Author: Deshwale Science and Environment Desk

The sky has always been a canvas of dreams for India, a nation that gazes upward with ambition and pride. From the ancient astronomers of Ujjain to the modern rockets of ISRO, the cosmos has whispered promises of greatness to every Indian heart. Shubhanshu Shukla, a 39-year-old Group Captain from Lucknow, embodies this celestial yearning. He is not just an astronaut preparing to soar to the International Space Station (ISS) on the Axiom-4 mission. He is a symbol of India’s relentless pursuit of the stars, a bridge between the grounded dreams of a billion people and the infinite possibilities of…

On World Environment Day 2025, coal and lignite Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) launched a nationwide campaign focused on afforestation and plastic elimination. Events were organised across nearly 350 locations in 11 coal/lignite-bearing states as part of a mega environmental initiative. The plantation drive, titled “Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam” aimed to honour nature by planting thousands of saplings in mining and barren lands. This year’s theme “One Nation, One Mission – End Plastic Pollution” was actively promoted alongside the plantation campaign. The PSUs took steps to eliminate single-use plastic from their offices and encouraged local communities to do the same.…

India’s farming scene just got a bold new upgrade. A massive agri hackathon and the launch of the Clean Plant Programme signal a tech-savvy, disease-free future for horticulture. Hosted in Pune, this event drew innovators, scientists, and farmers into one green mission: grow better, smarter, and cleaner. Hackathon Sparks a Farming Revolution In early June, Pune became the innovation capital for agriculture. Young minds pitched tools, sensors, and startup ideas to solve rural challenges. From crop monitoring drones to AI-driven pest alerts, the field saw action—and ideas worth planting. The hackathon wasn’t just a contest. It was a platform to…

A star system holds icy secrets. NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has confirmed crystalline water ice in a dusty disk around a young star. Named HD 181327, this Sun-like star lies 155 light-years away. The discovery, published in Nature on 14 May 2025, marks a first in astronomy. Astronomers long suspected frozen water in other star systems. Water vapour and solar system ice offered clues. In 2008, NASA’s Spitzer Telescope hinted at ice in HD 181327’s disk. Its data lacked precision. Webb’s Near-Infrared Spectrograph (NIRSpec) changed that. It captured detailed spectra, proving water ice exists. The star, aged 23 million…

Mumbai’s summer spell may just be interrupted — with rain and thunder in the mix. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow alert for May 13 and 14 across Mumbai and nearby districts. What’s the Forecast? As per IMD, rain with lightning and thunder is expected in Mumbai, Thane, and Raigad. The alert suggests isolated showers and a possible dip in temperatures. Raigad, Thane, and Palghar may also experience similar weather. Thundercloud formation is likely, with gusty winds up to 40 km/h. Why the Sudden Shift? The sudden weather change is linked to increased convectional activity and the…

Picture a distant galaxy, far beyond our Milky Way, where two massive black holes live side by side. A tale of two black holes unfolds as astronomers uncover this rare cosmic duo, each a heavyweight in its own right. One, a true titan, sits at the galaxy’s heart, while the other, a bit smaller, hangs out far from the centre. This discovery, found 600 million light-years away, is like stumbling across two kings ruling one kingdom, and it’s got scientists buzzing. A star’s final flash The smaller black hole was sneaky, hiding in the galaxy’s shadows. Then it tore apart…

उत्तराखंड के घने जंगलों में हाल ही में एक ऐसा नज़ारा सामने आया जिसने वन विभाग से लेकर वन्यजीव प्रेमियों तक को चौंका दिया। एक विशालकाय बाघ की मौजूदगी ने सबका ध्यान खींचा, नाम दिया गया ‘हरक्यूलिस’। माना जा रहा है कि ये एशिया का सबसे बड़ा बाघ है। उसकी कद-काठी और रुतबे को देखकर यही कहा जा सकता है कि वो सिर्फ एक जानवर नहीं, बल्कि एक पूरी कहानी है, जंगलों में हो रही कामयाब बाघ संरक्षण की कहानी। कैसे बना हरक्यूलिस हरक्यूलिस की मौजूदगी इस बात का सबूत है कि उत्तराखंड ने बाघों के संरक्षण में कितना लंबा…

Imagine looking down from space and spotting a tiny robot doing its job on another planet. Sounds like sci-fi, right? Well, NASA just made it real. For the first time ever, the space agency has captured an image of its Perseverance rover from orbit, and it is mind blowing. Wait, How did they even do that? NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) has been circling the Red Planet for years, snapping high resolution pics with its HiRISE camera. But catching a moving rover? That is tricky. The MRO had to zoom in at just the right moment while flying over…

India is set to enter a new chapter in space exploration. By 2035, the country will have its own independent space station, according to ISRO chairman V. Narayanan. Speaking at an event in Chennai on Wednesday, Mr Narayanan said work is already underway to build a massive rocket, the height of a 40-storey building, that will eventually take Indian astronauts into space. The space station, expected to weigh around 52 tonnes, will be fully developed and placed in orbit by 2035. He also shared ISRO’s broader vision – by the year 2040, India aims to be among the world’s most…

Nestlé India has expanded its green mission in India’s hill stations. Just ahead of World Earth Day, the company strengthened Project Hilldaari in the scenic towns of Palampur and Dalhousie, Himachal Pradesh. Project Hilldaari is a joint effort with PLAN Foundation and technical partner Recity India. It focuses on sustainable, community-based waste management. Over the last five years, it has helped set up cleaner systems in nine popular tourist spots including Mussoorie, Darjeeling, Munnar, and Panchgani. Palampur’s Clean-Up Success Palampur joined the initiative in October 2023 and has quickly turned into a model city for waste handling. The project now…