General Awareness

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY - August 2021

Aug 2021

Mar 19, 2026

India tests indigenous Floating LiDAR Buoy System off Tamil Nadu coast

India successfully tested an indigenous Floating LiDAR Buoy System developed by the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT). The trial was conducted off Muttom, Tamil Nadu, to advance ocean observation and atmospheric data collection for offshore environments. The system combines a floating buoy with LiDAR technology to measure wind speed and direction at various heights above the sea. It can profile wind up to about 300 metres, delivering real-time data for weather forecasting and offshore planning. This development could enhance coastal research, marine operations, and renewable energy projects through better data accuracy.

Tested by NIOT off Muttom, Tamil Nadu
Floating LiDAR Buoy System for ocean data
Measures wind up to 300 metres
Real-time atmospheric data for offshore use
Supports weather forecasting and energy planning

IIT Guwahati develops MXene catalyst for hydrogen and desalination

Researchers at IIT Guwahati have developed a MXene-based catalyst with dual functions: efficient hydrogen production and seawater desalination. The two-dimensional material shows high electrical conductivity and features ultra-thin ribbon-like structures enhanced with ruthenium atoms. In laboratory tests, the catalyst enables electrolysis to produce hydrogen while supporting solar-powered desalination systems. The innovation targets two global challenges: clean energy and safe drinking water. While promising, researchers note that scaling up to industrial use and mass production will require further work. The dual-function material could improve energy efficiency and water security in coastal areas.

MXene-based catalyst with dual function
Hydrogen production via electrolysis
Desalination using solar-powered systems
Two-dimensional, highly conductive material
Ruthenium-enhanced; ribbon-like structures

Mar 17, 2026

Gujarat Launches First Sounding Rocket Near Dholera

Gujarat marked a new milestone with the successful launch of its first sounding rocket near Dholera on 15 March 2026. The mission, conducted around 1 PM from a temporary facility at Bavliyari village, was carried out by Ahmedabad-based Omspace Rocket and Exploration Private Limited. The launch signals the state’s entry into India’s private space technology ecosystem and aimed to test advanced propulsion and guidance systems. Arjun Modhwadia, Gujarat’s Minister for Science and Technology, witnessed the event. The test advances private-sector participation in India’s space sector and could spur further industry collaboration and innovation.

Date and time: 15 March 2026, around 1 PM.
Location: Bavliyari village near Dholera, Gujarat.
Developer: Omspace Rocket and Exploration Private Limited (Ahmedabad).
Purpose: Test advanced rocket technologies; boost private space ecosystem.
Attendance: Arjun Modhwadia, Minister for Science and Technology.

Mar 16, 2026

Perplexity Unveils Personal Computer AI Agent for 24x7 Assistance

Perplexity has launched an AI-powered assistant named Personal Computer. It is designed to automate daily tasks and manage files for users. The AI agent acts as a digital proxy that can research topics, draft emails, and prepare daily briefings automatically. The platform runs on a Mac mini and works across apps, files, and tools while maintaining a secure environment. The company describes it as an intelligent assistant capable of coordinating multiple apps and data sources, enabling continuous operation and task automation. It aims to improve productivity for individuals and teams by handling routine research and information gathering. The AI runs across devices with privacy safeguards to protect user data.

AI-powered Personal Computer assistant launched by Perplexity.
Can research topics, draft emails and prepare briefings automatically.
Runs on a Mac mini and coordinates across apps and data sources.
Includes privacy safeguards to protect user data.

Mar 15, 2026

ZSI describes two new lichen moth species in Eastern Himalayas

Zoological Survey of India scientists describe two new lichen moth species, Caulocera hollowayi and Asura buxa, in the peer-reviewed journal Zootaxa on 2 March 2026. The discoveries originate from specimens collected in the eastern Himalayas, including Golitar in Sikkim and Panijhora in West Bengal. The new species increase India's Lepidoptera diversity and highlight the region’s biodiversity. Descriptions include morphology, habitat notes, and comparisons with similar species. This research supports ongoing fieldwork in biodiversity hotspots and informs conservation planning for high-altitude ecosystems. The findings contribute to global taxonomic databases and regional biodiversity strategies.

New species: Caulocera hollowayi and Asura buxa described in Zootaxa (2 March 2026).
Locations: Golitar, Sikkim; Panijhora, West Bengal.
Significance: expands Lepidoptera diversity in India.
Content: morphological descriptions and habitat data.
Impact: supports conservation planning and biodiversity databases.

ISRO–AIIMS MoU to advance space medicine research

ISRO has signed a memorandum of understanding with the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) to cooperate on space medicine and research. The MoU will study how the human body responds to long-duration space travel and develop medical systems for astronauts in orbit. It was signed by ISRO's HSFC director Dinesh Kumar Singh and AIIMS director Dr M Srinivas. Scientists from both organisations will conduct ground-based and space-based studies across physiology, immunology, nutrition, microbiome, neuroscience, and related areas. The partnership supports India’s future human spaceflight missions and strengthens cross-institutional capabilities.

Parties: ISRO and AIIMS sign MoU on space medicine.
Focus: human physiology and medical systems for long-duration space travel.
Areas: physiology, immunology, nutrition, microbiome, neuroscience, metabolism.
Methods: ground-based and space-based studies.
Impact: supports future human spaceflight missions.

New Lepidoptera species discovered in Sikkim and West Bengal

In the eastern Himalayas, scientists report additional Lepidoptera discoveries connected to recent moth descriptions. The team provides diagnostic characters and habitat notes to distinguish these new taxa from known relatives. Specimens were collected from Golitar in Sikkim and Panijhora in West Bengal, underscoring the region’s rich biodiversity and ongoing taxonomic work. This work builds on earlier identifications of Caulocera hollowayi and Asura buxa and contributes to the understanding of Lepidoptera diversity in India. The findings have practical value for future biodiversity surveys and conservation planning in northeast India.

Additional Lepidoptera discoveries from eastern Himalayas (Sikkim and West Bengal).
Key data: diagnostic characters and habitat notes.
Sites: Golitar (Sikkim) and Panijhora (West Bengal).
Relation to prior work: follows Caulocera hollowayi and Asura buxa descriptions.
Implication: informs future surveys and conservation planning.

Mar 14, 2026

New Flying Reptile Bakiribu waridza Identified from Dinosaur Vomit

Scientists report a new flying reptile species, Bakiribu waridza, described from a 100‑million‑year‑old regurgitated fossil—dinosaur vomit—from the Romualdo Formation in the Araripe Basin, Northeast Brazil. The study, titled ‘A regurgitator reveals a new filter‑feeding pterosaur from the Santana Group,’ appears in Scientific Reports. The fossil, preserved with other specimens, marks the first description of an extinct species from fossilised vomit. The discovery provides unusual insight into pterosaur diversity and feeding strategies during the Cretaceous period, suggesting new ecological roles for flying reptiles in ancient coastal ecosystems.

Discovery: Bakiribu waridza; fossil from Araripe Basin, Brazil.
Age: ~100 million years old; regurgitated material used for description.
Publication: Scientific Reports article on the regurgitator pterosaur.
Significance: first description of a species from fossil vomit.
Implication: adds to understanding of pterosaur ecology.

Razorpay Unveils AI Platform for Payment Operations

Razorpay unveiled an artificial intelligence platform at its FTX 2026 event, marketed as the world’s first Agent Studio built on Anthropic’s Claude Agent SDK. The platform includes an agentic experience layer designed to streamline onboarding, payment integration, and operational management for online merchants. Razorpay asserts that its AI agents can automatically intervene when customers abandon a purchase, using transaction context to initiate voice or chat interactions to recover the sale. The launch represents a significant step in fintech, enabling automated customer engagement and payment optimization, potentially transforming how merchants manage checkout flows and post‑purchase processes.

Product: Agent Studio built on Claude Agent SDK.
Launch event: FTX 2026; debut of Razorpay AI platform.
Key feature: AI agents intervene in abandoned carts.
Impact: simplifies onboarding and payment operations for merchants.
Significance: advances AI‑driven fintech workflows.

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