Here are today’s most important updates from the realm of Science and Space.
A new study by the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) has revealed a crucial factor influencing the Indian monsoon's wet spells. These rains are driven by the movement of cloud bands from the equator towards the north, controlled by the Boreal Summer Intraseasonal Oscillation (BSISO). Contrary to previous understanding, the IISc study shows that the strength of these cloud bands significantly affects their northward propagation and the intensity of rainfall during monsoon wet spells. The strong cloud band enhances moisture levels over the Indian subcontinent through stronger winds, facilitating successful northward movement. Furthermore, the air-sea interactions in the equatorial Indian Ocean play a pivotal role in driving these wet spells, which are expected to intensify in the future due to warmer atmospheric conditions.
Scientists studying samples aboard the @MarsCuriosity rover have found the largest organic compounds on Mars so far. This raises intriguing possibilities in the search for past life – and bodes well for plans to bring @NASAPersevere's samples to Earth. https://t.co/LiXs4y1MZ2 pic.twitter.com/njZgUbd2x7
— NASA Mars (@NASAMars) March 24, 2025
(Credit: X/@NASAMars)
Scientists have found the largest chunk of organic compounds on the Red Planet to date. The compounds were found during the analysis of rock pulverised by Curiosity during its continuous science operation on the alien world. The analysis revealed the presence of decane, undecane, and dodecane. Curiosity scientists had previously discovered small, simple organic molecules on Mars, but finding these larger compounds provides the first evidence that organic chemistry advanced toward the kind of complexity required for the origin of life on Mars. They are thought to be the fragments of fatty acids that were preserved in the sample. Fatty acids are among the organic molecules that are chemical building blocks of life on Earth.
A new research from Sweden has suggested that your workplace caffeine fix may be linked to higher cholesterol levels, potentially increasing cardiovascular risk over time. Since the 1980s, scientists have known that unfiltered coffee can raise LDL cholesterol—the “bad” kind linked to heart disease. Typically, paper filters trap these harmful substances, but metal filters—commonly used in workplace brewers—allow them to pass through, increasing their concentration in your cup. Researchers found cafestol concentrations of 176 milligrams per litre in machine-brewed coffee—nearly 15 times higher than the 12 mg/L found in paper-filtered coffee. The study suggested that workers who drink three or more cups daily could be unknowingly increasing their LDL cholesterol over the years.
J2345-0449: A Massive Spiral Galaxy Revealed
— Oktay Yürük (@OktayYueruek) March 24, 2025
Astronomy fans check out my new video about the galaxy J2345-0449. One unique feature of J2345-0449 are the megaparsec-scale radio jets.https://t.co/oYCOBQKSGG
(Credit: X/@OktayYueruek)
Scientists have discovered a star-smothering black hole energy jet tearing through a galaxy similar to the Milky Way. The behemoth, nicknamed J2345-0449, is a giant radio galaxy, or "super spiral" galaxy roughly three times the size of the Milky Way. Like our own spiral galaxy, it harbors a supermassive black hole at its center. But unlike the Milky Way's center, J2345-0449's supermassive black hole emits powerful radio jets — streams of fast-moving charged particles that emit radio waves — stretching more than 5 million light-years long. Though both J2345-0449 and the Milky Way are spiral galaxies, it's unlikely that we'll observe these powerful jets in our galactic hometown. Understanding these rare galaxies could provide vital clues about the unseen forces governing the universe.
