HOMO LUZONENSIS: NEW HUMAN SPECIES FOUND IN PHILIPPINES
There’s a new addition to the family tree: an extinct species of human that’s been found in the Philippines. It’s known as Homo luzonensis, after the site of its discovery on the country’s largest island Luzon. Its physical features are a mixture of those found in very ancient human ancestors and in more recent people. […]
1.97 LAKH PASSENGERS SCREENED FOR NCOV
Why in news? More than 1.97 lakh passengers travelling in 1,818 flights had been screened for the novel coronavirus India had also provided support to other countries in tackling the challenge posed by the nCOV disease. Three positive cases have been reported so far from Kerala All these cases have travel history from Wuhan They […]
NASA, ESA SET TO SEND SOLAR ORBITER PROBE TO MAP SUN’S POLES
Why in news? NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) are gearing up to send a new probe toward the Sun to take a unique look at its blazing poles, an unprecedented view expected to help researchers grasp how the star’s vast bubble of energy affects Earth and humans in space. Using the gravitational influence […]
HOW POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS POLLUTE THE AIR?
Why in news? Recent findings from researchers at the Centre for Atmospheric Sciences at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi on the efficacy of a specific air purifier technology have revealed more about a class of pollutants known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs. Details: Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons can associate with other particulate matter, […]
CHEOPS SATELLITE
Details: European Space Agency (ESA) had launched the CHaracterizing ExOPlanet Satellite (CHEOPS)– its first mission focused on exoplanets With its cover opened, CHEOPS is now ready for its mission of observing exoplanets, in particular, to search for habitable planets.
‘TERMINATOR TAPE’ CAN PULL DOWN DEAD SATELLITES AND MINIMIZE SPACE DEBRIS
Details: Tethers Unlimited has demonstrated an easy solution to get rid of satellites once they are of no use. The solution involves a 230-feet long strip of conductive tape, which is delightfully called the Terminator Tape. The Terminator Tape is a small module about the size of a notebook. Weighing less than two pounds, it […]
SOLAR PANEL COULD GENERATE ELECTRICITY EVEN BY NIGHT
Context and News University of California explained how a new kind of thermoradiative cell could design an anti-solar panel to generate power at night Details According to a study published in the ACS Photonics, it is possible to design solar panels that can produce energy during the night A regular solar cell generates power when […]
MAHARASHTRA TOPS LIST OF STATES HIT BY GLOBAL MEDICAL DATA LEAK
Why in news? Medical details of over 120 million Indian patients have been leaked and made freely available on the Internet, according to a recent report published by Green bone Sustainable Resilience, a German cybersecurity firm. PACS servers Greenbone’s original report says the leak was facilitated by the fact that the Picture Archiving and Communications […]
NOD FOR 83 LCA TEJAS MK-1A
Focus: GS-III Internal Security, Science and Technology, Prelims Why in news? The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) chaired by Defence Minister on 18th March 2020, accorded approval for the procurement of 83 indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas Mk-1A from the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) by “finalising the contractual and other issues”. The proposal will now […]
CALL DATA BEING USED TO IMPROVE QUALITY’: SURVEILLANCE CONCERNS
Focus: GS-III Science and Technology, Prelims Why in news? Amid questions over possible surveillance and violation of privacy following bulk call data records being sought by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), the government on 18th March 2020, asserted that the data was only being collected to analyse and improve the quality of telecom services and […]