Rajya Sabha TV – Science Monitor (27 Dec 2014)

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

Headlines

1. DC light technique – developed by IIT Madras– to end power cut worries;

IIT M developed a Decentralized solar-DC system – under Green Office & Apartments (GOA) project - Works without inverter – 24 hours power backup – Energy efficient – Green Building – Trap solar energy & to store it as DC energy; Working: Solar Energy – DC energy – is fed in to a DC line to the power energy-efficient electronics – The single unit is sufficient to power 24 houses – efficient & inexpensive solution for power shortage; Ex: fans in AC consume 72 watts whereas in DC it consume only 30 watts;

2. Conference on Structural Engineering Convention– aimed at disaster/earthquake resilient buildings – IIT Delhi;

Focus on making old buildings conform to the new standards – structural engineering important for making efficient buildings; convention aimed at low cost building technique, damage detecting, Hazard resilient, health monitoring of buildings;

3. 100% Bio-fuel for aviation use – successful at IIP Dehradun;

CSIR – IIP developed a novel technique for the production of new type of Bio-fuel; Waste oil & hydrogen converted into renewable aviation fuel – technology based on an unique single step process ( de-oxygenation & selective cracking-Isomerization- high pressure hydro-cracker Refinery) – used for agricultural, transport & refining industries; Technology patented and transferred to BPCL-KRL; three type of fuel: zero sulphur fuel for ‘fuel cell’ application,  High certain bio aviation fuel, Zero carbon emission over complete cycle;  Renewable Diesel & Naptha are bi-product;

Processed Jatropha, Bio-Jet, Bio-Gasoline, Green Diesel, Aviation fuel

4. Kepler discovers a new exoplanet – super-earth – 180 light years away from the earth;
5. Nearly 2.7 lakh tonnes plastic floating in water/ocean – Study report PLOS One;
6. Significant Achievements of Science & Scientists in 2014 (IN FOCUS)

·         August 2014 – NASA – Curiosity rover – 2^nd anniversary – Gale crater Mars;

·         Sep 2014 – Google Science Fair 2014 – Project Natural Bacteria combating world hunger;

·         Sep 2014 – Genetic engineering of the protein Rubisco -  The enzyme ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase, most commonly known by the shorter name RuBisCO or just rubisco is used in the Calvin cycle to catalyze the first major step of carbon fixation.

·         Oct 2014 - Lockheed martin developed a new type of small reactors – major breakthrough in nuclear energy;

·         Nov 2014 - Philae successfully landed on the surface of comet 67P;

·         Female angle fish – black sea devil;

·         Dec 2014 – oldest DNA identification – 2012 – 15^th century monarch – Genetic evidence;

7. History of Science
1. On 30^th Dec 1975 – India’s first oceanographic research vessel- kavesini-got its official recognition – helped in monitoring oil pollution & finding mineral deposits;
2. On 1^st Jan 1894 born - Theoritical physicist Satyendra Nath Bose – developed theory of Bose-Einstein Condensate - ;
3. On 3^rd Jan 1919 – an element converted into another for the first time – Rutherford converted Nitrogen into Oxygen –Alpha radiation;
8. S & T activities across India & Abroad – Science Express Segment
1. TN Biodiversity Conservation & Green Project – identify threatened species in the forest;
2. Union minister Harsha Wardhan – Disaster Alert system – part of Digital India campaign;
3. IIT Madras – Novel Biotechnology incubator – started with the assistance of BIRAC (Biotech Industrial Research Assistance Council) ;

Watch it here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_YqzOMEzRo&list=PLVOgwA_DiGzpd3_Iz7J-81Vh4QqU-ZGA9&index=11