New Flying Reptile Bakiribu waridza Identified from Dinosaur Vomit
Scientists report a new flying reptile species, Bakiribu waridza, described from a 100‑million‑year‑old regurgitated fossil—dinosaur vomit—from the Romualdo Formation in the Araripe Basin, Northeast Brazil. The study, titled ‘A regurgitator reveals a new filter‑feeding pterosaur from the Santana Group,’ appears in Scientific Reports. The fossil, preserved with other specimens, marks the first description of an extinct species from fossilised vomit. The discovery provides unusual insight into pterosaur diversity and feeding strategies during the Cretaceous period, suggesting new ecological roles for flying reptiles in ancient coastal ecosystems.
Discovery: Bakiribu waridza; fossil from Araripe Basin, Brazil.
Age: ~100 million years old; regurgitated material used for description.
Publication: Scientific Reports article on the regurgitator pterosaur.
Significance: first description of a species from fossil vomit.
Implication: adds to understanding of pterosaur ecology.
Razorpay Unveils AI Platform for Payment Operations
Razorpay unveiled an artificial intelligence platform at its FTX 2026 event, marketed as the world’s first Agent Studio built on Anthropic’s Claude Agent SDK. The platform includes an agentic experience layer designed to streamline onboarding, payment integration, and operational management for online merchants. Razorpay asserts that its AI agents can automatically intervene when customers abandon a purchase, using transaction context to initiate voice or chat interactions to recover the sale. The launch represents a significant step in fintech, enabling automated customer engagement and payment optimization, potentially transforming how merchants manage checkout flows and post‑purchase processes.
Product: Agent Studio built on Claude Agent SDK.
Launch event: FTX 2026; debut of Razorpay AI platform.
Key feature: AI agents intervene in abandoned carts.
Impact: simplifies onboarding and payment operations for merchants.
V.O. Chidambaranar Port launches Digital Twin initiative
The V.O. Chidambaranar Port Authority becomes the first Indian major port to launch a Digital Twin platform for port management. The platform, inaugurated on 23 February 2026 by Sarbananda Sonowal, mirrors port infrastructure, assets and the maritime ecosystem in a real-time virtual model. It integrates IoT sensors, GPS, LiDAR mapping, drone imagery and CCTV networks to deliver enhanced operational visibility, predictive analytics and data-driven decision making across departments. The initiative aims to improve efficiency, safety and coordination in port operations, while enabling scenario testing and proactive maintenance as part of a broader move toward smart maritime infrastructure.
Milestone: first Indian major port with Digital Twin
Inauguration: 23 February 2026 by Sarbananda Sonowal
Technology: IoT, GPS, LiDAR, drones, CCTV
Benefits: real-time visibility, analytics, decision support
Impact: improved efficiency and maintenance
Mar 12, 2026
Deloitte opens ConnectSafe Cyber Security Facility in Bengaluru
Deloitte has launched a new cyber security facility named ConnectSafe in Bengaluru to strengthen protection against cyber threats targeting connected technologies and critical infrastructure. The facility focuses on identifying vulnerabilities and testing systems against advanced cyber attack scenarios, with a particular emphasis on protecting operational technology ecosystems that control physical infrastructure. Compared with traditional security centres, ConnectSafe aims to defend industrial and utility networks, factories and banks from disruptions, data theft and outages. It positions India as a training and testing hub for cutting-edge cyber defence practices.
Deloitte launches ConnectSafe cyber security facility in Bengaluru.
Facility targets protection of operational technology and critical infrastructure.
Emphasises testing against advanced cyber attack scenarios.
First-of-its-kind in India focusing on OT environments.
Must-know last 48 hours: 11 March 2026 National Conference of Women Elected Representatives; 12 March 2026 World Kidney Day.
Scientists Trace Earth's First Animals to 541 Million Years Ago
Scientists tracing Earth's earliest animal life have identified evidence in rocks dated to about 541 million years ago. The findings push back the emergence of complex life, suggesting soft-bodied sea sponges were among the first animals to inhabit the oceans, well before the Cambrian explosion. Researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology analysed Precambrian rock samples and detected chemical fossils known as steranes, molecular traces from sterols essential to eukaryotic membranes. The study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, indicates early multicellular life with sponge-like features, offering new insights into early animal evolution for Earth's history.
Timeline: ~541 million years ago; earliest animal life identified
Significance: suggests soft-bodied sponges among first animals
Method: MIT analysis of Precambrian rocks; detection of steranes
Publication: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences; implications for evolution
Mar 11, 2026
Sheshnaag-150: India Tests Indigenous Swarming Drone
India is advancing unmanned warfare with Sheshnaag-150, a long‑range swarming attack drone under testing. Developed by Bengaluru‑based defence start‑up Newspace Research Technologies, the drone seeks cost‑effective, flexible capabilities comparable to global swarming platforms. The system completed its maiden flight about a year ago and is now evaluated as part of India’s evolving drone‑warfare strategy. Modern conflicts have demonstrated how inexpensive drones can affect infrastructure, vehicles and logistics. Sheshnaag‑150 aims to replicate this effect using indigenous technology and swarm operations, reducing dependence on expensive foreign platforms. The project emphasizes domestic design, manufacturing, and rapid deployment for future warfare needs. Officials say the program aligns with Make in India and strategic autonomy objectives.
Sheshnaag-150 is a long‑range swarming drone under testing in Bengaluru.
Developed by Newspace Research Technologies to enable cost‑effective operations.
Maiden flight occurred about a year ago; current evaluations are part of Defense reforms.
Aims to mirror effects of low‑cost drones used in modern conflicts.
Supports India's Indigenous drone program and strategic autonomy goals.
Mar 10, 2026
IIT Bombay and Honeywell launch Sustainability Skills Hub
IIT Bombay has partnered with Honeywell to establish the IIT Bombay Honeywell Centre of Excellence for Future Skills and Innovation at the Powai campus in Mumbai. The CoE aims to train more than 100,000 students in sustainability-related fields by 2030 through industry-academia collaboration. It will serve as a hub for developing skills in sustainability, environmental technologies, and green innovation. The centre is funded by the Honeywell Hometown Solutions India Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Honeywell in India. The collaboration seeks to strengthen workforce readiness, support research and entrepreneurship, and connect students with industry mentors to advance a greener economy.
Centre: IIT Bombay Honeywell Centre of Excellence for Future Skills and Innovation
Location: Powai campus, Mumbai
Target: 100,000 students by 2030
Funding: Honeywell Hometown Solutions India Foundation
Focus: sustainability, green tech, industry-academia collaboration
150 million-year-old dinosaur egg nest found on Portuguese coast
Researchers have discovered a nest containing ten dinosaur eggs dating to nearly 150 million years ago on the cliffs of Santa Cruz Beach in Torres Vedras, Portugal. The find, from the Upper Jurassic period, was identified by Carlos Natário of the Centre for Research in Paleobiology and Paleoecology (Ci2Paleo), affiliated with the Torres Vedras Natural History Society. The eggs were preserved in their original nesting arrangement, a rarity in fossil sites. The discovery provides valuable insights into dinosaur reproductive behavior and ancient coastal ecosystems. It adds to Portugal’s growing record of significant Jurassic fossils along the Atlantic coast.
Nest location: Santa Cruz Beach, Torres Vedras, Portugal
Age: Upper Jurassic, ~150 million years ago
Egg count: ten eggs preserved together
Researcher: Carlos Natário, Ci2Paleo
Significance: insight into Jurassic nesting behavior
Rare Jurassic nest with preserved eggs found on Santa Cruz Beach
A rare Jurassic nest containing ten eggs preserved in their original nesting arrangement was discovered on Santa Cruz Beach in the Lisbon district. The site, found within sandstone cliffs, shows eggs remained intact after burial, offering a unique view into nesting strategies during the Upper Jurassic, about 150 million years ago. The team from Ci2Paleo and local heritage authorities documented the site, noting the nest’s preserved condition helps reconstruct ancient parenting behaviors and coastal ecosystem dynamics. The discovery contributes to understanding how dinosaurs lived and reproduced along Portugal’s Atlantic coastline.
Location: Santa Cruz Beach, Lisbon district
Eggs preserved in original nesting arrangement
Time period: Upper Jurassic (~150 Mya)
Researchers: Ci2Paleo with local agencies
Importance: sheds light on nesting strategies
New Triassic reptile Sonselasuchus Cedrus described from Arizona fossils
Scientists have described a new ancient reptile species, Sonselasuchus Cedrus, based on fossils recovered from Petrified Forest National Park in the U.S. state of Arizona. The remains date to the Late Triassic, roughly 225 to 201 million years ago, a period when early archosaurs diversified and coexisted with the earliest dinosaurs. Paleontologists from the University of Washington and the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture led the study, publishing their findings after extensive fossil analysis. The skeleton fragments indicate distinctive skull features and limb proportions that inform discussions on locomotion and feeding. The discovery broadens understanding of prehistoric reptile diversity in North America and helps map archosaur evolution.
Fossils found at Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona
Species: Sonselasuchus Cedrus
Age: Late Triassic, about 225–201 million years ago
Researchers: University of Washington and Burke Museum
Significance: adds to archosaur diversity in North America
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