1. India ranked 3rd globally in the publication of scientific papers; Union Minister Jitendra Singh
Tags: Reports National Science and Technology Person in news
According to the Union Minister for Science & Technology Dr Jitendra Singh India has been ranked 3rd globally in the publication of scientific papers. Quoting the National Science Foundation (NSF)’s Science & Engineering Indicators 2022 report of the United States, India’s position globally in scientific publications, has improved from 7th position in 2010 to 3rd position in 2020. He also said that India’s scholarly output increased from 60,555 papers in 2010 to 1, 49,213 papers in 2020.
China leads the world in the publication of the maximum number of scientific papers followed by The United States of America.
Dr Jitendra Singh also said that India now ranks 3rd in terms of the number of PhDs in science and engineering.
The National Science Foundation is an independent agency of the United States government that supports fundamental research and education in all the non-medical fields of science and engineering.
2. Mandaviya inaugurates National Animal Resource Facility for Biomedical Research at Genome Valley, Hyderabad
Tags: Science and Technology National News
Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya on 17th December inaugurated ICMR’s National Animal Resource Facility for Biomedical Research (NARFBR) at Genome Valley in Hyderabad to address zoonotic threats.
About ICMR’s NARFBR
It is a top-notch facility that will provide the ethical care and use and welfare of laboratory animals used during research.
It will not only serve as a state-of-the-art facility for ethical animal studies but also apply to basic regulatory animal research.
It will help in capacity building of new researchers and quality assurance checks as well as create procedures for new drugs, vaccines and pre-clinical testing within the country.
It would be an asset for the country to deal with zoonotic diseases.
Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)
It is one of the oldest medical research bodies in the world for the coordination and promotion of biomedical research.
Its headquarter is in New Delhi.
It works under the Department of Health Services (DHS) of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
It was established in 1911 as the Indian Research Fund Association (IRFA).
Later in 1949 it was renamed as ICMR.
3. NASA launches international mission ‘SWOT’ to survey Earth’s water
Tags: Science and Technology International News
The US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the French space agency Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales (CNES) have jointly launched the Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) mission to track nearly all the water on Earth’s surface.
The SWOT mission was launched through a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from the Space Launch Complex at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, United States of America on 16 December 2022. The mission has a lifespan of three years.
Feature of the Mission
- According to NASA SWOT will cover the entire Earth’s surface between 78 degrees south and 78 degrees north latitude at least once every 21 days.
- It will provide data on more than 95 per cent of the world’s lakes larger than 15 acres (62,500 square meters) and rivers wider than 330 feet (100 meters) across.
- Currently, freshwater researchers have reliable measurements for only a few thousand lakes around the world.
- The satellite will measure the height of water in freshwater bodies and the ocean on more than 90 per cent of Earth’s surface.
- This information will provide insights into how the ocean influences climate change; how a warming world affects lakes, rivers, and reservoirs; and how communities can better prepare for disasters, such as floods.
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
It is an American government’s premier space agency which was set up in 1958 to promote research and development in the exploration of outer space and Earth’s atmosphere.
NASA mainly launches its rockets from its two primary spaceports. One is John F. Kennedy Space Center on Merritt Island in Florida, United States and from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, United States of America.
Headquarters of NASA: Washington D.C
Administrator of NASA: Bill Nelson
4. India successfully carries out trials of nuclear-capable ''Agni-5 missile''
Tags: Defence Science and Technology National News
India on 15 December successfully carried out the night trials of the Agni-5 nuclear-capable ballistic missile. The test comes days after a clash between Indian and Chinese troops in Arunachal Pradesh's Tawang district.
Important facts
Agni 5 missile capable of striking targets at ranges up to 5,000 kilometres with a very high degree of accuracy.
The test was conducted to validate new technologies and equipment on the missile, which is now lighter than before.
Defense sources said the test proved the capability of extending the range of the Agni 5 missile if required.
The trial was aimed at enhancing the range of the Agni-5 missile if required.
About Agni 5 Missile
Agni-5 is an ingeniously built advanced surface-to-surface ballistic missile developed under the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP).
It is a fire-and-forget missile, which cannot be stopped without an interceptor missile.
The Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP) is the brain-child of Dr A P J Abdul Kalam, who aimed at making the country self-sufficient in the field of missile technology.
The program had five missiles P-A-T-N-A, Prithvi, Agni, Trishul, Nag, and Akash.
It was aimed at boosting India's nuclear deterrence against China, which has missiles such as the Dongfeng-41, which have a range between 12,000-15,000 km.
The Agni 1 to 4 missiles have ranges from 700 km to 3,500 km and they have already been deployed.
Agni Class of Missiles
Agni 1 : Range of 700-800 km.
Agni 2: Range more than 2000 km.
Agni 3: Range of more than 2,500 Km
Agni 4: Range is more than 3,500 km.
Agni-5: The longest of the Agni series, an Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) with a range of over 5,000 km.
Agni-P (Prime): It is a canisterised missile with a range capability between 1,000 and 2,000 km. It will replace the Agni I missile.
5. US announces historic nuclear fusion breakthrough
Tags: Science and Technology International News
US researchers announced a historic nuclear fusion breakthrough on December 13, marking a "landmark achievement" toward a source of unlimited, clean energy and an end to dependence on fossil fuels.
Important facts
This breakthrough in nuclear fusion could bring unlimited clean energy and could help in the fight against climate change.
For the first time in history, American scientists have carried out a nuclear fusion reaction at the National Ignition Facility at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California, USA, due to which pure energy (carbon free energy) was produced just like the Sun.
According to scientists, if everything goes right, America's dependence on fossil energy like gas, petrol and diesel can be reduced.
What is Nuclear fusion?
Nuclear fusion is the process by which two light atomic nuclei combine to form a single heavier one while releasing massive amounts of energy.
It is the process that powers the Sun and other stars. This light works by taking pairs of atoms and forcing them together and generates enormous amounts of energy.
6. UAE successfully launches first ever Arab-Built lunar spacecraft
Tags: Science and Technology International News
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on 11 December carried into space the first ever Arab-built lunar spacecraft. It was launched from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
Important facts
Named as Rashid Rover was built by Dubai’s Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC), in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and is being delivered by the HAKUTO-R lander, engineered by Japanese lunar exploration company ispace.
If the landing is successful, HAKUTO-R will also become the first commercial spacecraft ever to make a controlled landing on the moon.
Rashid rover will provide 'novel and highly valued data, images, and insights,' as well as 'collect scientific data on matters relating to the origin of the solar system, our planet and life.'
Its rover weighs just 22 pounds (10 kg) and will work on the surface for about 10 days.
7. Hot test of the scramjet engine was conducted successfully
Tags: Science and Technology
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully tested the Hot Test of Scramjet Engine at ISRO’s Propulsion Research Complex at Mahendragiri in Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu.
Important facts
The Hot Test System is a 100% production test used to check all operating parameters of the engine as they would function in real time.
The test lasted for 11 seconds.
With this test, the Indian space agency's effort to develop reliable next-generation airbreathing scramjet engines to launch satellites into predetermined orbit at low cost has crossed a significant milestone.
About Scramjet Engine
The scramjet is a more advanced version of the ramjet engine and can operate efficiently at hypersonic speeds.
India is the fourth country to demonstrate the flight testing of a Scramjet Engine.
This allows for supersonic combustion by taking oxygen from the atmosphere during flight.
It is then allowed to mix with the hydrogen already stored in the vehicle to trigger the oxygen combustion and propel the satellite to its designated orbit.
8. DCGI allows the export of SII made Ebola vaccine for export to Uganda
Tags: Science and Technology International News
The Drugs Controller General of India (DGCI) on 8 December 2022 approved the export of India’s first Ebola vaccine manufactured by Serum Institute of India (SII) to Uganda.
The vaccine has been developed by SII in collaboration with Oxford University, United Kingdom. This vaccine will be used for solidarity clinical trials in Uganda.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has sought collaboration with manufacturers of Ebola vaccines for the prevention of the disease and has selected ChAdOx1 biEBOV as a potential vaccine for participation in a solidarity clinical trial in Uganda.
Oxford University signed an agreement with Serum Institute of India to manufacture ChAdOx1 biEBOV.
Serum Institute of India situated in Pune is the largest vaccine manufacturer in the world. SII makes vaccines for Covid-19, diphtheria, BCG, measles, rubella and others.
CEO of SII: Adar Poonawala
Ebola Virus
It was first reported in 1972 in South Sudan and in a village near Ebola River in Democratic Republic of Congo. Hence it is called the Ebola virus.
The virus can spread through direct contact with an infected animal (bat or nonhuman primate) or a sick or dead person infected with Ebola virus.
9. ISRO and Social Alpha sign MoU to establish SpaceTech Innovation Platform
Tags: Science and Technology
Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and Social Alpha on 7 December signed an MoU to launch SpaceTech Innovation Network (SpIN).
Important facts
It is a one-of-its-kind public-private collaboration for start-ups and SMEs in the space industry.
This is an important step towards providing further impetus to India's recent space reform policies.
It will work towards identifying and unleashing the market potential of promising space technology innovators.
SpIN has launched its first innovation challenge for developing solutions in areas of maritime and land transportation, urbanisation, mapping, and surveying.
About SpaceTech Innovation Network (SpIN)
It will be India’s first dedicated platform for innovation and venture development for the burgeoning space entrepreneurial ecosystem.
It will primarily focus on facilitating space tech entrepreneurs in three distinct innovation categories -
Geospatial Technologies and Downstream Applications
Enabling Technologies for Space & Mobility
Aerospace Materials, Sensors, and Avionics
10. ISRO will develop “Spatial Data Infrastructure geoportal ‘Geo-Ladakh’ for Ladakh
Tags: Science and Technology
The government of the Union Territory of Ladakh has approached the Indian Institute of Remote Sensing (IIRS), a unit of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) for developing “Spatial Data Infrastructure geoportal ‘Geo-Ladakh’ for UT-Ladakh.
Important facts
The project encompasses spatial database generation (water resources, vegetation and energy potential) using remote sensing, geospatial techniques and the development of a Geo-portal for hosting this database.
The project also aims towards training of UT-Ladakh officials on Geospatial techniques and applications.
Portal provides geospatial data visualization and analytics for UT-Ladakh, consisting of Spatial viewer, Carbon Neutrality, Geospatial utility mapping and Geo-Tourism.
A Memorandum of Understanding was also signed between IIRS (ISRO) and UT-Ladakh Administration on January 1, 2022, towards carrying out the above work.
Currently, ISRO is setting up an optical tele-scope at Hanle for tracking spacecraft and space objects.
