Here are today’s most important updates from the realm of Science and Space.
The Milky Way could have many more satellite galaxies than scientists have previously been able to predict or observe, according to new research. Cosmologists used a new technique combining the highest-resolution supercomputer simulations that exist, alongside novel mathematical modelling, predicting the existence of missing "orphan" galaxies. The research shows that the Milky Way's missing satellites are extremely faint galaxies stripped almost entirely of their parent dark matter halos by the gravity of the Milky Way's halo. These so-called "orphan" galaxies are lost in most simulations, but should have survived in the real Universe.
This is the view from WITHIN the Sun’s atmosphere! ☀️👀🛰️
— NASA Sun & Space (@NASASun) July 10, 2025
NASA’s Parker Solar Probe just released imagery from its closest-ever flyby of the Sun, revealing details in the solar atmosphere that scientists will be studying for years.
More: https://t.co/ZDyJ1ReiWC pic.twitter.com/fuEVAy55mk
(Credit: X/@NASASun)
On its record-breaking pass by the Sun late last year, NASA’s Parker Solar Probe captured stunning new images from within the Sun’s atmosphere. The closest ever images were captured just 3.8 million miles from the solar surfaces how features in the solar wind, the constant stream of electrically charged subatomic particles released by the Sun that rage across the solar system at speeds exceeding 1 million miles an hour. The solar wind expands throughout of the solar system with wide-ranging effects. Together with outbursts of material and magnetic currents from the Sun, it helps generate auroras, strip planetary atmospheres, and induce electric currents that can overwhelm power grids and affect communications at Earth. These newly released images are helping scientists better understand the Sun’s influence across the solar system, including events that can affect Earth.
A giant Mars rock is up for auction and could fetch up to $4m.
— Sky News (@SkyNews) July 13, 2025
The meteorite is believed to have been blown off the surface of Mars by a massive asteroid strike before traveling to Earth, where it crashed into Africa’s Sahara Desert.https://t.co/koc3Crxsqt pic.twitter.com/XLCHxBKFbu
(Credit: X/@SkyNews)
A rare and pristine Martian meteorite, the largest of its kind ever found on Earth, is set to go under the hammer at Sotheby's in New York. Known as NWA 16788, the rock from Mars could sell for upwards of $4 million (approx Rs 33.4 crore), with bids already reaching $1.6 million (approx Rs 13 crore) nearly a week before the auction. The meteorite weighs over 25 kg and is 15 inches wide. It is about 70 per cent bigger than any other piece of Mars ever found on Earth. It was discovered in 2023 in Niger's remote Agadez Region, after journeying roughly 225 million miles through space. The meteorite likely originated from a massive asteroid strike that ejected debris from Mars into space.
A new pre-clinical study suggests that okra could play a protective role against long-term health problems caused by early overnutrition. Researchers found that dietary okra helped reduce obesity, blood sugar issues, and brain inflammation in rats that were overfed during infancy. As adults, these rats typically showed signs of metabolic dysfunction, including obesity, high blood sugar, and insulin resistance. Importantly, okra also appeared to restore insulin sensitivity in the hypothalamus-the brain region that controls hunger and energy use. This led to reduced food intake and a healthier metabolic profile overall. The vegetable's health benefits are believed to stem from its high levels of antioxidants and plant compounds like catechins and quercetin, which have anti-inflammatory and insulin-boosting properties.
