General Awareness

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY - January 2019

Jan 2019

Jan 15, 2021

Mars Digger Bites the Dust after 2 Years on Red Planet

NASA has declared the Mars digger dead after failing to burrow deep into the red planet to take its temperature. Scientists in Germany spent two years trying to get their heat probe, dubbed the mole, to drill into the Martian crust. But the 16-inch-long (40-centimetre) device that is part of NASA's InSight lander couldn't gain enough friction in the red dirt.
It was supposed to bury 16 feet (5 metres) into Mars, but only drilled down a couple of feet (about a half metre). Following one last unsuccessful attempt to hammer itself down over the weekend with 500 strokes, the team called it quits on Thursday.
The effort will benefit future excavation efforts at Mars, he added in a statement. Astronauts one day may need to dig into Mars, according to NASA, in search of frozen water for drinking or making fuel, or signs of past microscopic life.

Adani Enterprises Bags Highway Project in Kerala from NHAI

Adani Enterprises Limited (AEL) has won a Rs. 1,838-crore highway project from the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) in Kerala. The project, under hybrid annuity mode (HAM), is a part of Bharatmala Pariyojna.
AEL has recently participated in tender issued by NHAI under HAM.
The 40.80-km project pertains to six-laning of Azhiyur to Vengalam section of NH-17 (New NH-66) in Kerala.

OneWeb Satellite Company Launches into New Era

The OneWeb satellite broadband company is back launching again, putting up 36 new satellites on Friday from the Vostochny Cosmodrome in Eastern Russia.
OneWeb is now owned principally by the Indian conglomerate Bharti Global and the UK government after they bought the enterprise out of bankruptcy this year.
Fifteen more launches of satellites must follow Friday's deployment to complete the internet delivery service.
These flights should be occurring on a near-monthly basis from February.
"We will be on track for our 50-degree North service by October next year - so, in 10 months' time. Then, slowly getting to 22 degrees and then global by May or June 2022," OneWeb chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal.
This means, for example, that UK citizens could be using beta broadband connections in the autumn of 2021.

Jan 14, 2021

Cabinet Approves MoU on Scientific and Technical Cooperation between India and UAE

The Union Cabinet approved a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on scientific and technical cooperation between the Ministry of Earth Sciences and the National Centre of Meteorology of the UAE.
The MoU provides for sharing of knowledge, data and operational products for meteorological, seismological and oceanic services such as radar, satellite, tide gauges, seismic and meteorological stations.
The pact will pave the way for deployment of meteorological observation networks on mutual agreement over ocean waters, cooperation in the development of special capacities of tsunami models researches for their faster and more reliable forecasts propagating through the Oman Sea and the Arabian Sea which affect the coastal areas of India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The MoU will also enable cooperation to support the Tsunami Early Warning Centre (TEWC) in the form of forecast modelling software, specifically designed to support tsunami forecasting operations.

Jan 13, 2021

Signal Becomes most Downloaded App

Messaging application Signal became the most downloaded app on Apple App Store days after Facebook-owned WhatsApp updated its privacy terms.
WhatsApp seeks the right to share user data like location and phone number with Facebook and Instagram as part of the new privacy terms. The terms have triggered a backlash and migration of users to platforms such as Telegram and Signal amid concerns about Facebook's poor record of handling user data.
Signal was one of the most downloaded apps on Google Play Store globally and was ranked third with at least 10 million installations. It was the highest-ranked on App Store even as the number of downloads was unavailable. WhatsApp was in the third position on Apple App Store and did not feature among the top 10 apps on Google Play Store.

Jan 11, 2021

J&K LG Launches Mobile Application 'Satark Nagrik'

Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha launched Mobile Application 'Satark Nagrik' and Departmental Vigilance Officers Portal of J&K Anti Corruption Bureau. The Lt Governor observed that the UT Government is taking comprehensive measures for ensuring transparent, accountable and responsive governance.
The mobile application has been developed with a purpose to facilitate seamless flow of information about corruption and enable citizens to submit their grievances with ease and mobility.
A unique ID number will be allotted at the time of registration of grievance which later can be used to track the status of grievance.
The Departmental Vigilance Officers (DVO) Portal has been designed to enable an online communication channel with the DVOs of various departments.

Jan 08, 2021

Pakistan Successfully Test Fires Indigenously Developed Weapons Rocket System

Pakistan successfully conducted the test-flight of an indigenously developed Guided Multi Launch Rocket System, capable of delivering conventional warheads, with a maximum range of 140 km.
According to Director General of Army, Media Wing, Major General Babar Iftikhar, Fatah-1 weapon system can hit targets up to a range of 140 km.
"The Weapon System will give Pakistan Army capability of precision target engagement deep in enemy territory," said Iftikhar.
President Arif Alvi, Prime Minister Imran Khan, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Nadeem Raza and the Army Chief Qamar Javed Bajwa congratulated the participating troops and scientists on the successful flight test.

Share on

TCY Analytics (View Subscription Plans)

Subscribe to GK Updates

I want to receive

GK Tags

August GK, July GK, June GK, INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS, ENVIRONMENT, BUSINESS AND ECONOMY, SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY, SPORTS, NATIONAL AFFAIRS, DEFENCE, PERSONS IN NEWS, DAYS AND EVENTS, AWARDS AND HONOURS, GOVERNMENT POLICIES AND SCHEMES, GENDER/ HEALTH/ EDUCATION, ART AND CULTURE, BOOKS AND AUTHORS, TOURISM AND HOTEL INDUSTRY AWARENESS, ART AND CULTURE, LAW AND CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

Start Discussion

On any topic

Take Tests

Compiled from GK updates

Login

Sign Up

Forgot Password

Download TCY App

Unlock All Services And Enjoy The Premium Benefits

US$ 10

US$ 13

US$ 15

US$ 17

US$ 19

US$ 20

US$ 21

US$ 22

US$ 23

US$ 24

US$ 25

US$ 26