Tiger conservation efforts bring unexpected benefit to sloth bear habitats, says national study

India’s sloth bear population rose by 17% and suitable habitat increased by 10.7% between 2018 and 2022. A national study showed that tiger conservation efforts helped these animals. Dr Qamar Qureishi said the findings reflect an encouraging trend. However, the report warned that rising human pressure remains a major concern.

Inside Europe's Wildfires, Heatwaves And The Climate Forces Driving Them

Deadly wildfires in France and Spain forced over 300,000 people to flee their homes. Prolonged heatwaves dried vegetation, creating ideal conditions for these intense blazes. Chaitanya Deshpande said, "The prolonged heatwave dried out the vegetation in areas of France and Spain, fuelling the fires." Europe now uses satellite monitoring for aid.

Cooling-free infrared breakthrough

Researchers from BITS Pilani and CMTI Bengaluru developed a new infrared sensor that works at room temperature. Prof Sanket Goel said, "Our sensor operates efficiently at room temperature, eliminating the need for these additional cooling components." This carbon nanotube-based innovation is cheap, compact, and helps many future deep-tech applications.

The daring mission to recover World War II POWs from the bottom of the ocean

The U.S. military is searching for remains of American prisoners who died when the Oryoku Maru sank in December 1944. Petty Officer Taylor Lucas found a boot near the wreckage off the Philippines. "I got that feeling of like, 'Oh, maybe this is something important,'" Lucas said about the discovery.

Has gender divide always existed in society? Million-year-old footprints reveal surprising answer

Scientists found 1.5 million-year-old footprints at Koobi Fora in Kenya that suggest early humans had a division of labor. Researchers studied 21 tracks from Homo erectus, which showed men and women often moved in separate groups. Dr. Kevin Hatala said, "The sizes of the footprints indicate human-like body sizes."

Nanoscale Fluorapatite Structure Makes Deep-Sea Rare Earths Easier to Extract

Researchers found that the nanoscale structure of carbonate fluorapatite in Pacific Ocean sediments makes rare earth elements easier to extract. Published on July 29 2026, the study used microscopy and modeling to show how these minerals hold valuable materials. This discovery helps scientists develop better ways to get these elements.

Underwater lightning bolts in the Pacific Ring of Fire baffle scientists

Lightning bolts have been seen under the surface of the Pacific Ring of Fire, baffling scientists for decades. Anthropologist Marianne George, who studied these lights, described them as "a torch that was lit and instantly blown out." Experts think tectonic shifts might trigger these mysterious flashes, but the cause remains unknown.

First 3D map reveals hidden thermal structure of nearby interstellar medium

Astronomers built the first 3D map of gas temperature around our solar system, submitted to arXiv on July 16. Led by Jonathan Shelest, the team used a tool called 𝒫3D to show a messy, dynamic structure. It revealed cold clouds wrapped in unstable gas, floating within warm interstellar material.

To help children with rare diseases, we must solve drug delivery

Rare diseases affect many children, but fewer than 5% have approved therapies. Scientists said delivering gene-editing tools to the brain remains a major challenge. While viral vectors often fell short, researchers now use lipid nanoparticles. Last year, a team used this technology to correct a liver mutation in a young patient.

On this day in space! July 29, 1982: Soviet Salyut 6 space station falls to Earth

The Soviet Salyut 6 space station fell to Earth on July 29, 1982, after burning up in the atmosphere. Launched in 1977, the station supported five crewed missions and spent five years in orbit. It helped the Soviets test new docking designs that many space stations still use today.

Black hole 'blast' reaches 300,000 light-years

Researchers discovered that winds from supermassive black holes reach 300,000 light-years, as published in Nature Astronomy on July 28, 2026. Satoshi Yamada said, "Black holes are key drivers of gas flows and motion in space." These powerful winds carry energy far beyond galaxies, showing that black holes shape the wider cosmos.

Like a molecular shrink ray, AI tool redesigns proteins without sacrificing function

Researchers at Duke University School of Medicine developed an AI tool called Raygun that redesigns proteins while keeping their function. Rohit Singh said, "Protein language models act as a kind of translator." This new method helps scientists create modified proteins for biological research and future medicines by using standardized mathematical representations.