Few natural experiences are as universally loved as the earthy scent that rises after the first drops of rain hit dry ground. Petrichor, what most people describe as the smell of fresh rain, but the rain itself has almost no scent. Instead, what your nose detects is a remarkable chemical called geosmin, produced by soil-dwelling…

Chimpanzee Sultan (Image Credit: Zentrum für Geschichte der Psychologie, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg via University of Auckland) More than a century ago, a small group of chimpanzees helped revolutionise the way scientists understood intelligence. Through a series of pioneering experiments on the Spanish island of Tenerife, these apes demonstrated that they could solve problems using insight rather…

Quote of the day by John Locke (AI-generated image) You cannot know something you have never actually encountered in some form. That is the whole idea behind John Locke’s line, “No man’s knowledge here can go beyond his experience.” He wrote it in 1689, in An Essay Concerning Human Understanding, while arguing against the idea…

pc: Study: Fossil leaves of Pandanaceae from India suggest Paleogene persistence of the family in South Asia For most people, Kevda is recognised by its unmistakable fragrance. Its flowers are distilled into the aromatic essence used in sweets, perfumes, religious offerings and traditional remedies across India. Yet the plant has quietly carried a far older…

Sharing images from the exercise, Nasa said the ISS crew recreated a 2019 study using the official World Cup ball to understand how a football’s balance and centre of mass influence its movement. The official match ball for the 2026 FIFA World Cup has made an unlikely stop before the tournament- outer space.Astronauts aboard the…