SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
India completes nuclear triad by commissioning INS Arihant
India has completed its nuclear triad by inducting the first indigenously built strategic nuclear submarine INS Arihant into service. With this, India becomes fourth country to have a nuclear triad i.e. capable of delivering nuclear weapons by air-craft, ballistic missiles and submarine launched missiles. Other countries having nuclear triad are Russia, United States and China. INS Arihant was formally commissioned by Navy Chief Admiral Sunil Lanba in August 2016. INS Arihant is nuclear submarine capable of carrying nuclear tipped ballistic missiles. It weighs 6000 tonnes and is 112 metre long. It is powered by 83 MW pressurised light water nuclear reactor with enriched uranium fuel. It will be armed with the K-15 Sagarika missiles with a range of 750 km.
China successfully launches its longest ever manned mission to space
China has successfully launched longest-ever manned mission by taking two astronauts Jing Haipeng and Chen Dong into the orbit. They were launched on board of Shenzhou-11 (heavenly vessel) spacecraft from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre near the Gobi Desert in northwest China. The spacecraft was put into orbit by a Long March-2F carrier rocket. Both astronauts will spend a month aboard an experimental space laboratory Tiangong-2 (Heavenly Palace 2).
IISER researchers use human hair to produce cheaper cathodes for solar cells
Researchers from Kolkata based Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) have produced cost-effective, metal-free cathodes using human hair for use in solar cells. This is the first instance where a bio-waste-derived electrode (in this case human hair) has been used as cathode in a quantum dot sensitised solar cell device. IISER researchers have developed graphitic porous carbon cathode by cleaning and drying human hair and treating with sulphuric acid to achieve precarbonisation. It was then heated at different temperatures in the presence of inert gas for six hours to carbonise and bring better electrical conductivity for efficient charge transfer. This efficient green cathode achieves highly catalytic graphitic porous carbon stage at optimum temperature of 850 degrees C.
ISRO successfully launches GSAT-18 from Kourou in French Guiana
India’s latest communication satellite, GSAT-18 was inducted into the INSAT/GSAT system on October 06, 2016 from Kourou, French Guiana by Ariane-5 VA-231. Weighing 3404 kg at lift-off, GSAT-18 carries 48 communication transponders to provide Services in Normal C-band, Upper Extended C-band and Ku-bands of the frequency spectrum. GSAT-18 carries Kuband beacon as well to help in an accurately pointing ground antennas towards the satellite. GSAT-18 is designed to provide continuity of services on operational satellites in C-band, Extended C-band and Ku-bands. GSAT-18 was launched into a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO) by Ariane-5 VA-231 launch vehicle. After its injection into GTO, ISRO’s Master Control Facility (MCF) at Hassan took control of GSAT-18 and performed the initial orbit raising maneuvers using the Liquid Apogee Motor (LAM) of the satellite, placing it in circular Geo-stationary Orbit. The designed in-orbit operational life of GSAT-18 is about 15 years.
New species of pika named Ochotona sikimaria discovered in Sikkim
Scientists have discovered a new species of Pika, a mammal belonging to the rabbit and hare family in the Himalayas in Sikkim. It has been identified as ‘Ochotona sikimaria’. It is quite distinctive from all other pika species based on the fecal pellets and tissue samples. Ochotona sikimaria Pika species looks similar to the Moupin Pika, genetically it is completely different. Their specific differences are not visible in physical observation. But they are genetically very different.
World’s first three-parent baby born in Mexico
The world’s first three-parent baby boy was born in Mexico to a Jordanian couple with the help a controversial new fertility technique that incorporates DNA from three people in the embryo. The ‘three-parent’ technique also known as Mitochondrial donation (Mitochondrial Replacement Therapy) allows parents with rare genetic mutations to have healthy babies.
ISRO successfully launches 8 satellites into two different orbits
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) for first time has successfully launched eight satellites into two different orbits in a single mission. These satellites were launched onboard of Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle C35 (PSLV C35) from the first launch pad of the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikotta. It was PSLV’s longest and most complex mission. It is also for the first time PSLV has successfully placed satellites in two different orbits in single mission. Among the eight satellites launched, three satellites were from India, three from Algeria and one each from Canada and United States. SCATSAT-1 satellite of India weighing 371 kg was the primary payload and remaining other seven customer satellites were secondary payloads (5 foreign and 2 domestic satellite) weighing 304 kg in total.
Indian Air Force successfully test fires long range air-to-air MICA missile
Indian Air Force (IAF) has successfully fired recently acquired long range air-to-air MICA missile from Mirage-2000 Upgrade combat aircraft on a manoeuvring target. During the test, the missile achieved a direct hit on a target which was much smaller than an actual aircraft and flying at a low altitude. With this success IAF has become one of the few air forces in the world that have capability of launching such beyond visual range (BVR) air-to-air missile.
Sun Pharma signs deal with ICGEB to develop India’s first dengue vaccine
India’s largest pharmaceutical company Sun Pharma has signed deal with International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB) for clinical development Cissampelos pariera (Cipa), India’s first vaccine (drug) for the treatment of dengue. The partnership between Sun Pharma and ICGEB aims to develop` safe, effective and affordable botanical drug Cipa. Under the deal, Sun Pharma will get access to all the intellectual properties (IP) rights of the drug across 17 countries. ICGEB will establish assay systems for the development of Cipa for the treatment of dengue infection. ICGEB had explored Indian traditional medicine, Ayurveda, to identify plants that could be a source of dengue inhibitory activity.
Researchers produce carbon from sugarcane waste for use in batteries
Researchers from Pune (Maharashtra) have produced high-quality carbon from sugarcane waste within minutes by using a low power microwave system. They had used a simple, cost effective and quick process to convert sugarcane bagasse into anode-grade porous, conducting, activated carbon material for use in Li-ion batteries. They had carried out initial carbonisation overnight at room temperature by mixing bagasse with concen-trated sulphuric acid. The acid treatment had dissolved most of the inorganic impurities present in bagasse except silica. This helped in forming robust carbon double bond backbone structure. The solid product obtained from acid treatment was washed thoroughly and was oven-dried at 70 degree C. Later it was mixed with potassium hydroxide to form slurry. The slurry is then heated in a microwave oven for a few minutes. The heating had led to graphitisation and pores were formed when potassium hydroxide reacts with carbon.
Read more: Current Affairs Oct 2016 Study Material | FreeJobAlert.com http://currentaffairs.freejobalert.com/oct-2016-current-affairs-study-material/14175/#ixzz5TLqy4KXW
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