Lopburi’s Monkey Mayhem: City Battles Overpopulation and Aggression In Lopburi, a historic city in Thailand, residents are all too familiar with the sight of monkeys looting fruits from vehicles or swarming buildings. Known as “Monkey City,” Lopburi has long coexisted with its thousands of long-tailed macaques, which locals and tourists alike considered a charming aspect of the city. However, the pandemic disrupted this harmony, leading to a monkey mayhem and the residents are now struggling to manage. A Change in Behaviour Post-Pandemic Before the COVID-19 lockdowns, Lopburi’s residents would feed the approximately 3,000 macaques living among them, even hosting an…
Author: Kanika Sharma
Read More
Voyager 2’s Historic Flyby of Uranus: New Findings Reveal a Cosmic Coincidence When NASA’s Voyager 2 spacecraft passed by Uranus in 1986, it delivered the first and only close look at this tilted, unusually rotating planet. During the flyby, scientists discovered new moons and rings, but they also encountered baffling mysteries. The radiation particles around Uranus defied existing theories on magnetic fields, establishing Uranus as an exceptional planet in our solar system. A Unique Snapshot: Understanding Uranus’ Magnetosphere An artist’s rendering illustrates Uranus’ magnetosphere before and during the Voyager 2 flyby. The first panel shows the planet’s magnetosphere, a protective…
Hong Kong Stocks Drop on Weak China Loan Data; Mainland Shares Stabilise Hong Kong stocks fell to a three-week low on Tuesday as unexpectedly weak loan demand in China weighed on investor sentiment. In contrast, mainland stocks held steady, buoyed in part by reports that China may reduce taxes on home purchases to support its housing market. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Declines, Mainland Markets Mixed Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index dropped 1.7% by midday, marking its third consecutive day of losses. The Hang Seng has lost around 13% since reaching a peak in early October, as investors took profits following…
Focus on Mars Likely to Intensify Under Trump Administration Elon Musk’s Mars Vision, an ambitious goal of humans expected to become a central priority under President-elect Donald Trump, sources suggest. This shift could bring significant changes to NASA’s Artemis program, which currently aims to use SpaceX’s Starship rocket to return humans to the moon as a preliminary step toward Mars. However, Trump’s administration is now likely to prioritise Mars exploration, potentially launching uncrewed Mars missions within the decade, according to four sources familiar with Trump’s evolving space policy. Mars: A Higher-Risk, Higher-Cost Objective Trump’s renewed focus on Mars marks a…
SpaceX Schedules Sixth Starship Flight Test for November 18 SpaceX plans to conduct its sixth Starship flight test as early as Monday, November 18. SpaceX’s test aims to further develop Starship’s capability as a fully reusable launch system, expanding on key milestones achieved in previous flights. Launch Details and Live Broadcast Information The launch window opens at 4:00 p.m. CT on November 18, and SpaceX will broadcast a live webcast of the event approximately 30 minutes before liftoff. Viewers can tune in on SpaceX’s official X account (@SpaceX) or through the new X TV app. As with all developmental testing,…
Trump’s 60% Tariff Threat Adds Pressure to China’s Economy Donald Trump’s 60% tariff threat on Chinese imports could have serious consequences for China’s already struggling economy. Unlike in 2018, when Trump imposed 7.5%-25% tariffs on Chinese goods, China’s economic foundation has weakened significantly, largely due to its ailing property sector. In 2018, the property market played a central role, contributing to about a quarter of the country’s economic activity and boosting local government finances through land sales. However, the market downturn since 2021 has left real estate in crisis, with reduced local revenues and a high risk of housing oversupply.…
Repairing Internal Divides and Restoring Production After a narrow vote by 33,000 machinists to accept Boeing’s latest contract offer, Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg finds himself tasked with rebuilding unity in a deeply divided company. The seven-week strike, which brought Boeing’s production to a standstill, ended just months into Ortberg’s tenure. Now, his focus must shift to repairing fractured relationships among employees, union members, and leadership. The recent strike exposed internal tensions within Boeing, affecting not only factory-floor employees but also relationships across the company’s divisions. White-collar staff, union workers, and upper management each harbour frustrations that may complicate Boeing’s efforts…
Russia Launches Soyuz Rocket carrying Ionosphere-Monitoring and International Satellites Russia launches Soyuz rocket on Tuesday, carrying a mix of ionosphere-monitoring and international satellites, including two from Iran. The rocket took off from the Vostochny Cosmodrome, located in Russia’s Far East, as confirmed by Russia’s space agency, Roscosmos. Launch Details and Primary Mission The Soyuz-2.1 spacecraft transported two main payloads, the Ionosfera-M satellites, which will help monitor the Earth’s ionosphere. Positioned around 820 kilometres (510 miles) above Earth, each Ionosfera-M satellite weighs 430 kilograms (948 pounds) and contributes to a planned four-satellite constellation. The ionosphere is a key layer in Earth’s…
Australia Cancels Lockheed Martin Military Satellite Deal, Shifts to Multi-Orbit System Australia cancels Lockheed Martin satellite deal ,a multi-billion dollar military project, choosing to focus instead on a more resilient multi-orbit satellite system. The decision, announced by the Department of Defence on Monday, follows recent advancements in space technology and growing threats in space. Move to Multi-Orbit Capability for Enhanced Security Initially, Lockheed Martin Australia had been chosen to provide Australia’s first sovereign satellite communication system for the Indo-Pacific region. The project aimed to establish a Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO) satellite to secure independent military communication for the country. However,…
India’s First Analog Space Mission Begins in Ladakh, Simulating Life Beyond Earth The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has launched its first analog space mission in Ladakh, aiming to simulate extraterrestrial conditions to help prepare for future space missions. This mission, featuring a compact inflatable habitat known as Hab-1, will replicate life in an interplanetary habitat, allowing scientists to study the unique challenges astronauts may face on long-duration missions. Exploring Life in Space with Hab-1 ISRO’s new analog mission involves a state-of-the-art habitat, Hab-1, equipped with essentials such as a hydroponics farm, kitchen, and sanitation facilities. This self-sustaining environment will…