Meta Expands Fact-Checking Program with PTI in India
Meta, the parent company of Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram, extended its third-party fact-checking initiative in India by partnering with the Press Trust of India (PTI). This collaboration established PTI as a dedicated fact-checking unit within its editorial department, enabling the identification, review, and rating of misinformation across Meta platforms.
Meta's collaboration with PTI aims to bolster efforts in combating misinformation by empowering PTI to identify, review, and rate content across Meta platforms, contributing to a more reliable information ecosystem.
Apr 05, 2024
Romania Unveils World's Most Powerful Laser
A research centre in Romania revealed the world's most potent laser, based on the groundbreaking inventions of Nobel Physics Prize winners Gerard Mourou and Donna Strickland. The laser, operated by the French company Thales, promises revolutionary applications across sectors from healthcare to space exploration.
The heart of this groundbreaking laser lies in Chirped-Pulse Amplification (CPA) technology, developed by Mourou and Strickland. This technique enables the amplification of laser power while maintaining safe intensity levels. By stretching and compressing ultra-short laser pulses, CPA achieves unprecedented levels of intensity, paving the way for various applications, including advanced precision instruments in corrective eye surgery and industrial uses.
NASA Selects Three Firms to Develop Vehicle to Explore Moon's Surface
The US space agency NASA selected three companies, Intuitive Machines, Lunar Outpost, and Venturi Astrolab, to develop a lunar terrain vehicle (LTV) that Artemis astronauts will use to travel around the Moon's surface.
As per NASA, the vehicle will help conduct scientific research during the agency's Artemis campaign at the Moon and preparing for human missions to Mars.
This vehicle will greatly increase the astronauts' ability to explore and conduct science on the lunar surface while also serving as a science platform between crewed missions.
Apr 04, 2024
Tata AIA Launches Payment Solutions on WhatsApp
Tata AIA Life Insurance Co. Ltd. (Tata AIA), one of India's leading life insurers, launched a premium payment service on its WhatsApp platform marking the first-ever launch of its kind in the life insurance sector. Previously limited to UPI-based transactions, Tata AIA consumers can now use a wide range of payment methods within WhatsApp. Using WhatsApp, policyholders can now easily make renewal payments through credit card, debit card, and net banking options. Policyholders can now pay premium up to INR 1 crore, instead of the earlier limit of INR 2 lakh.
There are 27 services offered by Tata AIA on WhatsApp for its consumers.
Korean Fusion Reactor 'Artificial Sun' Sets New Record
Scientists in South Korea set a new world record using the Korea Superconducting Tokamak Advanced Research (KSTAR) device, an 'artificial Sun' nuclear fusion reactor. During tests conducted they generated plasma temperatures of 100 million degrees Celsius for a duration of 48 seconds.
This temperature is seven times that of the sun's core, which is 15 million degrees Celsius.
Nuclear fusion seeks to replicate the reaction that makes the sun and other stars shine, by fusing two atoms to unleash huge amounts of energy. Fusion has the potential to provide limitless energy without planet-warming carbon pollution.
Apr 03, 2024
125 Years of Kodaikanal Solar Observatory
Perched atop the picturesque Palani Hills in Tamil Nadu, the iconic Kodaikanal Solar Observatory (KSO) commemorated a remarkable milestone – its 125th anniversary of studying the celestial body that sustains life on Earth, the Sun. On April 1, 2024, the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), an autonomous institute under the Department of Science and Technology, organised a grand celebration to honour the legacy of this historic observatory and felicitate the scientists who dedicated their lives to advancing our understanding of our star.
Established on April 1, 1899, by the British, the Kodaikanal Solar Observatory has been a cradle of groundbreaking research in solar astrophysics for over a century. Throughout its illustrious history, the observatory has been the birthplace of numerous pathbreaking discoveries that have profoundly impacted our perception of the Sun and its intricate workings.
Apr 01, 2024
SIA-India and ABRASAT Sign MoU to Boost Space Sector Advancements
The SatCom Industry Association of India (SIA-India) and ABRASAT, the Brazilian Satellite Communications Association, joined forces to propel advancements in the space sector. This strategic partnership aims to foster collaboration and drive innovative ventures and technological cooperation between India and Brazil.
The MoU facilitates collaboration in satellite communication, rocket and satellite launches, payload development, satellite platforms, and ground instrumentation.
It aims to strengthen business expansion and cooperation between India and Brazil in various sectors, enabling seamless regional and global connectivity.