Research

News on Science, Technology and Research in India

ISRO Enters X-band Telemetry & Command Regime with New 18m Antenna

The Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) has commissioned a new 18m antenna, which for the first time, allows the space agency to conduct telemetry and command operations on the much faster X band (frequency). So far, Isro only used X band for payload data downloading and used the S band for telemetry and command.

Effective Early Warning Systems for Earthquakes Could be in Offing

This research was undertaken by Ms Kanchan Aggarwal, who is a PhD Scholar under the guidance of Prof. Arun K Tangirala of the Department of Chemical Engineering, IIT Madras. A report on their study has been published in the science journal PLOS ONE. The research was partially funded by the Board of Research in Nuclear Sciences, an advisory body of the Department of Atomic Energy.

IISER Researchers Conduct Largest Gut Metagenome Study in India

The human gut contains 300-500 types of bacteria that help in digestion, protect us from infections, produce essential vitamins and neurochemicals. In 2011, German scientists classified human beings into three “enterotypes”, depending on the kind of bacteria that dominates the gut – Prevotella, Bacteroides or Ruminococcus.

Indian Astronomers Find New Method to Study Environment of Extra Solar Planets Using Polarisation of Light

Indian Astronomers have found a new method to understand the atmosphere of extra solar planets. They have shown that planets going around stars other than the Sun can be studied by observing the polarisation of light and studying polarisation signatures. These polarisation signatures or variations in scattering intensity of light can be observed with existing instruments and expanding the study of planets beyond the solar system using existing instruments.

New Method for Detecting Adulterants in Milk

Researchers at the Bengaluru-based Indian Institute of Science (IISc) have developed a low-cost and effective method to detect adulterants in milk, by merely analysing the deposition patterns after evaporation. The team used the method to test for the presence of urea and water, the most common adulterants, and suggest that the technique can be extended to other adulterants also.