1) NASA Scientists Discover Unexpected Mineral on Mars.
- NASA Scientists have discovered an unexpected mineral in a rock sample at Gale Crater on Mars, a finding that may alter our understanding of how the planet evolved.
- A finding that suggests the red planet hosted explosive volcanoes during its evolution.
- Analysing data from an X-ray diffraction instrument on the rover that identifies minerals, scientists detected significant amounts of a silica mineral called tridymite.
- The discovery of tridymite might induce scientists to rethink the volcanic history of Mars, suggesting that the planet once had explosive volcanoes that led to the presence of the mineral.
2) Alphabet expands Google Fiber and introduces a new robot.
- Google`s holding company, Alphabet recently unveiled `SpotMini`, a home robot dog made by its subsidiary Boston Dynamics.
- SpotMini is the quietest and smallest Boston Dynamics robot yet, designed to navigate within the tight confines of a home and able to shimmy under tables and pick up objects with its articulated arm.
- The robot, capable of operating outdoors and on variable terrain, runs for about 90 minutes on a single charge.
3) Bristol scientists develop new stem cell bio-ink for 3D printed.
- Scientists from University of Bristol have found a new bio-ink for 3D printing with stem cells that allows printing of living tissue known as bio-printing.
- The new bio-ink contains two different polymer components: a natural polymer and a sacrificial synthetic polymer.
- The natural polymer was extracted from seaweed. It provides structural support when the cell nutrients are introduced.
- The synthetic polymer used in the medical industry helps the bio-ink to change its state from liquid to solid when the temperature is raised.
4) World`s most formidable supersonic cruise missile BrahMos integrated on Su-30MKI.
- BrahMos Aerospace for the first time successfully demonstrated integration of the world’s most formidable supersonic cruise missile system BrahMos on the Sukhoi SU-30 MKI fighter aircraft.
- The demonstration flight was carried out at Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in Nashik.
- The powerful missile will help the Indian Air Force to strike a deadly blow at the enemy`s vital installations from stand-off ranges.
- The Su-30-BrahMos combination will carry out air combat operations within and beyond visibility range. It will also provide the IAF with the capability of attacking targets protected by powerful air defence assets.
5) US Navy developing electromagnetic canon.
- For several years, the US Navy has been working on a new kind of cannon called a `railgun`. Powered not by explosives but by electromagnetic forces, it would represent a massive shift in artillery technology.
- Scientists expect the railgun rounds to travel at speeds up to Mach 7.5, which at 5,700 mph (9,100 kph) is more than seven times the speed of sound, and cover a distance of about 100 miles (160 kilometers.)
- The futuristic weapon has long been a darling of the Navy’s research wing, along with other game-changing technologies such as laser beams that can track a boat in choppy water and blast holes in its hull.
- Yet the railgun, which so far has cost more than $500 million.
- Its special shells designed to hurtle through the skies at jaw-dropping speeds.
- These rounds, called High Velocity Projectiles, can be guided in flight. They can also be fired from a conventional five-inch canno.
6)Yamaha unveils 3-wheel mobility vehicle concept.
- Japanese motor company Yamaha has unveiled a three-wheeled vehicle concept called `05GEN`.
- 05GEN model features a three-wheel mobility vehicle fitted with electric assist technology designed to give the impression of a garment lightly draped around the rider`s body.
- This vehicle offers protection from rain and the sun during short excursions, also allowing interaction with the people around you.
7) Microsoft launches prototype mosquito trap.
- Technology giant Microsoft launched a prototype trap for detecting mosquito-borne illnesses like dengue and Zika.
- The prototype trap is being developed as part of the Microsoft`s Project Premonition - a novel autonomous system for monitoring, detecting and preventing emerging infectious disease outbreaks and marks the company`s biggest innovation in trap technologies.
- The system is then expected to provide faster and more accurate information about where disease-bearing mosquitoes can be found. A pilot program has been deployed in Houston.
- The Designed only to collect information on the type of mosquito that an entomologist wants to track, the trap also provides insights on the time, temperature, wind and humidity, when the mosquito flew into the trap.
8) CSIR launches India’s first anti diabetic ayurvedic drug BGR -34.
- Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has launched BGR-34 an anti-diabetic ayurvedic drug designed for type 2 Diabetes mellitus.
- The anti-diabetic ayurvedic drug BGR-34 has been jointly developed by National Botanical Research Institute (NBRI) and Central Institute for Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CIMAP), the research units of CSIR at Lucknow.
- BGR-34 works by controlling blood sugar and limiting the harmful effects and toxicity of other drugs.
9) CarDekho.com Launches BatteryDekho.
- CarDekho.com, India’s largest auto portal, has launched BatteryDekho.com, India’s only automobile battery research and discovery portal.
- It is aimed at building a comprehensive ecosystem for vehicle ownership and making the battery discovery, research and selection process much more convenient for the Indian consumer.
- The development will allow CarDekho.com users to search and compare specification and pricing of batteries. The site has more than 250 batteries of top brands such as Amaron, Exide, SF Sonic, Tata Green and Base.
- Users can search for batteries that are compatible to 500 car and bike brands and contact their preferred dealers for free.
10) Indian Navy inducts indigenous heavyweight torpedo `Varunastra`.
- Indigenously-built heavyweight anti-submarine torpedo Varunastra has been successfully inducted in the navy, making India one of the eight countries to have the capability to design and build such a system.
- It was developed by Naval Science and Technological Laboratory (NSTL), a premier laboratory of DRDO.
- Varunastra, weighing about 1.25 tonnes, can carry around 250 kg of explosives at a speed of 40 nautical miles an hour.
- This is capable of targeting quiet and stealthy submarines, both in deep and littoral waters in intense counter-measure environment.
11) China Launches 2nd Shijian-16 Series Satellite.
- China, a communist nation in East Asia has successfully launched its second Shijian-16 series satellite for space research and experiments.
- The satellite was launched on board of Long March-4B rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in Jiuquan, northwest China’s Gansu Province.
- It was the 231st by a Long March rocket.
- The second Shijian-16 satellite will be used for space environment measurements and technology testing.
- The first Shijian-16 satellite was launched in October 2013.
12) Google brings Earth into better focus.
- Google`s free online mapping service is bringing the world into better focus with an updated version of Earth that takes advantage of photos from a US Landsat 8 satellite.
- Google Earth previously relied on images from a Landsat 7 satellite, which encountered a hardware problem that resulted in large diagonal gaps in pictures.
- Landsat 8 captures images with greater detail, truer colors and at an unprecedented frequency.
- Google Earth creates unobstructed views of the surface of the planet by analyzing millions of images and stitching together the clearest bits.
13) India Test-Fires Surface-To-Air Missile Developed Jointly With Israel.
- India successfully test fired a new Surface-to-Air ballistic missile developed jointly with Israel.
- The medium range missile (MR-SAM), a product of joint venture between India and Israel, was successfully test launched from a mobile launcher in the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur, odisha.
- It is significantly boosting India’s efforts to fill gaps in its air defence capabilities.
- The MR-SAM has been developed jointly by Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL), a laboratory of the DRDO in collaboration with Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI).
- The MR-SAM has strike ranges from 50 to 70 km.
- The missile consists of Multi-Functional Surveillance and Threat Alert Radar (MF-STAR) system for detection, tracking and guidance.
14) HCL Info implements India’s first integrated defence communication network.
- India’s first integrated Defence Communication Network (DCN) was launched by Union Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar in South Block, Delhi.
- The network enables the Army, the Air Force, the Navy and the Special Forces Command to share situational awareness for a faster decision-making process.
- The DCN offers high quality voice, video and data services covering 111 entities spread across India.
- It has been designed, developed and deployed by the information technology services, distribution and digital solutions firm HCL Infosystems.
15) High-speed OPV INS Tarasa launched.
- Indian Navy has launched INS Tarasa, the fourth and last ship in the series of the Water Jet Fast Attack Craft (WJFAC).
- It is being built by Kolkata (West Bengal) based Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Ltd (GRSE).
- The WJFACs are ideally suited and used for setback of fast-moving surface craft.
- INS Tarasa will perform anti-smuggling, fishery protection and search and rescue operations.