News on Science, Technology and Research in India
Indian Astronomers have reported one of the strongest flares from a feeding supermassive black hole or blazar called BL Lacertae. Analysis of the flare from this blazar, one of the oldest astronomical objects, can help trace the mass of the black hole and the source of this emission. Such analysis can provide a lead to probe into mysteries and trace events at different stages of evolution of the Universe.
Indian Space Research Organisation and location and navigation technology solutions provider MapmyIndia announced an initiative to partner together to offer India’s best, and fully indigenous, mapping portal and geospatial services.
RTEG will have less mass than solar cells of equivalent power and allow more compact spacecraft that can navigate easier in space. Many missions of Nasa and Russia, Besides China’s 2013 Chang’e 3 mission to the moon and its rover Yutu had used RTG.
Now, India has its own gerbera varieties as scientists at the Indian Institute of Horticultural Research (IIHR) have developed six indigenous varieties of this flower, used extensively in decorations and bouquets.
Hidden in plain sight, one of the rarest fossils in the world may have been discovered in the fascinating Bhimbetka rock shelters, a Unesco site about 40km from Bhopal.
Researchers believe they have found the first-ever fossil in India of a Dickinsonia —the Earth’s ‘oldest animal’, dating back 570 million years — on the roof of what’s called the ‘Auditorium Cave’ at Bhimbetka.
Indian Space start-up Agnikul Cosmos has announced the successful test-firing of their semi-cryogenic rocket engine, which has been fully manufactured, as a single piece, using 3-D printing technology. Agnikul’s semi-cryogenic engine, called Agnilet, would be fulled by rocket-grade kerosene and uses liquid oxygen (stored at -183 degrees celsius) as an oxidizer.
India’s space agency Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is planning to launch Brazilian satellite Amazonia-1 and three Indian payloads on 28 February in its first mission of 2021.
The Ministry of Science and Technology (S&T) has been allocated Rs 14,793.66 crore in the budget 2021-22, a 20 percent increase from the current fiscal. The Ministry of S&T has three departments — The Department of Science and Technology (DST), Department of Biotechnology, and The Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR). All these departments played a key role in combating the COVID-19 pandemic in the country.
Counterfeiting a banknote containing multiple security features is rather difficult. But counterfeiting a bank cheque is not that tough because of a lack of security features. To fix this problem a group of researchers from the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research- National Physical Laboratory (CSIR-NPL) has developed a new security ink for bank cheques that is difficult to replicate.
As a result of the complete lockdown imposed by the Government of India to stop the spread SARS-CoV-2 virus from March 25 to April 14, 2020, the highways and streets of cities became almost empty, devoid of any public transport, and workplaces were closed. People were confined to their homes. This has led to an unprecedented reduction of air pollutants which rejuvenated the atmosphere.
