Rajya Sabha TV – Science Monitor (29 Nov 2014)

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

Headlines

1. Commonwealth Science Conference organized in Bangalore (First Time in India);

President of India – inaugurated – 400 researchers from 30 countries. (Note: India founder member of Common wealth) organized by the Royal Society and Government of India. Organised after the gap of 50 years; account for the 10% of the global researches.

2. Mangalyaan listed among the 25 “Best Inventions in Time Magazine”

Mangalyan – Super smart spacecraft; Maven vs Mangalyaan – cost comparison; The Time magazine also list two other inventions by Indian scientists: (1) Blue Moon - The prison Room that helps inmates relax; (2) Osma tablet toy for children;

3. Fossil trace in India – Open Coal mine pit – Gujarat – Horses & Rhino belong to the same ancient order; Discovery light on the evolution – Refer: Perissodactyla order (odd-toed ungulate);
4. Researchers of CERN discovered two new subatomic particles;

CMS experiment 2012 – two sub atomic particles discovered by LHC experiment – existence of these particle earlier predicted by quark model – new particle belong to the family of baryon(composite particles) – these are formed by 3 elementary particles quarks(b,s,d) bound together by strong forces – quantum chromo dynamics theory;

5. IIT Madras to join new round of CERN Higg Boson experiments;

Researches in Particle physics – IITM accepted as a full member of the experiment – CMS/LHC/CERN – Experiment to include: IITM, TIFR, BARC, Punjab University are already member of the CMS projects; Decay – charge – dark matter – particle collision; Note: Long Hadron collider, Compact Muon Solenoid;

6. Carbon-Dioxide emissions must be nil by 2070 – UNEP report;

To keep the global warming below dangerous level; else the consequence will be catastrophic;

7. New Bird species named after Indian Origin Ornithologist & Ecologist Navjot Sodhi; (Many other species named after him include Snail, Fish, Crab) – contributed to the work in tropical ecology & conservation;
8. 30 years of Bhopal Gas Tragedy (IN FOCUS)

Scientific aspects of Bhopal Gas Tragedy – 2^nd – 3^rd Dec 1984; worst industrial disasters in mankind – MIC (Methyl Isocyanate) is an Organic compound – toxic gas – from Union Carbide Company – pesticide plant; MIC used for manufacturing rubber, adhesives; MIC usually exists as a colour-less flammable liquid; Other toxic gases leaked during the accident: Phosgene, Hydrogen Cyanide, Carbon Monoxide, Hydrogen chloride, Monomethyl amine, & carbon di oxide; Symptoms: Severe coughing, eye irritation, feeling of suffocation, burning of respiratory tract, breathlessness, stomach pain;

9. History of Science
1. Indian Physicist – JC Bose – Born in 30^th Nov 1958 – pioneering work on radio & microwaves; carried out an explosion using gun powder for the first time;
2. First self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction demonstrated – 2^nd Dec 1942 – Enrio Fermi used enriched uranium for the production – creation of the atomic bomb & nuclear power plant;
3. Indian Physicist K S Krishnan – Born 4^th Dec 1898 -  contributed to the discovery of Raman Effect with Sir C V Raman; studied about the scattering of light;
4. Astronomer J Kepler was the first person to predict a transit of venus – 6^th Dec 1631;
10. S & T activities across India & Abroad – Science Express Segment
1. Prof Yaspal – Developing scientific temper;
2.  Indian Origin scientist – Prof. Kailash (Electrical Engg. MIT) – received US medal of Science;
3. Ministry of Earth Science – India & US collaboration Agreement – International Oceanographic;
4. World Fisheries Day – 21^st Nov – Ministry of Agri – initiated Blue Revolution;

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5pm5oc5hTE&index=15&list=PLVOgwA_DiGzpd3_Iz7J-81Vh4QqU-ZGA9