UK-based Indian scientist gets rare lunar soil from China
Mahesh Anand
received an ultra-rare sample of lunar soil straight from China chang'e 6 mission, collected from the Moon's far side. This might be a year of wonders as for the first time any nation has returned material from the Moon's far side, a region previously unexplored due to communication challenges.
Professor Anand, leads the planetary material group at the open university in Milton keynes and is the UK's only scientists who has been granted access to this precious material. This sample weighs about 60 milligrams, and was transported under tight security and is now housed in a high-security laboratory to prevent contamination.
What is the Chang'e 6 mission?
This mission is China's groundbreaking mission aimed at collecting lunar soil and rock samples from the far side of the Moon, a region which has never been explored before.
Operation Sindoor
'Pakistan army moving its troops in forward areas': Key takeaways from govt briefing
'Pak used drones, long-range weapons, jets to attack India's military sites'
'Attempted malicious misinformation campaign': Govt calls out Pakistan's propaganda
Launched by China in 2024, due to this collection, scientists help to study the moon's formation, composition and solar system history.
This mission successfully brought back about 1.9 kilograms of lunar material. These samples are being studied and is being distributed to international researchers for analysis. Notably, the lunar soil exhibits distint charecterstsic compared to previous samples. This has shown higher plagioclase and lower olivine content.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
AI guru Andrew Ng recommends: Read These 5 Books And Turn Your Life Around in 2025
Blinkist: Andrew Ng's Reading List
Undo
This lunar soil research aims to offer fundamental responses about the early history of Earth and the formation of the Moon. One of the most accepted concepts is that the Moon formed approximately 4.5 billion years ago from material remaining after a collision between Earth and a Mars-sized planet. Scientists try to get to know this theory better through an examination of the chemical content of these samples, which has elements such as carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and noble gases.
China's commitment to
international scientific collaboration
in space exploration is exemplified by this collaboration. The involvement of an Indian-born scientist in the UK highlights the extent to which international moon exploration is and how we are all working towards understanding our galactic neighbour. This brings us one step closer to discovering how the formation of moon happened billions of years ago.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Indian Express
an hour ago
- Indian Express
India & Singapore to boost ties in key areas, from healthcare to tech
INDIA AND Singapore on Wednesday finalised around ten as the top ministers from both sides met in Delhi, ahead of a possible visit by Singapore's Prime Minister Lawrence Wong next month. Pacts were signed on areas including on connectivity, digitalisation, healthcare and medicine, skills development and advanced technology, an official statement said. The Singaporean delegation was led by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong and it comprised National Security and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam, Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, Digital Development and Information Minister Josephine Teo, Minister for Manpower Tan See Leng and Acting Minister for Transport Jeffrey Siow. At the third ISMR, the two sides are also understood to have deliberated on an ambitious proposal to lay an undersea cable to carry solar energy from India to Singapore that will also provide data connectivity. Jaishankar described the roundtable as 'productive' and said 'The ISMR had a productive interaction with the India Singapore Business Roundtable #ISBR delegation. Synergy between Government and Industry is key to unlocking the next phase of India-Singapore ties.' An Indian statement said the two sides reviewed the progress of various bilateral cooperation initiatives under the six pillars of the ISMR — advanced manufacturing, connectivity, digitalisation, healthcare and medicine, skills development and sustainability. 'They deliberated on ways to further deepen bilateral cooperation, particularly under these six pillars, and identified a number of specific initiatives to pursue,' the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said. It said India views Singapore as an important partner in its 'Act East' policy. The inaugural ISMR was held in New Delhi in September 2022 and the second meeting was held in Singapore in August 2024. 'Productive discussions during the 3rd ISMR highlight the mutual commitment of the two countries towards further strengthening bilateral cooperation,' the MEA said. After the ISMR, the visiting Singaporean ministers also called on President Droupadi the Singaporean ministerial delegation calling on Murmu, the MEA said the president noted that even in an uncertain global environment, the India-Singapore comprehensive strategic partnership is flourishing.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Complaining all the time? Neuroscientist explains why this is bad for the brain and how to fix it
Neuroscientist Emily McDonald explains that constant complaining negatively wires the brain, strengthening pathways that focus on problems and shrinking the prefrontal cortex, impacting focus and decision-making. This habit makes individuals less attractive and puts them in 'victim mode.' However, fostering positive thoughts and gratitude can reverse this, improving focus and enabling a more joyful outlook. Are you someone who constantly complains, judges, and criticizes? Well, this behaviour may be doing you more harm than you realise. Beyond spoiling your mood, this could also be changing your brain for the worse. Emily McDonald is an Arizona-based neuroscientist and mindset coach, has explained the downside of being a chronic complainer. 'Complaining, judging, or criticizing others can actually change your brain to make you less focused and productive and decrease your problem-solving skills,' the neuroscientist said. She also explained the science behind it and also shared some effective ways to fix it. Constant complaining wires your brain negatively When you make complaining a habit, your brain starts to feed off negativity and starts to notice problems first. 'Every time you complain or criticize, you strengthen that pathway in your brain. This is Hebb's law: neurons that fire together wire together. So if you're constantly focused on what you don't like, you are wiring your brain to see more problems,' McDonald said. Second, this behaviour can actually shrink the region of the brain responsible for focus and decision-making. This means judging and criticizing actually messes up your brain's ability to make right and informed decisions. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like No annual fees for life UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo 'Studies show that chronic stress and negative thinking can actually shrink your prefrontal cortex, and this is the part of your brain responsible for focus, emotional regulation, and decision making. You're literally weakening the part of your brain that helps you solve problems while strengthening the pathways that help you point them out,' she explained, in a video shared on Instagram. Guess what? Complaining is not really an appealing trait. 'Research shows that complaining and criticizing actually makes you less attractive,' she adds. Constant complaining puts your brain into 'victim mode,' which could make you feel powerless to change your circumstances. How to fix it Well, if you have developed a habit of complaining, well, don't worry, you can absolutely reverse it. How? By fostering positive thoughts. Instead of turning to what's wrong with something, focus on yourselves. Something that motivates you, and inspires you to look forward to. 'Thinking positively and expressing gratitude strengthens the prefrontal cortex, which improves your ability to focus and create the life of your dreams. Every time you speak or type a comment on here, you are training your brain. So train it to look for joy and abundance because you don't get what you want in life you get what your brain is wired for,' the neuroscientist shares. Bollywood stars react sharply to supreme court's stray dog order Where to start? It begins with awareness. Breaking out of this complaining and judging mindset starts with awareness. When you catch yourself complaining, shift your focus toward solutions or gratitude.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
RU proposes teaching roles for research scholars amid faculty shortage
1 2 Jaipur: In a strategic move to address faculty shortages and enhance the academic experience, the University of Rajasthan 's academic council has recommended that research scholars be allowed to teach regular classes alongside their doctoral studies. However, the decision on whether they will teach postgraduate (PG) or undergraduate (UG) classes, or both, remains pending. This proposal, discussed in a council meeting on Wednesday, suggests that enrolled research students could be assigned six to ten teaching periods per week. "With this, the researchers will not only be able to gain teaching experience in the university but the teaching work of vacant classes affected due to shortage of teachers in the university will also be smoothened," stated an official release from the university. This initiative comes as the university grapples with over 60% of its teaching posts currently vacant. In addition to this proposal, the council recommended adopting new PhD admission rules issued by the University Grants Commission (UGC). These rules eliminate the need for a PhD entrance examination, allowing admissions to be based directly on the National Eligibility Test (NET) and other equivalent examinations. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Flexible Phone Plans for Small Biz Undo The meeting also saw the adoption of UGC Regulations 2018 concerning the selection and promotion of teachers under the Career Advancement Scheme (CAS). Officials noted that this would facilitate appointments to vacant posts and expedite the pending promotion of 400 teachers within the university. Aligning with the National Education Policy, 2020, the academic council proposed replacing all annual courses at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels with a semester system. Additionally, the council recommended incorporating SWAYAM (Study Webs of Active-Learning for Young Aspiring Minds) courses as electives in postgraduate programs. These courses are approved by the Ministry of Education, Government of India. Last year, the university signed Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with the Rajasthan Centre for Advance Technology (R-CAT) and TCS, offering 107 Industry Ready online courses at subsidised rates. The academic council has now recommended that students receive credits for these courses if they opt to study them, further enhancing their educational opportunities. This series of recommendations and changes marks a significant step towards modernising the University of Rajasthan's academic framework, aiming to better equip students and faculty for future challenges. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area.
