[Environment] Solar Cooperative Farms, Occupational Diseases,

Earth Wobbling, Bangladeshi Wheat Blast & More

Clean Energy Related

Energy: Solar cooperative farms

Solar Cooperative in Kheda District, Gujarat

SPICE: Solar Pump irrigator cooperative enterprise

Farmers in Dhundi village of Kheda district of Gujarat, have started SPICE- solar
cooperative, wherein they install solar irrigation pump in their farm with state
government subsidy.

Excess electricity is sold off to Madhya Gujarat Vij Ltd. For Rs. 4.63 /unit. For 25 years
contract.

Company can also sell off renewable energy certificates (REC) based on this purchase.

A farmer with 1 ht. land can hope to earn Rs.60,000/- per year from selling excess
solar electricity.

Farmer can also cultivate cash crops like spinach, carrot, garlic, beet and medicinal
plants in the shadow below the solar panels. Thus optimal land use.

Energy: Hydel

2008: National Hydro power policy 2008: Arunanchal has ~50,000 out of
~1.5 lakh MW total hydropower potential of India.
Arunanchal 2015: Dibang Multi purpose project (2880MW): Indias largest hydropower
Hydropower
project it was given clearance by government of India in 2015.
May 2016: Anti-dam protests in Tawang. A Buddhist monk died in Police
firing.
It is to be constructed on Keralas Chalakkudi river in Thrissur district.
Athirapally Hydel
New LDF government wishes to construct but tribal and coalition partners are
project
opposed.

Ujala LED
scheme

Energy Bank
Pachai
Tamizhagam

Energy Misc. developments in May 2016

By Gujarat state government
LED bulb to be sold @ concessional rate of Rs.80 (household) and Rs.90
(Commercial purpose).
India Nepal are planning to setup energy bank to help each other during power
shortage issues.
Meaning Green Tamilnadu. This is the first Green party of TN, floated
by one of the anti-nuke protestors.
Their Election symbol is Pot.

Agriculture and Food

Bread Carcinogens

Potassium bromate (KBrO3):- oxidizing agent, used in flour treatment to

make bread white, fluffy, soft and elastic. Causes cancer.

Potassium iodate (KIO3): flour treatment agent, causes thyroid disorders.

Many 1st world countries prohibit use of these chemicals in bread.

But Centre for science and environment (CSE) has found these chemicals in major
bread/pizza/burger brands of India.

Wheat Blast- Bangladeshi worry, Indian neednot

Fungal disease originated from Brazil. It affects heads of the wheat stalk, and
difficult to be treated by fungicides.

Widespread in Bangladesh after they imported wheat seeds from Brazil without proper
quality check.

Bangladesh Government advised farmers to burn down the crop, and not to sow seeds
from infected plots.

India need not worry since our wheat harvest season mostly over, so less chances of
disease spread.

Gaushala meet

GM compulsory
licensing

Misc. developments in May-2016

National conference on Gaushalas (Cowsheds), organized jointly by
Agriculture and Environment ministries at Delhis Vigyan Bhawan.
Earlier government had notified that GM-technology Licensor cant refuse
license to any seed company to use its technology in their hybrid varieties.
GM Tech-Companies opposed this notification, and just like EPFO fiasco,
here too government withdrew the notification.

Flora Fauna
Black
crane

necked

Leopard

Man eater
lions

microRNA

Spirit of
Freedom
Wasp

Black necked cranes are considered to be embodiment of 6th Dalai Lama.

Nyamjang Chhu river in Tawan region of Arunanchal is one of their Wintering
site.
NGT ordered government to conduct a study here on impact of hydel project.
At present IUCN Near Threatened Category. But a group of researchers gave
data of their declined population and demanded Vulnerable status.
Lions have now settled in Junagadh, Gir Somnath, Amreli and Bhavnagar districts
of Saurashtra region of Gujarat. According to the 2015 census, there are 523 lions
in the region.
In recent times theyll killed and eaten more than 4 humans
Forest department has encaged ~13 lions.
MicroRNA is a small non-coding RNA molecule- that is not translated into a
protein.
Researchers studying the microRNA of Lizard because it plays important role in
regeneration of its tail.
This is a project by an International NGO to rescue circus lions and other caged
animals from South America and rehabilitate them to South Africa via
airlift but without Akshay Kumar
Scientists found a new species of wasp (Conobregma bradpitti) and named it after
Hollywood actor Brad Pitt.

Marine Biodiversity
El-Nino & Coral Bleaching

New study says El Nino hot water more stress on corals, ultimately they become
white and vulnerable to diseases. 30% of Great barrier reefs coral destroyed by Coral
bleaching.

Corollary to that, Hurricane/storms cold water less stress on corals

Palau Jellyfish Lake

Its a group of islands in W.Pacific ocean. Theyre part of UNESCO world heritage
site.

Earlier tourist attraction for Jellyfish lake for presence of Golden jellyfish which
dont sting, so you can swim without worry.

But suddenly all jellyfish gone! Researcher blame it to climate change Less
rain lake became more salty uninhabitable for this particular species of
jellyfish.

Wetland draft rules

Government has sought public comments on new draft rules 2016 for Wetland
conversation. Theyll replace 2010s old rules.

India has 26 of the total 169 Ramsar wetland sites. Ramsar agreement was signed in
1971 in Irans Ramsar.

Notable wetlands in India: Wular Lake-Jammu Kashmir, Ashtamudi- Kerala, Deepor

Beel- Assam and Nal Sarovar- Gujarat.

Earth, Climate Change, Disasters

Earth

wobbling

29th May
Cyclone
Roanu

Hit Bangladeshs southern coast. >20 killed, >5 lakh evacuated.

Drought

Forest Fire

Lightning
hotspot
Mount

Sinabung

Mumbai

Terrorism

Scientists say Earths watermass is shifting because of global warming, droughts

and melting of glaciers.
And consequently, the earths spin axis is drifting towards Canada. See above
image.
Relevance in MCQ Which of the following factors can affect earths spin axis?
Everest Day

13 states and 25% population of India is affected by drought but inter-linking of

rivers can solve the problem, says Rural development minister in parliament.
Uttrakhand forest fire- main reason dry chir pine needles. Jim Corbett and Rajaji
National Park destroyed.
MI-17 helicopters used for collecting water from Koteshwar dam in Srinagar to
douze the fire.
Venezulas Maracibo Lighthouse is called Lightning capital of the world,
because it recieves lightening strikes during 80% of the year.
This volcano erupted. Location: North Sumatra, Indonesia
7 years ago, Satellite imagery detected formation of new land mass near Mumbai
sea.
Size of this land piece: 15 sqkm, it is formed via natural sedimentation.
Nows its part of official Mumbai, but will be treated as a Natural area- no
construction permitted.
Army concerned, that early onset of summer and less snowfall this year- will
increase terrorist infiltration.

Mains GS3: Pollution

Salt Pan workers &Law commission
Salt Production World Ranking: USA > China > India. And within India- Gujarat> TN>
Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh

Salt pan workers suffer from following occupational diseases

Reason(s)
Due to constant exposure to sharp salt crystals. Gloves, boots not
Skin ulcer/chronic
given.
dermatitis
Legs abnormally thin- dont burn in pyre legs buried in graves,
separately.
Pterygia- loss of vision Exposure to white reflected light & dust. Eye-googles not given.
Hypertension
Salt particles/aerosols inhaled. Masks not given
Heat-sealing of salt in plastic bags.
Respiratory disorders
Makeshift hemlets without LPG/kerosene. Firewood used.
Goitre
Non-iodised salt used for domestic consumption.
Disease

Topic in news: because Gujarat State law commission chief Justice MB Shah (SC-Black
money SIT fame) took suo-moto notice and criticized government for violation of Art.
21 and Art. 42.

Ultimately, 1st May (International Labour day), Government of Gujarat initiated some
reforms.

Silicosis and Supreme Court

Silicosis is an occupational disease in quartz and stone crushing industries.

Inhaled silica crystals scar your lunch tissues, breathing becomes difficult. There is no
cure for it.

SC orders Gujarat government to pay Rs.7 crore compensation to Silicosis victims in

Godhara. Most of them poor migrants from Madhya Pradesh.

SC also issued bailable warrant against chief of Central pollution control board in this
case.

Pollution related developments in May-2016

Truck, bus, taxi, van etc are examples of commercial vehicles, at present there
Commercial
is no deadline on their usage- just regulary theyve to produce fitness certificate.
vehicles
GoM of state minister recommends that commercial vehicles should not to be
allowed to operate for more than eight years.
Union request SC to reconsider the ban on diesel vehicles in Delhi because they
Diesel Taxis provide transport facility to BPO employees- which generates lot of
employment and GDP.
Diesel vehicles
NGT bans 10 years old diesel vehicles in 6 cities of Kerala.
WHO urban air quality database 2016: Irans Zabol replaces Delhi as the most
polluted city on PM 2.5 particles.
Most polluted
Other UPSC toppers are Gwalio, Allahabad, Riyadh and Al Jubali (S.Arabia),
city
Patna, Raipur.
This data is based on 2012-14 records, before AAPs odd-even experiment.

Science Technology
Resuable space shuttle (RSV)

Image taken from Indianexpress

To launch a satellite Payload, we need a Launch vehicle.

Two major types of Launch Vehicles are PSLV and GSLV. Read my old notes for more
on them

But these launch vehicles get burnt on re-entry into the atmosphere.

So, to minimize the cost and increase the frequency of launches, ISRO came up with
idea of Reusable launch vehicle and conducted a technology demonstration in 2016,
May.

Criticism: its R&D and mfg. cost is far exceeding the cost of existing non-reusable
launch vehicles.

Atomic Force Microscope

Electron microscopes use electron beams to illuminate object for observation.

Atomic Force Microscopes use sharp needle with dimensions of few nanometers. This
needle feels the geometry of the object and creates its picture.

Problem: needles have to be replaced frequently.

Kepler
Mission
Wilsons
Disease
Solar Kids
GBS

Misc. terms: 2016, May from newspapers

2009: NASA launched Keper Mission to find terrestrial planets with habitable
zones and possible life forms.
At present Kepler found 1,200 more planets and NASA analyzing its data.
Genetic disorder. Extra copper accumulation in tissues that damages neurons and
liver.
Nickname of two brothers in Pakistan, who become paralyzed every day after
sunset.
Gullian Barre Syndrome bodys immune system attacks nervous system.

[Energy] DeenDayal GramJyoti, National LED-Program, Synthetic

Gas, Floating Solar plants, Agnisumukh LPG

Deendayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana

(DDLJ DDUGJY)
When? Cabinet cleared the scheme in 2014, November.
Which Not announced yet. Although most likely power ministry- because they implemented
ministry? Rajiv Gandhi Gramin Vidhutikaran Yojana earlier.

Salient Features?
1. Separate agriculture and rural-home electricity supply lines. (separate agriculture and
non-agriculture feeders).
2. Improve rural electricity infrastructure, setup electricity meters, use ICT enabled smart
grids.
3. 24 x 7 electricity to all households by 2019.
4. And most importantly- to stop Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidhyutikaran Yojana. (because
two swords cant stay in one scabbard.)
5. Cost over 40,000 crore rupees.
6. State electricity distribution companies will be given contracts but theyve to finish
projects within 2 years.

LED Schemes under Modi-raj

Theory CFL vs LED vs Bulb lights?
Electric current heats up tungsten metal and they glow. They are covered with glass
to prevent air contact- otherwise tungsten will be oxidized.
Inert Argon gas added to prevent Tungsten evaporation.
Filament
Bulb Halogen bulbs have some halogen gas (like Chlorine, Bromine) to prolong life
because they deposit the evaporated tungsten back to the filament.
LED 88% more efficient & 50x more lifecycle than bulb
Electrons pass through mercury gas at low pressure.
This gas emits UV light
Inner Fluorescent white phosphor coating of the tube, will turn this UV-light into
Tube light
visible light.
LED 50% more efficient & 8-10 times more lifecycle than CFL.
Light emitting diodes (LED) use Semi-Conductors to emit light, when DC current
passed.
LED
Blue-LED inventors won Nobel-2014.

#1: National Program for LED streetlights & home lights

Purpose Install LED bulbs as streetlights and homelights
Deadline March 2015 to March 2016.
Coverage 100 cities.
Benefit? 24 crore energy units will be saved.
Why in News? Modi launched in Jan. 2015

#2: DELP: Delhi-wallo LED lelo Yojana

Domestic Efficient Lighting Programme (DELP).

By Delhi Government, Tata Power, BSES Yamnua etc.

They provide LED bulb at a cheap price using on-bill financing model.

As such one LED bulb costs ~350-600 rupees in open market.

But this group purchased bulbs in bulk- hence very cheap for them.

Theyll sell it to you at Rs.130 per bulb. (Rs.10 upfront, remaining 120 in 12 easy
installments of Rs.10 each- in your lightbill.) One customer can get max. 2 LED bulbs.

To avail this scheme, youve to register at eeslindia.org/Delhi-Launch or by sending an

SMS to a 7042299688.

With every bulb, you can save Rs.162 in electricity bill every year. Bulb can run for 3
years.

Why in News? Modi launched this scheme in January 2015.

Fodder from Modis LED speech

Power can be produced in large quantity by staff of few hundred people.

But to save that much amount of electricity, we need crores of people to change their
lifestyle habits.

But, It is much more economical to conserve power, than to produce power.

Must involve celebrities, eminent citizens to create junta-awareness.

On new year- instead of giving gifts like diaries and calendars- better give LEDs are
gifts!

Same way, Companies could distribute LED bulbs along with dividend payments to their
shareholders.

This Delhi-wallo LED-lelo Yojana should be replicated in other towns with population of
1 lakh and above.

#2: Floating solar powerplant

Where?
1. W.Bengal: 10KW plant over water, near Rajarhat New Town. (inauguration in Jan 2015)
o

Raft fitted with Hollow drums to float on water. Solar cells installed over the raft.

Funding from Ministry of new and renewable energy.

2. Gujarat: solar cells installed above Narmada Canal. Even UN Secretary General Bank Ki
Moon liked this idea.

Benefits of floating solar plants?

Water conservation: because these plants cutoff sunlight from water, thus water
evaporation reduced from canals and dam reservoirs.

During dry-season, hydro-electric output declines from dam. If floating solar panels
installed over dam-reservoirs, it can prevent shortfall in electricity output. + no
additional manpower required for chowkidaari.

Such solar plants have higher efficiency because relatively cooler temperature in water
bodies= higher efficiency of solar cell. 100 sq.meters of floating-solarcells can generate
10MW.

Shortage of land, and given the stringent norms in erstwhile LARR-2013 act, it was
difficult to acquire land anyways!

Criticism

NGOs say chemicals from solar cells, will contaminate water.

Panels obstruct sunlight from water bodies, it may negatively affect the flora-fauna in
long term.

Synthetic Gas & CNR Rao

CNR Raos method can do this without needing very high temperature
What is Synthetic gas?

Synthetic gas = Carbon monoxide + hydrogen gas. And because of this hydrogen, is far
superior and clean fuel.

Synthetic gas is made from coal and water.

What are the applications of Synthetic gas?

1. Vehicle-fuel.
2. Intermediate for creating synthetic natural gas
3. Methanol and ammonia production.
Whatre the challenges in Synthetic gas production?
1. First, Weve to split carbon monoxide from coal, and hydrogen from water. This
procedure requires very high temperature (~1440 Celsius), hence very expensive.
2. But Bharat Ratna recipient Dr. C.N.R. Rao is working on a new method to produce it at
~900 Celcius, using a chemical compound called Lanthanum Calcium Manganate.
3. If we reduce the temperature requirement further, we can use solar-plants to provie
the heat for synthesis of this gas.

Agnisumukh LPG stove

Designed by
Income Tax officer Hari Rao
Manufactured by Agnisumukh, a Bengaluru-based company.
Benefits of Agnisumukh LPG stove?

When switched on, stoves ceramic burner turns orange-red, & produces uniform heat
like charcoal.

Hence there are no flames, no incomplete combustion.

Uniform heating of utensil, so proper cooking of food. Cooks faster and saves ~50%
gas, leaves no soot or smoke.

Its temperature can be controlled, it can be turned off with a timer- like a microwave.

If there is gas leak, It can sent alert via call/sms.

At present meant for industrial purpose, domestic-product clearance awaited.

Question: Why LPG stove good but LPG car bad?

LPG produced from fossil fuels. Mix of various hydrocarbons, varying composition, not
suitable for vehicle engines.

LPG heavier than air, so settles down when there is a leakage. Hence, dangerous for
vehicles.

So, better use CNG (compressed natural gas) is used in vehicles.

Direct sale of bio-diesel by manufacturers

2014: Rail budget permitted 5% blending of Biodiesel with (real) diesel. But this would
be fruitless IF railway cant get biodiesel in large quantity at affordable price.

Before
After Jan-2015 liberalization
Only following entities could sell Biodiesel
1. PSU-oil companies
Modi-cabinet allowed following entities to
2. Private companies with over 2000 crore rupees in oil- sell biodiesel to end-users such as
infrastructure.
Railways
Result: supply bottlenecks, for PSU-oil company the
1. Private bio-diesel manufacturers
cost of biodiesel production higher than (real) diesel
2. Joint venture companies
MRP.

Misc. Developments

GenECO company plant converts food waste and sewage into gas, through
anaerobic digestion (means without oxygen), similar to desi gobar gas plants.
This gas is filled up in the bus.Bus can carry ~40 passengers, to ~300km using 1
Bio-Bus in
full tank of gas.
UK
Produces less emission than convention diesel engine, hence good for urban air
quality.
Instead of using new batteries, IBM-scientists used old lithium ion batteries from
Discarded discarded laptops after tweaking them.
Laptop Successful testing in Bangalore slums.
batteries Every year, over 50 million laptop batteries discarded, and 70% of them can be
used for running LED lights.

[GS3] Environment: Pusa Hydrogel, Eco-Cooker, Microgrid Power,

Net Metering, Earth Overshoot

Pusa Hydrogel
Topic in news: Oct 2014, Hindu; Relevance: GS3- Science-Technology /
conservation;

Who? Indian Agricultural Research institute, New Delhi

What? Pusa Hydrogel is a granular product. Made by cross-linking hydrophilic (waterloving) polymers.

Mix the dry powder with seeds + 10 times soil + necessary fertilizers. Then plow the
farm, spread this mixture.
Ya but whats the benefit?:

During irrigation, the Hydrogel will absorb and retain water just like a sponge.
350xtimes its dry weight.

During dry period, itll release the water for plants.

Thus, gel reduces water requirement for crops. Improves seed germination,.

Helps farmers in arid areas. Less money, diesel, electricity spent on irrigation.

Eco-Cooker
Topic in news: Oct 2014, Hindu; Relevance: GS3-S&T in everyday life ;

Who? An Andhra corporation, a pvt.company and Mumbai based research institute.

(names not important because theyre not high profile like ISRO, TERI etc.)

What? An Eco Cooker that saves 70% energy than LPG.

But How?

Eco Cooker benefits

Modified gas regulatory: gas flow is controlled in such manner that temperature
remains constant at 72 degree.

Modified burner design to spread the flame evenly.

Uses a sealed close circuit to trap steam and heat.

Benefits?

30% of National Energy goes into cooking. Eco-cooker uses 70% less energy used than
in LPG.

Ideal for canteen, hotel, hostels.

Can cook multiple items in one go-rice, dal, veggies etc.

Preserves foods nutritional value, Improves foods taste.

Micro-grid power generation

Topic in news: Oct 2014, Hindu; Relevance: GS3-infrastructure: Energy /
conservation;
Discuss the important of Microgrid power generation to solve the electricity-shortage in
rural India. 100 words.
Ans. A micro grid is made up of three components:
1. Power generation system usually a renewable source: solar panel, windmills.
2. Energy storage facility
3. Load Management system.
A single microgrid (2-3MW) can serve 5000 families.

These Micro grids are independent, self-sufficient and a practical solution to provide
electricity to off-grid and inaccessible areas.

At present such families rely either on firewood or diesel- both harming environment.
Micro grid electricity can benefit rural/tribal children in education and farmers in
irrigation.

System already successful in USA, and American companies have shown interest to
replicate the model in India.

Net metering to reduce lightbill

Topic in news: May 2014, Hindu; Relevance: GS3-Energy/ conversation
Q.Discuss the utility of Net-metering system to solve the electricity crisis in Urban area.
100 words
Ans. Under Net-metering system, Customer installs a solar or windpower plant on his
premise, gets it grid-connected with the electricity distribution company (DISCOM)

Customer uses solar electricity for his own house, and transmit excess solar energy to
DISCOM.

During monsoon, cloudy days or heavy usage, he can use the conventional electricity
from the DISCOM (generated by thermal or nuke power plant).

The electricity bill will be calculated on the net transfer between customer and
DISCOM.

IF customer gave more (solar) energy to DISCOM, the (thermal) electricity he

consumed=> DISCOM will have to pay the customer. And vice versa.

Hence it is called Net Metering.

Benefits: less light bill, environment protection, fight climate change, solar panel can
run for ~25 years.

Limitations: requires initial investment of ~1-3 lakh rupees to buy the solar panel.
Takes ~3 years to recover investment.

Earth overshoot day

Topic in news: August 2014, Frontline; Relevance: GS3-Environment degradation
Mains-GS3: Q.Discuss the significance of Earth Overshoot day. 100 words
Unlike the World environment day (June 5), Earth overshoot day is not fixed
permanently for every year.
For the given year, the Earth Overshoot day is observed on a day when:
1. humans have consumed more than biosphere can replace
2. humans created more waste than nature can absorb
2014: Earth Overshoot day observed on 19th August (8th month of the year)

Meaning, weve used up earths annual (12 month) supply of water, land and trees
within 8 months.

We are generating waste, litter, CO2 at faster rater (8 months) than earths annual
speed to absorb / biodegrade such waste.

It means, we are currently living on next years quota. So, next years overshoot day
will occur even sooner than August 2015.

If corrective steps not done, then by 2030, well need Two earths to meet our
resource requirements and absorb our waste.
Side notes:

1. Also called Ecological debt day.

2. This day not decided by IPCC, UNEF etc., but an NGO called Global footprint Network.

[GS3] Pollution: National Air Quality Index, SAFAR Technology,

Parafoil Drone, Pthalates

National Air quality index (AQI): WHY?

Mains Relevance: GS3: Environmental Pollution.

Part of the Swatch Bharat Abhiyan, Modi wants to inform public about the pollution and
its ill-effects.

Presently, Government agencies publish air-quality data with technical-jargon like

PM2.5, PM10. Common man cannot understand.

The new Airquality index (AQI) will use color-coded table to show air-quality and its
effect on health. Thus even common man can understand easily. Their USP being One
Number- One Colour-One Description.

Features of new AQI

National Air Quality index, launched in 2014, October

Who? Environment and Central Pollution control board. (2014, October.)

Will be monitor air quality in 46 cities having above 10 lakh population + all state
capitals.

After 5 years, entire India will be monitored.

Earlier index only monitored three parameters. New AQI will monitor 8 type of
pollutants

For short-term 24 hours averaging period.

AQI will monitor these 8 pollutants to help UPSC examiner frame MCQs:
Coarse Pollutants with a diameter of 10 microns or less. Mostly from dust and smoke.
PM10
Create breathing difficulty particularly among asthma patients and elderly.
Respirable particles with a diameter of 2.5 microns or less. They float in air air for weeks,
due to small size, thus smog and haze problem.
PM
2.5 They go deep in lungs and even pass in blood.
Result? chronic bronchitis, lung cancer and heart disease.
For this index, London 16; Delhi 153 (smaller no. means cleaner air)
Nitrogen dioxide. Lung irritant. Harmful to textile fibres and metals.
NO
2 Red haze in traffic
Damages plant leaves, slows down photosynthesis.
Asthama, bronchitis, emphysema etc. respiratory diseases
SO2 Eye irritation and tears.
Stiffness of flowerbuds. They fall from plant.
Carbon Monoxide binds with haemoglobin. Thus, Blood carries less oxygen. Result?
CO
headache, nausia, weak eyesight, premature birth, abortion, deformed babies.
Ozone is a toxic gas. Dryness of eyes, chestpain, cough.
Collectively Ozone, PAN, Nitric oxide, Formaldehyde result in photochemical smog.
O3
Photochemical smog occurs when sunlight acts on vehicle pollutants
Photochemical smog=> rubber cracking, plant damages, metals corroded.
Ammonia in air + NOX, SOx=>PM 2.5 and PM 2.5 have very small size, they float in air
NH3 for weeks=>smog and haze problem.
Ammonia in water=>Eutrophication, Algae blooms.
Lead Interferes with red blood cells.
Pb
Solution: use unleaded petrol

Based on above 8 pollutant levels, the air quality of given city, will be classified into
following 6 color-coded categories.

Category
1.Good
2.satisfactory
3.Moderately
polluted
4.poor
5.Very poor
6.Severe

6 categories of air quality

index
Health impact
0-50 minimal
51-100 Minor Breathing discomfort to sensitive people.
101Breathing discomfort to asthma patents, elderly and children.
200
201Breathing discomfort to all
300
301Respiratory illness on prolonged exposure.
400
401- Health impact even on light physical work. Serious impact on people
500
with heart/lung disease.

Criticism of new Air Quality Index

1. Since 90s, industrial units have to install instruments to measure air-quality and send
data to state pollution control boards. If too much pollution =>unit will be shut down.
2. But Industrial units deliberately using India-made (faulty) machines to measure PM2.5.
So reported number is less than actual pollution.
3. Such Instrument manufacturers only need to declare self-certification that their
machine meets quality standards. Government not doing checks on such products, by
itself. (counter-argument: itll lead to inspector raj and bribery).
4. Theyve prepared one index to be used uniformly for Entire India. We need separate
indexes for residential vs industrial areas; cities vs towns vs villages.
5. For example: in village air, methane high due to open compost pits and animal
husbandry. YET under this index, village air-quality will be good, because methane
not monitored.
6. Doesnt monitor Benzene. Benzene is a carcinogen chemical from Petrol and diesel. USA
monitors its level.
7. Mere informing the citizens through a color-coded table = insufficient. Need to include
conditional safety protocols in it.
8. For example, In China- if air quality index reaches red level, they shut down primary
schools. Counter argument: Under US embassys Air quality index, Delhi is in purple
category=one step more dangerous than Red. So Delhi will have to permanently shut
down schools=>coaching business expands. Bigger holes in parents pockets.

#2: SAFAR
Mains Relevance: GS3: Achievement of Indians, Indigenization of technology.
What is SAFAR?

SAFAR: System of Air Quality Forecasting and Research (SAFAR)

Computerized system jointly developed by

Indian institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune (under Ministry of Earth Science)

India Meteorological Department (IMD).

Benefits of SAFAR?

It can Quality of air can be forecasted 24-72 hours in advance.

it provides data on

Air Quality Index health advisory

UV Index skin advisory

Dynamic city pollution maps.

2010
2014, May
2014,
October

Timeline of Events
SAFAR installed in Delhi, during common wealth games. Later in Pune and other
cities.
WHO declares Delhi the most polluted city on earth. Even bogus than Beijing.
SAFAR scientists reported October 24 being worst air quality for Delhi and Pune.

Reason: Diwali Firecrackers. They increased quantity of PM2.5 particles 10 times above
WHO-safe level. Therefore, Ex-Health minister Harsh Vardhan wanted Silent Diwali- to
control both air pollution and noise-pollution.

#3: Smog sucker Chinese Parafoil drone

Drone. But basically Generator hanging from a parachute. It doesnt have wings like a
conventional drone.
Who? Aviation industry corp.China
Why? To clear out the smog, particularly near airports, so aeroplane can takeoff and land easily.
When 2014, March.
What?

Mechanism

Parafoil Drone sprays a chemical.

Chemical freezes the PM2.5 particles, they become heavy and fall down on earth. Thus
smog is cleared.

Single drone can carry ~700 kg of chemical, sufficient to cleanup a 5 square km area
from smog. Main beneficiary: airports, tourist resorts etc.

Plantation of Pinus, Juniparus, Quercus, Pyrus and Vitis. They can metabolise nitrogen
oxide and reduce formation of photochemical-smog.

Theory: what is Smog?

Smoke + flog: two types
Classical smog
Smoke + fog + SO2
Cool, humid climate
Reducing smog because chemically its reducing
mixture.

Photochemical smog
Sunlight + hydrocarons+ NOX
Warm, dry, sunny climate
Oxidizing smog, because it has high
concentration of

Pthalates, Airfresheners and Pollution

As such there is no dearth of pollutants but Topic appeared in November 2014 Hindu.

Air-fresheners use Phthalates to suspend the perfume molecules in the air for longer
period of time. (from 1920s)

Phthalates suppress androgenic hormones, retard development in children.

USA already banned Phthalates in Toys and cosmetics. (2008). But still some airfreshener companies in third world use this chemical.

More harmful chemical in Air-freshener

They react with ozone=> formaldehyde (Carcinogen)
Toxic to blood
Toxic to CNS (Central nervous system)
Asthma.
Dicholor-Benzene
Benzene is a carcinogen.
Terpenes
Acetone
Tolune

[Nuke-Energy] Kudankulam Plant 1000MW landmark & RAPS-5

765 days Landmark

RAPS-5
Q. Discuss the significance of RAPS-5 as a nuclear energy milestone in India. (100
words)

RAPS

Rawatbhatta Atomic Power Station

Continuous Operation for 765 days. Proves that India can generate nuke power
Record
in safe and reliable manner.
Technology
Pressurised Heavy Water Reactor ( Indigenous) by NAPCIL.
Fuel
Natural Uranium
Cooling
Heavy Water
Moderator
Heavy Water
Supplies Power Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Jammu & Kashmir,
to
Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh and Uttrakhand.
6 constructed
Number of
2 reactors under construction
reactors
Largest number of reactors in a single site.

Kudankulam: 1000 MW mark

Brief Profile of Kudankulam Plant
Voda Voda Energo Reactor (VVER)= water cooled, water moderated energy
Technology
reactor.
Atomstroyexports, Russia supplied both uranium and the the VVER technology.
Supplier
Atomstroyexport is a subsidiary of Russian PSU Rosatom.
light water reactor
Type
Sub-Type Pressurized water reactor
software VISWAM
Uranium
Fuel
1. Tamil Nadu
2. Karnataka
3. Kerala
Beneficiaries
4. Puducherry
NPCIL will sell electricity to them at Rs.3.50 per unit. All the unallocated
electricity belongs to Union government.

1.
2.
3.
4.

Timeline of Nuclear reactors in India

Tarapur, with US help.
1969
Kudankulam construction begins
2002
Peoples Movement Against Nuclear Energy (PMANE) begins
2011
protests against Kudankulam project.
Attained critical capacity. This is Indias 21st reactor.
2013
Protest completes 1000 days.
Supreme court rejects their plea to appoint another safety
2014, May
Committee for Kudankulam
Tamilnadu becomes first state to have two operational nuke plants
viz. Kudankulam and Kalpakkam.
Kudankulam becomes first nuclear plant to attain 1000MW
2014, June
capacity
Other desi nuke reactors have capacity of 700MW only.
Tata Mundra Thermal plant 800MW
States with highest nuclear energy (October 2013 data)
State rank
Nuke power (MW)
Tamilnadu
1440
Maharashtra
1400
Rajasthan
1180
Gujarat, Karnataka and
each with 880
Uttar Pradhesh
Reasons for delay in reaching 1000MW mark:

1. So far India used Pressurized Heavy Water reactor technology. But Kudankulam
uses Light water reactor technology. So NPCIL engineers had to buy coaching
material to learn how to use new technology.
2. After Fukushima incident, NPCIL had to build additional safety measures.
3. Anti-Kudankulam protests, court cases.

Kudankulam nuke plant: SC rejects plea to appoint panel

In 2013

Anti-nuclear activist G. Sundarrajan filed petition in Supreme court, alleging that

Atomic energy regulatory board (AERB) made haste in clearing the Kudankulam plant in
Tamilnadu.

Supreme court permitted construction of Kudankulam plant, but gave strict guidelines
for disaster management, environmental protection, nuclear leakage, regular inspection
@3 months interval etc.
In 2014, May

G. Sudar Rajan again went to SC, demanding a committee under Ex-AERB chief
A.Gopalakrishnan to supervise the plant.

But Supreme Court on Thursday rejected the plea to appoint any expert team- AERB,
NPCIL sufficient. It is not necessary to appoint SITs and Committees everywhere.

[Pollution] Bharat Emission Standards, Saumitra Chaudhuri

Committee, Alternative Fuels Pros & Cons
Timeline: Vehicle emission control in India
Vehicle emission norms introduced in India
SC order government to introduce Euro norms like pollution control regime.

1991
1999
2000
onwards

Bharat State emission standard I introduced.

Dr. R.A. Mashelkar Committee drafted Auto Fuel Policy.

Recommended adopting Bharat stage 3 and stage 4 fuel standards.
Auto Fuel Policy 2003 implemented.
2005
Bharat 3 standards introduced in 13 major cities.
By 2010 entire India under Bharat stage 3.
2010
Petroleum ministry had setup Saumitra Chaudhuri Committee for Auto fuel vision
policy 2025
Dec 2012
Saumitra is was a member of planning commission. (not anymore because Montek
& Co. gave resignation to Modi)
2014, May Saumitra Chaudhri gave recommendations. Hence in news.
2003

What are Bharat emission

standards?

Euro norms define the maximum limit of pollutant that a vehicle can emit. (CO2,
nitrogen oxide, sulfur and suspended particulate matter)

If vehicle emits more than this limit, it cannot be sold in Europe.

In India, we follow Euro norms under the label Bharat stage norms. we are gradually
implementing them in more and more cities

higher stage means less emission (just for reference, exact numbers not important for
exam)
Euro normBharat Stage
limit of RSPM*
India implements from
I (1)
0.14
2000: nation wide
II (2)
0.08
2005: nation wide
III (3)
0.05
2010: nation wide
2010:
2011: 7 cities
IV (4)
0.025
2014: 24 more cities#
2017: (All India)#
V (5)
0.005
2022 (All India)#
VI (6)
0.0025
after 2024 (All India)#

#as per Saumitra Committee recommendation.

*Respirable suspended particulate matter (RSPM)

Sulfur lead content vs Bharat norms:

To reduce emission from vehicle, weve to fit catalytic converter, particulate filter, &
other fancy devices in its exhaustion system.

But the chemical catalysts in such devices get immobilized in presence of lead/sulphur.

Therefore, fuel should have minimal quantity of lead and sulfur. Else, youll have to
replace those fancy devices too often.

Lead: we are already selling lead-free petrol. Since year 2000 only lead free petrol sold
in India.

sulfur: the Bharat norms give following limits:

year
particles per million (ppm) in diesel
present (BS3) 350
2017 (BS4) 50 (already done in BS4 cities)
2020 (BS5) 10

Why additional Levy on petrol/diesel?

To implement Bharat norms, weve to do two things:

To Vehicle manufacturers
Youve fit catalytic converter, particulate filter & other
fancy gadgets in the engine. This will decrease soot &
pollutants.
ok, Not a problem because these companies already fitting
such equipments in engine, before exporting vehicles to
Europe. (due to higher level Euro standards)

To Oil refineries
You produce fuel with less sulfur,
olefin & other impurities.
(especially for Bharat stage 5)
Problem because refiners have to
buy machines and technology
worth Rs.~80,000 crore.

Government can arrange cash for refineries, by imposing 75 Paise special fuel
upgradation cess on Petrol and Diesel. (says Sumitra Committee)

Send this cash to Oil Industry Development Board (OIDB)

Then, OIDB will upgrade the refineries to Bharat stage 4 and 5.

Previously, recall Famous lawyer Harish Salve reported to supreme court and asked
for 30% cess on private diesel vehicles. and that money should be used for
implementing Bharat stage 5 and 6.
Taxation: Misc. recommendations

Import duty should be 0% on both LNG and crude oil.

States VAT should be reduced on CNG sale (to promote CNG vehicles)

Bharat Standards: limitations

1. Four refineries in the North East- Guwahati, Digboi, Numaligarh and Bongaigaon- their
equipment outdated, cannot produce BS4, BS5 quality fuels.
2. Government designated only a few cities under BS-4 standards. BS-4 vehicles more
expensive than BS3. Hence public buys BS3 vehicles from peripheral towns to evade
registration taxes.
3. BS3 fuel is cheaper than BS4 fuel.
4. On older vehicles, we need to fit catalytic after-treatment devices to reduce their
emission. But government & public not pursuing this project enthusiastically.
5. Our diesel to petrol usage ratio is almost (4.5): 1 hence more pollution. This ratio is low
in USA, Europe and Japan.

Flash point in Diesel

It is the lowest temperature at which a fuel starts turning into vapor (which will later
ignite)

Flash point of diesel is set at 35 degree C. (under both BS3 and BS4.)

Some journalist argue that 35 degree is too dangerous. Because in India, temperature
often above 40 degree celcius (Even EU has flash point limit 55 C, despite having cold
climate.)

Sumitra rejects this hypothesis, because even tropical countries like Brazil and
Argentina have lower flash points. The temperature in and around the engine of the
vehicle is well over 100 C much above the highest flash point prescribed anywhere in
the world. Hence 35 degree flash point doesnt automatically mean explosion.

Misc. terms from his report

Olefin
Cetane
number

These are unsaturated alkanes. We need to reduce their quantity in fuel, to reduce
pollution.
It is a measure of diesel quality. Lower the cetane number, diesel will produce
more smoke.

Alternative Fuels
Overall, Saumitra report is three things
1. Bharat norms: implementing next stage
2. taxation issues
3. Alternative fuels- for reducing petrol and diesel consumption. Here, he give pros and
cons of each alternative.

#1: Methanol
Good points

Methanol is readily biodegradable in both aerobic

(oxygen present) and anaerobic (oxygen absent)

environments.
is an alternative fuel for internal combustion

engines
Can be used directly or by blending with petrol

Used in racing cars in many countries, even in

China.

Bad points
Methanol has a high toxicity in humans.
Even 10 ml pure methanol can cause
permanent blindness. (recall those hooch
liquor victims)
Methanol fire burns invisibly, while petrol
burns with a visible flame.
So difficult to detect methanol fire hazard.
Pure methanol is corrosive to engine and
fuel lines

#2: Ethanol

is an organic solvent

Ethanol itself burns cleaner and burns more completely than petrol.

Ethanol can be derived from Sugar cane juice and molasses.

Molasses is the byproduct when sugar cane juice converted to sugar.

Timeline of Ethanol blending program in India

2001 Government permitted adding Ethanol in petrol. Pilot project in Uttar Pradesh.
2006 5% Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) began in most states, except JK and North East.
National biofuel policy. Now oil companies required to blend atleast 5% ethanol with
petrol.
2008
But project mostly #EPICFAIL. Most companies not blending more than 2% ethanol,
because ethanol not easily available at reasonable price.
2017 Sumitra Committee proposed 20% ethanol blending by 2017
Case study: Brazils ethanol blending program

Started in mid-70s

Their car-engines designed such way, they use even upto 18% ethanol blending. (Exact
figures not important but for MCQ the examiner may twist statement saying car engine
cannot run properly if ethanol blending more than 10%then you should know it is an
incorrect statement.)

#3: Hydrogen fuel

Bad points:
1. Cost of hydrogen pipeline is 15x times more expensive than a CNG/LPG pipeline.
2. Hence, only few areas of USA have hydrogen pipeline.
3. In the entire world hardly 200 hydrogen refiling stations by 2013. (rank: N.America >
Asia > South America)
4. Hydrogen burns with colorless odorless flame, hence hard to detect leakage.

Hydrogen Vision 2020 (GIFT)

Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE)s Green Initiatives for Future Transport
(GIFT)

It has vision 2020 for Hydrogen.

Aim: sell Hydrogen at cost of 60-70 per kg

Build pipelines and refilling stations for hydrogen fuel.

Get at least 1 lakh hydrogen vehicles on Indian road

Safety regulation, laws and codes.

#4: CNG: Compressed Natural gas

Favor

Against
CNG filling station requires more investment than
CNG emits far less pollutants than petrol or petrol pump.
Public not ready to buy CNG kits/vehicles
diesel
CNG doesnt have carcinogens like Benzene. because
Success story in Delhi and Mumbai CNG- 1. Lack of CNG filling stations in many highways.
public transport.
2. Price difference between CNG vs petrol/diesel not

that big.

#5: LPG-Liquefied Petroleum gas

LPG is predominantly propane and butane. Propane constitutes 30-99%.

LPG can be derived from.

refining crude oil

natural gas

Hence no risk of single source dependence

LPG is globally surplus because of Natural Gas production.

In some countries, LPG is called Auto-Gas and used in taxis e.g. Korea, Turkey,
Russia, Poland and Italy.

Good points
emits far less pollutants than petrol or diesel
Unlike CNG, the LPG does not require elaborate gas
grid-network or compressor station at refueling
stations.

Therefore, LPG refilling station can be opened with

less investment. Cheaper in long run.

bad points
Today, cost per km for LPG car is
almost equals petrol car.
So there is no cost-advantage to make
public shift from petrol cars to LPG cars.

#6: Hybrid and electric vehicles (HEV)

HEVs have both internal combustion (running on petrol) and electricity.

Both USA and China planning to add 1-5 million new HEV vehicles by 2020.

Suggestions to reduce tailpipe

pollution
List not exhaustive. Ive lifted only a few non-technical, easy to memorize points from
his report.

1. BEE (Bureau of energy efficiency) labels on vehicles to show their fuel efficiency.
2. We need to replace the existing PUC system to a more reliable computerized system.
3. We need to link vehicle insurance with pollution. (i.e. higher pollution vehicle should be
ordered to pay higher premium for same coverage)
4. Give subsidy, tax-benefit to vehicle owners to retrofit their engines with newly emission
control devices
5. Impose higher taxes on old vehicles, because they emit more gases.
6. More tax on diesel guzzling SUV cars.
7. Less tax on hybrid cars, CNG vehicles.
8. Use chemical markers to detect adulteration of diesel/petrol with kerosene. Make oil
companies responsible for fuel quality at their station.

[Judgement] Goa Illegal Iron Ore Mining, MB Shah Commission,

CR Babu Panel

Sequences of events:

Government formed M.B.Shah Commission. To investigate illegal mining of iron &

manganese in 6 states.

2012: Shah gives report

Environment ministry temporarily suspended mining in Goa.

Supreme Court ordered ban on mining

SC formed panel under C.R.Babu, to suggest annual limit on iron ore extraction from
Goa.

Now CR Babu gave interim report.

What are CR Babus interim recommendations?

1. Supreme court should lift the ban on iron ore mining in Goa.
2. BUT put restriction/cap- Max. 20 million tonnes per year.
3. Create permanent fund from mining companies profit. Use this cash to benefit of local
junta.
4. Impose cess on mining activity.
5. Use this cess money to setup an ecological centre. This centre will monitor ecosystem
in mining areas.
6. setup mineral corporation. (in other words, let PSU extract ore, and prohibit private
companies)
7. Dont give new mining permission without adequate regulatory and technological
measures.
8. Conduct study before settingup new plants of low-grade iron ore.

Why is Illegal mining bad for India?

Huge loss to state revenue due to illegal mining.

An increase in dust pollution, deforestation.

more health disorders

Landscape degraded, soil fertility declines, agricultural productivity lost.

Extensive degradation of landscape

Negative hydrological systems in the mining belt.

Development Vs. Environment: Similar issues

oil extraction near Virgunga nation park.this park is home of mountain gorillas
CONGO
(rare and endangered)
oil extraction near Lake Kivu (between Uganda and Kivu). This site is close to
UGANDA
river niles source.
equatorial forest cut down to make space for Palm oil cultivation. Even leading to
INDONESIA
forest fires.

Gold Ore Tailing

GOT, is the waste material after separating gold from the gangue of gold ore.

Why in news? Hutti Gold Mines Ltd. (HGML). Its a PSU under Karnataka state.

HGML is the only producer of primary gold in the country.

It sold tonnes of Gold Ore Tailing (GOT) to a private company, at throwaway price,
from Chitradurga district.

PSU gave Reasons for selling off the GOT at throwaway price

GOT has high cyanide content, causes water pollution.

We needed space to expand the existing mines.

We had clearance from Indian bureau of mines (IBM)

[Pollution] Cess on Diesel cars, Digboi Refinery shutdown

Cess on Diesel Cars to fight pollution?

Famous advocate Harish Salve assists Forest bench of Supreme court as Amicus curiae.
He presents a report- that

Every year 3000 kids die in Delhi alone because of air pollution.

Diesel is main culprit- produces 10x times more carcinogenic particles than petrol.

diesel consumption is high because its cheaper than petrol (due to subsidies).

Therefore, 30% cess should be levied on private diesel vehicles.

and this money should be used for three reforms:

1. producing clean diesel [that has only 10ppm sulphur]

2. Introduce Euro V and Euro VI norms.
3. strengthen public transport system (buses and metros)
Supreme Court panel forwards this recommendation to Finance ministry. But Chindu
says no,we cannot levy any environmental cess on diesel cars. because..
1. Barely 13% of total automobiles in India are private diesel vehicleS = hardly any cess
money will come.
2. We already have started reducing diesel subsidies in phased manners.
3. Soon there wont be a big difference between the prices of diesel vs petrol.
4. Desi automobile sector already facing slowdown and negative growth. if we impose
30% cess, itd hurt the sales of diesel cars and SUVs.

Whats the difference between Cess and Surcharge?

surcharge
cess
tax on tax
same
taken on tax liability + surcharge. and for a
calculated only on tax liability
specific purpose e.g highway renovation,
higher education or xyz.
suppose youve to pay Rs.1 lakh as income tax
Suppose education cess is 3%. Cess is
and government demands 10% surcharge then
calculated on tax + surcharge.= 3% of Rs.1.10
total tax to paid = 1.10 lakh
lakhs.=3300 rupees.

meaning finally youll have to pay

income tax + surcharge (on IT) + Cess (on IT+Surcharge)

=113300

Side note: What is Euro V and Euro VI norms?

These norms define the maximum limit of pollutant that a vehicle can emit. (CO2,
nitrogen oxide, sulfer and suspended particulate matter)

If vehicle emits more than this limit, it cannot be sold in Europe.

In Euro norms, as we move higher, the limits become stricter. Observe

Euro norm limit of respirable suspended particulate matter (RSPM)

Euro I 0.14
Euro II 0.08
Euro III 0.05
Euro IV 0.025
Euro V 0.005
Euro IV 0.0025
What about India?
We follow Euro norms under the lable Bharat stage norms.

13 major cities of India Bharat stage 4 norms

rest of India
Bharat Stage 3 norms.

Is it the time to close Digboi refinery?

Digboi refinery is in news because of election- the politicians make claims and counterclaim on how UPA/Assam government has slowly destroyed the profitability of this
refinery.
First the theory

Petroleum reserves form in sedimentary basins.

The flora and fauna decompose under heavy pressure and temperature => crude oil +
natural gas.

Digboi oil field = Sedimentary rocks of Brahmputra valley in Assam.

Digboi refinery = First oil well of India. oldest and (perhaps) lowest output in world.

Refinery hasnt been upgraded, on a verge of financial-collapse due to shortage of man

and raw material (crude oil)

if refinery closes=> unemployment to the surrounding area (those rickshaw-walla, teavendors and so on)

(Interview Q.) Given its low output and low profitability, dont you think
Digboi refinery should be closed down, And instead put focus on hydroelectrical potential of North East?
Points to consider:
1. First, make a fresh assessment- whether it is feasible to continue running this refinery.
2. If the technological upgrades can solve the man-power crunch and increase the
production levels, then no need to close down the refinery.
3. It is true that North-East region has high potential for development of Hydro-electric
power station,
4. But we need to be cautious while exploiting this potential.
5. We shouldnt forget that Hydro-electricity has long gestation period and damaging
effect on surrounding environment and leads to forcible migration/rehabilitation of
hundreds of families.
6. Hydro-electric plants interfere with the natural flow of the river drainage
7. Haphazard development of the dams on the upper course of river had catalysed the
Uttrakhand flood disaster.
8. Besides, North Eastern region is home of many pristine forest tracts, national parks and
rare flora and fauna. The forests have spiritual value for indigenous tribal people.
Interview Questions:
1. Given its low output and low profitability, dont you think Digboi refinery should be
closed down, And instead put focus on hydro-electrical potential of North East?<br>

2. We should impose Cess on Diesel Cars, and use that money to fight pollution.

[Economy] Ethanol Blending in Petrol: meaning, benefits &

limitations; Hybrid cars & Intelligent Transport

What is Ethanol fuel / Gasohol?

1. When Ethanol is mixed with petrol, such fuel is known as Ethanol Fuel / Gasohol
(=Gasoline + Ethanol).
2. It can be used with no modification to the vehicles engine. (if concentration of ethanol
is upto 10%)
3. Almost all vehicles of US and Brazil, use such ethanol fuel.

Pro-arguments for Ethanol Blending

1. It decreases a nation dependence on foreign oil.
2. It reduces the carbon monoxide emissions by up to 30 percent.
3. Cleaner air means healthier people, especially those that suffer from respiratory
diseases. Mortality rates will decrease, health care visits will decrease in number and
severity, health care costs will decrease, and productivity will improve as absenteeism
and performance is improved.
4. Gasohol is typically cheaper than petrol as it is cheaper to manufacture. (just like
adulterated milk minus negative effects on health!)
5. India is the fourth largest producer of ethanol in the world. By blending petrol with 10
per cent ethanol, 80 million litres of petrol could be saved annually in India.
6. Ethanol production = Higher sugarcane price = Rural prosperity.
7. Ethanol blended petrol cleans the car engine over time, by dissolving the harmful
deposits and dirt from pipes and chambers.

Anti-arguments against Ethanol Blending

1. Ethanol is derived from Sugarcane, corn, sorghum. Ethanol blending in petrol, increases
the demand and ultimately the price of these crops. + indirectly increase fertilizer,
pesticide prices= Food security problem in India.
2. however not really a problem because Indian Government has proposed only 5%
blending, unlike Brazil where it is 25%. Besides, In India, ethanol is mainly derived by
sugarcane molasses, which is a by-product in the conversion of sugarcane to sugar.
Therefore, ethanol does not compromise on the food security front.)
3. It is not really Eco-friendly! While growing corn, sugar or shorgum, those plants
absorbs CO2 from the atmosphere and then release it when consumed as ethanol (in
petrol). So, you might think that ethanol is environmentally neutral.
4. But a life-cycle analysis claim that when you calculate the the CO2 emissions in
plowing, planting, applying fertilizer, harvesting these crops and delivering it to the

ethanol plant, producing the ethanol, and distributing it the oil company = it doesnt
remain environmentally neutral. i.e. more CO2 is produced in making ethanol blend
petrol, than the amount of CO2 emission reduced by using such blended petrol.

Gasohol system in India and abroad

India is the second largest sugarcane and sugar producer in the world. (Brazil is 1st)

In Brazil, blending is mandatory up to 25 per cent of ethanol with petrol; and pure
ethanol can also be used by flexi-fuel cars.

Even Pakistan has 10% blending!

So, in 2007, Govt of India came up with the idea of making 5% ethanol blending in
petrol.

Whats the problem?

Ethanol is produced from molasses.

Molasses is a by-product in sugar mills.

At present, the government has made provision that Oil companies should buy ethanol
@ the price not more than 27 per litre, and mix this ethanol with petrol.

But, Sugar mills prefer to sell molasses to alcohol manufacturers because it gives them
more profit. =less raw material available for ethanol manufacturing.

So, if Government wants to implement compulsory 5% blending, then Oil cos would
need to import at least 200 crores of ethanol from abroad, every year.

This would disturb the delicate balance of retail petrol pricing (if they cant import
ethanol at reasonable price).

Solution

In October 2012, PM setup a GoM (Group of Minister) to examine all matters relating to
pricing of bioethanol, its blending with petrol.

This GoM will be headed by Sharad.

Prime Minister has asked the concerned ministers (agri, finance, chemical, petroleum
etc) to resolve their differences in the GoM and bring it back with a recommendation to
the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA.)

The CCEA will then

Either Itll make the ethanol blending rules/policy.

or It may form another GoM to study the recommendations of this GoM!

2007
2008
1st Dec
2012
1st July
2013

Timeline of Ethanol Blending program in India

Government allowed sugar companies to directly produce ethanol from sugarcane
juice.
National Policy on Biofuels announced.phased implementation of ethanol blending
with petrol.
This was the deadline for starting ethanol blending.
This is the new deadline for ethanol blending.

Now lets move to the next topic Hybrid cars.

What is National Automotive Board (NAB)?

It is a body to facilitate interaction between Government and automobile industry.

NAB will act as a thinktank for the Government, especially for the growth of hybrid
and electric vehicles in the country.

NAB will promote research and Development in auto sector.

NAB also help in National Mission for Electric Mobility (NMEM) and Intelligent Transport
Systems (ITS). [Details given in the same article]
Who will be the members of NAB?
Board will have members from the

1. Planning Commission
2. Department of
a. Heavy Industry,
b. Road Transport and Highways,
c. Science and Technology,
d. Environment and Forests.
3. Scientists and industry representatives.
Where is the money for NAB?

Recall the earlier article on Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), that body will be financed via
charging 5 rupees per airplane ticket.

Similarly this NAB will be financed by putting Cess (Tax on tax) on the Automobile
industry.
What is National Mission for Electric Mobility (NMEM)?

It provides the roadmap for achieving significant penetration of electric vehicles

(including hybrid vehicles) in Indian market by 2020.

Department of Heavy Industry (DHI), will be responsible for implementing NMEM

What is a Hybrid car?

A hybrid car is uses two or more distinct power sources to move the vehicle.

So, if you can design a car that can use solar, hydrogen, petrol, diesel, kerosene and
electricity (6 in one) that can also be called a Hybrid car.

But Most commonly Hybrid cars use petrol and electricity. Here is an example car:
Honda Civic (hybrid)

Hybrid cars are more expensive than conventional cars.

What are the advantages of Electric / Hybrid

vehicles?
1. Reduces crude oil consumption and thus decreases current account deficit= rupee
strengthened.
2. It is environmentally sustainable (IF the electricity for such vehicles, is provided via
solar/wind power.)
3. This will decrease CO2 emission by upto 1.5% in 2020= improve quality of life.
4. Job creation, if new factories are setup.
What is (ITS)?

Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) is essentially the application of computer and

communications technologies coming to help traffic and transport problems.

For example gathering of data through CCTV/Satellite then providing timely feedback to
traffic police and road-users. Some examples are

Wireless Traffic Control System

Intelligent Transit Trip Planner and Realtime Route Information to public via SMS / web
portals.

Automatic Red Light Violation Detection System using CCTV.

These projects are being financed by Ministry of Communication and Information

Technology.
What are the Benefits of ITS?

improved safety to drivers,

better traffic efficiency,

reduced traffic congestion,

improved energy efficiency

Enhanced economic productivity.

[Environment] Shale Gas: Advantages and limitations as an Energy

source

What is Shale Gas?

Shale gas is natural gas formed from being trapped within shale formations.

Shale gasan unconventional source of methane, like coal-bed gas (in coal seams)
and tight gas (trapped in rock formations)

It is Colourless, odourless, lighter than air.

In Europe shale gas is not used because of environmental rules and limited property
rights.

But In America, Shale Gas use already began. In future, it might be used for fullfilling
the energy requirements of US manufacturing industry.

Whatre the Advantages of Shale Gas?

A flexible fuel, can heat homes, run industrial boilers

Shale gas also provides feedstock for the petrochemicals industry, which is turned into
plastics, fertiliser and other useful stuff.

Experimental Usage as fuel for trucks, lorries and buses.

Shale-gas is cheaper than gas, releases 50% less CO2, hence better source for
generating electricity.

Shale gas power stations are safer than nuclear reactors and cheaper than renewables
sources such as solar electricity cell.

Whatre its limitations/drawbacks?

Storage & Transportation = difficult + expensive..

Therefore, Shale gas not traded in international-commodity market unlike coal or crude
oil. Not even 33% of the shale gas is traded in interntional market

It has no global price comparision platform.

Gas prices in different parts of the world are set by quite different mechanisms, they
vary wildly across the world.

To construct Gas pipelines, youve to spend millions of $$ per km.

alternatively, we can transport shale gas in liquid form, like LNG. But such LNGterminal will also require huge investments

GK: Gazprom is Russias huge state-run gas producer and supplier of 25% of Europes
gas.

Shale Gas in India?

Potential Sites: Cambay, Gondwana, Krishna-Godawari onland, and Cauvery.

Public sector companies and corporations like ONGC, OIL and GAIL are exploring these
sites.

Subject matter falls under Director General of Hydrocarbans (DGH)

MoU have been signed between USA, and India for sharing technical knowledge in
shale-gas exploration. This is one area where USA is far ahead of us, weve much to
learn from them.

Why shale gas is not a priority in India?

Shale gas is Difficult to store and transport.

Shale gas requires hydraulic fracking method for extraction. Therefore creates following
problems

Hydraulic
Fracking Needs

Large Area

Large Water
Supply

Guar Gum (Fluid

Viscosity Agent)

Indias problem
land acquisition problems, especially where Union and State governments
are ruled by different political parties.
environment clearance
Weve shortage of water even for drinking and irrigation, so diverting water
for shale-gas exploration, will prove to be tough, especially given the judicial
activism and PILs in India.
Guar gum is too costly. India is largest producer of Guar gum. But due to
heavy imports from US shalegas companies, its prices have increased by ten
times within a year.
Hence, there is shortage of Guar-gum, for domestic industries willing to
explore shale gas ,but who cannot keep up with the prices offered by
Americans.

[IT-Security] White-Fi Internet, Digital Locker, Antikythera

Computer, Detekt-Regin, Nanodot Charger, Ezhil Language,
Logbar Ring

Microsofts White-Fi technology

At present, unused spectrum is allotted to television broadcasters. This unused gap is

called White space Microsoft wants to use it, to beam wifi on a bigger scale of 10 kms
radius, with 15 mbps speed at a cost of Rs.10 lakh per router.

This can provide internet connectivity to villages and tribal areas. But government must
give the unused spectrum to tech companies first. Microsoft got trial-permission for
Bangalore.

Telangana Government also interested in this technology for Hyderabad.

CEO Satya Nadella met Telecom minister Ravi Shankar Prasad for all-India application.

Recall that other tech-giants too want to increase internet penetration. Example
Facebooks solar-drones (Internet.org) and Googles helium balloons (Project Loon).
Some other companies want to give free internet to non-smart phones using USSD
code service.

Because if more people have internet, then tech giants can make more money through
advertisements and e-commerce.

Digital Locker

In Dropbox, Google drive, Mediafire you can store your personal files on
cloudnetwork.

Digital Locker aims to store certificates in governments cloud (online hard disk).

For example, you store your birth certificate online and provide only the link when you
apply for passport.

Maharashtra government already launched Maha Digital Locker where you can login
with your Aadhar id. This website can directly upload your certificates to third party
website- during job application, passport registration etc.

Microsoft CEO Nadella wants to help implement this technology at all India level.

Pro: Paperless operations, no need for photocopies and attestation by gazetted officer.

Anti: Concerns about online privacy and security.

Antikythera Mechanism

An astronomical calculator a.k.a. worlds oldest computer.

What?
Where? It was found in a shipwerck near a Greek island called Antikythera, hence the name.
Who? This bronze instrument was built by Greeks >2000 years ago.
Complex clock like mechanism with ~30 gears and dials. Being called a computer
doesnt mean it had electronic chips!
Antikythera could predict astronomical phenomena like eclipse, position of sun,
Features?
moon, planets.
Experts are still divided over who invented this computer and what was its main
purpose?

Regin, or Backdoor.Regin

Regin is a Malware to spy on government, infrastructure, private companies, individuals.

Difficult to detect because of its advance stealth features, and even after detection it is
What? hard to find out how exactly Regin is damaging the system or whom is it sending the
database?
It uses Modular approach similar to Stuxnet, Flamer, Duqu etc. blockbuster malwares.
Given its complex mechanism, Symantec experts believe it was created by a government
Most of the targets were non-Western nations (Russia, Saudi, Iran, India, Pak) so
Who?
perhaps a Western country could have designed it. Although American agencies believe
this is handiwork of Russian or Chinese hackers!
Regin malware has been circulating since 2008, but American anti-virus companies
When?
detected it in late 2014.

Examples of Malware Malicious+Software

Virus a program which copies itself and multiplies
Worms copies and disitributes itself through networks
Trojan seems like performing some function, but breaches security
Spyware covertly tracks your activities
Spam useless messages spreading through internet/emails
inducing you to reveal your passwords/bank details. E.g. those messages which claim
Phishing
that you have won a lottery.

Detekt Anti-surveillance tool

A Germany tech company created finspy software to help government in criminal
investigation.
But same software also detected in human right activists and NGOs from third world
Problem
countries.
Meaning, authoritarian regimes are misusing technology for mass-surveillance.
A German NGO built this free anti-surveillance software for Windows-OS, called
Detekt.
Detekt software helps people find whether their system is infected or not?
Solution
Although Indian NGOs need not worry much because our intel-agencies cant even
maintain a proper facebook page, let alone running mass-surveillance programs

Nanodots for fast charging phones

Who? Israeli firm StoreDot.
Designed new technology to charge mobile phones in just 30 seconds, and electric cars/
What?
hybrid cars in a few minutes.
They created bio-organic molecules called Nanodots.
Nanodots behave as semi-conductors and acilitate the battery to absorbe and retain
How? electricity efficiently.
Although technology is not yet ready for commercial production. These Nanodot-enabled

batteries are too bulky and expensive.

Nanotech for Flash memory

Data stored in flash memory is permanent even when electricity is off. For example USB
Pen drives, Digital Cameras etc.

At present flash drives are made from metal-oxide semiconductor (MOS) devices.

But, If we use nanotechnology, we can further increase the storage capacity of these
flash drives.

Because Nano Technology deals with molecules at the scale of 10 rest to -9 meter. At
this scale, materials show unique physical, chemical and biological properties.

For example, at Nano-scale, the Selenium oxides can be used for storing data.

Scotland researchers working on this technology.

Ezhil programming language

Who? Muthiah Annamalai- software engineer from Chennai, living in USA
Developed a Python based programming language in Tamil.
Ezhil is not mere translation of codes from C++/Java etc but it accepts logical sequences
What?
similar to spoken Tamil.
Why? To help Tamil school-children cultivate interest in Computer programming.

Logbar Ring

Who? A Japanese company has deleveoped an electronic Ring with bluetooth.

To control IT-gadges with finger gestures- using bluetooth network.
What?
E.g. open SMS, type messages and send emails without touching your phone or tablet.

Merxius software
Who? Hasan Ali Khan and Vaishali Neotia from Hyderabad.
They designed a software Merxius, for Augmented Reality (AR) with help of
google glass.
What?
For example, while wearing google glass, if you look at a machine or gadget, itll
automatically fillup the screen with instruction on how to operate or repair that gadget.
Why in
They won Aegis Graham Bell award for this software.
new?

[GS3] IT-awareness: Raspberry Pi, Shellshock, Heartbleed,

Internet-of-Everything, Facebook Safetycheck & more

Security: Heartbleed bug

Heartbleed bug Mechanism

When? Reported in April 2014

OpenSSL: Open Secure Sockets Layer- is a security standard encrypting

communications between user and server.

OpenSSL sends signal from user computer to sever, at regular interval, to ensure that
server is online. This mechanism is called Heartbeat.

But there was a coding-mistake in it. Hacker could send a malicious heartbeat (signal)
to server, and server would responds back by sending him your username, password
and other sensitive information.

Hence called heart-bleed bug.

Solution : servers need to patch their openSSL system and users need to change their
passwords.

Danger level: Heartbleed bug considered less dangerous than Shellshock bug, because
it allows hackers to only spy on the data transfer between user and server.but he
cannot control the users system.

Security: Bash / Shellshock bug

When? Reported in September 2014

Linux, Android and Mac-OS are Unix based operating systems.

Bash is a shell-command software in Unix computers and servers.

Using a security vulnerability in this software, hacker can control entire system.

Solution: Companies have released software patches but experts believe theyre
incomplete.
Why Shellshock more dangerous than Heartbleed?

Doesnt require professional hacking expertise. Even a script-kiddie can copy paste a
few codes and hack the system via internet.

Any internet connected device is vulnerable- even the linux system used in cars,
cameras, android phones, iphones and even the Raspberry Pi.

Using Hearbleed, hacker could only spy on your computer but he couldnot control
your system. But shellshock permits both spying and system-control. So, hacker can
even commit first online murder via internet of everything.

Security: IoE-Internet of Everything

At present, We are living in Internet of Things. But 99% of the things are not
connected to Internet.

CISCO research predicts by 2020, well evolve to next stage-Internet of everything

(IoE).

IoE concept: Using micro sensors and internet, everyday objects will become
connected and intelligent.

For example- lights, Air-conditions, doorlocks, wearable heart monitors that are
controlled via internet.

But hackers can misuse such technology

Ex-US Vice President Dick Cheney asked doctors to disable wireless facility in his
2007
pacemaker. He feared terrorists could hack and stop the pace-maker to assassinate him.
EUs cybercrime centre says first online murder can happen by 2014 end.
2014,
Faster internet, cloud computing, gadgets that store your time and location informationOct
all these things will help in perfect murder.

Directly: via hacking Pacemakers, insulin pumps, hospital ventilators etc.

Indirectly: via spying on your personal data or framing you for a

cybercrime=>extortion =>suicide.

Security: Vishing- Voice Phishing

When? Going on since a long time but Hindu column in Oct 2014.

Vishing means Voice Phishing. In phishing: youre misdirected to a fake bank website.
In Vishing: youre misdirected to a fake helpline. Modus Operandi is following:

Fraudster obtains your profile picture, date of birth, education, residential information
from your social media profile.

He call you claiming Im from bank. I need to verify your details. He mentions your
DoB, education etc. to gain trust.

Then he says there is a security problem, your account is deactivated because of

unauthorized transaction, please call the call this xyz emergency number.

But he has created a fake helpline number, with automated voice messages. Customer
believes it to be authentic bank helplines, and gives credit card PIN, CVV; netbanking
username, password etc.

Another trick- he says youve won i-phone but need to transfer xyz sum to xyz account
as courier charges.

Security: COWL

Confinement with Origin Web Labels (COWL) launched in 2014, October.

Works with Mozillas Firefox Googles Chrome web browsers.

Yes but whats its function?

Nowadays, website aggregate content from multiple sites and display information. For
example, a blogpage with embedded youtube video and picasa/flickr slideshow.

Hackers design such innocent looking webpages with malicious JavaScript code hidden
in them.

COWL confines the JavaScript only to the given browser tab and prevents malicious
codes from information to unauthorised third party website.

Chip: Raspberry Pi

Raspberry Pi compuer

When?
Who?

What?

CPU

This device launched in 2012 but making news again in Hindu September 2014. hence
important.
UK based Raspberry Pi foundation.
A credit-card sized chip.
Weighs less than 50 grams.
Plug it in your TV, attach a keyboard and it can do everything that a desktop PC can
do- work on spreadsheet, word-pressing, play HD videos upto Blueray!
700 Mhz CPU chip similar to mobile phones.
Doesnt require separate CPU-heatfan or Air-conditioned environment like a regular
PC.
Hence energy consumption very low.

Max
512 MB
RAM
Storage 6 to 32GB SD cards.
cannot run Microsoft Windows or Android Operating system because of low memory.
OS
can linux based operating systems such as Pidora and Raspbian.
25-35$ depending on model.
Cost
40 lakh pieces sold so far

Theyre Planning to add touch-screen to it next year to make a dirt cheap tablet.

Will help bringing down digital divide in South Asian and African countries.

Lot more can be written about its potential uses, but max. aukaat of such gadget topic
is 100 words. For that, above content sufficient.

Chip: System on Chip (SoC)

When? Been in news since 2010-11. But again appeared in Hindu Nov 2014. Hence important.
Who? DRDO- Defence Research & Development Organisation
miniaturised embedded computer on a chip.
What?
For missiles, drones, airplanes and ships.
Purpose

At present, missiles have on-board computer (OBC).

With separate components like CPU, memory, IO-devices weighting ~4-5 kilos.

Together, they launch and guide the missile towards its direction.
Now, DRDO combined all those components into a single chip called System on Chip
(SoC). Benefits of SoC?

Processing speed increased by 6-7 times.

50% cheaper in cost.

Hardly 200 gms weight. Means more space for fuel and warheads.

Reduced power consumption.

Will be used in Astra missile (Air to Air), Tejas, Mig-29 and Su-30 MKI.

SoC is not a completely new invention. USA, Israel, China already have such chips. But
this one is indigenously developed in India= just like Nirbhay we got experience
building, will help in future inventions, will make us self-reliant.

Soc.Service: Facebooks Internet Drones

Today only 1/3rd of world population has internet connectivity.

Mark Zuckerberg and internet.org aim to provide affordable internet to remaining 2/3rd
of world population.

They plan to launch Internet-carrying solar-powered drones by 2015.

Theyll beam wireless internet using laser. Thus those drones will act as wifi-hotspots.

Size: big as Boeing 747 commercial aircraft.

Challenges in regulation:

These drones will have to fly above weather at 65,000 feet. But no international
regulations exist for that range.

Present rule is One pilot per plane. Need new rules to permit 1 (ground based)
pilot/operator to manage multiple drones.
Competition from google:

Google already acquired Titan Aerospace- start company making such solar-powered
drones. Facebook had to buy another British company.

Google already working on Project Loon to give net connectivity via balloons in
stratosphere. Although facebook brags that drones tougher and long-lasting than
ballons.

Soc.Service: Facebook Safety Check App

Facebook Safety app for Disaster Management

2011: Japan Tsunami, Facebook had created a separate message board to help
Japanese members tell their friends theyre ok.

2014, Oct: Based on that model, Facebook launched the Safety check app

During an earthquake and other disasters, user can tick Im ok or Im not in the area.
User can also mark his friends as safe.

His friends will be notified, so they can stop worrying.

Will benefit facebooks 1.3 billion users

Will work even on basic phones in third world countries.

Soc.Service: Google ILIA

When?
What?
Who?

Nov 2014
Indian Language Internet alliance (ILIA)
Google, CDAC, NDTV, Network 18 & other content providers.
Serve digital content in local language- websites, apps, videos and blogs.
Objective?
To 300 million Indians
Deadline: 2017
But why?

~200 million Indians know English.

5 million net users added every months, Most of them via mobile devices and dont
know English.

Google has implemented voice search in Hindi, and launched a

website, www.hindiweb.com, to help users get Hindi webpages.

Soc.Service: Saransh tool by CBSE

Saransh CBSE tool for Class9 to 12-school & student performance

CBSE: central board of secondary education.

Since 2009 they were conducting two tests on class 9 to 12 students.

Continuous and Comprehensive evaluation (CCE)

Problem Solving Assessments (PSA).

Now those statistics loaded into CBSEs Online tool Saransh. (2014, November)

At present, only teachers given username and passwords. Later facility will be given to
parents as well. So they can check performance of their kids and even decide which
school is better for admission.

Schools can compare performance of their students at state, regional and all India
level. And make corrective steps accordingly.

[Space-Tech] P1/3: (IRNSS) Indian Regional Navigation Satellite

System- Desi GPS for Drunk drivers

What is IRNSS?

Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS).

2006: Government approved project with ~Rs.1500 crores.

American Global positioning system has 24 orbiting satellites, a global network of

ground stations. Thus GPS covers every part of the world.

But, given this small budget, it is beyond ISROs aukaat to maintain 24 satellites to
cover entire globe,

Therefore, our Desi GPS will use just seven satellites, and try to cover India + 1,500
km beyond its borders.

HQ: ISRO Navigation Centre at Byalalu, near Bangalore. Itll control this system.

7 Satellites of IRNSS
These three of the satellites will be placed over the equator, in the geostationary
orbit.
3 satellites
they match the Earths rotation and therefore appear from the ground to remain at a
fixed position in the sky.
will be in pairs in two inclined geosynchronous orbits.
+4
From the ground, these satellites will appear to travel in figures of 8 during the
satellites
course of a day.

All seven IRNSS satellites will be at a height of about 36,000 km, taking a whole day to
circle the Earth.

In future, we can add more satellites to increase coverage surrounding India. and with
God willing, one day 25-30 satellites to cover entire earth, just like American-GPS.
So far 3 out 7 satellites launched

IRNSS-A
IRNSS-B
IRNSS-C
When
Jul. 2013
April 2014
Oct. 2014
Where
Satish Dawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra
Using PSLV* C22
C24
C26
*PSLV: Polar Satellite Launch vehicle.

IRNSS-C launch
(Mains-GS3) Q.Write a shortnote on the importance of IRNSS-C satellite
launch 100 words.

WHEN? October 2014. Hence the need for publishing this stupid article.
WHERE? Satish Dawan Space Centre in Sriharikota.
HOW? using Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV C26)
Carried two payloads
A: Device to send navigation signal to users
What?
B: C-band transponders to help in laser ranging. (to help Military / artillery range
estimation)
In next two years, remaining satellites will be launch, and Desi-GPS system will become
operational.

Benefits of IRNSS Desi-GPS system?

(Mains-GS3) Discuss the benefits of IRNSS system 200 words.

IRNSS will offer two services:

Standard Positioning Service: that will be accessible to anyone
Two
Restricted Service: Will be available only to the military and other governmentservices
authorized users.
Accuracy American GPS: 15 metersOur IRNSS: 20 meters.
The standard GPS receiver (in your smartphones and tablets) will not work with
Equipment IRNSS.
Youll need a special receiver equipment to use navigation data from

Will serve both civil and military users.

Will provide time-location coordinates on land, sea and air.

Cell phone apps- for mapping, driving, hiking in jungle and remote areas. And if you
use it with Idea-internet then rickshaw-walla cant make you ullu.

Forest department: Putting out wildfire, tracking endangered animals.

Fleet Management e.g. taxi or truck company can monitor whether their driver is on
right path or not.

Disaster Management.

During war: naval fleet Management, missile navigation etc.

Why waste money building Desi GPS?

Interview question: Why should Indian Government waste money on IRNSS?
Why not simply use American GPS at a fraction of that cost?

At present only three countries have fully functional global navigation systems. (EUs
Galileo system yet to become fully operational)

USA GPS
Russia GLONASS (more under appendix)
China Beidou

To deploy a global navigation system, you need to setup lots of satellites hovering
around the world, so they can scan and sent pinpoint location of anywhere to
anywhere.

During the Iraq war, the Americans sent wrong GPS signals to the Iraqi jets and
missiles, therefore Iraqis could not attack Americans forces in a precise manner.

Moral of the story = Dont rely on other peoples navigation system.

For the short term, We (India) have designed our missiles and fighter jets to can use
both GPS (American) and GLONASS (Russian) signals for navigation.

So if we want to attack America or its ally Pakistan, we can rely on GLONASS

And if we want to attack Russia or its ally China, we can rely on American GPS.

But for long term, we will need our own Desi-GPS system.

Same reason why we need Anti-satellite missiles, to shoot down videsi-GPS systems
during war.

GAGAN
(Mains-GS3) Write a short note on GAGAN system. 100 words

Global Positioning System Aided Geo Augmented Navigation System (GAGAN) for civil
aviation purposes.

GPS aided geo augmented navigation (gagan)

It is a joint effort by the ISRO and the Airports Authority Of India (AAI).

Its main use is to help Air traffic control and helps pilots fly / land aircrafts in bad
weather.

But as the name suggests GPS aided meaning it is not a separate independent
navigation system.

It depends on GPS (American navigation system). Therefore we need IRNSS for long
term solution.

Appendix1: IRNSS-Scientific principle

Since IRNSS project will still take two years to complete= Topic remains important for
scientific principle MCQs in CSAT prelim 2015, 2016 and even 2017 (because even in
2017, Hindu will keep doing mahimaa-gaan every once in a while). So, lets finish the
scientific principle once and for all.
Microwaves: how they help in GPSing?

IRNSS satellites use two microwave frequency bands: L5 and S.

These microwaves travel at speed of light.

Your receiver (the GPS-like gadget) will calculate the delay between microwaves
transmission and its reception = thus you get coordinates on earth.
Atomic Clocks

For above microwave-calculation, Navigation satellites have to periodically transmit

their precise position in orbit with exact time.

For this, we cant fit Timex or Sonata watches in the satellite. They need to carry
extremely accurate clocks with long shelf-life.

Therefore, Each IRNSS satellite is equipped with rubidium atomic clocks, to keep
precise time.

Appendix2: Russian GLONASS

This is an old topic from 2012. Dead horse resurrects because of IRSNSS.
MCQs relevance: similarities and differences between American GPS, GLONASS and
IRNSS.

Glonass is Russias Global Navigation Satellite System.

It provides location and time information anywhere in the planet.

Glonass is an alternative to the U.S.-controlled Global Positioning System (GPS).

2012: Mohan-Putin signed agreement for use of GLONASS.

GLONASS navigation system will allow Indian missiles, to strike within half a metre of
distant targets= very accurate.

GLONASS is fitted on Nuclear submarine Chakra= killer combo.

iPhone 4S mobile supports both GPS and GLONASS.

You can use it to know distance covered during jogging etc.
Finding shortest possible route during travel
Commercial use Keep track of your school-buses, transport trucks etc.
Civilian use

[Space-Tech] P2/3: NISAR 2020, GSLV-MK-3, GSAT-16 and LAM

NISAR Mission 2020: to measure land surface

Topic in News: October W1, 2014

Full name NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) mission

Launch Year 2020
Whats the purpose of this mission?

Measure the changes on earths land surface, ice surface, glaciers, earthquakes and
volcanoes.

Find causes and consequences of such changes.

NISAR will be the first satellite mission to use two different radar frequencies (L-band
and S-band). Hence It can capture resolution even less than a centimeter of earths
surface.
Whats the utility of such data?

Understanding climate change

Predicting natural disasters in advance.

Wholl provide what?

NASA

L-band
synthetic aperture radar (SAR)

GPS

Subsystems: Payload, Communication

Solid state recorder

ISRO
S-Band
Launch Vehicle
Spacecraft bus

GSAT-16: Communication satellite

Topic in News: SepW2, 2014

Existing system: INSAT-3E at 55 Degree East Longitude.

INSAT-3E is a communication satellite that powers DD and private TV channels,

internet and radio signals.

But INSAT-3E is getting old and outdated. Stopped working in March 2014, after
serving for almost a decade.

Solution? = replace it with GSAT-16

GSAT-16: Facts and Features:

Launch
2015, June
Communication satellite
Type
For TV, radio and internet
Weight
3100 kg
Launch Vehicle European Ariane-5 launcher

GSLV-Mark 3 for FAT satellites in future

Topic in news: Oct W3, 2014 (Because ISRO planning launch in next 45 days)

First understand the difference

PSLV

GSLV
Geosynchronous satellite launch
Polar satellite launch vehicle
vehicle
First launch 1993
2001.
Can carry upto 1600 kg satellite
2500kg
Used for launching Indian remote sensing satellites (IRS) For launching Indian National
such as CARTOSAT, RISAT, OCEANSAT,
satellites (INSAT) such as INSAT 2E,
RESOURCESAT
3A., GSAT-2,8,12.
Latest version is PSLV-XL. Can carry upto 1750 kg. It
was used to launch Chandrayaan, RISAT. And in future,
Next version is GSLV MK-3
itll be used for Mars mission as well.

What is GSLV Mk-3?

Latest version of GSLV -Geosynchronous satellite launch vehicle.

so, Whats the difference?

(ordinary)
GSLV

Carry upto

2500 kg

49 meters tall
414 tonnes

GSLV Mk-3
Can carry upto 4500-5000 kg satellites, such as INSAT-4 class. (Old articles in
Hindu said upto 4000, but new articles say 4500-5000)
Until now, we relied on EUs Arianespace launch vehicle to send those INSAT4 satellites.
In future, it ma
Just 42.4 meters- Shorter than ordinary GSLV.
629 tonnes.

Nov-Dec 2014: ISRO planning a test-launch it, using a dummy crew module.

GSLV MK-3 is a three stage vehicle.

1st stage Solid propellant
2nd stage Liquid Propellant
3rd stage Cryogenic Engine. (although during test-launch, ISRO wont use this)
GSLV MK-3 has multi-mission launch capabilities:

GTO (geo transfer orbit)

LEO (low earth orbit), Polar

Intermediate circular orbits.

Therefore it can be used for launching satellites into different orbits, according to
Mission requirement.

Thus, GSLV MK-3 will make ISRO a competitive player in commercial launches of
foreign satellites (and earn million$$).

Liquid Apogee Motor (LAM) to drive vehicle

carefully
Topic in News: Sep W2, 2014

There are two types of launch engines:

once fired continue to be in operation till their fuel burns off.
Solid fuel
We cant control its velocity or direction.
They can be shut off once the spacecraft achieves the desired velocity
Liquid
We can restart the engine several times if required. Thus it is possible to change
fuel
satellites orbit with precision.

LAM- Liquid Apogee Motor: is a special device on such liquid-fuel powered engines.

LAM Helps moving the satellite to the precise orbit.

LAM uses following chemicals: Helium gas, Nitrogen Tetroxide, Monomethyle Hydrazine

ISRO originally designed this instrument for INSAT-2 and other communication satellite.

Recently, ISRO used LAM on its Mars orbiter and on IRNSS satellites.

[Space-Tech] P3/3: Thirty Meter Telescope, Indias Neutrino

Observatory, NASA-TOPS

Thirty meter telescope (TMT)

Topic in News: Oct W1, 2014. (As such an old topic but keeps resurfacing on Hindu
every once in a while.)

What?

Thirty Meter Telescope (Because its primary mirror is 30m wide)

Worlds largest infrared telescope
World largest optical telescope (because its primary mirror is 30m wide.) although this
record will be soon broken, when European Extremely Large telescope is build. (42m
mirror)
TMT is 12 times better than Hubble space telescope.
Therefore, can search for stars that are less bright or farther from Earth.
Why?
TMT will help finding most distant and oldest stars that were born after Big Bang. Thus
we can learn more about the origin of the universe.
Mauna Kea volcano summit, in Hawaii.
Where?
Controversy: Project will harm the habitat of Rare Weiku bug.
Who? India, Japan, US, China and Canada.
2010: Pact signed
When?
2022: project will be finished.
Cost: 1.5 billion$

Indias contribution to TMT project

10% finance (1000 crore rupees).

India will develop the control system, sensors, fabrication, actuator systems of this
telescope.

Godrej and other Indian private companies will do the mirror-coating and polishing of
this telescope.

Indian astronomers will be allowed to use this telescope for the time proportional to
Indias contribution (10%). Japanese will get to use it for 25% and so on.

India based Neutrino Observatory (INO)

Topic in news: Sep W3, 2014

Mega science project under 12th Five year plan.

To setup an underground lab for pure science.
INO lab has 50,000 tonnes magnetic detector and an Iron Calorimeter (ICAL)
detector.
Function?
To study neutrinos and particle physics.
Later can be used for doing under-ground experiments in pure research in biology,
physics and chemistry as well.
Where? Bodi west hills, Theni district, South Tamilnadu
jointly funded by the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) and the Department of
Science and Technology (DST)
Who?
BARC, Tata institute of Fundamental research (TIFR) and dozen other chillar Indian
research institutes.
What?

Location factors:

To detect Neutrino and their reactions, the lab has to be at least 1000 m below surface,
to reduce natural cosmic radiation.

Mountains of South India, are most ideal for this lab, because theyve dense rock
(mostly gneiss) while the Himalayas are mostly metamorphic sedimentary rock with
only pockets of gneiss.

Bodi west hills are made up of Charnockite (hardest rock known.) Earthquake risk
minimum.

Hence better than hills in Karnataka, because theyve more schistic type rocks, the
rocks.

TOPS: Terrestrial Observation and Predicting

System (TOPS)
Topic in news: Sep W4, 2014

Ramakrishna Nemani, an Indian scientist in NASA-National Aeronautics and Space

Administration.
He modified NASA technology to help Indian farmers against floods, droughts, climate
change and smooth implementation of crop-insurance. hence important from two angles:
What?
1. (GS3): e-technology in the aid of farmers
2. (GS3): indigenization of technology
How? Terrestrial Observation and Predicting System (TOPS)
Who?

What is TOPS?
TOPS system collects weather and climate data using
1. satellite remote sensing
2. ground weather stations
3. Human inputs and
4. using climatic forecasting and ecosystem models
Ya, but What is the benefit of such data?
1. Helps categorizing agro-regions according to climate risk. Thus, Crop production and
loss can be determine in advance.
2. Both farmer and Insurance companies can make business decisions accordingly.
3. Ensures that right amount of crop insurance reaches the right farmer. (By linking
computerized land records, Adhar, Jan Dhan bank account.)

[Space] ISRO Mars Orbiter Mission (MoM) Mangalyaan: Payloads,

Purpose, Argument favor & against

Mars Planet: Basics

Has two moons: Phobos and Deimos

4th planet from Sun

2nd smallest planet in the Solar system after Mercury.

Diameter: ~6800 kms (Mars); Earth (~12700 kms)

Volume wise, ~8 Mars would fit inside our Earth.

One Martian day: 24 hours 37 minutes

One Martian year: 687 days

Mars is also tilted on its axis (25 degrees).

Mars gravity 1/10th of Earth.

When Sun and Mars are in opposite direction, it can be easily observed from Earth.

How far is Mars from Earth?

shortest
farthest
56 million kms 400 million kms, when both are on opposite sides of solar system.

Mars: Past missions

List is not exhaustive
Success
USSR Mars orbiter (70s)

USA / NASA
Marine series (~mid 60s)
Viking series (mid 70s)
Pathfinder (~mid 90s)
Rovers: Spirt, Opportunity (2003)
Phoenix (2007)
Curiosity (2011)
Maven (2013-14)
European Space Agency (2003) Beagal lender
(although images lost)
ISROs Mars Orbitor Mission (2013-14)

#EPICFAILS
USSR: Korabl series, Mars 1969 series,
Phobos Grunt

USA Mariner series before mid-60s

Japans Nozomi- failed to enter Mars orbit

(1998-2003)

MoM (ISRO) vs MAVEN (NASA)

ISROs MoM
Mars Orbitor Mission
launch vehicle=PSLV
launched on 5th Nov 2013
reached Mars on 24th Sep 2014
launched from Sriharikota, Andhra
Rs.450 crore
~1,350 kg
Doing three studies:
1. Surface/geology: using camera and
spectrometer.

2. (Particle) Environment: using

MENCA

3. Atmosphere: using Photometer and

Methane sensor
has five instruments/payloads

NASAs Maven
Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution Mission
(MAVEN)
Atlas V rockets. (more powerful than PSLV)
18th Nov 2013
Reached Mars on 21st Sep 2014.
launched from Cape Canaveral in Florida, US.
$671 million
??
Only study Martian (upper) atmosphere.
based on that data: Itll give clues about martian climate,
geologic, and geochemical conditions over time
Will find the answer: Did Mars ever had suitable
environment to support life?
has eight instrument- spectrograph, magnetometer, ion
analyzer etc.
The spacecraft may also provide communications relay
support for future Mars landers and rovers.

MoMs Launch Vehicle

PSLV
GSLV
Polar satellite launch vehicle Geosynchronous satellite launch vehicle
Can carry upto 1600 kg satellite 2500kg
ISRO had used PSLV XL (C25) launch vehicle to launch the Mangalyaan (Mars
spacecraft). Why?
1. At that time, GSLV tests were not successful. Last time they tried GSLV to launch
GSAT-14 satellite and failed because of fuel leak. (Aug 2013)
2. Mangalyaan weighs ~1300 kg. PSLV can easily carry this weight.
3. PSLV is tried and tested technology.
Factoids

MoM/Mangalyaan: first Indian spacecraft to cross Earths escape velocity of 11.2 km per
second.

Mangalyaan traveled for ~300 days, covering ~65 crore kilometers, and reached
Martian orbit in September 2014.

Mangalyan is not the fastest spacecraft to reach Mars. Others are far ahead of It, in
terms of speed. For example- European Space Agencys Mars mission (2003) reached
Mars in ~210 days.

MoM cost 7 rupees per kms to reach Mars.

MoM @Mars

Nov 2013: MoM Launched from Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh

Sep 2014: MoM reached Mars orbit

MoM in Mars Orbit

Periapsis: nearest point
~420 kms
Apoapsis: farthest point
~77,000 kms
time to finish one circle of Mars ~73 hours / ~ 3 days.
Orbit inclination
150 degrees

Payloads and purpose?

Q. What is the purpose of sending MoM?

Ans. To find out composition of Mars SAM (Surface Atmosphere Minerals), using
five payloads/instruments:

Study
Mars

Payload

detail

Mars Color camera.

Study surface, dust storms etc.
Take photos of Mars satellites: Phobos and Deimos.
Mars Exospheric Neutral Composition Analyzer.
2.MENCA Gandhi
To study neutral gas atoms in the Martian atmosphere.
Methane Sensor for Mars (MSM).
3.Methane Sensor
If methane + water detected=possible that at some point of time,
Mars had supported life form.
Atmosphere
Lyman Alpha Photometer (LAP).
To Measure hydrogen and deuterium.
Deuterium = heavier than hydrogen.Water made from heavy
4.Photometer
hydrogen is heavier and hence it evaporates differently.
Knowing Hydrogen : Deuterium ratio will help answer how did
water vanish from Mars?
Thermal Infrared Imaging spectrometer (TIS). To study mineral
resources of Mars
Minerals 5.Spectrometer
And to help UPSC update its Mains GS1 syllabus: Distribution
of key natural resources across the Earth AND Mars.
Surface

1.Color Camera

ISTRAC

ISRO Telemetry, Tracking & Command Network @Banglore.

Previously tracked and commanded Chandrayaan-1

Now doing the same for Mars orbiter.

Do we need Mars Mission?

(For Group Discussion GD/Interview)

Anti-Arguments
1. Crores of rupee wasted- could be used to feed millions of hungry people in India.
Millions of children suffering from malnutrition, half the junta doesnt have toilets- Modi
himself highlighting this issue in his every speech.
2. Better get those thousands of ISRO scientists and engineers to comeup with new
technology to fix malnutrition and malnutrition.
3. ISROs budget is better spent to meet Indias communication needs and bring down
digital divide.

4. Even Airtel has sued ISRO for not meeting its contract obligations. So, ISRO better
focus on present rather than doing some mars research whose benefits can materialize
may be after 100-200 years.
5. ISRO has installed a fancy methane detector in this spacecraft. But NASAs curiosity
rover data has already concluded that Mars environment doesnt contain
methane. ISRO is only doing gaddha majoori (donkey labour). Counter argument:
NASAs Curiosity rover measured presence of methane in a small area. But ISRO will
scan entire Martian environment to detect Methane.
6. GSLV testing has not giving positive result yet. Had they waited for GSLV testing to
finish- Mars Mission could be done in 2016. (Even Chandrayan-2 project is stalled due
to this GSLV problem). But it seems ISRO chairman wants media publicity before
retiring, so made he all the haste to launch Mars Mission in 2013 using PSLV (instead of
GSLV).
7. Less of a scientific pursuit and more of a space race with China- me too going on Mars.
First India should overtake China in terms of GDP and poverty removal.
8. Britain, Japan, World Bank etc. reduce the donation to India thinking since India has
lot of money of run such Mars adventures, they must have money to take care of their
poors as well.
(To drag the argument further non-seriously)
1. This is just publicity stunt to divert attention from real issues. Earlier Chandryaan found
traces of water on Moon, then Aaj-tak etc. Hindi channels ran 24/7 reports for weeks.
In the meantime government can go scot free with bigger scams and inflation.
2. And most importantly, the youngsters have to mugup one more stupid topic for the
competitive exams. The financial cost of combined man-hours wasted in studying such
topics= alone worth 13% of GDP, so much for Demographic dividend.

Pro-arguments
#1: cash will be recovered
At the core of Anti arguments= Cash that ISRO has wasted in this Mars project. But in
reality its an investment that will be recovered within a few decades, How?
1. Many countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America are seeing good economic growth. But
they lack skilled manpower, technology and budget to setup their own launch vehicles
and premier space agencies.
2. But they too need satellites for communication and military. So, they outsource the
satellite launch/survey work to established players.

3. ISROs commercial Arm ANTRIX makes annual profit of ~100 crore rupees from such
outsourced contracts.
4. ISRO spent only 450 crore rupees. NASA has spent billions of dollars on Mars. This
Makes ISRO world-famous as a prudent cost saving space agency= more clients via its
commercial arm ANTRIX = more money incoming.
So, we can see this Mars mission as ISROs 450 crore rupees advertisement / PR
campaign- to impress those potential clients and get more contracts=> money will be
recovered and profit will be made.

#2: Soft Power

As ISRO establishes reputation, gets more contracts from third world- it can be used as
a tool to exercise soft power. How?

give

personnel /technology exchange programs

with developing countries

giving discounts on their space
projects/infrastructure

take
their support for Indias claim to Permanent seat in
UNSC
their votes in our favour whenever
Kashmir/Arunachal issues popup in UN General
Assembly
Oil-gas exploration contracts in their territory
and so on.

In short, there is more to international relations than what meets the eyes. 450 crore is
a very petty amount to accomplish many diplomatic victories- [compared to the
thousands of crore rupees weve given to Bangladesh, Myanmar, Nepal and Bhutan via
soft loans so they dont shelter terrorists and secessionists on their soil.]

#3: Did not steal from poors month

1. Government spends barely ~0.35% of budget on space programs. And even out of that
~0.35% allocation, ISRO spent only 8% on Mars Missions. There are plenty of
government schemes with way bigger budgetary allotments for poor people. So its not
like government stopped/reduced expenditure on some xyz scheme for poors to fund
ISROs Mars adventure.
2. Agreed, poverty should be removed, and everyone must get food security. But the
proposed food security bill will need ~1-2 lakh crores rupees every year.
3. Even If ISRO didnt spend 450 crores on Mars, the money thus saved- wont make a big
contribution to food security anyways.

#4: Making History

Until now, only three agencies had succeeded in Mars Mission

1. European Space Agency (ESA) of European consortium,

2. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) of the US
3. Roscosmos of Russia
4. And ISRO became the fourth one.

Even USA, Japan and China failed to reach mars in their first attempt.

Overall, 51 missions made so far, only 21 have succeeded.

ISROs Mars mission succeeded in its first attempt (that too without coaching), hence
its a milestone in the history of space explorations.

Even China has applauded this event as pride of Asia.

#5: Misc.
1. Will attract talented desi scientist/engineers to join ISRO. Thus, braindrain will decline.
2. Data gathered from ISROs mission, can be used to send manned mission (astronauts)
on Mars later, with collaboration of NASA etc.
3. The technology used in this mission has potential application in weather forecast,
computer tech, health-medicine etc. in future.
4. Space research is not waste of time. 1999 Odisha cyclone killed >10000 people. But
2013 cyclone Phalin killed very few, because Indian satellite gave accurate weather
prediction about where and when the storm would hit. Space research has given
immense benefits to Agriculture, education, fisheries and defense. (Counter argument:
then send more weather/education satellites- not spacecrafts to Moon and Mars!)
5. Humanity would not have progressed, if we had not taken such leaps into the unknown.
And space is indeed the biggest unknown out there.

[Space Tech] Current Affairs Compilation 2012-13 for SSC CGL,

UPSC CSAT

Basic: What does ISRO do?

1. When something is sent to space, it can be Manned (with astronauts) or Unmanned
(without astronauts).
2. The unmanned missions have two things:

Examples
One Launch Vehicle
PSLV, GSLV
One or More Satellite(s) INSAT, RISAT, CARTOSAT.
sometimes, instead of satellites, it can be rovers, space telescopes.

The Launch Vehicle (e.g. PSLV, GSLV) sends the satellite(s) into the space.

After covering a particular distance, the satellite (e.g. INSAT, GISAT) gets detached
from the Launch Vehicle.

Then Satellite opens up its wings like a butterfly from cocoon. Those wings have solar
panels, they provide electricity to the satellite.

Satellite rotates around the earth and sends signals to and fro- thus it helps in
telecommunication, TV signal broadcasting, disaster/weather monitoring, sea
navigation etc.

If we put the satellite @35800 km in the equatorial plane, itll appear fixed from any
point on earth, and well call it a Geostationary satellite.

And the Launch vehicle then returns back to Earth, usually falling in the ocean or
uninhibited land. The scientists collect the launch vehicle and re-use its parts for next
mission.

Basics: ISS

ISS= International space station.

ISS is like a hostel in the space. Astronauts go there, stay for some weeks/ months do
some observation, research, repairwork and come back home.

US, Japan, Russia, Canada and many other countries have invested in this ISS space
station.

But China is not a partner in ISS project. China wants to build its own Space station.
Thats were Shenzhous-9 and Tiangong-1 come into picture.

Basics: Tiangong and Shenzhou

Tiangong-1= means heavenly palace.

This is Chinas experimental space station. So this is the hostel for Chinese astronauts
in space.

Ok but how will you send Chinese astronauts to this heavenly palace? Ans. Via
Shenzhou spacecraft.

Shenzhou means Divine vessel.

In 2012, China used this divine vessel (Shenzhou 9) to send its first female astronaut
Liu Yang to that Heavenly palace (Tiangong-1)

In 2013, China will send more astronauts to that Heavenly palace (Tiangong-1), using
Shenzhou 10.

Basics: Atlantis Space shuttle

Ok recap again, to send satellites in the space, you need a launch vehicle (e.g. PSLV,
GSLV).

Similarly to send people into space, you need a space craft / rocket e.g. Chinas
Shenzhou. Americas Atlantis and Russias Soyuz also do the same thing.

The Atlantis is a space shuttle of NASA. It looks like an airplane.

Atlantis can be used for launching space telescopes, satellites as well as people in to
the space, as per the mission requirements.

And Atlantis can come back and land on earth like a regular airplane (except that
during the landing, Atlantis will open parachute to reduce its speed).

It had carried 33 missions from 1985 to 2011

Atlantis was retired in 2012.

Columbia is another example of NASAs Space Shuttle. But in 2003, it crashed during
re-entering into Earths atmosphere.

India born female astronaut Kalpana Chawla died in this accident. We named our
Weather satellite after her (KALPANA-1).

Basics: Soyuz spacecraft

Just like China uses divine vessel (Shenzhou) to send people into space, similarly
Russia uses Soyuz to send people into space.

In 2012, three astronauts (including Sunita Williams) were sent to International space
station (ISS) using Soyuz.

Basics: spacewalking

There are two types of missions/probes: Manned and unmanned.

Manned = sending people into space.

But what do people do in the space?

They go to moon, hoist the flag of their nations, E.g. Neil Armstrong.

They spend a few months on the international space station (ISS) or Heavenly Palace
(Tiangong) or similar hostel (space station. E.g. Indias first astronaut Rakesh Sharma
spent 8 days in a Russian space station.

But often the outside body a spacecraft/hostel (space station) requires some repairing,
maintenance or upgrades.

So, when astronaut goes out of the spacecraft, wearing that white suit and ballon
shaped helmet and does some walking/repairing work, that is known as spacewalk.

Currently Sunita Williams holds the longest spacewalk record for females. (50+ hours).
For males, it is Anatoly Solovyev (77+ hours).

By the way, Sunita Williams also holds the record for the longest single spaceflight by a
woman. (195 days).

Basics: Dragon capsule

Ok so far we know there are hostels in the space (e.g. ISS, Tiangong). People go
there, spend a few weeks / months. But if it is a hostel, itd require food and supplies.

A private company (Space X) has designed the Dragon capsule to deliver the food and
supplies to space stations.

It successfully delivered cargo to ISS space station in 2012.

Basics: Anti-satellite missiles

We have learned the importance of launch vehicles, satellites and space stations.

But if an enemy shoots down our satellites then our banking and sharemarket system
will collapse, Our army, navy and airforce will not be able to attack back effectively, and
more importantly juntaa will not be able to watch IPL matches and saas-bahu serials or
log into facebook and orkut.

Back in 2007, Chinese military used an Anti-Satellite missile to destroy its own weather
satellite. This made Americans (and Indians) very nervous.

But we have Agni-V missile. It has range of 5000kms. If we make some modifications
in it, we can also use it to destroy enemy satellites. So now China is also nervous.

Basics part is over. now lets get to business: Space Tech related current affairs (201213) for rapid revision. First well look at the space programs of India, US, Russia, China
and other countries. Then well look at telescopes and Persons in News (Space)

Space programs: India

Carried out by Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO)

Chairman=Dr. K. Radhakrishnan. He had replaced G Madhavan Nair. (First Chairman of

ISRO was Vikram Sarabhai.)

HQ
Satish Dhawan Space
centre
Physics research lab
Antrix

Banglore
Shriharikota, Andhra. We usually launch satellites from here. (or from
French Guiana in S.America).
Ahmedabad
Banglore

Indias Launch Vehicles: PSLV vs

GSLV
PSLV

GSLV

Geosynchronous satellite launch

vehicle
Can carry upto 1600 kg satellite
2500kg
Used for launching Indian remote sensing satellites (IRS) For launching Indian National
such as CARTOSAT, RISAT, OCEANSAT,
satellites (INSAT) such as INSAT 2E,
RESOURCESAT
3A., GSAT-2,8,12.
Latest version is PSLV-XL. Can carry upto 1750 kg. It
Next version is GSLV MK-III, can
was used to launch Chandrayaan, RISAT. And in future,
carry upto 4000kg
itll be used for Mars mission as well.
Polar satellite launch vehicle

Indias Satellites: IRS vs INSAT

IRS

INSAT

Indian remote sensing satellites

Monitoring natural resources, crops,
minerals, forest cover etc.
Launched using PSLV.
Examples of IRS = CARTOSAT, RISAT,
OCEANSAT, RESOURCESAT

Indian National satellites (INSAT)

Telecom, TV broadcast, DTH, weather forecasting,
telemedicine, tele-education, search and rescue etc.
Using GSLV.
Examples of INSAT= INSAT-2E, 3A,. And
GSAT-2,8,12.

Now lets take a look at the satellites that have been in news recently (or mentioned in
Yearbook)

Aditya-1
Astrosate-1

CARTOSAT
3

GISAT
GSAT-10
GSAT-7
INSAT-2E
INSAT-3D

after serving for 13 years, this satellite completed its mission life in 2012.

Weather satellite (meteorology), search and rescue operations.

At present Indias meterological observation is done by two satellites
Kalpana-1 and INSET 3A. This INSAT 3D is more powerful and
advanced.
RISAT-1 is Indias first radar imaging satellite
It can scan the earth surface during both day and night, even in cloudy
conditions. So it is an all weather satellite.
Use= paddy monitoring and management of natural disaster like flood
and cyclone.
It was launched using PSLV-XL launch vehicle.
Indo-French satellite
SARAL= Satellite with ARgos and ALtiKa.
It was launched From Sriharikota, Andhra.
Itll be used for marine meteorology, oceanography climate monitoring
etc.

SARAL

For astronomy.
ISRO is building this remote sensing satellite.
It can take images of earth with resolution of 0.25 meters.
Itll be used for cartography and high resolution mapping.
Geo Imaging Satellite.
Itll be positioned 36,000 kms above the earth.
Itll be used for disaster management, border security.
This is Indias heaviest satellite so far.
It was ISROs 101st mission.
It was launched French Guiana.
It also carried second payload of GAGAN. (First payload of GAGAN
was sent via GSAT-8).
Itll increase Indias telecommunication signals.
Indian Navy will also use it for communication.

RISAT-1

For studying Solar Coronas.

ISROs first mission was to send aryabhatta Satellite into space. But at that time we did
not have our own launch vehicle, so we used a Russian launch vehicle.

Today ISRO has both Satellite + Launch vehicle. And we not only send our own
satellites, we also help other countries send their satellites into space, using our launch
vehicles. (ofcourse after taking cash for providing the Taxi/courier service.)

For these type of commercial activities, ISRO takes help of Antarix.

Antarix is a Government owned company, it works as the marketing and commercial

arm of ISRO.

ISROs 100th mission

ISROs 100th mission was launched from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriarikota,
Andhra Pradesh.

Here, ISRO launched two foreign satellites using PSLV launch vehicle. The name of
satellites are:

1. SPOT 6: French satellite

2. Proiteres: Japanese micro satellite

By the way, recall that ISROs 101st mission was GSAT 10. And GSAT 10 is the heaviest
satellite ISRO has launched so far. (because 100th mission is extremely clichd and
blown out of proportion, so if UPSC wants to apply its BackbreakingTM move, itd rather
ask about 99th or 101st mission hahaha).

Indias own GPS: IRNSS

At present only three countries have their own global navigation systems

USA GPS
Russia GLONASS.
China Beidou

To deploy a global navigation system, you need to setup lots of satellites hovering
around the world, so they can scan and sent pinpoint location of anywhere to
anywhere.

During the Iraq war, the Americans sent wrong GPS navigation signals to the Iraqi jets
and missiles, therefore Iraqis could not attack Americans forces in accurate manner.

Moral of the story = Dont rely on other peoples navigation system.

For the short term, We (India) are designing our missiles and fighter jets in such way
that they can use both GPS (American) and GLONASS (Russian) signals for navigation.
(so if we want to attack America or its ally, we can rely on GLONASS and vice versa.)

But for long term, we will need our own GPS like system. Therefore, ISRO is developing
IRNSS.

IRNSS= Indian regional navigational satellite system.

Now if you connect the dots: we need our own GPS (IRNSS) so we can accurately
attack enemies. And we will need our own Anti-satellite missile, to shoot down satellites
of enemies so their GPS cannot work accurately.

GAGAN

GPS aided geo augmented navigation (gagan)

It is a joint effort by the ISRO and the Airports Authority Of India (AAI).

Its main use is to help Air traffic control and helps pilots fly / land aircrafts in bad
weather.

But as the name suggests GPS aided meaning it is not a separate independent
navigation system. It depends on GPS (American navigation system). Therefore we
need IRNSS.

Space Vision India 2025

This is what ISRO plans to for future:
1. Use satellites for rural connectivity, security and mobile services
2. Increase imaging capability for natural resource management, weather and climate
change studies
3. Get better understanding of solar system and universe
4. explore planets.
5. Develop Heavy lift launcher
6. Develop Reusable Launch Vehicles.
7. Send Humans to space.

Cryogenic Engine

Cryogenic engines work at very low temperature.

ISRO is developing cryogenic engines

1. for GSLV launch vehicles.

2. for Chandrayaan-2 moon mission

earlier ISRO had tried this in 2010 but it was an #EPICFAIL.

Chandrayaan-1

It was Indias first unmanned moon mission.

It found evidence of water on Moon. It also did the surved the topography, craters,
polar regions and environment of Moon.

This happened in 2008 hence too old and too clichd to be asked for MCQs.

ISRO is now working on Chandrayaan-2 joint programme with the Russian Federal
Space Agency, But Russians suffered a setback due to their Phobos grunt mission.

Mars Mission

India planning a Mars mission similar to Curiosity mission of NASA. (probably in

October/November 2013.)

Mohan made official announcement about this during Independence day speech.

Mars mission will be launched using PSLV-XL.

PSLV-XL is the most powerful version of PSLV launch vehicle. Earlier it was used for
Chandrayaan Mission, RISAT and GSAT-12.
This leads to Essay / group discussion / interview topic that when millions of Indians
are suffering from poverty and malnutrition, whats point of spending crores of rupees
on Moon and Mars mission? But this article is written for MCQs, so lets not dwell into
that for the moment.

Space programs: USA (NASA)

NASA=National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

There is no end to NASA missions either, but from the current affairs point of view, I
would classify them into three: 1) Mars related 2) Moon related 3) Misc.

USA: MARS related

Curiosity

This is Maha clichd topic for MCQs but anyways

Name of the mission is MSL: Mars Science laboratory.

Under this MSL mission, NASA launched Curiosity rover to Mars in 2011.

In 2012, Curiosity rover successfully landed on Mars surface.

This mission has following aims

1. Did life ever exist on Mars?

2. Find presence of water, and other life supporting elements.
3. Collect data related to geology, radiation levels etc. for planning next manned mission
to Mars.

Device on
Curiosity
CHEMIN

TLS

Function

Chemistry and Mineralogy instrument

It is used for soil analysis on Mars.
CheMin found that minerals on the Red Planet are similar to those found
in volcanic soils in Hawaii
Tunable Laser Spectrometer (TLS)
Presence of methane in a planets atmosphere indicates that life may have

existed in the past.

TLS analysed a small sample of Martian air and detected very small amount of
methane.

Gale Crater

Located on Mars planet.

Curiosity rover landed here and found signs that water may have flowed in the past
through this Gale Crater.

Black Beauty

It is a 320 gram space rock from Mars.

Discovered in Moroccos Sahara Desert in 2011

It contains more water than any other Martian meteorite previously found.

could unlock vital clues to the evolution of Mars.

NASA: Moon related

Ebb and Flow,

Sally Ride

GRAIL
LCROSS

MoonKAMs

Two NASA spacecraft Ebb and Flow, equipped with

MoonKAMs.
They were orbiting around Moon since 2011 under
GRAIL mission.
But they did not have sufficient altitude or fuel to
continue science operations.
Hence NASA team crash-landed them on Moon in Dec
2012.
The place where they crash landed is named after Sally
K. Ride, Americas first woman astronaut.
Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL)
To study the gravity field and geological structure of the
Moon.
NASAs Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing satellite,
It has detected presence of water locked inside the soil of
moon.
MoonKAM= Moon Knowledge Acquired by Middle
School Students.
The MoonKams captures images of the moons surface
and sends them to the students for study.

NASA: Misc. Missions

Cassini

It found evidence of water on Titan.

Titan is the largest moon of Saturn planet.
Dragon capsule was designed by a private company space X. (and
not by NASA)
It delivered food, supplies and cargo to International space station.
It was launched using Flacon 9 rocket.
It is a small satellite designed by NASA aimed to capture the details of
the lightening that happens in deep space.
This will help solving the mystery of terrestrial gamma rays, or TGFs.

It is a space observatory of NASA.

It is used for discovering earth like plants.

Mercury is the innermost planet in the Solar System.

NASAs MESSENGER spacecraft has reported presence of water-ice
on Mercury.
NuSTAR (the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array)
It is a space-based X-ray telescope.
NASA launched this under Pegasus mission.
NuSTAR telescope will use high power X-rays to locate black holes,
collapsed stars and supernova remnants.
web-based tool for predicting and forecasting the radiation
environment in near-Earth, lunar and Martian space.
It will provide critical information as preparations are made for
potential future manned missions to the Moon and Mars.

Dragon Space

Fire Fly
Cubesat
Kepler
telescope
Mercury
Messenger
NuSTAR

PREDICCS

Space Programs: Russia

Luna Glob Robotic Lunar Mission in 2015.
Joint experiments conducted by EU, Russia, China for sending human
Mars500 missions on Mars.
Phobos
Mars has two moons. Phobos is the largest of them.Russian sent Phobos grunt
mission to study it. But the spacecraft failed and crashed into Pacific ocean.
Grunt
Name of the two seater spaceship developed by Russia
Rus
Soyuz
Launched from Kazakhstan, carried three astronauts to International space
station (ISS), including Sunita Williams in 2012.
rocket

Space Programs: China

Beidou
HXMT

Shenzhous-

10

Shenzhous-9

Yaogan
Chinasat

Before Beidou, only two countries had Navigation systems: USA=

GPS and Russia= GLONASS.
Beidou is Chinas own version of global navigation system.
Project will be fully operational by 2020.
Hard x-ray modulation telescope
Chinas first space telescope.
for studying blackholes. (recall that Americas NuSTAR is also
meant for studying blackholes).
Chinas next manned space mission.
It will also carry Chinese astronauts to Tiangong-1.
It means divine Vessel.
Manned space mission of China.
It carried Chinas first woman astronaut Liu Yang to an orbiting
module Tiangong-1.
Tiangong-1 means Heavenly palace- it is Chinas prototype for
future space station similar to ISS.
For crop assessment and disaster management.
It is chinas new military communication satellite.

Space Programs: Other countries

Korea Space Launch Vehicle-1 (KSLV-1)

South Korea will launch this satellite and gain entry to an elite global space club that
Korea includes Asian powers China, India and Japan.
Earlier USA did not let S.Korea developed launch vehicles for the fear of arms race
between North and South Korea.
Pishgam =name of Monkey that was recently sent to space and returned back, under
Iran Iranian space mission. In Farsi, Pishgam = Pioneer.

Telescopes

There are two types of telescopes:

1. Those on the ground (e.g. SKA, Solar telescope in Ladakh) and

2. Those in the space. (Kepler, NuSTAR, HXMT and Herschel.)

Ground telescopes

Square Kilometre
Array (SKA)

Solar telescope

worlds largest and most sensitive radio telescope

will be completed in 2024
Will be setup in South Africa and Australia.
Applications: signal transport, signal processing,
computing, software and data archiving
India is actively involved in this project
Also known as National Large Solar Telescope (NLST)
Will be built in the Ladakh region of Jammu and
Kashmir by Dept of Science and Technology.
This will be worlds largest solar telescope.
Can work in both day and night.
Will help in understanding sunspots: process of their
creation and decay.
Sunspots and solar winds pose a threat to the
communication system on earth as well as space
satellites.

Space telescopes

Herschel

HXMT

Kepler

NuSTAR

largest space telescope ever launched (2009)

It is named after Sir William Herschel who had discovered Uranus
planet.
This telescope is in news, because soon its onboard liquid helium
supply will be exhausted and itll stop working.
Helium is required to cool the instruments on Herschele space
telescope.
Hard x-ray modulation telescope
Chinas first space telescope.
for studying blackholes. (recall that Americas NuSTAR is also
meant for studying blackholes).
Launched in 2009.
To discover earth like planets.
Kepler was a German astronomer who gave laws to describe the
motion of planets around the Sun.
NuSTAR (the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array)
It is a space-based X-ray telescope.
NASA launched this under Pegasus mission.
NuSTAR telescope will use high power X-rays to locate black holes,
collapsed stars and supernova remnants.

EU+US

China

US

US

[Revision] Agriculture Chemistry: Mineral Nutrition, Plant Growth

Regulators, Ethylene, Hydroponics, Photoperiodism, Vernalisation

Plant growth regulators (PGRs)

Growth means an irreversible permanent increase in size of an organ /cell.

water, oxygen and nutrients=> Metabolism (Anabolic/catabolic)=>Growth.

Plant growth regulators are indole compounds and have two subtypes:

1. growth promoters (auxins, gibberellins and cytokinins)

2. growth inhibitor (e.g. Absicis acid)
Ethylene fits in either group, but largely growth inhibitor.

Auxins

Auxins (Greek word to grow). Chemically theyre indole-3-acetic acid (IAA).

first isolated from human urine

Auxins used for Parthenocarpy in tomatoes i.e. the development of a fruit without
fertilization or seeds.

Assertion: Auxins used as herbicides. Correct Reason: They can kill dicotyledonous
weeds without harming mature monocotyledonous plants.

Auxins help to initiate rooting in stem cuttings- hence used for plant propagation.

Auxins prevent fruit and leaf from dropping at early stages but promote the abscission
of older mature leaves and fruits.

Auxins promote flowering in pineapples.

Gibberellins (GA)

Gibberellins (1) increase length of grapes stalks (2) They elongate and improve shape
of Apples.
They delay senescence, so fruits can be left on the tree longer so as to extend the
market period.

In brewing industry, GA 3 is used to fasten the malting process

Sugarcane stores carbohydrate as sugar in their stems. GA spray will increase stems
length & thereby yield to 20 tonnes per acre.

GA spray will hasten maturity of juvenile conifers and lead to early seed production.

In beet, cabbages GA promotes bolting (internode elongation just prior to flowering).

All GAs are acidic in Nature.

Cytokinins

Theyre produced in in regions where rapid cell division occurs- e.g. root apices,
developing shoot buds, young fruits etc.

They produce new leaves, chloroplasts in leaves and growth of shoot.

They promote nutrient mobilisation to delay leaf senescence

Cytokinins help overcome the apical dominance.

Apical dominance: In most higher plants, the growing apical bud inhibits the growth
of the lateral (axillary) buds. Therefore, in plantations, hedge-making- shoot tips are
remoted (decapitation) to make lateral buds grow.

Ethylene

Ethylene is a simple gaseous Plant growth regulators (PGRs)

It is synthesized in tissues undergoing senescence and ripening fruits

In leaves and flowers, Ethylene promotes following

Senescence: process of growing older and showing the effects of increasing age

Abscission: Shedding of flowers, leaves and fruit.

respiratory climactic: Ethylene enhances the respiration rate during ripening of the
fruits. Thus helps in fruit ripening.

Ethylene breaks seed and bud dormancy, peanut seeds germination, potato tubers
sprouting,

Ethylene promotes elongation in deep water rice plants so leaves can remain above
water.

Ethylene also promotes root hair growth to increase absorption surface

Ethylene is used to synchronise fruit-set in pineapples and flowering in mango

Since ethylene regulates so many physiological processes, it is one of the most widely
used PGR in agriculture

Ethephon

Ethephon is most widely used source of Ethylene. It is an aqueous solution is readily

absorbed and transported within the plant and releases ethylene slowly.

Ethephon hastens fruit ripening in tomatoes and apples and accelerates abscission in
flowers and fruits (thinning of cotton, cherry, walnut). It promotes female flowers in
cucumbers thereby increasing the yield.

Abscisic acid (ABA)

It acts as a general plant growth inhibitor, metabolism inhibitor, seed germination

inhibitor.

ABA induces dormancy, helps seeds to withstand desiccation.

Assertion: Abscisic acid is also known as stress hormone. Correct Reason: It

increases the tolerance of plants to various kinds of stresses.

Essential elements

weathering and breakdown of rocks=> essential minerals => root=> xylem tissue=>
plant

Thus, Most of the essential minerals are derived from the rock minerals. Therefore,
plant nutrition is called mineral nutrition.

60+ elements found in different plants- including gold, selenium and even radioactive
strontium (if plant growing in nuke site)

So, the question is- how can we know if given element is essential for plant or not?
Well, Essential elements have 3 characteristics:

If theyre absent, plant will not complete its lifecycle.

Theyre not replaceable by other elements.

Theyre directly involved in plant-metabolism.

Total 17 Essential elements further divided into two groups:

Macronutrients vs Micronutrients
Macronutrients
Present in plant tissues in large amounts (>10 mmole Kg 1 of
dry matter).

Micronutrients
Less amount / trace elements.

iron, manganese, copper,

From soil: nitrogen, phosphorous (ATP), sulphur, potassium
(stomata opening-closing), calcium and magnesium
molybdenum, zinc, boron, chlorine and
(Chlorophyll)
nickel
From air: carbon, hydrogen, oxygen
Among above, carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen are
components of biomolecules hence called structural elements
If nitrogen, potassium and magnesium deficiency, then itll be
first visible in the senescent leaves.

Chlorosis vs Necrosis
Chlorosis
Leaves turn yellow due to loss of Chlorophyll.

Necrosis
Death of leaf tissue

deficiency of elements N, K, Mg, S, Fe, Mn, Zn and Mo deficiency of Ca, Mg, Cu, K.

Nitrogen

Plants need this element in the greatest amount, because of

Its role in meristematic tissues and the metabolically active cells.

Nitrogen is one of the major constituents of proteins, nucleic acids, vitamins and
hormones.

Artificial: Industrial combustions, forest fires, automobile exhausts and powergenerating stations.

Natural: Decomposition of organic material => Ammonification => Nitrogen fixing

bacteria Nitrosomonas and/or Nitrococcus => Nitrite=>oxidation by Nitrobacter.

nitrogen-fixing microbes could be free-living or symbiotic.

Azotobacter is a free-living nitrogen-fixing aerobic microbes.

Assertion: nitrogen is a limiting nutrient for both natural and agricultural ecosystems. Correct-Reason: Plants compete with microbes for the limited nitrogen in the
soil.

Misc. Terms
PHOTOPERIODISM

Plant-flowering depends on combination of light exposure and its duration. This is

known as photoperiodism.

Day-neutral plants: They have no correlation between exposure to light duration and
flowering response.

VERNALISATION
Vernalisation: When flowering is dependent on exposure to low temperature.
Example- Wheat, barley and rye- they have two varieties:
Winter
Spring

Planted in
autumn

normally planted in the spring and come to flower and produce grain before the end of
the growing season.
If winter variety of planted in spring, theyll fail to flower / theyll fail to produce mature
grain within flowering season.

Biennial Plants

Examples: Sugerbeet, cabbages, carrots.

They normally flower and die in the second season.

They are monocarpic plants i.e. Dying after bearing fruit only once.

Plasticity

It means Plants follow different pathways in response to environment to form different

kinds of structures. This ability is called e.g., heterophylly in cotton, coriander and
larkspur.

In such plants, juvenile plants leaves are different in shape than mature plants.

Hydroponics

German Botanist Julius von Sachs showed plants could be grown without soil, in a
nutrient solution. This technique is called hydroponics.

Hydroponics is used in commercial cultivation of tomato, seedless cucumber and

lettuce.

[Revision] Chemistry Part-3: Hydrogen Economy, Hard Water

types & treatment, Hydrogen Peroxide, Acid, Base, Salt

Water: Importance in Biosphere

Water plays a key role in the biosphere because compared to other liquids, water has a
higher specific heat, thermal conductivity, surface tension, dipole moment and dielectric
constant.

Water moderates climate and body temperature because of its high heat of vaporisation
and heat capacity are responsible.

Water is an excellent solvent for transportation of ions and molecules for plant-animal
metabolism.

ice cube floats on water because Ices density is less than that of water..

In winter season ice formed on the surface of a lake gives thermal insulation & helps
aquatic life to survive.

Water: Chemical Properties

1. Water can dissolve many salts, particularly in large quantity, makes it hard and
hazardous for industrial use.
2. The polar nature of water makes it: (a) a very good solvent for ionic and partially ionic
compounds; (b) to act as an amphoteric (acid as well as base) substance; and (c) to
form hydrates of different types.

Amphoteric Nature: Water can act as an acid as well as a base.

Extensive hydrogen bonding between water molecules= high freezing point, high boiling
point. And Due to this hydrogen bonding with polar molecules, even covalent
compounds like alcohol and carbohydrates dissolve in water.

Rain water is almost pure (except some dissolved gases from the atmosphere)

When rain water flows through earth surface, it dissolves many salts and becomes
hard.

Soft water: it doesnt have calcium and magnesiums soluble salts. Soft water gives
lather with soap easily.

Hard Water: Properties

Hard water does not give lather with soap.

Presence of calcium and magnesium salts in the form of hydrogencarbonate, chloride

and sulphate in water makes water hard.

Soap containing sodium stearate reacts with hard water to precipitate out Ca/Mg
stearate.

Hard water forms scum/precipitate with soap, so it is unsuitable for laundry.

This salt deposit also decreases efficiency of boiler.

Hard water: Types & Treatment

Hardness of water is of two types: (i) temporary hardness, and (ii) permanent
hardness.

Temporary hardness
Due to the presence of magnesium and calcium
hydrogen- carbonates.

Permanent Hardness
Due to presence of presence of soluble salts of
magnesium and calcium in the form of chlorides
and sulphates in water.
Not possible to remove this hardness by boiling.
But following methods will work

Removed by following methods:

1. Treatment with washing soda (sodium carbonate):

Itll form insoluble carbonates that can be filtered
1. Boiling: to convert soluble carbonates into insoluble
off.
carbonates, then theyre filtered off.
2. Calgons method: add Sodium hexameta2. Clarks method: lime added to water. Itll precipitate
phosphate. calgon is the commercial name of
out calcium carbonate and magnesium hydroxid.
this chemical.
Then it is filtered off.
3. Ion-exchange method using zeolite/permutit
(Hydrated sodium aluminium silicate)
4. Synthetic resin ion exchangers.

Hydrogen Peroxide (H2O2)

3 isotopes of Hydrogen: same proton but different neutron numbers
Isotop

proton neutron rarity

protium

99.985% hydrogen is like this

Deuterium (heavy hydrogen) 1

0.015%

Tritium (radioactive)

trace amount in earth

Hydrogen paroxide: chemical properties

1. Pollution control treatment of domestic and industrial effluents.
2. Properties: Colourless-pale blue liquid. Acts as an oxidising as well as reducing agent in
both acidic and alkaline media.
3. H2O2 decomposes slowly on exposure to light hence stored in dark.
4. In metal surfaces or traces of alkali (present in glass containers), H2O2 reaction is
catalysed. Therefore it is stored in wax-lined glass or plastic vessels in dark.
5. Urea can be added as a stabiliser.
6. H2O2 must be kept away from dust because dust can induce explosive decomposition of
the compound.

H2O2: Uses
1. Hair bleach, bleaching agent for textiles, paper pulp, leather, oils, fats, etc.
2. Mild disinfectant, antiseptic (perhydrol).
3. Sodium based detergents.
4. Synthesis of pharmaceuticals (cephalosporin, hydroquinone), tartaric acid and certain
food products
5. Used in Environmental (Green) Chemistry- for pollution control treatment of domestic
and industrial effluents, oxidation of cyanides, restoration of aerobic conditions to
sewage wastes, etc.

Water gas / Syngas

Water gas/syngas/synthesis gas is the mixture of CO and H2.

It is further used for the synthesis of hydrocarbons such as methanol.

Syngas is produced from sewage, saw-dust, scrap wood, newspapers etc.

Coal gasification is the process of producing syngas from coal.

Dihydrogen Properties and uses

Dihydrogen is a colourless, odourless, tasteless, combustible gas.

Prepared by (1) water-gas shift reaction from petrochemicals (2) electrolysis of brine.

Lighter than air and insoluble in water.

Dihydrogen =>Synthesis of ammonia =>mfg. of nitric acid and nitrogenous fertilizers.

hydrogenation of polyunsaturated vegetable oils like soyabean, cotton seeds etc=>

Vanaspati Ghee.

Manufacture of methanol and other bulk organic chemicals.

Mfg. of metal hydrides, hydrogen chloride.

To reduce heavy metal oxides to metal

Atomic hydrogen and oxy-hydrogen torches used for cutting and welding purposes.
They can generate the temperature of 4000 K.

Dihydrogen fuel cells = electrical energy and rocket fuel.

Hydrogen Economy: basis principle

use di-hydrogen to store and transport energy.

Energy is transmitted in the form of dihydrogen and not as electric power.

2005: India launched pilot project to use dihydrogen as fuel for running automobiles.

Initially 5% dihydrogen has been mixed in CNG for use in four-wheeler vehicles. Itll be
increased gradually.

dihydrogen can release 3x times more energy than petrol

It produces less pollutants than than petrol.

Dihydrogens pollutant is called oxides of dinitrogen. We can minimize its emission by

adding water in the cylinder.

Limitations of Dihydrogen fuel

Its cylinder weight 30 times more than petrol tank.

Liquification requires cooling to 20K. This Is very expensive.

Acid, Base, Salts

whats the difference?
Acid

Base

turn blue litmus paper into red

turn red litmus paper blue

Acid accepts electron pair

Donates pair of electrons

acid word derived from a latin word acidus meaning sour.

Bases are known to , taste bitter

and feel soapy. Common example:
washing soda.

They liberate dihydrogen on reacting with metal

Arrhenius theory, acids are substances that dissociates in water to
give hydrogen ions H + (aq) and bases are substances that produce
hydroxyl ions OH (aq)

Possible MCQ: Ascending-Descending order

Examples of acids
Hydrochloric acid Gastric juice essential for digestions
Acetic acid

main constituent of vinegar.

Lemon juice

citric acid

Orange Juice

ascorbic acids

Tamarind paste tartaric acid

Salts

When acids and bases are mixed in the right proportion they react and give salts.

Example: sodium chloride, barium sulphate, sodium nitrate.

hydrochloric acid + sodium hydroxide.= Salt (Sodium chloride)

PH

pH scale: Hydronium ion concentration in molarity that is expressed on a logarithmic

scale known as the pH scale.

Buffer Solutions: These solutions resist change in pH in presence of acid or alkali.

The pH of a solution is defined as the negative logarithm to base 10 of the activity

PH Measurement has biological and cosmetic applications.

Now-a-days pH paper is available with four strips on it. They can determine PH with an
accuracy of ~0.5.

pH meter is a device that measures the pH-dependent electrical potential of the test
solution within 0.001 precision.

pH meters of the size of a writing pen are now available in the market

Extensive vs. Intensive properties

Thermodynamics related properties
extensive properties

intensive properties

Depends on quantity of the matter in system

Those properties which do not depend on the quantity

or size of matter present

Examples: mass, volume, internal energy,

enthalpy, heat capacity, etc.

Temperature, pressure, density

Daniell cell: Electrons produced at the anode due to oxidation of Zn travel through the
external circuit to the cathode where these reduce the copper ions.

Misc Terms
Oxidation

Loss of electron(s) by any species. 20% of atmosphere is dioxygen, hence many

elements combine with it and to form of their oxides.

Reduction

Gain of electron(s) by any species.

Oxidising agent Acceptor of electron(s).

Reducing agent Donor of electron(s).
It is a measure of disorder or randomness. The greater the disorder in an isolated
system, the higher is the entropy.

Entropy
Heavy water

Prepared by (1) water electrolysis (2) by-product in some fertilizer industries

Used as Moderator in nuclear reactors.
Gave the Arrhenius acid theory.
He was the first to discuss the greenhouse effect calling by that name. He received
Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1903 for his theory of electrolytic dissociation and its use in
the development of chemistry

worked on electricity and magnetism

Established modern field theory.

Svante
Arrhenius
(Sweden)
Faraday
(London)

[Revision] Chemistry Part-2: Metal, Non-Metal, Metalloid, Liquid,

Surface tension, Viscosity, Gas Laws, Periodic Table
Metals vs. Non-metals vs. Metalloid
Metal

Non-metal

located at the top right hand side of the Periodic

1. Metals comprise more than 78% of all known elements Table.
2. They appear on the left side of the Periodic Table the non- metallic character increases as one
goes from left to right across the Periodic Table
usually solids at room temperature [mercury is an
Non-metals are usually solids or gases at room
exception; gallium and caesium also have very low
temperature with low melting and boiling points
melting points (303K and 302K, respectively)].
(boron and carbon are exceptions)

Have high melting and boiling points.

Good conductors of heat and electricity.

poor

malleable: can be flattened into thin sheets by

hammering

Brittle

ductile: can be drawn into wires

nope

Semi-metals or Metalloids: silicon, germanium, arsenic, antimony and tellurium

show properties that are characteristic of both metals and non- metals.

Liquids: Properties
1. Liquids have definite volume because molecules do not separate from each other.
2. Liquids can flow, they can be poured, because their Molecules can move past one
another freely.
3. Liquids can assume the shape of the container in which these are stored.
4. Liquids may be considered as continuation of gas phase into a region of small volume
and very strong molecular attractions.
5. Physical properties of liquid = (1) vapour pressure (2) surface tension (3) viscosity.
These are due to strong intermolecular attractive forces.

Liquids: Vapour Pressure

liquid evaporates and pressure exerted by vapour on the walls of the container (vapour
pressure)

The normal boiling point of water is 100 C (373 K), its standard boiling point is 99.6 C
(372.6 K).

Standard boiling point of the liquid is slightly lower than the normal boiling point
because 1 bar pressure is slightly less than 1 atm pressure.

Liquids at high altitudes boil at lower temperatures in comparison to that at sea level,
because at high altitudes atmospheric pressure is low. (important for assertionreasoning)

In hills, water boils at low temperature therefore, Pressure cooker is used for cooking
food.

In hospitals surgical instruments are sterilized in autoclaves. Autoclaves increase the

boiling point of water by increasing the pressure above the atmospheric pressure by
using a weight covering the vent.

Boiling does not occur when liquid is heated in a closed vessel.

Liquid: Surface Tension

Surface tension is responsible for following events (important for MCQ):
1. Small drops of mercury form spherical bead instead of spreading on the surface.
2. Particles of soil at the bottom of river remain separated but they stick together when
taken out.
3. Liquid rise (or fall) in a thin capillary as soon as the capillary touches the surface of the
liquid.
4. On flat surface, droplets are slightly flattened by the effect of gravity; but in the gravity
free environments, the liquid drops will be perfectly spherical.
Principle: Liquids tend to minimize their surface area. Surface tension denoted by
Gamma, its SI unit NM-1

Liquids: Viscosity & Laminar flow

Viscosity is a measure of resistance to flow which arises due to the internal friction
between layers of fluid

SI unit of viscosity coefficient= 1 newton second per square metre = pascal second

CGS unit of viscosity coefficient = Poise (named after great scientist Jean Louise
Poiseuille).

Greater the viscosity, the more slowly the liquid flows.

Viscosity of liquids decreases as the temperature rises.

Glass is an extremely viscous liquid- so viscous that many of its properties resemble
solids.

Windowpanes of old buildings- they become thicker at bottom than at top. This is
because of liquid flow property of glass.

Laminar flow is type of flow in which there is a regular gradation of velocity in passing
from one layer to the next.

Gas: Properties
1. Gases are highly compressible
2. Gases exert pressure equally in all directions.
3. Gases have much lower density than the solids and liquids.
4. Gases can assume volume and shape of the container. Their volume and the shape of
gases are not fixed.
5. Under suitable temperature and pressure conditions gases can be liquified
6. Gases mix evenly and completely in all proportions without any mechanical aid.
7. The noble gases exhibit very low chemical reactivity because all of their orbitals
completely filled by electrons. Very difficult to add/remove electrons from it. (Example:
helium, neon, argon, krypton, xenon, radon, and element 118)
8. 11 elements exist as gases.

Gas Laws

Robert
Boyle,Anglo
Irish

Charles Law

Gay Lussacs

first reliable measurement on properties of gases (1662)

Boyles Law (Pressure Volume Relationship)
at constant temperature, the pressure of a fixed amount (i.e., number of moles n) of
gas varies inversely with its volume.
P1V1=P2V2= constant
Gases are highly compressible because when a given mass of a gas is compressed, the
same number of molecules occupy a smaller space
This means that gases become denser at high pressure.
Temperature Volume Relationship
At constant pressure, volume of a gas increases on increasing temperature and
decreases on cooling. (V = k2T )
This new temperature scale is called the Kelvin temperature scale or Absolute
temperature scale.
Kelvin scale of temperature is also called Thermodynamic scale of temperature and is
used in all scientific works.
Each line of the volume vs temperature graph is called isobar.
The lowest imaginary temperature at which gases are supposed to occupy zero volume
is called Absolute zero.
All gases obey Charles law at very low pressures and high temperatures
Pressure- Temperature Relationship
Pressure in well inflated tyres of automobiles is almost constant, but on a hot summer

day this increases considerably and tyre may burst if pressure is not adjusted properly.
During winters, on a cold morning one may find the pressure in the tyres of a vehicle
decreased considerably.
At constant volume, pressure of a fixed amount of a gas varies directly with the
temperature. Mathematically. P/T = constant.
This relationship can be derived from Boyles law and Charles Law.
Pressure vs temperature (Kelvin) graph Each line of this graph is called isochore.
Volume Amount RelationshipEqual volumes of all gases under the same conditions of
Avogadro
temperature and pressure contain equal number of molecules.As long as the
Law,Italy, 1811 temperature and pressure remain constant, the volume depends upon number of
molecules of the gas V=k4n.
Law

Standard temperature and pressure means 273.15 K (0C) temperature and 1 bar (i.e.,
exactly 105 pascal) pressure.
These values approximate freezing temperature of water and atmospheric pressure at
sea level.
Total pressure exerted by the mixture of non-reactive gases is equal to the sum of the
Dalton Partial partial pressures of individual gases
In a mixture of gases, the pressure exerted by the individual gas is called partial
pressure, 1801
pressure.
pTotal = p1 +p2 +p3 +..
At 30.98 C carbon dioxide remains gas upto 73 atmospheric pressure. At 73
atmospheric pressure, liquid carbon dioxide appears. Therefore, 30.98 C is
gas liquification called critical temperature of carbon dioxide. Because this is the highest temperature
at which liquid carbon dioxide is observed.
A gas below the critical temperature can be liquefied by applying pressure, and is
called vapour of the substance.
STP

Ideal Gas vs. Real gas

Ideal Gas

Real Gas

Ideal gas follows Boyles law, Charles law and

Avogadro law strictly-at all temperature and
pressures.

They do not follow, Boyles law, Charles law and

Avogadro law perfectly under all conditions.

Ideal gas equation: pV=nRT is applicable to them

N/A

Such a gas is hypothetical, it goes on assumption that

Their molecules interact with each other.
intermolecular forces present in an ideal gas.

N/A

Boyle temperature: At this temperature real gas

obeys ideal gas law.
This Boyle point/temperature of a gas depends
upon its nature.

Periodic Table
Historic attempts
chemist
Johann Dobereiner
(German)

table name
Triads

AEB De Chancourtois
cylindrical table
(French)
Lothar Meyer
(German)

His table closely resembles the Modern Periodic Table. But his work published
after Mendeleev. Therefore, Mendeleev credited with Modern Periodic Table.

Mendeleevs table: Characteristics

Russian Chemist Mandeleev (1834-1907) wrote famous textbook Principles of

Chemistry

Modern Periodic based on 3 principles: (1) physical and chemical properties of the
elements are periodic functions of their atomic numbers. (2) aufbau (build up) principle
(3) Electronic configuration of atoms provide a theoretical foundation for the periodic
classification.

He arranged elements in horizontal rows (periods- in increasing atomic weights.)

And vertical columns (groups- theyve same electron configuration in outer orbit).

The elements with similar properties occupied the same vertical column or group.

Left gaps for the elements that were not found in his time, predicted the elements that
were yet to be found.

Element with atomic number 101, as Mendelevium- is named in honor of this scientist.

If new element discovered, its permanent name and symbol are given by a vote of
IUPAC representatives from each country.

As per IUPAC note, latest element is 118 but its credit yet to be given.

Chemical reactivity is highest at the two extremes of a period and is lowest in the
centre.

Highly reactive elements do not occur in nature in Free State; they usually occur in the
combined form.

Oxides of elements on left are basic

Oxides of elements on the right are acidic

Oxides of elements in the centre are amphoteric or neutral.

Block elements

We can classify the elements into four blocks depending on the type of atomic orbitals
that are being filled with electrons

sGroup 1 (alkali metals) and Group 2 (alkaline earth metals)

block
pRepresentative Elements or Main Group Elements
block
Transition Elements.
d They mostly form coloured ions
block
they display paramagnetism (i.e. attracted by magnetic field)
They are used as catalysts
Inner-Transition Elements
They are all metals.
located in bottom two rows of the table.
two rows of elements at the bottom of the Periodic Table, called the Lanthanoids and Actinoids,
f-block
Actinoid elements are radioactive.
Most actinoid elements found only in nanogram quantities during nuclear reactions and their
chemistry is not fully studied.
The elements after uranium are called Transuranium Elements.

Cation vs Anion
cation

anion

removal of an electron from an atom

leads to cation

Gain of an electron leads to an anion.non-metals have strong

tendency to gain electrons.

Smaller than parent atom, because

less electrons.

Larger than parent atom.

[Revision] Chemistry Part-1: Matter, Mass, Isotopes, Isobars,XRay, Alpha-Ray, Gamma-Ray, Cathode-Ray & More

Matter classification

Possible MCQ: Assertion reasoning, which of the following 2-3 statements are correct?

Properties of a Substance
physical properties

chemical properties

theyre measured or observed without changing the identity of

material- e.g. colour, odour, melting point, boiling point, density

we can observe them only after

chemical change occurs.
e.g. acidity or basicity,
combustibility

SI system of measurement

Through Metre convention in Paris (1875), this International system of units was setup.

accordingly, each country has an institute to maintain standards of measurement

e.g. in India it is done by National physical laboratory @Delhi.

7 Basic units in SI measurement

Definition of SI units

Difference between Mass and weight

Mass

Weight

A substances mass will remain same everywhere Will change depending on gravity of the given place.
Measured using Analytical balance

measured using weighing scale

Why Pt-IR cylinder for weight

standardization?

The Mass standard is kilogram.

Kilogram is defined as the mass of platinum-iridium (Pt-Ir) cylinder that is stored in an

airtight jar at International Bureau of Weights and Measures in Sevres, France.

Pt-Ir was chosen for this standard because it is highly resistant to chemical attack and
its mass will not change for an extremely long time.

Temperature
C (degree
celsius)

F (degree

fahrenheit)
K (kelvin)

calibrated from 0 to 100 where these two temperatures are the freezing point and
the boiling point of water respective
Negative values possible in celcius
fahrenheit scale is represented between 32 to 212.
F = [9C/5]+32
K=C+273.1
Negative values not possible
Five Laws of Chemical combination

Law of

Detail

1.Conservation of
matter can neither be created nor destroyed Antoine Lavoisier (1789)
Mass
2.Definite
Proportions

3.Multiple
Proportions

4.Gaseous
Volumes

5.Avogadro Law

a given compound always contains exactly the same proportion of elements Joseph
Proust
E.g. both naturally occurring and artificially synthesized Cupric carbonate will have
same elements in same ratio.
if two elements can combine to form more than one compound, the masses of one
element that combine with a fixed mass of the other element, are in the ratio of
small whole numbers Dalton
example 2 gm Hydrogen + 16 gm Oxygen = 18 gm water
but 2 gm Hydrogen + 32 gm Oxygen = 34 gm Hydrogen Peroxide.
Gay Lussac (1808)
When gases combine or are produced in a chemical reaction they do so in a simple
ratio by volume provided all gases are at same temperature and pressure.
If 100 ml hydrogen combine with 50 ml oxygen, we get 100 ml water vapour.
equal volumes of gases at the same temperature and pressure should contain equal
number of molecules
He differentiated atoms from molecules.

DALTONS ATOMIC THEORY

1. Democritus, a Greek Philosopher (460 370 BC) said that matter is composed of small
indivisible particles called a-tomio (meaning indivisible). Indian philosophers also
made similar statements. But they had no proofs.
2. Finally, a British Teacher John Dalton published book published A New System of
Chemical Philosophy (1808) with following points
3. Matter consists of indivisible atoms.
4. All the atoms of a given element have identical properties and identical mass.
5. Atoms of different elements differ in mass.
6. Compounds are formed when atoms of different elements combine in a fixed ratio.

7. Chemical reactions involve reorganisation of atoms. These are neither created nor
destroyed in a chemical reaction.
Good

his theory can explain

following:

Bad

He couldnt explain following

If glass or ebonite when rubbed with silk or fur, itll generate

laws of chemical combination
law of conservation of mass electricity. Why?
Same way result of many experiments, he couldnt explain.
law of constant composition
law of multiple proportion

SUB-ATOMIC PARTICLES
Discovery
of

Was discovered by

1.Electron

A cathode ray discharge tube cathode ray particles observed though fluorescent or
phosphorescent negatively charged particles, called electrons

2.Proton

modified cathode ray tube canal rays positively charged particles

3.Neutron Chadwick (1932). he bombarded alpha-particles on beryllium thin sheet.

Cathode Ray Tube & Television

1830: Michael Faraday showed that if electricity is passed through a solution of an

electrolyte, matter will be liberated and deposited at the electrodes. (1830)

1850s: Faraday began to study electrical discharge in cathode ray tubes

A cathode ray tube is a sealed glass tube containing two thin metal pieces (electrodes).

Cathode rays start from cathode and move towards the anode.

Cathode ray will travel in straight line IF there is no electrical or magnetic field,

If there is electrical/magnetic field, cathode rays will behave like charged particles.

Characteristics of cathode rays (electrons) do not depend upon (1) the material of
electrodes (2) nature of the gas present in the cathode ray tube.

Cathode rays themselves are not visible but their behaviour can be observed with the
help of certain kind of materials (fluorescent or phosphorescent) which glow when hit
by them.

We can observe electrical discharge through the gases only at very low pressures and
at very high voltages.

Television picture tubes are cathode ray tubes

Television pictures result due to fluorescence on the television screen coated with
certain fluorescent or phosphorescent materials.

X-Ray & Roentgen

Wilhalm Rentgen: strike electron to dense anode metal in Cathode ray tube => rays
produced => these rays cause fluorescence in the fluorescent materials placed outside
the cathode ray tubes. He called them X-Rays (1895)

Henri Becqueral coined the term radioactivity. Marie Curie, Piere Curie, Rutherford and
Fredrick Soddy worked further in this field.
penetrating
Detail
power

characteristic

Alpha particles are Positive charged.

Alpha particle + 2 electron = helium
Alpha
Rutherford bombarded very thin gold foil with alphaparticles but most of the
1
particles
a particles passed through the gold foil undeflected.
Thus he provide Most of the space in the atom is empty. And volume occupied
by the nucleus is negligibly small as compared to the total volume of the atom.
Beta Rays 100 x alpha negatively charged particles similar to electrons
GammaRays

1000 x

alpha

neutral in nature
dont have any particles.

Atomic Mass

Greek word stoichiometry =stoicheion (meaning element) + metron (meaning

measure).

Stoichiometry calculation of masses and volumes of reactants and products of a

chemical reaction.

19th Century scientists assigned mass of 1 to Hydrogen. (no units, only number). All
the remaining elements were given mass number relative to Hydrogen.

1961: Carbon 12 isotop is assigned a mass of exactly 12 atomic mass unit (amu) and
masses of all other atoms are given relative to this standard.

Thus, One atomic mass unit (AMU) = one- twelfth the mass of one carbon 12 atom.

Today, amu has been replaced by u which is known as unified mass.

Today, we have sophisticated techniques e.g., mass spectrometry for determining the
atomic masses fairly accurately.
Whats the difference between

Atomic number (Z)

Mass Number (A)

total protons = Z
total electrons =Z

Z written in subscript below the element symbol, on left side.

Isotopes= same Z but different A. means Isotopes have

same number of protons but different number of neutrons.
Misc. Definitions

Average Atomic Mass

Formula Mass

Proton + neutron = nucleons.

total nucleons = A
A written in superscript above element
symbol, on left side.
Isobars= same A but different Z

If an element has more than one

isotope
Its Avg. atomic mass = weighted
average of (atomic mass x its relative
occurrence in percentages)
e.g. formula mass of sodium chloride =
atomic mass of sodium + atomic mass
of chlorine

Isotopes of Hydrogen
Isotop

proton

neutron

rarity

protium

99.985% hydrogen is like

this

deuterium

0.015%

tritium

trace amount in earth

Similarly Carbon has 3 isotopes, chlorine has 2 isotopes

An Elements chemical property depends on no. of electrons, and not much on

neutrons. Therefore, Isotopes show same chemical behaviour.

Mole and Avogadro

One mole = Amount of a substance that contains as many particles as there are atoms
in exactly 12 g (or 0.012 kg) of the Carbon 12 isotope.

1 mol is also known as Avogadro constant, in honour of Amedeo Avogadro. It equals

to 6.0221023 atoms

Atomic Models

also known as plum pudding, raisin pudding or watermelon model (1904)

he said atom possesses a spherical shape (radius approximately 10 10 m)
in which the positive charge is uniformly distributed.
1.J.J.THOMSON,Britain
The electrons are embedded into it in such a manner as to give the most
stable electrostatic arrangement
He got Nobel Physics for discovering how gases conduct electricity. (1906)
Atom resembles the solar system, nucleus is the Sun, and electrons are
revolving planets.
Electrons and the nucleus are held together by electrostatic forces of
2.RUTHERFORDS NUCLEAR
attraction
MODEL
he failed to explain stability of an atom.
it says nothing about the electronic structure of atoms i.e., how the
electrons are distributed around the nucleus and what are the energies of
these electrons.
Orbit is a circulate path around nucleus. Electrons move only in Orbit.
He was the first to explain quantitatively the general features of hydrogen
atom structure and its spectrum. Though the theory is not the modern
quantum mechanics.
3.NEILS BOHR, Denmark
He could not explain how atoms form molecules by chemical bonds. Hence
Max Plank, Schrdinger et al began towards Quantum theory.
James Maxwell: discussed electromagnetic radiation.
Post WW-1, Bohr worked for peaceful uses of atomic energy, got Nobel in
1922.
No two electrons in an atom can have the same set of four quantum
4.Wolfgang Pauli, Austria numbers.
Only two electrons may exist in the same orbital and these electrons must
have opposite spin.
5.Millikan
Oil drop experiment to measure charge of electrons.

Quantum Mechanic Model

Classical atomic models ignore dual behavior of particles.

Just like radiation, particles also have dual properties i.e. Wave like properties and
particle like properties (French physicist, de Broglie in 1924).

This is known as Quantum mechanics- Erwin Schrdinger Nobel winner Austrian

physicist was the front runner of this theoretical science.

We cant find the exact position and exact momentum (or velocity) of an electron at the
same time, because electron and other similar particles dont have definite paths or
trajectories of electrons and other similar particles- This is Heisenbergs Uncertainty
Principle.

Heisenberg was a German who shared Nobel with Schrdinger in Physics. He

researched atomic bomb for Germany during WW2

Electrons wave-like properties are utilized in electron microscope, it can give a

magnification of about 15 million times.

Photoelectric Effect: Einstein & Planck

German physicist Max Planck observed that:

When Light strikes surface = electrons ejected without any time lag.

How many electrons ejected? Ans. Proportional to lights brightness.

How much is the kinetic energy of these ejected electrons? Ans. NOT in proportion of
lights brightness.

If red light shined on potassium for hours but no photoelectrons are ejected.

But even if a very weak yellow light shines on the potassium metal, the photoelectric
effect is observed.

German born American physicist Albert Einstein was able to explain this Photoelectric
effect using Plancks quantum theory of electromagnetic radiation.

Einstein said light shining = shooting photon particle beam =collision with
electrons=electrons ejected.

Brighter light = more protons = more electrons ejected.

He Won Nobel Prize in Physics in 1921 for his explanation of the photoelectric effect.

Spectrum

Speed of light depends upon the nature of the medium through which it passes.

As a result, the beam of light is deviated or refracted from its original path as it passes
from one medium to another.

The light of red colour which has longest wavelength is deviated the least while the
violet light, which has shortest wavelength is deviated the most.

Examples of continuous spectrum: (1) White light spectrum (2) rainbow. Because they
have all colors from violet to red.

The study of emission or absorption spectra is referred to as spectroscopy

Possible MCQ: ascending descending order of rays depending on thier frequencies /

their utility

Electromagnetic spectrum

Water wave and sound wave need medium. They cant move in vaccum

Electromagnetic waves do not require medium and can move in vacuum.

There are many types of electromagnetic radiation depending on their wavelength (or
frequency).

Collectively, theyre called electromagnetic spectrum

Whats the difference?

Frequency

Wavelength

Distance between two successive crests (or troughts)

SI unit is units of length is meter (m).
Wave number = Wavelengths per unit length. Unit is 1/m.
frequency is the number of waves that pass a given point in one second
SI unit is Hz, named after Heinrich Hertz

Black Bodies
Wave nature of Electromagnetic radiation can explain following:

Diffraction it is the bending of wave around an obstacle

Interference it is the combination of two waves of the same or different frequencies to give a wave

But above things cant explain a black body radiation. Later Max Planck explained it in
following manner:

When solids are heated they emit radiation over a wide range of wavelengths.

Heating Iron rod = dull red (low frequency) => more heating => bright red color
(higher frequency)=>more heating=> white=>Bluefrequency keeps on increasing,
wavelength keeps on decreasing.

Black body is the ideal body that emits and absorbs all frequencies.

The radiation emitted by such a body is called black body radiation.

Black Bodys radiation depends only on its temperature.At a given temperature,

intensity of radiation emitted increases with decrease of wavelength, reaches a
maximum value at a given wavelength and then starts decreasing with further decrease
of wavelength (something like a bell curve).

Planck suggested that atoms and molecules could emit (or absorb) energy only in
discrete quantities and not in a continuous manner. This smallest energy quantity is
quantum.

[Sci-Tech]TheHindu Sep-Oct-Nov(Part4of4): Space, Defense

related: INSAT3D, Vikramaditya, EMP, Napalm

INSAT 3D

Weather satellite (meteorology), search and rescue operations.

At present Indias meteorological observation is done by two satellites Kalpana-1 and

INSAT 3A. This INSAT 3D is more powerful and advanced.

it can detect signals from distressed fishing boats, aeroplanes etc. and help in search
and rescue missions, with help of coast guard, navy etc.

Launched in late August 2013.

expiry date= after seven years in 2020

Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station (TERLS), Kerala, under ISRO
1963: Vikarm Sarabhai and team had launched an American rocket NikeApachefrom here.
2013: completed 50 years. RH 200 rocket was launched.
RH 200 is a Rohini series advanced sounding rocket. can carry 10 kg payload.
to study the upper atmosphere.
Indias first full-fledged military communications satellite
Navy will use it for ship-to-ship and ship-to-shore communications.
Launched from French Guiana in late August 2013.
this communication satellite was to be launched ~mid-August 2013, from
Sriharikota, Andhra
but #EPICFAIL because launch vehicle GSLV-D5 developed a leak= ISRO had to
cancel.
NASAs Mars Rover Curiosity- gave two new findings

RH 200 &
Thumba
GSAT-7

GSAT-14

Curiosity

1. Martian meteoritesreally are from the Mars Planet.

2. Found two isotops of argon gas : Argon-36 and Argon-38by the Sample
Analysis at Mars (SAM) instrument on Curiosity.

Chandra X-ray Observatory

belongs to NASA

allows scientists from around the world to obtain X-ray images- to understand
universes structure and evolution

It recently found a black hole @the center of milky way a producing high energy
particles.

High energy particles = produced by young stars and blackholes.

They play important role regulating the rate of formation of new stars.

Olympic torch in Space

2014s winter Olympics will be held in Sochi, Russia during February.

From Kazakhstan, rocket was launched to carry Olympic torch to the international space
station. (ISS)

Astronauts will carry out a spacewalk with this Olympic torch. That way we can brag
Olympic torch has even been to space.

This torch has also been through:

1. Worlds deepest lake: Baikal

2. Highest mountain in Russia and Europe: Mt.Elbrus
Ashish Yadav from Haryana.Selected in NASAs three year astronaut training program.

Defense related

#1: INS Vikramaditya

1987

INS Virat- Aircraft carrier inducted.

1994

India starts negotiating with Russia to get their aircraft carrier called Admiral Gorshkov (to be
added as INS Vikramaditya)

2004

formal deal signed

2013,

INS Vikrant: Indias first ever indigenously built aircraft carrier launched @Kochi.

2013,
Nov

Finally Russia handed over the ship to Indian Navy, after almost 9 years wait. Total cost:
>12000 cr. rupees.

Ok but why is it so special?

INS Virat is soon to retire. Vikrants testing is still ongoing. So, We needed a new
aircraft carrier.

vikramaditya will makes us only the third country in the world after the US and Italy to
own more than air craft one carrier. (Vikrama+Vikrant)

Even China has only one aircraft carrier: Liaoning

INS Vikramaditya can carry

30 aircraft including MiG 29K, Sea Harrier; Dhruv, Chetak helicopters.

1600 personnel

Its radar has a range of 500kms.

2013 has been a special year for Indian Navy for following reasons:
1. got Boeing P8 I long range maritime reconnaissance planes
2. got Hawk jets to train navy pilots.
3. got full fledged communication satellite GSAT-7
4. first MiG-29K squadron was commissioned
5. INS Vikrant: first indigenous aircraft carrier, was launched at Kochi.
6. INS Arihant- Indias first home grown nuclear submarine: Its nuke reactor went critical
in August month.
7. and finally got this INS Vikramaditya

#2: Napalm

incendiary weapon, designed by American chemists during WW2

Principle: fuel + thickening agent= fuel burns longer, gives higher temperature= more
damage if poured on an enemy bunker/vehicle/soldier.

Thickening agent used was: Naphthenate + aluminium palmitate. (hence called

Napalm)

was widely used during Korean and Vietnam War.

UN convention prohibits the use of Napalm against civilians.

Why in News? Syrian Air force dropped Napalm bombs over schoolchildren. (BBC
report.)

#3: EMP Bomb

EMP=electromagnetic pulse

Nuclear bomb blast => gamma radiation.

Atom is made up of: proton + neutron + electron.

but this gamma radiation throws electrons out of the atom.

all those free electrons are then deflected by earths magnetic field. And thus an EMP
blast is created.

An EMP blast can disable all type of electronic equipment. But it wont damage physical
structures- like bridges/buildings, It cant kill people directly.

Solar flares also create EMP- damage satellites and communication network.

ok but why in news? Because North Korea has (allegedly) bought EMP bombs from
Russia = South Korea is worried.

Physics/Chemistry

#1: Tree Leaves to detect gold

Gold mining companies spend billions of dollars to search new deposits of gold.

But Australian researcher came with a cheaper method= just study the tree leaves.

Acacias and eucalypts treet roots go very deep in the earth and while they suck water
and minerals- they also suck gold particles.

But these trees treat the gold as toxic, and store it away in their leaves for shedding
later.= by studying the chemical contents of the tree leaves, we can make a
preliminary assessment about gold deposits in the area.

Synchrotron =particle accelerator machine in Australia. it was use for testing this
tree-leaves-gold theory.

#2: Candle flame vs Gravity

When we light a candle, why does the flame go against the gravity (up)?

Burning candle= nearby air gets hot=moves upwards.

And the cold air from above comes downward.

Soon, this cold air also gets hot and moves upward.

This continuous cycle of air movement pushes the flame upwards and gives the
teardrop / elongated shape.

If there is no gravity, then candle flame will be in spherical shape. (Because there is
no up direction for the warm air to rise.)

[Sci-Tech]TheHindu Sep-Oct-Nov(Part3of4): Computer/IT/Mobile

Tech: Gecko, Street View Trekker, Param Yuva, EMF Radiation

ICT for Public welfare

#1: C-DAC mobile app for womens safety

C-DAC=Centre for Development of Advanced Computing under Department of

Electronics and Information Technology (DeitY)

Made new mobile app for women.

Just by presing a button on the phone- the women in distress can send automatic
message to nearest police control room. Then police can track the women based on her
mobile location- send nearby PCR van etc.

Pilot project in Rajasthan.

financed by Nirbhaya fund

but What is Nirbhaya fund?

In 2013s budget, Chindu came up with two new initiatives for women
1. all India bank for women
2. Nirbhaya fund. (Named after Delhi rape victim Nirbhaya)
This Nirbhaya fund has 1000 crore rupees- to support women centric projects by
government and NGOs.

#2 VithU App

VithU, is an emergency App for mobile phones. (you may have seen its ad on TV)

App launched by Channel V (of Star India pvt. ltd.) in response to Delhi and Bombay
gangrape incidents

With only 2 clicks of the power button, person can send SOS message to their guardian
along with location on google maps.

App keeps sending the message repeatedly every two minutes with new location
updates.

Limitation: Phone must have GPS+ internet connection.

#3: Google for Indian women

Only 1/3rd of Indian internet users are women. Google India came up with new project
to get 50 million Indian women online by the end of 2014.
How?
1. Via a new website hwgo.com. This website will provide very basics of the Internet,
special content for women like childcare, cooking recipes, household management etc .
2. Available in Hindi + English. (Similarly, Intel designed a mobile app easy step to
promote digital literacy)
3. Toll free helpline number where women can call and get free answers about
internet/computer. (1800 41 999 77)
4. A pilot project in Rajasthan to train computer-net surfing to 1 lakh women.
Benefits:

New opportunity for women to get education, freedom of expression and self-esteem.
Ultimately

Less MMR and IMR

Higher GDP and HDI

#4: Google to defend freedom of expression

Google funded following projects to fight against online barriers

Project

shield

to protect websites against distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks.

Google gave money to defend websites related to independent newsreporters, human
rights, and elections-related bloggers (whom hackers/secret government spy agencies try to
shut down)

Digital
is a live data visualization to map DDoS attacks across globe.
Attack Map
shows real-time anonymous traffic data related to these attacks.
uProxy

is a new browser extension under development

lets friends provide each other with a trusted pathway to the web- thus protects your net
surfing from filtering, surveillance or misdirection.

#5: Street View Trekker

wearable backpack with a camera installed at the top

Camera has 15 lenses, takes picture every 2.5 seconds. The images are stiched
together with software= you get a 360 degree view of the location.

For streetviews (under google maps) they mount this camera on top of a car.

but @certain places like ancient monuments or natural sites, the car cannot go. and
person has to take this camera on foot.

why in news? Because Google India and the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)
announced partnership to create 360-degree online imagery of 100 most important
heritage

including Taj Mahal, Khajuraho, Qutub Minar, Humayuns Tomb and Ajanta and Ellora
caves.

will help people virtually visit those site.

Concept already used for Grand Canyon in the US and Mt Fuji in Japan.
Speaking of monuments and culture
In Karnataka
Kittur Utsav to celebrate the historical revolt of Rani Chennamma. She was queen of Kittur in N.Karnata, fought
2013
against the British in 1824.
Janapada Kalavahini: Cultural procession showing traditional art forms of north Karnataka region.
Ayyappan Theeyyattu is an age old temple art form from Kerala.
Ayyappan There are no training schools and it is practised and propagated by a handful of members of a few
Theeyyattu families known as Thiyyadi Nambiars,
Udayasthamanakoothu: performance of the art in full by a single performer that ends with breaking of
12,000 coconuts.
Bidar is a city of Karnataka.
In the 1400s, it was the capital of Bahamani kingdom.
Bahamani kings used Persian style to construct the palace, water system etc. here
The karez water system= a complex system of aqueducts used for agricultural irrigation.
has three national monuments Bidar Fort, Ashtur tombs and the Madrasa of Mahmud Gawan
Bidar
ok but why in news?

World Monuments Fund (WMF) gave ca$H to Following desi monuments:

1. Bidar in Karnataka
2. house of Sheikh Salim Chisti in Fatehpur Sikri,
3. Juna Mahal in Rajasthan
this has nothing to do with Sci-tech or Culture. but came across while going through Thursday
newspaper.
Department of Posts has given this separate PIN code 110201 for the Supreme Court of India.
PIN 110201
before this PIN: letter to SC=>sorting office => delivery post office=>reaches to SC.
After: letter to SC=>sorting office=>directly reaches SC.
Benefit? faster delivery + cost savings for post office

#6: Param Yuva II

super computer by C-DAC (Centre for Development of Advanced Computing)

launched in early 2013

capacity: 524 teraflops but consumes 35% less electricity than other supercomputers of
same capacity.
Uses?

1. Precise weather forecast

2. faster tapping of natural resources in the sea
3. design customized drugs for individuals
4. solve large and complex computational problems
Ok but why in News?

This supercomputer has been ranked in the list of top 500 Green supercomputers in
the world.

In terms of Power efficiency, Params ranking: 1st in India, 9th in Asia-Pacific and 44th in
world

IT: new Technology by Indians

#1: Gecko: Bluetooth device

Gecko is a Bluetooth device- size just little bigger than a coin. by Banglore based
startup company.

it also has an accelerometer sensor to detect motion.

You can pair it with an apple or android phone/device.

ok but whats the use?

1. Since it can detect motion- you put it in the doorknob- everytime someone opens door,
itll notify you on phone. If someone opens door at odd hours- say 2AM, it can make
your phone raise the burglar alarm.
2. similarly can be put in a pillbox- to ensure the person doesnt forget to take medicine.
(if he forgets=pillbox doesnt move=gecko sends remainder via phone)
3. you can even pair it with a camera- once you can get in the frame, wave your arm and
Gecko will trigger the camera to shoot photo
Why in news? because Apples co-founder Steve Wozniak gave funding.

#2: Zendrive

Another startup company- one of its founder from India- Pankaj Risbood.

Zendrive aims to make driving better by using data from smartphone sensors.

insurance companies can use its data to determine auto-insurance premium e.g. if
person has erratic driving habit=more likely to accident=should be charged higher
insurance premium.

Similarly, Parents could also use the system to track their teenagers driving habits.

Determining best route based on real time traffic data and so on.

Why in news? Because Jerry Yang (of Yahoo) gave funding to them.

#3: ZoomCar Pvt. Ltd

This is Indias first and only car-sharing company (similar to Zipcar in the US).

Allows individuals to hire cars by the hour or by the day.

You can rent a car as low as Rs 225 an hour- for personal driving. (you must be
minimum 23 years old)

Reservations are made through the website or through mobile.

If you get in car accident- they coordinate everything with the police, insurance, and
road-side assistance.

Available only in Bangalore at the moment.

Why in news? Because former US treasury secretary Larry Summers gave funding to
this startup company.

IT: Government Rules/Policy

#1: EMF radiation limit

DoT (Department of Telecom) panel has recommended 10 lakh fine if cell tower
violates EMF (electro magnetic field) radiation limits. (0.45 watts per sq metre)

Electromagnetic field (EMF)

as the name suggests: Electrical field + Magnetic Field= Electromagnetic field (EMF)

EMF is created when electric and magnetic waves travel to space together.

for example: electricity supply, radio waves from TV, radio devices, medical devices
mobile phones, radar and satellite communications.

EMF strength is measured in units watt per square meter(W/m2).

EMF radiation weakens very quickly as we move away from the source / antenna.

EMF strength is inversely proportional to the square of the distance from the source.

e.g. when distance from antenna doubles (2x) the EMF strength is reduced to (1/4)th

Similarly when distance 3times (3x), strength reduced to 1/9th.

Electromagnetic Radiation (EMR)

Its source can be of two types

natural

manmade

UV, visible light radio, TV, mobile phones etc.

we can further classify electromagnetic radiation based on can they ionize (and hence
damage) biological molecules?

Non Ionizing radiation

1. mobile handsets and antenna
2. radiation from visible light
3. infra-red radiation
has relatively low energy and low frequency

cant break chemical bonds in body cells.

cant cause ionization of atoms and molecules.
cant damage DNA

Ionizing radiation
1. X-ray radiation
2. gamma ray radiations
relatively higher
Can do those damages.

Electromagnetic spectrum
Observe following photo-From left to right: frequency increases and wavelength
decreases.

Mobile Frequencies
mobile handset frequency
CDMA

869 890 MHz

GSM900

935 960 MHz

GSM1800

1805 1880 MHz

3G

2110 2170 MHz

4G

2300-2400 MHz

Observe frequency increases with new technology. Meaning wavelength must decrease.
Speaking of mobile phones

A mobile phone is two way radio.

It contains a transmitter and a receiver.

It emits electromagnetic radiation to exchange information with nearest base station.

but the strength of electromagnetic field decreases rapidly as we move away from
source- so we need to setup more and more mobile towers to have good connectivity.

Specific Absorption Rate (SAR)

It is the Rate at which Radio Frequency energy is absorbed in the human body

Unit of SAR = watts per kilo gram (W/kg) of tissue.

Every model of mobile handset has specific SAR value.

SAR Limit in India: 1.6 w/kg (effective from Sep.2012)

SAR matter falls under Department of Telecom.

myth
fact

It is safer using a mobile from car Mobile phone generates more RF radiation to overcome the shielding
because the car shields from the of car and reach the tower. so infact, using phone while in car=more
radiation.
harmful.
mobile phone emits radiation only As long as mobile is on it automatically transmits Radio frequency
when you are talking with
signal to check (poll) the network with nearest tower. it doesnt
someone.
matter where youre talking or not.
Mobile Base stations are
dangerous and we should keep
distance from it.

We need to keep distance from the antenna of base station.At the

ground level, the radiation intensity is much lesser than @Antenna.

Metal & water are good conductors of radio waves so avoid using a mobile phone while
wearing metal-framed glasses or having wet hair

People having active medical implants should preferably keep the cell phone at least 15
cm away from the implant

Mobile towers- radiation limits

for mobile phones, Telecom department has prescribed SAR limits (1.6 w/kg)

similarly for Mobile towers, Telecom department has prescribed EMF radiation limits:
Nation EMF limit for mobile towers

India 0.45 watt/m2

China 0.9 watt/m2
Italy

0.1 watt/m2

Even Italians are more conscious about mobile tower radiation than India/China.

Anyways, if a mobile tower operator doesnt comply with this limit, hell have to pay 10
lakh rupees fine per tower.

Telecommunications Engineering Centre (TEC) under Department of Telecom measures

these radiation levels.

UV radiation: three types

Ultra violate light (UV) has three subtypes based on their wavelength

Shorter the wavelength=more dangerous for body.

wavelength
UVA
Majority of UV radiation coming to earth, is of this type.
longest among 3

UVB medium

As Ozone layer depletes, more and more of this UVB light incoming. It cannot
penetrate beyond skin layer. Hence does all its damage to skin itself e.g. tanning,
burning, skin cancer.

UVC shortest among 3

but doesnt reach earths surface. Most damaging- upto cells DNA. Artificial UVC
lights used in food/medical/pharma industry to kill germs.

#2: Preferential market access

(PMA) policy

By Department of Electronics and IT (DEITY)

PMA policy makes it mandatory for the government and private companies to procure a
certain percentage of its requirements from desi manufacturers.

This was opposed by American companies including Apple.

Now government revising this policy to give some exemption to private companies

And limit to the scope of PMA policy to only the supply of electronic and telecom
equipment that has security implications.

#3: IT Potential in Africa

Nothing sci-tech but some fodder material:
Scope of Indian IT Companies in Africa because of following reasons:
1. Most of the African countries are seeing political stability and better economic growth
than ever before.
2. Indian companies can create digital infrastructure for in e-governance, e-banking, elearning- especially for maths+science.

3. IIT Delhi actively involved in the training, particularly vocational training and training of
teachers in some African countries.
4. Nearly 30% Of Africas demand for CRT, picture tubes, inverters, radios, sound
equipment, medical equipment, etc. is met from India imports.
5. Indian government setting up IT parks and other ICT related activities in a number of
African countries like Ethiopia, Senegal, Mozambique, Rwanda and Tanzania.

IT: Misc.
it is a netbook, but instead of Microsoft windows, it runs on googles chrome operating
chromebook
system. (OS)
photo messaging system.
you take a picture, send it to friend. itll automatically disappear from his phone after 24
Snapchat
hours. American teenagers like this.
Mark Zukerburg (facebook) wants to bring them to facebook- hence offered 3 billion $ cash
to snapchat maker, but he refused.
Windows
Its a patch released by Microsoft to add new features in the existing Window8 Operating
8.1
system

Yahoo

Lookflow=Yahoo bought this company, to provide image recognition facility in Yahoos

photo website flickrTumblr=Yahoo bought this blogging companyMarissa
Mayaer=Yahoos female CEO.

[Sci-Tech]TheHindu Sep-Oct-Nov(Part 2of4): Agriculture, Public

Health, Medical research related

Foodcrops related

#1: Trombay Crop varieties

by BARC scientists.

Using radiation induced mutation and cross-breeding.

Agro. Ministry has permitted their commercial cultivation.

In the 70s, BARC started with Trombay Groundnut (TG-1) for Guj-Maharashtra region
Crop
No. of Trombay varieties

Groundnut 15- large seeds, drought resistant, no sprouts/germination during storage

Mustard

Soya

2-more resistant to bacteria

Sunflower 1
Mooong

8- can survive salinity, disease-resistant, early maturing

Tuvar

Urad

Chouli

Rice

Jute

Total

41

Benefits: individual crop varietys feature may vary but by and large

takes less time to mature

drought/ pest tolerant

longer shelf life

#2: Navara Rice

Navara is a medicinal rice variety.

Red colored.

Grown in Kerala.

used in Ayurveda remedies for rheumatisms, neuro muscular disorders and body
rejuvenation.

enjoys geographical indication (GI) status. (Pokkali rice=another Kerala rice that enjoys
GI status=Pokkali rice)

but Navara rice cultivation is almost extinct. Why?

pure seeds not available

low yield, high production cost

Now farmers trying to revive this via concept of Navara Eco Farm- with organic farming

Pesticides not used. Instead, they plant Tulsi and marigold to repel the insects.

#3: Rice-Fish-Poultry Integrated Model

In this model, farmer uses

% of his
To grow
land
90%

Paddy (rice)

5%

Fishes carp, roghu, cutla etc.

5%

Poultry cage. Erected in such a way that one part is over the fishes and one part over the
paddy crop. This way, bird dropping help as fish-feed + farm-manure.

Benefits
1. Recycling waste products-using them as fish feed and manure
2. Additional income from poultry and fishes
3. bio-control of pests: fish feed on the pests and insects attacking the rice plant
4. Similar triple-income model can also be constructed with silkworm rearing, or apiary.

Madurai malli

Flower in TN

Enjoys GI status (click me for earlier article)

Why in news? Because theyre looking for exprort potential in Malaysia

Problem: rainfall scarcity, Labor shortage because of MNREGA,

Cotton Duty

Currently, duty-free cotton exports are permitted (after registering contracts with the
Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT).

Textile minister wants to impose 10% duty on overseas sale of cotton.

But Group of Ministers (GoM) headed by Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar said not a
good idea sir-ji

Reasons:

Indias cotton production has been increasing every year.

In such a situation, there should be no restrictions on export of raw cotton and no duty
on export.

any quantitative restriction or export duty would penalise farmers

Milk/Meat/Fish related:
#1: Poultry Meat to Biodiesel

Namakkal district of TN= leading producer of poultry. Avg. 4000 birds die here every
day and discarded in the open=>foul smell, contamination of ground water, health
hazards, house flies and diseases.

Now a TN researcher designed method to extract bio-diesel out of dead poultry.

Each dead chicken weighs about 1.5 kg and ~15% of its body has fat.

Using solvent extraction method, we can extract this fat and turn it into body diesel.
This way six birds=1 litre of bio-diesel. This bio-diesel can be blended with regular
diesel in 20:80 ratio and can be used in regular vehicles.

#2: Sea Ranching

Sea ranching is a process of releasing artificially cultured juvenile fishes into the sea or
estuarine waters=> let them mature=>fishing.

can be used for shrimps, sea cucumber, sea urchin, variety of fishes.

New sea ranching project in Kozikode- 4 lakh larvae of tiger prawns released.

This would help inland fishermen of the district- who are negatively affected by
overfishing practices and climatic changes

Economies of sea ranching=> 4 lakh larvae = only 20% survive= 1,600 kg of prawn,
and at an average Rs.250 a kg, this will amount to Rs.3 lakh to Rs.4 lakh in returns.

#3: TMR (Total mixed ration)

New type of cheap cattle feed being tested in Kerala.

Uses mixture of ground nuts, sesame, red gram, molasses, toxin binder, salt and
vitamin mineral mixtures.

Cheaper than commercial feeds

Can also be given to goats, sheep etc.

Reduces the green fodder requirement

Increases milk output.

#4: FMD outbreak in South India

In [Food Processing] Milk sector article, weve already seen theory Foot and Mouth
disease (FMD) and how it affects the supply line of milk/meat industry. click me

FMD is in news because of outbreak reported in Andhra.

There are four type of FMD virus: A, C, O and Asia1.

Indian cattle is given vaccines against all these FMD viruses- twice a year.

Sheep and goats (cloven hoofed animals) are also susceptible to the FMD viral disease.

FMD is not a public health hazard. It doesnt spread to humans.

Public Health/Policy related

#1: B.Sc (Community Health)

Union cabinet approved this new degree course.

3 years course in state university => Community health officer under health ministry.

Syllabus designed by National Board of Examinations (NBE). (and not the medical
council of India MCI)

Will help in: diarrhea, pneumonia, vaccination, TB, fever, skin infection, normal delivery
etc.

will act as a bridge between village midwife/ASHA work vs a doctor

Opposition
Why?

1. Course Syllabus not designed by MCI= such graduates cannot be

expected to provide professional diagnosis and treatment.
2. This B.Sc course will create two tiers of medical professionals.
1. these half-baked doctors will endanger the lives of the patients.
parliamentary standing
2. Instead of such fancy new courses- better make it mandatory for new
Committee on Health and Family MBBS to serve in rural areas for the first few years.
3. 12th FYP already proposed setting up medical colleges in every
Welfare
district. So doctor shortage will be removed soon, then why are you
making new degree?
MBBS lobby

#2: Drug Price Control Order (DPCO) 2013

By Department of Pharmaceutics under ministry of Chemical and fertilizer. (and not

health ministry).

To fix ceiling price of essential medicines on the basis of market-based pricing.

DPCO 2013 empowers the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) to

regulate prices of 348 essential drugs.
How?

Make a list of all pharma companies with marketshare of atleast 1% or more.

observe their prices for given drug-

take simple average of those prices

+local taxes and 16% profit margin for retail chemist.

Decide ceiling price based on that.

Sounds well and good, whats the problem?

1. Patented drugs not covered. So most of the MNC pharma brands are out of the scope.
2. AYUSH drugs are not covered.
3. Only applies to 348 drugs. There are total ~900 allopathic drugs in India.
4. Companies can still evade price ceiling by adding / changing a few ingredients in their
drug formulation.
5. Doesnt not apply to newly patented within India (for first five years). =companies
might file frivolous patents by slightly modifying existing mixtures-to evade price
ceiling.
6. Even within ceiling, Doctors can still prescribe most expensive variety of drug and
patient will buy it. (and doctor mints commission from pharma company.)
Anyways, but why in News?

become Some NGO filed court case- alleging that

DPCO encourages profiteering. Government prince regime guided by market-driven

forces= bad idea.

National List of Essential Drugs consists of only 348 drugs and left out many essential
medicines from price control.

Drugs in news (DIN?)

Mycidac-C

Metformin

Ranbaxy

Cadilas new New drug

For non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
Price: 40000 for 10 injections (still cheaper than its rival Avastin by Roche pharma.)
Got permission from to sell in India
used for treatment of type II diabetes.

some researchers believed It also helps in heart-diseases-even in non-diabetic patients.

But the clinical trials have been inconclusive so far.
Indian drug company Ranbaxy Laboratories used fraudulent data to approval from USAs
FDA to sell generic drugs in America. (according to its whistleblower employee.)

#3: Brainmapping, Lie Detection and Narco

Analysis
Popularly called Lie detection test. Been used since 1920s.

Polygraph

Lie detection instrument connected with suspects body. He is asked series of

questions.
Principle: deceptive/wrong answers produce physiological responses different than
true answers e.g. BP, pulse rate, respiration and skin temperature.
Thus you can find lie by monitoring his physiological indices.

Narco
Analysis

Brain
Mapping

Suspect is given injection of truth serum e.g. sodium thiopental/ Sodium Pentothal/ Sodium
Amytal. (one type of barbiturate derivate.)

Principle: truth serums act on the central nervous system (CNS). They reduce
anxiety and self-control. Suspect becomes woozy/ trance/half-unconscious. Then you
ask questions, hell (most likely) tell the truth.
Sensors attached to Suspects head. He is shown audio/video/images related to crime
scene.

Principle: suspects brain recognizes things from a crime scene and produces
different type of brain waves (while innocent person who has no knowledge of crime
scene- will not produce those brain waves).

In a typical criminal investigation, suspects first undergo a lie detection test, then brain
mapping and narco-analysis.

As per an expert committee of NIMHANS (National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro
Sciences) says Brain mapping = unscientific and should be discontinued as an
investigative tool and as evidence in courts.

As per Supreme court directive: police cannot do Brain mapping, polygraph and brainmapping tests without consent of the accused person.

fine but Why in news? Because LeT bomber Abdul Karim Tunda refused to give consent
for brain mapping, citing his old age and health problems. (September 2013 news)

#4: Eye Donation

National Eye Donation fortnight was held in Aug-September period.

India has around 20 lakh people with corneal blindness they can see again with eye
transplantation.

eye donation does not disfigure the dead body and the procedure takes only about 10
to 15 minutes.

shelf life of a retrieved eye is 12 days it is given to needy patient based on waiting
list.

We have to motivate people to donate eyes. but only signing forms alone is not
sufficient. A person must inform his friends and relatives. (that if I die, contact this xyz
number to get my eye donated)

World Sight Day= celebrated on second Thursday of October. This year it was on 10th
Oct.

Disease/Anatomy related
#1: Wifi Pacemaker

Normal heart beat 60-90 times per minute. (72 to be exact)

bradycardia

heart beats at a slower rate than 60 beats per minute

Tachycardia

Heart rate >100 beats per minute.

arrhythmias

irregular heartbeat

sinoatrial (SA)
node.

Group of cells- that generate electrical signal . This signal controls heartbeat rate.
Faulty electrical = arrhythmias=irregular heartbeat.

During Tachycardia (too fast heart beats), upper chambers of heart cannot fill up blood
within the fast beat= blood flow become irregular=>fatigue, dizziness, fainting, and/or
chest pain even death.

Pacemaker

Implantable Cardio Defibrillator. (ICD)

same. but not just impulse- it can also give

Generates low energy electrical impulses= to make the heart an electrical high-shock during
beat at normal rate.
emergency.

Pacemaker runs on a battery- need replacement @4-5 years.

Latest models of pacemaker even have wifi-feature. It can

same
directly send messages to the doctor, about patients heart
rate.

same

ok but Why in news?

Because ex-Vice President Dick Cheney had turned off wifi feature in his defibrillatorbecause of fear that terrorists could hack it to kill him, via wifi!
Speaking of fancy heart gadgets:

AED

Holter

Monitor

Automated External Defibrillator

Shocks the heart back to its normal rhythm. You may have seen this in many Hollywood
movies.
Anyone can use AED device on the patient during emergency.
But need to educate people and need to place AEDs @commonplaces like railway station,
bus complex, and a shopping malls.
A small, portable ECG. Can be worn over chest to track your heart rate for 24 hours and
doctor can use this data for diagnosis.

#2: Rabies

is a zoonosis disease (transmitted from animals to humans) other examples of such

diseases are Anthrax, Bovine tuberculosis, Plague, Ringworm.

Virus is present in the salivary glands of rabid animals. When rabid animal bites
human= virus transmitted.

Raccoons, skunks, bats, foxes, dogs, and cats, among other smaller animals can spread
rabies through their bites.

Rabies virus infects the central nervous system. Causes hypersalivation (increase in
saliva), hydrophobia (fear of water), partial paralaysis, hallucinations and finally death.
(India: >20,000 per year)

Louis Pasteur (French)= pasteurization, anthrax vaccine, rabies vaccine.

earlier, you had to get 16 injections of anti-rabies vaccine on the abdomen. Today, with
advanced care, just 4-5 injection sufficient.

No treatment is required if a person feeds or touches a rabid dog.

No treatment required if rabid dog licks intact skin of human.

But if the rabid dog causes a skin injury or licks the mucus membrane like in the
mouth, eyes and nose, vaccination is must.

#3: Kala Azar

Also known visceral leishmaniasis. caused by Parasite: Leishmania

Spread by female sand-fly (it bites for blood meal)

Affects spleen, liver and bone marrow. (Parasite cannot synthesize iron containing
haem molecule on its own. So, it attacks those organs in search of hemoglobin.)

In terms of death record by parasitic diseases: #1 Malaria and #2 is Kala Azar.

Our national health policy aims to eliminate Kala-azar by 2015 i.e. less than 1 case per
10,000 population at sub-district level.

Weve also signed Tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Nepal and
Bangladesh to eliminate Kala-azar from the South East Asia region by 2015,

Drugs used: Miltefosine capsule, Amphotericin B injection. (brandname Fungisome) By

and large, Kala Azar drugs are toxic and expensive. No vaccine has yet been licensed.
ok but why in news? Because an American institute testing vaccine in India.

#4: Goose bumps

Goosebumps are caused by extreme cold or intense emotions

How? electric impulse passing thru tiny muscles below skin=>skin contracts and the
hairs get erect.

Fur animals use goose bumps for insulation against coldness. (because erect hairs trap
more air=more insulation)

in cats and rats- goose-bumps make their bodysize appear bigger= to frighten their
enemies.

ok but what is the use of goosebumps in humans? Nothing. Its just a vestigial reflex.

Other examples of vestigial traits=appendix, tailbone, wisdom teeth and tonsils.

#5: Pediatric TB

1997: Revised National TB Control Programme (RNTCP) started

Limitation?
Passive
RNTCP waits for the patient to come to the clinic and get his sputum tested.
approach But in the meantime, hed have infected dozen more.

Children
neglected

WHO recommends that if an adult has TB, then all children (below 5 years age in his house
must be tested for TB. Because children are particularly susceptible to TB bacteria. But
RNTCP doesnt do this.
DOTS workers dont inquire about children living in TB patients house either.

Result? Highest number of TB patients found in India- ~3.5 million and >10% of them
are children.

TB in Children: detection problems?

Unlike adult, children donot product sputum= hard to diagnose in lab.

Smear microscopy and other traditional methods to detect TB= dont give conclusive
result when used on children.

Solution? Use Xpert MTB test on children to detect TB. Xpert MTB is a rapid molecular
test.

WHO recommends it for diagnosing Multi-drug resistant TB (MTB)

this test can give result within two hours.

even if very few TB bacteria present in the sample.

Limitation: barely ~30 Xpert diagnostic machines in India.

Brighter side: if Child is infected but has not yet developed TB disease, just give him
isoniazid drug for six month and problem solved.

Medical research related

Nano capsule vaccine

Nanocapsule vaccines give better protection than normal vaccine

Doesnt require injection /needle.

Mucosa tissues= found in Human respirator track, alimentary canal, and the
reproductive tract.

If Nano-capsule vaccine is delivered to any of these one sites- it gives immunity to all
other sites as well.

e.g. if future HIV vaccine is given through inhaler in nose= will grant immunity to
genitals (from where HIV virus can enter body.)

Thus nanocapsule vaccines delivered through inhalers=future of medicine- especially

HIV, human papillomavirus (Cervical cancer), herpes, influenza and tuberculosis and
other diseases that pass through mucosal tissues.

Regenerative Medicine

It is a branch of medical science which studies the replacement or regeneration of

human cells, tissue and organs.

This helps in chronic (long term) diseases.

Involves use of stem cells and now 3D printing (for example: 3d printed liver, kidney,
ears etc.)

Latest in this area is 4D printing.

4D printing
4D printing=3D printing + time / place dimension.
For example,

A soldiers uniform that can alter its color pattern depending

on time/season/surrounding place

A soldiers armor that can alter its defense-mechanism based on type of attack:
bullet/acid/fire/radiation/chemical etc.

An artificial organ that can adapt based on lifestyle, diet, blood group, and infection etc.
of the patient.

In-vivo iPS cell

Adult cell (e.g. from skin, muscle etc)=>reprogram=> becomes iPS cell (induced
pluripotent stem cells)

Use this iPS stem cell to grow liver, heart, kidney etc. in lab.=>organ transplant.

Last year, Nobel was given for this iPS research.

So far, iPS cells could be grown only in labs (in-vitro)

But now researcher working on how to grow iPS cells right inside the body (in-vivo)

Benefit? Theyll have more uses as regenerative medicine than lab grown iPS cells (invitro)

3 parent baby

Mitochondria= powerhouse of cell, help oxidizing food and generate energy. Also help
coordinating several molecular events.

During fertilization

Embryo gets mitochondria DNA from mother side.

Fathers sperm also contain mitochondria in its tail- but not given to the embryo.

If mother has Defective mitochondria=> baby likely to have liver, heart and respiratory
disease.
What is the solution? In mothers egg, replace mitochondria with healthy from a donor
lady. Then use this modified egg in the fertilization with fathers sperm.

Thus three-parent baby is born:

Father
Gave sperm

Mito-mom Donor lady, Gave mitochondria DNA

Geno-mom Gave the egg
UK gave permission for clinical trials.
USA still contemplating over the biological, ethical and legal issues involved in this
technology.

1978 Invitro fertilization

1996 Dolly ship clone
2013 Three parent baby

Exact years not important but chronology is. Incase UPSC asks an like they did in CAPF2013 for plasma, LED and CRT televisions chronology.

DNAs half life

New research found DNA has a half-life of 521 years.

That means that after 521 years, half of the bonds between nucleotides in DNA would
have broken; after another 521 years half of the remaining bonds would have gone.

ok but how is that even relevant?

Because in Hollywood sci-fi movies, you may have seen how scientist would use DNA
sample from dinosaurs and ancient insects are trapped in amber and breed a new
dinosaur or some other massive creature.

This is implausible because dinosaurs died 65 million years ago. And given that DNAs
half-life is just 521 years- their DNA has become junk- there is no way you can decode
it and create new dinosaur.

Cytoskeleton

Botulism

Polonium

DEET

This material in our cells, determines the mechanical properties of the cell.
If the cytoskeleton is damaged, cell-division is affected, too.
Cancer damages this cytoskeleton, rendering cells softer and smoother.
Thus, by studying cytoskeleton we can detect cancer. Research on going in this
area.
Clostridium botulinum is an anaerobic bacteria=can only grow in the absence of
oxygen.
Botulinum = toxin produced by this bacteria.
It can enter human body through contaminated food, wounds, water=>
botulism=death if untreated.
ok but why in news?
Scientists have discovered a new strain of this bacteria- its toxin has no antidote.
Theyve not published all details- otherwise terrorists can use it for making
bioweapons.
Polonium (Po) is a radioactive element. Marie Curie had discovered it and named
after her homeland- Poland.
Polonium is deadlier than cyanide.
ya but why in news?
A Swiss scientist found high levels of Polonium on blood-saliva stains on Yasser
Arafats clothes- suggesting that someone (=Israelis) had poisoned him.
DEET ( N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide) is the most widely used insect repellant

Problem: costly, dissolves plastics and synthetic fabrics, But now scientists
looking for natural alternative made from grape.

[Sci-Tech] TheHindu Sep-Oct-Nov:(Part 1 of 4) Environment and

Biodiversity (EnB)-Jellyblooms,e-waste rules,SAFAR tech

Flora Fauna Wildlife related

Jellyfish bloom

Jellyfish bloom = huge increase Jellyfishes population.

Jellyfish bloom: result?

1. In Sweden, a nuclear power plant had to be shut down after jellyfishes clogged its
water cooling system. Similar incidents reported from Muscat, S.Korea to Scotland
2. Bad for fishermen: their nets get busted and trawl lines get clogged.
3. Jellyfish stings are extremely painful. Sea-resorts/beaches receive less tourists
whenever jellyfishes are sighted near the coast.

Why Jelly fish blooms?

or, why is Jellyfish population increasing so rapidly?

Predators

They have few predators sea turtles, salmon, mackerel et al.Overfishing of salmon,
mackerel = less predators of jelly fish.

cuisine

Except a few Asian countries- most people dont eat Jelly fish because its meat is tasteless
and you need to carefully remove its poisonous stings.=less demand=fishermen avoid
jellyfishes.

Competitors

Jelly fish competes with smaller fishes for the same food. But Jelly fish even eats the eggs
of its competitors fishes= collapses smaller fish populations.

They create polypslittle bundles of clones. Polyps attach to hard surfaces and wait for
their opportunity to release small jellyfish.
Nowadays with lot of man-made hard surfaces in the ocean: drilling platforms, offshore
wind turbines, boats, anchors etc even plastic cigarette packets= more places for polyps
Reproduction
to thrive.
In Certain species of jelly fish- even dead jelly fishes cells find each other again and from a
whole new polyp.
Because of this polyps mechanism- Jellyfish can even transport to new ecosystem- where
often they have no natural predators.
Pesticides, fertilziers, industral waste etc=>river=>ocean
This increases the nitrogen and phosphorous content in water=> algal blooms
During algal bloom, oxygen content in water decrease. = most marine organisms are
Algae Bloom
wiped out. However, jellyfish can survive because it needs very little oxygen.
So as other animals dwindle, jellyfish colonies expand
Example: Pollution from Yangtze River in western China => dead zones in the East China
and Yellow Seas with Jelly blooms.

Cyber poaching

Cyber poaching is the use of GPS, satellite, IT technology poaching animals.

Iridium collar= fitted on tigers, can track them both via satellite and ground tracking.
Can provide GPS data about animals movement at regular interval daily.

Wildlife official found that someone from Pune tried to access this GPS data of tiger in
MP=>leading to suspicion that hacker tried to get the tiger movement data- pass it to
poachers so the animal can be easily hunted. FIR has been lodged.

in the meantime, forest officers captured this tiger, replaced this iridium collar with
Very High Frequency (VHF) collar.
VHF collar

GPS collar

since 60s

recent technology

GPS tracking is based on a radio

An animal wearing a VHF collar = transmits radiowaves- you track receiver (rather than a transmitter) in
it with a special receiver and directional antenna. (but you have an animals collar.
satellite used for monitoring the
to in the nearby region).
location coordinates- every 15
minutes, one hour etc.
Satellite captures GPS coordinateslabor intensive. You need a man on the ground / plane in the air
you can see animals location on
to track animal.
computer anywhere.
So, doesnt work well in bad weather / difficult terrain.

cheap

expensive

long life

Battery expires in a few months.

Accuracy=reasonable.

extreme

Tiger Census

Conducted every four years.

By National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) + Wildlife Institute of India (WII),

Dehradun

It is in news because October-December 2013 period, tiger census will run in the four
southern states.

Authorities also want to include NGOs and citizens in this exercise. Public participation
gives transparency and credibility to tiger census. (else local forest officers might
inflate tiger numbers in their district.)

but as per the rules: no cameras/mobile phones allowed. hence very few volunteers
applied.

Why? Because in previous census Volunteers spent most of their time shooting photos
and recording videos, rather than collecting data.

flashlights from camera=disturbs the tigers and other wildlife.

Giant African Snail

Exotic pest introduced from East Africa to India in 1800s

This is the biggest land snail

Damages crops of papaya, brinjal etc.

Snail is one type of Mollusk= Invertebrate having a soft body usually enclosed in a shell

Snail is a hermaphrodite and lays eggs on soil.

In cold regions, snail can undergo hibernation

Hibernation
What?

Hibernation is a way that some animals deal with the harshness of winter.

They curl up in a safe place, barely breathe, heartbeat is so slow you can hardly
detect it, as if the animal is almost dead.

In warmer weather, they return to their regular activities.

Hibernation =in winter / cold regions. Similarly, Estivation = in summer/ hot regions.
Why Hibernation?

Evolutionary mechanism to survive in winters + food shortage.

they breathe slowly, dont move=energy expenditure declines. Can live with just
their body fat.

(new research)

Hibernation boosts immunity.

Predator avoidance: since animal is motionless and emit minimal noise and body
odour= predator cannot detect it.
Who?

Mammals: bats, bears, chipmunks, mice, hedgehog, Prairie Dogs, Raccoons, hamsters

frogs, snakes, turtles, snails, earthworms, bees, lizards

Birds: Poorwill, Nighthawks.

Great Indian Bustard

Regarding Great Indian Bustard: Less than 250 left in country.
Why decline?

Andra

has received ca$h from CAMPA (Compensatory Afforestation Management and Planning)..
Yet theyve not declared bird sanctuary for great Indian bustards.

Maharashtra

in Chandrapur, the government ordered that farmland cannot be sold if bustard was seen
on it. So, farmers kill bustards to sell the land.

Karnataka

Forest officials planting exotic tree species= unsuitable as habitat for birds + less
insect=less food

Erosion of grassland by domestic animals=less insects=less food for bird.

Grassland turned into farmland, Farmland sold for industrial purpose= less insects=less
food.

Forest mafia destroying teak trees.

poaching

Unregulated tourism.
Birds found in
red list status (on Nov
India
2013)

Great Indian
Bustard

critically endangered

Cattle Egret

least concern

Baya Weaver

least concern

Pink-headed Duck critically endangered

Jerdons Courser critically endangered
Siberian Crane

critically endangered

Indian Vulture

critically endangered

Bengal Florican

critically endangered

Found in

Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh

Egrets are local winter Migratory birds.

In winter, they migrate to Ooty hill station region.
They also feed on pest/insects=help farmers.

You dig and post in comments.

Katurirangan report on western ghat

Weve already seen Gadgil report in detail: click me

But Gadgil report led to widespread protests by villagers and forest/builder/mining

mafia lobby in Western Ghats.

So, Environment ministry setup one more committee under Kasturirangan, in August
2012.

headed by Dr. K. Kasturirangan (Member, Planning Commission)

Gadgil
Kasturirangan

Official name: Western Ghats Ecology Expert

High Level Working Group (HLWG)
Panel (WGEEP)
use satellite data down to 9km resolution

24 meters resolution

Classifies western ghat region into three zone: It classifies Western Ghat into
1, 2 and 3. Separate level protection to each
cultural landscape: ~58%
of this zones. click me for more
Natural landscape ~42%.

kept cultural landscape within purview of

ecologically sensitive areas.

Kasturi has kept cultural landscape out of purview of Ecologically

sensitive areas. e.g. sacred groves of Kerala- rich in biodiversity.
So, if Kasturis recommendations accepted, any builder could raze the
sacred groves to construct new buildings. (or atleast thats what
Gadgil followers say)

entire Western ghat should be declared as

nope, only 37% area of Western ghat (=60000 sq.km)
ecologically sensitive area under Environment
villages with population density >100, shoulnot be declared
Protection Act, 1986.
ecologically sensitive.
pro-people, pro-nature.Grama Sabhas should autocratic approach. Doesnt include local communitys role in
decide on the Ecological Sensitivity of the
ecological decision-making. (or atleast thats what Gadgil followers
respective areas
say)

Why Kasturi in news?

As per Kasturis recommendation, Environment ministry banned mining activities and

restrict on construction activities in 123 villages of Western Ghat.

Kasturi also recommends that commercial crops, rubber, tea, coffee, pepper, cashew,
cardamom, arecanut and coconut etc. shouldnot be allowed in such ecologically
sensitive areas.

+ even chemical fertilizers and pesticides should not be allowed for any crops.

result? farmers are against Kasturis report. = violent protests in Kerala.

Human Cruelty by Animals?

Shimla Municipal Corporation had earlier rounded up every stray dog and kept them in
dog houses built outside the town.

But an NGO got these dogs released and now leopards entering localities to hunt this
dogs

Similarly, people throwing food garbage in the town= monkeys coming from jungle
causing more crop destruction.

State Government has banned export of monkeys for medical research.

Kisan Sabha demanding that (1) monkeys must be culled and (2) monkey export
should be permitted.

Animal-loving NGOs move to courts for flimsiest reasons but dont care for such
problems faced by humans.

Waste Management related

#1: E-waste rules

e-waste (Management & Handling) Rules, 2011

By Environment ministry- made in 2011, became effective since 2012

Covers: electrical / IT equipment.

Doesnt cover: lead batteries and radioactive waste (separate rules for them)

Features
aim

safe disposal e-waste through private bodies

Coverage

Apply to every producer, consumer and recycling center.

Specify the ceiling limits of lead, mercury, cadmium, chromium, ether etc. hazardous substances in
electrical equipment.
Every producer has to certify their equipment donot contain those substances beyond the
specified level.
Concept: Extended Producers Responsibility (EPR).
Meaning, once the consumer discards the electronic / IT product- it is producers responsibility to
collect the e-waste and ensure theyre safely disposed.
Producer has to take back its discarded electronic products from customers. (or can outsource this
work to a recycler/collection center)
If municipality gather e-waste (during their day-to-day operation)- they need to hand over e-waste
to such private bodies.

Ceiling

Disposal

NonCompliance

State pollution control board can cancel the license of that producer.

1. E-waste is not entirely waste. you can salvage iron, aluminum, copper and gold and
other precious metals and reuse them
2. but e-waste also contains mercury, cadmium etc. hazardous substances
3. Mercury =bio-accumulates (builds up in organisms) and biomagnifies (moves up the
food chain). Thus, even a minuscule amount of mercury can affect entire ecology and
human health.
4. As per ASSOCHAM report top three e-waste producing cities
city rank
e-waste in tonnes per year

1. Mumbai
2. Delhi
3. Banglore

>60,000
>40,000
>35,000

#2: Nisrgruna
too clichd topic, besides already been asked in one of the earlier mains. but anyways:

Nisargruna= solid waste management technology devised by Bhabha Atomic Research

Centre (BARC)

1 tonne of biodegradable waste from households, hotels, farms=>nisargruna

plant=>methane (1 cylinder) + manure (50kg)

4 such cylinders can power 80-100 LED streetlight for 8 hours.

takes only 20 lakhs to setup one plant.

More efficient than traditional biogas plants

been in news because a new Plants being setup in Madurai + Chennai

some fodder points related to municipal waste

By 2100: Indias total waste generation will be 70 per cent of all the high income and
OECD countries put together

by 2030 India will be worlds largest municipal solid waste generator.

#3: Coriander as biosorbent

Coriander or cilantro, the leafy herb used to garnish variety of Indian food.

US researchers found coriander leafs are potential biosorbent = can remove lead, nickel
and other toxic heavy metals from water.

can be used low-cost remedy to purify drinking water.

Air Pollution related

#1 Air Quality Index

Air Quality Index is a color-coded tool that categorizes air quality.

Air QualityRating

Air Quality Index (AQI) Color

GOOD

0 50

green

MODERATE

51 100

yellow

UNHEALTHY FOR SENSITIVE GROUPS 101 150

orange

UNHEALTHY

151 200

red

VERY UNHEALTHY

201 300

purple

HAZARDOUS

>300

maroon

Air Quality index can be measured based on particle size.

PM 10: measure pollutants with a diameter of 10 microns or less.

PM 2.5: pollutants with a diameter of 2.5 microns or less.

For example

Air QualityRating

Range

PM10 PM2.5 Color

GOOD

0 50

green

MODERATE

51 100

yellow

UNHEALTHY FOR SENSITIVE GROUPS 101 150

orange

UNHEALTHY

151 200

red

VERY UNHEALTHY

201 300

purple

HAZARDOUS

>300

maroon

for Beijing, it remains >300 (hazardous) and for Delhi- in the range of 250 (very
unhealthy). [October data]

#2 SAFAR

SAFAR: System of Air Quality Forecasting and Research (SAFAR)

Computerized system developed by Indian institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM),

Pune (under Ministry of Earth Science)

with help of India Meteorological Department (IMD).

SAFAR was installed in Delhi, during CWG-2010. Later in Pune.

Why in news? Because SAFAR is being installed in Mumbai. (October)

it provides data on

1. Air Quality Index health advisory

2. UV Index skin advisory
3. Dynamic city pollution maps.

Quality of air can be forecasted 24-72 hours in advance.

#3 China bans coal based power plants

In Beijing, air quality index is constantly above 300 in recent months. Haze is a routine
phenomenon. Air pollution has reduced Chinese peoples life expectancy by 5.5 years
and so on finally Chinese government woke up, has banned new coal based power
plants in the three key industrial regions
1. Beijing
2. Shanghai
3. Guangdong (Pearl River)
China will try to reduce its coal consumption to 65% by 2017, and aim for more
nuclear, natural gas and renewable energy.

#4: Aerosol
Aerosol= solid/liquor particles uniformly distributed in gas.

natural

man-made

sea salt, dust

Soot from vehicles.

firewood burning,
Sulphate particles from thermal / cement plants.

Aerosol optical depth (AOD)= An index of aerosol levels. Researchers found aerosol
level has increased over the years in India.

Why aerosol bad in atmosphere?

They absorb light= less sunlight coming to ground. also affect how much heat escapes
from earth

Thus aerosol affect aerosols affect regional climate and monsoon (+respiratory
problems).

Man made aerosols have HFCs (Hydrofloro carbons)=greenhouse effect.

Energy related

#1: Nanotech: Better solar panels

Solar power panels use semiconductor material, like silicon or gallium arsenide

Sunlight=>photons=> Semiconductor material =>electromagnetic energy

London researchers coated this solar panel surface with aluminum nanostructures.
Result?

More photons absorbed=>more electricity produced.

Earlier scientists tried similar thing with silver and gold nanoparticles. But Aluminum is
giving better performance at cheaper cost.

Price of Solar Power in India

2011
Rs. 18/kWh

2013

Rs. 7/kWh

Aluminum nano structure Could help bring down the cost even further

#2: Nanotech: better fuel cells

Fuel cells: chemical energy=>electricity.

Fuel cell running cars will emit water rather than carbon dioxide.

But fuel cells use platinum as a catalyst= very expensive.

Researchers came with new tech. to convert cheap catalyst from gelatin.

Gelatin is protein, used in jelly making.

Gelatin+Magneisum+Iron=>heating=>create metal nanoparticles.

[Sci-Tech] Dept.s Annual Report summary(Part1 of 4): Agro,

Environment, Solar and Water related projects, inventions,
research

Agri / Dairy related

Potash from Sea Water

Potassium is an essential plant nutrient. MOP (Muriate of Potash) and SOP (Sulphate of
Potash) are the popular forms of potassic fertilizer,

but We dont have local mineral resources, have to rely on Potash through imports=
more current account deficit

However, were blessed with long coast line=salt production.

Britten= bitter liquid remaining after common salt has been crystallized out of sea
water.

This Britten can be used to harvest potassium chloride (20-25 gms per liter)=> further
processing will give Potash.

DST funding project for this indigenous production of Potash.

+ another project to extract ultra-pure magnesia from seawater

Banana Stem for Paper Making

India being the largest producer of banana in the world

But Banana stem=generally discarded as waste.

banana stem+wheat straw / Bagasses=>pulp them = can be used for paper making
and reinforcement fibres

this will reduce the need to import softwood/hardwood pulp.

Non-Edible Oils (NEO)

Example of Non-Edible oils= Wild Apricot, Karanj, Malkangni, Jojoba, Wild Castor

NEO can be used for making soaps, lubricants, paints and varnishes, medicines etc.

But all value-addition and employment generation takes place in urban-industrial areas.

And tribals get very low income for collecting raw material.

DST promoting a hub-and-spoke supply chain using Village level women SHG.
lets check some more projects supported by DST:

Assassin bugs

bio control agents= using bugs/living organism to destroy other

pests. DST running project to see bio control potential of

copepods against mosquito larvae

Fabricius and Stal against cotton pests.
Solar Tunnel Dryers for Copra Production in TN.

by CDAC.
for tea aroma classification
helps in quality evaluation of finished tea and detection of tea
fermentation process
uses metal-oxide semiconductor (MOS) based sensors Tin and zinc
oxides.
Jack fruit cutter @ Thiruvananthapuram, minimize womens
drudgery involved in jackfruit processing

Copra drying
Hand Held
Electronic Nose
(HEN)

Jackfruit
MAAT/PAAT
Milk protein
estimator

QCM sensors

solar food processing of non-timber forest produce such as Gum

Karaya, Satavari, Neelavemu and Maredugaddalu for value addition
and income generation for tribal farmers.

solar food
processing

SYST

Mobile Alternative Analytical Technology (MAAT)

Portable Alternative Analytical Technology (PAAT
They can detect soil composition and recommend necessary
fertilizers to the farmers within 24 hours.
handheld electrochemical prototype for the detection of
adulteration in milk or synthetic milk
will help the by the diary industries.
by Anna University + IISc
for tea aroma classification

SCHEME FOR YOUNG SCIENTISTS AND TECHNOLOGISTS (SYST)

to motivate young scientists to use their brain for societys
development. Result?
fodder nursery model to provide nutritive fodder throughout the
year and reduce womens drudgery.
Humus: organic liquid fertilizer
Vitamate: solid humic acid

PEOPLE LIVING IN DIFFICULT AREAS

ASAR for people living in the Arid and Semi-arid Regions e.g. Rajasthan, Gujarat and MP
CODER for people living Cold Desert Regions. e.g. JK, HP.
These programs focus on Soil and water management, Sustainable Agriculture etc.

Environment and Biodiversity

(EnB) related
National Action plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) => two components for DST
1. National Mission on Strategic Knowledge for Climate Change (NMSKCC)
2. National Mission for Sustaining Himalayan Ecosystem (NMSHE)
Lets check
National Mission on Strategic Knowledge for Climate Change
NMSKCC
promotes PPP in key socio-economic sectors relating to climate change.
National Mission for Sustaining Himalayan Ecosystem
NMSHE
Glacial studies with Swiss Joint group.

DST also helped in following projects related to climate change

1. measuring Long Term Changes in Sea Level along Indian Coast by National Institute of
Oceanography
2. studying Climate Change on Agriculture and Forest Ecosystem in Indo-Gangetic Plains
3. case studies for sustainable livelihood and climate change by IRMA (Indian Institute of
Rural Management) Anand.
4. Knowledge for Climate Studies Centre by Indian Institute of Technology Bombay

FLY ASH UNIT

Coal based thermal power plants=>release fly ash=>pollution.

but fly ash could also be used for

Construction of railway embankments

in concrete for critical structures such as building

foundation material for turbo- generators, chimneys and cooling towers etc. in power
plants

DST promotes R&D for such uses of fly ash to change the image of fly ash from a
WASTE MATERIAL to a RESOURCE MATERIAL.

Since its inception, this project has added economic returns worth >3 billion USD and
employment >1 million people.

Even Russia has sought the expertise of this fly Ash Unit.

Bamboo Mission

NATIONAL MISSION ON BAMBOO APPLICATIONS (NMBA) by DST

to promote bamboo related to create economic opportunity, income and employment

for the tribal.

Examples

bamboo=>burn without flame=>charcoal=>further processing gives activated

carbon.
activated carbon can be used for water purification.
1. Maharahstra: Villages in Nadurbar district,MH= remote, inaccessible area having no
Bamboo For School
road connections. Green school building from bamboo have been setup. Even
Buildings
include kitchen and toilets.
2. Manipur: Kitchen cum store under Mid day Meal. Using Bamboo material.
bamboo waste bundle=>dry=>glue=>hot press=Bamboo timber boards.
Bamboo Timber
This Bamboo timber= 100% substitute of wood timber as it can be cut sawn, sanded
and polished in any direction.
Bamboo VinegarOil obtained as byproduct processing bamboo into charcoal.
has medicinal uses.
DSTs bamboo mission provides training, tools etc. for mat weaving, agarbati sticks
HRD
and incense-cone making, polishing bamboo etc.
Training given mostly in the states in Eastern India.
Bamboo=>Cellulose nano whiskers.
they enchance mechanical properties like strength and stiffness of the material.
Nanotech
This gives new opportunities to create completely bio degradable nano composites.
(=medical applications)
Bamboo thermoplastics are being used in the non-critical components/ interior
Thermoplastics
decoration of 2/3 wheeler vehicles (i.e. three wheeler and two wheeler).
Activated Carbon

Misc.
Arsenic Kit

for detecting arsenic levels in drinking water. Uses silver nitrate.

Artificial Glacier
Technology

water bodies constructed in Leh region for livelihood generation and

irrigation purpose.

Greenway Smart Stove

This stove has a unique air-flow generator

saves fuel by 65% and reducs smoke by 70%
Making meals healthier and happier
by a team of student entrepreneurs from Indin
is the fish species which has been widely distributed among the foothills of
Himalaya
Schizothoraxrichardsonii
but recently due to the overexploitation of the natural bioresources the fish
species has become endangered.
DST promoting selective breeding program of this fish.
ECO & WaSH (WATER, SANITATION & HYGIENE) FUTURESProgram for science
WaSH
communications related to eco-resources and water, sanitation & hygiene.

Carbon Sequestration
2007: DST launched NATIONAL PROGRAM ON CARBON SEQUESTRATION RESEARCH
(NPCSR).
At present DST funding projects for

Bio-fixation of CO2 using microalgae Scenedesmus sp. It grows well in industry

effluent=cheap cost.

Bio-logical carbon sequestration in terrestrial, fresh water and marine forms.

Microbial fuel cell

carbon sequestration for crop land, forest land, grass land, wet land and agroecosystem etc.

Solar/ Energy related

lets check some projects supported by DST:

Alternate fuels

APEX

ARTI

application of Straight Vegetable Oils (SVOs)

Green Diesel from Non-Edible Oils Using Nano Metal Catalysts.
projects for turning Jatropha/Castor Oil/Thumba seed oil into biodiesel.
IIT Kanpur+Tata Motors= tested biodiesel on railway diesel engine with common rail
direct injection (CRDI) technology
Another project to use biogas on rail engines.
Micro-algae and Bio-coagulant for turning waste water into bio-crude oil.
Advancing the efficiency and production potential of exictonic solar cells (APEX)
as the name suggests, it focuses on development of materials, devices and processing to
improve solar cells.
players involved: IIT Delhi, Kanpur, National Physical/chemical Laboratories etc.
Appropriate Rural Technology Institute(ARTI), Pune, Maharashtrafor converting
agricultural and other waste into high grade fuels.

Solar Biomass Hybrid Sea water desalination plant in Ramanathapuram district of

Tamil Nadu
An alternative of Silicone Based Solar Cell
Dye Sensitized Solar Cell
Dye Sensitized Solar Cell (DSSC), a third generation photovoltaic technology
Technology
its cheaper, more efficient than contemporary Silicon based technology.
Can be fabricated on the flexible plastic => indoor and outdoor usages possible
Efficient Cooking System
products can have an option of using multiple fuel option such as gas (LPG), kerosene,
eco cookers
coal, wood or even biogas.
Eco Cookers of 4 Ltrs, 40 Ltrs, and 120 Ltrs capacity.
Their flow properties and magnetism has lot of commercial application. e.g. solar power
FERROFLUIDS
generator, advanced optical system etc.
DST Funding projects for indigenous production of ferrofluids.
Village Shive in Khed Taluka of Pune district is under the Public-Private-Community
Hybrid Solar-Biomass
Partnership (PPCP) mode

@day: uses solar energy to generate electricity

Powerplant
@night: uses biomass to generate electricity
=24/7 electricity offgrid.
PAN IIT initiative aims at developing pre-competitive research capacity for Solar Power
PAN IIT
generation
+ focus on cost reduction.
Smart Energy Grids and Energy Storage (SEGES)
SEGES
DST in collaboration with the Research Councils UK.
Smart Energy Grids and Energy Storages.
SOLAR ENERGY RESEARCH INITIATIVE (SERI)
DST=>Solar Energy Research Initiative (SERI), 2008
SERI
To promote innovation in Solar energy.
hybrid solar power systems to meet rural energy needs
Desalination

SERIIUS

Solar Hydrogen

STAPP

Ultacapacitor

+devices, coatings, storage options, grid connectivity, etc.

Solar Energy Research Institute for India and U.S
to create an environment for cooperation and innovation without borders for soal
energy.
making Sustainable Photovoltaics tailored to Indias needs, environment, and resource
availability.
To convert solar energy => hydrogen=>storage device.
by IIT Kanpur, Madras; BARC, Mumbai etc.
Stability and performance of Photovoltaic (STaPP.)
As the name suggest, to improve performance of photovoltaic systems (solar cells)
increasing the performance and lifetime of such solar cells
players involved: IIT Bombay, Kharagpur, Kanpur etc.
Ultracapacity based lighting system= helps in power conversion especially for rural and
remote regions.
for example hybrid batter instead of conventional lead battery.

Drinking Water related

Winning, Augmentation and Renovation (WAR) for water program.

DST giving funds for developing low cost solutions using indigenous technology for
safe drinking water, purification, recycling etc. lets check progress:
States
water problem solution given

Andhra, TN

saline water,
bacteria etc

Assam/Bihar/UP/WB arsenic
Rajasthan

shortage

Uttarakhand

shortage

TN

saline

Reverse osmosis and UV treatment

arsenic removal using iron adsorbants.
Arsenic Removal Units (ARUs) deployed in the villages, costs about Re 1
for 1000 liter.
rain water harvesting structures and Kunds
saves drudgery of women to collect water from faraway areas.
In the hill regions, wells dont give sufficient water yield.
Therefore, River Bank Filtration (RBF) Projects to drill water out of river
banks.
Solar Multi Effect Distillation (MED), which was being done for the first
time in the country @ Naripayuur/Ervadi (Tamilnadu).

[Sci-Tech] Dept.s Annual Report summary(Part2 of 4): Healthcare,

Construction, Textile, Electronics, Plasma, Nano

Healthcare/Drug/Medical related
Good Lab practices (GLP)

Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) is a quality system by member nations of countries of

Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)

Concerned with monitoring of chemical/tests done in labs for industrial chemicals,

pharmaceuticals, veterinary drugs, pesticides, cosmetic products, food additives, feed
additives, etc.

Because these drug/chemicals/tests may pose dangers to human/animal/environment.

To comply with with this OECDs GLP (Good lab practices), our government setup
National Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) Compliance Monitoring Authority in 2002

this body falls under administrative control of DST (Department of Science and
Technology)

If you run a lab and get GLP certificate from this body=> your labs test data will be
accepted in OCED countries.

DPRP

The Drug and Pharmaceutical Research Programme (DPRP)

DST launched this in the mid 90s.

for Public Private Partnership (PPP) initiatives in drug research.

for promoting promoting Industry-Institutional collaboration

for developing New Drugs in all systems of medicine

for creating infrastructure, mechanisms and linkages to facilitate new drug development

+HRD

E-psychiatrist or virtual psychiatrist

for effective delivery of mental health care in remote areas.

by Health Ministry + Tata consultancy services (TCS)

net-based, logically linked clinical diagnostic and management decision support system

in English + Hindi

to help identifying and managing 18 human psychiatric disorders.

Indigenously developed, First ever such system in the world.

Pilot testing @HP, JK and Uttarakhand states.

Health & Physical fitness monitor

Equipment capable of measuring parameters like electrocardiogram (ECG), blood

pressure, pulse rate, body temperature, respiration rate etc.

has sensors to measure, display and record physiological information about the patient

use? rural/urban Hospitals intensive care units, operation theaters, emergency and
even in Ambulance.

Under prototype stage. Currently, there is no indigenous manufactures of Multiparameter monitors in India.

Blood Chemistry Analyser & Compact Portable

Mobile Lab

by Amit Bhanagar/IIT with funding from DST.

This Analyser supports the analysis of 23 parameters including Haemoglobin count,

Blood Glucose, Urea, Uric Acid, Creatinine, Bilirubin, Cholesterol, etc

testing cost: Rs. 120 per person.

can test 4000 samples per day

Costs ~80000 rupees.

Bacteriorhodipsin

Rhodopsin=Fundamental photosynthetic protein in the retina of the eye for vision

purposes.

They can be produced using bacteria like the Halobacterium Salinarum.

Photoactive biomolecules= in great demand for production of optical and electro-optical

sensors.

Hence Rhodopsins= commercial application. But very expensive at present. Developed

countries running secret projects.

DST Funding project to indigenously synthesize Bacterio-Rhodopsines from purple

bacteria.

Electro-Active Sensor Fabrics

Wearable strain sensor to measure the kinematic movements of elbow angle / knee
angle. Will help in following:

Physiotherapist / rehabilitation centre to check elbow/knee angle bending over a period

of time or after a critical injury.

any research relating to arthritis.

sports related injuries / treatment

knee replacement surgeries.

Biosensors

Biomolecular electronics = intergrates biomolecules with the electronics through a

transducer.

it uses fullerenes, carbon nanotubes, graphene, Organic electronics devices like Light
Emitting Diodes (OLEDs) etc.

Result?= the development of biosensors for non-invasive (surgery free) health care,
artificial muscles etc.

Low Cost Wireless Polysomnograph

Polysomnography=Method to evaluate sleep quality.

Conventional methods use Electrodes, and Respiration belts to measure these

parameters.= uncomfortable for the patient.

This low cost wireless polysomnograph uses Thermal infrared imaging to detect sleep
quality=no contact with patients body=comfortable.

AYURVEDA BIOLOGY

Ayurvedas terms/principles/concepts are not effectively related to modern scientific

biology and medicine.

Therefore, DST promotes basic research to proof biological basis of Ayurvedic treatment
and thus establish Ayurvedas effects at international level.

with help of full participation of scientists and Ayurvedic experts

Clubfoot Braces

for use in children with clubfeet (who have been corrected by any surgical or casting
method)

for maintenance of correction of deformity.

Allows greater degree of freedom+comfort to child while wearing the brace.

Synriam
(became too clichd)

The Drug and Pharmaceutical Research Programme (DPRP)=for Public Private

Partnership (PPP) initiatives in drug research.

under this DRPA=> new anti malaterial drug Synriam developed by Ranbaxy via PPP
route.

Synriam contains

Arterolane maleate 150mg

Piperaquine phosphate 750 mg

first of its kind, a New Chemical Entity, fully developed through indigenous R&D which
has reached the market place

The drug has been launched for global market

Will decrease cost of treatment.

Amphomul
by Bharat Serum for Kala Azar

DST supporting Directly Observed Home Based Daily Iron Therapy to reduce anemia
among young women in rural india

Anaemia

can be used for artificial organ transplant.

but very expensive.
DST supporting project to manufacture biodegradable polymers using microbes,
agricultural and forest resources.

Cinnamon Extract herbal supplement for blood sugar management using Cinnamon Extract (Dalchini)
introduced in the international market in 2010.
DST funding indigenous development of low cost liquid nitrogen plant ( 7 liter/hr.
compact liquid
capacity)
nitrogen Plant they can be used for Biological material preservation (e.g. sperm banks/ stem cells),
food & nutrition, and a variety of small scale industrial application
e-tongue
for arsenic detection in drinking water
biodegradable

polymers

fungisome

for Kala Azar (Visceral Leishmaniasis)

Glycine Max

for diabetes

In Vitro Diagnostic devices (IVDD)=we mostly rely on imports.

new project to get proteins regeants from human biological waste, with help of
IVDD
Monoclonal Antibodies.
this will help manufacture Indigenous IVDD (In Vitro Diagnostic Device)=low cost,
affordable.
loop mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) technique
LAMP
for the detection of Chikungunya Viral Genome
EndoXS= First Indian Disposable Laparoscopy Trocar. Low cost and disposable.
laparoscopy and
Easymesh= Hernia repair system. Low cost and disposable.
hernia
Even potential for Export to other developing countries because of the cost
advantage.
DST formulated a multidisciplinary programme to address and understand the
cognitive deficits of Learning Disabilities in 2012.
learning disorders
DST also funds of Cognitive Science like Neuroscience, Psychology, Linguistics, Bio
Engineering, Social Engineering, Education, Computer technology & Artificial
Intelligence etc.
wireless interface to a multichannel EEG recording
Multichannel EEG
Useful in remote diagnosis and monitoring in everyday situations-out of the lab or
clinic.

Optics

project for indigenous technology for plastic bi-aspheric lenses (PBLs)

These are used for indirect ophthalmoscopy of powers 20 & 28 diopters.
projects aims for cost-effective large scale production.

PacliALL

Advanced Drug Delivery for cancer drugs.

Paclitaxel

TeleOphthalmology solution on iPhone and iPAD.

rodents and
beagle dogs

Theyre used for doing drug trials. DST funding housing, breeding facilities for them.

Savliv

patented folklore medicine, for hepatitic disorders

TECHNOLOGY INTERVENTIONS FOR DISABLED AND ELDERLY (TIDE)

for using S&T to increase quality of life for old people. Examples:
1.
Locator and Communicative device for Dementia Patients. Uses RFID/GSM/GPS
TIDE
technologies for tracking Dementia patients. SMS alert arrived on the care takers
mobile phone when clicked, gives the location in Google maps also.
2. a new technique of denture retention using dental implants
DST supporting projects for removal of arsenic, fluoride, salinity and iron from water.
water purification
brackish water reverse osmosis membrane @Ichhamati in West Bengal.
Silver nanoparticle-based systems for tannery contaminated waters.

Lab instruments

For detecting biological samples, bio-molecules (e.g. dopamic), toxic wastes

(lead, cadmium etc), Industrial effluents in ground water etc.

Microelectrode arrays can detect samples even in ultra-low concentration.

by IIT Madras
this product is not readily available commercially even in foreign market=export
potential.
A state-of-the-art inert atmosphere glove box system
glove box
for doing experiments on organic, inorganic and composite material.
testing @IIT Guwahati (designated as Center for Organic Electronics)
based on Faraday effect
Magneto-optic current
to convert optical power to electrical signal and pass on to a laptop for
sensor
processing
helps measuring magnetic flux density measurement in high EMI environment
Long Pulse Gyrotron
this instrument has application in nuclear fusion and plasma experiments.

Building/Construction related
3 aims

4 areas

1. Housing,
1. sustainable
2. Roads and Traffic Engineering,
2. energy efficient
3. Bridges and Fly-overs
3. cost effective solutions
4. Civil Construction Materials.
Lets check some progress supported by DST (Department of Science and Technology)

ECO BRICKS

A new material in Civil Engineering

energy efficient.

From farm soils, using Charuzyme microbes.

Semi-automated brick molding machine with capacity of 10,000 bricks per day.

GFRG

Glass Fibre Reinforced Gypsum (GFRG) panels/ IIT Madras.

These panels made from processed phospho-gypsum (recycled industrial waste from
fertilizer industries).=ecofriendly.

Minimizes the use of cement, steel, river sand and water=sustainable Development.

Cheap in price+helps rapid construction = Affordable Mass Housing.

projects to upgrade glass quality to meet international standards.
GLASS
These Glasses have low thermal expansion, high durability, donot crack easily.

KOTA STONE

WASTE

USA

WIRELESS

Kota stone= in Rajasthan

Kota Stone units generate huge amount of waste in the form of broken pieces, dust
and slurry= pollution.
project to use kota stone waste in Flooring and wall tiles.
U.S.-India Joint Centre for Advanced HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning)
and lighting technologies, Thermal comfort etc.
to monitor the physical parameters of building using wireless technology
helps in disaster preparedness, testing structural strength of building.

Metal related

Gas furnace

CONTIFUR

EYE ON

PELLET

for rural artisans doing metal work.

uses LPG instead of solid fuel (wood, coal etc)=>reduced emissions
Better control of the heating rate through easy regulation of LPG and air flow.
No need of electricity for operating the furnace except during start-up.
tested by IIT Delhi.
Continuous Induction Furnace (CONTIFUR) Technology
Technology for Production of Steel
Utilizes ore waste, non-coking coal for steel production =conservation of resources.
Pelletization=process by which iron ore fines converted to spherical balls.
usually human supervisor monitors this process by manually observing the size-shape of
those balls=chances of error.
Eye on Pellet= indigenously developed instrument with camera. It monitors the pellet size,
helps the supervisor.

Textile related
Membrane
for textile industry to reduce pollution by recycling developed at Synthetic & Art Silk
separation system Mills Research Association (SASMIRA)

Light Fastness Tester = used to determine the color fastness and degradation of
textiles and dyed material against sunlight.
Table top light fastness testers =small, portable, handy and accurate.
by Synthetic & Art Silk Mills Research Association (SASMIRA)
Normally, in any powerloom, the manufacturer will come to know about the
E-pick Counter for production quality only after 2-3 days i.e. after removal of fabrics from the loom. =
not good for quality control.
powerloom
The E-pick instrument will provide online details related to production of machine
and defects in fabric to the user on real time basis
Table Top Light
Fastness Testers

instrument is designed to simulate the movement of human fingers over fabric to sense
Fabric Friction
the roughness/smoothness/slipperiness
Tester
will help in textile quality control.
by IIT Delhi + Department of Textile Technology

dye production from selected micro fungi Curvularia, Phoma, Pestalotiopsis

Fungi-dye

will help in industrial textile dyes.

Gas related

Handheld portable methanometer

display the methane gas concentration
portable sensor collects gas data, forwards to laboratory via
Portable gas mixture internet=>chromatography machine at the lab, analyses the data and finds gas
mixture composition.
analyser
this will provide a reliable result within a few minutes whether any toxic gas is
present or not inside the manhole and if so, it will alarm the workers.
Methanometer

Electronics/IT Related
Next Gen
Networks

Modular Tablet
PC

OELD

WEEE

biometric

Eko: Branchless

joint collaboration between India and UK

Phase 2 started from 2012 mainly concentrating on three broad areas i.e.
Heterogenous Wireless Access Networks (HELNET)
Application and Services
Core Networks Systems
by two young IITians- Sh. Rohan Pandey and Sh. Rohit Rathi.
Their Tablet PC is differentiated from other similar product in the market as it
integrates ZigBee along with WiFi, Bluetooth and 3G.
designed like a book: and it has 2 displays, one in front like a Magazine and another
on the spine to show secondary information.
cost Rs.~12000
Organic light-emitting devices (OELD)
Use? next generation of flat panel displays. Wide viewing angles, high color contrast,
and low power consumption as compared to LCD displays.
waste from electrical and electronic equipments (WEEE)
DST helping Life cycle analysis & strategies to reduce the environmental impact of
electronic waste.
Biometric Based Unique Key Generation for Authentic Digital Watermarking.

Low temperature Co-fired Ceramic

useful multilayer ceramic fabrication technology
for compact multilayer circuits, 3D microwave circuit and packaging of such devices.
Branchless Banking
Eko= low-cost payment infrastructure to enable instant small value financial
transactions over a mobile phone.
banking
Eko uses existing retail shops, telecom connectivity and banking infrastructure to
extend branchless banking services to the common man
Virtual Reality based skills training SIMULATOR
COMET simulator
for skill development of maintenance technicians across industries, particularly
aircraft and defense equipment.
National Centre for Aerospace Innovation and Research (NCAIR)
setup at IIT Bombay in collaboration with the Boeing Company.
aviation
for design and development of commercial scale aviation technologies, alloys,
materials.
LTCC

Plasma research
following plasma processes are environment friendly, eliminate the use of hazardous
chemical/machineries.
eco-friendly plasma system to coat brass articles.
Handicraft
eco-friendly protective coating for wood crafts using plasma treatment
Tyre
Plasma tech for cutting machinery in tyre industry.

Wool

@Kullu, first industrial scale system is the world for Angora wool processing using plasmas.

Nano Mission
MISSION ON NANO SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY by DST in 2007.
1. promotes basic research
2. develops infra
3. HRD (M.Sc./M.Tech in Nano Science & Technology)
4. collaborates with international agencies/foreign countries
a. PETRA/FLASH projects with Germany
b. Beamline project with Japan
Some achievements:
1. Nano drug delivery systems for
a. Treating bone-disease in women.
b. delivering anti-retroviral drugs to HIV infected cells;
c. colon diseases
d. cancer cells
2. Jasad bhasma: Used as antiseptic. And Nanotech will increase its therapeutic effect.
3. Gold nanoparticles can be used to catalyse organic reactions.
4. FA-SPIONs: Folic Acid Super Paramagnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles. Help in cancer
treatment.
5. nano structured electrode materials for increasing life of lithium rechargeable batteries.
6. Graphene based Nano composites=water purification.

[Science-Tech] TheHindu June-July-Aug: (Part 3 of 3) IT, Nano,

Space: National Cyber Security Policy, Wi-vi, IRNSS, ILC, Arihant
Reactor

IT Related

#1: Internet.Org

In mobile phones, the Data- transfer (internet plan) is still quite expensive in the third
world.

Hence Mark Zuckerberg (facebook) + Nokia, Samsung, Erriccson etc. mobile handset
companies formed a consortium internet.org

Theyll research on data-compression technologies, so that same mobile apps, can run
on less data.

Theyll gangup with app developers, mobile operators and device manufacturers to to
introduce business models to get more people internet access.

Benefit: low-cost, low-data versions of basic Internet services available to everyone.

Will help reducing digital divide.

#2: FOIA Machine

India has R.T.I, similarly USA has Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)

The FOIA Machine (foiamachine.org) is an online open-source platform.

It automates the process of filing the RTI in USA and tracks its progress.

Recently Indian government also launched online portal to http://rtionline.gov.in to

help citizens file RTIs online.
Similar public records projects

UK

whatdotheyknow.com

Netherlands Nulpunt
Germany

fragdenstaat

#3: PRISM program/NSA

Americas National Security Agency (NSA), has been monitoring communications

between the US and foreign nationals over the internet for a number of years, under a
project called Prism.

Some of the biggest internet companies, including Apple, Google, Yahoo, Skype are
involved. Although these companies deny knowledge of PRISM project.
How does it work? Many conspiracy theories. For example:

1. Lots of data bound for those companies passes over content delivery networks
(CDNs), internet. NSA could be monitoring those CDNs.
2. CISCO provide routers, network hardware to those companies. These hardware may
have backdoors access to NSA.
3. The companies themselves let the NSA spy over the personal information.
Why in News/ Why problem?

Obvious issue of invading privacy of individuals.

These US Companies might be prosecuted in EU courts for handling over private

database of EU citizens to NSA.

Curious part = NSA claims their budget for PRISM project is only $20 million dollars. So
experts wonder, how can NSA run such large complicated spying operation with such a
small budget?

#4: Amazon E-selling

Currently, Indias e-commerce market=~$1 billion and is expected to reach >$75

billion by 2020.

Amazon=an American e-commerce company similar to our flipkart.

Indias FDI regulations do not allow online multibrand retailers to sell their own
products.

Therefore, Amazon has entered in India through a marketplace model.

Under this model, Amazon will not stock and sell its own products but help third-party
sellers to exhibit their products on its web platform (amazon.in).

#5: Cyber defense

Indias cyber-threats include:

by countries (mostly China) by individuals (Paki and Chinese hacker, + local crooks)
1. cyber espionage
2. cyber war

3. cyber crime
4. cyber terrorism

Military grade cyber-weapons such as Stuxnet and flame, pose grave danger to nations,
companies and individuals around the world.

Computer virus developed by Americans, to disrupt Natanz nuclear site in Iran.

Stuxnet

But other organizations across the world, including in India, operating with the Siemens
system suffered from collateral damage from the attack.

A virus written solely for data gathering, or espionage.

It can gather data from harddisk, computer microphones and web cameras even nearby
Bluetooth devices and report data back to its command and control network located around the
world.
Iran has claims this virus wiped the hard drives of its oil refineries.
Flame
Kaspersky (famous antivirus company) says flame is twenty times more complicated than
Stuxnet.
Flames creator is also unknown. But since flames function is not confined to stealing creditcard/bank passwords only- It means flame was created by some government agency (rather
than individual hacker).
Some more points:

STRONG CHINA

WEAK INDIA

Since 2000-01, Pakistani cyber criminals defacing

Since 2003, the Peoples Liberation Army has trained Indian websites and writing derogatory
more than 30,000 cyber warriors and another 150,000 messages against India.
in the private sector.
Recently even Chinese hacked into computers of
According to several reports, Chinese goal is to build Indian government organizations.
the worlds best informationised armed forces. Indias strategy for cyber defense = thik hai /
chalta hai / firefighting

#6: National Cyber Security Policy-2013

by Department of Electronics and Information Technology. This Policy aims:
1. To protect cyberspace from cyber-threats.
2. To protect private data of citizens and minimize damage from cyber-attacks.
3. With help of government organizations + pvt.players.
|:| Two Government organizations
National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre
(NCIIPC)

Indian Computer emergency

response team (ICERT)

under National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO)

NTRO is a technical intelligence agency set up after the

Kargil conflict.

Already exists under Department of

Electronics and IT.

Nodal agency to coordinate all

Nodal agency for critical information infrastructure protection in
matters related to cyber security
the country.
(except matters under NCIIPC.)

provide early warning and response

will protect Nations critical IT infrastructure in energy (natural
to security threats
gas, coal, oil and power), finance and banking, transportation (civil
ICERT will function as an umbrella
aviation and railways), space, law enforcement, security, telecom,
organization. Under this, sectoral will
defense, etc.
be created to work on 24/7 basis.
will work on 24/7 basis.
provide Emergency measures for
will design/acquire new processes for IT protection.
handling cyber security incidents

|:| To businessmen/companies
1. Provide tax reliefs/Fiscal benefits to businessman if they adopt cyber-security practices.
2. Encourage all public/private organizations, to have a Chief Information Security Officer
(CISO), responsible for cyber security.
3. Encourage and mandate them to use certified IT products.
4. certification for compliance to cyber security
5. Classify IT infrastructure based on risk perception so that adequate security protection
measures can be under taken.
|:| To law enforcement agencies
1. Legislative reforms to help law-enforcement agencies in investigation and prosecution
of cybercrime.
2. International cooperation / collaboration with agencies of other countries.
|:| To E-governance
1. Ensure that all organizations keep a specific budget cyber security and emergency.

2. Cyber crisis management plan for all e-Governance initiatives in the country, to reduce
the risk of disruption.
3. To engage Private IT experts/org. to assist e-Governance initiatives.
|:| Fancy things common to all policies
encourage cost-effective, tailor made desi solutions for IT security
R&D
Try to commercialize and export such desi software/technology
Setup center of excellence.
In next five year, get 5 lakh workers in cybersecurity field.
HRD
formal-informal training centers for cybersecurity via PPP
training/capacity building for law-enforcement agencies
Public-private consortium to enhance the availability IT products based on open
PPP
standards.
PPP for setting up training institution for IT security.
1. Bilateral and multi-lateral coop. with other countries for cyber security.
2. Increase desi-videsi coop. among security agencies, CERTs, Defence agencies and the
COOP
judiciary.
3. To create a think tank for cyber security policy inputs, discussion and deliberations.
4. Cooperation-collaboration with stakeholders.
WINE AND
1. Hold workshops / seminars, create awareness about IT security among web users.
DINE
2. Regular cyber security drills & exercises at various levels.
On a lighter note:
1. The sacred-unwritten rule of government policies=> they must mention sustainable
development. Im surprised that clichd word is not used anywhere in this police.
Secondly, policy doesnt contain any fancy term/catchy name/scheme named after you
know who. It means the bureaucrat who wrote this policy, is indeed an intelligent
person who didnt wish to harass UPSC aspirants.
2. This cyber security policy specifically mentions: safeguard citizens private data. Does
it mean foreigners personal data will not be safeguarded!? Recall that in UIDAI/Adhar,
BJPs criticism is: official policy every resident will get UIDAI number meaning even
Illegal Bangladeshis whore residents of India but not citizens, will benefit.

Misc Topics/Terms of IT
Not much relevant from UPSC point of view, but might help in IBPS and other PSU
exams where computer related current affairs is asked.

Waze

Doug

Google acquired this company for nearly 1 billion dollar.

Waze is a social navigation site. Now when a Waze user report accidents, traffic jams,
construction delays and more on Waze, the updates will also appear on the Google Maps
app.

The inventor of the computer mouse.

Also helped develop ARPANet, the government research network that led to the Internet.

Engelbart
Windows

8.1

its next update of the Windows operating system,

Windows 8.1 Preview apps include Facebook, Flipboard and NFL among other apps.
Steve Ballmer= Microsoft CEO.

Gadgets/Equipment/Electronics
#1: -200 C refrigerator by IIT Madras

Using a compressor that is routinely used in domestic refrigerators and air-conditioners.

The system was operated non-stop at about -200 degree C for three months.
How?

Three refrigerators are arranged in a series and together help in bringing down the
temperature in steps

A conventional refrigeration system uses a single liquid coolant that absorbs heat and
becomes vapour at a constant temperature. But they used a mixture of coolants where
the conversion of liquid to vapour occurs over a range of temperatures 100 degree C
or more
Use/Benefits?

1. food preservation, preservation of biological tissues,

2. long-term preservation of blood,
3. in semiconductor industry to improve the vacuum levels
4. Cooling of electronics including telescopes and infrared sensors.
5. This principle has been extended to develop a novel low cost nitrogen liquefier for
o

Veterinary hospitals for storing bull semen,

Many scientific establishments and small industries that use liquid nitrogen to improve
tool life.

#2: E-Ink, Electrophoretic display and Earl

Electrophoretic Display= One type of thin display, consumes very low power. Example,
Amazons e-book reader Kindle.

What is Electrophoresis?
1. They use tiny particles of titanium dioxide and a special blank ink called E-ink.
2. Titanium Dioxide + E-Ink=> sandwiched between two parallel conductive plates.
3. These particles move according to the electric charge and thus you can see the display
on the screen.

What is E-Ink?

E-ink is similar to print ink and does not emit light.

Hence in direct sunlight, you can easily read a display using E-ink. (unlike LCD screens
in smartphones/tablets/laptops, which are hard to in sunlight)

What is Earl?

is a tablet that runs Android system

Specially designed to consume minimum power, so you can use it for outdoor camping,
where recharging facilities are not available.

It has electrophoretic display, the screen is static and requires zero power to hold an
image, which means that maps will stay on the screen forever

+ built-in GPS chipsets, weather sensors and radio communication technology.

Earl can provide 20 hours of battery life and recharge itself in 5 hours of direct sunlight.

Earl project is crowd-funded

#3: 3-D printer

a printer that builds objects layer by layer

with extreme precision
using CAD drawings as reference
Benefits:

1. 3-D printing has limitless possibilities, as it can create almost anything with just raw
material and a computer generated model
2. Medical: specialized items for rare transplants can be created rather than wasting
precious time. E.g. American doctors created a windpipe splint for a six week old baby
boy whose airways were collapsing.
3. Space: NASA has created an injector plate for its rocket, using 3D printer. This inject
plate helps deliver fuel and oxygen to the rocket propulsion system.
4. 3D printed parts: low cost (for such sophisticated purpose).

#4: Wi-vi

Wi-Vi= use of wifi to see through the wall.

Concept similar to radar and sonar imaging.

It transmits a low-power wi-fi signal and uses its reflections to track moving humans.
Even if a person is in closed rooms or hiding behind a wall, hell be detected.

Use?: anti-theft alarms + Can be used by police/army during counter-terrorism

operations

NanoTech related

#1: Nano Batteries from Rice Husk

Nano silicon=> can be used as Anode in high-performance batteries for future electric
vehicles and portable devices.

Theyre superior to graphic anodes.

Theyre more resilient to Heat, easy to store and dispose.

Have higher charging capacity than lead batteries + longer operational life.

Problem=Nano-Silicon very expensive at the moment. Researchers working on method

to produce Nano-silicon particles from rice husk.

In rice husk, silica existed naturally in the form of nanoparticles and accounted for as
much as 20 per cent of its dry weight.

#2: Nano Painting: Mini Lisa

American researchers have painted the Mona Lisa on a substrate surface

approximately 30 micrometers in widthor one-third the width of a human hair.

This painting is called Mini Lisa,

This Nano-painting technique will be useful in Nano manufacturing of devices+

nanoelectronics, optoelectronics and bioengineering.

#3: Carbon Nanotubes and Ampacity

Ampacity = the maximum amount of current a conductor can carry before losing its
electrical properties.

Lately researchers focused more on boosting conductivity than ampacity.

But Japanese researchers embedded carbon nanotubes in copper, the resulting new
materials ampacity gets boosted to a massive 10,000 per cent than coppers.

This new material is called CNT-Cu (for carbon nanotubescopper),

Benefits?

It reduces the amount of copper required to assemble a conductor.

+ 100 times higher performance.

Principle?

As electrons move inside the conductor, they are often scattered by atoms in their
path.

As the current density increases, scattering also increases until, at a threshold called
the conductors rating, the material can no longer conduct the electrons, resulting in
electro migration.

CNT-Cu achieves higher ampacity by suppressing electro migration.

#4: Metatronics

In metatronics, nano rods and the spaces between mimic the behaviour of resistors,
capacitors and inductors.

These patterns respond to light the way capacitors, resistors and inductors do to
electricity

will help make smaller and more complicated electrical circuits

Space/ISRO/NASA Related
#1: IRNSS, the Desi GPS

How does American Global Positioning System (GPS) work?

Theyve a constellation of 24 orbiting satellites, supported by a global network of
ground stations. Thus GPS covers every part of the world.
What is IRNSS?

Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) to run Indian global positioning
system.

Government approved project in 2006, with budget of ~Rs.1500 crores.

Given this small budget, it is beyond the aukaat of ISRO to maintain 24 satellites, cover
entire globe, Hence our Desi GPS will use just seven satellites, and try to cover India +
1,500 km beyond its borders.

hub of the whole system is the ISRO Navigation Centre at Byalalu, near Bangalore.

7 Satellites
IRNSS will run using 7 satellites:

3 satellites
+4

satellites

These three of the satellites will be placed over the equator, in the geostationary orbit.
they match the Earths rotation and therefore appear from the ground to remain at a fixed
position in the sky.
will be in pairs in two inclined geosynchronous orbits.
From the ground, these satellites will appear to travel in figures of 8 during the course of a
day.

All seven IRNSS satellites will be at a height of about 36,000 km, taking a whole day to
circle the Earth.

If necessary, the coverage area around India could be enhanced by adding four
satellites

1st IRNSS satellite launch

WHEN? 1st July 2013
WHERE? Satish Dawan Space Centre in Sriharikota.
HOW? using Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV C22)

Scientific principle
Microwaves

IRNSS satellites transmit signals in two microwave frequency bands known as L5 and S.

Since these microwave signals travel at the speed of light, the delay between a signals
transmission and its reception allows a receiving device to compute its distance from
the satellite involved.

With data from those satellites, the receiver (the GPS-like gadget) can then work out its
own position.
Atomic Clocks

Navigation satellites periodically transmit their precise position in orbit along with the
exact time when each transmission takes place.

Navigation satellites therefore need to carry extremely accurate clocks.

Each IRNSS satellite is equipped with rubidium atomic clocks, to keep precise time.
IRNSS will offer two services:
Two
services 1. Standard Positioning Service: that will be accessible to anyone
2. Restricted Service: Will be available only to the military and other government-authorized
users.
American GPS: 15 meters
Accuracy

Our IRNSS: 20 meters.

The standard GPS receiver (in your smartphones and tablets) will not work with IRNSS.
Equipment
Youll need a special receiver equipment to use navigation data from IRNSS.

GSLV (D5)

GSLV was already covered under space-tech compilation article click me

was in news because ISRO planned to launch it in Aug13 but #epicfail thanks to fuel
leak.

#2: GAMMA Ray Telescope

Official name= Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA). Has 27 countries including India.

No telescope based at one point on Earth can see the whole sky. Therefore, CTA project
aims to set up two observatories.
Observatory In ____ Will Focus On

Northern hemisphere extract galactic sources

Southern hemisphere center of the galaxy

One proposed northern hemisphere location is in Hanle, Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir.
Advantages of Ladakh site?

very clear and dark skies throughout the year

a large number of photometric and spectroscopic nights at par with other similar places
in the world, like La Palma in Canary Islands and Arizona desert, U.S.
Advantages of Gama Ray Telescope?

While existing telescopes, like MAGIC (Canary Islands) and VERITAS (Arizona) are
efficient up to the 100-GeV energy mark, the CTA will be able to reach up to 100,000
GeV with the same efficiency.

Gamma rays originate from sources like dark matter annihilation, dying stars and
supermassive black holes and then travel through space. Therefore, by studying Gama
Rays, we can study those bodies.

When gamma-rays hit atoms in Earths upper atmosphere, these Gamma Ray
Telescopes will observe and track them back better to their original sources.

#3: Suns Magnetic flip

outer layers of the Sun consist of variety of charged particles

these particles are in constant motion, and they influence the alignment of the Suns
magnetic field.

Thus, every 22 years, the Magnetic field of Sun changes by 180 degree, this is called
Magnetic flip.

This period is called a solar cycle.

NASA has been monitoring this, and predicted that next flip will happen in late-2013.
Why bad?

1. It could influence cloudiness and the climate on Earth, even cause storms..
2. can even disrupt satellites.

#4: ChangE-3: Chinas moon mission

Chinese Space Mission for Moon.
ChangeE = Chinese Godess living on Moon.

ChangE-1 created a complete photographic mosaic of the moon

took higher-resolution images of the whole Moon.
ChangE-2
created a very high-definition map of Sinus Iridium (a region in the Moon)
ChangE-3 will land a rover to the Moon by the end of 2013.

#5: Man on Mars by 2021

(hardly MCQ worthy but interesting concept)

NASA

we can send astronauts to Mars at the earliest by 2033

Imperial College London it is possible to land astronauts on Mars by 2021! Here is how..
The main challenge is how to construct a spaceship that is big enough to hold enough
fuel for both to and fro journey. So, instead of sending one rocket, send two rockets.
First rocket

Will have robots + empty fuel tanks.

Robots will dig up ice on Mars. Once the ice is melted, we can use solar electricity to
produce hydrogen and oxygen to fill the fuel tanks.
Second rocket

Will send three men and reach Mars in 9 Months. Theyll use above fuel tanks for their
return journey.

Space related Places in news

#1: Suns Twin

Brazilian Astronomers found a twin-star of Sun, known as HIP 102152.

250 light years away.

The constellation of Capricornus (The Sea Goat) nearly four billion years older than
Sun.
Benefit of studying Suns Twin?

1. will help increase our understanding of Sun.

2. will allows scientists to predict what may happen to our own Sun when it reaches that
age.
3. During Big Bang, Lithium was created along with hydrogen and helium.
Astronomers observed that when star gets old, its lithium content decreases. Suns
lithium content appears to be normal for its age at the moment.

#2: Europa

Europe= Jupiters moon.

Earlier, NASAs Voyager2 and Galileo spacecrafts took some photos.

They found ice-covered world + signs of a liquid water ocean under Europas
surface. Hence NASA Believes Europa could hold life forms.
Astronomers found an ocean anywhere from 5 to 30 miles deep, trapped
beneath a frozen surface of Dione.
And if water is found in any planet/moon=chance that there will be Alien
lifeform.
Nasas Opportunity rover=> on Mars.
During Mars-winter, it will just camp at a slope called Solander Point=> to
survive in harsh winter and get Sunlight for power.
Opportunity rover has survived five Martian winters since it landed on
Mars in 2004.
Mount Sharp= in the middle of Gale Crater on Mars.
From this area, Scientists hope to find evidence about how the ancient
Martian environment changed and evolved.
Hence in July 2013, NASAs curiosity rover was directed to move in this
area, to collect samples.

#3: Dione:
Saturns Moon
#4: Solander
Point

#5: Mount Sharp

#6: Pareidolia and Martian Rat

Humans have long known to display a tendency for identifying shapes or hearing
sounds from random sources and attaching significance to them. e.g. in clouds youll
see shapes of bear, car etc.

Scientists call this psychological phenomenon of deciphering shapes from random

patterns = Pareidolia.
Why in news?

In Sept 2012, the Curiosity rover took photos from Mars, before collecting sand
samples.

When these photos posted on internet, several bloggers claimed they saw a rat in the
picture.

#7: Laguna Negra / Lake Lender

Titan=largest moon of Saturn.

NASA plans to parachute a robot into a sea on Titan.

For this, NASA doing experiments in Lake Lander in Laguna Negra region of Chile. (in
the Andes mountains)

Because Lake Lander has a few characteristics an alien sea. Its surrounded by a barren
environment with a thin atmosphere and is vulnerable to storms, avalanches, and
possibly volcanoes.

#8: Tunguska Devastation

in the early 1900s, a gigantic fireball devastated hundreds of square kilometres of

uninhabited Siberian forest around the Tunguska river

The first scientists thought it was a meteorite but no traces of meteorite were found on
the crash site.

So, they deducted, it must be Comet. Because Comets are essentially muddy ice balls,
they could cause such a devastation and then ice would have evaporated=hence no
evidence.

But now, scientists have found evidence that the Tunguska devastation was indeed
caused by a meteorite and not by a comet.

Physics/Chemistry related

#1: International Linear Collider (ILC)

ILC= next-generation particle collider. itll be setup in Japan (most likely candidate)

ILC will complement the Large Hadron Collider, of the European Center for Nuclear
Research (CERN) located in Geneva, Switzerland

Together ILC + LHC =will help better understanding of Higgs Boson, Dark matter and
unlock the secrets of the universe.

#2: Arihant Reactor

INS Arihant is the first Indian nuclear-powered submarine.

Arihant reactor= compact pressurised water reactor (PWR) aboard INS Arihant

developed by Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC)

Uses enriched uranium and ordinary water as both the moderator and coolant

Its enriched uranium is supplied by Rare Materials Plant (RMP) of the Department of
Atomic Energy (DAE) at Ratnahalli, Karnataka.

#2: New Element in Periodic Table

New super-heavy element has 115 Atomic Number.

It is yet to be named officially but temporary name is Ununpentium.

Was discovered by a Russian scientist way back in 2004.

At present, International committee of scientists looking into its research data, may be
included in the official periodic table.

#3: Gold origin

Gold is rare on Earth in part because its also rare in the universe.

Gold cannot be created within a star (unlike elements like carbon or iron)

Now scientists believe, gold would been created because of short gamma ray bursts in
the galaxy.
NASAs Hubble telescope observed following:

Two dead neutron stars collided.

Short gamma-ray burst (GRB) produced.

Then kilonova was produced (= explosion is so powerful that it can be 1,000 times
brighter than a typical star explosion, called a nova.)

After this blast, a unique glow that persisted for days at that location.

Scientists believe this glow signifies presence of heavy elementsincluding gold.

#4: Fire vs Sun

Q. Fire does not exist in the absence of air but how is it possible for the sun to have
immense heat and chemical reactions in the absence of air?

fire

sun
this is a nuclear reaction

Fire is a chemical reaction that

Sun mainly consists of two gaseous elements: hydrogen and helium.
needs a fuel and oxygen present in
In the nuclear reaction occurring in the sun, called a fusion reaction,
air to exist.
four hydrogen nuclei combine to form one helium nucleus and also
release a large amount of energy.
Fire needs fuel, oxygen and a little
initial heat to start a reaction; The sun doesnt need any oxygen and can continue to produce heat
remove any of them and fire
by the continuous conversion of hydrogen to helium.
ceases to exist.

[Science-Tech] TheHindu June-July-Aug: (Part 2 of 3) Agriculture,

Environment Biodiversity (EnB), Economics of Animal rearing,
Uttarakhand Tragedy, Runaway Greenhouse, Bio Refinary

[Agro]: Economics of Animal

Rearing

#1: Fowl Breeding & Tribal Development

(MP)

Indian farmers doing backyard poultry for many years.

The birds grow by scavenging on kitchen and other waste. They help in

egg sale=side income

Cheap source of protein for farmers family.

Then what is the problem?

Poultry sector is focusing more on commercial poultry rearing like broilers for meat and
eggs.

As a result, many indigenous species about to become extinct.

One such breed is the Kalamasi or Kadaknath fowl breed: found in Bhil and Bhila tribal
regions of Madhya Pradesh.

Kalamasi/Kadaknath Fowls

black in color. Meat is softer than that of other desi birds, contains less fat and more
protein,

Because of these qualities, Kalamasi fowls commend good prices. 1 year old bird sells
for >Rs.600 (while other desi varieties fetch barely Rs.100-150)

But this breed is slowly becoming extinct.

Economics:

1. These fowls can be reared quite easily. Dont need any special attention or round the
clock caretaking.
2. Theyre good scavengers= feed cost gets considerably reduced. (in each bird sells for
more than Rs.600 after one year)
3. They can be housed in large bamboo baskets or inside store rooms. Dont need
elaborate shelter like in professional broilers.
4. Their hens grow fast, start laying eggs from sixth month of age onwards. In a year a
single hen lays 80-120 eggs.

Benefits to Tribal of Madhya Pradesh

1. Government provides vaccination, training for feed-marketing.
2. The tribal beneficiaries rearing this breed are today able to get an income
of Rs.80,000-90,000 a year.
3. Less rural-urban migration. Encourages people to stay in villages, continue farming
operations along with fowl rearing.

#2: Goats rearing, Small Marginal Farmers

(Kerala)
From time immemorial Indian peasants have always been rearing animals for extra
income. But there are challenges:
1. Pasture lands shrinking=> Less green fodder
2. Rich farmers with pumpsets and borewells so grow green fodder but it is not possible
for small and marginal farmers.
3. Lack of veterinary services in remote areas.
Case study: Goat rearing in Kozhikode District of Kerala
Government support: Krishi Vigyan Kendra of the Indian Institute of Spices Research
(IISR)
Aim: help small farmers and landless laborers to do goat rearing with minimum
cost.
How?
1. Farmers given Breeding charts: to fully exploit the reproductive efficiency of female
goats.
2. In a large herd, synchronization of estrus cycle by administering PGF2 alpha injection.

Careful rearing of baby goats for 120 days after birth. Theyre given concentrated feed
prepared specifically by the institutes experts. Farmers can also make them by mixing
rice, wheat, maize, horsegram etc.

3. + Baby goats are given liver tonics mixed with fish oil => increase appetite and aid
good healthy growth, goad quickly fattens for slaughtering.

Economics/benefits
DESI METHOD OF REARING

NOW WITH SCIENTIFIC REARING

Animal will weigh 10 kg in 6

months

within 4 months the goat will weigh 25+ kg =provides big returns in
quick time.

Farmers with only few cents of land can also grow goats.

They dont need not spent much time grazing them out in the open.
expense of feeding one baby goat
Rs.1200 per month x 4 months = 3600

Income from selling that goat after 4 months. close to Rs.7000

profit

You calculate for the aptitude practice.

[Agro] Research: New Varieties

Indias first throneless rose plant variety.

by a research institute in Palampur, Himachal Pradesh

Himalayan
Wonder

Regions around Pune-Banglore= known for commercial rose

cultivation. Theyre interested in this new throneless variety of rose.

Yamuna
Safed-5

Onion Bulbets

New garlic variety

by National Horticultural Research and Development Foundation (NHRDF) in
Nasik,
suitable for growing in Northen states such as Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana,
Bihar, Punjab, Rajasthan.
These Garlic Bulbs are white and big in size, matures quickly and and shelf life
is also good.
By National Horticultural Research and Development Foundation, Nashik
Theyve devised new technique for successful Kharif onion nursery
production, during heavy rains.
Jan-Feb: Onion bulbets raised in nursey beds
July-Aug- theyre transplanted to the farm
This method increases the yield of onion.

[Agro]:Fertilizer/Manure related
#1: Liquid Manure

Present day farming require external inputs such as fertiliser and pesticides.

but theyre expensive + harmful to soil and environment.

Now a new technology developed to produce liquid manure from cow dung and cow
urine, by a farmer in TN.
How?

The basic principles= Fermentation + Sedimentation.

Cow dung + cow urine +10 parts of water=>mix in barrel, let it ferment for a day.

Next day add one kg of jiggery, along with decomposed fruits, vegetables or practically
any vegetative matter available in the farm.

Only indigenous cow dung and urine must be used because the microbial activity in
local cow waste is more than in other cross bred animals.

After a week farmers can use this liquid solution as manure via drip irrigation. Hence it
is called Liquid Manure.
Benefits?

1. increases the water holding capacity of the soil

2. Improves the beneficial micro organisms present in the soil.
3. Only Rs.800 investment to buy a plastic barrel.Rest of the inputs can be easily sourced
from the farm itself. Hence even small and marginal farmers can do it.
4. farmer can save Rs.4,000-20,000 per hectare in fertilizer

#2: Vermicompost

Chemical fertilizers=decrease soil fertility after prolonged use.

Vermicompost is an organic manure (bio-fertilizer) by earth worm

Earthworm can be grown on animal dung, poultry droppings, vegetable and other kinds
of biodegradable wastes. They feed on such items, produce a compost.
Benefits of Vermicompost?

1. odorless, clean, organic material

2. contains adequate quantities of N, P, K (Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium) and several
micronutrients that are essential for plant growth.
3. Contains organic matter= makes the soil productive.
4. Eco-friendly, non-toxic, consumes low energy input for composting.

#3:Organic cultivation

Case study: Enabavi, a small village in Warangal district, Andhra

The farmers grow paddy, pulses, millets, cotton, chilli, tobacco and vegetables.
BEFORE
AFTER

In the 1970s, like many other Indian villages, they also

went through the same process of using more and

more chemicals to increase the productivity.

By 1995 problems started showing up. Even though

they increased Investments on seeds-fertilizers-
pesticides, the returns were not good.

The village started shifting to non-chemical

farming about a decade ago.
By 2006, entire area was converted to organic
farming.
There is strong social regulation within the
community towards organic cultivation.
They started using tank silt, poultry manure,
average spending on chemical fertilizers and
vermicompost and farm yard manure.
They set up their own compost manufacturing
pesticides: ~Rs.3,500 per crop per acre
units in their fields and started following various
ecological practices
depend on their own seed for many crops,
Seeds: ~ Rs. 500 per acre for seeds
except for cotton
The traders would dictate the price for the produce in The farmers do not spend a single rupee
addition to charging interest for the inputs supplied
anymore for buying all the inputs.

Sale of agro-produce through Middlemen @APMC

They process their paddy and sell directly to

consumers and also through a marketing
channel called Sahaja Aharam in Hyderabad.

Lessons from this village:

1. Sustainable farming can be profitable.
2. social regulation, learning from each other.
3. the benefits of conviction born out of experience and most importantly, the way out of
agricultural distress by taking control over ones own farming,

[Agro]: Misc.

#1: Fungus as Bio-control Agent

Trichoderma viride (Tv), a soil fungus =bio control agent

controls diseases in trees such as root rot, leaf blight etc.

Good alternative for chemical based fungicides

Farmers can make it by themselves using agricultural wastes to reduce cost

#2: Fruit Ripening

Fruits are classified into two groups

CLIMACTERIC

NON- CLIMACTERIC

ripen even after harvest

do not ripen after harvest

Banana, apple, avocado, banana, g, mango, papaya,

passionfruit, pear and tomato

Grapes, blueberry, cherry, citrus,

cucumber, pineapple and strawberry.

ethylene gas is used in godowns to hasten the ripening (e.g.

for Banana). Similarly Calcium carbide is used to ripen
not needed / wont work.
Mangoes.
Q. It is impossible to peel the skin of a plantain fruit when it is raw but the
same can be done very easily when fully ripe. Why?

Raw banana fruit is firm and not peelable since the cell cementing material is made of
non-soluble calcium pectin.

But On ripening the non-soluble pectin will become soluble and hence the softness.

[EnB] Flora-Fauna
#1: Giant Clams

Clam = one type of mollusk. (Octopus, Squid-fish are other examples of mollusk)

Giant Clam= an endangered species of clam (although IUCN red list puts it in
Vulnerable category but Thehindu says its an endangered species). Then who is right?
That well know once CSAT-2013 official answer key comes out and we find
whether Swamp Deer was endangered or not! If UPSC answerkey says Swamp deer
was endangered thatd mean UPSC had setup question from IUCN list.

Anyways back to topic: Giant Clams are found in the tropical coral reefs, including
Andaman Nicobar.

All the species of Giant Clam are protected under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife Protection
Act.
But Why in News?

UK based charity organization gave money to Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS).

Money will be used create database of Giant clams in Andaman-Nicobar.

#2: House-Sparrow: official bird of Delhi

STATE

OFFICIAL STATE BIRD

Jammu and Kashmir Black Necked Crane

Haryana

Black Francolin

Gujarat

Greater Flamingo

Maharashtra

Yellow Footed Green Pigeon.

Delhi

House-sparrow (declared State Bird in 2013)

March 20 = World House Sparrow Day

Why House-sparrow population declining?

1. Less tress=not place to setup nests +increase in air pollution
2. Buildings use glass facades= they show reflection of trees. Birds crash into the glass
panel mistaking it for a tress. They get injured, even die.
3. House sparrows and their chicks need protein, which means they need a lot of insects.
But urban junta uses chemical pesticides in their gardens=> No worms, insects or pests
left for the birds to feed. Thus, use of pesticides invariably affects house sparrow
population.
4. Cities have less number of open vegetable markets= lack of waste food for the birds.
5. Earlier Sparrows fed on open bags of rice and cereals in the markets. The traders too
didnt try to avoid them as they consumed only a little and also preyed on small pests
in rice bags. But these bags have now been replaced with sealed plastic bags at many
places=no grain leakage=no food for birds.
6. Even in places where grain-bags are kept open, the birds avoid them owing to the use
of pesticides. A house sparrow weighs just a few milligrams and feeding on cereals with
pesticides, even in micro levels, could kill them.
7. Even in Rural areas, reduced grain spillage and improved storage facilities + use of
pesticides & herbicides=sparrow population declined.

#3: Forest Corridors for Tiger breeding

2010 data: 1,700 tigers in 39 tiger reserves.

Nowadays, Tiger reserves are surrounded by farms, villages and towns.

Such small and enclosed tiger reserves=> Habitat fragmentation=>inbreeding among

tigers.

Inbreeding=> new generations will have genetic disorders. Theyll be more

vulnerable to environmental changes.

If tiger reserves are connected through forest corridors, then tiger from one region can
move to different area=> decreases inbreeding and promotes gene flow between
isolated tiger populations.

Thus forest corridors= imp. for genetic variation among tigers.

Challenge: Tiger corridors in central India face threats from road widening, railway lines
construction and coal mining.

#4: Antarctic Conservation

commission for conservation of Antarctic marine living resources (CCAMLR)

Members: 24 countries and the European Union.

Recent proposals

1. designate Ross Sea as marine protected area (MPA) in the Antarctic

2. designate seven marine protected areas in East Antarctica covering more than 1

by
US+NZ
Australia+France+EU

million square kilometres

But Russia voted against both proposals during meeting, hence no result.

[EnB] Clean Energy Related

#1: Bio-refinery: Bioplastics, BioHydrogen

Bio-electric Chemical Treatment System=designed by a research organization in

Hyderabad, theyve also filed for Patent.
input affluent/toxic water discharged from chemical factories and households.

output

1. futuristic green fuels

a. bio-hydrogen: This system uses anaerobic reactors to produce the environmentally

sustainable bio-hydrogen instead of methane.
b. bio-electricity: from anaerobic bacterial metabolism, by putting external electrodes in
the reactor

bio-plastics: During above anaerobic processing, volatile fatty acids generated. These
fatty acids are used for making bio-plastics. These bio-plastics could replace to some
extent synthetic plastics in future.
Project funded by the Ministry of Non-Renewable Energy.

#2: Biofuel: Anti-Arguments

1. The amount of energy produced by biofuels is only a little more than the amount of
energy invested in growing and manufacturing them.
2. Biofuels are nothing but a byproduct of sunlight. A combination of solar cells, batteries
and electric cars, is 600 times more effective at harnessing suns energy than biofuels.
3. Their energy-efficiency is not so good. Even if all agricultural land in Germany was
directed to biofuels, we will get only enough to replace up to 20% of all fuel
consumption in Germany.

4. At present Germany uses only 20% of agricultural land for crops used for biomass
production. The money farmers earn for this is probably double compared to growing
wheat. As a result of that Germany, which was a big exporter of wheat, now imports it.
Because farmers decreased wheat cultivation.
5. Several studies had shown that global crop production needed to double by 2050, to
meet demands from
o

Increasing human population

Demand from meat-industry (recall geography location factor article: how corn is used
to fatten the cattle in USA. Similarly poultry rearing also need corn, soybean as feed.)

demand from dairy-industry

Therefore it is a bad idea to devote agricultural land for biofuels.

#3: Nuke Energy post Fukushima

2011 Fukushima nuclear plant accident in Japan
2022 Germany plans to shut down all of its Nuclear plants.
IAEA Chief (Yukiya Amano) said following:

After Chernobyl disaster in 1986, there was a period of stagnation in nuclear industry

But, after the Fukushima accident construction of new nuclear plants continued in many
countries,

In the next few years five countries Bangladesh, Jordan, Nigeria, Turkey and
Vietnam will join the nuclear energy club

Nuke Energy is safe, reliable, low greenhouse gas emission, gives steady supply of
electricity @stable prices.

#4: Lumos: Solar Backpack

Lumos=Solar backpack designed by an Indian couple

It is water-, impact- and shock-proof

allows you to charge your gadgets through solar energy.

These backpacks have a sleek, flexible solar panel, unlike conventional panels (large,
rigid plates used for rooftop installation).

#5: Flow Batteries

Renewable energy problem

wind

depends on speed of the wind, not continuous

solar

doesnt work on cloudy day

Therefore, such renewable sources cannot be connected directly to the electric grid
(Because they dont work on 24/7).

Instead, youve to store this solar/wind electricity in a battery and use this charged
battery to run electric appliances.
Problem: conventional batteries

solution: flow batteries

by MIT, USA.
Theyve membrane-less
hydrogen-bromine fuel cell.
Conventional batteries include a porous membrane between the anode
Using liquid bromine and
and the cathode to prevent short-circuits while facilitating chargehydrogen gas.
carrying ions to move between them.
It is rechargeable. doesnt have
But this membrane increase batterys weight, reduce its efficiency,
membrane like conventional
bring structural defects and life-cycle limitations.
batteries.
Has more power density than
conventional batteries.

#6: Electricity from cattle waste

Project in an Agro-university in Ludhiana.

cattle waste=> bio gas=>generator=>electricity.

The electricity is being used for chaffing green fodder, machine milking, operating the
fans, coolers and foggers installed inside the animal sheds.

waste slurry obtained from the bio gas plant is used as manure for crops.

Their next plan is to separate methane and carbon dioxide from biogas, then bottle the
carbon dioxide for industrial use

Ministry of renewable energy is giving them subsidy.

[EnB] Climate Change related

#1: Runaway Greenhouse effect

In a life sustaining planet e.g. Earth, the Solar absorption and radiation levels are
balanced=> life can exist.

But if the solar radiation absorbed by the planet exceeds the thermal radiation given
out by the planet then result=>

1. uncontrollable heating of planets surface

2. rapid water evaporation from oceans and rivers.
This is known as runaway greenhouse effect. Ultimate result: planet becomes
inhospitable, life cannot exist. It is believed that once Venus planet had ocean but all
the water evaporated thanks to runaway greenhouse effect.

#2: Ocean Acidification

Oceans absorb more 25% carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

this carbon dioxide dissolves in the water =>forms carbonic acid.

This way, the oceans act as a carbon dioxide sink

But when CO2 increase in atmosphere=>Carbonic acid also increases in sea-water=

Ocean acidification (OA).

Problem? By 2100, the corals and starfishes might become extinct due to this Ocean
Acidification.

Corals spend their entire life in one place. They secrete calcium carbonate =>form coral
reefs.

These coral reefs provide support to variety of fishes and marine organisms.

But Higher Ocean acidification and warmer climates = less new coral reefs formed +
even the existing coral reefs get damaged.

When Coral reefs are reduced=>indirectly many species will be affected.

Thus Ocean acidification poses grave danger to all marine species.

#3: Dimethylsulphide

It is a volatile organic compound.

Released by certain species of phytoplankton and algae.

When dimethylsulphide mixes with air, it reduces the amount of solar energy reaching
Earths surface

Thus, dimethylsulphide cools the atmosphere.

But Ocean Acidification harms the population of phytoplankton + algae=> less

dimethylsulphie emitted =more global warming.

#4: Climate Change and Apple Taste

Factor

determines Apples ____

Acid concentration sourness

soluble solids

sweetness

As per the Japanese study, when temperature rose during the fruit maturation period,
there was a change in the taste and texture of the fruit.

Meaning, due to climate change in last decades, the taste-texture of apple must have
changed. Apples would have tasted differently 100 years ago.

[EnB] Misc.
man-made forest in Kerala. On the banks of the Mangalapuzha river.
Harithavanam

The man-made forest renders almost all the functions of a natural forest except
that there are no wild animals.
Scientists had been studying fossil primate skeleton from China, since 2003

miniscule
monkeys

Sumatra Haze

Conclusion: Early ancestors of human beings might be miniscule monkeys

smaller than rats
Fire in Sumatras jungle=> haze=> air pollution in three nations: Singapore, Indonesia
and Malaysia.

Dinosaurs
hardly relevant for UPSC but for the sake of timepass

#1: Nasutoceratops: New

Vegetarian Dinosaur

Translates to big-nosed horned face.

New horned dinosaur species discovered in Utah desert of USA.

Belongs to the group of plant-eating, rhinoceros-like dinos.

Nasuceratops used their horns to deter rivals for sexual selection and Deflect predators
similar to modern-day elk or deer.

#2: T-rex was indeed the Villain

Dinosaur
Paleontologist Scientist that studies fossil organisms.
Predator

Hunts his prey by himself. E.g. Lion, Tiger

Scavenger

Any organism that feeds on dead animals hunted by others + and other decaying organic
matter. Example: Vultures, Hyenas, Raccoons, certain bacteria and insects.

T.Rex

That Non-Vegetarian Villain-Dinosaur, youve seen in Hollywood movies.

What is the issue?

Some paleontologists believe that T. rex was a scavenger, not a predator. Meaning all
Hollywood movies where T-Rex is villain= scientifically bogus. Because T.Rex didnt kill
anyone during his time! He was merely ahumble dinosaur who ate dead carcasses left
by Predator dinosaurs.

But now Paleontologists found tooth marks of a T.Rex on a vegetarian (herbivore)

dinosaurs tail. From scientific analysis, they found vegetarian dinosaur was alive when
it got bitten by T.Rex

Meaning T.Rex was a predator who would hunt in live animals, and NOT a scavenger. It
means Hollywood scriptwriters are indeed correct: T-Rex was indeed the villain
dinosaur.

[Science-Tech] TheHindu June-July-Aug: (Part 1 of 3) Medical

research, Healthcare, Disease, OPV-IPV, Cloning, Three-Person
IVF, Monocrotophos, Mid Day meal deaths, Pioglitazone

Diseases Related

#1: Vaccine Derived Polio + Need for IPV

How does Oral Polio Vaccine work?

Oral polio vaccine contains a live, attenuated (weakened) vaccine-virus.

When a child is vaccinated, the weakened vaccine-virus replicates in the intestine and
enters into the bloodstream,

This triggers an immune response in the child, thus Child becomes immune to (wild)
polio in future.
What is Vaccine-derived polio?
In rare cases, the live-weakened virus from Oral polio vaccine itself becomes mutated.
Then child gets polio from the virus inside vaccine itself. This is known as Vaccine
Derived Polio.
Why in News?

In July 2013, an infant from Beed District Maharashtra was infected with
^this Vaccine-derived poliovirus (VDPVs) type 2 and got paralyzed.

Our Heath ministrys approach was thik-hai this is just an isolated case. But WHO is
worried and rushed a team to the Maharashtra.
What do Experts say?

That baby was not given sufficient number of polio doses (undervaccinated) so it seems
baby infected by a vaccine-derived poliovirus from another person.

Not every child who gets infected with VDPV will become paralysed but this baby was
already undernourished, hence paralyzed.
Will this remove Indias polio free status?

As per the WHO definition, only wild polio considered for deciding the polio-free status
of a country.

Therefore, this Maharashtra case will not alter Indias polio status. Because it was from
Vaccine derived poliovirus and not from wild variety of polio virus.

Although such technical juggling of definition will not bring that babys legs back, nor it
will reduce the danger of polio among other India kids.
Then what should be done?

The root cause of the problem is the use of live, weakened polio virus in the oral polio
vaccine (OPV)

But this virus are still alive and quite often undergoes genetic changes=> causes polio.

Thus, the very vaccine that is supposed to protect children against polio causes the
disease.

Endgame / ultimate solution= introduce IPV (injectable polio-vaccine) instead of using

oral polio vaccine. In just two injections of IPV, child becomes 100% immune to polio.
Challenges in introducing IPV?

1. we dont have enough trained doctors/nurses to give injections to all kids in rural areas.
+ the recent case in Uttar Pradesh, where a rickshaw puller gave injection to baby and
the baby died.
2. IPV is more expensive to produce than OPV.

#2: Malaria
Mosquito Bites
Mosquitoes are ___ meaning ___
crepuscular
ectothermic

Theyre most active during dawn and dusk. However, they are all not active at night.

they seek warmth

but are quite vulnerable to hot, dry conditions, hence hate direct sunlight.

Male vs Female Mosquitos

Male mosquito Usually feed on nectar, juice and decaying matter, which serve as the energy source

female
mosquito

need to ingest the blood meal that serves as the protein source for developing the
eggs.

We experience more mosquito bites at night. Why?

1. Mosquitoes are known to be attracted UV light. They use UV light to find damp water
sources.
2. But during daytime, Infra red light is more intense during day time is known to curtail
mosquito activity.
3. During evening and night, Mosquitoes thermal and odour receptors become more
efficient at detecting blood source.
4. A Mosquito can detect victim more quickly if the person is big or, pregnant, exhaling
more CO and has sweetish smell or had a pint of beer.

Malaria Vaccine: Haem Synthesis

Haemoglobin inside human blood=helps in oxygen transport.

When Malaria parasite consumes this Hemoglobin=> generates haem.

Malaria Parasite needs Haem for its own energy production.

So, if we can destroy parasites genes responsible for haem synthesis=> then we can
make a genetically attenuated parasite that might serve as a vaccine candidate for
malaria.

IISc, Bangalore working on this logic.

#3: Fluorosis

Cause: drinking water with excess fluoride content.

water with moderate level=> dental enamel becomes defective.

water with high level floride=>bones in skeletal system get affected. stiffness and pain
in the joints.

Fluorosis is a crippling disorder. Its effects are permanent and irreversible in nature.
Meaning there is no cure / treatment

permissible fluoride limit, as per BIS is 1 ppm in drinking water. But At least 19 States
have been identified with fluoride in water level above the safe limit.

Concerned at increasing cases of fluorosis, the Union government has asked the States
to provide alternative source of drinking water to the people in areas with high
concentration of fluorosis in groundwater.
National Programme for Prevention and Control of Fluorosis (NPPCF)
WHO? Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (AND NOT Ministry of Drinking water)

WHEN? 11th FYP

WHERE 100 districts in 17 affected states
WHAT? support provided for: 1 district lab with staff, carry out water and urine samples, + awareness.

#5: Iodised Salt

Iodised salt=essential to prevent mental retardation and goiter.

National Policy of Universal Salt Iodisation (1986)= recommends Iodine should be

mixed in salt for 15 parts per million.

but In Chhattisgarh alone 70 per cent public doesnt get access to iodised salt.
Success in Madhya Pradesh

Anjha Chulha (community kitchen), a state-wide joint feeding programme

It converges two existing national programmes, 1) Supplementary Nutrition Programme

of the Integrated Child Development Services and 2) Midday Meal Scheme

Meals served at anganwadi centres and schools are prepared in a common kitchen, by
trained staff, and iodised salt is used.

#4: Migraine
Two Types Of Headaches
Primary headache

secondary headache

more common among patients

less

They occur for no obvious reason.

Example migraine, tension-type
headache.

occur because of serious underlying conditions e.g. brain

tumor, inflammatory diseases, abnormalities of the spinal
fluid.

There are no tests for these headaches,

can be detected through tests.
only tests to rule out other causes.
Migraine
1. Migraine is the commonest cause of all primary headaches
2. Migraine is a chronic disease, meaning youve to deal with for years.
3. Migraines are genetically inherited.
4. Migraine attacks are often linked to a trigger (unavoidable external conditions such as
heat, sunlight or sweat)

#5: Aspergillosis

Aspergillus= one type of Fungus

Aspergillosis=disease caused by above Fungus

Australian researchers found it to be deadly in cats, dogs and men. + Common

antifungal drugs failed to kill this fungus, hence more dangerous.

Research Related
HeLa Cell-line

In 1951, Henrietta Lacks died at an American hospital due to cervical cancer.

In that era, USA didnt have any regulations for genetic research. So, the doctors used
her biopsy sample to create HeLa celline, without her knowledge or consent.

Since then, these cells have been extensively used for a wide variety of biomedical
research.

They even played a part in several Nobel-Prize-winning scientific discoveries.

Her family didnt learn of the cells until 20 years after Lackss death, when scientists
began using her children in research without their knowledge. Later even their medical
records were released to the press and published without consent.

But now researchers have made an agreement with her family for controlled access to
the HeLa genome sequence.

Flu Related
#1: H7N9 Bird flu: potential bioweapon?

This year, H7N9 bird flu virus killed many people in China.

Chinese authorities order the closure of poultry markets => outbreak under control.

But Scientists fear infections may rise again in the winter. There is always a chance that
virus will undergo mutation and become more dangerous.

Hence they want to carry lab-experiment on H7N9 virus, increase its virulence in lab,
and study its ability to spread between people.
Pro arguments

1. The proposed experiments should give scientists early warning of the kinds of virusmutations that could spark a pandemic.
2. The work will be done in high-security laboratories to minimise the risk of the modified
viruses escaping and causing any damage.
3. This will help in advance research into drugs and vaccines before pandemic breakout of
H7N9.
anti-argument
1. This could help terrorists create lethal viruses as bioweapons.
2. If virus escapes the lab because of some natural disaster (e.g. earthquake, tornado,
tsunami) =massive damage to population.

#2: MERC Coronavirus

2002 SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome), appeared in China and next year exploded worldwide.
2012

Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) is viral respiratory illness first reported in Saudi Arabia
in 2012. It is caused by a coronavirus called MERS-CoV

Merc-COV:
1. It is a corona virus just like SARS.
2. Like SARS, it causes severe respiratory disease.
3. Like the SARS virus, it appears to have originated in bats.
4. MERS virus has crossed from bats into an animal that humans frequently come into
contact with. But which animal exactly ? was it bird/pig/goatthat is yet to be found.

5. MERS-CoV can spread through close contact with a sick person, and such transmission
has occurred in families as well as in hospitals.
6. The SARS virus mutated over time and gained the ability to pass more easily from one
human to another. The big worry is that the MER-CoV might do something similar.

Lab grown organs

#1: Lab-Grown: Meat

Scientists have succeeded in growing meat in vitro (=outside body, in a lab/petridish)

using stem cells

But Cost of such meat burger- 2,50,000 euros.

Then why bother with artificially grown lab meat? why not just eat normal meat from
animals?

1. it help save more than 42 million cattle from being butchered every year in the U.S.
alone

As per FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization) report, when cattle is raised for meat
alone, it leads to
18% share in greenhouse gas emissions

30% land use for just grazing and growing animal food/feed.

Such cattle is injected with variety of antibiotics => led to rise in drug-resistant
bacteria=> they jump from animals to humans and cause variety of diseases.

#2: Lab-Grown: Tiny Brain

Austrian scientists have grown tiny brain (called Cerebral organoid) in their lab

using stem cells.

This tiny brain has many key features of the brain in a nine-week-old human embryo.
Limitations?

does not yet display all the brain regions organised in the fashion that would be found
in a developing embryo.

Since there are no blood vessels to bring oxygen and nutrients to cells deep inside=>
tiny brain will not develop beyond about four millimetres in size.
Benefits?

1. Microcephaly= is a genetic disorder, leads to greatly reduced brain size and associated
mental disabilities.

2. Earlier scientists tried to experiment on mice-brain to understand this disease but did
not succeed.
3. but now with tiny brain, they can do more research on Microcephaly disorder.
4. Ultimately theyll be able to research on more common disorders like schizophrenia or
autism

#3: Lab-Grown: Liver

Japanese scientists has used induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS cells) cells to produce
a rudimentary human liver that could function in mice.

iPS cells=created from normal cells, you dont need stem cells. (recall earlier article
about Yamanakas stem cell research).
OPPORTUNITIES

CHALLENGES

Will help patients with life-threatening liver

damage.
same principle can be used to make pancreas,
kidneys and lungs in the lab.

These lab-grown liver buds are too small in size, must

be produced in vast numbers
Itll take yet another 10 years before such a method is
ready for clinical trials in humans.

Cloning John Lenon

Some Canadian dentist has a tooth of late British Pop legend John Lennon- he wants to
clone it.
What is Clone?

A clone is a cell or an organism that is produced asexually from an ancestor. (=without

sperm meeting egg)

A Clone cell genetically identical to its ancestor.

Thus the clone of Lennon, produced today, will be genetically the same John Lennon of
the 70s.

Dolly Sheep cloning

Scientists chose three sheep: Molly, Polly and Polly

Polly (Black
face)

they removed genetic material from her egg-cell.Thus her egg remained only an empty
reaction vessel.

Molly (White they took cells from her udder, extracted genetic material out of it, and planted in Dollys
face)
empty egg cell. Thus an embrayo created.
Holly

they planted above embryo in Hollys womb. Thus holly served as a surrogate mother.

Result: Dolly sheep was born. White faced, inherited the genes from Molly only. The
only male DNA of Dolly came from Mollys fathers DNA contained in her somatic cells.

Whether Cloning of Humans should be allowed or not? => Its a Group

Discussion/Interview topic.

But whether Cloned John Lennon will be equally good singer-musician like original John
Lennon=> Answer is No.

Because a Man does not live by body alone. What goes into the brain is interaction with
the external world. Culture is not coded in our DNA. Experience, education,
environment all these matter.

Three-person IVF / Mitochondria Transfer

Why Mitochondria important?

Mitochondria crucial to the energy supply of cells.

Defective Mitochondria= disrupted energy supply to muscles, heart, liver and brain.

Mitochondrial diseases are incurable.

In Britain alone, around one in 6,500 children is born annually with a severe
mitochondrial disease like muscular dystrophy.

Current methods can only reduce but not eliminate the risk; no treatment is available
either.
Solution: mitochondrial transfer/ 3-Parent IVF
gives egg but her DNA material has defective genes for Mitochondria. So that part related
mom
to Mitochondria is removed.

dad

sperm

donor
(female)

gives DNA that has right codes for healthy Mitochondria.

Thus, with help of genetic material from ^three people, an IVF baby is created. Embryo
transferd to mother and baby is born without any disease related to mitochondria.
Why news/controversy/Anti-arguments:
1. UK government is planning to allow doctors to use ^this technique. But some MPs are
against this method citing this is also stem-cell research, You are playing God and
interfering with his creation and hence against the (Christianity) religion.
2. This research will lead to Designer babies for example, pick DNA of Sachin for
Stamina, DNA of Bacchan for Height, Hrithik Roshan for white skin and thus assemble
an embryo like assembling a mobile phone or computer.
3. Designer babies are bad because then society will be divided into two parts: those with
superior looks-body thanks to genetically engineering vs. those normally born. Hitler
was also trying similar thing: remove all the Jews, handicapped and gypsies and create
the strong Aryan race with pure genes.
Pro Arguments for Mitochondria-Transfer:
1. Mitochondria from a healthy woman donor doesnt affect the appearance of the baby. It
merely prevents baby from getting defective mitochondria related diseases. Thus the
donor-lady is not third parent.

2. Mitochondria are the power producers of a cell and do not in any way contribute to the
traits that make us humans. Hence, any fear that the latest development is a slippery
slope that would lead to producing designer babies is unfounded.
3. The inheritance of donated mitochondria, will stop with the succeeding generation if the
baby is male.

Cancer Immune Naked Mole Rats

Naked mole rats live underground

they can live for more than 30 years, almost seven times longer than normal rats.

They are also the only mammals that do not regulate their body temperature.

Unlike normal house rats, theyre immune to cancer.

Why in News?

Scientists use rats to do cancer study and test various anti-cancer drugs.

To induce cancer in a rat, the scientists exporse them to gamma radiation,

transplanting tumours or injecting cancer-causing agents.

But when scientists tried these cancer-tools on naked mole rat=#epicfail, nothing
happened. It didnt develop cancer.
Reason?

Hyaluronan= a chemical found in all animals, helps to hold cells together, and controls
when cells grow in number.

Cancer= unregulated growth of cells. So hyaluronan was thought to be involved in the

progression of malignant tumours.

In Naked Mole rat, scientists found an unusually thick layer of ^this chemical.

Thick hyaluronan might have helped increase the elasticity of the rats skin, allowing it
to live in small tunnels underground. This trait might be helping in preventing cancer
cell growth as well.
Why beneficial? This mechanism may help us find cure for cancer.

Silver Antibiotic

Scientists are now interested in silver because Bacteria cant develop resistance against
silver.

silver unlike most antibiotics works in more than one way to kill bacteria.

Now, silver is combined with conventional antibiotics to make a killer combo. First silver
will weaken the bacterial cell membrane, then conventional antibiotics will attack the
bacteria.

Bacteria are broadly classified into two groups called Gram-negative and Grampositive.

Gram-negatives have an extra cell membrane that protects the bacteria; this
means that it is much more difficult for some antibiotics, such as gentamicin and
vancomycin, to penetrate the cell.

But with added silver, even weak antibiotics can fight with such strong gram negative
bacteria.

Neuro-science
#1: Human neurons and Carbon Dating

It is generally believed that brain cells stop growing in adults=>As your age increases,
your memory capacity decreases.

But Sweden researchers measured the rate at which new neurons are added in the
adult human brain, using Carbon dating method.
How does Carbon Dating work?

Carbon dating makes use of an isotope, carbon-14.

Carbon-14 is generated in the upper atmosphere when cosmic rays strike nitrogen
atoms. It then finds its way into different substances.

When scientists measure the amount of the isotope in them, they can calculate how
much of it there was originally based on how quickly it is radioactively decaying.

This number can reveal the age of the substance, too.

#2: Neuroplasticity

Neuroplasticity = ability of the nervous system (brain) to modify its organisation in

response to conditions imposed on it.

Experiment on animals showed that increase physical exercise=increases grey matter in

the brain, promotes the formation of new nerve cells, blood vessels and connections
(synapses) between neurons

Thus exercise helps improve your brain, apart from keeping obesity, type 2 diabetes,
stroke and hypertension away from your body.

Banning Drugs and Chemicals

Mid Day Meal Deaths And Monocrotophos

In Chapra (Bihar) >20 kids died after eating Mid day meal, contaminated with pesticide
known as Monocrotophos.

Monocrotophos is an organophosphorus pesticide.

Considered highly hazardous by FAO and World Health Organisation (WHO).

Already banned in Australia, China, the European Union and the United States, and in
many countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

2004: WHO says this pesticide must be banned. But our (bogus) government refused
saying Monocrotophos pesticide = cheaper than its competitors and more effective in
controlling pests.

FAO+WHO+World Bank agree that Monocrotohpos and similar highly hazardous

products should not sold in Developing countries because:

1. Marketing-Distribution channels are not properly developed=> anyone can buy such
chemicals from anywhere and create havoc (same problem leading to Acid-throwing on
girls.)
2. Small scale farmers lack knowledge, proper sprayers, and protective gear and storage
facilities. They do not dispose the empty pesticide containers safely=>environmental
problems.

International Code of Conduct on Pesticide

Management

Adopted by FAO member- countries,

It establishes voluntary standards of conduct for all public and private entities involved
in pesticide management.

Code states that a hazardous pesticide should be banned if risk-assessment says that
given pesticide cannot be handled without unacceptable risk to humans and the
environment.

For monocrotophos, many governments have concluded that prohibition is the only
effective option to prevent harm to people and environment.

But India hasnt done it so far.

Open Sale of TB Drugs

Total more than 8 million TB patients in the world, among them more than 2 million
just living in India alone.
TB treatment
through Government funded DOTs program 65% patients covered

Through private clinics

remaining 35%

What is the problem?

Patients receiving treatment through private clinics= they take drugs irregularly. As a
result, disease resurfaces and TB bacteria becomes more resistant to the drugs.
What is the solution?

Govt mulling ban on sale of TB drugs in open market

Under the new initiative, patients going to private practitioners for treatment will get
medicines free of cost from chemists but only after the doctor informs them through a
dedicated call centre to be set up by the government.
Allied topic: DOTS therapy and MDR-TB. click me

Pioglitazone: Banned & unbanned

Oral Antibiotic drug. Works as insulin sensitizer.

major players, such as Ranbaxy, Cipla and Sun Pharma, manufacture the drug. Market
>700 crores.

used by over 35 lakh diabetes patients across the country

France bans this drug because it is believed to cause bladder cancer, anemia and even heart
2011
failure.
but drug continues to be used in the US, the UK and other countries, albeit with a warning label.
A doctor files petition to drug controller general of India (DGCI) to ban Pioglitazone after 8 cases
2013
related urinary bladder cancer were reported in the Chennai.

June

2013
July
2013

Ministry bans the drugs, on advice of the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO).
But Ministry didnt consult Drug Technical Advisory Board (DTAB).
Indian doctors protest against the ban. Government refers the matter to Drugs Technical
Advisory Board (DTAB).
DTAB recommends lifting the ban with some conditions

Finally, ban is lifted, with following conditions

1. Drug will now be sold with a box warning (that the drug carries a significant risk of
serious or even life-threatening adverse effects)
2. Doctors will also be told that pioglitazone should not be prescribed as the first line of
treatment.

Analgin: Banned

Painkiller drug.

Sold under the brand name Novalgin

Adverse effect: decreases WBC (white blood cell count)=>fatal.

Analgin is banned in many countries including US, France, Nepal but the medicine
continued to be sold in India as an over-the-counter drug for years.

Anyways finally government woke up and banned It (along with diabetic drug
Pioglitazon)

Dextropropoxyphene: Banned
Use?= mild pain killer and local anaesthetic effects

Who
banned?

directorate of food and drugs administration

How
banned?

under Drugs and Cosmetic Act, 1940.

Why

banned?

because already banned in USA, the UK, the European Union, Australia, Canada, and
Japan.
This drug has potentially life-threatening effects convulsions, hypotension etc.

Food related
#1: Honey

Is it safe to give Honey for babies?

Honey contains spores from a certain bacteria, which find their way into honey comb
from dust and soil.

These bacterial spores have no effect on adults.

but for children, honey can cause death/paralysis, since the immune system of infants
has not matured.

Therefore, Paediatricians around the world strictly advise against feeding honey to
infants.

But if your child is above one year, honey is perfectly safe and can even offer lasting
relief from chronic cough.
Diabetes?
What? Glycemic index?

Honey 55
sugar 68
Food with Higher glycemic index= bad because

Foods with a higher glycemic index lead to a higher rise in blood sugar levels= problem
for diabetic patients.

Even in normal person, such food causes the body to keep releasing insulin from the
pancreas to process all that sugar. High insulin levels in the blood=> lead to obesity.
Honey and Healing property?

before the discovery of antibiotics, honey was widely used in healing

Honey has Acidic PH=>prevents the growth of many bacteria

Honey has hydrogen peroxide=>gives antiseptic value

Honey has phytonutrients=> prevent colon and other cancers.

Honey and Weightloss?

It is a myth that honey does not add fat to your body.

Honey has just as much carbohydrates as sugar so it is best to restrict its use,
especially if youre trying to lose weight or are diabetic.
Raw vs Processed Honey?

Raw honey (that which has been directly collected from the honey comb and has not
been processed and packaged) => more effective anti-bacterial agent than the
processed honey.

when raw honey is subjected to excessive heat and preservatives during foodprocessing, many nutrients/compounds are lost.
Honey Energy?

honey is a mixture of glucose and fructose, both forms of simple sugar. And much like
ordinary sugar, it is absorbed fairly quickly into your blood stream and has almost the
same effect on your body.

Food additives are Poisonous

Not much relevent from exam point of view, but before you eat junk food, wafers next
time, do check the labels to protect your own health:

Coloring Agents
Children like bright colored food. Therefore most baked goods (cupcakes, frosting) and
fast foods (like pastas, cereals and some ready-to-mix sauces) come in eye-catching
colours. Problem:

food coloring agent

causes

blue#1

cancer

Red#40

ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) in children (which affects their

ability to concentrate and focus).

Red#3

used as artificial colour to cherries. Causes thyroid tumors

Carmine/Conchineal
extract

Derived from insect. Gives pinking blush to candies, fruit juices etc.While these
are generally safe to consume, it can cause adverse reactions in some people.

Sweetners

used as a sugar substitute in diet soda, ice-creams etc. but it is

neurotoxin (affects the brain)
carcinogen (has the potential to cause cancer).
Acesulfame-K used in gums and gelatin (used in jellies) .causes cancer
aspartame

Preservative
Ingredient in many a restaurant-style Chinese meal.also found in most
Monosodium glutamate
packaged foods, from potato chips to soups and canned meatsIncreases
(MSG)
obesity , causes liver inflammation.
Sodium Nitrate/Sodium
used in canned pickles. causes cancer.
Nitrite (E 250)

Breads

Potassium Bromide Used in banking breads. It gives a creamy white colour, and
elasticity to bread. But potassium bromate is a known carcinogen, but in the US and in
India, it is still legal.

therefore, it is better to use brown bread and ensure that you purchase a loaf that is
freshly baked.

Animal related

#1: Resilin, the rubber like protein

Resilin is a rubber-like protein

It helps dragonflies, grasshoppers and other insects to flap their wings, jump and chirp

Resilin can stretch to three times its original length, then spring back to its initial shape
without losing its elasticity.

Scientists looking for its application in nanosprings, biorubbers, biosensors etc.

Scientists have modified resilin with gold nanoparticles for possible use in medical
diagnostics.

#2: Animals do self-medication

Sparrows

pick up used cigarette butts and place them in their nests to reduce the parasite infection
affecting the eggs and baby birds in the nests!

Mongooes

feeds on chota-chand plant, before fighting cobras. Thus Nepalis found out that Chota
Chand is an antidote for snake bite.

Goat

From observing the goats eating the coffee plant, Men found that coffee was a stimulant.

Caterpillars chew on some medicinal plants to survive longer and produce healthier eggs.
Fruit Flies

lay their eggs on food with high ethanol, to ward off infection by parasites

Chimanzees

swallow whole leaves of some plants and defecate them in order to flush out intestinal
parasites

It would thus appear that the practice of natural medicine, including Ayurveda, has its
origin from the plant and animal kingdom.

Misc.

Active Travel

Active travel means walking, cycling or use of public transport

World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends active travel address the growing
burden of non-communicable diseases.

Apoptosis

It is the biological process clearing dead cells.

apoptotic cells= Cells that are aging, damaged or infected and about to die,

immune cells (phagocytes) engulf and destroy the apoptotic cells.

If a dying cell is not cleared it will go into a post-apoptotic stage called necrosis=>
leads to inflammatory diseases like lupus in humans.

Pain Management Techniques

Steroid
Injections

effective for patients suffering from arthritissteroid injections greatly reduce

inflammation (especially at the site of a nerve compression) and can offer great relief
from tortuous knee paibut have side effects

Nerve Heating

The heat is transmitted to the tip of a needle => applied directly to the paint
transmitting nerves=>relieves pain and doesnt hamper with any other body processes

Prolotherapy

Procedure involves injecting an combo of anaesthetic + irritant, into the site of pain.
it also stimulates natural healing processes.
when your pain is an obvious outcome of psychological issues, anti-depressants are
prescribed
Antidepressent
These pills will restore the chemical seratonin in your brain, a lack of which can lead to
chronic pain.
But they should be taken as a long-term course in order to be effective.

Elastic Energy and Human Shoulder

Humans do not have any of the characteristics so essential for hunting speed,
strength, agility, claws or sharp canines to hunt down and kill a prey.

Hence the ability to throw a spear or stone at high speed and great precision to
kill/injure an animal =part of evolution.

We can throw balls/stones/spears accurately because of the anatomical features that

allow the storage of elastic energy at the shoulder.

The human shoulder acts much like a slingshot during a throw. It stores and releases
large amounts of elastic energy are stored in the stretched ligaments and tendons.

Chimpanzees, on the other hand, do not have much mobility at the waist hence cannot
throw objects at great speed.

[Science-Tech] TheHindu (March2May) (Part 3 of 3): Space

research, Electronics, Saturn Opposition, Herschel, Cartosat, GSLV
MK3 & more

Space Related
Saturn opposition

Two celestial bodies (in this case the sun and Saturn) are said to be in opposition
when they are on opposite sides of the sky when viewed from Earth.

On April 28 2013, Earth was exactly in between the sun and Saturn.

This day is when Saturn is the closest to Earth in the whole year.

Saturn was only about ~130 crore km away from Earth. The farthest distance between
Saturn and Earth =165 crore km.

Saturn can be seen with the naked eye as a bright non-twinkling star.

But if we use a simple telescope we can observe its rings and perhaps even some of its
satellites.

Extra-galactic Background Light (EBL)

EBL is all the electromagnetic energy ever in the universe.

These include energy in the visible, radio, ultraviolet, etc. wavelengths.

EBL are mostly produced by stars and galaxies.

If we can know the distribution of Extra-Galactic background light, it would give us

important clues about how mass is distributed and how galaxies have formed and
evolved + the shape of the early universe.

Problem: Since Earth is inside a bright Solar System and a bright galaxy, it is extremely
difficult to distinguish and detect the faint EBL.

Furthermore, it is impossible to send an instrument so far way in the space, to

separately detect the EBL.

Now researchers are working on a different solution =Instead of directly measuring the
EBL, they have measured how much light from other sources is blocked by the EBL.

Microgravity and human survival

gravity is necessary for all life forms, they undergo various physiological changes when
exposed to microgravity.

Since man wants to colonise moon and other planets in future, scientists have been
trying to understand the effect of microgravity or zero gravity from organism to
molecular levels

This can help developing strategies to survive in hostile environments.

microgravity is bad for survival of organisms: because it causes osteoporosis, atrophy

of muscles, immune dysfunction, sleep disturbances, cardiovascular de-conditioning,
decreases rate of photosynthesis etc.

CSIR are studying effects of simulated microgravity on E. coli.

Herschel retired

Europes Herschel space observatory the largest infrared telescope ever launched

served for ~4 years.

It has stopped working after exhausting its supply of liquid helium coolant

GSLV MK3

Evolution of Launch Vehicles

Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle.

heaviest satellite launch vehicle of IRSO

will be launched in 2014

Can carry satellites weighing between four and five tonnes.

Can put a four tonne satellite in orbit

will help Antrix Corporation, ISROs commercial arm, to offer cheapest space launches
in the niche market.

This will also be a first time that ISRO scientists would undertake an experimental flight
of a launch vehicle which would fall into the sea after reaching a height of 120 km

Cartosat-3

remote sensing satellite,

capable of taking images of the earth with a resolution of 0.25 metres.

Currently, GeoEye-1 produces the highest resolution earth images taken by a

commercial satellite.

Antares Rocket

Sputnik: worlds first artificial satellite, and sent Yuri Gagarin on a journey that made
him the first human to venture into space.

February 1969, five months before Apollo 11

U.S. President John F. Kennedy responded by vowing to land men on the Moon by the
end of the 1960s.

1969: Apollo 11 was launched, using Saturn V rockets.

To continue in this space race, USSR needed a powerful rocket like Americas Saturn V
(used in Apollo mission). So they developed N1 rocket.

Now after 4 decades, American too are using an improved version of Russian N1
Rocket. (=

Orbital Sciences Corporations Antares rocket)

The Antares is intended to take cargo to the International Space Station on commercial
terms. (recall a similar topic: Dragon capsule)

Electronics related
Graphene and Harddisk

Graphene= one-atom thick lattice of graphite

It is a synthetic material with diverse applications ranging from solar cells to

diagnostics.

Researchers have demonstrated how graphene could facilitate the formation of a

magnetic field under certain conditions.

application: graphenes could be used in computers, because hard drives store

information using magnetic fields.

A Boy and His Atom

It is the tiniest stop-motion movie ever.

made by IBM.

It is a one-minute video of individual carbon monoxide molecules repeatedly

rearranged to show a boy dancing, throwing a ball and bouncing on a trampoline.

Quantum computer

Classical computers use electronic devices called transistors to perform mathematical

operations with input electric signals.

Because of transistors technical limitations, classical computers take exponential

amounts of time to solve more complex problems.

quantum computer uses the exotic properties of extremely tiny particles like electrons
to perform operations much faster than a classical computer would.

femtosecond is a millionth of a billionth of a second)

Hydrogen sensor for breedor reactors

In a breeder reactor, coolant is required for extracting heat from the extremely hot core
(where nuclear fission takes place).

Fast breeder nuclear reactors use of liquid sodium (and not water) as a coolant.

because liquid sodium has excellent heat transfer properties compared with water.

However, there is a possibility of tube failure.

Steam, which is at a higher pressure than sodium, tends to leak into the coolant when
the tube develops a leak.

On reaction with sodium, hydrogen and sodium hydroxide are formed. Sodium
hydroxide, which is a caustic material, further aggravates the problem.

But now Indian scientists have developed an electrochemical hydrogen meter (being
tested in Kalpakkam, near Chennai.)

Increasing microprocessor speed

Microprocessor is a small programmable device comprised of smaller devices called

transistors

Transistors are circuits that switch electric signals from on to off and vice versa. They
are based on CMOS technology (complementary metal-oxide semiconductor).

Now researchers are putting a special layer of germanium over silicon in those
microprocessors to increase the computing speed.

Li-ion battery

Lithium ion batteries

Rechargeable.

Li-ion battery contains several cells. Each cell consists of a cathode, an anode and a
separator between the two, electrolyte and current collectors.

The cell generates power due to the motion of Li-ions.

Li-ion batteries are reliable and their failure rate is 1 in 10 million cells.

theyre used in airplanes to start jet engines for two reasons:

have high energy density

Occupies less space than Ni-CD batteries to provide same amount of energy.

Li-ion battery is in the news because of two incidents in the Boeing 787 Dreamliner
aircraft, involving smoke and fire.

Misc

Glass fibre reinforced gypsum (GFRG) panels

During an earthquake or strong wind, buildings tend to sway and the walls are
subjected to enormous loads exerted laterally.

GFRG panels reinforced with concrete are capable of resisting lateral loads caused by
earthquakes.

IIT Madras Researchers have developed a technology to make GFRG panels to be also
used as floor/roof, thus eliminating the use of RCC slabs + Since the panels have a
smooth finish, the need to plaster them (as in the case of brick walls) does not arise. =
less cement used= cost reduced.

This also makes rapid construction of houses possible, because panels are prefabricated
and cut to desired sizes based on room sizes with openings for doors and windows.
Fungal infestation in potato

Blight

Black widow
spider

Black holes

Seabirds

Female black widow spider consumes a potential mate.

But that also happens in some types of male spider. for example Male
spiders of the Micaria sociabilis species are more likely to eat the females
than be eaten.
are exotic space phenomena whose gravitation pulls are so strong that
not even light can escape.
They are formed when heavy stars exhaust all their hydrogen and
collapse under their own weight.
closely related to the penguin, scientists confirmed that a wing that is
good for flying cannot also be good for diving and swimming. Penguins
underwater prowess may have cost it its flying ability.

Fruit

Salamander

CERN

unprocessed raw

horse gram

Suns heartbeat

Any fruit crop is perennial in nature and takes a minimum of three years
after planting to bear the first fruits.
amphibian animal salamander is able to completely repair its eye parts by
itself. Is such a mechanism lying dormant in the human eye? American
research want to find out.
announced that it had spotted a Higgs boson-like particle on July 4, 2012,
their flagship Large Hadron Collider (LHC),
has continued running experiments to gather more data on the elusive
particle.
possess anti-hyperglycemic properties (anti diabetes)
and also have qualities to reduce insulin resistance.
suns magnetic field, dubbed its heartbeat, evolves in a cycle,
Most prominent activity takes place every eleven years, which coincides
with the sunspot appearances.

[Science-Tech] TheHindu (March2May) (Part 2 of 3): Healthcare,

Medical Research: Gene Patenting, Angelina Jolie, Double
Mastectomy, H7N9, 3Nethra, Eye-PAC & more

Viruses
H7N9

avian flu virus.

currently in some regions in China.

H7N9, H1N1 and H5N1= All three viruses are influenza A viruses

but they are distinct from each other.

H7N9 and H5N1 are considered animal influenza viruses that sometimes infect people.

while H1N1 viruses can be divided into those that normally infect people and those that
normally infect animals.

Influenza viruses are not transmitted through consuming well-cooked food. Because
influenza viruses are inactivated by normal temperatures used for cooking.

It is safe to eat properly prepared and cooked meat, including from poultry and game
birds.

But Diseased animals and animals that have died of diseases should not be eaten.

No vaccine for H7N9 available at the moment.

An animal influenza virus that develops the ability to infect people could theoretically
carry a risk of causing a pandemic.

However, whether H7N9 virus could actually cause a pandemic= still unknown.

H3N2

The H7N9 bird flu virus has been sporadically infecting people in China, Some experts
fear it could gain the ability to spread easily among humans, thus setting off another
influenza pandemic like H1N1 pandemic of 2009.

But American researchers have found a possible threat from a different direction
H3N2

H3N2 viruses are currently found in birds and pigs.

A H3N2 virus caused a pandemic during 1967-68, but now scientist fear that human
immune system might have lost the ability to recognize that virus and thus H3N2 could
easily jump back to humans now that immunity to it has dropped

SARS like Coronavirus

2002: SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) appeared in China and next year
exploded across the world. SARS was caused by a coronavirus.

2012: Another coronavirus (hCoV-EMC), emerged in Middle East, causing severe

respiratory problems, kidney failure and even death.

As with the SARS virus, the new hCoV-EMC coronavirus appears to have originated in
bats. However, unlike the former, the latter is still able to infect bat cells.

Drug research
Influenza Vaccine

Presently, the scientists are ill-equipped to immediately develop an effective vaccine

when an influenza virus strikes. for e.g. when the H1N1 pandemic struck in 2009.

Current strategy for vaccine Development = start from scratch based on the strain
causing the epidemic or pandemic = takes lot of time.

Now American researchers are using a new strategy for vaccine Development.

They selected F16 (an antibody to influenza A), and introduced it into an adenoassociated virus (AAV) vector to deliver the antibody into the body.

To achieve the best results, the researchers introduced the antibody at the site of
infection, in this case, the nasal route.

This will be equally effective against influenza strains H5N1 and H1N1.

Monoclonal antibody: curing blood cancer

Leukaemia is largely incurable in adults. Why?

Because the cancer-associated proteins are safely secured inside cells, and are beyond
the reach of currently available drugs.

now scientists are developing a new monoclonal antibody (ESK1) that can target those
cancer-associated proteins.

Gold nanoparticles for drug delivery

gold nanoparticles can be used as carriers for delivering anti-cancer drugs and also for
diagnosing the disease, particularly lung and breast cancer

In Ayurveda. More than 1,000 years ago, gold was used as a nanoparticle
(swarnabhasma).

At that time, there were no sophisticated instruments and that is why people did not
know that it was a gold nanoparticle.

gold nanoparticle was bio-compatible, easy to synthesize and multiple cancer drugs
could be loaded. It could reduce the toxicity of the anti-cancer drug,

Scientists are now using an eco-friendly green chemistry approach- via leaf extracts of
Bhringaraj (a herbal plant) to create the biocompatible nanoparticles.

Bhringaraj-extracted bio-compatible gold nanoparticle was used to deliver an anticancer drug Doxorubicin into lung and breast cancer cell lines.

If you add fluorescent molecule in these gold nanoparticles, it could be used to detect
the position of the tumor.

ELQ-300 new Antimalarial drug

nearly 200 million people in the world suffer from malaria every year, and the mortality
is as high as 1.2 million. To make matters worse, resistance to currently available drugs
is emerging.

ELQ-300 is a new anti-malarial drug, undergoing trials.

capable of treating and preventing malaria infection, target both the liver and blood
stages.

works against both drug-resistant species (Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium

vivax).

Schizont is a matured malaria parasite that contains many merozoites, which is the
parasite stage that infects red blood cells. ELQ-300 was effective against this Schizont.

Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC)

Stem cell controversy?

Stem cells can be used in treating variety of diseases.

But they were sourced from human embryos in the beginning.

Religious organizations consider this as murdering a child and hence oppose stem cell
research.

Nobel 2012: solution for stem cell harvesting?

2012: Nobel prize for medicine given to John B. Gurdon and Shina Yamanaka

for their discovery that discovery that differentiation of cells is a reversible process.

In other words, normal cells can be reconverted into stem cells. and then
those stem cells could be used for treatment of various diseases.

thus, Gurdon and Yamanakas research could settle the stem cell controversy (because
we dont need human embryos for harvesting stem cells anymore. We can do it by
converting normal cells into stem cells.)

Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC)?

iPSCs are body (somatic) cells which have been reprogrammed to function like
embryonic stem cells

This is done by introducing four regulatory factors (pieces of DNA) into the cells.

However, the efficiency of iPSC production is traditionally quite low. Only about 0.01
per cent of the cells successfully become iPSC.

Chinese researchers are now working to improve this performance.

Zebrafish zygote

Zygote is the initial cell formed when two gamete cells (from male and female) are
joined

zygote is special because this single cell is capable of developing into an embryo and
ultimately an entire organism, unlike an already-differentiated cell like a skin cell which
can only develop into skin tissue. This property of the zygote is called totipotency.

embryo cell=undifferentiated cell the embryo cell

egg cell and the sperm cell= differentiated cells

Diseases like cancer cause cells that get arrested at an early stage of differentiation, or
cells that go backwards and become undifferentiated like embryo cells.

Scientists carried out research on Zebrafish eggs to understand this mechanism of

totipotency.

Equipment/ devices

3Nethra: eye testing device

The World Health Organization estimates that 39 million people in the world are blind.
Of those, over 15 million are in India.

Most of that blindness can actually be prevented.

But people do not realise they have an eye disease and that they are losing their vision
because their better eye compensates for the loss in one eye.

solution = conduct regular eye tests.

Problem= only 15,000 eyedoctors in India and only ~30 per cent of them practice in
the rural areas.

+ conducting mass eye tests in remote locations is difficult because the traditional
equipment for eye tests are bulky and expensive.

here 3Nethra comes to help

What is 3Nethra?

a portable and less expensive pre-screening device for eyes

3nethra can fit into a suitcase and weighs about 15 kg= lighter than traditional
equipment.

costs ~ five lakh rupees = cheaper than traditional equipment.

it takes a picture of the eye and can detect the five major ailments that lead to 90% of
blindness.

1. diabetic retinopathy,
2. cataract,
3. glaucoma,
4. cornea problems
5. refractive errors.

The machine is also non-mydriatic (does not need dilation of the pupil) and can take
images in a matter of minutes.

doesnt require highly trained ophthalmologist, even a semi-skilled person with a

working knowledge of the anatomy of the eye can operate this machine.

Eye-PAC computing technology

by IIT Madras

It is based on the principle of capturing the image of the eye, digitising it before
transferring the information to a computing system.

The technology teases out specific information from the images and provides a
computer-assisted screening decision

technology can process the image obtained without dilating the eye, thus saving time
both for the operator and patient.

When used as a diagnostic solution, the computer-assisted decision saves the

ophthalmologists time

This technology has been used in the 3Nethra device we saw earlier.

Cholangioscope

pancreatic cancer is the third most prevalent gastro-intestinal cancer in India while liver
cancer is the most common.

All these years, most patients used to consult a physician when the disease was in an
advanced stage.

cholangioscope is an equipment with a video camera for detection of cancers of bile

duct, liver and pancreas.

jointly developed by by Indian and Japanese healthcare researchers.

another latest device, called spycam, was now enabling doctors to look into the liver,
which was not possible earlier.

the two technologies would help in diagnosis and treatment of gall bladder stones,
jaundice, pancreatitis and pancreatic pain. Very huge stones could be identified and
crushed using laser.

E-cigarette

Cigarette lighting up and burning leads to smoke. And the smoke is a health hazard. It
produces carbon monoxide (CO), a blood poison, nitrogen oxides (which can destroy
molecules in the body), and the tar produced during incomplete burning (it is the tar
which is the major cancer-culprit).

Smoke is not only bad for the user, but also for the bystander- through what is called
secondary smoking

In an electronic cigarette, you do not light up and produce smoke.

You do not even use tobacco. You take nicotine (the addictive), dissolve it in glycols
(which are acceptable to the human body) and using an electronic method, produce an
aerosol mist and inhale the vapour.

There is no smoke, no Carbon Monoxide, no nitrous mix, no tar, no yellow teeth.

They are better than the nicotine patch or gum; and they can help smokers quit.
(atleast that what the companies claim)

LEDs effect on sleep

Modern light-emitting diodes (LEDs) used in energy-efficient lighting as well as

television and computer screens, laptops, tablets and various handheld devices.

electric light has had a powerful impact on the bodys clock, known as the circadian
rhythm.

light affects our circadian rhythms more powerfully than any drug.

eyes retina also contains light-sensitive cells help synchronise the bodys circadian
rhythm to the natural day and night cycle.

When artificial light strikes those cells, the body gets misled and responds by promoting
wakefulness and inhibiting sleep.

many people are still checking e-mail, doing homework or watching TV at midnight,
with hardly a clue that it is the middle of the solar night, driving us to go to bed later.

Children become hyperactive rather than sleepy when they dont get enough sleep, and
have difficulty focusing attention, so sleep deficiency may be mistaken for attentiondeficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), an increasingly common condition now diagnosed
in American teenagers.

Gene patenting, BRCA, Angelina

Jolie
Gene Patenting case

BRCA1 and BRCA2 human genes used for diagnosing breast and ovarian cancers.
(BRCA= BReast CAncer). If a woman has mutation (fault) in BRCA 1 or 2= higher risk
of breast/ovarian cancer.

U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has been awarding patents on genes for about 30
years.

In the mid-90s, Myriad Genetics ltd. got patents for the BRCA genes.

Thanks to this patent, Myriad genetics company got monopoly for selling BRCA gene
testing. Each test costs >3000$.

2009-10: The American Civil Liberties Union (an NGO) challenged this patent in court.
Their point= Nobody can patent human genes because genes are products of nature.

2013: Matter going in US Supreme Court.

Angelina Jolie double mastectomy

Angelina Jolie had a faulty gene, BRCA1=> had higher risk of getting breast cancer.

Doctors advised her to undergo a surgery known as preventive double mastectomy,

to remove her breasts and hence reduce the risk of getting Brest cancer in future.

she got that surgery in 2013.

Conspiracy/criticism

A gene patent holder has the right to prevent anyone from studying, testing or even
looking at a gene. As a result, scientific research and genetic testing has been delayed,
limited or even shut down due to concerns about gene patents.

Only Myriad can sell BRCA gene test, which gives them a monopoly on a highly
profitable business.

Angelina Jolies move was a mere PR/marketing campaign for Myriad genetics, with
inflated statistics.

Now Many women will now take that expensive BRCA testing (for >3000$) undergo the
surgery just out of fear and panic, because Jolie opted for it. And thus Myriad Company
will make truckload of cash for holding patents to BRCA genes.

Presidents Obamas Affordable Care Act mandates taxpayers to pay for BRCA1
genetic testing- thus increasing Myriads profit even further.

BRCA is not the only gene patented, some other companies and universities also have
patented genes for Tay-Sachs disease, Cystic fibrosis, Colorectal cancer, Hearing loss

etc. at this rate, future medical treatments will become prohibitively expensive.
Therefore, the whole idea of Gene Patenting is against the interest of patients.

Oily Skin

Why is skin oiliness restricted only to the face?

skin of the face is oily because of the presence of sebum

Sebum is an oily secretion produced by the sebaceous gland.

These glands are present throughout the body except the palms of hand and soles of
feet.

Sebaceous glands are more commonly found in hair-covered areas, where they are
connected to hair follicles.

Hence the maximum concentration of this sebaceous gland is in the face and scalp.

Acne and black heads are conditions associated with these sebaceous glands and they
are common in face.

factors

secretion of the gland is influenced by the sex hormones, temperature, stress and
genetic factors.

Sebum production increased during adolescence, pregnancy and menopause due to

hormonal changes.

Function of Sebum?

provides anti- bacterial lipids, anti- oxidants,

hydrates the superficial layers of skin, supply of vitamin E

also has temperature regulation properties.

[Science-Tech] TheHindu (March2May) (Part 1 of 3): Agriculture,

Environment-Biodiversity, Silage, Salt Pump, Sagar Nidhi, El Nino
Modoki & more

Agriculture
Caffeine

How was Coffee and Tea introduced in India?

Coffee

Tea

as per the legend, in late 16th century Haji

Baba Budan smuggled coffee beans from
Yemen.

And planted them on the Chikamagalur hills in

Karnataka.
Then coffee plantations started and coffee
became popular in South India.

Was introduced later than coffee.

In early 19th Century, the colonial British who copied it
from the Chinese and planted it in Assam and
Darjeeling.
Thus Tea becomes popular in the northern India.

Both tea and coffee have caffeine.

But only tea contains both caffeine and tannin.

But why do these plants go to the trouble of making the molecule in the first place? two
reasons

#1: determine herbivores

Because of Caffeine, the raw coffee bean or tea-leaf is bitter to taste, hence animals
wont eat it, plant can grow and flourish.

#2: attract bees

While plant-derived drugs like caffeine (tea, coffee) and nicotine (tobacco) are lethal in
high doses, they do generate pleasant effects when taken in very low doses.

Caffeine is also found in the nectar of flowers of those plants.

The caffeine in nectar of flower= gets the bees addicted hence they keep coming back
and help in pollination.

NAA, IAA Plant hormones

Naphthyl acetic acid (NAA) and Indole acetic acid (IAA) are synthetic hormones

NAA is cheaper as compared to IAA.

they are commonly used for improving rooting in mulberry cuttings.

Mulberry is commercially cultivated for its foliage to feed silkworms.

Potash fertilizer

Potash is one of the major nutrients required by all crops.

Indias entire requirement of potassic fertilizer is met by imports and distributed to

farmers at subsidised price.

Problem= increases trade deficit, weakens rupee+ adds subsidy burden.

Indian soils are naturally rich in potassium and now scientists have identified a potash
mobilizing bacterium to mobilize this native potassium for plant absorption.

Field testing going on for paddy, groundnut and vegetable crops.

If Potash Mobilizing Bacterial (KMB) biofertilizer and biopesticides are used, farmers can
save upto 50 per cent of their potassium fertilizer requirement.

e-Velanmai

Velanmai is a Tamil word meaning agriculture.

it is an IT project for dissemination of agricultural information Tamil Nadu Agricultural

University (TNAU) directly to farmers on a pilot basis in selected areas of the State.

Prior to the introduction of e-Velanmai project, many farmers stated that they had to
depend on the shop keepers/dealers in their area for information.

But now they are able to access all information related to agriculture at their farm gate
itself.

Citrus greening

disease of citrus which greatly affects the production of the fruits in several parts of
India.

Infected fruits are small, lopsided with bitter taste.

Such fruits may fall prematurely; while those that remain on the tree do not colour
properly, remaining green on the shaded side.

Membrane transporters

theyre a class of plant proteins.

The transporter genes in the plants seeds. These genes are usually expressed in the
root so that the plant could take in nutrients from the soil.

Now scientists are conducting research on these genes responsible for transport, so
they could improve the efficiency with which plants take up and use water and
nutrients.

Benefits?
1. Greenhouse-grown rice with three- to four-fold higher levels of iron in polished grain.
2. In a similar fashion, zinc content of cereal grains could be increased
3. The amount of phosphate and nitrate fertilizers used for cultivation could then be
substantially reduced.
4. Drought tolerance in plants as well as their ability to grow in other adverse conditions,
such as in saline or acidic soils.

Silage

Silage is fermented, high-moisture stored fodder.

It can be fed to cud chewing animals such as cattle, sheep and goats.

It is fermented and stored in a process called ensilage, ensiling or silaging

Usually made from grass, maize, sorghum or other cereals using the entire green plant
(not the grain alone).

Silage Advantages?

During summer (or when monsoon fails) the green fodder becomes unavail.

Hence prolonged preservation of fodder in the form of silage becomes the key to
overcome the increasing constraints in green fodder availability.

Traditional methods for Silage production

Dig a pit in the soil

Place the harvested matter inside and covering it with soil.

Problem in traditional method?

1. Landless farmers cannot go for such pit methods.
2. This method makes it difficult to transport the silage from the pit to the cattle shed
3. Labor intensive and costly.

Farm Ponds

The farm ponds are constructed at the lower side of the fields and the runoff from the
higher side of the fields are channelized into the pond.

Provides Fodder and drinking water.

Some farmers have also started cultivating wheat and chickpea using the pond water
successfully.

High density multi species

cropping system

is one of the mixed cropping systems

Here, a number of compatible crops are grown in an area to meet the diverse needs of
the farmers such as food, fuel, timber, fodder and cash.

Other benefits?
1. control of weeds,
2. soil and water conservation,
3. Regulated temperature and favorable microbial activity in the soil.
4. Generation of recyclable biomass for organic manure.

SRI Rice cultivation

SRI=systematic rice intensification method

It is the universally accepted as a proven method to increase rice yield.

Principles of SRI cultivation

1. transplant seedlings when theyre young
2. plant seedlings in 2525 or wider spacing, to reduce competition for sunlight and
nutrients.
3. Reduce external inputs (water, fertilizer, pesticides)
4. Prevent soil from becoming anoxic (without oxygen). For this, use mechanical weeder
regularly.
5. Add in-situ/ex-situ organic matter as much as possible, to increase the soil organic
matter.
6. Use green manure, bio fertilizer, compost.

High Density Planting (HDP)

It is an advance technique of fruit plantation.

Through HDP technique, 4,000 to 5,000 plants can be planted in a hectare and the yield
improves radically.

This technique is more useful for perennial crops because it allows efficient use of land
and resources,

In India, HDP technology has been successfully used in banana, pineapple, papaya and
mango, guava and citrus where the yield has increased two to three times.

Also helps in farm mechanization, weed controls.

Ornamental fish farming

Ornamental fishes are kept in aquarium at home and in offices.

Examples of ornamental fishes: guppies, mollies, sword tails, angelfishes, goldfishes.

The global business of Ornamental fish rearing, accessories (tanks, lights, water pipes
etc.) and fish feed =is worth ~$14 Billion

In India we have hundreds of exotic and indigenous ornamental fish varieties but
unfortunately, Indias share in international trade of ornamental fish = <1 %.

The earning potential of this sector neither understood nor exploited in a technology
driven manner. otherwise we can give tough competition to the major exporters such
as Singapore, Malaysia etc. (USA is the largest importer).

Potential benefits of ornamental fishing

1. substantial employment opportunities,
2. side income for the farmer,
3. Earning foreign exchange.

Governments action:
1. NABARD provides finance via Commercial banks, RRB etc.
2. Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) under Ministry of Commerce
and industry provides subsidy

Environment and Biodiversity

(EnB)Climate / Geography related
Salt Pump

salinity of the oceans that surround India play an important part in the complex
interactions between atmosphere and sea

and thus indirectly determines climate over the subcontinent.

Arabian Sea
Bay of Bengal

got little rain, except off the west coast of India

Given the evaporation that took place, its salt levels
would increase.

Result: it is more salty than Bay of Bengal.

rivers, like the Ganges bring plenty of fresh

water,
+ the Bay of Bengal itself receives lot of rain
during monsoon.
This excess fresh water would reduce its salinity.
It is less salty than Arabian sea.

What is Salt pump?

so far we saw that Arabian sea is more salty than Bay of Bengal.

Summer Monsoon Current, flowing eastward, takes salty water from the Arabian Sea to
the Bay. and thus helps them to help maintain salinity levels.

But this saltier water, however, slides under the lighter surface water of the Bay.

Hence Maintaining the salt balance of the Bay therefore demands upward mixing of this
saltier, subsurface water.

Based on 2009 ocean cruise data, scientists found that this saltier water erupted
upward intermittently from its sub-surface abode to mix with the fresher surface water.
they call it Salt pump.

mechanism driving this salt pump was not clear at present

El Nino Modoki

during pre-monsoon and post-monsoon seasons in the North Indian Ocean, more
cyclones form in the Bay of Bengal than in the Arabian Sea

Scientists have now discovered why in some years more cyclones form in the Arabian
Sea than usual.

This is due to a newly discovered Phenomenon (2007) El Nino Modoki

El Nino

suppresses cyclone formation in the Arabian Sea.

El Nino Modoki
It creates more cyclones in the Arabian sea.

How does El Nino Modoki work?

It Causes warm moist conditions in the Central Pacific and dry cold conditions in
Eastern and western pacific.

Divergence

Divergence (opposite of convergence) means surface winds move away from each other
and result in low relative vorticity (rotational flow of winds)

These conditions are not conducive for cyclones.

El Nino Modoki creates stronger divergence over the western Pacific and Bay of Bengal
compared to El Nino.

This explains why Bay of Bengal region (close to western Pacific) has fewer cyclones
during an El Nino Modoki.

On the other hand, there is large convergence over the Arabian Sea during an El Nino
Modoki explaining the large number of cyclones in that region

Walker cells

El Nino Modoki brings only fewer number of cyclones in the Bay of Bengal is because
one of the two descending limbs of the Walker Cell is over the western Pacific and Bay
of Bengal.
Asending limb Descending limb

brings rain.

causes dry conditions not conducive for cyclone formation

Only post-monsoon and pre-monsoon periods were chosen for the study.

Because Cyclones usually do not form during monsoon season.

Why dont cyclones form during monsoon?

1. Since the Atmospheric parameters low-level relative vorticity, mid-tropospheric
relative humidity, vertical wind shear are not at values conducive for cyclone
formation during monsoon.
2. Second, during monsoon there is strong zonal (latitudinal) wind in the form of a jet at
lower levels and this is not conducive for cyclone formation as the vertical shear
between lower and upper troposphere will not be minimum.
3. Finally, the sea surface temperatures are too low for cyclogenesis.

Monsoon: Tibetan Plateu and ENSO

The heating of the Tibetan plateau correlated well with rainfall over India from May 20
to June 15 when the monsoon was setting in.

vast Tibetan plateau gets warmed during the summer months, and it heats the air
above.

The air rises and creates and an area of low pressure.

That belt of low pressure sucks in moisture from the oceans, thus initiating the
monsoon.

Temperature of the tropical Pacific Oceans surface waters near the international
dateline, known as the El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), also strongly influenced
rainfall over central India and its west coast during the early and late phases of the
monsoon.

Ocean Related
Sagar Nidhi

Oceanographic Research Vessel,

belongs to National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), Chennai.

Sagar Nidhi helps NIOT in technology demonstration work on deep-sea mining and
tsunami studies.

It is an ice class vessel= can cut through thin ice of 40 cm depth.

It is the first Indian vessel to have gone to Antarctic waters.

The ship is the first of its kind in the country and has been used several times for
launching and retrieval of remotely operable vehicle (ROV) and the nodule mining
system.

Dynamic positioning system (DPS)

is a computer-controlled system which automatically maintains the position of the ship

at mid-sea

sea-state 5 when the wave height is 45 metres

DPS, even at sea-state 5 when the wave height is 45 metres the ships position
can be fixed to within a variation of less than 50 metre

Ships that do not have a DPS can be manoeuvred only manually so that the position of
the ship is fixed up to deviations of 200-300 metres.

This feature comes in useful when deploying remotely operable vehicles, Tsunami alert
systems etc, which require the ship to maintain a fixed position for a very long time.

Polymetallic nodules

also called manganese nodules,

Theyre rock concretions, lie on the sea-bottom sediment.

Why important for India? because they contain cobalt (medical treatment) and nickel
(making batteries) and India doesnt have any terrestrial source of these metals.

Nodules have been found in all the oceans and even in lakes. However, not all nodule
fields are worth mining from commercial point of view.

They can occur at any depth, but the highest concentrations have been found between
4,000 and 6,000m.

Three areas have been selected by industrial explorers: the centre of the north central
Pacific Ocean, the Peru Basin in the south-east Pacific Ocean and the centre of the
north Indian Ocean.

challenges

Nodules on the Indian Ocean bed are found at a depth of about 6,000 metres and the
closest point of the nodule fields is at a distance of about 2,500 km off the Kanyakumari
coast.

National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) has so far tested their machines only up
to a depth of 5,000 meters.

These machines would harvest and crush the nodules before bringing them to the
surface.

The challenges of developing the technology do appear formidable the high pressure
of 600 bar that exists at that depth (6,000 m) is one of them.

International seabed authority

Autonomous international organization established under the United Nations Convention

on the Law of the Sea.

HQ: Kingston, Jamaica

It grants the exploration rights in Sea.

U.K. firm, Lockheed Martin, will soon be taking up mining operations in a 58,000 sq. km
area in the Pacific Ocean.

India will also be able to harvest the nodules from the seabed in about two years, when
the technology is fully developed. India has been a pioneering investor in this research.

Pollution related

Gold Extraction without pollution

In traditional method, poisonous cyanide is used for dissolving and extracting the gold
locked up in mineral ore

But the method is polluting and controversial.

Several spills have been recorded over the years from mining sites that use cyanide
leaching putting human lives and the environment at risk.

While Europe allows the use of cyanide in mining, some countries like Germany, Czech
Republic and Hungary have outlawed it and in 2010, the European Parliament called for
these national bans to extend to the continent as a whole.

But despite being banned in several countries, it is still used to extract more than 80
per cent of gold around the world.

Now an international team of scientists have found a new method: to extract gold using
a mixed a sugar (alpha-cyclodextrin) derived from cornstarch

It is inexpensive and pollution free.

The method could also be used to remove gold from consumer electronic waste.

Nanotech pollution detectors

Ammonia is an important component of explosives, fertilisers, and industrial coolants.

Hence ammonia detectors are used to check for pollution in the vicinity of urban
settlements, such as in rivers, lakes, buildings, etc.

Existing Ammonia detectors very expensive, difficult to manufacture.

Now scientists have devised a simpler, more portable method to detect ammonia:

using ferrimagnetic nanofluids as sensors, They reflect bluer light when exposed to
ammonia.

Atom Bicycle generator (USB)

Atom is brandname of a lightweight bicycle generator,

It can power your mobile, lights or any electronic device via USB.

It comes with a detachable rechargeable battery pack, meaning the stored energy can
be used whenever and wherever you need it.

The price point of the Atom [$105] is set for domestic [U.S.] and European markets.

9 out of 20 households in India still use bicycles (Census 2011). This offers a great
potential to tap vast amount of energy from these cycles.

Citizen science projects

common bird monitoring of India programme

The aim of the programme is to collect data on common Indian birds

headquartered in Nashik, collects data on population and distribution of common birds

with the help of common men / volunteers.

Peoples biodiversity register

important person: Madhav Gadgil

to usher traditional knowledge systems into mainstream science.

The study involved catching and releasing back to the river about 1,500 fish through
146 fishing events.

Along with the scientific names, the local names of the fish were also recorded.

Also recorded were the names given to pools and river stretches.

This really brought the communitys extensive knowledge of the ecosystem to the fore.

Flora and Fauna

Insects circulatory system

Do ants, earthworms; cockroaches have blood circulation system like vertebrates with
hearts and blood vessels?

In insects, the blood is called haemolymph= contains hemocyanin instead of

hemoglobin found in human blood.

Unlike human blood, insect blood does not transport oxygen and hence most insects
receive oxygen through the tracheal system.

Insect blood flows through the body cavity and makes direct contact with organs and
tissues.

The body cavity is divided into three compartments by two thin sheets of muscle to
facilitate blood circulation in insects.

In front of the heart, it is a simple tube without valves that extends up to the head, and
ends near the brain.

Why baby leaves are red?

colour of new leaves of some plants is not green but while growing after few days they
become green. Why?

the tropical countries, during the rainy season or in the growing season we can notice
the appearance of red-coloured young leaves as we see in mango trees.

As the leaves age, the red colour disappears and the leaves become green.

Red colouration of these young leaves is due to the development of anthocyanin

pigments.

development of anthocyanin pigments in young leaves is a kind of adaptation and helps

in following ways:

1. Anthocyanins act as a sunscreen by protecting cells from UV or blue-green light and

thereby protect the young leaves from too much light.
2. The red colour due to the presence of these pigments may hide leaves from red-colourblind herbivores (the aphid insects), which would be especially important in young
leaves
3. Red colour may signal unpalatability to herbivores, since phenols are often produced
along with the anthocyanins.
4. The anthocyanins may also deter or kill fungus and thereby can protect the young
leaves from fungal attack.

Toe control

Unlike fingers, why are we unable to individually control our toes?

Especially the thumb and the little finger, each has 4 separate muscles in the hand
called the thenar and hypothenar muscles respectively for finer movements.

In contrast, the muscles of the toes except the great toe have a common bulk for their
action. Hence when we try to move one toe, they move together.

The primary function of the hand is to perform various skills and activities which are
supported by the fine movements in the various joints and individual movements of the
fingers.

But the primary function of the foot is transmission of the body weight and for
balancing during various activities. This function doesnt require individual movements
of toes.

Why do ants like sugar?

In an ant colony, food is gathered by the foragers who constitute about 10 per cent of
the colony members.

The foragers might collect the protein-rich food for the queen, when she is actively
laying the eggs. Similarly, protein-rich foods are preferred when the colony has a high
larval population.

When the colony has no larvae, the foragers preferably gather the sugar-rich foods,
because adult colonies consuming protein-rich food have extremely high mortality due
to protein toxicity.

Even if they find a food which is rich in protein but poor in sugars, they extract the
sugars and eject the protein as a waste.

Hence, it is quite normal to see the foragers attracted towards sugary products
(carbohydrates), unless there is a demand for protein by the egg-laying queen or the
larvae.

[Hindu Sci-Tech] Public Health, EnB related: Virtopsy, Vomitting

Larry, Hydrogel, Mauritia (Jan Feb 2013)

Gardasil and Cervarix

names of the new HPV vaccines made by GlaxoSmithKline.

The Health activists say it is not properly tested, theyve filled PIL in supreme court.
their arguments

1. Though both vaccines are claimed to prevent cervical cancer, the truth is cervical
cancer takes twenty or more years to develop. The vaccines have just not been around
that long to prove their efficacy!
2. neither of these vaccines had been studied to determine their potential to cause cancer

Vomiting Larry

Vomiting Larry
Larry is a humanoid simulated vomiting system designed by British scientists. It is
being use to how norovirus spreads.

Acute flaccid paralysis (AFP)

Polio is a disease caused by a virus.

But AFP can also arise for other reasons, including infection by non-polio pathogens.

No child in India has been diagnosed with polio for nearly two years now and all the
indications are that the virus responsible for it is no longer circulating here.

However, the countrys polio surveillance system has indicated a sharp increase during
recent years in the number of non-polio AFP cases.

most of the countrys non-polio AFP cases occur in just two States Bihar and Uttar
Pradesh.

cases of children with non-polio AFP were not being monitored by either the polio
eradication programme or the larger state health care system.

As a result, there is no clear picture of what was causing the AFP, the kind of diseases
these children displayed, or how many of them were seriously affected

Virtopsy

Autopsy=examination and dissection of a dead body to determine cause of death.

Previously, doctors would use scalpel, cut the chest open and examine tissues.

Often, relatives of the dead donot agree for autopsies because of the disfigurement
caused by such cutting and incisions.

Now scientists have come up with a non-invasive technique for conducting autopsy.
This is called Virtopsy(=virtual autopsy).

Here, doctor examines the corpse in 3-D via computer screens.

Virtopsy

Virtopsy combine the images from high-powered magnetic resonance imaging (MRI),
computed tomography (CT) and surface scans of dead bodies.

Combined, the devices are referred to as a virtobot.

The technique allows the detection of injuries such as lesions and blows often
undetectable during a traditional autopsy, as well as air pockets, heart attacks and
even cancer.

The method has already allowed the discovery of haemorrhages and fractures that were
not picked up during conventional autopsies.

Health communication

It means generating awareness among population regarding a particular disease.

In India, two most successful examples of Health communication =polio + HIV

#1: Polio

Polio messaging for example was built on simple idea two drops that could save your
childs life. This message was everywhere from print, TV and radio from the more
urban and semi-urban audiences and on roadsides, on the back of buses and lorries and
in small village fairs.

A host of agencies worked together to develop this multi-pronged strategy

It was led by communication professionals. (and not doctors)

This helped in creating multiple strategies to engage diverse audiences.

#2: HIV

HIV was perhaps Indias most complex disease communication exercise

Because our Indian society has deep-rooted double standards, limited womens rights
and a complete lack of conversation on sexuality and sexual diversity. So talking about
HIV may have been impossible. But Government took help of external agencies,
communication professionals.

thus HIV campaign used every possible medium and celebrities to transmit messages
on prevention, on treatment and on stigma.

Conclusion

Finally, public health authorities need to take up public health communications as a

priority. (because prevention better than cure.)

Health communication needs to be managed by communication professionals and not

doctors.

Public health communication must be multi-pronged, regionally suitable and easy to

absorb.

COPSS Award

In USA, this award is given to young statisticians below 40 years.

Dr. Nilanjan Chatterjee won the COPSS for his overall contribution to the field of
genetics and biostatistics.

He found that Smoking causes lung cancer, but smoking alone does not determine who
will develop lung cancer.

A person may have some good genes that reduce the risk of lung cancer. So what
might be important to know is what kind of genetic background a person may have to
know if he is prone to lung cancer.

Mauritia

It is a submerged continent in the Indian Ocean, recently found.

lies under Mauritius and extends more than 1,000 km northwards till Seychelles.

First scientists found crystals called zircons on Mauritian beaches.

Zircons are resistant to erosion or chemical change and some of the ones they found
were almost two billion years old, much older than any of the regular soil or sand
samples found on nearby islands.

Scientists thought such old crystals could only belong to a submerged continent.

they consulted satellite data which can help detect submerged land masses.

this continent Mauritia may have existed as an archipelago, a cluster of islands

squeezed in between Madagascar and the Indian subcontinent.

Study of this continent can help us in better exploration of oil and gas in the oceans.

DNA as a storage device

Scientists are working to use DNA as a storage device. (like how computer can store
information in form of 0 and 1). Similarly DNA could also save information using its 4
bases ACTG
Advantages

DNA is a long-lived, stable and easily synthesized

storage hard drive. While the current electronic
storage devices require active and continued
aintenance and regular transferring between
storage media
DNA based storage needs no active maintenance.
Just store in a cool, dark and dry place!

Problems

Data reading, writing speed is slow and expensive

at the moment.

Hydrogel

myocardial infarction= when heart tissue is destroyed, it blocks the oxygen supply to
heart muscles.

When cells of heart do not receive oxygen= they get permanently damaged.

Such damaged heart cells cannot regenerate, thus a thick scar develops in heart.

This is where Hydrogel can help.

Hydrogel is derived from a pigs heart.

The basic function of the gel is to provide a scaffold (platform) for new heart cells to
form.

Thus hydrogel can the damaged heart recover and function like a healthy one.

Saliva functions
The function of saliva (watering in mouth) is to
1. destroy pathogenic bacteria,
2. help in swallowing the food
3. serve as a solvent for the molecules that stimulate taste buds

aid speech by facilitating movements of lips and tongue.

It also helps to neutralize gastric acid when there is regurgitation (reflex act of ejecting
the contents of the stomach through the mouth)

reduces heart burn

In humans, the sight, smell and even thought of food causes salivationThis is because
the salivary secretion is conditioned. Ivan Pavlovs classical experiments of conditioned
reflex: A bell was rung just before the meat was placed in the dogs mouth, and this
was repeated a number of times until the animal would salivate when the bell was rung
even though no meat was placed in its mouth.

Salivation by humans on the sight, smell or thought of the tasty food is, therefore, a
conditioned reflex.

Banana peel

Banana peel stays yellow for a much longer time when it is covering the fruit, but when
we remove it, peel turns black in a few minutes. Why?

Blackening of the banana peel is due to the presence of an enzyme, which is oxygen
dependent.

As soon as we peel the banana the inner portion, the inner skin, gets exposed to
atmospheric oxygen much more than when it is still covering the fruit.

Inner skin is thin compared to outer layer.

While peeling, inner-skin cells get damaged and liberate chemicals known as amines.

This leaked out amines come into contact with enzymes present closely in the inner
skin.

This results in immediate oxidation in the presence of atmospheric oxygen = peel turns
black.

But this enzymatic reaction needs a little warmer conditions. That is why in summer
and hot conditions even the outer skin turns brown, black faster compared to that in
cooler environment.

Not only banana, fruits like apples, grapes and vegetables like potato, raw banana also
turn brown, black on peeling due to the presence of that enzyme

Since bananas are tropical fruits the cells get damaged due to chill injury when we
refrigerate them unlike apples which are temperate fruits which can be stored in the
fridge safely.

Bio-inspired technology

It is new branch of science and technology.

It learns from the properties and behaviour of plants and animals, particularly their
modes of defence and offence

Then it attempts to produce new technological products, inspired by these properties.

For example

Lizard : Adhesives

A household lizard can run effortlessly on the ceiling, defying gravity and without
dropping off to the floor.

Because the palms of lizard, contains millions of tiny hairs.

These hairs attach to the surface through very weak attractive forces called the van der
Waals interaction.

The force of each hair is negligible, but put together thousand and millions of them, and
that adds up to considerable strength. If you shave of these hairlets, lizard will become
not be able to climb walls.

After understanding this phenomenon, scientists have been able to make tape-based
adhesives (like Post It).

Velcro: Maroolimatthai

Cocklebur flowers plant is found in Madurai region of Tamilnadu. Locally known as

Maroolimatthai.

This plant has a number of small ball-like flowers

Each of them has lots of short pin-like hairs all around, which stick to your socks and
clothes.

A swiss scientist studied this structure designed Velcro, the hook-and-loop fastener.

Porcupin: Surgical Patches

Porcupin is a large rodent. It carries as many as over 30,000 quills on the back surface
of its body.

The quill has an unique structure, it allows for easy penetration into the skin and
beneath, but extremely painful during its removal or extraction.

The tip of quill is very sharp hence enables easy penetration.

But when it has to be removed by pulling it out, each of the barbs resists by opening up
(a bit like an umbrella), adhering to the skin, damaging it.

Now scientists are creating synthetic quills using polymers.

Such a biomimetic or bio-inspired polymer patch would be useful for the development
of mechanically interlocking tissue adhesives or needles, trocars and surgical staples.

[Hindu Sci-Tech] Space, IT related: KSLV, Luna Glob, Black

Beauty, COMET, SKA, SAGA-220 (Jan, Feb 2013)

Telescopes
#1: Square Kilometre Array (SKA)

worlds largest and most sensitive radio telescope

will be 50 times more sensitive, and be able to survey the sky 10,000 times faster, than
any imaging radio telescope array previously built.

will be completed in 2024

Location: South Africa + Australia.

Benefit: developments in many technology areas, including antennas, signal transport,

signal processing, computing, software and data archiving

India is actively involved in this project

#2: Solar telescope, Solar winds

Will be built in the Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir .

Itll have capability to do both day and night astronomy.

Will help in understanding sunspots: process of their creation and decay.

Sunspots pose a threat to the communication system on earth as well as space

satellites.

Increased sunspot activity=> increase in the outflow solar wind.

Solar wind contains charged particles that can interfere with the operation of satellites
by introducing what is called background static.

Solar winds also interact with atoms in the upper part of earths atmosphere, wreaking
havoc with the communication systems on ground.

Satellites in low earth orbit face greater risk as during periods of heightened solar
activity.

Space mission related

#1: Luna Glob

Russia will launch this robotic lunar mission in 2015.

#2: KSLV-1

Korea Space Launch Vehicle-1 (KSLV-1)

South Korea will launch this satellite and gain entry to an elite global space club that
includes Asian powers China, India and Japan.

Earlier, South Korea couldnt launch satellite program for many years, because its main
military ally the U.S., feared S.Koeras arms race with N. Korea.

#3: Pishgam

name of Monkey that was recently sent to space and returned back, under Iranian
space mission.

In Farsi, Pishgam = Pioneer.

IPK

original kilogram known as the International Prototype Kilogram or the IPK.

It is made up of platinum-based weight.

All other measurements of mass are set against this IPK model.

Problem: This kilogram has become heavier as contaminants have built up on its
surface.

Black Beauty

It is a 320 gram space rock from Mars.

Discovered in Moroccos Sahara Desert in 2011

It contains more water than any other Martian meteorite previously found.

could unlock vital clues to the evolution of Mars

Black beauty: Rock from Mars

IO: the moon of Jupiter

IO

Moon

Jupiter planet has 5 major moons.IO is the innermost of them.

Earth as only one moon.

Has many active volcanoes. In fact, most volcanically active body in

No
the solar system
Smaller than our moon

bigger than IO

Jupiter has a few natural satellites orbiting it

Doesnt have any natural satellites

orbiting it.

COMET online monitoring system

Communication Plan for Election (COMET) is made for use of Election Commission.

It is a high-tech SMS-based alert system.

Officials on the election duty just need to punch in a few letters to send various coded
SMSes.

The information is instantly available online and can be used by the Election
commission and poll officials in the state capital and district.

It also helps in monitoring events down to a particular polling booth at the click of a
mouse, for example

1. When did the staff reaching the polling station

2. voting percentages every two hours
3. did the poll party reached safely at the EVMs deposit centre or not?

Indias IT Development
HEC-2M

First computer in India (imported from UK) in 1955. Installed @ Indian Statistical
Institute (ISI), Calcutta.

70s

networks such as NICNET and the Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT),

80s

Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) was developed by ECIL and Bharat Electronics.

LPG reforms
(90s)

Led to rise of private players such as Infosys, Wipro, Satyam.

SAGA-220

Supercomputer built by ISRO @Vikram Sarabhai space centre.

PARAM

Supercomputer built by C-DAC, Pune.

Ubuntu

Open source operating system (OS) Linux for computers.

Android = Googles open source operating system for smartphones and tables. (based
on linux)

Now Ubuntu is also coming to tablet platform.

petabytes
a peta is a million billion or 10 raised to power 15

MillatFacebook (MFB)

Pakistans version of Facebook.

website was launched after the Lahore High Court banned Facebook after some
members started a `Everybody Draw Mohammad Day competition.

objective was to provide a platform for all Muslims and nice, decent and sophisticated
people of all religious and faiths to come together and make a network.

Direct-to-Home (DTH) movie release

one of the controversies surrounding Kamal Hasans recent movie.

Kamal Haasan wanted to release his movie Viswaroopam on DTH platform as a payper-view screening a day ahead of its intended theatre release. (=you can watch it on
your dish tv, tata sky etc.)

But Theatre owners and distributors said DTH is not video piracy-proof and hence, if
new movies are immediately shown on DTH= it will drastically cut ticket revenues.

Kamal Haasans argument: It is not impossible to record the contents of a digital set
top box. and he was just attempting to explore a legitimate source of revenue. Besides
the single pay-per-view show priced at Rs. 1,000 per activation = mostly upper
middle/rich class will watch. This will not hurt the business of theatre owners, because
their target consumer base belongs to different income group.

[Science] TheHindu Dec12: GRAIL, Asteroid Mining, MoonKAMs,

Liquiglide, Oraquick and more Science-Tech for UPSC CSAT

Space related
Asteroid Mining + Space Station
NASAs plan for Asteroids?

NASA scientists are planning to capture a 500,000 kg asteroid, and transform it into a
space station for astronauts to refuel at on their way to Mars.

This technology would also open up the possibility of mining other asteroids for their
metals and minerals.

Some asteroids are full of iron which could be used for in the making of new space
stations

Others asteroids are made up of water which could be broken down into hydrogen and
oxygen to make fuel

NASA plans to accomplish this in next 10-12 years.

Asteroids

Comets

Small rocky or metallic body that orbits the Sun.

Most asteroids are found between the orbits of the

planets Mars and Jupiter in a wide region called

theasteroid belt.
It is because of their small size and large numbers

relative to the major planets that asteroids are also

called minor planets.

small icy body in space that sheds gas and dust.

A Comet appears generally as a bright head with
a long tail.
The length of the tail grows in size as it
approaches the sun. (because Suns heat coverts
the ice directly into gas without melting).
The tail of a comet is always directed away from
the sun
Halleys comet, appears after nearly every 76
years.

Meteors

Meteroites

A meteor is usually a small object that Occasionally

enters the earths atmosphere.

At that time it has a very high speed. The friction due

to the atmosphere heats it up.

It glows and evaporates quickly. Hence known as

Shooting stars.

Some meteors are large so that they can reach

the Earth before they evaporate completely.
The body that reaches the Earth is called a
meteorite

Comet and its tail

Mercury Messenger

Mercury is the innermost planet in the Solar System.

NASAs MESSENGER spacecraft has reported presence of water-ice on Mercury.

GRAIL

GRAIL (Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory) mission.

It is NASAs first planetary mission to carry cameras fully dedicated to education and
public outreach.

MoonKAMs

MoonKAM= Moon Knowledge Acquired by Middle School Students.

The MoonKams captures images of the moons surface and sends them to the students
for study.

Ebb and Flow, Sally Ride

Two NASA spacecraft Ebb and Flow, equippped with MoonKAMs and orbitting around
Moon since 2011 under GRAIL mission.

But they did not have sufficient altitude or fuel to continue science operations. Hence
NASA team crash-landed them on Moon in Dec 2012.

The place where they crash landed is named after Sally K. Ride, Americas first woman
astronaut.

Science-Tech
LiquiGlide

Ketchup wont stick inside bottle anymore!

A coating material for any type food containers glass, ceramic, metal and plastic.

It is super-slippery and non-toxic hence you can easily pickout last drop of honey,
fruitjam, ketchup or oil from the insides of food containers.

No scraping, rinsing of bottles required.

And the compound is safe enough to eat.

Other applications

Keep ice off the wings of an airplane

Help easy flow in oil and gas pipelines where insides of pipes sees buildup of organic
compounds that clog supply networks.

For cosmetics: can pour last drop of expensive lotions out.

Plastic light bulb

a new kind of light bulb that uses plastic polymers and nano materials to generate light

It is more energy-efficient than current fluorescent lights and is easier on the eye.

It doesnt produce humming sound like those fluorescent tubes.

Nuke Desalination plant

Nuclear Desalination Demonstration Plant (NDDP) located at Kalpakkam, Tamilnadu.

It is the worlds largest hybrid seawater desalination plant coupled to an existing

nuclear power plant.

Principle:

when the pressure drops, the boiling point of seawater also drops.

The excess heat generated from nuclear reaction causes seawater to flash evaporate
into pure water vapour.

The water vapour is then condensed to produce distilled water.

MakerBot Replicator
Using makerbot, you can print your own 3D toys!

desktop-size 3-D printer.

Instead of using ink, it spreads ultra-thin plastic layers, each melting into the layer
below to create a 3D-object.

Switchblade Drone

Its a kamikaze (suicide bombing) type drone.

The person controlling it uses a real-time video feed from the drone to crash it into a
precise targetsay, a sniper and its tiny warhead detonates on impact.

Element 113

Japan has created three atoms of the highly unstable superheavy element 113.

This element is yet nameless, but it has an enormous nucleus containing 113 protons
and 165 neutrons.

Biology

Biological Plough Redgram

Pigeonpea, commonly known as redgram, arhar or tur,

It is leguminous plant.

it is capable of fixing atmospheric nitrogen and thereby restores nitrogen content in the
soil.

Its deep rooting system helps in extracting nutrients and moisture from deeper soil
layers thus making it suitable for rainfed condition.

Deeper rooting system of the crop also helps in breaking the tough dry soil and it is
also called as biological plough.

Handheld Dental X-ray

Genuine Handheld X-ray sets are very expensive. But now Chinamade Cheaper
products are in the market.

But they do not have adequate shielding in the X-ray tube.

And leads to accidental leakage radiation.

In India, use of such medical X-ray instruments need approval from Atomic Energy
Regulatory Board. (AERB)

Use of radiation generating equipment not approved by AERB is a violation of the legal
provisions and will attract action under the appropriate provisions of the Atomic Energy
Act 1962

Why skin itching during wound healing?

Histamine =chemical mediator involved in the allergic reactions.

Histamine dilates blood vessels to facilitate the entry of immune cells onto the wound
site to ward off infection.

But It also acts on the nerve endings causing itching.

Itching can also be caused due to allergy for the ointments/ medications applied

When new skin that is formed is devoid of the normal oil glands .This dryness also
provokes the nerve endings causing itching.

OraQuick Home
Oraquick-Detect HIV @Home

Its the first Do It Yourself testkit for detecting HIVthe same one that health
professionals use but without the trip to a doctors office or the need to wait days for
results.

Parkinsons disease

is caused by loss of the neurons that produce the neurotransmitter dopamine (known
as dopaminergic neurons).

Researchers have now derived dopaminergic neurons from bone marrow stem cells in
monkeys to cure it.

Dogs in Mudumalai Tiger Reserve

Mudumalai tiger reserve = Tamilnadu.
Issue: Domestic dogs from surrouding villages are hunting small birds and mammals
near forest edges.

Why problem?
1. Lower prey availability for wild carnivores like tigers and leopards
2. These dogs may also be spreading rabies and other diseases to wild animals
3. Mudumalai, also has large populations of the endangered wild dog or dhole.
4. They eat infected carcasses hunted by domestic dogs=spread of disease.
5. Training village dogs to procure wild meat is a criminal offence under the category of
poaching. But the larger harm that goes unnoticed is that it indirectly threatens the
survival of non-target animals.

NHRDF-RED-2

New onion variety for North India.

Developed by National Horticultural Research and Development Foundation (NHRDF),

Nashik.

This foundation => established by National Agricultural Co-operative Marketing

Federation of India Ltd (NAFED)

[Science] No Touch Breastscan, Chemin, TLS, CFL vs Tubelight

choke etc from The Hindu S&T, Nov 2012

No Touch BreastScan (NTBS)

Imaging device, based on thermography, to detect brast cancer.

Increased metabolism in cancer cells leads to increase in temperature.

The NTBS device looks for temperature hot spots at the surface of breast and detects
breast cancer.

However, US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) has found no evidence to support
the claim that thermography is a replacement for mammography.

CheMin

Name of device in NASAs Curiosity rover.

Full name=Chemistry and Mineralogy instrument

It is used for soil analysis on Mars.

CheMin uses X-ray diffraction, the standard practice for geologists on Earth using much
larger laboratory instruments.

This method provides more accurate identifications of minerals than any method
previously used on Mars.

CheMin found that minerals on the Red Planet are similar to those found in volcanic
soils in Hawaii.

Tunable Laser Spectrometer (TLS)

Name of device on Curiosity Rover.

The presence of methane is an important sign to indicate that life may have existed in
the planets past.

TLS analysed a small sample of Martian air to come to the conclusion, had actually
detected a few parts per billion of methane.

However, recognising that the reading was too low to be significant, it sounded a No.

Gale Crater

Located on Mars planet.

Curiosity rover found signs that water may have flowed in the past through Gale Crater.

Volcanic Activity in New Zealand

New Zealand lies on the Pacific Ring of Fire, where the Earths tectonic plates collide,
making it a hotspot for volcanic and earthquake activity.

In the late 1800s, Mount Ruapehu, Mount Tarawera of New Zeland had erupted, caused
destruction of life and property.

Recently Mt. Tongariro erupted in New Zealand. This Volcanic mountain was used as a
backdrop in famous Hollywood movie Lord of the Rings

Step-Throat and Salt water gargaling

Why do we feel relief when we gargle with salt in hot water when suffering from throat
pain?

Soreness of throat is generally due to the infection of the bacterium called

Streptococcus.

So it is called strep throat.

A strep throat is usually inflamed due to bacteria making widespread damage on our
soft tissues or mucosa.

These inflammations (known as edemas) are usually filled with water.

When we gargle with warm salt water that is saltier than our body fluids (hypertonic
solution), through osmosis the salt draws out the edema fluid.

Moreover gargling with salt water does not actually help to heal the strep throat like a
medicine would, but it does provide temporary relief.

If we do not experience relief as a result of the salt water gargling and if the pain
persists we must consult a doctor to get proper antibiotic treatment.

Why no Choke needed in CFL?

Why is a choke required in a tube light and not in a CFL?

Both tubelights and CFLs (compact fluorescent lamps) are low pressure mercury vapour
discharge lamps.

When electrical discharge could strike the column of the tube, lot of invisible UV
radiation having is generated.

This UV radiation when strikes the white coating inside the tube made of fluorescent
material- phosphors gets converted to visible light through the process of fluorescence.
Thus we see the white light.

For a conventional a tubelight, a choke is required, to initiate the electrical discharge

process.

But CFLs, being smaller in dimensions offering much lower electrical resistance do not
require such bulky chokes.

Instead the discharge in CFLs is initiated by much compact electronic circuits integrated
into the CFL holder.

[EnB] Bergmanns Rule, Migrantwatch, Seasonwatch, Ross Sea

Marine Protected Zone, Lake Vida, Chromatophores

Cold Climate=Big Body size

For most species of animals, body mass increases the closer you get to the poles.

The bigger you are, the more fat you can store to help you get through the winter.

bigger animals have a smaller surface area-to-volume ratio, which helps reduce heat
loss- a pattern known as Bergmanns Rule.

Migrantwatch and Seasonwatch.

Two projects started by National Centre for Biological Sciences, Bangalore, (NCBS)
These projects are aimed at involving common citizen in scientific research.

Migrantwatch

Seasonwatch

builds up baseline data about the flowering and

participants in this activity identify migrant birds and
fruiting of trees, to work on climate-season
note down the first sighting and feed it into the
change from ecological
online database: www.migrantwatch.in
angle. www.seasonwatch.in

Bactrian camels and heavy-chain antibodies

Two-humped camel

Found in cold deserts of central Asia. (China, Mongolia)

They consume eight times more salt than cattle and have twice the blood glucose levels
of other ruminants, yet do not develop diabetes or hypertension.

They also produce unique disease-fighting proteins called heavy-chain antibodies, which
interest pharmaceutical engineers.

Ross Sea: Marine Protected Zone

The Ross Sea, located in arm of the southern Pacific Ocean in Antarctica.

Ross sea is populated by seals, whales, fish, penguins and other birds.

Environment activists want to create Marine protected zones (MPAs) in Ross sea=
where fishing would be totally banned.

Lake Vida

in East Antarctica

hosts some newly discovered microbes, 60 feet below ice.

Thus proving that where there is water, there is life.

Chromatophores

Right now, the lipstick colores are made using artificial chemicals.

These chemicals can cause allergy and even cancer.

Scientists have now found reddish-brown spores in squid skin that can be used for
lipstick colors.

They are screening it for consumer acceptance applying hedonic scale method.

Hedonic Scale Method

Hedonic Scale is used in food science, marketing research where the respondents
indicate the extent to which they either like or dislike for a particular product sample.

Brevetoxin-2

Compound produced naturally by marine algae, currently under research.

Can be used for Treatment of stroke.

[Public Health] GeneXpert, Project Axshya, MALDI, Dermoscope,

Bariatric Surgery, Neurostimulator

What is GeneXpert/ CBNAAT?

Problem with MDR-TB= it takes almost 8 weeks, for doctor to diagnose this disease.

Basically the MDR-TB bacteria donot die with the conventional TB-drug.

GeneXpert/ CBNAAT is the latest device that can diagnose this MDR-TB in just two
hours.

Advantages of GeneXpert

Fastest detection of TB.

can be installed at any place and can be used by paramedical staff.

A health worker just needs to collect sputum of the suspected TB patient and mix it
with a chemical and put it under the Device and get the result.

World Health Organisation (WHO) has approved this device and its testing accuracy.

Government has decided to install these GeneXpert devices under Revised National
Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP)

This device costs Rs.10 lakh, but Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics (FIND), an
international NGO has donated funds to India to install it in various cities.

Project Axshya/ Mr.Sputum

Xshya= Sanskrit word for TB. Axshya=TB free.

Project Axshya is a civil society initiative to make India TB-free.

Bulgum Bhai (Mr.Sputum) is their mascot. He appears on TV, Radio ads, street plays, to
spread the message, If you have been coughing for more than two weeks, better get
your sputum tested

India has the highest TB burden in the world, accounting for nearly one-fifth of the
global incidence.

Union World Conference on Lung Health was held in Kuala Lumpur. This Mr.Sputum
project was featured there.

Bariatric surgery

Bariatric surgery (weight-loss surgery)= of procedures performed on people who are

obese.

Basically it involves surgically reducing the size of the stomach or removal of a portion
of the stomach.

also helps lowering blood pressure and cholesterol of the patient.

Experts believe it can greatly help with Type 2 diabetes.

Neurostimulator

New therapy for Migraine (type of Headache).

Migraine is a chronic disease (long-term disease, unlike Common fever.)

Neurostimulator is a device size of an almond. see above image.

It is placed in the upper gum of patients mouth, through a small surgical incision.

When a patient feels a headache or Migraine coming, the device delivers stimulation to
block the headache pain.

MALDI

It is a new Mass-Spectroscopy technique to detect Bacterial infection in blood, sputum,

tissue etc.

MALDI=Matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization.

MALDI can accurately identify bacteria in minutes, which allows doctors to more quickly
and appropriately treat infections.

Dermoscope

Melanoma=Skin cancer.

To Detect Melanoma, earlier dermatologists had to put incision (cut) on the skin, take
sample, and observe it under microscope.

Dermoscope is a new handheld device for skin-cancer (Melanoma) detection.

The device uses imaging technology that, in less than one minute, visualizes the microvessel structure of just below the skins surface. So Cancer can be detected without
incision.

Cataract
Lens clouded by Cataract

eye disease in which natural lens of eye gets clouded.(observe above image)

Cataract is painless. But It causes blindness by obstructing passage of light, although

the patient can distinguish light from darkness.

Cataract is a common disease for people over 50 years of age. However, it can happen
at young age also, if a person is suffering from Diabetes.

Cataract can be successfully cured using surgery.

The present Cataract surgery involves using surgical blade or laser, to cut the the
clouded parts of lens (or removing the lens and planting a new artificial lens)

Femtosecond Cataract Surgery

Femtosecond=one quadrillionth of a second.

This is the latest surgical for Cataract, using a computer Laser system, now the the
surgeon can soften and break up the cataract within Femtoseconds.

This surgery is more precise and causes less inflammation after surgery.

Ex-Vivo Lung Perfusion

Lung transplant surgery is required in patients with diseases such as Chronic pulmonary
disease, cystic fibrosis etc. (usually associated with heavy smokers.)

Problem: 80 percent of donated lungs, cant be used, either because theyre too full of
fluid, infected with bacteria, or otherwise damaged.

Ex-Vivo lung perfusion =A new way of treating these lungs and make them donor
friendly.

In this technique, a special chemical solution is injected into dead-persons lungs and
then he is kept on a ventilator for 4-6 hours. This can reverse lung injury and dry out
excess fluid. Then lungs can be removed and transplanted to the patient.

Krill and food chain

The whale is not a fish but a mammal

Krill= Shrimp-like planktonic creatures = theyre favorite food of whale.

Krill eat phytoplankton, which are microscopic plants that live near the surface of
oceans and lakes.

Phytoplankton are mainly one-celled organisms and are autotrophic.

Planktons

autotrophic= they depend on the sun for the energy they need to produce their food.

Thus microscopic phytoplankton are very important to all living organisms in the sea.

The blue whale feeds throughout the summer on krill that are abundant in the
cold, polar water of both the northern and southern hemisphere.

In the late fall, the blue whale migrates on the warmer waters of the tropics where the
water is warmer.

There are no krill in tropical areas of the ocean so the blue whale must live off its
blubber for the entire time it spends there. (Blubber = fat stored in Whale body)

When there is oil-spill, it reduces the planktonic creature and thus affects the whole
food chain.

Hydrocarbon-eating bugs

In early 2012, there was an oil spill in Gulf of Mexico- from British Petroleums
Deepwater Horizon rig.

Scientists found growing population of carbon-eating bacteria about six miles from the
leak. (oceanospirillale)

Each time the scientists got back to the laboratory to test the sea-water samples, the
bugs had already eaten all the oil in them.

Adipic acid: Nylon

Adipic acid is produced from fossil fuel, and the pollution released from the refinement
process contributes significantly to global warming

Adipic acid is required for nylon production.

Now scientists have came up with process to produce eco-friendly adipic acid.

Theyll convert cheap sugars into adipic acid, instead of using fossile fuel.

Rhino horn powder

Rich and affluent people in Vietnam, are using Rhino horn power to spice up their
alcoholic drink in parties. (miracle cure for cancer, AIDS..you get the idea, just like
tiger bones)

Because of this demand, more and more rhinos are hunted in Africa.

Vietnamese government is accused of not taking the crisis seriously, despite pressure
from the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (Cites).

Vietnam is the only country in the world where rhino horn grinding bowls are mass
produced. It shows that Vietnamese Government is not serious in cracking this illegal
business.

Non-native/Invasive species: Asian Ladybug

Aphids= plant sucking insect.

Asian ladybug= these were introduced into Europe and USA to combat aphids problem.

But these Asian ladybugs are displacing the native European ladybugs. (Because Asian
Ladybugs eats aphids as well as European ladybygs.) and thus, its population
exploded, now infesting the buildings.

Thus Asian ladybug = a threat to native species and biodiversity in Europe and
America.

Asian Ladybug

New Sperm freezing method

Previously, elephant breeders could only use a limited number of elephant bulls living in
zoos, as semen could not be frozen and had to be used within twelve hours. But
scientists have now solved this problem using the new sperm freezing method.

This new freezing method could also be used with other endangered species like
rhinoceros and gorilla

Nisargruna biogas technology

Developed by the Mumbai-based Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC).

This technology can produce more methan and organic manure from biowaste
(compared to the conventional gobar gas plant)

This methane enriched biogas can be used directly for heating (instead of LPG) or for
generating electricity.

Biodegradable electronic devices

Electronic devices such as integrated circuits, chips and tools etc. when discarded, they
are called e-waste.

It is estimated that e-waste alone accounts for over 70 per cent of toxic wastes
currently found in landfills

we use electronic devices such as pacemakers and other sensors that are implanted in
our bodies. The trouble with them is that once they are past their use, we need to
surgically remove them (and perhaps implant a fresh one). How nice it would be if only
they dissolve away and get removed from the body; much the way we discard our body
liquids and solids every day!

Scientists are now working on such biodegradable electronic devices.

Agro related
Senescence in fruits

The non-greening of leaves is called senescence.

Ripening in fruits also involves chlorophyll loss and an increase in production of yellow,
orange, red or purple pigments.

Why Water=Transparent?

Light is a form of an electromagnetic energy with a wide range of wavelengths.

If a material absorbs all the visible range of light, then it looks black to us because
there is hardly any visible light left from the object to reach our eyes.

If a material does not absorb any part of the visible range of light, then the object
either appears colourlessly transparent

Water has molecules that do not have the kind of electrons which absorb any portion of
the visible range (but have electrons that absorb only in the invisible ultraviolet range)
of light

That is why water appears transparent. Several other liquids, such as benzene, alcohol,
chloroform, coconut oil, etc also look transparent for this reason.

Sapota

Tropical fruit plant. (chikoo)

Grown widely in India for its fruit and milky latex which is the source of chicle used to
make chewing gum.

Rice blast
is a fungal infestation known to occur in all the rice growing areas of the county. The
disease attacks all the parts of the crop growing above the soil.

Chawki

Refers to young silk worms reared from hatching to second moult stage. The quality of
these worms forms the crux of successful silkworm rearing.

If the chawki worms are not reared properly, the later stages will result in crop losses.
Chawki Rearing

PSTOL1

It is a gene that helps the rice plants to grow in phosphorus-deficient soil.

The absence of PSTOL1 from modern rice varieties underlines the importance of
conserving and exploring traditional rice varieties.