Akshita Kapoor

[ad_1] More than 50 years after astronauts from NASA’s Apollo missions left behind 96 bags of human waste on the Moon, the agency is now seeking innovative solutions to turn that abandoned material into usable resources. NASA has launched the LunaRecycle Challenge, offering a $3 million prize to individuals or teams who can develop technologies that transform lunar waste—such as feces, urine, and vomit—into valuable assets like water, energy, or fertilizer.Apollo missions left 96 waste bags—now up for recyclingBetween 1969 and 1972, Apollo astronauts made six successful landings on the moon. In their missions, they retrieved rock samples and other scientific samples to return to Earth. Because of limited storage space on the lunar modules, astronauts dumped non-essential items—such as human waste—onto the moon's surface. The waste was bagged and discarded before leaving.Together, 96 bags of human waste are still […]

[ad_1] KOLKATA: Over 110 people were arrested in connection with the unrest that erupted in the Muslim-dominated Murshidabad district of West Bengal during a demonstration against the Waqf (Amendment) Act, police stated on Saturday.Multiple vehicles, including police vans, were torched, projectiles were launched at security personnel, and thoroughfares were barricaded as disturbances engulfed Malda, Murshidabad, South 24 Parganas and Hooghly districts regarding the newly enacted legislation on Friday.Police confirmed that operations were continuing across these districts, with more than 110 individuals apprehended in Murshidabad."About 70 people were arrested from Suti, and 41 people from Samserganj in connection with the violence," a police officer said. The affected areas continued to experience tension on Saturday morning, though officials confirmed no adverse incidents occurred.Authorities have implemented restrictive orders and suspended internet connectivity in violence-affected regions of Murshidabad district, which witnessed the most severe […]

[ad_1] NEW DELHI: Union health minister and BJP national president J P Nadda on Friday hit out at West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, accusing her government of obstructing the Centre’s Ayushman Bharat health scheme, and declared that the “time has come for the lotus to bloom” in the state.Speaking at the official launch of Ayushman Bharat in Odisha’s Cuttack, Nadda drew parallels between states that resisted the scheme and electoral outcomes, citing examples of Delhi, Odisha, and Bengal. He said, “There were three states that didn’t implement the Ayushman Bharat scheme despite repeated requests by the Centre. One was Odisha, where the lotus has bloomed. The second one was Delhi, where (Arvind) Kejriwal became a hindrance to the scheme and faced defeat. I want to tell that neighbouring Bengal has also not implemented it.”Union Minister JP Nadda launching the […]

[ad_1] Members of Gujarat Titans and Lucknow Super Giants teams during a practice session ahead of their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 T20 cricket match at Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow. (PTI) Nicholas Pooran faces a significant challenge against Mohammed Siraj as the Gujarat Titans, currently at the top of the table, meet the Lucknow Super Giants in an IPL match today (April 12). With the sweltering heat of Lucknow, an exciting contest is expected since both teams are closely matched. The Titans have secured four consecutive wins, sitting confidently in first place with eight points, thanks to their superior net run rate over the Delhi Capitals, who are also enjoying four victories.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!On the other hand, LSG are currently fifth with six points, navigating a […]

[ad_1] NEW DELHI: A junior commissioned officer (JCO) of the Indian Army was killed in a gunfight with terrorists during an infiltration attempt and ceasefire violation by Pakistan along the Line of Control in Jammu’s Akhnoor sector on Friday night, officials said.The encounter took place in the Keri Bhattal area, where troops spotted a group of heavily armed terrorists moving near a stream in a forested zone. When challenged, the infiltrators opened fire, triggering a fierce exchange. A JCO sustained critical injuries in the clash and later succumbed. Reinforcements were immediately deployed, and a search operation is currently underway in the area.This marks another major ceasefire breach since India and Pakistan reaffirmed their commitment to the 2021 LoC ceasefire agreement.The encounter with terrorists comes just two days after brigade commander-level talks were held between the two sides in Jammu and […]

[ad_1] Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has responded to the ongoing China and US-meme war on microblogging platform Twitter. Quoting a post by X user DogeDesigner @cb_doge sharing one such meme, Musk wrote “X is the global town square, the group chat of Earth”. As trade tensions with the two countries escalate, AI-generated videos and memes are going viral. Specifically, these memes target President Donald Trump and his advisers, including Elon Musk and JD Vance. One such viral meme video mocks the idea of American workers returning to garment factories, sparking debate about tariffs and the US manufacturing. The one shared by DogeDesigner is a political cartoon from the Chinese Embassy in the US, depicting the US as a bully forcing China to accept a lollipop while threatening with a spiked bat, symbolizing coercive diplomacy amid escalating US-China trade […]

[ad_1] File photo: US President Donald Trump (Picture credit: AP) The White House strongly defended President Donald Trump’s tariffs, saying that they were a long-overdue response to decades of economic policies that devastated American workers and hollowed out the country’s industrial base. In a detailed statement, the administration compared previous trade policies to “insanity,” suggesting it was irrational to continue down a path that had already led to soaring trade deficits and widespread job losses. “The trade policies of the past several decades have failed this nation, its workers, and our communities,” the statement read, recalling a 2005 New York Times editorial that warned of “dangerous deficits” when the monthly US trade deficit hit $58.3 billion. "It’s cliché, yet true — the definition of insanity is repeating the same thing over and expecting a different result. The trade policies of […]

[ad_1] Rishabh Pant (BCCI/IPL Photo) LUCKNOW: It has been fascinating to watch Rishabh Pant working hard in the nets in the leadup to every game. The Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) captain, the most expensive Indian Premier League (IPL) player, is desperate to recover some semblance of batting form and has intensified his nets sessions. Pant has faced only 32 deliveries across four innings and managed 19 runs, but the fact that LSG have won three out of five games and are currently at No. 5 in the points table have helped hide his personal shortcomings.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!LSG, who face the Shubman Gill-led Gujarat Titans on Saturday, are coming off consecutive wins against Mumbai Indians (MI) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). But they will be keen to improve their record against the Titans, who […]

[ad_1] NEW DELHI: A junior commissioned officer (JCO) of the Indian Army was killed in a gunfight with terrorists during an infiltration attempt and ceasefire violation by Pakistan along the Line of Control in Jammu’s Akhnoor sector on Friday night, officials said.The encounter took place in the Keri Bhattal area, where troops spotted a group of heavily armed terrorists moving near a stream in a forested zone. When challenged, the infiltrators opened fire, triggering a fierce exchange. A JCO sustained critical injuries in the clash and later succumbed. Reinforcements were immediately deployed, and a search operation is currently underway in the area.This marks another major ceasefire breach since India and Pakistan reaffirmed their commitment to the 2021 LoC ceasefire agreement.The encounter with terrorists comes just two days after brigade commander-level talks were held between the two sides in Jammu and […]