Two new rare ant fly species found in Delhi and Western Ghats
Researchers from Kerala and Tamil Nadu report two new rare ant fly species, Metadon ghorpadei and Metadon reemeri, from Delhi’s urban forest and the Western Ghats. These flies belong to the subfamily Microdontinae (Syrphidae) and exhibit myrmecophily, a close association with ants where larvae live inside ant nests and feed on brood. The discoveries highlight biodiversity in protected areas and the importance of conserving urban green spaces and biodiversity hotspots. Ongoing surveys and monitoring are urged to better understand distribution and ecological roles of these extremely rare insects, which add to India’s known invertebrate fauna.
Two new ant fly species discovered: Metadon ghorpadei and Metadon reemeri.
Found in Delhi’s urban forest and Western Ghats (Tamil Nadu).
Species belong to Microdontinae (Syrphidae) family.
Larvae live in ant nests, a behavior called myrmecophily.
Highlights need to conserve urban green spaces and biodiversity hotspots.
Jan 23, 2026
Ancient Cave Handprint Likely the World’s Oldest Rock Art
Researchers report a faded handprint as possibly the oldest cave art, dated to at least 67,800 years ago, in a limestone cave on Muna Island, Sulawesi. The finding, led by Maxime Aubert and Adam Brumm of Griffith University, suggests early humans in Southeast Asia produced symbolic art far earlier than previously thought. The stencil‑style image, found among later paintings, was confirmed through dating methods published in Nature. If confirmed, the discovery reshapes timelines of symbolic expression and highlights the prehistoric artistic capabilities of early humans in the region.
Handprint dated to at least 67,800 years ago.
Location: Muna Island, Sulawesi, Indonesia.
Led by Prof. Maxime Aubert and Prof. Adam Brumm.
Published in Nature; potential oldest known rock art.
Jan 22, 2026
Sunita Williams retires after 27 years with NASA; records set in space
End-December 2025 marked the retirement of NASA astronaut Sunita Williams, after a distinguished 27-year career with the United States space agency. Williams, who is 60 years old, completed three missions aboard the International Space Station (ISS) and accumulated 608 days in space, the second-highest among NASA astronauts. She conducted nine spacewalks totaling 62 hours and 6 minutes, making her the astronaut with the most spacewalk time among American women. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman praised her trailblazing leadership and contributions to exploration and commercial missions beyond low Earth orbit. A post-career reflection highlighted Williams’ role in inspiring future generations.
Career duration and retirement: 27 years at NASA; retirement end of December 2025
Space time: 608 days in space (second-most for NASA astronauts)
Spacewalks: 9 walks totaling 62 hours 6 minutes
Notable achievement: extended leadership aboard ISS
Legacy: influential figure in future space exploration and commercialization
Iron bar observed in Ring Nebula hints at planetary remnants
La Palma, 22 January 2026 — Astronomers using the WEAVE instrument on the William Herschel Telescope in La Palma reported a large cloud of iron atoms forming a bar across the Ring Nebula, a well-known planetary nebula. The bar stretches about 3.7 trillion miles (6 trillion kilometers). The team suggests the iron bar could be debris from a rocky planet vaporized during the star’s late evolutionary stage, though this remains speculative. The finding adds a new dimension to the study of stellar death and planetary system fate. Further observations are planned to confirm the structure and origin of the iron bar.
Discovery: Iron bar in Ring Nebula observed with WEAVE
Scale: Bar ~3.7 trillion miles (6 trillion km) long
Hypothesis: Iron bar may be remnants of a rocky planet
Location: Ring Nebula, Milky Way
Next steps: Additional observations to confirm origin
Jan 21, 2026
Japan restarts Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear plant on 21 January 2026
Japan restarted the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant on 21 January 2026, the world's largest by output, marking the first restart since the 2011 Fukushima disaster. The governor of Niigata approved the restart last month amid ongoing safety concerns among residents. The plant’s operator indicated resumed operations would help stabilize Japan’s energy supply and price levels, while regulators emphasised continued safety oversight. The restart signals a major step in Japan’s energy policy, balancing energy security and environmental considerations while managing public trust in nuclear power amidst a broader decarbonisation agenda.
Kashiwazaki-Kariwa resumes operation on 21 January 2026.
First restart since Fukushima; Niigata governor approved prior.
Operator cites energy security and supply benefits.
Regulators promise ongoing safety oversight and public engagement.
Sunita Williams retires after 600+ days in space
NASA astronaut Sunita Williams retires after a 27-year career with the space agency. Her retirement took effect at the end of December 2025, NASA announced on 21 January 2026. Williams spent 608 days in space across three International Space Station missions, the second-longest cumulative time by a NASA astronaut, and performed nine spacewalks totaling 62 hours and 6 minutes. She also became the first person to run a marathon in space. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman described her as a trailblazer who helped shape future space exploration and commercial missions in low Earth orbit. Williams’ leadership left a lasting imprint on U.S. human spaceflight.
Williams retired effective December 2025; announcement 21 January 2026.
Total space time: 608 days across three ISS missions.
Nine spacewalks totaling 62 hours and 6 minutes.
First person to run a marathon in space.
NASA calls her a trailblazer for human spaceflight.
Jan 20, 2026
Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla inaugurates virtual reality theatre on space exploration in New D...
Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla today inaugurated the Virtual Reality Theatre and Panel Exhibition titled From Earth to Orbit: Exploring space together in New Delhi. Shukla shared experiences from the Axiom-4 mission, including life in space, astronaut training, and the challenges of orbital operations. He interacted with around 400 students from different schools, encouraging them to pursue careers in space and technology. He stressed that young minds will play a crucial role in shaping the future of space exploration and Indian contributions to human spaceflight, international missions, and global scientific collaboration. The panel exhibition remains open to the public from today, highlighting India’s space ambitions.
Inauguration by Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla
Event features spaceflight experiences and training insights
About 400 students engaged from multiple schools
Emphasis on youth roles in space exploration
Exhibition open to the public from Jan 20
C-DOT’s Cell Broadcast Solution awarded SKOCH Award 2025 for disaster alert system
The Centre for Development of Telematics (C‑DOT) received the SKOCH Award 2025 for its Cell Broadcast Solution (CBS), presented at the 104th SKOCH Summit themed Resourcing Viksit Bharat. CBS is an indigenous platform for near real‑time disaster alerts via cellular networks. It integrates agencies such as IMD, Central Water Commission, INCOIS, Defence Geo‑informatics Research Establishment, and Forest Survey of India, and collaborates with mobile operators and State Disaster Management Authorities for rapid dissemination. CBS supports 21 Indian languages and aligns with international early‑warning frameworks to enhance disaster risk reduction.
CBS awarded SKOCH Award 2025
Indigenous near‑real‑time disaster alert system
Integrates IMD, CWC, INCOIS, DGRE, FSI
Works with mobile operators and State DMAs
Supports 21 Indian languages and UN/ITU frameworks
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