The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI) has announced the funding and building of one of the largest computing systems dedicated to nonprofit life science research in the world. The effort will provide the scientific community with access to predictive models of healthy and diseased cells, leading to groundbreaking new discoveries that could help cure, prevent, or manage all diseases by the end of this century. The high-performance computing cluster, which is planned to comprise more than 1,000 GPUs, will enable artificial intelligence (AI) and large language models for biomedicine at scale.
The oldest-known aquarium fish tanked at the Steinhart Aquarium in San Francisco Bay Area for the past 85 years is 92 years, announced the California Academy of Sciences in September. A cutting-edge DNA analysis found the age of the female Australian lungfish, Methuselah. The analysis was led by researchers of two Australia-based government agencies. The 4-foot long, 40-pound Methuselah, named after the oldest person mentioned in the Bible, came at the aquarium via a Matson Navigation Company shipping liner in 1938. The fish earned its name ‘lungfish,’ as it distinguishes itself fro
Geoscientists have discovered the eighth continent on planet Earth. After almost 375 years, a team of geologists and seismologists has created a newly refined map of Zealandia or Te Riu-a-Maui. The researchers found it by using the data obtained from dredged rock samples recovered from the ocean floor. The details of the research have been published in the journal Tectonics. Zealandia is a continent of 1.89 million sq miles (4.9 million sq km) - around six times the size of Madagascar. It is 94% underwater, with just a handful of islands, similar to New Zealand, says Andy Tulloch, a geolog
African rhino populations are on a rise despite poaching and habitat loss, according to the new figures from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The new figures, released on September %%, highlight that protection and biological management initiatives across the continent have resulted in black rhino populations rising by 4.2% to a population of 6,487, and white rhino populations rising by 5.6% to a population of 16,803. It is the first time since 2012 that there has been an increase in the white rhino population, the species classified as ‘near threatened’ on
Starting in 2024, Singapore’s Changi Airport will introduce automated immigration clearance, which will allow passengers to depart the city-state without passports, using only biometric data, say officials. Biometric technology, along with facial recognition software, is already in use to some extent at the famous airport’s automated lanes at immigration checkpoints. The upcoming changes will “reduce the need for passengers to repeatedly present their travel documents at touch points and allow for more seamless and convenient processing,” Communications Minister Josephine Teo said
Haryana’s Sunil Kumar, a 32-year-old banker by profession, successfully scaled Mt Manaslu in Nepal on September 21, achieving the feat of being the first Indian climber to summit the world’s eighth highest mountain peak in this season. Kumar reached the peak of Mt Manaslu, with the height of 8,163 metres above sea level, at 5.25 am local time. He was accompanied by a Nepalese climber Sangita Kumari Rokaya and two mountain guides, Lakpa Gyaljen Sherpa and Chhangba Sherpa. The team climbed the mountain situated on the northern side of central Nepal in Gorkha district.
Thailand’s Prime Minister, Srettha Thavisin, is setting his sights on Indian tourists to boost tourism in the country. He said that he would make a trip to India this year with plans to meet his counterpart Narendra Modi and discuss increasing flight frequency between the two countries, including more services by flag carrier Thai Airways International Pcl. In a media interview on September 18, Srettha Thavisin pointed out that there are not that many incoming flights from India yet due to internal politics, and he hopes to visit India before the end of the year to negotiate on the issue
Norway Climate Minister Espen Barth Eide said that there is ingenuity which is being seen in Indian science, business and academics, which is really important for the country to partner with. The minister was speaking at the 3rd International Climate Summit 2023 organised on September 14 and 15, 2023 in New Delhi. “There’s simply no way that we can solve the climate crisis...without a strong engagement from India,” he said, adding, “It is important for the rest of us because of India’s size and population.” The 3rd International Climate Summit 2023 built on the momentum crea
Dubai’s real estate market experienced a staggering surge in apartment prices in August 2023, marking the most significant increase in nearly ten years. This surge continues to fuel the city’s transformation into one of the world's most dynamic and competitive housing markets. The recent housing boom in Dubai, primarily driven by larger single-family homes until now, is now extending its influence to apartment prices. Apartments constitute approximately 85% of the available housing supply in this bustling Middle East hub for business and tourism. Prices for apartments rose 20% on av
Delhi Metro has increased the operational speed of Metro trains on the Airport Express Line to 120 kmph starting September 18. With this, the total journey from New Delhi station to newly-built Yashobhoomi Dwarka Sector 25 station will take about 21 minutes. Prime Minister Narendra Modi took a metro ride to reach the new station at Dwarka Sector-25. The train he travelled in moved at 120 kmph, leading to the formal start of services with enhanced speed on the Airport Express Line. PM Modi on September 18 also inaugurated the first phase of YashoBhoomi, the India International Convention an