General Awareness

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY - January 2016

Jan 2016

Apr 21, 2022

Astronomers Find New Type of Star Explosion �" A Micronova

Astronomers detected a previously unknown type of stellar explosion called a micronova involving thermonuclear blasts at the polar regions of a type of burned-out star called a white dwarf after it has siphoned material from a companion star. Micronova is by far the least powerful type of star explosions now known -- less energetic than a blast called a nova in which a white dwarf's entire surface blows up and tiny compared to a supernova that occurs during the death throes of some giant stars.
Micronovae are observed from Earth as bursts of light lasting about 10 hours. They were documented on three white dwarfs - one 1,680 light years away from Earth, one 3,720 light years away and one 4,900 light years away. A light year is the distance light travels in a year, 9.5 trillion km.
The researchers discovered the micronovae when analysing data from NASA's TESS space telescope. They used the European Southern Observatory's Chile-based Very Large Telescope to confirm the explosions involved white dwarfs.

Apr 20, 2022

A First, Himachal Begins DNA Database Creation

Himachal Pradesh has become the first state in the country to initiate creation of DNA database that will be of immense help in investigating heinous crimes, identification of disaster victims and unclaimed bodies, missing persons and habitual offenders. The Directorate of Forensics Services, Junga, has procured DNA profile databasing and matching technology (Smallpond TM software from the USA) at a cost of Rs. 55 lakh. It has a capacity of about 20,000 DNA profiles that can be scaled up further.
Local database of DNA profile information can be created and maintained with this facility that enables efficient matching of new DNA profiles with the existing ones in seconds. On average, 600 cases with biological evidence come for DNA profiling in the state every year.
The State Forensic Science Laboratory, Junga, is the first lab to acquire this technology and the facility is on a par with international standards.

Apr 18, 2022

Three Chinese Astronauts Return To Earth After Six Months In Space

The two men and one woman -- Zhai Zhigang, Ye Guangfu and Wang Yaping -- returned to Earth shortly before 10 am Beijing time (0200 GMT), after six months aboard the Tianhe core module of China's Tiangong space station.
Three Chinese astronauts returned to Earth after 183 days in space, ending China's longest crewed mission as it continues its quest to become a major space power. The Shenzhou-13 spacecraft was the latest mission in Beijing's drive to rival the United States, after landing a rover on Mars and sending probes to the Moon.
The world's second-largest economy haD poured billions into its military-run space programme, with hopes of having a permanently crewed space station by 2022 and eventually sending humans to the Moon.

Apr 15, 2022

Google Unveils its 'Switch to Android' App for iPhone Users

Tech giant Google has quietly launched its most awaited 'Switch to Android' app on the App Store in some countries, including the US. The app promises to make the transition between mobile platforms easier to manage by helping users import their contacts, calendar, photos and videos to their new Android phone.
The app also instructs users how to turn off Apple's iMessage to get text messages on their new device and has them connect with iCloud to migrate their photo and video library to Android.

NASA's Hubble Space Telescope Confirms Largest Comet Nucleus ever Seen

NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has determined the size of the largest icy comet nucleus ever seen by astronomers. The estimated diameter is approximately 80 miles across, making it larger than the state of Rhode Island. The nucleus is about 50 times larger than found at the heart of most known comets. Its mass is estimated to be a staggering 500 trillion tons, a hundred thousand times greater than the mass of a typical comet found much closer to the Sun.
The comet has been falling toward the Sun for well over 1 million years. It is coming from the hypothesized nesting ground of trillions of comets, called the Oort Cloud. The diffuse cloud is thought to have an inner edge at 2,000 to 5,000 times the distance between the Sun and the Earth. Its outer edge might extend at least a quarter of the way out to the distance of the nearest stars to our Sun, the Alpha Centauri system.

Apr 14, 2022

Rare Close Conjunction of Jupiter, Venus, Mars, Saturn to be Seen in April 2022

The last week of April will see Jupiter and Venus coming together with the crescent moon passing below Saturn on 25 April, Mars on 26 April, and finally Jupiter and Venus on 27 April.
The month of April will see a rare celestial event as Saturn and Jupiter join Mars and Venus in conjunction.
While Mars and Venus had approached each other on 5 April to be closer than the apparent diameter of the moon, Jupiter joined them to form a trio for stargazers on 8 April.

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