TRIAL SHOWS SUCCESS IN TREATING DRUG-RESISTANT TB
Focus: GS-III Science and Technology Why in news? A small trial (Nix-TB) undertaken at three sites in South Africa to test the safety and efficacy of three oral drugs — bedaquiline, pretomanid and linezolid — in 109 patients (57 males and 56 females were HIV positive) with extensively drug-resistant TB (XDR-TB) and multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) […]
SUPERHYDROPHOBIC COATING TO SAVE METALLIC SURFACES
Focus: GS-III Science and Technology Why in news? Fascinated by the beauty of water rolling off a lotus leaf, a team of chemical engineers has now created a similar superhydrophobic coating that can be used to save steel from rusting. The team from the Indian Institute of Technology (Indian School of Mines), Dhanbad, and Ohio […]
IRON RAIN ON EXOPLANET
Focus: GS-III Science and Technology Why in news? The exoplanet, named WASP-76B, is said to have been witnessing iron rain when the metal vapour condenses into clouds. Exoplanet An exoplanet or extrasolar planet is a planet outside the Solar System. The first possible evidence of an exoplanet was noted in 1917, but was not recognized […]
TIFR STUDY REVEALS ROLE OF GLUCOSE IN REGULATING LIVER FUNCTIONS, AGEING
Focus: GS-III Science and Technology, Prelims Why in news? An enzyme that goes by the name SIRT1 is known to be associated with regulation of metabolic activities and also ageing and hence has become a target of therapeutics. A study by researchers from Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai (TIFR) shows that glucose controls the […]
PM CALLS FOR SAARC STRATEGY, MASKS AND SANITIZERS NOW ESSENTIAL COMMODITIES, CORONAVIRUS STRAIN ISOLATED
Focus: GS-II International Relations, GS-III Science and Technology, Disaster Management, Prelims Why in news? Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 14th March 2020 called for a videoconference summit of leaders of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) to discuss a common strategy to tackle COVID-19. Masks and hand sanitisers have been declared as essential […]
COVID-19 DECLARED PANDEMIC BY WHO, STATES TO BE ASKED TO INVOKE EPIDEMIC DISEASE ACT
Focus: GS-III Disaster Management, Science and Technology, Prelims Why in news? The World Health Organisation (WHO) on March 11 said that according to its assessment, COVID-19 “can be characterised as a PANDEMIC.” WHO has been assessing this outbreak round-the-clock and we are deeply concerned both by the alarming levels of spread and severity, and by […]
HOW DEMAND FOR ORGANIC FOOD IS DRIVING BIOTECH INNOVATION
Focus: GS-III Science and Technology Why in news? The outbreak of novel coronavirus has refocused attention on animal farming practices and the additives that go into animal feed. Even otherwise, there’s been a growing consumer pushback against dairy, poultry and fish pumped up with antibiotics, hormones and chemicals. Demand for products from traceable, organic and […]
SUPREME COURT FREES TRADE IN CRYPTOCURRENCIES
Focus: GS-III Science and Technology, Prelims Why in news? The Supreme Court on March 4 set aside an April 6, 2018, circular of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) prohibiting banks and entities regulated by it from providing services in relation to virtual currencies (VCs). The position as on date is that VCs are not […]
E-WASTE RECYCLING HAS DOUBLED – CENTRE
Focus: GS-III Science and Technology, Prelims Why in news? The Central Government said that the electronic waste (e-waste) in 2018-19 was over double of the e-waste recycled in 2017-18. Details The approximate estimated generation of e-waste in FY 2017-2018 for electrical and electronic equipment was 7,08,445 tonnes of which 69,414 tonnes were recycled, whereas in […]
COVID-19 CASES
Focus: GS-III Science and Technology, Prelims Why in news? COVID-19 Cases rise to 29 in India, of which 2 cases with high viral load were detected in Telangana. The infection broke out in China’s Wuhan city in December 2019 and has spread to over 60 countries, killing more than 3,000 and infecting over 90,000. COVID-19 […]