Science Snapshots: July 19, 2026

An African monkey called likweli was first photographed in 2008 but has only now been confirmed to be a unique species. | Photo Credit: Daniel Rosengren Central African monkey with striking patch is new species Researchers have found a new species of African monkey in Central Africa. Colobus congoensis, or ‘Likweli’, lives in Lomami National […]

What makes Skyroot’s Vikram-1 launch unique? | Explained

ISROTHMNI

The story so far: The Vikram-1 rocket, built by the Hyderabad firm Skyroot, shot through the sky a little past noon on July 18, 2026. The seven-storey rocket lifted off ISRO’s First Launch Pad at Sriharikota and, a little over fifteen minutes later, placed its payloads in an orbit roughly 450 km above the earth. […]

NEET UG 2026: OMR row deepens as NTA flags AI-generated sheets, candidates raise fresh claims

neet ug 2026 fresh omr mismatch allegations surface as nta warns against ai generated sheets

NEET-UG 2026: Fresh OMR Mismatch Allegations Surface as NTA Warns Against AI-Generated Sheets The controversy surrounding the NEET-UG 2026 examination has entered a new phase, with the National Testing Agency (NTA) warning of legal action against candidates submitting fake or AI-generated OMR sheets even as fresh complaints about alleged discrepancies continue to emerge from aspirants […]

As Vikram-1 reaches orbit, Skyroot faces a steep climb to business success

AFP B9HN23R

India had its first private orbital rocket launch at 12.05 p.m. on July 18. So far, all orbital rockets India had launched as part of its space programme had been state-funded and led by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). Hyderabad-based Skyroot Aerospace changed that by launching its small-satellite launch vehicle Vikram-1 to a low-earth […]