Saudi Arabia has restored 1 million hectares of degraded land and planted more than 159 million trees under the Saudi Green Initiative, marking a major step in the Kingdom's environmental restoration efforts. Environment, Water and Agriculture Minister Abdulrahman Al-Fadhli said the progress reflects coordinated work involving government agencies, the private sector and nonprofit organizations. The Saudi Green Initiative 1 million hectares milestone forms part of a much larger national target. The National Greening Program, which serves as the initiative's executive arm, aims to rehabilita
India has crossed 300 GW of non-fossil fuel power capacity, reaching 300.50 GW as of July 31, 2026. The milestone takes the country past 60% of its 500 GW non-fossil capacity target for 2030, marking a major step in its clean energy transition. According to the latest figures, India's renewable energy capacity is led by solar power at 164.59 GW, followed by wind power at 58.14 GW. Large and small hydro projects account for 57.24 GW, while bio-power contributes 11.75 GW. Nuclear power adds another 8.78 GW to the country's non-fossil capacity. Non-fossil sources now account for more than
An international team of scientists has captured the highest-resolution images of the Sun’s surface ever obtained, revealing small, swirling patterns linked to a phenomenon known as Kelvin-Helmholtz instability (KHI). The discovery was announced by the U.S. National Science Foundation’s National Solar Observatory (NSF NSO) on August 5, 2026, with the findings published in Nature. The Kelvin-Helmholtz instability on the Sun was observed using the NSF Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope in Maui, Hawaii. The images showed small whirlpool-like swirls forming around the edges of magnetic regio
Scientists in Western Australia have achieved a plant cloning breakthrough by successfully cloning the critically endangered Queen of Sheba orchid (Thelymitra variegata). The rare wildflower, found only on the Swan Coastal Plain, has fewer than 30 plants remaining in the wild, making it one of Australia's most threatened orchid species. Researchers at the Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority (BGPA) in Kings Park began the project in 2021 using a plant tissue propagation technique known as somatic embryogenesis. Starting with a single microscopic seed, the team has now produced more than 1,0
Scientists at the BRIC-National Centre for Cell Science (NCCS) have discovered a new gut bacteria species from the intestinal microbiome of Indian tribal communities, highlighting the country's rich and largely unexplored microbial diversity. The discovery builds on earlier research showing that India's tribal populations possess distinct gut bacterial communities shaped by geography, diet, and ethnicity. The latest finding expands knowledge of the Indian gut microbiome and underscores the importance of studying Indigenous populations to better understand human health. According to r
Nathan Thomas has become the youngest male professor in history, earning a Guinness World Record after teaching at Miami Dade College at just 18 years and 346 days old. Nathan Thomas, the youngest male professor, broke a 306 year old record previously held by Scottish mathematician Colin Maclaurin, who became a professor at the age of 19. Born on September 9, 2004, Thomas began teaching COP 2270: C for Engineers at Miami Dade College in August 2023, instructing students who were close to his own age. The Guinness World Record professor followed an extraordinary academic journey. Thomas
High schools funded and managed by the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) have recorded their highest graduation rates in the agency's history. During the 2025/26 academic year, eight BIE high schools graduated every senior in their class, while 13 additional schools achieved graduation rates of 90% or higher. The Bureau of Indian Education graduation rates now match the U.S. national average of 87–88%, marking a significant improvement from just 51% in 2015. The achievement represents a major milestone for Native American schools, which have historically faced challenges in education, hea
Indian-American Army surgeon Major Jagatkumar Patel helped develop a minimally invasive surgical technique that enables doctors to remove certain brain tumors through the nose, eliminating the need to open the skull and significantly improving patient recovery, according to the US Department of Defense. Patel collaborated with Lt. Col. Charles Miller, an Army neurosurgeon, to pioneer the procedure for tumors located at the base of the skull. Traditionally, such tumors required complex open brain surgery, but Patel said patients with tumors of the appropriate size and location can now avoid
Five Indian American middle school students have qualified as 10 national finalists in the 2026 3M Young Scientist Challenge, an annual competition organised by 3M and Discovery Education for students aged 11 to 14 to develop innovative solutions to real-world problems. The Indian American finalists are Aaisha Asif of Pine View School in Sarasota, Florida; Raji Doshi of Talcott Mountain Academy in Farmington, Connecticut; Arika Kundu of Minnetonka Middle School East in Shorewood, Minnesota; Sharvi Mahajan of Bernardo Heights Middle School in San Diego, California; and Naboshree Santra of J
A newly discovered species of dinosaur in Zimbabwe has provided scientists with important new clues about the early evolution of dinosaurs in southern Africa. Named Musango matutodonensis, the 4.5-metre-long dinosaur is the fifth species identified from the African country. The fossil was discovered along Lake Kariba in Zimbabwe and dates to approximately 210 million years of Late Triassic period. The discovery was made through a collaborative effort involving researchers from the United Kingdom, South Africa, and Zimbabwe, highlighting the region's rich but understudied fossil record.