A recent study published by The Lancet Public Health found that walking about 7,000 steps every day helps people stay healthier and live longer. This challenges the old idea that people need to walk 10,000 steps daily to be healthy. Walking 7,000 steps a day can reduce the risk of premature death by almost half. It also helps prevent serious health problems such as heart disease, diabetes, dementia (which affects memory), depression, and falls.
Even walking fewer steps—like 4,000 per day—is much better than walking only 2,000 steps. The study analysed data from over 160,000 adults worldwide. The researchers emphasise that walking benefits both the body and the brain. They encourage people to try to increase their daily activity, even if it’s just a little more than before. So whether you walk to school, play outside, or simply move around more during the day, staying active by walking helps keep you strong and healthy!
Scientists have discovered a new species of flying reptile that soared above the dinosaurs more than 200 million years ago. The pterosaur has been named Eotephradactylus mcintireae, meaning “ash-winged dawn goddess”. The fossilised jawbone of this ancient reptile was found in 2011 in Arizona’s Petrified Forest National Park, but modern scanning techniques have now revealed that it belongs to an entirely new species. The research team was led by scientists at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC. At about 209 million years old, this is now believed to be the earliest pterosaur found in North America. Dr. Ben Kligman explained, “The bones of Triassic pterosaurs are small, thin, and often hollow, so they tend to be destroyed before they can fossilize”.
The creature was about the size of a small seagull and likely fed on armored fish, as indicated by wear patterns on its teeth. Its name reflects both the volcanic ash that preserved its bones and honors Suzanne McIntire, the volunteer who discovered the fossil.
This pterosaur’s bones are fragile and rarely fossilise, making this discovery particularly rare and exciting. Using modern micro-CT scanning technology, scientists studied its jawbone and teeth, confirming it as a new species. This finding not only provides new insights into early flying reptiles but also suggests that more ancient pterosaur fossils could be awaiting discovery in similar rock formations worldwide.
Have you ever wondered what tiny animals lived alongside dinosaurs? A student named Benjamin Weston from the University of Portsmouth found an amazing fossil that answers that question! While exploring the cliffs and beach at Durlston Bay in Dorset, UK, he discovered a tiny fossil jaw just 16.5 millimeters long. This fossil belonged to a new species of ancient mammal that lived about 145 million years ago. This little mammal was part of a group called multituberculates—extinct early mammals known for their specialised teeth. Its jaw has a sharp front incisor, a gap, and four blade-like premolars behind it—somewhat like a rabbit’s jaw, but different in important ways.
This fossil is especially significant because it’s the first multituberculate jaw found at Swanage since Victorian times, making it a very rare and exciting discovery. Scientists used advanced technology like CT scans to study the jaw in detail without damaging it. This allowed them to learn a lot about the animal’s teeth and how it might have lived alongside dinosaurs. This find reveals that many different types of mammals lived during the age of dinosaurs and helps scientists understand more about mammal evolution. So next time you think about dinosaurs, remember there were also tiny mammals like this little creature running around.
India’s 19-year-old chess player Divya Deshmukh won the FIDE Women’s World Cup 2025 held in Batumi, Georgia, by defeating fellow Indian Koneru Humpy. With this victory, she also earned the title of Grandmaster, becoming the fourth
Indian woman to achieve this prestigious title. Following her win, Divya Deshmukh is set to participate in the 2026 Women’s Candidates Tournament.
A chess Grandmaster is a player who has reached the highest level of skill in chess. This title is awarded to those who have demonstrated exceptional ability by winning important tournaments and competing successfully against the strongest players in the world.
On July 21, 2025, Jagdeep Dhankhar, the 14th Vice President of India, resigned from his post due to health reasons. Jagdeep Dhankhar was appointed as the Vice President of India in August 2022 and was expected to serve until 2027. As Vice President, he also served as the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of India’s Parliament. His resignation came on the first day of the Monsoon Session of Parliament.
There is no provision in the Indian Constitution for an acting Vice President. However, the Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, Harivansh Narayan Singh, will preside over the House in the absence of the Vice President.
The Constitution mandates that an election for the Vice President’s post must be held “as soon as possible” after the vacancy occurs.
The Election Commission of India will announce the election schedule. The newly elected Vice President will serve a fresh five-year term starting from the day they take office.
How is the Vice President elected?
The Vice President of India is elected indirectly by an electoral college consisting of all members of both Houses of Parliament—that is, both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, including both elected and nominated members. The election uses a system called proportional representation by means of a single transferable vote, and the voting is done by secret ballot.
Each member of Parliament ranks the candidates in order of preference (1 for first choice, 2 for second, and so on).
To win, a candidate must secure more than half of the total valid votes based on a special formula.
If no candidate meets the required quota from first-preference votes, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated, and those votes are transferred to the voters’ next preferred candidate.
This process continues until one candidate reaches the required quota and is declared elected.
Eligibility Criteria
Candidates for the Vice President must be Indian citizens, at least 35 years old, and qualified to be elected as members of the Rajya Sabha. They must not hold any office of profit under the Government of India. The entire election process is supervised by the Election Commission of India.
