El Nino rises: India's post-monsoon outlook turns dry, below-normal rain ahead

The India Meteorological Department forecasts below-normal rainfall across most of India between October and December 2026. This dry outlook follows a 13% deficit in the southwest monsoon. A strengthening El Nino continues to influence climate patterns, as international experts said the 2026 El Nino has intensified sharply through the year.

From drones to missiles: How startups are reshaping India's defence industry

G. Satheesh Reddy said India’s defence startup ecosystem now develops drones, missiles, and satellites. Speaking at the India Today Conclave - South 2026, he noted that private firms have moved beyond supplying parts to building complete systems. Government schemes like iDEX have funded over 700 startups to boost this growing revolution.

European Smile spacecraft captures massive aurora storm on top of Earth

The European-Chinese Smile spacecraft captured its first ultraviolet view of the northern lights on July 24. This mission shows a glowing ring around Earth’s North Pole as the magnetic field responded to solar particles. Launched on May 19, 2026, the craft now helps scientists study how solar activity affects us.

What are the new guidelines set by IN-SPACe for Indian and foreign hosted-payloads

IN-SPACe released new guidelines on September 17, 2026, for hosted-payloads. These rules help private Indian companies use space infrastructure for their technology. Indian entities now need official authorisation to host payloads on any satellite. Meanwhile, non-Indian entities do not need this permission, but they must follow all relevant safety laws.

SpaceX Starship engine failure could hit NASA moon mission plans

SpaceX Starship engine failure could hit NASA moon mission plans after a Raptor engine malfunctioned during Monday’s test flight in Texas. Engineer Dean Sladen said, "Any engine fix that holds up the next flights eats into that schedule." This setback may delay NASA’s goal to land humans on the moon.

A record-breaking X-ray flash may reveal the birth of a magnetar

Astronomers detected a record-breaking X-ray flash on July 4, 2025, using the Einstein Probe satellite. This event, named EP250704a/GRB 250704B, likely marks the birth of a magnetar from merging neutron stars. "This is the longest lasting prompt X-ray flash ever observed from a neutron star merger," said student Niccolò Passaleva.

Why Kamchatka's giant earthquake sent a smaller tsunami across the Pacific

In July 2025, a magnitude 8.8 earthquake struck off Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula, triggering a massive local tsunami. While waves reached 20 meters near the coast, they remained smaller across the Pacific than those from a 1952 quake. Experts said, "The earthquake's size mattered, but so did where the rocks moved."

The north pole of Mars is less dusty than scientists thought

A University of Washington study published in npj Space Exploration shows that the north pole of Mars contains less dust than scientists thought. Aditya Khuller said, "We know there is water ice in the area surrounding the north pole of Mars, but there has been widespread disagreement as to how dusty that ice is."

Little-studied Antarctic basin could raise sea levels, but melt timing remains unknown

The Wilkes Subglacial Basin in East Antarctica could raise sea levels by 3–4 meters if its ice melts. Researchers said, "The region is vulnerable to change." While the basin remains little-studied, past warm periods showed the ice sheet shrank when the climate got 2–3°C warmer, threatening our future global climate.

Asgard archaea suggest crawling motility may be far older than previously thought

Microbiologists at the University of Vienna showed that Asgard archaea move in a dynamic manner. A new study in Nature revealed these cells extend long protrusions to crawl across surfaces. This behavior, previously known only in eukaryotes, suggests that complex life might have started much earlier than we once thought.

Root stock to tackle Gummy Stem Blight disease in watermelon crop

Scientists at the Indian Institute of Horticulture Research developed Arka Shakti, a new hybrid root stock to fight Gummy Stem Blight in watermelons. Sreenivasa Rao said, “Using resistant root stocks is a good option to overcome this problem.” This innovation helps farmers grow healthy crops and protects them from fungal infections.

Man shares why he chose TIFR over IITs and IISc after securing AIR 1 in IIT JAM Physics; viral video divides internet

Sarvesh Gupta secured All India Rank 1 in Physics in IIT JAM 2026 but chose TIFR Mumbai for his Integrated PhD. He said he chose what he called a "beautiful institute" over IITs or IISc. This decision sparked a viral debate online about choosing research over traditional engineering paths.