1. Astronomers discovered a 2 Sun-like star system around 350 light-years away that consumed rocky equivalent of 15 Earths, named ______________ (after child-eating Titan of Greek mythology) ?
2. Cambridge University (___________________) researchers discovered that oldest recorded solar eclipse occurred on 30 October 1207 BC, around 3200 years ago. It helped historians to date Egyptian pharaohs, monarchs of ancient Egypt. Solar eclipses are often used as a fixed point to date events in the ancient world ?
3. ____________ began test runs of world’s first track-less train in Zhuzhou city, that runs on virtual trackand is being considered World’s First smart train. This train could travel at the speed of 70 kmph and is called Autonomous Rail Transit (ART) ?
4. Geologists for first time discovered 152 million-year-old fossil of Ichthyosaur, an extinct marine reptile in in Kutch desert region of _____________. The specimen belongs to Ophthalmosauridae family of ichthyosaurs that lived in oceans between 165 and 90 million years ago ?
5. Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) will set up a research centre in Guwahati (__________________) for exploring possibility of using geospatial technology and geographical information systems (GIS) ?
6. International Conference of heads of Metrology Institutes held in Sevres (________________) decided that measure of kilogram will no longer be pegged to cylinder. From 2019 onwards, it will be set by value of Planck constant in combination with definitions of meter and second.
- Till now, kilogram is only unit of measures pegged to a real object. But cylinder’s weight in kilogram fluctuates due to surface contamination with time, making it tricky to define its exact mass.
7. NASA revealed that a mysterious world called ___________ does exist in solar system -
- It might be lingering on icy outer edges of solar system hiding in dark, but stretching out orbits of distant bodies.
- It is very distant and is 10 times mass of Earth and 20 times farther from sun than Neptune.
8. ____________ unveiled world’s first Artificial Intelligence (AI) computer designed to drive fully autonomous robotaxis, named Pegasus. It will help to create a new class of vehicles that can operate completely without a driver. ?
9. Researchers discovered new species of Gecko at _______________’s Kanger Ghati National Park in Eastern Ghats. Its common name is Kanger valley rock gecko and scientific name is Hemidactylus kangerensis ?
10. Researchers from Brunel University (______________) developed first 3D printed wearable ‘battery’ that stacks silicone, glue and gel electrolyte, layer by layer to make a supercapacitor. It stores energy on its surface without chemical reactions and could be used to power smartphones, electric cars, medical implants like pacemakers etc. ?
11. Researchers from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (__________) developed low-cost rapid test that can quickly and accurately detect Zika and dengue viruses from blood. Test is conducted through a strip which contains gold nano particles and antibodies that react to the presence of Zika or dengue virus ?
12. Researchers from North Carolina State University in __________ found that antibiotic resistance can be passed between bacteria found in soil and spreading manure on ground as fertiliser can also spread antibiotic resistance to bacteria in soil.
- Bacteria contain small DNA molecules known as plasmids that are separate from bacteria's actual DNA and can pick up and exchange genes between bacteria. Thus, these plasmids in bacterias are responsible for antibiotic resistance in soil also.
13. Scientists ETH Zurich in ____________ successfully created the world's shortest X-ray laser pulse with a duration of just 43 attoseconds.
- Its significance lies in fact that to fully understand dynamics during a chemical reaction, scientists must be able to study all movements of atoms and molecules on their basic time scale.
- Molecules rotate in range of picoseconds, their atoms vibrate in the range of femtoseconds, and electrons move in the range of attoseconds.
- This laser pulse is shortest controlled event that has ever been created by humans. Researchers can now observe in high detail how electrons move within a molecule or how chemical bonds are formed.
14. Scientists from Broad Institute and Massachusetts Institute of Technology in USA developed REPAIR (_____________________________________), a new gene editing tool therapies that can reverse disease-causing mutations in humans.
- REPAIR can tweak individual RNA ‘letters’ in human cells without making changes to entire genome and can have profound potential as a tool for both research and disease treatment.
- REPAIR is based on gene editing tool CRISPR (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats) that can be used to modify DNA in cells.
15. Scientists from Florida State University (______________) developed new tool for objectively defining onset and demise of Indian Summer Monsoon (ISM). The new method uses rainfall rates to mark span of ISM at any given location throughout affected region ?
16. Scientists from Thiruvananthapuram (____________________) based CSIR-National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology (CSIR-NIIST) have developed organic filter that allows only near-infrared (NIR) light to pass through it. It was found to absorb light from 300-850 nm (both ultraviolet, visible and part of NIR light) and transmit NIR light from 850-1500 nm.
- Its Significance lies in fact that Currently available inorganic filters are expensive and brittle whereas organic filters are easy to process and flexible too. The filter can be used for night vision glasses, night photography. It will also have applications in security and forensics such as identifying blood stains on dark fabric which are invisible to naked eyes.
17. Scientists from ______________have developed a smart bandage that can precisely control dose and delivery schedule of medication tailored for a specific type of wound, leading to faster healing. This is first bandage that is capable of dose-dependent drug release and can be used to heal chronic wounds or battlefield injuries ?
18. Scientists identified a new bacterium from a lime quarry in _____________ and it will be expecting as a source of antibiotics for several diseases including malaria. It is named as Allostreptomyces indica YIM 75704T and belongs to Streptomycetaceae a family of bacteria ?
19. Scientists in Austria and ____________ made first video call using quantum encryption, that is said to be unhackable. Encryption through quantum networks uses quantum particles to transfer information from one point to another and hacking Attempts would create detectable disturbances in system ?
20. USA's National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) approved 2nd extension of Dawn mission at Ceres dwarf planet which is largest object in asteroid belt between Mars and ________________.
- During this extension, Dawn will descend to lower altitudes than ever before at dwarf planet. Priority of second extension mission is to collect data with Dawn’s gamma ray and neutron spectrometer, which measures number and energy of gamma rays and neutrons.
21. World's First 3D-printed cycling bridge has been made in Gemert (__________________). 3D printing is a method of manufacturing an object using a computer by placing layers of material one over other ?
22. World’s first floating wind farm located in _____________ started generating electricity, using five 6MW turbines procured from Norway. It is expected to generate 135GWh of electricity each year ?
23. World’s first hybrid electric tram powered by hydrogen fuel cells started running in Tangshan (north _________________’s Hebei Province). It marks a big step in application of green energy in public transport as water is only emission of this Tram and it emits no pollutants.
- It can can run for 40 kilometers at a maximum speed of 70 kilometers per hour after being refilled with 12 kilograms of hydrogen.
24. World’s first negative emissions plant under CarbFix Project to turn atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) into stone begun operations in Hellisheidi (____________________), intended to lock away carbon dioxide by reacting it with basaltic rocks.
- In CarbFix Project, CO2 is captured from ambient air, bound to water, and sent 700 meters underground. There, CO2 reacts with basaltic bedrock using enhanced weathering process and forms solid minerals, creating a permanent storage solution.
