Science

A massive underground lake has been detected for the first time on Mars, raising the possibility that more water -- and maybe even life -- exists there, international astronomers said Wednesday.

The first comprehensive mapping of ocean wilderness revealed that no part of the ocean is untouched by humans, and only 13 percent could be classified as "wilderness."

After a successful launch in April this year, NASA's newest planet hunter, the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), has now started its search for planets around nearby stars.

Mars and Earth will be closest to each other on July 31 for the first time in 15 years since their historically close approach in 2003. Mars will be at a distance of 35.8 million miles (57.6 million kilometers) from Earth. Mars reaches its highest point around midnight -- about 35 degrees above the southern horizon, or one third of the distance between the horizon and overhead. Mars will be visible for much of the night. Mars was closer in 2003 than in some 60,000 years, and it's now only slightly farther from Earth now than then.

Scientists including one of Indian-origin have developed an experimental drug that could successfully reverse hair loss, hair whitening and skin inflammation -- all previously linked to diets heavy in fat and cholesterol -- in mice.