Sep-16S&T Flashcards
Sep-16S&T -Index
- GSLV F05 and INSAT 3DR
- PSLV Successfully Launches 8 Satellites
- Right to Photocopy
- NIDHI
- Antibiotic Resistance
- Anti-Malaria Battle
- Making Brackish Water Potable
- DNA: Data Storage
- Genes behind Intellectual Disability
- OSIRIS-Rex
- Self-Driven Cars
- Fossils Found Points to Life on Earth 3.7 Billion Years Ago
- More Than a Billion Stars Mapped
5.1. GSLV F05 AND INSAT 3DR
ISRO’s GSLV F05 spacecraft has successfully placed INSAT 3DR satellite into a Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO) for eventually stationing in geosynchronous orbit. INSAT-3DR: It is an advanced weather satellite which is expected to provide a variety of meteorological services to the country.
It can provide imaging in Middle Infrared band to provide night time pictures of low clouds and fog.
It can also provide Imaging in two Thermal Infrared bands for estimation of Sea Surface Temperature (SST) with better accuracy.
GSLV F05:
GSLV-F05 was the tenth flight of India’s Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle.
This is the third successful launch with the indigenous cryogenic engine in GSLV.
It is a three-staged vehicle and cryogenic engine is used in the third and final stage. GSLVs are used to carry heavy satellites (usually 2 to 2.5 tonnes) into Geostationary Transfer Orbit.
Significance
It was the first operational flight of GSLV carrying Cryogenic Upper Stage.
A successful launch will make ISRO engineers more confident about the GSLV-MkIII.
This successful launch will increase ISRO’s market value and confidence in her satellite capabilities.
INSAT-3DR satellite continues the mission of the INSAT-3D satellite, which was launched in 2013.
INSAT 3DR will be able to map vertical changes of humidity, temperature and ozone content in Earth’s atmosphere. Thus enhancing nation’s meteorological capabilities.
5.2. PSLV SUCCESSFULLY LAUNCHES 8 SATELLITES
Why in News?
ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) launched eight satellites in orbit in longest ever launch mission.
It is for the first time that satellites in two different orbits were placed by the same rocket, PSLV-C35 ( Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle).
There was one weather satellite, SCATSAT-1 and seven others.
More on the Launch
The advanced weather satellite was placed in polar sun synchronous orbit at an altitude of about 730km.
SCATSAT-1 will now succeed the now defunct Oceansat-2 satellite launched in 2009.
The data sent by the satellite SCATSAT-1 will help provide weather forecasting services.
The rest of the seven satellites include PRATHAM from IIT Bombay and Pisat from PES University, Bangalore.
There were five international customer satellites from Algeria, Canada and United States.
Challenges
The main challenge was to shut down and restart the fourth-stage engine called multiple burn technology.
This was to be done twice within a short span of time in a cold and low-gravity environment and letting it coast further.
However, ISRO has demonstrated this technology in its two previous PSLV launches.
Significance
Mastering the technology means that ISRO can now launch satellites from the same rocket thereby saving huge amount of money.
It will also facilitate the launch of more commercial satellite in future.
5.3. RIGHT TO PHOTOCOPY
Why in news?
Delhi High Court handed out a landmark verdict for IP and Access to Knowledge, holding that the educational exception under Section 52(1)(i) – the reproduction of a work by a “teacher/pupil in the course of instruction” – of the Copyright Act was broad enough to cover the photocopying and creation of course packs.
Arguments supporting Delhi HC verdict
To balance copyright protection with public interest in ensuring access.
Ensures affordable access to expensive foreign quality educational material.
Already Section 52(1) of copyright protection permits making of copies of literary works by a teacher or pupil in the course of instruction. Photocopying is just an extension as the material is mostly limited to university campus.
Arguments against
Sidelines the efforts of writers and publishers and deprives them of livelihood, undermining the principle of natural justice.
Commercial loss to publishers: If reputed publishers feel there is insufficient copyright protection, they may back out of Indian educational market. This will lead to less access to international knowledge in the long term.
Humanities: Besides general neglect of these subjects in Indian universities, humanities may be further affected. As right to photocopy is allowed, less resources will be spent by the publishers in these areas.
The judgement may be inconsistent with our IPR policy.
Way forward
Balance between IPR and access issues: This will help creativity and intellectualism flourish in our society attracting intellectuals from over the globe to India and at the same time help achieve affordable access to quality education raising our educational standards.
Provide easy access to public libraries as well in educational institutions with such educational material
Monetize on photocopying for course-packs by having universities or photocopy shops purchase licences whereby publishers would be paid every time a course-pack was sold.
5.4. NIDHI
NIDHI (National Initiative for Development and Harnessing Innovations) is an umbrella programme pioneered by the Department of Science and Technology
It works towards nurturing knowledge-based and technology-driven ideas and innovations into successful start-ups.
It also aims to provide technological solutions to the pressing needs of the society and create new avenues for wealth and job creation.
NIDHI, by design connects and strengthens all the links of the innovation chain- scouting, sustaining, securing, scaling and showcasing.
The key stakeholders of NIDHI includes various departments and ministries of the central government, state governments, academic and R & D institutions, mentors, financial institutions, angel investors, venture capitalists, industry champions and private sectors.
Components of NIDHI that support each stage of a budding start-up are:
PRAYAS (Promoting and Accelerating Young and Aspiring Innovators & Start- ups), which aims to support innovators to build prototypes of their ideas by providing a grant up to Rs.10 lakhs and an access to Fabrication Laboratory (Fab Lab).
The Seed Support System which provides up to One Crore rupees per start-up and is implemented through Technology Business Incubators.
With a view to drive the innovation and start-up centric new initiatives in a scaled up manner for its wider outreach across the country, a 450% increase in allocation (Rs. 180 crores) has been made in the Department’s budget.
5.5. ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE
Why in News?
A major study has found that neonates in India are increasingly dying due to alarming degree of drug resistance after being infected at birth facilities within 72 hours of their birth.
The study found that nearly
26 percent of babies with
sepsis died due to multi-
drug resistance which made
the disease untreatable.
Background
India has become the focal
point for drug resistance so
much so that a new
bacterium that was found
to be resistant to a wide
spectrum of antibiotics was
named New Delhi-Metallo-
Beta-Lactamase 1 in 2008.
Individuals across all ages are highly drug resistant due to dreadful sanitation conditions (open defecation and untreated sewage systems) and uncontrolled use of antibiotics.
Bacteria easily spread and thrive in India in humans, agriculture and livestock.
One of the major problems that the country is facing is today AMR (Anti-microbial Resistance) is the treatment of TB.
What Has Been Done?
In February, 2016, India launched the Red Line campaign. Under this campaign prescription only antibiotics were marked with a red line to curb irrational use.
The government has also backed it up with a communication campaign so as to create awareness that red line medicines should not be taken without prescription.
—Fig—
5.6. ANTI-MALARIA BATTLE
Why in News?
Scientists have discovered a new compound named bicyclic azetidine series that was found to act on all three stages of the malaria parasite, according to a study published in the journal Nature.
About The Discovery
The compound was found to cure the disease with a single, low dose treatment.
Also, it can provide prophylaxis; prevent disease transmission both in lab and in animals.
The compound works by targeting the parasite’s protein translation machinery. Protein translation is vital at every stage of the plasmodium life cycle.
Since protein translation is quite vital for the parasite’s functioning, mutation is quite unlikely. Therefore, there
are less chances of parasite developing drug resistance against the compound.
This discovery can be a stepping stone in the treatment of the disease and will also pave way for more therapeutic arsenals in the coming year.
—Fig—
5.7. MAKING BRACKISH WATER POTABLE
Why in News?
Researchers at IIT Madras have devised a method that can convert brackish water into potable water in less than 12 paise per litre.
What is it?
Researchers used a stack of tissue paper to make graphene.
Graphic electrodes were then covered with graphene.
The electrodes are then dipped in brackish water.
A potential of 1.8 volt is applied to the electrodes, the water gets deionised to become potable water.
Pros
Brackish water turns into potable water with less than 500 parts per million (ppm) of sodium chloride which is less than permissible limit for drinking water.
Filters will last 10 years making the invention highly feasible.
The process is not only cheaper than reverse osmosis but also saves a lot of water.
Reverse osmosis is an energy intensive procedure and cause 60-75 percent of the water to be rejected as waste.
The average water wastage in case of capacitive deionisation is only 25 percent.
The process shows great promise for solving the problem of water scarcity.
5.8. DNA: DATA STORAGE
A team from Microsoft and the University of Washington along with Twist Bioscience, a San Francisco start-up, reached a milestone by successfully storing 200 MB of digital data in DNA.
DNA has been carrier of genetic data for generations.
Significance
DNA possesses some of the attractive properties important for storing data.
It is very stable; synthetic DNA can remain intact for thousands of years.
DNA is never going to become obsolete as it holds blueprint of the living system.
It has high packing density- 1 kg of DNA is enough to store all the data available in the world.
Limitations
Encoding and decoding data in DNA is a complex task, it requires more time and money.
However this limitation is fast erasing as with technological advancements storing data into DNA structure will only become cheap, quick and less complicated.
5.9. GENES BEHIND INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY
Why in News?
Researchers have for the first time identified 30 recessive inherited genes that play a role in intellectual disability as well as other brain disorders, according to the journal, Molecular Psychiatry.
The research was carried out by scientists from Radboud University Medical Centre in Netherlands and University of Health Sciences in Pakistan.
The research was carried out for five years and across three continents.
Intellectual Disability: Fact File
Intellectual disability or ID (previously known as mental retardation) limits an individual’s intellectual ability and practical skills.
As many as 213 million people are affected by neuro-developmental disorder.
It is measured by intelligent quotient below 70.
Today, close to 1-3 percent population has some form of ID.
Half of ID can be linked to poor nutrition and environmental causes while the other half is due to genetic disorders such gene mutations.
This research can be applied for DNA screenings and determine the possibility of a couple producing an ID child.
5.10. OSIRIS-REX
NASA has successfully launched a space probe - OSIRIS-Rex (Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification-Regolith Explorer) for a near earth asteroid Bennu.
This will be NASA’s first asteroid sampling mission.
This spacecraft will reach Bennu by 2108 and then without landing on the asteroid capture 2 ounces of dust with its robotic arm and then begun its return trip to earth.
This $1 billion mission will help scientists unravel how life began on Earth, how the solar system formed, and how to protect our planet from stray asteroids like Bennu.
5.11. SELF-DRIVEN CARS
Why in News? nuTonomy, a small firm, made history of sorts when it introduced a self-driving taxi service in Singapore.
These cars powered by AI (Artificial Intelligence) can revolutionize the transport industry worldwide.
Significance
They have the potential to reduce road accidents especially
the ones caused by the human driver errors.
They can reduce labor cost and thus in turn reduce the cost
of travel and transport. It would give the interior of the cabin greater ergonomic flexibility apart from large unoccupied spaces. There would also be an improved ability to manage traffic flow, combined with less need for traffic police, vehicle insurance; or even road signage. Overall they will have a positive impact on the economy, transportation efficiency, and on public health and safety of transport.
Limitations
Issues with liability concern: In case of an accident how a legal liability will be decided. Will be responsibility put on the manufactured or the software developer or the user? The question is debatable and remains unanswered.
Unemployment: Driver-less cars especially taxis will create large scale unemployment among the existing cab and other drivers. Safety concern: Issues like technology failure and cyber-attacks can pose huge threat to safety and security of the passengers and public at large.
Ethical issue in case an autonomous car’s software is to choose between whom to hit in case of an unavoidable crash.
Box–An autonomous car (driverless car, self-driving car, robotic car) is a vehicle that is capable of sensing its environment and navigating without human input. Autonomous cars can detect surroundings using a variety of techniques such as radar, lidar, GPS, odometry, and computer vision.
5.12. WORLD’S LARGEST RADIO TELESCOPE BEGINS OPERATIONS
Why in News?
World’s largest telescope, Aperture Spherical Telescope or FAST began operations from China’s Ghinzou Province.
What is it?
Measuring 500 metres in diameter, the telescope is stationed in a natural basin in the county of Pintang.
It took five years and an investment of $180 million to complete.
The telescope surpasses the 300 meter Arecibo Observatory in Peurto Rico.
Significance
The telescope would search for signals from stars and galaxies as well as extra-terrestrial life.
The project demonstrates China’s rising ambitions in space.
5.13. FOSSILS FOUND POINTS TO LIFE ON EARTH 3.7 BILLION YEARS AGO
Why in news?
Scientists have found fossils of a tiny structure called
stromatolites in ancient sedimentary rock along the
Greenland’s ice caps.
Significance
The finding has push back the date of origin of life on earth by hundreds of millions years. (Note: In geological terms, earth was originated 4.5 bn years ago)
The structure and geology of the rock in which the stromatolite fossils has been found points to a rapid emergence of life on earth.
The finding will also through light on the kind of earliest form of life that existed on earth and how they evolved.
The finding will have great implication on our understanding of life on Mars and other planets. Probably a very basic life might have existed of Mars.
Box–Stromatolites are calcareous mound built up of layers of lime-secreting cyanobacteria and trapped sediment, found in Precambrian rocks as the earliest known fossils.
5.14. MORE THAN A BILLION STARS MAPPED
Why in news?
A European satellite named Gaia space probe has mapped the precise positions and brightness of more than 1.14 million stars in the Milky Way.
It is being lauded as the most accurate three dimensional map of the Milky Way.
It has also pinned down the distances and motions of more than 2 billion stars.
More about the Mission
Gaia, the European space probe was launched in 2013 and started collecting data in July 2014.
It was launched to log the position, colour and brightness of a billion stars sending it an orbit around the sun, close to 1.5 million km from Earth.
It has been able to map the star with so much accuracy thanks to its twin telescopes and a billion pixel camera.
Gaia has not only mapped the distribution of the stars but also the neighbouring Small and Large Magellanic Clouds.
