in their statement write: “This clause not only puts a massive burden on states, but also disproportionately impacts poorer and high migrant-sending states which are more in need of rural employment. The increased financial burden will lead to states resorting to fiscal conservatives and not registering workers’ demand for work.” In contrast, a Parliamentary Standing…
After one year of ups and downs, politics, and anticipation, Jared Isaacman, entrepreneur and private astronaut, has been confirmed as the 15th NASA administrator. The Senate approved him by a vote of 67-30 on December 17, 2025, demonstrating collective admiration for the leadership skills he possesses, although concerns were raised about his close connection with…
Experts have warned that the world’s ability to feed itself is under threat from the “chaos” of extreme weather caused by climate change. Crop yields have increased enormously over the past few decades. But early warning signs have arrived as crop yield rates flatline, prompting warnings of efficiency hitting its limits and the impacts of…
Indian wildlife conservationist Vivek Menon has been elected as the new Chair of the IUCN Species Survival Commission. He is the first Asian to lead the commission. Menon aims to improve how the various IUCN commissions work together, build more on-the-ground action partnerships with states and NGOs, and restore functionally extinct species. In this…
Giancarlo RinaldiSouth Scotland reporter Guard Archaeology Tightly-packed urns containing human remains were found on the site Newly published research has revealed a “mysterious mass burial event” in the south of Scotland about 3,300 years ago. Excavations were undertaken in 2020 and 2021 by Guard Archaeology during the construction of the access route to the Twentyshilling…
Why are these extreme events happening? These episodes are triggered when general warming in the Arctic combines with atmospheric patterns that can intensify melting. The gradual rise in temperatures sets the stage, but it is specific weather patterns, such as prolonged blocking anticyclones, that turn a hot summer into an extreme event. Blocking anticyclones occur…
December is not noted for birdsong in the UK, as most species are more concerned with finding food during the short hours of daylight than preparing for the breeding season to come. Yet during spells of unseasonably mild winter weather some will practice their sweet refrains. Over the past few weeks I’ve heard several species…
For us linguists, the flurry of “word of the year” announcements from dictionaries and publishers is a holiday tradition as anticipated as mince pies. The words of the year aren’t just a fun peek into new slang and language changes, they also tell us quite a bit about the worries, trends and obsessions of the…
Dame Maggie Aderin-Pocock is a space scientist and science educator who has worked on a number of instruments that are revolutionising our view of the cosmos, including the James Webb Space Telescope. This year she will be giving the Royal Institution Christmas lectures, Britain’s most prestigious public science lectures, in which she will be exploring…
A team of marine mammal experts had spent several days in Cowichan Bay, British Columbia, searching for a sea lion with an orange rope wrapped around its neck. As the sun set Dec 8, they were packing up, for good, when a call came in.The tangled animal, a female Steller sea lion weighing 330 pounds,…