Research

The vaccine, named the MA-104 Cell-Based Live Attenuated African Swine Fever Vaccine for Pigs, has been developed by the ICAR–National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases (NIHSAD), Bhopal. According to the minister, the development strengthens India’s preparedness against livestock diseases while advancing self-reliance in animal health through indigenous scientific innovation.

The cicada was reported during a field assessment around the Rani Reserve Forest landscape, close to Assam’s border with Meghalaya. Until recently, scientific accounts had principally linked the species with Ri Bhoi district, particularly Saiden village and forested areas near the Nongkhyllem Wildlife Sanctuary. Its presence in Assam suggests that populations may occur across a wider belt of suitable forest and bamboo habitat extending across the state boundary.

Developed by Hyderabad-based Skyroot Aerospace, the rocket was launched under Mission Aagaman and became the first orbital launch vehicle built by an Indian private company to reach space from Indian soil. The achievement represents a landmark moment for India’s private space industry and demonstrates the growing maturity of the country’s commercial launch ecosystem.

The study helps in understanding the role of India as a refuge for ancient plant lineages, the evolution of biodiversity during periods of climate change as well as comprehending future ecosystem responses.

Hyderabad-based Skyroot Aerospace is preparing to launch Vikram-1, India’s first privately developed orbital-class rocket, on

The Crew Module is the habitable capsule that will carry the astronauts and return them safely to Earth. During the mission, it operates together with a Service Module that supplies essential support functions. As the spacecraft prepares to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere, the Crew Module must separate cleanly from the Service Module, protect its descent systems from extreme flight conditions and complete a carefully controlled parachute-assisted descent into the sea.

The sensor was engineered through a controlled surface transformation process that creates abundant active sites for ammonia adsorption while simultaneously enhancing charge transport within the sensing layer. This synergistic combination significantly improves sensing performance, enabling rapid and highly selective detection of ammonia under ambient conditions.

Menon’s connection with India has attracted particular attention. His father, K. P. Shankaran Menon, belongs to Ottapalam in Kerala’s Palakkad district, while his mother, Elizabeth, came from a Ukrainian immigrant family. Born and raised in Minneapolis in the United States, Menon grew up with cultural links to both India and Ukraine.

NESAC is currently supporting the geospatial mapping of the India–Myanmar border and inter-State boundaries in the region. Its satellite-based applications are also being deployed across agriculture, forestry, water management, urban planning, governance, natural-resource assessment, communications and disaster-response systems.

The achievement was reviewed during the 91st meeting of the Standing Committee of the National Board for Wildlife in Coimbatore. The programme is now preparing for its next decisive stage: the carefully managed release of captive-bred birds into protected natural habitats.