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10 | Science Reporter | January 2018

Scientifi c Roundup


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What Happened in Science & Technology

in 2017?

January 2018 | Science Reporter | 11

This planet is expected to be present in the Goldilocks Zone (area where the temperature is neither too low nor too high).

First Exoplanet Found to Contain WaterExoplanet WASP-121b located about 900 light-years away in the constellation Puppis was found to contain water in the form of hot water molecules. It belongs to a class of exoplanets called hot Jupiters. The planet is nearly twice the size of Jupiter and orbits much closer to its host star. The top of the planet’s atmosphere is heated to a blazing 46000F, hot enough to boil some metals. The researchers were able to detect glowing water molecules in the planet’s atmosphere by using NASA’s Hubble space telescope.

Cassini-Huygens – End of a MissionThe Cassini spacecraft orbited Saturn and ended its life on 15 September 2017 with a plunge into the ringed planet’s atmosphere after a mission that lasted 19 years and 11 months. It was a joint project of NASA, ESA (European space Agency) and ASI (Italian Space Agency) to study the planet Saturn and its systems including its rings and natural satellites. The mission is known for discoveries such as fi nding jets of water erupting from Enceladus, and tracking down a few new moons for Saturn.

Image Courtesy: jpl.nasa.gov

Supercluster of Galaxies – Saraswati A team of Indian astronomers from Inter-University Center for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA), Pune, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Pune, National Institute of Technology (NIT), Jamshedpur and Newman College (Thodapuzha) identifi ed a massive supermega river of galaxies. The new discovery has been named Saraswati – which in Sanskrit literally means ‘ever-fl owing stream with many pools’. The supercluster is about 4 billion light years away. The results of the study were published in The Astrophysical Journal.

This newly discovered supercluster extends over a scale of 600 million light-years containing over 10,000 galaxies in 42 clusters. It may contain the mass equivalent of over 20

ASTRONOMY & SPACE

Seven Earth-Sized Planets Found in AquariusAstronomers discovered seven Earth-sized exoplanets orbiting an ultracool star – TRAPPIST-1. The star is about the size of Jupiter and much cooler than Sun, about 40 light-years from Earth in the constellation Aquarius. The star was discovered by Michael Gillon, an astrophysicist at the University of Liege in Belgium. Follow-up observations with ground based telescopes and the Spitzer Space telescope now reveal that the third planet is actually four additional Earth-sized ones, three of which could be habitable. If those planets have Earth-like atmospheres, they may even have liquid water oceans on their surfaces.

Image Courtesy: www.nasa.gov

New Exoplanet LHS 1140bIn the constellation of Cetus, a super-Earth exoplanet in the habitable zone of LHS 1140 (a red dwarf about one-fi fth the size of the Sun) was discovered. The LHS 1140b is about 1.43 times larger and about 6.6 times heavier than the Earth i.e. gravity on LHS 1140b would be three times greater than Earth. It is probably made up of rock with a dense iron core.

ASTRONOMY & SPACE

Image Courtesy: www.eso.org


million billion Suns. The discovery is forcing astronomers to rethink about the early stages of the evolution of the universe and provides vital clues about the mysterious dark matter and dark energy.

India Launched 104 Satellites in One GoISRO created history around the world with the successful launch of 104 satellites in a single mission on 15 February 2017. These satellites were launched on board the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle PSLV-C37 on its 39th mission from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota. It broke the earlier record of launching 37 satellites by Russia on 19 June 2014.

Of the total 104 satellites, only three were Indian and 101 were international. India’s three satellites included Cartosat-2 (main payload) and nanosatellites, INS-1A and INS-1B. The total weight of all the 104 satellites carried on-board PSLV-C37 was 1378 kg.

GSAT-9 is India’s Gift to Neighbouring CountriesAlso dubbed as the ‘South Asia’ satellite, GSAT-9 with the objective to provide various communication applications in Ku-band with coverage over South Asian countries, was launched by the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV-F09) on 5 May 2017. With a payload power of 2.3 kilowatts and an operational life of 12 years, GSAT-9 will be

used for telecommunications, disaster management and weather forecasting to benefi t neighbouring countries Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka. This 2195 Kilograms satellite is positioned at 480 east in the geostationary orbit. Costing around Rs. 235 crore, the satellite will also contribute to enhancing IT connectivity and facilitating tele-education and telemedicine.

India Launched its Heaviest RocketThe Indian space programme notched up yet another milestone success as the country’s most powerful rocket – GSLV Mk-III – soared into space placing the communication satellite GSAT 19 (heaviest to be lifted by an Indian rocket till date) on 5 June 2017. GSLV Mark III, also nicknamed ‘Fat Boy’, weighed 640 tonnes and carried a 3136 kg GSAT-19 communication satellite to an altitude of around 179 km above the Earth. The GSLV Mk-III is capable of carrying payloads of up to 4000 kg into the Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO) or about 10000 kg to the Low Earth Orbit (LEO), which is about twice the capability of GSLV MK-II.

Currently, India depends on the European Space Agency (ESA) for heavy launch of INSAT-class satellites of 3.5 ton, which incurrs a cost of Rs 800 crore for each launch. GSLV Mk-III makes it possible for India to launch its heavier satellites at one-third the cost or at about Rs 350 crore.

First Global Map of Water on MoonScientists from Brown University have created the fi rst map of water trapped in the uppermost layer of the Moon’s soil. The study used data taken from NASA’s Moon Mineralogy Mapper, which fl ew aboard India’s Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft. The study published in the journal Science Advances, builds on the initial discovery in 2009 of water and a related molecule – hydroxyl – which consists of one atom each of hydrogen and oxygen in the lunar soil.

The amount of water on Moon increases towards the poles but gradually decreases towards the equator. It reaches a maximum average of around 500-750 parts per million in the higher latitudes. The researchers said that the way the water is distributed across the Moon gives clues about its source.

Smallest Star in the UniverseScientists from University of Cambridge have discovered the smallest star known in the universe. It has been named as EBLM J0555-57Ab. The star was identifi ed by SuperWASP (Wide Angle Search for Planets), extra solar planet detection programme run by several universities. The star is located about 600 light-years away.

It is slightly larger than Saturn in size and may possibly have Earth-sized planets with liquid water in its orbit. The gravitational pull at its surface is about 300 times stronger than

Image Courtesy: www.isro.gov.in


on Earth. The star is likely as small as stars can possibly become, as it has just enough mass to enable the fusion of hydrogen nuclei into helium. The study has been published in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics.

Optical Polarisation Phenomenon of Fast Spinning StarScientists for the fi rst time have detected polarized light from fast spinning star Regulus, one of the brightest stars about 79 light years away in the constellation Leo. The discovery confi rmed the Indian astrophysicist and Nobel Laureate Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar’s theory of emission of polarised light from the edges of stars about 70 years ago.

World’s Smallest Spacecraft Launched by Breakthrough StarshotBreakthrough Starshot is a comprehensive space programme that launched the world’s smallest spacecrafts dubbed as ‘Sprites’. The six prototypes of sprites were launched in June 2017 in Low Earth Orbit to test technologies that would eventually be used for interstellar missions.

Each of the mini sprite spacecrafts are built on a single 3.5cm x 3.5cm circuit board. They weigh just four grams each. They are equipped with tiny solar panels, two antennas, tiny radio, computer, magnetometer and gyroscope. They are smallest spacecraft that have managed to establish contact with ground stations.

Image Courtesy: www.theguardian.com

Ligo Detects Collision of Neutron Stars for the First TimeGravitational waves from a neutron star collision in the galaxy NGC 4993 were detected for the fi rst time on 17 August 2017. The galaxy is located about 130 million light years away from the Earth in the constellation Hydra. The collision known as ‘kilonova’ led to a rumble of gravitational wave dubbed GW170817 as detected by LIGO. Astronomers have believed that such explosions produced many of the heavier elements in the universe including precious metals like gold, silver and uranium.

The kilonova associated with GW170817 was observed by NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope and Chandra X-ray Observatory.

Israel Launched its First Environmental Research SatelliteVenus (Vegetation and Environment Monitoring New Micro Satellite) is the fi rst environmental research satellite launched by Israel to monitor the effects of climate change on vegetation. It is a joint venture between the Israel Space Agency (ISA) and the French CNES space agency (Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales). The satellite weighs 265 kilograms. Venus will monitor the Earth’s vegetation using a camera capable of recording 12 narrow spectral bands. It will also test the operation of an innovative electric propulsion system based on the Israeli-designed Hall Effect Thrusters (HET).

World’s Lightest Satellite Designed by an Indian StudentWeighing just 64 grams, NASA launched the world’s lightest satellite designed and built by 18-year-old Rifath Sharool and his team from India. The tiny satellite has been named as ‘KalamSat’ after the former president and scientist Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam. The satellite was launched into the space on a sounding rocket from NASA’s facility in Wallops Island.

This 3.8 cm cube-structured satellite is a 3-D printed satellite. Equipped with nano Geiger Muller counter for measuring the radiation in space, the satellite is built with reinforced carbon fi bre polymer. The satellite was operated for 12 minutes in a micro-gravity environment of space after its fl ight. The purpose behind the launch of KalamSat was to to demonstrate the performance of 3D-printed carbon fi bre.

Image Courtesy: www.indianeagle.com


BIOTECHNOLOGY

IIT Researchers Develop Bio-artificial Implantable PancreasIndian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati researchers have successfully created an implantable bio-artifi cial pancreas model that was grown within a 3D silk scaffold. The pancreas is capable of naturally producing insulin in a sustained manner, which encapsulates insulin-producing cells within. Researchers have coated the silk scaffold which is found to be biocompatible (not toxic to living tissue) as it did not trigger any immune reaction or cause any adverse reaction when implanted containing beta cells with a semi-permeable membrane barrier. The membrane allows insulin produced to be released into the blood stream but does not allow the immune cells to cross the membrane and kill the islet cells. If successful in animal and human trials, it can be used for treating people with type-1 diabetes.

Scientists Develop Artifi cial Womb to Save Premature BabiesScientists in the US have developed an artifi cial fl uid-fi lled womb like a bag known as an extra uterine support device that has been successfully used to incubate healthy baby lambs for a week, an advance that may one day be able to save the lives of extremely premature human babies. Inside the device, the infant's own heart circulates blood through the umbilical cord into an external gas-exchange machine taking the place of the mother's placenta, while synthetic amniotic fl uid enriched with nutrients fl ows in and out of the temperature controlled, near-sterile “biobag”.

3D Printed Soft Silicon HeartHeart transplantation does not require a donor now. Scientists from ETH Zurich in Switzerland have developed a 3D-printed soft silicone heart that closely resembles and functions like the human organ. It weighs 390 gm and has a volume of 679 cubic

centimetre. “It is a silicone monoblock with complex inner structure,” said Nicholas Cohrs, a doctoral student at ETH Zurich in Switzerland.

World’s First Stable Semi-synthetic OrganismThe first stable semi-synthetic organism, a single-celled bacterium, has been created by scientists, which may play an important role in drug discovery and other applications. The newly created bacterium has two human-created X and Y bases that grow and divide, much like the four natural bases (A, T, C and G). The X and Y base pair was dropped over time, limiting the ways the organism could use the additional information possessed in their DNA. Researchers optimised a tool called a nucleotide transporter, which brings the materials necessary for the unnatural base pair to be copied across the cell membrane. Researchers used gene editing tool CRISPR-Cas9 to design the synthetic organism to see a genetic sequence without X and Y as a foreign invader.

First Human-pig Hybrid Created in a LabResearchers for the fi rst time created embryos that were part human, part animal. The embryos contained cells from both humans and pigs. Although the promise is that the process could

BIOTECHNOLOGY


one day help scientists grow human organs inside animals for later transplant, it has also sparked ethical concerns.Gene SLFN11 Encodes a Protein Against HIV1Scientists from University of Colorado Boulder have discovered a gene called SLFN11, which encodes a protein known as Schlafen family member 11, or Schlafen11 which may induce a cellular response against infection by viruses including human immunodefi ciency virus-1 (HIV-1). The new study found that SLFN11’s antiviral potency is highest in non-human primate species such as chimpanzees and orangutans, but less effective in humans and gorillas, indicating that the gene’s effects have become highly species-specifi c over time when it comes to fi ghting off HIV-1. The researchers also found that SLFN11 can have antiviral effects beyond just HIV-1. The fi ndings could provide new avenues of inquiry for future pharmaceutical and gene therapy research centered on HIV-1. The research is published in the journal PLOS Pathogens.

MATTER & ENERGY

New Invention Sucks Water Out of Thin AirScientists have created a device that pulls fresh water out of thin air, which can work in places with humidity as low as 20 per cent. Based on sunlight, the device is called Solar-powered Harvester. It is made with a special type of material known as a Metal-Organic Framework (MOF) which contains a combination of zirconium metal and adipic acid that binds water vapour. MOFs are structures where metals such as magnesium or aluminium are combined with organic molecules in an arrangement that creates rigid, porous structures ideal for storing gases or liquids. The prototype device successfully pulled 2.8 litres of water from the air over a 12 hour period, using 1 kilogram of MOF under conditions of 20 to 30 per cent humidity. The research was carried out by teams from MIT and the University of California, Berkeley and was published in Science.

(Source: www.sciencenews.org)

Hydrogen Turned into MetalIsaac Silvera and Ranga Diasat at the Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, have claimed to produce metallic hydrogen by compressing it to pressures of about 4.9 million times atmospheric pressure, much beyond that in the Earth’s centre. The fi ndings have been reported in Science in January 2017. They captured the hydrogen gas between the tips of two diamonds and then squeezed the tips of the diamond “anvil” together at a lab setup that was cooled to 83 Kelvin (−190° Celsius or -310° Fahrenheit). The discovery may lead to the development of a new superconductor resistant to high temperatures.

Cheap and Clean Fuel from AirResearchers from Cardiff University, UK, have discovered a new method to produce methanol from methane through a simple catalytic process that enables methanol production at low temperatures using oxygen and hydrogen peroxide. Methanol is an important chemical often used as fuel in vehicles. The discovery has major implications for cleaner, greener industrial processes worldwide. Currently, Methanol is produced by breaking down natural gas at high temperatures into hydrogen gas and carbon monoxide before reassembling them, which is an expensive and energy-intensive process, known as steam reforming and methanol synthesis. The new technique uses freely available air, inexpensive chemicals and an energy effi cient methanol production process.

World’ First Floating Wind FarmWorld’s fi rst full-scale fl oating wind farm, named as Hywind Project, is built off the coast of Scotland. The project consisting fi ve turbines is aimed to bring power to 20,000 homes. The wind farm covers an area of about four square kilometres of water in the North Sea, having an average wind speed of about 10 metre per second. Its waters are uniquely shallow enough to allow turbines to be mounted atop steel poles fi xed to the seabed. The pioneering technology uses 78-metre-tall underwater ballast and three mooring lines that will be attached to the seabed to keep the turbines upright.

MATTER & ENERGY


World’s Sharpest Laser DevelopedThe world’s sharpest laser has been developed by scientists from Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB) or National Metrology Institute of Germany with record-breaking precision. With a line-width of only 10 millihertz (0.01 hertz), this newly developed laser is closer to the ideal laser than ever before. Line-width is a measurement of how much of the optical spectrum the laser covers. Researchers have also found out that the emitted laser light’s frequency was more precise than what had ever been achieved before. This high precision will help improve the quality of optical atomic clocks. It is also useful for various applications such as radioastronomy, precision spectroscopy, testing the theory of relativity and carry out new precision measurements on ultracold atoms.

(Source: www.sciencealert.com)

HEALTH & MEDICINE

Flexible Bio-glue for Healing WoundsScientists at Harvard University’s Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) in the US have developed a super strong, fl exible adhesive material inspired by the glue secreted by slugs that stick to biological tissues – even when wet – without causing toxicity. The “tough adhesive” is biocompatible and binds to tissues with a strength comparable to the body’s own resilient cartilage. The key feature of this material is the combination of a very strong adhesive force and the ability to transfer and dissipate stress, which have historically not been integrated into a single adhesive.

Human Antibodies Produced in Lab for the First TimeFor the fi rst time, researchers led by Facundo Batista from the Francis Crick Institute, UK have produced human antibodies in the laboratory by treating patient-derived B cells with tiny nanoparticles coated with both CpG oligonucleotides and an antigen. The technique can be used in the development of new vaccines to treat a wide range of infectious diseases. The team successfully demonstrated their approach using various bacterial and viral antigens, including the tetanus toxoid and proteins from several strains of infl uenza A. Researchers were able to generate anti-HIV antibodies from B cells isolated from HIV-free patients. They hope that their approach will help researchers rapidly generate therapeutic antibodies for the treatment of infectious diseases and other conditions such as cancer. The research was published in The Journal of Experimental Medicine.

New Tool to Repair DNA in EmbryosChinese scientists have devised a gene-editing tool that may eliminate certain disease-causing mutations in the DNA of human embryos. It is the fi rst such technology to be used on viable human embryos and could one day help prevent babies from inheriting serious genetic diseases. But it has already raised ethical concerns about the potential to effectively design children—and alter the genetic heritage of humankind.

World’s Smallest PacemakerScientists for the fi rst time have successfully implanted the world’s smallest pacemaker dubbed as Micra Transcatheter Pacing System (TPS) in a patient in US. The pacemaker about the size of large vitamin capsule is for patients with bradycardia, a condition characterised by a slow heart rate, usually fewer than 60 beats per minute. TPS provides the most advanced pacing technology. It was recently approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. It is one-tenth the size of a traditional pacemaker and is the only leadless (wireless) pacemaker approved for use in the US. It can be delivered through a catheter and implanted directly into the heart. Unlike traditional pacemakers, it does not require cardiac wires (leads) or a surgical pocket under the skin to deliver a pacing therapy. It also allows us to automatically adjust pacing therapy based on a patient’s activity levels and another positive is the battery can last up to 10 years.

HEALTH & MEDICINE


Mesentery: A New Human OrganScientists from Ireland have discovered a new human organ as the 79th organ of the human body in the Digestive System named the Mesentery, which connects the intestine to the abdomen. The mesentery is a double fold of the peritoneum, which is the lining of the abdominal cavity. The discovery will help in better understanding and further scientifi c study of the mesentery which could lead to less invasive surgeries, fewer complications, faster patient recovery and lower overall costs. The evidence for the organ's reclassifi cation is published in The Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology.

COMPUTERS AND ROBOTICS

World’s First Molecular RobotScientists at the University of Manchester have created the world’s fi rst ‘molecular robot’, it is millionth of a millimetre in size, can be programmed to move and build molecular cargo, using a tiny robotic arm that is capable of performing basic tasks including building other molecules. These are made up of just 150 carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen atoms. The robots operate by carrying out chemical reactions in special solutions which can then be controlled and programmed by scientists to perform the basic tasks. In the future such robots could be used for medical purposes, advanced manufacturing processes and even building molecular factories and assembly lines.

Versius: World’s Smallest Surgical RobotScientists in the UK have developed the world's smallest surgical robot named Versius. This robot mimics the human arm and can be used to carry out a wide range of procedures in which a series of small incisions are made to circumvent the need for traditional open surgery. These include hernia repairs, colorectal operations, as well as prostate, ear, nose and throat surgery. The robot can be controlled by a surgeon at a console guided by a 3D screen in the operating theatre.

World’s First Hybrid ‘Aeroboat’The world’s fi rst hybrid “aeroboat” has been built by an Indo-Russian joint venture. It is capable of travelling on land, water, snow and sand. The aeroboats can handle steep slopes and embankments without the requirement of marine infrastructure such as jetties. The aeroboat will have room for about 10 passengers and one crew member. Unlike hoverboats, aeroboats are cheaper to maintain and fuel. The aeroboats “hybrid” engine is capable of running on either petrol or electricity thus helping in reducing carbon emission and improving energy effi ciency too.

First ‘Made in India’ Industrial Robot: BRABOA Tata group company, TAL Manufacturing Solutions, has unveiled India's fi rst ever robot called 'BRABO'. BRABO stands for “Bravo Robot”. The robot is primarily developed to complement the human workforce and repeatedly perform high volume, dangerous and time-consuming tasks ranging from handling of raw materials to packaging of finished products.

First Stretchable Integrated CircuitResearchers from East Lansing-based Michigan State have created the fi rst stretchable integrated circuit made entirely out of an inkjet printer, raising the possibility of the inexpensive production of “smart fabric”. Smart fabric is made of several materials fabricated form nanomaterials and organic compounds,

COMMPPUTERS AND ROBBOTICS

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which are dissolved in a solution to produce different electronic links, and are then run through the printer to make the devices. This stretchable electronic fabric can be easily folded and put in one’s pocket without breaking.

IBM Q: Universal Quantum Computing SystemsIBM Q is an industry fi rst initiative to build commercially available universal quantum computing systems for business and science applications. The system will be accessible over the Internet for a fee. IBM Q systems and services will be delivered via the IBM Cloud platform. It will serve as an enablement tool for scientifi c research, a resource for university classrooms, and a catalyst of enthusiasm for the fi eld. To date users have run more than 300,000 quantum experiments on the IBM Cloud.

Ransomeware Cyberattack – Affects at Least 150 CountriesThe biggest cyberattack the world has ever seen is a virus that locks people out of their computer fi les until they pay a ransom to the hackers. Experts say the spread of the virus had been stymied by a security researcher in the U.K. Hackers have issued new versions of the virus that cyber security organizations are actively trying to counter and stamp out. The ransomware, called WannaCry, locks down fi les on an infected computer and asks the computer's administrator to pay in order to regain control of them.

GEOLOGY

Eighth Continent Zealandia DiscoveredScientists have claimed to fi nd an entirely new continent submerged beneath the Southwest Pacifi c Ocean to the east of Australia. The continent, submerged 94% under water, is attached to New Zealand and has been named Zealandia. New Zealand and neighbouring New Caledonia are part of a vast 1.89 million square-mile single slab of continental crust that is separate from Australia. Covering fi ve million square kilometres (1.9 million square miles), it extends from south of New Zealand northward to New Caledonia and west to the Kenn Plateau off

Australia's east. The research was published in the Geological Society of America’s journal GSA Today.

Lost Continent Found Under the Island of MauritiusThe existence of a "lost continent" called ‘Mauritia’, under the Indian Ocean island nation of Mauritius, has been confi rmed by researchers at Wits University in Johannesburg, South Africa. The landmass is believed to be leftover by the break-up of the supercontinent, Gondwana, which started about 200 million years ago and disappeared into the Indian Ocean when Madagascar and India split apart. The study has been published in the journal Nature Communications. By studying the ancient mineral zircon found in much younger rocks of Mauritia, spewed up by lava during volcanic eruptions, Geologist Lewis Ashwal, lead author of the paper and his colleagues, have found that remnants of this mineral were far too old to belong on the island of Mauritius. Presence of zircon indicates that there are much older crustal materials under Mauritius that could only have originated from a continent.

Largest Iceberg Broke Off From Antarctica’s Larsen C Weighing more than a trillion tons, an iceberg split off from Antarctica’s Larsen C ice shelf sometime between July 10 and July 12, 2017. It was one of the largest iceberg breaks ever recorded. Larsen C is the fourth largest ice shelf on the east side of the Antarctic Peninsula, surrounding the southernmost continent of the planet. Project MIDAS, an Antarctic research project based in the United Kingdom, reported the final breakage. With the breaking of ice chunk, having an area close to that of 2,240 square mile (5,800 square kilometers), the Larsen C shelf has reduced by approximately 12 percent of its size.

GEOLOGY


NEW SPECIES DISCOVERED

World's First Fluorescent FrogScientists have discovered polka-dot tree frog (Hypsiboas punctatus), the world’s fi rst fl uorescent frog in Argentina. Scientists at the Bernardino Rivadavia Natural Sciences Museum in Buenos Aires made the discovery by accident while studying the pigment of polka-dot tree frogs, a species common across the continent. In normal light the frog appears to have a dull, mottled browny-green skin with red dots, but under UV light it glows a bright fl uorescent green.

New Frog Species with Pig FaceA group of Indian scientists from the CSIR-Centre for Cellular & Molecular Biology, Hyderabad has recently discovered a new frog species named Nasikabatrachus bhupathi, which has a face of pig. N. Bhupathi shows comparisons with the purple frog (Nasikabatrachus sahyadrensis), which was discovered in Seychelles in 2003. The frog has been named after the Indian herpetologist S. Bhupathy, who died in 2014. The purple frog is an inhabitant of Seychelles, and the discovery of Bhupathy’s purple frog in India suggests that the Indian subcontinent was part of the ancient landmass of Gonwana before splitting from Seychelles 65 million years ago. The discovery was published in Alytes journal.

(Source: landsat.gsfc.nasa.gov)

India Host to World’s Oldest FossilAccording to a paper in the journal PLOS Biology, the oldest known fossils of red algae were aged 1.2 billion years old. But now, scientists may have to rewrite the history of origin of life on the Earth. A pair of 1.6 billion year old fossils that appear to contain red algae has been uncovered by Indian scientists. The fossils have been found in Chitrakoot region of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. The material is embedded in fossil mats of Cyanobacteria inside a phosphorite rock that dates back to 1.6 billion years. The fossil do not contain DNA remains hence the actual age cannot be determined but it shows morphological and structural resemblance to red algae.

NEW SPECIES DISCOVERED


Two New Earthworm SpeciesScientists have discovered two new primitive species of earthworm in the Western Ghats mountain ranges in Kerala. Researchers at Mahatma Gandhi University in Kerala and Shoolini University in Himachal Pradesh named the new earthworm species Drawida polydiverticulata and Drawida thomasi. Drawida polydiverticulata has an organ located in the front of its body. This species was found to be widespread in the protected shola grasslands of the Munnar region, including Eravikulam National Park, Pampadun Shola National Park and Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary. Drawida thomasi was collected at the Kozhippara Waterfalls near Kakkadampoyil, at the border between Malappuram and Kozhikode. According to the researchers there are 73 species of the genus Drawida confi rmed to be living in the Indian subcontinent till date.

Two New Species of CycasRecently in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands scientists have discovered two new species of cycas named Cycas pschannae and Cycas dharmrajii. The species were named after scientists Paramjit Singh Channa and Dharmraj S. Mishra.

TECHNOLOGY & ENGINEERING

Russia Launches Mammoth Icebreaker ShipRussia launched the world’s biggest and most powerful icebreaker ship. Named ‘Sibir’, the ship is powered by two nuclear reactors and can break three-meter thick ice fi elds. The mammoth vessel weighs 33,500 tons and stretches 173 metres in length. But Russia plans to build another enormous icebreaker ship called ‘The Leader’. This vessel will be able to break through ice up to 4.5 metres thick. And this prowess will particularly be pivotal in keeping the Northern Sea Route and Arctic coast open all year round.

World’s Largest Aircraft Weighing nearly 227 metric tons, and having the world’s largest wingspan of 118 m, this gigantic airplane successfully tested each of its six engines during operation. Designed to act as a mobile launch pad to carry rockets into low-Earth orbit, the Stratolaunch aircraft’s wingspan is longer than a professional football fi eld. It can hold more than 113 metric tons of fuel and has an operational range of approximately 2,000 nautical miles. The Stratolaunch plane is capable of delivering payloads to multiple orbits and inclinations on a single mission.

TECHNOLOGY & ENGINEERINGGG


World’s Biggest and Powerful X-ray Laser Gun UnveiledScientists in Germany have recently started operating the world’s most powerful X-ray laser. Known as the X-ray Free Electron Laser (XFEL), the European machine can capture images of individual atoms, in a few millionths of a billionth of a second! Its beam is 100 times more intense than if all the sunlight hitting the earth’s surface was focused on just a thumbnail. The machine will be used to help recreate conditions deep inside the sun, to make antibiotics as well as synthesise a new form of diamond. The facility is situated near Hamburg, Germany and houses a series of tunnels which make up a mile long superconducting linear accelerator.

SOHUM: Indigenously Developed Low-cost Hearing Device for Newborns SOHUM is an innovative medical device developed by the School of International Biodesign (SIB) startup Sohum Innovation Labs India Pvt Ltd. It is a battery-operated device, hence it does not require babies to be sedated. Globally 8,00,000 babies are born hearing-impaired every year, and almost 1,00,000 of them are born in India. This device uses brain-stem auditory evoked response technology. It measures auditory brain waves with the help of three electrodes that are placed on the baby’s head. When activated, the electrodes detect electrical responses generated by the brain’s auditory system. If the device gets no response, it indicates that the child cannot hear.

Scientists Turn-on the World’s Largest Artifi cial Sun in GermanyAt the German Aerospace Center, in Juelich, scientists have used fi lm projector lights to produce a glare that is almost 10,000 times the intensity of natural sunlight on Earth. The structure known as ‘Synlight’ is made up of a honeycomb of 149 spotlights. Each of these lights is a kind of xenon short-arc lamps used for cinema projectors, utilized here to simulate sunlight. Scientists are hoping to explore new ways of making hydrogen and exploring cleaner energy sources using this technology. The structure cost £3 million to build and requires as much electricity in four hours as much as a family of four would use in a year.

ENVIRONMENT

Fungus That Can Feed on Plastic A fungus (Aspergillus tubingensis) has been discovered by scientists of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). The fungus was found in Pakistan and usually lives in soil, but can also grow on the surface of plastics. The plastic-eating fungus secretes enzymes onto the surface of the plastic breaking the chemical bonds between the plastic molecules, or polymers.

ENVIRONMENT


Scientists are trying to identify the ideal conditions to replicate this process and provide a sustainable solution to get rid of ever increasing huge non-degradable plastic dumps.

OBITUARIES

Prof. U.R. Rao: India’s Satellite ManEminent space scientist and former chairman of ISRO, Prof. Udupi Ramachandra Rao passed away on 24 July 2017 in Bengaluru. He served as chairman of ISRO from 1984 to 1994. Under his guidance, ISRO designed more than 20 satellites including India’s fi rst satellite Aryabhatta. Under his leadership, India initiated the development of the Geostationary Launch Vehicle (GSLV) and the development of cryogenic technology in 1991. He was also responsible for the successful launch of INSAT satellites.

Prof. P.M. Bhargava: Architect of Modern Biology in IndiaMolecular biologist and founder director of CSIR-Centre for Cellular & Molecular Biology (CSIR-CCMB), Dr. Pushpa Mitra Bhargava died on 1 August 2017 in Hyderabad. An excellent organic chemist whose foresight led to the development of DNA fi ngerprinting in India.

Prof. Yash Pal: Popularised Science Education in IndiaWell-known educationist and science communicator, Prof. Yash Pal passed away at the age of 90 on 25 July 2017. He was known for his signifi cant contributions in the study of cosmic rays. He served as the fi rst director of the newly set up Space Applications Centre, Ahmedabad in 1973 and chairman of the University Grants Commission (UGC) from 1986 to 1991. He made regular appearances on the science programme Turning Point telecast on Doordarshan explaining scientifi c concepts in layman's language.

Prof. C.V. Vishveshwara: Renowned PhysicistPopularly known as the ‘black hole man of India’ Prof. C.V. Vishveshwara passed away on 16 January 2017 at the age of 78 in Bengaluru. He was not only the fi rst among Indians to study black holes, but also the fi rst in the world to formulate the mathematical calculations of gravitational waves, way back in 1970 (Nature, 227, pp 936). As the founder-director of the Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium in Bengaluru, he scripted several shows and directed them.

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CSIR – 2017

CSIR Ranked Ninth in the WorldIndia's largest network of S&T laboratories, the Council of Scientifi c & Industrial Research (CSIR) has been ranked ninth in the world based on the Scimago Institutions ranking World Report 2017. CSIR has been ranked ninth amongst a total of 1,207 government institutions. It was ranked 12th last year. Amongst 5250 institutions world-wide, CSIR stands at the 75th position.

IGIB Scientists Develop a Technique for Sensing Throat InfectionsA team of researchers at the CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (IGIB), New Delhi, have developed a new sensor-based technique for detecting the presence of Streptococcus pyogenes bacteria, the most common cause of throat infections. It is claimed to be quick and cost-effective.

Artifi cial Leaf Creates Fuel from Sunlight and WaterScientists from the CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory (CSIR-NCL) have developed an artifi cial leaf that absorbs sunlight to generate hydrogen fuel from water. The ultra-thin wireless device

consists of semiconductors stacked in a manner to simulate the natural leaf system. It has an area of 23 square centimetres. When visible light strikes semiconductors, electrons move in one direction and produce electric current. The current almost instantaneously splits water into hydrogen – making it one of the cleanest forms of fuel as its main by-product is water. It can produce 6 litres of hydrogen fuel per hour.

New Device to check Milk AdulterationPilani-based CSIR-Central Electronics Engineering Research Institute (CEERI) has come up with a hand-held meter for detection of adulteration in milk. The device will detect any adulterant like salt, detergents, boric acid, caustic soda, urea, etc within just 60 seconds, which is displayed on the screen.

Smart device to monitor, detect cracksScientists from CSIR-Central Electrochemical Research Institute

(CECRI), Karaikudi, have developed a portable device that will monitor weak structures and send alerts whenever a crack is observed. The device called the 'Triboluminescence (TL) camera uses a light-emitting compound and a smart camera that allows detection of cracks — invisible to the naked eye — on structures made of concrete, metal and fi bre-reinforced plastic. The compound when coated on a surface will emit light due to excessive pressure and the smart camera is programmed to capture it.

Mechanical Low-cost Flusher to Improve Rural ToiletsCSIR-National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) has developed a 'low cost automatic mechanical urinal toilet fl usher' after three years of research which can be used in rural as well as urban areas. The mechanical fl usher does not need electricity and works on the simple mechanism of spring. A platform near the urinal is attached to an overhead water storage tank. When a person stands on the platform to urinate, water automatically starts getting loaded in the fl usher. Once the person steps out, water dispenses in the urinal from the fl usher. Twenty seconds after the person steps on the platform, one litre of water gets fl ushed, which is suffi cient enough for clearing urine. The fl usher reduces the requirement of water by 75%.

New Technique to Produce Bioethanol from Cotton StalksCSIR-National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology (NIIST), Thiruvananthapuram, has developed a new technique to convert discarded cotton stalks into a clean fuel – bioethanol, with a combination of chemical and biological processes. The research has been published in Bioresource Technology.

Contributed by Kirti Bansal, Sonam Choudhary, Shubhada Kapil, Prashant Raghav & Swasti Malik

CSIR – 2017 SS

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