Rajya Sabha TV – Science Monitor (06 Dec 2014)

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

Headlines

1. India signs agreement with TMT observatory;

World largest telescope – Mauna kea  /Hawaii/US – 30 meter (Thirty Meter Telescope)- India has 10% participation in the project – to contribute I building key components & systems; 150 times better than the Hubble Telescope;

2. ISRO to test its crew module in Dec, first time;

Crew module to be tested with GSLV-Mark III rocket (ISRO’s biggest rocket / Indigenous cryogenic); Aim to put man in space; Atmospheric Re-Entry module;  

3. Indian institute of Petroleum, Dehradun – Petrol from plastic wastes;

Transportation Fuel – Petrol, Diesel & LPG; Novel technology developed by CSIR-IIP in collaboration with GAIL; Plastics Polythene / Polypropylene; Generated Fuel meets most of the Euro Specification; Unique catalyst; Sulphur content is nill – meeting Euro 3 & 4 Standard; Sustainable way of production protecting the environment from harmful plastics;

4. Gujarat student creates a robotic spy rover;
5. Study on the behaviour of Leopards - Wild life Conservation society – Human Animal Conflicts –Sanjay Gandhi National Park, Borivali/Mumbai;
6. Human Immuno Deficiency Virus (IN FOCUS)

Largest challenge faced by the world – more than 30 million people lost their lives to Aids – Government of India ith NACO (National AIDS control Organization) – New Aids case has come down by 57% & mortality rate due to AIDS also reduced by 25%;

HIV infection commonly known as AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) – serious health issue all over world – No complete & effective cure for AIDS available – According to WHO, 35 million people were suffering from HIV in 2013; 1.5 million deaths were reported in 2013 due to AIDS.

Ways & means of disease spreading

Ø  Unprotected sexual intercourse – most common way to get infected.

Ø  Sharing infected needles or syringes can also transmit HIV.

Ø  Being Deeply punctured with the contaminated needles;

Ø  Can also transmitted through Blood, Semen, Vaginal Fluids, Breast milk;

National AIDS Committee was established in India in 1986, under ministry of health & family welfare; this committee is the basis for the organisation NACO; Awareness regarding AIDS is the best prevention;

            Symptoms

Ø  Swell in throat.

Ø  Headaches, Fatigue, Muscle aches.

Ø  Due to breakdown in Immune system – it is susceptible to random infections;

Problems of social discrimination – faced by the patients; Dec 1^st, every year is considered as AIDS day to spread awareness of the disease;

7. History of Science
1. Carl Wilhelm Scheele – born 9^th Dec 1742 – first person to independently discover oxygen;
2. First ever Nobel prize were awarded on 10^th Dec 1901 – to Six winners – awarded by Swedish king;
3. German Physicist Robert Koch – Born 11^th Dec 1843 – research in the field of micro-biology – detected the virus causing cholera, Tuberculosis & Anthrax;
4. Indian Astronomer Samanta Chandrashekhar – Born 13^th Dec 1835 – Estimated the position of the planet venus at the age of 4 – known for modernisation of the traditional Indian astronomy;
8. S & T activities across India & Abroad – Science Express Segment
1. UNFCCC – awarded 4 grass root project from India – working towards the climate change – includes: Trash-2-Cash(Kolkata), Bunguru(Rainwater Harvest/Gujarat), Community based early flood warning system;
2. More Catastrophic events in India – due to - Climate Change & Demographic change;
3. High level committee to estimate current Environmental Loss – due to indiscriminate use of GM Crops – committee to review – existing regulatory frameworks;
4. Geologist – Bridgmanite – abundant mineral in the Earth;
5. Japan – Space Explorer – Hayabusha II – 6 years journey – to examine origin of earth;
6. Gujarat Science City ;  

Watch it here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0U6XQG2ZRv4&index=14&list=PLVOgwA_DiGzpd3_Iz7J-81Vh4QqU-ZGA9