in saving Jaipur's Dol Ka Badh forest from destruction. The Rajasthan government plans to convert the forest into a commercial hub, featuring a Prime Minister's Unity Mall, a Fintech Park, and hotels, which would involve cutting down approximately 2,400 trees. Sanjay Singh, in a letter to PM Modi, mentioned that the project is against the 'ideology' of PM Modi's 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' mission and would harm the natural form and ecological balance of the area, exacerbat ...Read More >
ITANAGAR, 1 Jul: Forest officials in Arunachal Pradesh have discovered a new species of flowering plant, Begonia nyishiorum, in the high-altitude forests of East Kameng district. The species was documented during a challenging expedition by the Seppa Forest Division. Its discovery was recently published in the prestigious international journal Novon: A Journal for Botanical Nomenclature, on 23 June. Named in honour of the Nyishi tribe, the plant stands out for its unique crimson-fringed petioles, an identifying feature not seen in any other Asian begonia, sources in the state Forest Departme ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday announced the provisional attachment of assets worth approximately ₹131.45 crore in Spain, including a luxury yacht and immovable properties, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). These assets belong to Pavel Prozorov, a Spanish national and the alleged mastermind behind the unauthorised forex trading platform OctaFX. The attached assets comprise a commercial Italian-model luxury yacht cruising in the Western Mediterranean, a minijet boat, a luxury car, and two residential properties in Spain. The ED's probe was launched ...Read More >
Mumbai, Maharashtra, India - Business Wire India * Credit Conference 2025 designed to drive growth, financial inclusion, and ease of doing business in India * Leaders from banking, FinTech, and policy convened to discuss data-driven credit inclusion and the path to a credit-ready India * Expanding creditworthiness to support India's financial goals under the Bharat@2047 vision was a key theme As India's credit growth reaches new segments and geographies, the focus is shifting towards enabling access to financial services supported by data-driven insights, transparency, and informed risk manage ...Read More >
CHENNAI: The state government notified the establishment of the Greater Flamingo Sanctuary at Dhanushkodi in Ramanathapuram on 524.78 hectares of land on the occasion of World Environment Day on Thursday. This apart, the state forest department also reinforced its workforce with a major recruitment drive and the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) certified industries under the Voluntary Green Rating of Industries initiative, a first-of-its-kind. Marking the occasion, Chief Minister MK Stalin handed over the appointment letters along with the rating certificates to the industries. He ...Read More >
Sambalpur: The population of Indian Bisons (Gaur) in Odisha's Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary has increased to 788 from 659 in six months, a forest officer said. The authorities of the Hirakud wildlife division conducted the census from May 11 to May 13, this year and published the report Friday. As per the report, the total number of Indian Bison in the wildlife sanctuary was 788, which includes 315 juveniles (less than 2 year old) and 128 newborns (less than 3 months). Of the total bison population, 315 (40 per cent) are juvenile. For the first time, the census of Indian Bisons was conducted ...Read More >