Top 5 Science stories of the day Sunlight to clean clothes, Science Express in Mangaluru and more

No more scrubbing, sunlight will clean your clothes soon: A spot of sunshine is all it could take to clean your clothes within minutes, as scientists, including those of Indian-origin, have developed a low-cost, efficient way to grow nanostructures on textiles that can degrade organic matter when exposed to light. The research from RMIT University in Australia paves the way towards nano-enhanced textiles that can spontaneously clean themselves of stains and grime simply by being put under a light bulb or worn out in the Sun.

Science Express in Mangaluru: A Science Express Climate Action special (SECAS) train will be stationed at Mangaluru station for four days from today to spread awareness about strengths of science in meeting global challenges. A collaborative initiative of Department of Science and Technology, Ministry of Environment and Railway Ministry, the state-of-the-art exhibition aims to create awareness among various sections of society, especially students, as to how Climate Change can be combated through mitigation and adaptation.

NASA mission finds tallest peak on Saturn's moon Titan: In a nod to extraterrestrial mountaineers of the future, scientists working on NASA’s Cassini mission have identified the tallest peak on Saturn’s largest moon, Titan, which is about 3,337 metres high. The highest point on Titan is found within a trio of mountainous ridges called the Mithrim Montes. Most of Titan’s tallest mountains appear to be close to the equator, researchers said. They found that all of Titan’s highest peaks are about 3,000 metres in elevation.

Ancient viruses found in human DNA: Our DNA is actually less human than previously thought, according to a new study that found 19 new pieces of non-human DNA left by viruses in our ancestors hundreds of thousands of years ago. One stretch of newfound DNA, in about 50 of the 2,500 people studied, contains an intact, full genetic recipe for an entire virus, said researchers from University of Michigan and Tufts University.

Astronomers discover most outrageously luminous galaxies ever: Astronomers have observed the most outrageously luminous galaxies ever seen in the universe. These have been described as so bright that the established descriptors, such as ‘ultra’ or ‘super’ don’t even come close. Astronomers describe them as outrageously luminous. According to the lead author Kevin Harrington from University of Massachusetts Amherst, they are calling them ‘outrageously luminous’ because there is no scientific term to apply.