Rajya Sabha TV – Science Monitor (11 Oct 2014)

Weekly update on all the happening in Science & Technology, in and around the nation;

Headlines

1. Nobel Prize 2014 Declared (Special Report)

102^nd Nobel Prize for Medicine/Physiology (6^th Oct 2014) - Jointly to John O’Keete (US), May-Britt Moser & Edvard Moser (Norwegian couples); for Discovering the brain’s positioning system;

Nobel Prize for Physics – Japanese scientist – Isamu Akasaki, Hiroshi Amano, Shuji Nakamura (US) – for energy efficient Blue light emitting diode (Blue LED)

Nobel Prize for Chemistry – Eric Betzig, Stefan W. Hell, W.E. Moemer – for Super resolved single fluorophore microscopy;

2. DST-INSPIRE – 4^th National Level Exhibition – Objective: Creative pursuit of Science, Building critical Human Resource pool to strengthen & expand S&T system and R&D base;

Over 900 students & young researchers participated;

Gold Medal – Zuleika Juliet Antao – Composting Unit- Hermetia Sanitizing Bio-Converter – using organism Black Soldier Fly (BSF)

Silver Medal – T Jayani Jahnavi – Vacuum cleaner Coach – to attach in the rear end of the passanger trains – for efficient & effective cleaning of the Railway tracks;

Many other projects for Public good

Deaf & Dumb voice analysis – unique project – developed by Suresh kumar, 7^th Std – from Tamil Nadu;

3. India’s first Indigenous Confocal Microscope – through PPP

Powerful optical imaging technique - To study 3 dimension features of the samples at the microscopic level; Developed under CSIR – NMITLI (New Millennium Indian Technology Leadership Initiative); developed in PPP mode – collaboration with VINVISH Technologies Pvt. Ltd & CSIR’s Central Glass & Ceramic Research Labs; CGCRI developed Photonic Crystal fibre Technology whereas VINVISH Technologies contributed towards Product design & development; the device uses Special Super Continuum Light Source; largely used in Biomedical imaging & analysis – other research areas especially concerning spectroscopic behaviour  material, Nano Material, Biological Specimen;

4. Novel study to understand the effect of Tibet Plateau in climatic changes – New Meteorological study;

At the wake of Massive flood in Kashmir & Pakistan; New Study launched by China Meteorological Administration & National Natural Science Foundation of China – with budget Outlay of $49 Mn; 32m high towers fitted with sensors to be erected in the Tibetan Plateau – to measure cloud properties, Also to use Temperature & Moisture detector to measure the soil properties and Researchers to use sensor mounted weather balloons & UAV; Data collected would help predicting effect on Climate Change;  Largest & Highest vast elevated Plateau -  Glacier & 3^rd largest stock of Ice (3^rd pole) – covers Ladak, TAR region, Shangai region of China; High Altitude – more insolation – giant heating plateau – affect the atmospheric circulation – intensifies the monsoon – by affecting land ocean temperature differences lead to pressure gradients;

5. DST’s INSPIRE program – 4^th National Exhibition (IN FOCUS)

Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research INSPIRE – National programme implemented by Dept. of Science & Technology; for young researcher (10-32 years) – provides fellowship for doctoral research to students, faculty program for assured career opportunity; INSPIRE held about 1046 Science camps till date;

Objective: to promote scientific & technological education in India; aims to create scientifically qualified Human resource pool; to expand the scientific acumen of the country;

Young children – wealth of the nation – unbound imagination – extraordinary creativity – to bring much needed social changes in the country;

Projects based to solve crucial issues prevalent in society;

Procedure for INSPIRE AWARD (10-15 years): Merit based selection – HM of school – details to District Education Authority – then to DST through State Authority;

INSPIRE Internship (Age 16-17 years), INSPIRE Scholarship (Age 17-22 years), INSPIRE Fellowship (Age 22-27), and INSPIRE Faculty Program (Age 27-32);

6. History of Science
1. Italian Scientist Ascanio Sobrero – born in 1812 – invented the highly explosive compound Nitroglycerin – unstable chemical – in an experiment on a reaction between Nitric acid & glycerin – realizing destructive power of the chemical, he warned the others;
2. Indian Scientist Dr. APJ Abdul kalam – born in 1931 – 11^th president of India – Missile Man of India – Missile Technology & Launch vehicle Technology – Critical Role both Technological & Political in the Atomic test of 1998 Pokran II;
3. India’s First Fast Breeder Reactor (FBR) – Tamil Nadu- commissioned in 1985 with 40 MW power – IGCAR Campus – uses Carbide of Uranium & Plutonium as fuel & Liquid Sodium as coolant;
7. Science & Technology Activities across the country – Science Express
1. Research Study – Ohio State University – World’s First Solar Battery – Rechargeable Solar Battery – Affordable Renewable Resources of Energy;
2. IISc Report – evidence of Tsunami hit 1000 years back – Indian East Coast;
3. Martin Pearl – Professor of Stanford University – discovered Tau Lepton particle – Sub Atomic Particle – by Colliding of Electron & positron in Accelerator;
4. Indian Origin Scientist Prof. Kailash – to receive National Medal of Science – Highest prestigious US Award for contribution in S & T- Doctorate in Electrical Engineering from University of Massachusetts in 1961;
5. Total Eclipse of moon – Oct 8, 2014 – Beginning of Umbra phase visible at Argentina, Brazil, North Atlantic Ocean, Greenland; End of Umbra phase visible at Indian Ocean , Western part of China, Kazakhstan & Russia;

Watch it here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EF1pC2d0lWA&index=16&list=PLVOgwA_DiGzpd3_Iz7J-81Vh4QqU-ZGA9