United News of Bangladesh

Researchers have discovered the world’s oldest cave painting on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi. The painting shows a red hand with claw-like fingers and is at least 67,800 years old. The stencilled hand was found in Liang Metanduno cave on Muna Island, southeast of Sulawesi. Scientists say the artist pressed a hand against the wall and sprayed pigment around it, then altered the fingers to create a claw-like effect. The discovery predates the previous oldest hand stencil in Spain by about 1,100 years. Experts say it shows early symbolic thinking and creativity in humans far earlier than previously believed. Professor Adam Brumm of Griffith University, Australia, said the finding challenges the idea that human creativity began in Europe. He noted that such symbolic art existed across Indonesia tens of thousands of years ago. Archaeologists say the painting also supports the theory that humans reached the Australia–New Guinea landmass, Sahul, much earlier than thought. The artists in Sulawesi likely belonged to populations that later spread across the region. Previous discoveries on Sulawesi included hand stencils and animal figures dating back 40,000 to 51,000 years. The new find shows that cave art was widespread and a long-standing cultural practice in the region. Professor Maxime Aubert, co-lead of the study, said humans had the capacity for abstract and symbolic thought long before reaching Europe, suggesting creativity was an innate trait of the species.   With in puts from BBC

Nuclear weapons testing between 1945 and 2017 has affected everyone on Earth and is linked to at least four million premature deaths from cancer and other diseases, according to a new report by Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA). The report said more than 2,400 nuclear devices were detonated in tests worldwide over the period, and the health and environmental impacts are still being felt in many communities today. Of the nine nuclear-armed states, only North Korea has conducted nuclear tests since the 1990s, the report noted. The 304-page report said a long-running culture of secrecy, limited international engagement and lack of data have left many affected people seeking answers and support. NPA chief Raymond Johansen said past nuclear testing “continues to kill today” and urged stronger resolve to prevent future testing or use of nuclear weapons. The issue has drawn renewed attention after US President Donald Trump suggested last November that Washington could resume nuclear testing, while accusing Russia and China of already doing so, a claim they rejected, according to the report. The report said people living near test sites have faced higher illness rates, congenital anomalies and long-term trauma. It also said radioactive fallout from atmospheric testing spread widely, leaving radioactive isotopes in people’s bodies across generations. It alleged that some governments continue to withhold key information, including studies and locations of radioactive waste, and said compensation schemes have often fallen short of victims’ needs.   With inputs from NDTV

Gazipur Agricultural University (GAU) has been ranked first among all public universities in Bangladesh in the Life Sciences category of the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings by Subject 2026. According to THE’s official website, GAU also achieved the highest national score in research quality (69.5), making it the country’s top institution across both public and private sectors. Globally, the university falls within the 601–800 ranking band. The ranking evaluated 1,211 universities from 98 countries in four major fields—Veterinary Science, Life Sciences, Agriculture & Forestry, and Sports Science—based on research quality, international outlook, research environment, and teaching. Read More:  WHO launches framework to safely unlock benefits of life sciences GAU Vice-Chancellor Prof. Dr. JK Mostafizur Rahman congratulated faculty, students, and staff, describing the achievement as a testament to the university’s global research standards and its commitment to sustainable development. Previously, GAU topped the QS World University Rankings: Sustainability 2026 among Bangladesh’s agricultural universities and ranked 77th globally in the Development and Application category in the URAP 2025 rankings. In this year’s subject rankings, nine public and one private university from Bangladesh were included.

Scientists studying Brazil’s oldest citizens say they may be closer to understanding why some people live far longer than average, with new research pointing to unique genetic and biological factors behind extreme longevity. A new viewpoint published in the journal Genomic Psychiatry highlights findings from an ongoing Brazilian study focusing on centenarians and supercentenarians. While most people live around 70 years, a small number reach 100, and an even rarer group live beyond 110. Researchers say Brazil offers a unique advantage because of its highly diverse population, shaped by Indigenous roots, European colonisation, African ancestry and immigration from many parts of the world. The study includes more than 160 centenarians from across the country, including about 20 supercentenarians. Some participants remained mentally sharp and physically independent even after turning 100. In a few rare cases, long life appeared to run in families, including one family with four women aged between 100 and 110. Scientists believe this diversity may help reveal genetic traits linked to long life that are not visible in studies of more uniform populations. Many of the participants also came from poorer regions with limited access to health care, suggesting that strong biological protection, rather than modern medicine alone, played a major role in their longevity. Researchers also noted that some Brazilian supercentenarians survived Covid-19 before vaccines were available, pointing to particularly strong immune systems. Experts say expanding longevity research to include diverse populations like Brazil’s is essential to better understand ageing and improve health outcomes worldwide.   With inputs from BBC

Scientists have, for the first time, developed a technology that allows humans to watch plants “breathe” in real time, a breakthrough that could help create stronger and more drought-resistant crops. Researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have built a device called “Stomata In-Sight” that makes it possible to directly observe how tiny pores on plant leaves, known as stomata, open and close to regulate the exchange of carbon dioxide, oxygen and water vapour. For centuries, scientists have known that plants absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen and water vapour through these microscopic pores. However, the process had never before been observed live and in such fine detail. The new system combines a high-resolution confocal microscope, a precise gas-exchange measurement setup and machine-learning software to analyse images. During experiments, small sections of leaves are placed inside a palm-sized chamber where temperature, humidity, light, carbon dioxide levels and water supply can be carefully controlled. Using the device, researchers recorded videos showing how gases move as plants absorb carbon dioxide for photosynthesis and release oxygen and water vapour. The system also tracks subtle cellular changes as stomata respond to light, heat and humidity. Scientists say the breakthrough could transform crop research by helping identify genetic traits linked to better water-use efficiency. This is seen as crucial at a time when water scarcity and rising temperatures pose major threats to global food production. The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign has patented the technology and hopes it will soon be manufactured for wider scientific use. The findings have been published in the journal Plant Physiology.   With inputs from NDTV

Archaeologists in Bulgaria have uncovered the 6,000-year-old skeleton of a young man who survived a violent attack by a large carnivore, believed to have been a lion, offering rare evidence of prehistoric encounters between humans and big predators. The discovery was made at a Late Eneolithic burial site in the Thracian region of eastern Bulgaria and has been detailed in the February 2026 issue of the Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, according to international media. Researchers said the man, who lived between 4600 and 4200 BC, was aged between 18 and 30 at the time of his death and stood more than 5 feet 7 inches tall. His remains were found near Kozareva Mogila, also known as Goat Mound, close to the Black Sea coast. Examinations of the skeleton revealed severe injuries to the skull and limbs, including puncture wounds consistent with an attack by a large carnivore. The wounds had healed, indicating that the man survived the attack, which is believed to have occurred during his adolescence. Paleontologist Nadezhda Karastoyanova of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences said lions were present in eastern Bulgaria during the Late Eneolithic period. She led the zooarchaeological analysis alongside researchers Veselin Danov, Petya Petrova and Victoria Ruseva. Karastoyanova said more than 15 sets of lion remains have been found at prehistoric sites across Bulgaria, some bearing cut marks that suggest hunting and butchering by humans. Researchers noted that direct skeletal evidence of animal attacks from prehistoric times is extremely rare, making the find particularly significant.   With inputs from NDTV

Scientists have discovered the mummified remains of cheetahs in caves near Arar in northern Saudi Arabia, shedding light on populations that disappeared from the region centuries ago. The remains, dating from 130 to over 1,800 years old, include seven complete mummies and the bones of 54 additional cheetahs. Unlike typical decay, mummification preserves the body, and in this case, the caves’ dry conditions and stable temperatures likely contributed to the preservation. The cats’ shriveled limbs and cloudy eyes give them a “dried-out husk” appearance. Researchers are uncertain why so many cheetahs were found in the caves. It may have been a denning site, where mothers gave birth and raised their young. “These are large cat remains preserved in a way that is entirely without precedent,” said Ahmed Boug of the National Center for Wildlife in Saudi Arabia. Scientists note that for such preservation, carcasses must avoid scavengers like birds and hyenas, as well as the right environmental conditions. Cheetahs once roamed across most of Africa and parts of Asia, including the Arabian Peninsula, but now occupy just 9% of their former range due to habitat loss, unregulated hunting, and declining prey. For the first time with naturally mummified large cats, researchers could study DNA, showing that these cheetahs were genetically closest to modern Asian and northwest African cheetahs. This insight could guide efforts to reintroduce cheetahs to areas where they have long vanished. The study was published Thursday in Communications Earth and Environment.

NASA’s massive new moon rocket rolled out to the launch pad early Saturday, marking a major step toward the first crewed lunar fly-around in more than 50 years, which could lift off as early as February. The 322-foot Space Launch System rocket began its slow journey from Kennedy Space Center’s Vehicle Assembly Building at daybreak, moving at about one mile per hour on a giant transporter. The four-mile trip to the pad was expected to take most of the day. Thousands of NASA workers and their families gathered in the early morning chill to watch the long-awaited rollout, an event that had been delayed for years. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman and the four astronauts assigned to the mission led the cheering crowd. Weighing about 11 million pounds, the rocket and its Orion crew capsule were carried by a transporter first used during the Apollo and space shuttle eras and later upgraded for the heavier SLS. Study warns ocean chemistry changes could weaken sharks’ teeth The only previous SLS launch took place in November 2022, when an uncrewed Orion capsule was sent into orbit around the moon. This time, astronauts will be aboard. “This one feels very different, putting crew on the rocket and taking them around the moon,” said NASA’s John Honeycutt. The upcoming 10-day mission will be commanded by Reid Wiseman, with Victor Glover as pilot and Christina Koch as mission specialist. They will be joined by Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen, making his first spaceflight. The astronauts will not land on the moon or enter lunar orbit. That milestone is planned for a later Artemis mission. NASA plans to conduct a fueling test on the launch pad in early February before setting a final launch date. The agency has a narrow window of five days in the first half of February before the schedule shifts into March. If successful, the mission will mark humanity’s first return to the moon since Apollo 17 in 1972, when Gene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt завершed the era of lunar landings.

Sharks are known as the ocean’s most feared predators, relying on their razor-sharp, constantly regrowing teeth to survive. But scientists say rising ocean acidity could gradually weaken those powerful weapons. That is the conclusion of a study by German researchers who examined how more acidic seawater affects shark teeth. Scientists say human activities such as burning coal, oil and gas are increasing the amount of carbon dioxide absorbed by the oceans, making seawater more acidic. The study found that as acidity increases, shark teeth could become structurally weaker and more prone to cracking and breaking. This could eventually threaten sharks’ position at the top of the marine food chain. “The ocean won’t suddenly be filled with toothless sharks,” said lead researcher Maximilian Baum, a marine biologist at Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf. “But weaker teeth would be another serious threat for animals already facing pollution, overfishing, climate change and habitat loss.” Baum said the team discovered clear signs of corrosion on shark teeth, warning that the predators’ ecological dominance could be at risk over time. The findings were published in the journal Frontiers in Marine Science as concern grows worldwide over ocean acidification. According to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), acidification happens when oceans absorb more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Scientists estimate the ocean could become nearly 10 times more acidic by the year 2300. For the study, researchers collected more than 600 discarded teeth from an aquarium housing blacktip reef sharks, a species found in the Pacific and Indian oceans. The teeth were placed in water reflecting today’s acidity levels and the projected acidity of the year 2300. Teeth exposed to the more acidic water showed severe damage, including cracks, holes, root corrosion and overall structural degradation. Some dogs can learn new words just by eavesdropping The researchers said the results indicate ocean acidification will have a significant impact on the physical strength of shark teeth. Shark teeth are highly specialised tools designed for slicing through flesh rather than resisting chemical corrosion. Over a lifetime, a shark can grow and lose thousands of teeth, which are essential for hunting and maintaining balance in marine ecosystems. Many shark species are already under threat. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, more than a third of all shark species face the risk of extinction. Nick Whitney, a senior scientist at the New England Aquarium who was not involved in the research, said the study was scientifically sound. However, he noted that shark teeth develop inside mouth tissue and may be somewhat protected from changing ocean chemistry for a time. “Sharks have survived for about 400 million years and have adapted to many environmental changes,” Whitney said. Gavin Naylor, director of the Florida Program for Shark Research, said ocean acidification is a concern but stressed that overfishing remains the biggest threat to sharks worldwide. Scientists weigh prospects, hurdles of asteroid mining Scientists also warn that acidification will affect much more than sharks. Shellfish such as oysters and clams may struggle to build shells, while fish scales could become weaker and more brittle. Baum said ocean acidification should not be ignored as a growing danger for sharks. Some species are already close to extinction, and worsening ocean chemistry could push them even closer. “The evolutionary success of sharks depends on their perfectly developed teeth,” he said.

An ailing astronaut returned to Earth early on Thursday along with three crewmates, cutting short their mission aboard the International Space Station by more than a month in NASA’s first-ever medical evacuation from orbit. A SpaceX capsule splashed down in the Pacific Ocean near San Diego shortly after midnight, less than 11 hours after the astronauts departed the space station. They were taken directly to a nearby hospital for overnight medical checks. “Obviously, we took this action because it was a serious medical condition,” NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said after the splashdown. “The astronaut is fine right now, in good spirits and undergoing the proper medical evaluations.” The mission, which began in August, ended unexpectedly and left the orbiting laboratory temporarily staffed by only one American and two Russian astronauts. NASA and SpaceX said efforts are underway to move up the launch of a replacement crew of four, currently scheduled for mid-February. Read more: James Webb finds black hole killed Pablo’s Galaxy Returning to Earth were NASA astronauts Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, Japan’s Kimiya Yui, and Russia’s Oleg Platonov. Officials declined to identify which crew member became ill or to disclose details of the condition, citing medical privacy. NASA said the astronaut’s condition was stable in orbit but that an early return was deemed necessary to allow full medical care and diagnostic testing on Earth. The re-entry and splashdown followed standard procedures, and the recovery ship carried its usual team of medical specialists. The astronauts exited the capsule within an hour of landing, were placed on reclining stretchers for routine checks and then transported to the hospital. Isaacman observed the recovery from Mission Control in Houston along with the astronauts’ families. NASA decided several days earlier to send the entire crew directly to a San Diego-area hospital and even conducted practice helicopter flights from the recovery ship. The health issue first emerged on Jan 7, forcing NASA to cancel a scheduled spacewalk the following day and ultimately leading to the decision to end the mission early. Officials stressed that the situation was not considered an emergency and that this marked the first time NASA has shortened a space mission for medical reasons. NASA said the space station can continue operating with a reduced crew for now, but no spacewalks can be conducted until the next team arrives. Read more: Scientists weigh prospects, hurdles of asteroid mining Isaacman said it is too early to know whether the launch of the replacement crew will take priority over NASA’s upcoming crewed moon mission, which is preparing for key tests at Kennedy Space Center. “For now, we’re moving ahead with both missions in parallel,” he said.