Scientists have discovered a sugar molecule in the interstellar region of space for the first time, marking a major breakthrough in understanding the origins of life. The finding, published Monday in the journal Nature Astronomy, was led by Dr. Izaskun Jimenez-Serra of Spain’s Center for Astrobiology. Researchers identified the molecule in the Milky Way’s interstellar medium, an area filled with dust and gas between stars, long suspected to act as a natural chemical factory for complex organic compounds.

Dr. Jimenez-Serra described the confirmation of the molecule’s presence as thrilling, noting that the team conducted repeated tests to rule out observational errors. MIT astrochemist Brett McGuire, who was not part of the study, called the discovery highly significant, saying the data clearly confirm the molecule’s existence. Scientists have long known that sugars are essential for forming RNA and DNA, yet laboratory attempts to recreate them under early Earth conditions have failed.

The study suggests that such sugars may have formed in interstellar environments before stars and planets existed, later reaching Earth via asteroids and comets. Researchers estimate that between 500,000 and 50 million tons of sugar could have arrived this way, strengthening the possibility of life elsewhere in the universe.

Scientists have, for the first time, directly observed the creation of new seafloor in the Indian Ocean, marking a rare opportunity to witness Earth’s crust regenerating itself. The event occurred in 2024 when a series of earthquakes caused more than three feet of new seabed to form. The findings were published in the journal Nature, led by marine geophysicist Jean-Yves Royer, whose team had recently installed monitoring instruments in the area as part of the OHA-GEODAMS observatory project.

The observatory, consisting of 15 monitoring stations, was designed to detect seismic and geological changes on the ocean floor. Just two months after installation, the instruments captured detailed data as a section of an undersea ridge collapsed by about 13 feet and its sides moved apart by over three feet. Using underwater microphones and pressure sensors, the researchers traced the process to high-pressure magma pockets deep within the Earth that forced molten rock upward, forming new crust.

The equipment will continue collecting data until 2027, and researchers hope the project will inspire similar studies in other rapidly expanding seafloor regions.

On Wednesday, July 8, 2026, nearly 99 percent of the global population will experience daylight at the same time due to the Earth's tilt and the ongoing summer in the Northern Hemisphere. For about one minute, most of the planet’s densely populated regions will be illuminated by the sun, leaving only a small fraction of people in darkness. Around 5:10 p.m. Bangladesh time (11:10 a.m. GMT), approximately 8.2 billion people will be under daylight or twilight.

Daylight will cover most parts of North America, South America, Europe, Africa, and Asia, where the majority of the world’s population resides. Nighttime will prevail only in Australia, New Zealand, parts of Southeast Asia, Antarctica, and nearby oceanic areas.

This phenomenon is not unique to this year. Between May 18 and July 17 each year, there is a brief daily period when about 99 percent of people on Earth experience daylight or twilight simultaneously, coinciding with the Northern Hemisphere’s longest days in June before the sun gradually shifts southward.

Archaeologists in Thailand’s Phetchaburi province have discovered two gold rings believed to be between 1,900 and 2,100 years old during an excavation at the Don Yai Thong archaeological site. The rings were found alongside ancient human skeletons and other artifacts, according to local media reports. One of the rings bears an inscription in an ancient Indian script, officials from the Fine Arts Department confirmed.

Experts suggest that the inscription is in the ancient Brahmi script and that the ring may have belonged to a member of an Indian merchant community. The Fine Arts Department noted that similar Brahmi-inscribed ornaments and artifacts had previously been unearthed at the Khlong Thom and Khao Sam Kaeo archaeological sites.

The newly recovered rings are now preserved at the Phra Nakhon Khiri Museum. Authorities are accelerating the collection and preservation of bronze relics and human remains at the site due to rising groundwater levels and rainfall posing risks of damage.

A rare celestial lightning event known as 'Red Sprites' has recently drawn global attention after being captured over the skies of Omarama Clay Cliffs in New Zealand. Photographers Tom Rae from New Zealand and Dan Zafra and Jose Cantabrana from Spain recorded the phenomenon while photographing the Milky Way. The red lightning appeared to shoot upward from storm clouds toward space, lasting only a millisecond, making it nearly invisible to the naked eye. The event produced one of the most striking images combining the Milky Way and Red Sprites in a single frame.

Scientists describe Red Sprites as intense electrical discharges occurring in the upper atmosphere, triggered by positive charges during thunderstorms. The phenomenon, first photographed in 1989, has since been observed from the International Space Station, where astronaut Nicole Ayers captured a massive Red Sprite over North America. NASA has recognized similar images from Italy as its Astronomy Picture of the Day.

NASA’s ongoing 'Spritacular' project is collecting global images and data on Red Sprites to study their effects on the ozone layer and disruptions in aviation and submarine radio communications.

The International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP) and Physics Without Frontiers (PWF) have jointly announced the second edition of the ICTP-PWF: Physics for Bangladesh Online Summer Internship 2026. The fully online program will run from July 20 to October 20, offering Bangladeshi students hands-on research experience in theoretical physics and mathematics under the mentorship of international researchers.

The initiative aims to bridge the gap in research opportunities and global mentorship for Bangladeshi students, helping them prepare for advanced studies and international research careers. Participants will engage in short-term projects designed to move beyond textbook learning and explore modern research methods and trends.

Undergraduate and postgraduate students from any recognized university or higher education institution in Bangladesh are eligible to apply by June 30 through an online form. The internship includes four main research tracks, with the high-energy physics track covering advanced topics such as quantum field theory, string theory, conformal field theory, and algebraic combinatorics.

Professor Dr. Md. Atikul Haque, Associate Professor of Microbiology at Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University (HSTU), has developed a Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP) test method capable of detecting the foodborne bacterium Bacillus cereus within 90 minutes. The research, conducted in collaboration with Noakhali Science and Technology University, was published in the international journal Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology. The study found that about 80 percent of field samples tested positive for at least one toxin gene, with the highest contamination in animal feed, followed by milk and eggs.

Compared to conventional PCR tests, which require 3–5 hours and expensive thermal cyclers, the LAMP method is faster, cheaper (around USD 2.5 per test), and can be performed using basic heating equipment. It is also about 10,000 times more sensitive, showing 96.1% diagnostic sensitivity. Dr. Haque stated that this innovation offers Bangladesh an effective and affordable tool for rapid bacterial detection, even in resource-limited settings.

Researchers plan to expand the study nationwide, develop multiplex and species-specific LAMP systems, and create portable field kits for on-site testing. They also aim to integrate the technology into the national food safety framework to strengthen surveillance.

Humanity has reached a remarkable milestone in science and technology with the installation of the world’s largest and most powerful digital camera at the Vera C. Rubin Observatory in northern Chile. The 3,200-megapixel camera, built by the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory of Stanford University, officially began operation in 2025 after being installed in late 2023–24. Designed for the Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST) project, the camera weighs about three tons and features a five-foot-wide lens, the largest of its kind.

The LSST project, costing approximately 673 million US dollars, took nearly a decade of collaboration among scientists and engineers from multiple countries. The camera’s 201 custom-designed CCD sensors form an ultra-flat focal plane, maintained in a dust-free, -100°C environment. It can capture images so detailed that a golf ball would be visible from 24 kilometers away. Each night, it will collect around 15 terabytes of data, processed using advanced supercomputers and artificial intelligence.

The images will help create the first 3D map of the universe, aiding research into galaxies, asteroids, supernovae, and dark matter, and enhancing understanding of cosmic origins.

Dhaka University of Engineering and Technology (DUET), Gazipur, held its ‘Annual Paper Meet’ on Thursday, June 18, 2026, at the Shaheed Syed Nazrul Islam Academic Building. The event showcased the outcomes, innovations, and future prospects of research projects approved for the 2025–2026 fiscal year. DUET Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Engineer Mohammad Iqbal attended as chief guest, with Pro-Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Md. Arefin Kawsar as special guest, and Professor Dr. Md. Anwarul Abedin presiding.

In his address, the Vice-Chancellor emphasized that research-driven knowledge creation and technology-based solutions can significantly contribute to national industry, economy, and society. He called for more publications, patents, and collaboration with industry to raise research to international standards and urged the University Grants Commission to increase financial allocations for research. The Pro-Vice-Chancellor praised researchers’ creativity and stressed the need for practical application of research outcomes.

During the event, project directors presented their research goals, methods, findings, and potential applications. Participants engaged in discussions on interdisciplinary collaboration and implementation of research results, and certificates were awarded to project directors at the closing session.

Researchers have discovered the oldest, deepest, and most extensive whale graveyard ever found, located in the Indian Ocean. The site contains fossils more than five million years old and extends over hundreds of miles, reaching depths beyond seven kilometers. The international research team from China, Italy, and New Zealand used a submersible to explore the Diamantina Fracture Zone, where they identified 485 fossil sites and five modern whale fall locations.

Dr. Giovanni Bianucci of the University of Pisa said the discovery shows that extreme and unexplored environments can host unknown species and ecosystems, revealing how life adapts and evolves under high pressure and low light. Stephen J. Godfrey of the Calvert Marine Museum described the find as unique, suggesting it could lead to further discoveries.

The study, published in the journal Nature, also reported the discovery of a five‑meter Antarctic minke whale skeleton and a fossilized skull of an extinct beaked whale species estimated to be 5.3 million years old. Professor Jon Copley of the University of Southampton noted that finding around 800 skeletons per square kilometer is astonishing.

NASA has announced the names of four astronauts for its highly anticipated Artemis 3 mission, scheduled for late 2027. The crew includes Randy Bresnik, Andre Douglas, Frank Rubio, and Luca Parmitano, with test pilot Bob Hines serving as backup. The two-week mission will focus on scientific research in space and docking exercises to prepare for future lunar landings.

The mission will be conducted through a public-private partnership involving three rocket launches. The astronauts will travel aboard the Orion spacecraft, which will dock with lander models developed by Blue Origin and SpaceX. Concerns arose after a Blue Origin New Glenn rocket exploded during a test on May 28, damaging the Cape Canaveral launch site, but NASA officials expressed confidence in meeting the 2027 schedule.

Artemis 3 aims to maintain U.S. leadership in space exploration amid competition with China, which plans to send astronauts to the Moon by 2030. NASA has revised the mission plan to remain in low Earth orbit rather than land on the Moon, reducing risks and paving the way for future lunar bases before 2030.

A team of researchers in the United States has successfully achieved highly precise DNA editing in human embryos, marking what they describe as a major milestone in genetic science. Led by geneticist Dieter Egli at Columbia University, the study used a technique known as base editing, which allows for subtle DNA changes with fewer harmful effects compared to the traditional CRISPR method. The researchers reported successful edits to genes linked to heart disease risk and fetal hemoglobin production. The study is currently under peer review and has not yet been published in a scientific journal.

Scientists say the breakthrough could one day help correct genetic defects in embryos created through IVF, potentially preventing hereditary diseases. However, critics warn that the same technology could be used to select traits such as intelligence or height, raising fears of a new era of eugenics. The research’s next phase is being funded by Nucleus Genomics, a company previously criticized for predicting embryo traits.

Experts caution that the technology remains experimental, with unresolved safety and ethical questions, and emphasize the need for broad societal discussion before clinical use.

Bangladesh has been named among the winners of the 13th edition of the Beamline for Schools competition, alongside teams from India, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The competition, organized for secondary school students worldwide, invites participants to submit proposals for physics experiments to be conducted at CERN or its partner institutions. Five teams were selected based on the scientific merit of their proposals.

The Bangladeshi winning team, named POLARIS, includes students from Chowmuhani Government Saleh Ahmed College in Noakhali, Birshreshtha Noor Mohammad Public College, and Collectorate School and College Rangpur (CSCR). They will travel to Bonn University to carry out their proposed experiments. Teams from India and Turkey will perform their experiments at CERN in August 2026, while the UK and US teams will conduct theirs at a DESY beamline.

Since its launch in 2014, the Beamline for Schools program has seen growing participation. In 2026, a record 712 teams from 89 countries submitted experimental proposals.

Dr. Jannatul Ferdous, Associate Professor of Pharmacy at Comilla University, has become the first Bangladeshi to receive Japan’s prestigious Asian Young Biotechnologist Award 2026. The honor was conferred by the Society for Biotechnology, Japan (SBJ), in recognition of her outstanding contributions to biotechnology research. She confirmed the news on June 2, noting that her research focuses on using nanotechnology to enhance the effective application of drugs and biomolecules.

Dr. Ferdous expressed that the achievement brings her immense pride and joy as a researcher. She believes that winning the award through competition with scientists from developed nations will inspire young researchers in Bangladesh. The SBJ will formally present the award to her during its 78th annual conference, scheduled for September 15–17 at Hokkaido University in Japan, with all participation expenses covered by the organization.

Founded in 1923, the Society for Biotechnology, Japan, is a highly regarded international scientific body dedicated to advancing research in biology, biotechnology, and life sciences.

A meteor traveling toward Earth exploded over the northeastern United States on Saturday, according to NASA. The agency reported that the blast released energy equivalent to about 300 tons of TNT, producing a loud explosion that echoed across the region. NASA Deputy News Chief Jennifer Doren stated that the fireball broke apart at 2:06 p.m. local time over northeastern Massachusetts and southeastern New Hampshire.

Doren clarified that the meteor was not part of any active meteor shower but a natural celestial object, unrelated to space debris or satellite reentry. NASA data indicated the meteor was traveling at more than 75,000 miles per hour and disintegrated roughly 40 miles above the ground, causing the intense sound.

Residents in the affected areas reported being startled by the sudden noise, with some saying their homes shook. NASA referenced the 2013 Chelyabinsk event in Russia for comparison, where a much larger meteor exploded with far greater energy and caused injuries and property damage.