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A century-old mystery surrounding a skull discovered in Turkey has taken a surprising turn, with new evidence revealing that the remains belong to an 11-year-old boy, not Arsinoë IV, the half-sister of Cleopatra VII. The skull, unearthed in 1929 at the Octagon building in Ephesus, had long been speculated to be connected to Arsinoë, a historical figure who played a key role in the political struggles of ancient Egypt. The latest findings, based on advanced scientific analysis, have provided definitive answers about the identity of the remains.

Analysis Confirms Misidentification

According to a study published in Scientific Reports, the skull was reexamined using a combination of CT scans and DNA analysis. The investigation, led by Gerhard Weber, a professor of evolutionary anthropology at the University of Vienna, conclusively proved that the remains belonged to a male individual aged between 11 and 14 years. Radiocarbon dating placed the boy’s death within a period consistent with Arsinoë’s historical timeline, but his age and the presence of a Y chromosome in the remains confirmed he could not have been Cleopatra’s half-sister.

Physical Anomalies Suggest Genetic Disorder

As reported by Live Science, the study also revealed several physical anomalies in the skull, including an asymmetrical structure and an underdeveloped jaw. These features suggested the boy may have suffered from Treacher Collins syndrome, a rare genetic condition that affects facial development. One cranial suture, typically seen in older individuals, was prematurely fused, further complicating the analysis. Efforts to confirm the disorder through genetic testing were inconclusive due to limited DNA preservation.

Search for Arsinoë IV Continues

Despite the prominence of the Octagon building, the reasons behind this boy’s burial in such a significant location remain unknown. The study concluded that the remains were not those of Arsinoë IV, leaving the mystery of her final resting place unresolved.

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Pixxel to Launch India’s First Private Satellite Network

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January 14, 2025

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Pixxel to Launch India’s First Private Satellite Network

India’s Pixxel is set to launch three of its six hyperspectral imaging satellites aboard a SpaceX rocket from California on Tuesday, the first such network in the country’s nascent private space sector, Pixxel’s chief told Reuters.

The satellites will be placed in a sun-synchronous orbit at roughly 550 km, with the remaining three slated for deployment in the second quarter of the year.

The launch is scheduled to take place at the Vandenberg Space Force Base at around 10:45 a.m. Pacific Time (1845 GMT) on Tuesday – just after midnight the next day in India – subject to final approvals.

Pixxel’s founder and chief executive Awais Ahmed told Reuters that it plans to add 18 more spacecraft to the six it has already developed, eyeing a share of the satellite imaging market projected to reach $19 billion (roughly Rs.1,64,451 crore) by 2029.

The launch is a milestone for India’s nascent private space sector and for Google-backed Pixxel, a five-year-old startup.

It aims to use hyperspectral imaging — a technology that captures highly detailed data across hundreds of light bands — to serve industries such as agriculture, mining, environmental monitoring, and defence.

The company says its satellites can deliver insights to improve crop yields, track resources, monitor oil spills and country borders in much better details than current technology allows.

“The satellite imagery market today is around $4.3 billion (roughly Rs. 37,219 crore), with analysis adding another $14 billion (roughly Rs. 1,21,180 crore). By 2029, the market is projected to reach $19 billion (roughly Rs. 1,64,457 crore). Hyperspectral imaging, which is new, could realistically capture $500 million (roughly Rs. 4,327 crore) to $1 billion (roughly Rs. 8,676 crore) of this, plus additional revenue from analysis,” Ahmed said.

Ahmed said Pixxel has signed up around 65 clients, including Rio Tinto, British Petroleum, and India’s Ministry of Agriculture, with some already paying for data from its demo satellites. Contracts are in place for future data from the Firefly constellation.

“For defence-use cases, conversations are happening predominantly in the US and India, and in other regions through resellers and partners. Usually, government agencies want to see things launched and working before committing to procurement,” Ahmed, 27, said.

Pixxel expects to make first contact with the satellites about two-and-a-half hours after launch, with full commercial imaging capabilities expected by mid-March.

However, its expansion plans face stiff competition in a global satellite market dominated by the United States and China.

The US leads in commercial and government satellite launches, driven by private companies like SpaceX and government contracts, while China has emerged as a competitor with aggressive state-backed initiatives and a rapid expansion into low Earth orbit satellites.

India, despite its established spacefaring capabilities, holds only a two percent share of the global commercial space market. The government is now banking on private players to increase that share, aiming to grow the country’s space sector from $8 billion (roughly Rs. 69,258 crore) to $44 billion (roughly Rs. 3,80,976 crore) by 2030.

Pixxel hopes to leapfrog these challenges with its Firefly constellation, which boasts a 5-meter resolution and a 40-km swathe width—outperforming competitors such as Finland’s Kuva Space and San Francisco-based Orbital Sidekick, whose satellites typically have lower resolution and narrower coverage.

“If and once their commissioning is successful, they’ll have more imaging capacity than ISRO in the hyperspectral band, which for the Indian industry is a watershed moment,” said Narayan Prasad, chief operations officer at Netherlands-based space industry marketplace Satsearch.

© Thomson Reuters 2025

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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Fossils Reveal Evolution of Early Nervous Systems in Ecdysozoans

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January 13, 2025

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Fossils Reveal Evolution of Early Nervous Systems in Ecdysozoans

A discovery has shed light on the early evolution of nervous systems in ecdysozoan animals, a group that includes insects, nematodes, and priapulid worms. Fossil evidence from the early Cambrian Kuanchuanpu Formation has revealed details of the ventral nerve cord structure in ancient organisms, providing key insights into the evolutionary history of this critical component of the central nervous system. This discovery offers a glimpse into the nervous system architecture of one of the earliest known ecdysozoan lineages.

Revelations From Cambrian Fossils

According to a study titled Preservation and early evolution of scalidophoran ventral nerve cord published in Science Advances, scientists analysed fossils from Cambrian deposits, including those of Eopriapulites and Eokinorhynchus. As reported by phs.org, the findings suggest that the ancestors of scalidophorans, a subgroup of ecdysozoans, possessed a single ventral nerve cord. Researchers observed structures along the ventral side of these ancient organisms, resembling the ventral nerve cords of modern priapulid worms.

Dr. Deng Wang from Northwest University and Dr. Jean Vannier from Université de Lyon indicated to phys.org that these impressions represent early examples of the nervous system design seen in present-day ecdysozoans. This evidence supports the hypothesis that a single ventral nerve cord was the ancestral condition for this group.

Implications for Evolutionary Biology

The study has highlighted evolutionary connections between the structure of the ventral nerve cord and the segmentation of body plans in ecdysozoans. According to statement to phys.org by Dr. Chema Martin-Durán of Queen Mary University of London, the findings propose that the common ancestor of all ecdysozoans likely had a single ventral nerve cord. Changes leading to paired nerve cords, seen in arthropods and kinorhynchs, are believed to have evolved independently, reflecting adaptations to segmented body structures.

Dr. María Herranz from Rey Juan Carlos University suggested that the emergence of paired nerve cords may have enhanced locomotion and coordination in segmented animals during the Precambrian-Cambrian transition. These findings underscore the role of fossil studies in uncovering the complexities of early animal development.

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Antarctica’s Pyramid-Shaped Peak: A Geological Masterpiece

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January 13, 2025

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Antarctica’s Pyramid-Shaped Peak: A Geological Masterpiece

A peak resembling a man-made pyramid, situated in the snow-covered expanse of Antarctica, has captured widespread attention due to its striking symmetry. Located within the southern Ellsworth Mountains, this natural formation features four steep, symmetrical faces, drawing comparisons to ancient Egyptian pyramids. Rising approximately 4,150 feet (1,265 meters), the mountain has become a focal point of speculation since it gained internet fame in 2016, with many questioning whether its shape could be the work of ancient civilizations or extraterrestrial beings.

Natural Formation Through Erosion

As reported by Live Science, the unique geometry of the mountain is attributed to natural erosion processes. Experts suggest that the peak was likely sculpted by freeze-thaw erosion over millions of years. Mauri Pelto, a professor of environmental science at Nichols College, explained to Live Science that during this process, water fills rock crevices during the day, freezes at night, and expands, causing chunks of rock to break off gradually. This slow but consistent erosion is believed to have given the mountain its distinct pyramidal shape. Pelto noted that while three of the mountain’s sides appear to have eroded evenly, the fourth side—the eastern ridge—formed separately.

Conspiracy Theories and Expert Opinions

Speculation about the mountain’s origin surged when its images circulated online. Claims involving forgotten civilizations or extraterrestrial construction have been widely shared by conspiracy theorists. However, Eric Rignot, professor of Earth system science at the University of California, Irvine, and senior research scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, dismissed these ideas while talking to Live Science. Rignot stated that pyramid-like shapes are not uncommon in nature, citing that peaks with one or two steep faces are often observed, though fully symmetrical formations are rare.

Historical and Geological Significance

First observed during a 1935 flight by American aviator Lincoln Ellsworth, the Ellsworth Mountains hold significant geological history, including 500-million-year-old fossils. The pyramid-shaped peak adds to the intrigue of this remote region but is regarded by scientists as a testament to nature’s sculpting power rather than evidence of advanced or extraterrestrial involvement.

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