General Awareness

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY - July 2017

Jul 2017

Aug 28, 2024

Astronomers Discover Object 500 Trillion Times Brighter than the Sun

Astronomers have discovered the brightest object ever observed in the universe. Using the European Southern Observatory's (ESO) Very Large Telescope (VLT), astronomers identified a quasar described as the 'brightest of its kind' and the 'most luminous object ever observed'.
This newly discovered quasar is not only record-breaking in brightness but is also rapidly growing, a characteristic of the brightest quasars in the galaxy. The study notes that this quasar, named J0529-4351, is growing at a rate equivalent to one sun per day and is over 500 trillion times brighter than the sun.

Amazon Launches Rufus: A New Era in AI-Powered Shopping Assistance

Amazon, the global e-commerce giant, announced the beta launch of Rufus, a cutting-edge generative AI-powered conversational shopping assistant, in India. This move signifies Amazon's commitment to integrating advanced artificial intelligence technology into its core operations, aiming to revolutionize the online shopping experience for millions of customers.
Rufus is designed to be a versatile and intelligent companion throughout the customer's shopping journey.
One of Rufus's standout features is its ability to handle queries that are not directly related to shopping. For instance, if a user asks, "What do I need to make dal makhani?", Rufus can provide a comprehensive answer, potentially leading to product suggestions for the required ingredients or cookware.

Aug 27, 2024

NASA Launches a Satellite to Track Methane Emissions

Tanager-1, the Carbon Mapper Coalition's first satellite, which carries a state-of-the-art, NASA-designed greenhouse-gas-tracking instrument, lifting off aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 4E at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
The satellite will use imaging spectrometer technology developed at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California to measure methane and carbon dioxide point-source emissions, down to the level of individual facilities and equipment, on a global scale. Tanager-1 was developed as part of a philanthropically funded public-private coalition led by the nonprofit Carbon Mapper. Planet Labs PBC, which built Tanager-1, and JPL are both members of the Carbon Mapper Coalition and plan to launch a second Tanager satellite equipped with a JPL-built imaging spectrometer at a later date.

Aug 26, 2024

India Welcomes First Civilian Space Tourist Gopichand Thotakura

Gopichand Thotakura, India's first civilian space tourist, received a warm welcome in Delhi upon his return on August 26, 2024. Thotakura made history by joining Blue Origin's New Shepard-25 (NS-25) mission, founded by Amazon's Jeff Bezos, becoming the second Indian citizen to travel to space after Rakesh Sharma's 1984 mission. His trip lasted about ten minutes, reaching a maximum altitude of 105 km.
Thotakura's journey marks a significant milestone as the first Indian space tourist. During the NS-25 mission, he and five other crew members enjoyed a brief yet memorable spaceflight. The experience offered Thotakura a unique perspective on Earth, enhancing his appreciation for space and the need to protect our planet.

Aug 25, 2024

Astronomers Introduce Black Hole Finder for Citizens to Find Newly-Formed Cosmic Gas Giants

Astronomers took a very interesting initiative and introduced an application, known as Black Hole Finder, which can help citizens spot newly-formed black holes.
The app was launched by the Dutch Black Hole Consortium in eight languages and is now available for citizens to use worldwide. Earlier, it was only available in Dutch and English, but now, the makers have added Spanish, German, Chinese, Bengali, Polish, and Italian which has widened the reach of this app.
Space enthusiasts across the world have been appealed to help scientists identify the sources which are interesting and should be followed up, which is known as potential kilonovas.

India Launches its 1st Reusable Hybrid Rocket 'RHUMI-1'

India launched its first reusable hybrid rocket 'RHUMI- 1', developed by the Tamil Nadu-based start-up Space Zone India with Martin Group, from Thiruvidandhai in Chennai.
The rocket, carrying 3 Cube Satellites and 50 PICO Satellites, was launched into a suborbital trajectory using a mobile launcher.
These satellites will be collecting data for research purposes on Global warming and Climate change. RHUMI Rocket is equipped with a generic-fuel-based hybrid motor and electrically triggered parachute deployer, RHUMI is 100% pyrotechnic-free and 0% TNT.

Aug 24, 2024

ISRO: Chandrayaan-4 Design Final, Samples from Moon by 2027

The designs of India's next mission to the Moon, Chandrayaan-4, which will bring rock and soil samples back to the Earth, was finalised, and will most likely happen in 2027, said ISRO chairman S. Somanath said on the occasion of National Space Day.
The Chandrayaan-4 spacecraft will have five separate modules, officials said. The Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft, which made a historic landing near the South Pole of the Moon, had three modules — the propulsion module (or the engine), a lander and a rover.

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