1. Megasiphon Thylacos, a new fossil species of tunicate discovered
Tags: Environment Science and Technology
Researchers recently described a new fossil species of tunicate called Megasiphon Thylacos
An Overview of the News
The Megasiphon Thylacos fossil is about 500 million years old.
The discovery suggests that the modern tunicate body plan was established shortly after the Cambrian explosion.
The fossil provides insight into the sedentary, filter-feeding lifestyle of ancestral tunicates and their metamorphosis from tadpole-like larvae.
About Tunicates
Tunicates, commonly known as sea squirts, are a group of marine animals.
They spend most of their lives attached to surfaces such as docks, rocks or the bottom of a boat.
There are about 3,000 species of tunicates in the world's oceans, mainly in shallow water habitats.
The evolutionary history of tunicates dates back at least 500 million years.
Tunicate Lineage:
Ascidians: Ascidians, often called "sea wasps", are one of the main tunicate lineages.
They begin their lives as mobile, tadpole-like larvae.
As they mature, they undergo metamorphosis and turn into barrel-shaped adults with two siphons.
Ascidians spend their adult lives attached to the ocean floor.
Appendicularians: The Appendicularias represent another Angrakha dynasty.
They retain their tadpole-like appearance even when they become adults.
They float freely in the upper water.
They appear to be more distantly related to vertebrates than to ascidians.
Physical Characteristics and Feeding Mechanism:
The body of adult tunicates is usually barrel-shaped.
They have two siphons coming out of their body.
A siphon draws water along with the food particles using suction.
The other siphons the filtered water back out.
2. Bard Chatbot: Google's AI-powered Conversational Tool
Tags: Science and Technology
Alphabet, the parent company of Google, has introduced Bard Chatbot, an advanced artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot.
An Overview of the News
Google's parent company Alphabet is launching its artificial intelligence chatbot Bard in Europe and Brazil.
Users can communicate with Bard Chatbot in 40 different languages, including nine Indian languages.
Customizable Responses:
Bard allows users to personalise the tone and style of its responses.
Users can choose from options such as simple, long, short, professional, or casual, tailoring the chatbot's communication style to their preference.
Enhanced Functionality:
Users can pin or rename conversations, enabling easy access and organisation.
The export code feature allows users to integrate Bard's capabilities into various platforms.
Users can incorporate images into prompts, expanding the chatbot's capabilities beyond text-based interactions.
Understanding Generative AI:
Generative AI (GenAI) is the underlying technology powering Bard Chatbot.
GenAI is capable of producing diverse data types, including images, videos, audio, text, and 3D models.
It learns patterns from existing data to generate new and unique outputs, closely mimicking human creativity.
Applications of Generative AI:
Generative AI technology, like that used in Bard Chatbot, finds applications across various industries.
Gaming industry: GenAI enables the creation of realistic and immersive gaming experiences.
Entertainment industry: It can generate complex content like videos, music, and graphics.
Product design: Generative AI assists in the creation of innovative and unique designs for products.
3. Chandrayaan-3 vs. Chandrayaan-2: A Comparison of India's Moon Missions
Tags: Science and Technology
Why in News?
India’s third mission to the moon - Chandrayaan-3 - will take off on 14th July, 2023. The mission aims to achieve what its predecessor - Chandrayaan-2 could not - land softly on the lunar surface and explore it with a rover. A last-minute glitch led to the failure of the lander's (Vikram) soft landing attempt after a successful orbital insertion.
About The Chandrayaan-3 Mission:
Chandrayaan-3 ("mooncraft") is a planned 3rd lunar exploration mission by the ISRO to demonstrate end-to-end capability in safe landing (through the lander Vikram) and roving (through the rover Pragyan) on the lunar surface.
Unlike Chandrayaan-2, it will not have an orbiter, and its propulsion module will behave like a communications relay satellite.
Comparing Chandrayaan 2 and 3 Missions:
Chandrayaan-2 and Chandrayaan-3 have similar objectives of landing on the moon and exploring its surface with a rover.
However, there are several changes and improvements in the mission design of Chandrayaan-3 based on the lessons learned from Chandrayaan-2's failure.
Changes in the Mission Design:
Expanded Landing Area: Chandrayaan-3 has been given instructions to land safely anywhere in a 4kmx2.4km area, unlike the specific 500mx500m patch targeted by Chandrayaan-2.
Increased Fuel Capacity: The lander in Chandrayaan-3 has been provided with more fuel to travel longer distances to the landing site or an alternate landing site.
Enhanced Landing Site Determination: Instead of relying solely on pictures taken during descent, high-resolution images from Chandrayaan-2's orbiter have been used to feed the lander with location information.
Modified Lander Structure: Changes have been made to the lander's physical structure, including the removal of one thruster, strengthening of the legs for higher velocity landings, and the addition of more solar panels.
Chandrayaan-3 Payloads:
Propulsion Module: It carries the Spectro-polarimetry of HAbitable Planet Earth (SHAPE) payload to search for smaller habitable planets.
Lander Payloads: Chandrayaan-3's lander carries four payloads - Radio Anatomy of Moon Bound Hypersensitive ionosphere and Atmosphere (RAMBHA), Chandra’s Surface Thermophysical Experiment (ChaSTE), Instrument for Lunar Seismic Activity (ILSA), and Langmuir Probe (LP).
Rover Payloads: The rover, Pragyan, is equipped with the Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXS) and Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) for analysing the elemental composition near the landing site.
How will the Mission be Implemented?
The mission will be implemented by launching the lander-rover configuration into a 100-km lunar orbit using a propulsion module.
Once safely on the moon, the lander module (Vikram) will deploy the rover (Pragyan) to perform in-situ chemical analysis of the lunar surface.
Different Kinds of Moon Missions that have been Launched so far:
Moon missions can be categorized into flybys, orbiters, impact missions, landers, rovers, and human missions.
Chandrayaan-3 falls under the landers and rovers category, aiming for a soft landing and mobile exploration on the lunar surface.
4. Inauguration of 'Sagar Sampark' DGNSS by Sarbananda Sonowal
Tags: Science and Technology
Sarbananda Sonowal, the Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, inaugurated the 'Sagar Sampark' Differential Global Navigation Satellite System (DGNSS) to strengthen the maritime sector in India.
An Overview of the News
Background and Importance of the DGNSS System:
The DGNSS system is a terrestrial-based enhancement system that corrects errors and inaccuracies in the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), providing more accurate positioning information.
It helps mariners navigate safely and reduces the risk of collisions, groundings, and accidents in port and harbour areas.
Enhancing Maritime Sector Capability with 'Sagar Sampark':
The launch of 'Sagar Sampark - Differential Global Navigation Satellite System' at six locations enhances the capability of the Directorate General of Lighthouses and Lightships (DGLL) in the field of Radio Aids to Marine Navigation.
This initiative reflects the Ministry's commitment to innovation, infrastructure development, and strengthening the Indian Maritime sector.
Benefits of the DGNSS System for Safe Navigation:
The DGNSS system provides more accurate information to ships, enabling safe navigation and efficient movement of vessels.
It significantly improves the accuracy of GPS positioning by reducing errors caused by atmospheric interferences, satellite clock drift, and other factors.
Fulfilling International Obligations and Standards:
The DGNSS system aligns with the international obligations of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), and the International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities (IALA).
It serves as an important Radio Aid to Navigation, ensuring compliance with international standards.
Advanced Features of the DGNSS System:
The DGNSS system incorporates multiple satellite constellations, including GPS and Global Navigation Satellite System (GLONASS), increasing availability and redundancy.
It utilizes modern technology receivers and advanced software to transmit corrections, improving positioning accuracy within a range of 5 meters.
Improved Error Correction and Positioning Accuracy:
The latest DGNSS system achieves higher accuracy in GPS positioning by significantly reducing errors.
It corrects atmospheric interferences, satellite clock drift, and other factors that affect accuracy.
The system's error correction accuracy has been improved from 5 to 10 meters to less than 5 meters for 100 nautical miles from the Indian coastlines.
5. Dell joins Intel to launch AI Skills Lab in India
Tags: Science and Technology
Dell Technologies and Intel collaborated to set up an AI lab at Lord's Institute of Engineering and Technology in Telangana.
An Overview of the News
The primary goal of this partnership is to address the digital skills gap and empower students by incorporating Intel's 'AI for Youth' program into their educational curriculum.
The initiative aims to equip students with the expertise required for the job market of the future and make them industry ready.
The program focuses on enhancing the capabilities of selected faculty members through training provided by Intel, which includes over 170 hours of AI curriculum.
The training includes various activities such as bootcamps, AI-thons and virtual showcases designed to train students in the field of AI.
AI Skills Lab
The partnership aims to set up an AI skills lab on campus, fostering an environment that supports artificial intelligence initiatives.
Students will be provided with the necessary resources and tools to create solutions with a social impact.
The lab uses a Dell Optiplex, which empowers students to do projects in various AI domains such as computer vision, natural language processing (NLP), OpenVino, and Intel's Neural Compute Stick 2.
In collaboration with the Lord's Institute, innovative projects will be developed, focusing on NLP, computer vision and statistical data analytics.
These projects are designed to leverage AI technologies to make a real-time impact on society, solve social challenges and drive positive change.
6. ESA launches 'Euclid Space Telescope' to review solar system bodies
Tags: Science and Technology
The European Space Agency (ESA) has launched the specially designed Euclid Space Telescope to review solar system bodies and obtain new information.
An Overview of the news:
- Through this telescope, the scientist will prepare a three-dimensional map of billions of galaxies spread over a wide area of 10 billion light years of the universe.
- Also, it is expected that its observations will help in solving the mysteries of dark matter and dark energy.
- This teslascope is named after the Greek mathematician Euclid.
- This telescope will be installed at a distance of about 1.5 million kilometers from the Earth by going to the second Lagrange Point (L2) and from there it will also be able to observe those waves which are difficult to reach the surface of the Earth.
- The goal of the Euclid teslascope is to create the most accurate three-dimensional map of the universe by observing billions of galaxies that span an area of 10 billion light-years.
- The age of this campaign has been kept at six years.
- Through this detailed map, scientists will be able to collect a lot of data to solve the mystery of the expansion of the universe and will get a lot of information about its development.
- In the past, the James Webb Space Telescope has also been established near the Lagrange 2 point.
Uses of Euclid Telescope:
- Euclid consists of a 1.2 m diameter principal mirror, a near infrared spectrometer, and a photometer. It is heavy about 2 tons heavy.
- Through this, pictures of space, spectroscopy, and photometry can be obtained in the near infrared spectrum.
- A sunshield will act to protect the telescope from solar radiation and keep its temperature constant for accurate measurements.
- This telescope will make important contributions to the study of human resources, global health, climate change, and oceans.
7. Facebook's Meta Launches 'Twitter Killer' Social Network Threads
Tags: Science and Technology
Instagram maker Meta recently launched a new social media platform called Threads.
An Overview of the News
Threads aims to capitalise on the perceived volatility of Twitter, which is currently owned by billionaire Elon Musk.
The app is now available in over 100 countries and can be downloaded from the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
Similar to Twitter, threads allow users to share short text messages that can be liked, reposted, and replied to by other users.
Threads does not include direct messaging features, which differentiates it from Twitter.
On threads, users can create posts with up to 500 characters and can also share links, photos and videos of up to five minutes.
About Meta
Founded - February 2004, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States
Founder - Mark Zuckerberg
Headquarters - Menlo Park, California, United States
8. GSI discovers India's largest natural arch in Odisha
Tags: Science and Technology State News
The Geological Survey of India (GSI) discovered a "Natural Arch" in Odisha's Sundergarh Forest Division.
An Overview of the News
This natural arch originated approximately 184 million years ago during the Lower to Middle Jurassic period.
The GSI has proposed a Geo Heritage tag for the arch, which aims to become the largest natural arch in India with this recognition.
Description:
This oval shaped arch has a base length of 30 meters and a height of 12 metres.
The maximum height and width of the natural arch are 7 meters and 15 meters respectively.
Protection of Geo-Heritage Sites:
The conservation of geo-heritage sites including Sundergarh Natural Arch requires special attention and protection.
GSI declares these sites as National Geological Monuments and protects them.
Collaboration with State Governments to implement necessary measures for safety and maintenance.
Geo-Heritage Sites:
Geo-Heritage Sites (GHS) have rare and exceptional geological, geomorphological, mineralogical, petrological and paleontological features.
Landmarks may include natural rock formations, caves, and other significant geological formations.
GSI plays a key role in identification, declaration and protection of GHS in collaboration with State Governments.
About Geological Survey of India (GSI)
It is a scientific agency of India.
Its parent organization is the Ministry of Mines with Pralhad Joshi as its Union Minister.
Establishment - 1851
Headquarters - Kolkata, West Bengal
9. Virgin Galactic completes first manned mission to space
Tags: Science and Technology International News
Virgin Galactic, founded by Richard Branson, successfully completed its first manned mission to the edge of space on June 29, marking a significant milestone for the company after two decades of dedicated efforts.
An overview of the news
The mission had a research-oriented focus and featured two Italian Air Force personnel, Colonel Walter Villadei and Lieutenant Colonel Angelo Landolfi, who were funded by Virgin Galactic.
Pantaleone Carlucci, an engineer affiliated with Italy's National Research Council, and Colin Bennett, a Virgin Galactic astronaut instructor, were also part of the group.
The mission aimed to assess the flight's comfort and functionality, providing valuable feedback to enhance Virgin Galactic's rocket-powered spaceplane, VSS Unity.
The journey began at Virgin Galactic's spaceport in New Mexico, where the passengers boarded VSS Unity attached beneath the wing of the twin-fuselage mothership, VMS Eve.
VMS Eve accelerated down the runway and ascended to an altitude exceeding 40,000 feet before releasing VSS Unity.
VSS Unity ignited its rocket engine and ascended directly upward, reaching an altitude of more than 80 kilometers, which is recognized as the edge of outer space by the United States government.
During its ascent, VSS Unity achieved supersonic speeds and experienced moments of weightlessness at the peak of its flight.
After reaching the designated altitude, VSS Unity glided back to the spaceport, entering freefall and landing on a runway.
About Virgin Galactic
Virgin Galactic is a space venture established by British entrepreneur Richard Branson.
The company aims to provide commercial space travel experiences to customers.
Virgin Galactic has been in operation for over two decades, with the goal of making space accessible for non-astronauts.
The company's spacecraft, VSS Unity, is a rocket-powered spaceplane designed to carry passengers to the edge of space.
Unlike traditional space missions, Virgin Galactic's focus is on providing a unique and thrilling experience rather than conducting scientific research.
10. India and US sign Artemis Accord to take Space cooperation to new heights
Tags: International Relations Science and Technology
During his state visit to the United States, Prime Minister Narendra Modi signed the Artemis agreement with the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), highlighting the growing importance of India's role as a global space power.
An overview of the news
The agreement establishes the foundation for cooperation in space exploration and underlines India's commitment to peaceful space activities.
Joint Mission to the International Space Station (ISS)
In addition to the Artemis agreement, NASA and the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) have agreed to launch a joint mission to the International Space Station in 2024.
This collaborative effort will enable both countries to advance their space research and exploration efforts.
What is the Artemis Agreement?
The Artemis Agreement outlines principles for international cooperation in space exploration, particularly relating to the use of the Moon, Mars, comets and asteroids for peaceful purposes.
As non-binding multilateral arrangements, these agreements allow governments, including the United States and other participating nations, to contribute to NASA's Artemis program.
Significance of the Artemis Program
NASA's Artemis program aims to advance scientific discoveries and expand human exploration of the lunar surface.
By studying the Moon, researchers hope to make breakthroughs that could lead to advances in various fields such as technology, medicine and our understanding of the universe.
The program focuses on sending astronauts to Mars and exploring other planets and celestial bodies.
Establishment of the Artemis Accord
In 2020, NASA established the Artemis Agreement in collaboration with the US State Department.
These agreements serve as agreements between the United States and the seven other founding member states, reinforcing commitment to international space treaties and agreements.
These agreements promote best practices, including the transparent sharing of scientific data with the public.
Guiding principle of Accord
The purpose of the Artemis Agreement is to create a framework for peaceful and cooperative space exploration.
These principles facilitate progress while ensuring ethical and responsible practices in space.
Since many countries and private companies are actively engaged in lunar missions and operations, agreements establish shared principles governing civilian exploration and use of outer space.
Key principles include conducting all activities in space peacefully and with full transparency, sharing research findings, registering space objects, and releasing scientific data.
Nations Participating in the Artemis Accord
The agreement was signed in October 2020 by the directors of the national space agencies of the United States, Australia, Canada, Japan, Luxembourg, Italy, the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates.
Ukraine joined the agreement a month later. Subsequently, in 2021 the agreement was extended to South Korea, New Zealand, Brazil, Poland, Isle of Man and Mexico.
In 2022, Israel, Romania, Bahrain, Singapore, Colombia, France, Saudi Arabia, Rwanda, Nigeria and the Czech Republic also become signatories.
Spain, Ecuador and now India have also joined it, taking the total number of participating countries to 28.
