After touching down from her historic Blue Origin spaceflight, Katy Perry kissed the ground and called the experience “second only to being a mother.” Holding a daisy for her daughter, Daisy, she said, “Daisies grow through anything—they're resilient.” Perry reflected on the emotional journey, saying she felt “super connected to love” and emphasized, “You don’t know how loved you are until the day you launch.” Singing What a Wonderful World during descent, she dedicated the moment “for the benefit of Earth.” Calling flowers “God’s smile,” Perry reminded the world of the beauty and resilience of Earth—and mothers.

“The highest high. It is a surrender to the unknown,” said Katy Perry after returning from space with Blue Origin’s first all-female crew since 1963. The 11-minute flight aboard New Shepard included Perry, Lauren Sánchez, Aisha Bowe, Amanda Nguyen, Gayle King, and Kerianne Flynn. “I couldn't recommend this experience more,” Perry added, hinting at a song inspired by her journey. “This mum went to space,” Flynn declared proudly. Sánchez described Earth as “so quiet,” while King said she just wanted to “appreciate the ground.” Blue Origin CEO called it a “great flight” with “an amazing crew” that left “not a dry eye” in Texas. (PC: Blue Origin)

The International Space Station (ISS) recently shared a mesmerizing high-exposure photograph capturing Earth's atmospheric glow beneath a star-studded sky, taken from 258 miles above the Pacific Ocean near Papua New Guinea. The image features the Nauka science module and Prichal docking module from Roscosmos. Posted on the ISS's official Instagram account, the photo quickly went viral, amassing over 35,000 likes. Social media users expressed awe, with comments highlighting its beauty and technical prowess. One user noted, "This is actually the most beautiful photo that I have ever seen," while another remarked on the vastness of space. The ISS continues to captivate audiences with such breathtaking views of our planet. (PC: Down to Earth & NDTV)

Scientists have brought back the dire wolf, an animal that went extinct 12,500 years ago. A US-based biotech company, Colossal Biosciences, used ancient DNA, cloning, and gene editing to create three dire wolf pups. The pups were born in 2024 and 2025. They live in a secure 2,000-acre site in the U.S. Experts say the wolves look like their ancient ancestors. “This is a huge leap in science,” said Professor Love Dalén. Some scientists question if they are real dire wolves. The company hopes this technology will help endangered animals. (PC: Colossal Biosciences/TMX)

Colossal Biosciences has genetically engineered three pups resembling dire wolves, extinct for over 10,000 years. Using ancient DNA from fossilised remains and CRISPR technology, scientists modified grey wolf cells and implanted them into domestic dog surrogates. Though the pups mimic dire wolves physically, experts say their behaviour won't match the real thing due to lack of wild upbringing. The pups are currently housed in a secure U.S. facility. Colossal previously announced similar projects to recreate woolly mammoths and dodos. Independent scientists caution that these creatures are not true revivals, only visual replicas of extinct species. (PC: AP)

The European Space Agency (ESA), in collaboration with Airbus UK, is set to launch the Biomass space probe on April 29, 2025. This 1.25-tonne spacecraft, equipped with a pioneering P-band synthetic aperture radar and a 12-meter antenna, will orbit Earth for five years. Its mission is to create detailed 3D maps of remote tropical forests in Africa, Asia, and South America, penetrating dense canopies to analyze vegetation and collect data on carbon storage. The probe will provide unprecedented insight into forest health, biodiversity, and the effects of deforestation, aiding in quantifying carbon release due to human activity. This data is vital for forecasting climate change impacts. (PC: Getty Images & ESA/ATG medialab)

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) outclassed Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) by 80 runs in IPL 2025 at Eden Gardens. The "V3" trio—Venkatesh Iyer (60 off 29), Vaibhav Arora, and Varun Chakaravarthy—led KKR's charge. Batting first, KKR posted 200/6, with contributions from Angkrish Raghuvanshi (50), Ajinkya Rahane (38), and Rinku Singh (32). Venkatesh smashed 20 runs off Pat Cummins in one over. SRH faltered in the chase, losing key wickets early. Heinrich Klaasen and Pat Cummins tried to stabilize, but KKR’s bowling attack proved too strong. Defending champions KKR maintain dominance in IPL 2025. (PC: X/KKRiders)

Scientists studying Chernobyl’s reactor ruins discovered Cladosporium sphaerospermum, a black fungus that thrives on deadly gamma radiation. This fungus, containing melanin, converts radiation into chemical energy, akin to photosynthesis. Researchers believe this unique ability could revolutionize bioremediation efforts for cleaning radioactive waste and protecting astronauts from cosmic radiation. “This fungus transforms what is typically deadly into a source of life,” a scientist remarked. With potential applications in space exploration and nuclear disaster zones, this discovery paves the way for innovative radiation-resistant technologies. Scientists continue to explore its full capabilities in extreme environments. (PC: Instagram/galaxies)

On April 3, 1984, Rakesh Sharma became the first Indian to travel to space aboard the Soviet Soyuz T-11 mission. During his historic journey, he spent nearly eight days aboard the Salyut 7 space station, conducting scientific experiments. When asked by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi how India looked from space, Sharma famously replied, "Saare Jahaan Se Accha." Now, after 41 years, Indian Air Force officer Shubhanshu Shukla is set to become the second Indian in space. He will fly to the International Space Station (ISS) as part of NASA's Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4), marking another milestone in India's space journey. (PC: Instagram/thebetterindia)

NASA astronaut Sunita Williams, who returned to Earth after 9 months in space, shared a heartwarming video of her reunion with her Labrador retrievers. "Best homecoming ever!" she wrote as her dogs excitedly jumped around her. The video went viral, drawing a heart emoji reaction from Elon Musk. Williams, who landed on March 18 aboard SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft, expressed joy at returning, saying, "It’s home." She also shared plans to visit India, her father’s homeland, to discuss space exploration. Williams described seeing India from space as an “amazing” experience. (Screengrab from X)