An international team of solar physicists led by the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) have traced giant tides of plasma beneath the Sun’s surface at a region called near-surface shear layer (NSSL).

According to a study published in the Astrophysical Journal Letters, the plasma’s currents shift with the Sun’s magnetic heartbeat and could have a far-reaching influence on space weather and earth.

“The near-surface shear layer (NSSL) extending to about 35,000 km in depth is a critical region beneath the Sun’s surface. It is marked by distinct rotational behaviours that vary with depth and changes, over space and time, that relate to active region magnetic fields and the solar cycle,” said the Department of Science and Technology.

It added that astronomers have probed the dynamic inner weather of the Sun — plasma currents just beneath its surface at the NSSL, that pulse in step with its 11-year sunspot cycle.

Apart from IIA, researchers from Stanford University (USA), and the National Solar Observatory (NSO, USA) have traced how these hidden flows shift over time, potentially reshaping our understanding of solar dynamics in general and how the Sun’s interior connects to its outer magnetic behaviour in particular.

Employing helioseismology — an advanced technique that tracks sound waves as they travel through the Sun — the team observed changes in the movement of solar material using more than a decade of data from NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory/Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager (SDO/HMI) and the ground-based Global Oscillations Network Group (GONG) of National Solar Observatory (NSO), USA.

Fascinating patterns

The analysis led by Professor S.P. Rajaguru and PhD student Anisha Sen from IIA revealed fascinating patterns — surface plasma flows converge toward active sunspot latitudes, but reverse direction midway through the NSSL, flowing outward to form circulation cells.

“These flows are strongly influenced by the Sun’s rotation and the Coriolis force — the same force responsible for the spin of hurricanes on earth,” the department said.

“To validate our findings, we zoomed in on a massive sunspot region using 3D velocity maps. The localised flow patterns we observed matched the global trends — confirming both surface inflows and deeper outflows,” said lead author Anisha Sen.

These findings give us a better understanding of how the Sun’s magnetic activity is linked to its internal flows and hint that we might still be missing something lurking in deeper layers that truly drives its global dynamics.

NASA is inviting people of all ages to participate in an exciting citizen science project through Galaxy Zoo, where volunteers help classify thousands of galaxy images captured by the James Webb Space Telescope. With over 500,000 galaxy images now available, scientists need assistance to analyse and understand how galaxies have evolved over billions of years. This project allows volunteers to be among the first to view some of the earliest galaxies ever detected. By answering simple questions about galaxy shapes, participants can directly contribute to scientific discoveries about the universe’s history.

What is Galaxy Zoo

Galaxy Zoo is a long-running citizen science project that started in 2007. It has allowed volunteers to classify galaxies using images from telescopes like the Sloan Digital Sky Survey and NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope. The project has led to numerous scientific breakthroughs, such as insights into galaxy mergers and the role of black holes.

Why your help matters in identifying galaxies

The James Webb Space Telescope has produced a vast number of new images that reveal galaxies farther away than ever before. These distant galaxies show us what the universe looked like billions of years ago. By studying their shapes, scientists can understand how galaxies formed, how they created stars, and how they interacted with each other over time.

How to participate in Galaxy Zoo

To join, volunteers simply sign up on the Galaxy Zoo website. After viewing an image from the Webb telescope, answer questions about its shape, such as whether it appears smooth or has spiral arms. Even beginners can contribute valuable data. Some volunteers have expressed excitement about being the first people ever to see these distant galaxies.

Combining human and AI efforts

The Galaxy Zoo team now uses an artificial intelligence system called ZooBot. This AI reviews images and classifies the ones it can handle based on existing data. When ZooBot encounters complex or unclear images, it passes them on to human volunteers. This partnership between humans and AI allows the project to manage the massive influx of new data effectively.

A continuing legacy of discovery

Galaxy Zoo has already played a key role in expanding our understanding of the universe. With the addition of James Webb’s powerful new data, the project is opening a new chapter in space exploration. Anyone interested in space and science can join and make a real impact on astronomical research.

There’s a reason the ancients spoke in parables and the Greeks turned beasts into gods. Because when a man looks into the eyes of a silverback gorilla, he doesn’t just see fur and fangs. He sees himself. Only purer. Stronger. Angrier. Free. No job. No taxes. No LinkedIn. Just raw, unfiltered id wrapped in 200 kilos of sinew and testosterone.
So when the internet erupts with the age-old Reddit thought experiment — “Could 100 unarmed men beat a silverback gorilla in a fight?” — it isn’t just banter. It’s masculinity’s mirror maze. A digital colosseum where Nietzsche meets Joe Rogan.
But here’s the twist in this Netflix nature special: the gorilla isn’t the final boss. He’s not the apex predator. He’s just the tutorial level. The hairy handshake before the real monsters crawl in. So step aside, Kong. It’s time to meet five creatures that would not just beat a silverback — they’d body him, bury him, and meme about it later.
And yes, Jim Ross is screaming at ringside.
1. Saltwater Crocodile: The Cold-Blooded Executioner

Height: 0 on charisma. 100 on kill count.
Move set: Death roll, ambush tackle, bite of the damned.
If the silverback is a barroom brawler, the saltie is a mafia hitman with scales. It doesn’t puff its chest or beat its breast — it just waits. Silently. Patiently. Until the water explodes and something disappears forever.
We’re talking about a prehistoric murder lizard with a 3,700 PSI bite — that’s like being clamped by the gates of hell. It doesn’t fight. It ends things. A gorilla might break your jaw. A saltie breaks physics.
If they ever met in the wild, the gorilla wouldn’t know it’s a fight until it’s halfway digested.

2. African Bush Elephant: The Bulldozer with Buddha Vibes

Stats: 6 tonnes of “Don’t mess with me.”
Special move: Vehicular manslaughter, tusk impalement, existential crisis via eye contact.
Ah, the elephant. So majestic. So wise. So utterly capable of flattening anything that breathes. This isn’t a predator — it’s a continent on four legs with feelings.
Elephants have been known to flip trucks, uproot trees, and kill lions — and that’s when they’re in a good mood. A gorilla picking a fight with an African elephant is like a kettlebell challenging a freight train. It’s not a battle. It’s a funeral with trumpets.
And yet, as it crushes you, it weeps. Poetic, no?
3. Grizzly Bear: The Mountain That Bites Back
Intro music: Metallica’s “Sad But True.”
Fighting style: Berserker rage meets lawnmower accident.
Grizzlies aren’t just strong — they’re the angry gym bros of the animal kingdom. Weighing up to 680 kg and armed with claws longer than your WiFi password, they don’t fight to win. They fight to erase.
Their bite is 975 PSI of dental doom. Their claws can shred bark and bone. And their cardio? Surprisingly solid, considering their diet consists mostly of salmon and bad decisions.
In a WWE cage match, the gorilla might get in a few jabs. But once the bear goes full Yellowstone, it’s over. All that remains is fur, blood, and Joe Rogan whispering, “Bro… did you see that?”
4. Leopard: The Silent One Who Knows Where You Sleep

Entrance theme: Mission: Impossible with a growl.
Signature move: Stealth kill. Exit stage left.
Don’t let the size fool you — this isn’t your grandma’s safari cat. Leopards don’t do fair fights. They do ambushes, silent kills, and unsolved mysteries.
In the wild, there are documented cases of leopards snatching baby gorillas. If a silverback gets distracted for even a second, it’s not a fight anymore. It’s a NatGeo crime scene.
A gorilla might throw punches. A leopard throws surprises. It doesn’t rumble. It rewrites the ending.
5. Inland Taipan: The One-Hit Wonder From Hell

Nickname: “The Silent Extinction.”
Power rating: 1 gram of venom = 100 human funerals.
The inland taipan doesn’t growl, charge, or wrestle. It doesn’t need to. It just delivers one perfect kiss of death and slithers away while you Google “antivenom delivery speed.”
This Aussie nightmare doesn’t posture. It doesn’t chase clout. It just carries enough neurotoxin in one bite to down an entire rugby team — gorilla included. While Kong is busy flexing, the taipan taps him on the ankle, injects a few milligrams of death, and exits the arena with sunglasses on.
Who wins? The one who kills without caring. That’s always the taipan.
Final Thoughts:
The silverback is a symbol. He is wrath and honour. But these five? They’re reality. Brutal, indifferent, and undefeated. So next time you scroll past that “100 men vs one gorilla” debate, ask yourself: What if it was one saltie? One elephant? One bear?
Because if the gorilla is the god of our rage, these five are the gods that answer, “So what?”
And as Jim Ross would scream, “BAH GAWD, HE’S BROKEN IN HALF!”