Typhoon Nanmadol, one of the biggest storms to hit Japan in years, killed at least two people and brought ferocious winds and record rainfall to the west of the country, causing transport disruptions and forcing manufacturers to suspend operations.   About typhoons – A typhoon is a mature tropical cyclone that develops between 180° and… Continue reading Nanmadol

Some 22 lakh beneficiaries of the Orunodoi scheme in Assam will get ₹18 extra for August to buy a National Flag or two.   What is the scheme? Through Orunodoi — announced in the 2020-21 Budget — a monthly assistance of Rs 830 was originally transferred to women members of marginalised families of Assam (now… Continue reading Orunodoi Scheme

Sudden, “highly-localised rains” in Amarnath, Jammu and Kashmir, on July 8 caused flooding and led to the deaths of at least 16 people and injuries to more than 20 others.   What is a cloudburst? Cloudbursts are short-duration, intense rainfall events over a small area. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), it is a… Continue reading Cloudbursts

States of Nebraska, Minnesota and Illinois in the U.S. were hit by a storm system called a derecho.   What is it? As the storm hit, it turned the skies green, with even many experienced storm chasers claiming to have never witnessed such atmospheric optics. A derecho, according to the US’s National Weather Service is… Continue reading Derecho

The fossils of our earlier human ancestors, located in a cave in South Africa, are a million years older than previously understood according to a new study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Science.   Details – The researchers analysed the fossilised remains of Australopithecus from Sterkfontein caves and argued they… Continue reading Australopithecus

Skalzang Rigzin, the first Indian Mountaineer to climb Mount Annapurna peak without supplemental Oxygen, received a warm welcome in Leh.   Details – With 16 days of gap between climb of Mt Annapurna on April 28 and Mt Lhotse on May 14, Skalzang Rigzin has set a record to summit two peaks without oxygen supplements.… Continue reading Mount Annapurna

Multiple events of glacial advances have been witnessed from the Yankti Kuti valley situated in the extreme eastern part of Pithoragarh district, Uttarakhand, since 52 thousand years (MIS 3) that synchronises with climate variability, according to a new study. NOTE – Marine Isotope Stage 3 (MIS 3) is a period between 60 and 27 thousand… Continue reading Yankti Kuti Valley

Indian Meteorological Department has recently issued an ‘orange alert’ over the prevailing heat waves over Northwestern and Central India.   What is a ‘heat wave’? A Heat Wave is a period of abnormally high temperatures, more than the normal maximum temperature that occurs during the summer season in the North-Western parts of India. Heat Waves… Continue reading Heat Waves

A cave exploration team has discovered an ancient forest at the bottom of a giant karst sinkhole in Leye County in south China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.   Details – The sinkhole measures 306 metres in length, is 150 metres in width and 192 metres in depth, with its volume exceeding 5 million cubic meters.… Continue reading Sinkholes