News on Science, Technology and Research in India
Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) will launch the first satellite of this year from Sriharikota on November 6 when its PSLV-C 49 rocket will lift off with an earth observation (surveillance) satellite Risat-2BR2 and 10 foreign commercial satellites from the first launchpad.
A new study conducted by Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) to investigate internal waves has solved a longstanding mystery about the role of oceanic processes in keeping the deep Andaman Sea (AS) warm. The study confirmed that deep waters (below 1,200 m) in the Andaman Sea are warmer (about 2°C) than that of the Bay of Bengal. The study is important to interpret the response of the ocean to climate change by understanding the distribution of temperature, both near the ocean surface and Deep Ocean.
For long, scientists have been intrigued by the decrease in the rate at which stars were formed in galaxies after it peaked about 8-10 billion years ago. They have now deciphered the mystery behind this decline in star formation activity by measuring the atomic hydrogen of the galaxies.
Scientists at the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), Port Blair, have developed a highly effective kit to detect the multi drug resistant (MDR) strains of the gram positive bacteria Enterococcus faecalis. This tool would enable rapid detection of the virulence of the pathogen in a single step, which would be an important tool not only in the healthcare system but also in anti-bioterrorism measures and environmental monitoring applications.
Taking a clue from this, researchers from the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune (IISER Pune) in collaboration with the BJ Medical College have developed a fast and sensitive device that can help detect asymptomatic COVID-19 patients by testing their sense of smell. By accurately measuring the ability to smell, one could detect an asymptomatic COVID-19 infection caused by SARS-CoV-2 virus.
The rugged and undulating terrain of the Western Ghats teems with life. Its numerous water bodies — streams, lakes and rivers — are a treasure trove of undiscovered species for scientists. Studies suggest that insects constitute more than half of the currently described species globally. A recent discovery of three new species of damselfly found near water bodies across the Western Ghats adds to the list.
On 14, February 2003 when the first cloned variety of sheep, Dolly died there have been huge speculations about cloned varieties of animals. To take this challenge team of scientists from the Central Institute for Research on Buffaloes (CIRB) have developed multiple clones of bulls under a project funded by the Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR).
Due to efforts of CSIR constituent laboratory, Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology (IHBT), Palampur, a historical shift in farming practices is in the offing with farmers of the remote Lahaul valley in Himachal Pradesh taking up cultivation of asafoetida (Heeng) to utilize vast expanses of waste land in the cold desert conditions of the region.
The NIOT study found that immobilized bacterial cells had better oil degrading capacity than the free bacterial cells. It was found that they could remove 84% of the oils within 10 days. The free bacterial cells degraded a maximum of 60% of the crude oil at optimized conditions. These findings evince their efficacy in treating accidental bulk discharge of oil in marine environment through nontoxic clean-up technology.
ISRO chairman Dr K Sivan indicated that the Indian human space flight is set for August 2022, although some small shift may take place owing to disruptions due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
