General Awareness

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY - February 2020

Feb 2020

Jul 06, 2026

Placenta-on-Chip platform developed by IIT Bombay and ICMR‑NIRWoH

Researchers from IIT Bombay and the ICMR‑National Institute for Research on Women’s Health (NIRWoH) in Mumbai developed an indigenous placenta‑on‑chip platform. The device reproduces key functions of the human placental barrier in the lab, enabling safer pregnancy research and drug testing while reducing reliance on animal models. The collaboration aims to study nutrient transport, hormone signaling, and barrier function, with potential applications in understanding pregnancy complications such as preeclampsia and gestational diabetes. The innovation could advance maternal–fetal health research and provide a scalable platform for pharmaceutical safety assessments within India.

Collaboration: IIT Bombay and ICMR‑NIRWoH (Mumbai)
Innovation: placenta‑on‑chip platform replicates placental functions
Applications: pregnancy research, drug testing, reduced animal use
Implications: improved understanding of maternal–fetal health
Potential: safer therapies and accelerated research

Jul 05, 2026

700-year-old Banyan tree in Bihar identified as oldest accurately dated specimen

A banyan tree in Munger district, Bihar, has been scientifically identified as the oldest accurately dated banyan tree in the world, with an estimated age of around 700 years. Radiocarbon dating established the age rather than local lore. The study was led by Dr Trina Bose of the Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences, Lucknow, in collaboration with other researchers. The tree, Ficus benghalensis, stands on the campus of the Indian Tobacco Company. The finding has ecological, social and cultural significance for India and South Asia, and demonstrates a new method for dating tropical broadleaf trees.

Age: about 700 years
Location: Munger, Bihar
Dating method: radiocarbon dating
Research leader: Dr Trina Bose, Birbal Sahni Institute
Significance: ecological and cultural heritage

Jul 04, 2026

Gujarat Sets Up SAMARTH Semiconductor Training Hub at IIT Gandhinagar

Project SAMARTH (Silicon and Advanced Semiconductor Manufacturing Research and Training Hub) is being established at IIT Gandhinagar with a total budget of ₹190 crore. Construction began on 2 March 2026. The centre, a collaboration among the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Gujarat’s Department of Science and Technology, and IIT Gandhinagar, will train technicians, operators, and engineers for semiconductor plants. It aims to train 10,000 people over five years, including 5,600 students, 1,500 technicians, and 1,000 short‑term certificate holders. The facility will sign MoUs with engineering colleges to expand capacity and includes partnerships such as with L&T Semiconductor Technologies.

Centre: SAMARTH at IIT Gandhinagar; budget ₹190 crore.
Construction began: 2 March 2026.
Joint initiative: MeitY, Gujarat DST, and IIT Gandhinagar.
Five-year target: 10,000 trainees (5,600 students, 1,500 technicians, 1,000 short‑term).
Partnership: L&T Semiconductor Technologies; MoUs with engineering colleges.

Jul 03, 2026

I-2SEA submarine cable to link India, Malaysia and Singapore

On 2 July 2026, a consortium led by Lightstorm announced the I-2SEA submarine cable system, connecting India, Malaysia and Singapore. The 3,600-kilometre route runs from Singapore to Machilipatnam, India, with dual landings at Machilipatnam and South Chennai. NEC Corporation is the system supplier and ASEAN Cableship is the marine installer; capacity commitments are open. The Indian landing sites will link to Hyderabad and Chennai data-centre clusters, enabling unified network management via Lightstorm’s AI Fabric and Polarin. Targeted readiness is in Q4 2029, designed to meet surging AI and cloud workloads across the India–Southeast Asia corridor.

I-2SEA connects Singapore, Malaysia and India
3,600-kilometre undersea route
Dual landings at Machilipatnam and South Chennai
NEC as system supplier; ACPL as installer
Ready-for-service planned for Q4 2029

Jul 02, 2026

GAGAN Enables First Satellite‑Based Landing Approach in India

In June 2026, India conducted its first satellite‑based landing approach on a commercial aircraft using the GAGAN system. GAGAN stands for GPS Aided GEO Augmented Navigation and was developed jointly by the Indian Space Research Organisation and the Airports Authority of India. The system enhances GPS accuracy to support safer, more precise navigation in civil aviation. The successful test involved coordination among air traffic control, ground stations, and the aircraft’s flight management system. This milestone strengthens India’s aviation safety infrastructure and could enable more efficient approaches in challenging weather or terrain.

First satellite‑based landing approach on a commercial flight with GAGAN.
GAGAN = GPS Aided GEO Augmented Navigation; developed by ISRO and AAI.
Improves GPS accuracy for safer civil aviation navigation.
Requires coordination among ATC, ground stations, and aircraft systems.

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