Here are today’s most important updates from the realm of Science and Space.
Mission Shakthisat: All-Girls Team Wins Praise from President for Lunar Progress
The all-girls team behind Mission Shakthisat, an international satellite initiative
led by Space Kidz India (SKI), met President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan. The young innovators from government schools in Madhya Pradesh presented the progress of what is being hailed as the world’s first satellite mission entirely conceptualised, designed, and executed by young women. Mission Shakthisat, spearheaded by the SKI Star Foundation, aims to unite 12,000 students from 108 countries to collaboratively design, develop, and deploy a satellite. The initiative promotes global cooperation and STEM empowerment, embodying India’s philosophy of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, the world is one family.
Perseverance Rover’s Latest Image Has Internet Guessing: Comet or Cosmic Visitor?
An alleged photo of interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS, captured by NASA's Mars Perseverance rover, has gone viral on social media. The image shows a bright, cylindrical object zooming through the Martian sky, fueling speculation about its true nature. Some are questioning whether it's a comet or an "alien mothership," as suggested by Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb. However, experts suggest the unusual shape is likely an artifact of the long integration time used to capture the image, rather than an actual cylindrical shape. The comet, which flew by Mars on October 3, is estimated to be around 46 kilometers in diameter and is moving at an incredible 60 km/sec.
Ordinary Vinegar, Extraordinary Science: Nanotech Makes It Kill Deadly Superbugs
Researchers have enhanced vinegar’s antibacterial properties by infusing it with cobalt-based carbon nanoparticles. This nano-boosted solution kills harmful bacteria from both inside and outside their cells while remaining safe for humans. Tests on mice showed it healed infected wounds effectively. The discovery could be a breakthrough against antibiotic-resistant infections worldwide. Acetic acid (more commonly known as vinegar) has been used for centuries as a disinfectant, but it is only effective against a small number of bacteria, and it does not kill the most dangerous types. New research has resulted in the ability to boost the natural bacterial killing qualities of vinegar by adding antimicrobial nanoparticles made from carbon and cobalt.
Unseasonal Rains, Early Chill: Why India’s October Weather Is Acting Up?
Heavy rains triggering landslides in Darjeeling, West Bengal, moderate showers soaking Delhi-NCR in early October, and fresh snow blanketing parts of Jammu & Kashmir, India’s weather map is a striking patchwork of contrasts this week. The culprit behind this curious concoction? Intense western disturbances, weather systems that sweep in from the Mediterranean region, bringing moisture and instability to northern India. The wind pattern at high altitudes above the ground, known as the jet stream, acts as a pathway for these systems. Western disturbances were unusually strong and more frequent in August, for which weather activities across high latitudes are responsible.
