International Academic Excellence Awards

  It's not just the dazzling colours and slick moves of Australia's dancing spiders that make them special. There are more than 100 different species of the peacock spider, whereas most animals have only five or ten. Researchers believe that's partly down to the spider's ' dark DNA ' - a mysterious part of the animal's genetic code, and they are studying it to find out more. They think that this dark DNA might enable it to adapt rapidly to changing environmental circumstances by developing into new species. What the scientists find out, they say, might help to explain why there is so much variation in the natural world. "We are interested in how the spiders evolve to become that diverse," Jonah Walker, of the Sanger Institute told BBC News. "When you go outside you see so much variation in species of plants and animals," he said. "Peacock spiders are at the extreme end of that. And so, by studying them, we can use that extreme case t...

  Is there a scientific reason why the universe exists? In other words, what is the science of why there is anything at all, instead of only nothing? The answer has to do with opposites. Scientists have found that the universe exists because it began with a slight imbalance between matter and antimatter. Particles of matter that is, all of the electrons, protons and neutrons in the atoms and molecules of regular stuff differ from particles of antimatter, which carry the opposite electric charge but are similar in many ways. Matter and antimatter do not get along. When their particles collide, they annihilate each other in an intense burst of gamma-rays. Fortunately, antimatter is now extremely rare. Although antimatter had a foundational role in the formation of the universe, the fact that there is now so little of it is one of cosmology's great mysteries. Antimatter was predicted by English physicist Paul Dirac almost 100 years ago as part of his pioneering work on quantum mechan...

  The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) introduced the Environment Audit Rules, 2025 to address growing challenges in environmental monitoring. These rules allow private accredited auditors to supplement the existing regulatory bodies. The move aims to improve compliance verification, transparency and accountability in environmental governance across India. Background Environmental monitoring in India is mainly conducted by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs), and regional offices of the Environment Ministry. These bodies face severe constraints in manpower, resources and infrastructure. This limits their ability to comprehensively monitor the vast number of industrial projects and environmental activities nationwide. The new rules seek to bridge these gaps by involving independent private auditors. Independent Environment Auditors The Environment Audit Rules establish a new category of environment auditors. ...

  Recent research has uncovered a hidden role of the protein p47 in protecting other proteins from mechanical stress inside cells. This discovery could lead to new treatments for diseases where protein stability under force is impaired. Scientists at the S. N. Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences (SNBNCBS) demonstrated that p47 acts as a mechanical chaperone, stabilising proteins under physical strain. This challenges previous views that p47 was only an accessory helper to the cellular machine p97. The findings open new avenues in understanding cellular mechanics and protein quality control. Role of Mechanical Stress in Cells Proteins inside cells constantly face mechanical forces. These arise during vital processes like transport, degradation, and cytoskeletal changes. Such forces can cause proteins to unfold or misfold, affecting their function. Cellular health depends on proteins maintaining their shape despite these stresses. Until now, canonical chaperones were known to ass...

  The recent discovery of the orchid species Gastrochilus pechei in Arunachal Pradesh has added a new member to India’s rich orchid family. Previously known only from Myanmar, this finding confirms the floristic link between the two regions. The discovery was made in Vijoynagar, a remote area bordering Myanmar, at an altitude of 1,200 metres. This event marks Arunachal Pradesh’s status as the Orchid State of India, home to about 60% of the country’s orchid varieties. Background of Gastrochilus Pechei Gastrochilus pechei is a species from the Gastrochilus genus, first recorded in 1825. The genus includes 77 species found across tropical, subtropical, and temperate Asia. These orchids have a monopodial growth pattern and are noted for their short axillary inflorescence with brightly coloured flowers. A key feature is the distinct epichile on the saccate hypochile and the presence of two porate, globose pollinia on a slender stipe. Discovery and Identification In September 2024, rese...

  The European Space Agency’s Solar Orbiter has made a breakthrough in understanding the origins of energetic particles emitted by the Sun. Launched in 2020 as a joint ESA-NASA mission, the probe has captured unprecedented images of the Sun’s poles and traced the sources of Solar Energetic Electrons (SEEs). These findings provide crucial vital information about space weather phenomena that impact Earth and space technology. Solar Orbiter Mission Achievements Solar Orbiter is the first spacecraft to image the Sun’s poles. It orbits closer to the Sun than any previous mission. Equipped with ten instruments, it measures solar wind and observes solar surface features remotely. Between November 2020 and December 2022, it detected over 300 bursts of energetic electrons. This data helps scientists link specific solar events to particle emissions. Types of Solar Energetic Electrons There are two main types of SEEs. The first type is associated with solar flares, which are sudden explosion...

  Recent observations reveal an unusual behaviour among killer whales (Orcinus orca). These large dolphins have been seen sharing freshly caught prey with humans. Unlike typical wild animal interactions, killer whales wait for humans to respond before retrieving their offering. This behaviour has sparked scientific interest into the reasons behind such interspecies provisioning. Uncommon Interaction Between Species Killer whales are known for social prey sharing within their pods and occasionally with other species. However, interactions involving humans are rare. Researchers collected data from 2004 to 2024 across five oceanic regions. They analysed 34 confirmed cases where whales approached humans from a distance of at least 15 metres underwater and offered prey directly. In 33 cases, the whales waited for a human response before taking back the prey or leaving. Varied Prey and Human Responses The prey offered included seaweed, fish, invertebrates, reptiles, birds, and mammals. ...