MEDICAL OXYGEN India has been facing a medicial oxygen shortage amidst a massive surge in COVID-19 cases. Difficulty breathing is one of the most common severe Covid-19 symptoms so the supply of oxygen is extremely important for severe COVID-19 patients. The air we breathe is a mix of several gases, such as oxygen, nitrogen, carbon […]
Read MoreElectronic Waste Recycling in India Why in news? The government has informed recently that e-waste recycling has doubled in India compared to 2017-2018. The government has reported that the reecyling rate of 10% in 2017-18 has risen to 20% in 2018-19. What is E-waste in India? As India is the fifth largest E-waste producing country […]
Read MoreHenneguya Salminicola: Anaerobic Parasite Why in news? Scientists have discovered an animal Henneguya Salminicola which does not need oxygen to produce the energy needed for its survival. This changes one of science’s assumptions that all animals use aerobic. Background Animals, including humans, need energy to perform the various tasks that are essential for survival. Aerobic respiration is one such […]
Read MoreIndia shares SARS-CoV-2 genome Why in news? India has finally shared two whole genome sequence data of the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) with the Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data (GISAID). Background The two sequences were shared by the Pune-based National Institute of Virology. This news comes after report that India has not shared any genome sequence data with […]
Read MoreSingle-Use Plastic What are Single-Use Plastics? Single-use plastics, or disposable plastics, are used only once before they are thrown away or recycled. The single-use plastic products also prevent the spread of infection. Instruments such as syringes, applicators, drug tests, bandages and wraps are often made to be disposable. These items are things like plastic bags, straws, coffee stirrers, soda […]
Read MoreWar Ethics and COVID-19 Introduction Human beings have been fighting each other since prehistoric times, and people have been discussing the rights and wrongs of it for almost as long. The Ethics of War starts by assuming that war is a bad thing, and should be avoided if possible, but it recognises that there can […]
Read MoreGEOSPATIAL DATA INTRODUCTION Spatial data, also known as Geospatial data is data which contain the information related to any location of objects, events, or phenomena on the surface of the earth. Types of Geospatiel Data Vector data is used as geometric shapes to show the location and shape of geographic features. There are three main […]
Read MoreBLOCKCHAIN Blockchain is a process of trapping or recording information in a way that makes it difficult or impossible to change, hack, or cheat the system. It is essentially a digital ledger of transactions (DLT) that is duplicated and distributed across the entire network of computer systems on the blockchain. National Strategy on Blockchain NLBF […]
Read MoreActive Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API) Why in news? Export of active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) of paracetamol from the country is all set to resume with the Centre moving it out of the ‘restricted for export’ list. About 40% of the paracetamol API manufactured in the country is consumed in the domestic market, while the rest is meant for exports. What is […]
Read MoreLocust Attack In India Why in news? In recent weeks, locust swarms have attacked crops in more than a dozen countries in Asia and Africa. The United Nations have announced that the situation is extremely alarming in three regions – the Horn of Africa, the Red Sea area, and southwest Asia. The Horn of Africa […]
Read MoreSCIENCE-TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION POLICY 2013 The Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, unveiled the Science, Technology and Innovation Policy (STI) 2013 at the inaugural session of the Centenary session of the Indian Science Congress at Kolkata. The STI Policy seeks to send a signal to the Indian scientific community, both in the private and public domain, […]
Read MoreTECHNOLOGY POLICY STATEMENT 1983 As Indian science progressed, it was felt that newer indigenous technologies needed to be developed than as imported technologies were to be efficiently absorbed and adapted. The policy statement of 1983 grew out of the felt need for guidelines to cover a wide ranging and complex set of related areas keeping […]
Read MoreSCIENTIFIC POLICY RESOLUTION 1958 As in many other areas of national importance like economy, polity etc, Jawahar Lal Nehru also established the basic framework for Science and technology in India. He has been the chief architect of Indian scientific endeavor. He was quick to realize the role of Science and technology and believed that the […]
Read MoreMULTIPLEXING In telecommunications and computer networks, multiplexing (also known as muxing) is a method by which multiple analog message signals or digital data streams are combined into one signal over a shared medium. The aim is to share an expensive resource. For example, in telecommunications, several telephone calls may be carried using one wire. A […]
Read MoreGRID COMPUTING Grid Computing is an emerging computing model that provides the ability to perform higher ‘throughput computing’ by taking advantage of many networked computers. It creates a model of virtual computer architecture that is able to distribute a process execution across a parallel infrastructure. Grids use resources of many separate computers connected by a […]
Read MoreBROADBAND Broadband may be defined as a communication technology, providing combination of Video On Demand (VOD), broadcast, television, fast internet access, streaming media, games, music and telephony services, from a single network. The concept of broadband, as popularly marketed, ensures high-speed connectivity between the service providers and the access users, delivering voice, data and video […]
Read MoreCentre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) C-DAC — HIGH TECH ROAD TO DEVELOPMENT ORIGIN AND DEVELOPMENT The Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) was established in March 1988 as a scientific society of the Department of electronics & Information Technology (Deity). It is primarily a research and development institution involved in the design, […]
Read MoreNATIONAL CYBER SECURITY POLICY 2013 It is a policy framework by Department of Electronics and Information Technology (DeitY), which aims at protecting the public and private infrastructure from cyber attacks. The policy also intends to safeguard “information, such as personal information (e web users), financial and banking information and sovereign data”. This was particularly relevant […]
Read MoreINFORMATION TECHNOLOGY Information technology (IT) is the branch of engineering that deals with the use of computers to store, retrieve and transmit information. The acquisition, processing, storage and dissemination of vocal, pictorial, textual and numerical information by a microelectronics-based combination of computing and telecommunications are its main fields. Some of the modern and emerging fields […]
Read MoreTRANSGENIC ORGANISMS These are organisms in to the DNA of which a desirable gene from another species has been inserted by recombinant DNA technology. Thus, these organisms have the ability to produce special protein molecules of choice. The aim of scientists is to transfer desirable characteristics from one organism to another, for example, to make […]
Read MoreCLONING Cloning means making an identical copy of the clones (a plant or animal specimen) – physically as well as genetically. Clones are exact replica of plants or animals, replicated asexually. A clone derives its genetic matter from a single parent. Cloning involves the removal of the nucleus from one cell and its placement in […]
Read MoreSTEM CELLS AND ITS TYPES STEM CELLS Stem cells are undifferentiated, primitive cells that have the potential to develop into many different cell types such as muscles, kidney, liver, blood and even nerve cells, in the body during early life and growth. In addition, in many tissues they serve as a sort of internal repair […]
Read MoreREPRODUCTIVE TECHNOLOGIES AND ITS APPLICATIONS REPRODUCTIVE TECHNOLOGIES Reproductive technologies have undergone a rapid evolution from simple procedures like the first insemination of fresh donor semen to a point where we now have the ability to collect epididymal sperm for microinjection into oocytes; freeze, thaw, and transfer donor gametes and embryos; create pregnancies in menopausal women, […]
Read MoreHUMAN GENOME PROJECT (HGP) Human Genome refers to the entire genetic makeup of human beings. HGP is an international effort to identify and locate all the genes and their variants, understand their functioning and write down the sequence of nucleotides that comprise the genes. It was started formally in 1990 originally as a 15-year project […]
Read MoreBIOSENSORS AND BIOMARKERS BIOSENSORS Biosensors are small devices that utilize biological reactions for detecting target analytes, which are chemical substrates being measured by the sensor. Clark and Lyons first demonstrated the modern concept of biosensors, in which an enzyme was integrated into an electrode to form a biosensor. The development of biosensors is concerned with […]
Read MoreBIOINFORMATICS AND ITS APPLICATIONS BIOINFORMATICS Bioinformatics is the application of computer science and information technology to the field of biology and medicine. It deals with various fields such as algorithms, databases and information systems, web technologies, artificial intelligence and soft computing, information and computation theory, software engineering, data mining, image processing, modelling and simulation, signal […]
Read MoreDNA FINGERPRINTING (DF) The chemical structure of everyone’s DNA is the same. The only difference between people or any animal is the order of the base pairs. There are so many millions of base pairs in each person’s DNA that every person has a different sequence except identical twins. Using these sequences, every person could […]
Read MoreLARGE HADRON COLLIDER (LHC) The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) is the world’s largest and highest-energy particle accelerator. It was built by the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) over a ten year period from 1998 to 2008, with the aim of allowing physicists to test the predictions of different theories of particle physics and high-energy […]
Read MoreFAST & PROTOTYPE FAST BREEDER REACTOR FAST BREEDER REACTOR (FBR) A nuclear reactor that produces the same kind of fissile materials as it burns is called a breeder reactor (BR). Like U-235, Pu-239 can also sustain a chain reaction. BRs while using Pu as a fuel can produce more Pu-239 than it consumes by converting […]
Read MoreCHANDRAYAAN-2 Chandrayaan-2, is India’s second lunar exploration mission. Developed by the ISRO, the mission is planned to be launched to the Moon by a Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV), includes a lunar orbiter, a lender and a lunar rover, all developed by India. India is gearing up to launch Chandrayaan-2 by end of 2016 or […]
Read MoreIndian Regional Navigation Satellite system (IRNSS) The Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) is an autonomous regional satellite navigation system being developed by the ISRO which would be under complete control of the Indian government. The requirement of such a navigation system is driven by the fact that access to foreign government-controlled global navigation satellite […]
Read MorePOLAR SATELLITE LAUNCH VEHICLE (PSLV) The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle is an expendable launch system developed and operated by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). It was developed to allow India to launch its Indian Remote Sensing (IRS) satellites into sun synchronous orbits, a service that was, until the advent of the PSLV, commercially viable […]
Read MoreMANGALYAAN – MARS ORBITER MISSION The Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM), also called Mangalyaan is a spacecraft orbiting Mars since 24 September 2014. It was launched on 5 November 2013 using PSLV-C25 by the ISRO. It is India’s first interplanetary mission and ISRO has become the fourth space agency to reach Mars, after the Soviet space […]
Read MoreAPPLICATIONS OF INSAT The INSAT system is a multipurpose satellite. It has revolutionized telecom, broadcasting & meteorological services. The various services provided by GSS are as under: Telecommunication: INSAT satellites have contributed to the communication revolution in India. Remote and far flung areas have been effectively connected to the rest of the world through these […]
Read MoreROLE OF S&T IN SOCIO – ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT The scientific policy resolution envisages securing for the people of the country, all the benefits that can accrue from acquisition and application of scientific knowledge. To achieve this aim, the DST has evolved many programmes for finding ways and means for application of S&T knowledge for overall […]
Read MoreGENETIC TESTING Genetic testing involves the direct examination of the DNA molecule itself. A scientist scans a patient’s DNA sample for mutated sequences. TYPES OF GENETIC TESTING There are two major types of gene tests: In the first type, a researcher may design short pieces of DNA (“probes”) whose sequences are complementary to the mutated […]
Read MoreGENE THERAPY and PHARMACOGENOMICS GENE THERAPY Gene therapy may be used for treating, or even curing, genetic and acquired diseases like cancer and AIDS by using normal genes to supplement or replace defective genes or to bolster a normal function such as immunity. It can be used to target somatic cells (i.e., those of the […]
Read MoreTRANSGENIC ORGANISMS These are organisms in to the DNA of which a desirable gene from another species has been inserted by recombinant DNA technology. Thus, these organisms have the ability to produce special protein molecules of choice. The aim of scientists is to transfer desirable characteristics from one organism to another, for example, to make […]
Read MoreBIOTECHNOLOGY FOR THE 21ST CENTURY It is anticipated that the world’s population in 2050 will be approximately 8.7 billion persons. The world’s population is growing, but its surface area is not. Compounding the effects of population growth is the fact that most of the earth’s ideal farming land is already being utilized. To avoid damaging […]
Read MoreRADIO – ISOTOPES Radioisotopes are those isotopes of certain elements which are unstable and thus radioactive. For example, lodine-131, Indium-192, Molybdenum-99, Chromium-51, Phosphorus-32. These are either man-made in nuclear reactor or found in nature. APPLICATIONS These are useful in the field of agriculture, medical diagnosis and treatment, water management and industries: AGRICULTURE In the field […]
Read MoreFAST BREEDER REACTOR (FBR) A nuclear reactor that produces the same kind of fissile materials as it burns is called a breeder reactor (BR). Like U-235, Pu-239 can also sustain a chain reaction. BRs while using Pu as a fuel can produce more Pu-239 than it consumes by converting non-fissionable U-238 that predominates in natural […]
Read MoreINDIAN SPACE RESEARCH ORGANIZATION (ISRO) ISRO is the primary body for space research under the control of Government of India and one of the big six advanced space research organization that dominate space, others being NASA (U.S), RICA (Russia), CNSA (China), ESA (Europe) and JAXA (Japan). It was established in its modern form in 1969. […]
Read MoreIndia’s Space research Programme- Origin & Development India’s space programme had an early but modest beginning in 1961 when the Government of India entrusted the responsibility for space research and for the peaceful use of outer space to the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), then under the leadership of Dr. Homi J. Bhabha. In 1962 […]
Read MoreCOMMUNICATION SATELLITE PROGRAMME (INSAT SYSTEM) Indian National Satellite (INSAT) system is a multi-agency, multipurpose application satellite system for domestic communication, meteorology observation & data relay, nationwide direct satellite TV broadcasting & radio-programme distribution. Also provides services in the areas of disaster warning a distress alert i.e. search & rescue missions. INSAT system was commissioned with […]
Read MoreREMOTE SENSING SATELLITES (RSS) The observation of the Earth from space is usually termed as remote sensing and satellites used for the purpose are known as Remote Sensing Satellites. The RS is a ‘Space-based’ earth observation system. It is a technique used for collecting information of any object on earth from about 900 km above […]
Read MoreGEOSTATIONARY SATELLITE LAUNCH VEHICLE (GSLV) The GSLV is an expendable launch system operated by the ISRO. It was developed to enable India to launch its INSAT-type satellites into geostationary orbit and to make India less dependent on foreign rockets. STAGES [GEOSTATIONARY SATELLITE LAUNCH VEHICLE (GSLV)] The GSLV improved on the performance of the PSLV with […]
Read MoreCHANDRAYAAN-I (MISSION TO MOON) Chandrayaan-1 was India’s first unmanned lunar probe. It was launched by the ISRO in October 2008, and operated until August 2009. The mission included a lunar orbiter and an impactor. India launched the spacecraft with a modified version of the PSLV, PSLV C11 on 22 October 2008 from Satish Dhawan Space […]
Read MoreVERY SHORT APERTURE TERMINAL (VSAT) VSAT is an earthbound software-driven station used in satellite communications of data, voice and video signals, excluding broadcast television. It consists of two parts, a transceiver/outdoor unit (ODU) that is placed outdoors in direct line of sight to the satellite and a device that is placed indoors to interface the […]
Read MoreNEAR FIELD COMMUNICATION (NFC) NFC is a set of standards for smartphones and similar devices to establish radio communication with each other by touching them together or bringing them into close proximity, usually not more than a few centimetres. Present and anticipated applications include contactless transactions, data exchange, and simplified setup of more complex communications […]
Read MoreNETWORKING AND WIMAX NETWORKING A network is basically all the components (hardware and software) involved in connecting computers across small and large distances. Networks are used to provide an easy access to information, thus increasing productivity for the users. LOCAL AREA NETWORK (LAN) Local Area Network (LAN) is used to connect the devices which are […]
Read MoreIPTV AND HYBRID IPTV IPTV Internet Protocol television (IPTV) is a system through which television services are delivered using the Internet protocol suite over a packet-switched network such as the Internet (instead of being delivered through traditional terrestrial, satellite signal, and cable television formats) to provide the required level of quality of service and experience, […]
Read MoreROBOTICS IN INDIA INTRODUCTION Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (CAIR), Bangalore has developed a variety of controllers and manipulators for Gantry, SCARA and other types of robots. These were supplied to Public Sector Units such as HAL and sister DRDO labs. CAIR has gone on to develop a prototype Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV) with […]
Read MoreCOPYRIGHT and TRADEMARK COPYRIGHT Copyright is a legal concept, enacted by most governments, giving the creator of original work exclusive rights to it, usually for a limited time. Generally, it is “the right to copy”, but also gives the copyright holder the right to be credited for the work, to determine who may adapt the […]
Read MoreRECENT UPDATES ON NANOTECHNOLOGY Electronic Memory The University of Pennsylvania has become the seat of an amazing investigation developing a sophisticated sort of electronic memory based on nanowires. These storage devices (memories) are basically designed to be implemented on diverse gadgets enabling a storage capacity of three bit values (0-1-2) instead the conventional capacity of […]
Read MoreNANOTECHNOLOGY Nanotechnology is molecular manufacturing or more simply, building things the size of one atom or one molecule with programmed precision. It involves working with matter at the scale of one-billionth of a meter (1 nm = 10-9 m). The idea of nanotechnology is therefore to master the characteristics of matter in an intelligent manner […]
Read MoreLASER TECHNOLOGY IN INDIA At present various research institutions are working on various aspects of lasers, like their fabrications, development of laser materials and their applications to various field like meteorology, communications, medicine, isotope separation and in basic researches. LASER SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY CENTRE (LASTEC) LASTEC is a laboratory of the Defence Research & Development […]
Read MoreLaser and its Applications LASER A laser (Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation) is a device which produces an intense, coherent, directional beam of light by stimulating electronic or molecular transitions to lower energy levels. DESIGN A laser consists of a gain medium, a mechanism to supply energy to it, and something to provide […]
Read MoreOptical Fibre and its Applications OPTICAL FIBRE An optical fibre is a flexible, transparent fibre made of glass (silica) or plastic, slightly thicker than a human hair. It functions as a waveguide to transmit light between the two ends of the fibre. The field of applied science and engineering concerned with the design and application […]
Read MoreTotal Internal Reflection & its Applications TOTAL INTERNAL REFLECTION Total internal reflection is an optical phenomenon that happens when a ray of light strikes a medium boundary at an angle larger than a particular critical angle with respect to the normal to the surface. The critical angle is the angle of incidence above which the […]
Read MoreENVIRONMENTAL CHEMISTRY Environmental chemistry deals with the study of the origin, transport, reactions, effects and fates of chemical species in the environment. Atmospheric Pollution The atmosphere that surrounds the earth is not of the same thickness at all heights. There are concentric layers of air or regions and each layer has different density. The lowest […]
Read MoreCARBON AND ITS COMPOUNDS The element carbon is a non-metal. Earth’s crust contains only 0.02% carbon in the form of minerals (like coal, petroleum, carbonates, etc.). The atmosphere has only 0.03% of carbon dioxide gas. All living things (plants and animals) made up of compounds of carbon are called organic compounds. The atomic number of […]
Read MoreACIDS, BASES AND SALTS On the basis of their chemical properties, compounds can be classified as acids, bases, and salts. Indicator An indicator is a dye which gives different colours in acid and base. Three common indicators used to test acids and bases are Litmus, Methyl Orange, and Phenolphthalein. Litmus can be used in the […]
Read MoreCOMPOUNDS A compound is a substance that can be broken down into two or more simpler substances by chemical means. It is made by chemical combination of two or more elements in fixed proportions by mass. Properties of a compound are different from those of its component elements. For example, water is a compound made […]
Read MoreMetals – Non—Metals & Metalloids On the basis of their properties, elements can be categorised as metals, non-metals and metalloids. Metals: An element that is malleable, ductile, and conducts electricity is called a metal. Gold, silver, iron, copper, tin, lead, sodium, and uranium are some examples of metals. Aluminium is the most abundant metal in […]
Read MoreMATTER AND ITS PROPERTIES Matter is anything that has mass and occupies space. Mass refers to the amount of matter present in a sample. Different forms of energy, such as heat, light, and electricity, are not considered to be matter. Nearly all the changes that matter undergoes involve the release or absorption of energy. Physical […]
Read MoreBHABHA KAVACH Recently The Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) has developed a a next-generation bulletproof jacket called as the Bhabha Kavach. Introduction The Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) has developed a next-generation bulletproof jacket for the Indian armed forces. This jacket is not only cheaper but also much lighter. Bhabha Kavach, named after nuclear physicist […]
Read MoreArtificial Intelligence Ecosystem In India: AI Garage Why in news? The NITI Aayog has published an ambitious discussion paper on kickstarting the artificial intelligence (AI) ecosystem in India. There is paper talk of powering five sectors — agriculture, education, health care, smart cities/infrastructure and transport — with AI. What is Artificial intelligence? It is the theory […]
Read MoreArtificial Intelligence (AI)-What & Why Why in news? McKinsey recently published a paper on the marketplace potential of AI, which is a worthy read. McKenzie’s report analyzed that the potential impact of AI is worthy of consideration. What is the current scenario with regards to AI? AI majorly being applied successfully to tasks that not […]
Read MoreAPOE4: Alzheimer’s Gene Neutralised In The Human Brain Recently: The researchers from Gladstone Institutes in the US have analysed the genes responsible for Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers have identified a number of genes associated with Alzheimer’s disease. Some genes increase your likelihood of developing the disease (risk genes). Others guarantee that you will develop a […]
Read MoreAlien asteroid 2015 BZ509 Why in news? Scientists have discovered an asteroid named 2015 BZ509 in Jupiter’s orbit. Alien asteroid 2015 BZ509: Scientists have recently found an asteroid named 2015 BZ509 (affectionately known as BZ) which seems to have been here for 4.5 billion years. This makes it the first known interstellar asteroid to have […]
Read MoreA New Global Roadmap to Eradicate Cholera Why in news? A New Global Roadmap to eradicate cholera has been developed by the Global Task Force on Cholera Control (GTFCC). What is Cholera? It is a bacterial disease causing severe diarrhea and dehydration, usually spread in water. Key symptoms are diarrhoea and dehydration, rarely shock and […]
Read MoreIndia’s Three Stage Nuclear Programme About India’s Three-stage Nuclear Power Program India’s 3 stage Nuclear Power Program was conceived soon after Independence to meet the security and energy demands of Independent India. India’s Uranium reserves constituted a very small amount, but India has a very huge amount of thorium reserves. Hence to attain independence in […]
Read MoreWhat Is Edge Computing? Edge computing is defined as the deployment of data-handling activities or other network operations away from centralized and always-connected network segments (like Dropbox, Gmail, etc.) and toward individual sources of data capture, such as endpoints like laptops, tablets. It is an extension of cloud computing, and differs in terms of time taken in processing the […]
Read More5G CLUB Why in news? The British government has approached the US with the prospect of creating a 5G club of 10 democracies, including India, amid growing security concerns related to Chinese telecom giant Huawei. What’s the issue? | 5G CLUB This comes just months after British Prime Minister Boris Johnson granted Huawei a limited role in […]
Read MoreInternational Space Station What Is The Space Station? It is basically a spacecraft which is habitable by humans who are crewmembers. Countries such as the United States, Russia, and China have already developed their presence in space and the ISS (International Space Station) is the only and largest fully functioning human-made space station. About International […]
Read MoreRobotics In India Introduction Robotics is the field of Science and Technology that deals with the design, manufacture, and applications of robots and using computers for their manipulation and processing.Robotics is based on the word ‘Robot’ coined by Karel (Joseph) Capek. The word Robot means self – labour. A Robot is a machine capable of […]
Read MoreQuantum Computing What is Quantum Computing? Quantum computing is computing using quantum-mechanical phenomena, such as superposition and entanglement. A quantum computer is a device that performs quantum computing. They are different from binary digital electronic computers based on transistors. Whereas common digital computing requires that the data be encoded into binary digits (bits), each of which is always […]
Read MoreGene Editing What is a Gene? Genes contain the bio-information that defines any individual. Physical attributes like height, skin or hair colour, more subtle features and even behavioural traits can be attributed to information encoded in the genetic material. An ability to alter this information gives scientists the power to control some of these features. What is Genome Editing? Genome […]
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