Category: Life & Style

The giant blue-grey sei whales have reappeared off Argentina’s Patagonian coast after over a century of absence due to intense hunting during the 1920s and 1930s. Over the past century, as a result of worldwide prohibitions on commercial whaling, their population has been gradually increasing. The astonishing comeback of sei whales, who breed every two to three years, is evidence of the effectiveness of conservation measures.

Researchers implanted some whales with satellite trackers to trace their migration patterns in response to recent sightings, which revealed the whales’ return to once-familiar waters. This achievement highlights how crucial the worldwide ban on whaling is to the recovery of sei whale populations.

However, any withdrawal from this agreement that would threaten the progress made is advised against. Sei whales’ comeback in Patagonia is evidence of how resilient nature is and how important conservation efforts are to preserving biodiversity.

Their return highlights the possibility of recovery even after a protracted absence, acting as a beacon of hope for other endangered species. The return of these magnificent animals not only benefits the surrounding marine habitat but also presents an opportunity for the area’s ecological balance to be restored.

The Department of Health in Abu Dhabi (DoH) and M42 have launched the Abu Dhabi Biobank, the region’s largest hybrid cord blood bank, at the inaugural Abu Dhabi Global Healthcare Week 2024. Through this partnership, Abu Dhabi will be established as a leading hub for life sciences, which will improve the accessibility and effectiveness of healthcare.

With the goal of personalised healthcare, the Abu Dhabi Biobank functions as a fundamental bioasset that supports therapeutic interventions, research, drug discovery, and disease prevention. Stem cells from cord blood offer promise in treating various disorders, making the Biobank’s cord blood facility crucial for meeting demand and advancing regional innovation.

The Biobank, which has the ability to hold five million pan-human samples and 100,000 cord blood samples, will generate a diversified dataset that will improve access to better-matched stem cells worldwide. Its cutting-edge infrastructure promotes continuous medical advancement by guaranteeing safe storage for up to 30 years.

The cord blood bank enables expectant parents to save their baby’s stem cells, promoting national self-sufficiency and a healthier community at the same time. The initiative exemplifies Abu Dhabi’s dedication to progressive healthcare practices and the welfare of the community.

Nepal’s renowned mountaineer, Kami Rita, has scaled Mount Everest for the 29th time, surpassing his own remarkable achievement, confirmed expedition organisers. Taking advantage of the wonderful weather, Kami Rita and the Sherpas from Seven Summits Treks accomplished this achievement early on Sunday morning.

Posting on Instagram from base camp last week, he expressed gratitude for the opportunity to fulfil his dream once again.

When Kami Rita successfully climbed Everest twice in a week last year, he set the first record. With 27 summit ascents to his credit, fellow Sherpa guide Pasang Dawa has been a friendly rival to him. As the son of a pioneering Sherpa guide, Kami Rita, often known as the “Everest Man,” has been an invaluable guide for international climbers since his first trip in 1994.

Nepal expects a busy climbing season as it grants hundreds of climbing permits to international tourists this month. Even though the majestic summit of Everest is so alluring, the past year’s climbing season was tragic, with 18 deaths out of the more than 600 successful climbers.

However, Nepal continues to be an ideal destination for climbers, home to eight of the ten highest peaks in the world, and it attracts thousands of enthusiasts each spring.

After the strongest solar storm in more than 20 years, the northern lights adorned the skies, giving the entire planet a beautiful show. Due to a strong G4 geomagnetic storm, weather journalist Nahel Belgherze reported hundreds of reports of Northern Lights across Europe.

Experts explained this remarkable phenomenon as the result of an “extreme” geomagnetic storm that struck Earth, leading to safety measures to prevent possible disruptions to electrical systems, satellites, and aeroplanes.

With 6.7 million views, the breathtaking auroras—which could be seen all the way to northern Italy in the south—showcased vibrant purple, pink, and indigo tones. The aurora borealis spreads its brightness over the US, Europe, Canada, and Australia, while it is usually limited to the Arctic.

People were in awe of nature’s power as social media was ablaze with images of the auroras’ ethereal beauty.

Apart from the auroras being seen all around the world, witnesses in Russia, notably in Moscow, Saratov, Voronezh, and southern Siberia, also reported seeing them. Although the northern lights are usually limited to areas nearer the Earth’s magnetic poles, like Norway, Sweden, Finland, Iceland, and Alaska, their widespread visibility during this event highlighted an incredibly amazing celestial event that fortunate observers around the world will always treasure.

Alok Shukla’s lifelong dedication to preventing coal mining in the lush forests of central India was a result of his strong ties to these regions. Shukla was awarded the esteemed Goldman Environmental Prize. His small victories and unwavering determination have characterised his journey.

The 657-square-mile Hasdeo Aranya forest was in imminent danger due to coal mining, putting precious animals and native tribes at risk. Shukla responded with determination and speed. He educated the neighbourhood’s residents about their legal rights and established the Save Hasdeo Aranya Resistance Committee.

Shukla carried out effective efforts to block proposed mines, using community pressure to gain crucial land designations, despite the obstacles provided by a worldwide pandemic. His persistence over a 12-year period resulted in the revocation of 21 coal blocks. However, the struggle continues with the constant problems of restoring ravaged lands and safeguarding vulnerable trees.

Shukla’s recognition with the Goldman Prize serves as a testament to the power of grassroots activism. He is still committed to his goal of inspiring similar movements around the world. Shukla views each tree in Hasdeo Aranya as a symbol of resistance, and his commitment to conserving them highlights environmental protection’s eternal significance in the face of corporate pressures.

India surpassed Japan to become the third-largest generator of solar electricity globally in 2023 as a result of its rapid deployment. Following the global trend of solar energy growth, 5.8% of India’s electricity came from solar energy in 2023, up from 0.5% in 2015.

According to Ember’s report, solar power has outpaced coal as the fastest-growing electricity source globally for the 19th year. In terms of the increase in solar generation worldwide in 2023, India ranked fourth. 75% of this growth came from the top four nations, which are Brazil, the US, China, and the US.

Globally, solar generation in 2023 will be over six times larger than in 2015. According to the International Energy Agency, solar energy is expected to generate 22% of the world’s electricity by 2030.

India needs to move faster towards greener energy sources because the country generates roughly half of its yearly carbon emissions from the production of electricity. As part of its climate change policy, India wants to see 50% of its electricity capacity come from non-fossil fuel sources by 2030.

Leaders from around the world met at COP28 to commit to tripling the world’s renewable energy capacity by 2030, which is essential to keeping global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

Renowned designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee made history by becoming the first Indian to grace the Met Gala carpet, showcasing his signature style and Indian heritage. His unforgettable performance highlighted both his brilliance and his commitment to culture.

He looked well put together and elegant in an embroidered cotton duster coat from his Sabyasachi Resort 2024 line, worn with a white shirt and fitted beige trousers. He wore brown loafers, sunglasses, a matching belt, and jewels from his High Jewellery line, which included tourmaline, pearls, emeralds, and diamonds.

The official Sabyasachi Instagram handle captioned the look, “As the galloping horde of mechanisation, modernization, and uniformity march ever closer; it is craft, that embodiment of human touch, tradition, and diversity that will safeguard culture from the passage of time.”

Meanwhile, Alia Bhatt attended the festivities while wearing a gorgeous Sabyasachi saree. The outfit included a hand-embroidered train and a blouse studded with pearls and emeralds. Her hair was done in an elegant coiffure and accessorised with jewels from the Bengal Royal collection.

This historic event not only attracted admirers but also brought Sabyasachi’s impact on Bollywood fashion to light. With former celebrities like Vidya Balan and Priyanka Chopra wearing his creations, Sabyasachi is pushing the boundaries of Indian fashion internationally.

India and its allies aim to regulate tourism in the Antarctic due to growing worries about its impact on the environment. The 46th Antarctic Treaty Consultative Conference (ATCM) and the 26th Committee for Environmental Protection (CEP) conference, which are both focused on this issue, will be held in Kochi, Kerala, from May 20 to May 30, at the Ministry of Earth Sciences.

The Secretary of the Ministry of Earth Sciences, Ravichandran, emphasised the pressing need for regulation and outlined the difficulties associated with uncontrolled tourism. India suggests more stringent regulations to protect the fragile ecosystem in the area, including the establishment of criteria for travellers to Antarctica.

In order to assist in continuing scientific efforts, India runs two research stations in Antarctica: Maitri and Bharati. The government provides these bases with yearly maintenance funding of about Rs 150–200 crore, which guarantees careful maintenance and garbage disposal.

Since its inception in the 1950s, thousands of people have been to the Antarctic each year as a result of a tourism surge. For the 2022–2023 season, the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO) released several significant figures.

India and its allies are working to encourage environmentally conscious travel to Antarctica, with a focus on limited access and protection.

On Monday, the government of India announced its decision to permit the export of 14,000 metric tonnes of non-basmati white rice to Mauritius. The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) informed people about this export allowance via a notification through the National Cooperative Exports Limited (NCEL).

Although exports of non-basmati white rice have been prohibited since July 20, 2023, exceptions are granted to some nations with government clearance, mainly to meet their requests for food security. This is done to support domestic supplies. Following the announcement’s protocol, NCEL has allocated 14,000 MT to Mauritius and is in charge of managing it.

Previously, Tanzania, Djibouti, and Guinea-Bissau were among the African countries to which India had authorised exports of non-basmati white rice. Furthermore, this rice variety was approved for sale to Nepal, Cameroon, Guinea, Malaysia, the Philippines, and the Seychelles, among other nations.

Well-known Indian cooperative societies like the Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF), also known as AMUL, and the Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd. (NAFED) support National Cooperative Exports Limited (NCEL) as a multi-state cooperative society.

Britain is embarking on a significant endeavour, investing £200 million to establish Europe’s first high-assay, low-enriched uranium (HALEU) production facility.

This plant is essential to future nuclear energy initiatives that seek to improve energy security and achieve climate goals. Britain is establishing itself as a pioneer in nuclear energy innovation with a targeted nuclear power capacity of 24 gigawatts by 2050, which would account for a quarter of projected electricity consumption.

By 2031, the HALEU factory in Cheshire should be operational and able to meet both domestic and international demand for HALEU fuel. This action not only encourages supply diversification but also lessens dependency on Russian gasoline, which is particularly important given the geopolitical tensions that have arisen since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Meanwhile, the United Kingdom has declared a competition worth £600 million to create the world’s first economically feasible prototype of a fusion power plant, with the goal of connecting it to the grid by 2040. Fusion energy, which is modelled after the sun’s mechanism, presents a viable way to generate electricity without emitting any emissions and with very little radioactive waste.

These programmes demonstrate Britain’s dedication to developing innovative energy solutions, promoting homegrown knowledge, and aligning with international demands for energy sustainability and security.