Science News

Nepal has scrapped Mount Everest’s $4,000 rubbish deposit scheme after climbers found ways to cheat it. Introduced in 2014, the plan failed to reduce waste at higher camps. Authorities are now replacing it with a non-refundable clean-up fee.

India has released a new seismic zonation map under the 2025 Earthquake Design Code, placing the entire Himalayan arc in the highest-risk Zone VI. The updated map shows 61% of India now lies in moderate to high hazard zones.

A study found people tend to travel about 78 minutes a day, regardless of transport mode, income or location. Researchers say energy savings should focus on low-energy modes, not speed. Designing cities for walking, cycling, electric transit is key.

A new study has explored the rise of 'deathbots', AI systems that simulate the voices and personalities of deceased. Researchers created digital doubles of themselves to test the tech and found it emotionally limited, and commercially driven.

James Watson, Nobel Prize-winning American biologist who helped discover DNA's double-helix structure, has died. Once celebrated as one of the most influential scientists of the 20th century, his later years were clouded by racist and sexist remarks.

GSAT-7R (CMS-03) will give Navy faster, secure & wider communications across Indian Ocean. With high-capacity transponders and multi-band links for ships, submarines, aircraft and shore centres, it will improve tracking of vessels, help spot threats.

ISRO will launch heaviest communication satellite, CMS-03, using LVM3 rocket on November 2. The 4,400 kg multi-band satellite will provide communication services across India and nearby ocean regions. This marks LVM3 vehicle's 5th operational flight.

Alok Sagar Gautam, Assistant Professor at Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal University, has been selected to contribute to ISRO's Venus Orbiter Mission, India's first mission to Venus. Dr Gautam is a specialist in atmospheric and environmental physics.

Education Ministry has announced integration of AI and Computational Thinking into school curriculum from Grade 3 onwards, beginning 2026-27. The initiative focuses on ethical AI use, teacher training, and inclusive, skill-based learning.

16th-century seer Nostradamus is being interpreted as predicting major global crises by the end of 2025. His quoted lines have been linked to fears of war and upheaval. Experts urge caution, noting many prophecies are vague.