What happens above the storm? For decades, physicist Umran Inan chased the answer, capturing rare glimpses of red sprites and elves. His discoveries have changed how scientists understand the atmosphere and even how the world communicates, a journey that was recognized by the Mustafa(pbuh) Prize.
The Mustafa(pbuh) Science and Technology Foundation Observatory, inspired by the historic Maragheh Observatory, has set its mission as conveying the scientific achievements of the Islamic world in an accessible language to the general public
In an era when science has become a means of influence and international interactions, the Mustafa(pbuh) Prize is more than a scientific accolade; it builds a fresh framework for connecting universities and scientists across the Islamic world.
The “Sci-Quest” social media campaign, an outreach division of the Mustafa(pbuh) Prize, has kicked off its 12th edition under the theme “The Flight of Messenger Photons” with a focus on optical communications.
The Executive Director of the Mustafa(pbuh) Prize has announced that the 6th edition of the award ceremony will take place on September 8, 2025, on the eve of the birth of the Prophet Muhammad(pbuh) at Tehran’s Vahdat Hall, gathering prominent scientific figures from across the Islamic world.
The judging for the Young Scientists’ Fellowship Program (YSFP) has officially begun. The competition is among 65 scientists under the age of 40 from 12 countries. The winners will be announced soon.
MSTF Media reports:
Lightning flashes across the sky, briefly illuminating it before darkness reigns again. This dazzling spectacle is the typical image of lightning etched in our minds. This massive electrical discharge, however, gives rise to other amazing phenomena that are very rarely seen.
These lesser-known phenomena differ from the familiar lightning that occurs in the lowest layer of the atmosphere, the troposphere. They typically manifest above the cloud tops and in the upper layers of the atmosphere, i.e. in the mesosphere and lower ionosphere. So, it is only natural that we do not see them! These phenomena are called transient luminous events because they occur within one or a few milliseconds and then disappear. In addition, other phenomena occur during lightning that are not optically visible, but have an effect on the atmosphere.
Umran Inan, a Turkish scientist and former professor at Stanford University, is one of the scientists who, along with his team, has researched these phenomena. His area of expertise is very low frequency (VLF) electromagnetic radiation and geosciences. Red sprites, elves, and blue jets are among the mysterious names given to some of these transient luminous events; phenomena that have also been observed from space shuttles.
The 27th Science Cafe was held on Wednesday, July 30, in Tehran, featuring a talk by Mehdi Kargarian, associate professor of physics at Sharif University of Technology. Speaking to an audience of students and science enthusiasts, Kargarian discussed key concepts in quantum physics and the properties of topological materials in the context of Mohammad Zahid Hasan’s groundbreaking research, which earned him the Mustafa(pbuh) Prize in 2021.
MSTF Media reports:
By taking a look at the world around us, we will notice that, at first glance, the periodic table of elements seems to be the most thorough approach to classify the matter around us. This table forms the foundation of chemistry and our understanding of matter. Upon closer inspection, however, we will realize that this is only the surface of physical reality. The periodic table is, ultimately, made up of atoms and the bonds between them; but what are the atoms themselves made of?