General Awareness

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY - January 2022

Jan 2022

Mar 09, 2026

Sunlight-driven plastic recycling turns waste into acetic acid at Waterloo

Researchers at the University of Waterloo, Canada, report a solar-powered method to convert plastic waste into acetic acid, the primary component of vinegar. The approach uses photocatalysis to break plastics such as PE, PET, PP, and PVC into smaller molecules at room temperature, avoiding high heat and toxic chemicals. Sunlight acts as the energy source to trigger reactions, mirroring natural fungal degradation. The process yields acetic acid without emitting additional CO2, offering a potentially cleaner pathway for recycling plastics. The team, led by Professor Yimin Wu, emphasizes the potential for scale and integration with existing waste streams.

Photocatalytic, room-temperature conversion of plastics to acetic acid
Successful with PE, PET, PP, PVC
Sunlight powers the key reactions
No extra CO2 emissions attributed to the process
Led by Professor Yimin Wu at University of Waterloo

RM Nachammai becomes first woman chief superintendent at a nuclear plant

RM Nachammai has become the first woman to serve as chief superintendent overseeing operations at a functional nuclear power plant run by NPCIL in Karnataka. She takes charge of Kaiga Generating Station Units 3 and 4 from March 15, 2026, directing operations, maintenance, and safety systems. NPCIL Chairman BC Pathak congratulated Nachammai, highlighting her leadership as a milestone for women in India’s nuclear energy sector. The appointment aligns with national goals to expand clean energy capacity toward 100 gigawatts by 2047. The industry notes the role demands high technical expertise and steady oversight of critical reactor functions.

Nachammai to lead Kaiga Units 3 and 4 from 15 March 2026
First woman chief superintendent at a functional NPCIL reactor
Role covers operations, maintenance, safety systems
Supports India’s target of 100 GW nuclear energy by 2047
Ministerial and industry leaders praise milestone

IIT Guwahati and Coventry University Group sign AI healthcare MoU

The Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati (IIT-G) and the Coventry University Group (CUG), United Kingdom, formalised a Memorandum of Understanding to advance global research in artificial intelligence and healthcare. The MoU aims to bolster academic mobility, joint research, and collaborative degree programs, strengthening Indo-UK ties in emerging tech. Officials from Coventry University Group, led by Prof. Richard Dashwood, visited IIT Guwahati to seal the agreement and explore joint development. A key component is academic and research mobility, enabling short-term exchanges of faculty and students to share expertise and access advanced research facilities for interdisciplinary projects in technology and healthcare innovation.

MoU signed between IIT-Guwahati and Coventry University Group
Focus on AI in healthcare; joint research and mobility
Aims to expand Indo-UK collaboration in technology
Involves exchanges for faculty and students
Formalisation visit by Coventry officials

Mar 08, 2026

Thiruvananthapuram Deploys AI Robot for Canal Cleaning

The Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation has deployed an AI-powered robot called G-SPIDER to clean canals under Swachh Bharat Mission–Urban 2.0. The robot operates at the Amayizhanchan canal near the Thampanoor railway station to reduce manual scavenging in hazardous environments. The confined space, continuous water flow and limited clearance pose entry challenges for workers. The initiative aims to improve sanitation efficiency while protecting the safety and dignity of sanitation staff. If successful, this pilot could encourage broader automation of city sanitation workflows and support safer urban infrastructure management.

G-SPIDER AI robot deployed under SBM–Urban 2.0.
Location: Amayizhanchan canal near Thampanoor, Thiruvananthapuram.
Intended to reduce manual scavenging in hazardous conditions.
Challenges include confined spaces and water flow.
Aims to boost sanitation efficiency and worker safety.

MeerKAT Telescope Detects Distant Cosmic ‘Gigalaser’ 8 Billion Light-Years Away

Astronomers using the MeerKAT radio telescope in South Africa have detected a hydroxyl megamaser in a distant galaxy more than 8 billion light-years away. The intense radio emission forms when gas-rich galaxies collide and merge, amplifying radio waves through hydroxyl molecules. The finding, accepted for publication in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society Letters, provides new insights into galaxy evolution during violent cosmic interactions. hydroxyl megamasers help study star formation, black hole growth, and the dynamics of massive galaxies across cosmic time, expanding our understanding of the universe’s distant past.

Detection of hydroxyl megamaser by MeerKAT telescope.
Galaxy located over 8 billion light-years away.
Megamasers arise during gas-rich galaxy mergers.
Findings published in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society Letters.
Contributes to understanding galaxy evolution and star formation.

Mar 06, 2026

IBM launches Sangam Infrastructure Innovation Centre in India

IBM has opened its Sangam Infrastructure Innovation Centre at the India Systems Development Lab campus in Bengaluru. The facility aims to accelerate secure, scalable AI-driven infrastructure development and to strengthen collaboration with industry partners. The centre serves as a hub where IBM systems architects and infrastructure experts work on next-generation solutions for enterprises. This launch aligns with IBM’s strategy to expand research and development in India and to support the growing demand for enterprise AI infrastructure, including cloud and security innovations.

Sangam Infrastructure Innovation Centre opened in Bengaluru.
Focus on secure, scalable AI infrastructure solutions.
IBM partners with Indian industry for R&D.
Part of broader push to expand IBM presence in India.

Mar 05, 2026

India Mobile Congress 2026 Dates Announced (7–10 Oct 2026)

At Mobile World Congress Barcelona on 3 March 2026, India’s Minister for Communications Jyotiraditya M. Scindia announced the India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2026 dates: 7 to 10 October 2026 in New Delhi. IMC is Asia’s largest digital technology forum, organized by the Department of Telecommunications and COAI, with broad participation from more than 100 countries. The event will showcase 5G and 6G developments, artificial intelligence, semiconductors, cybersecurity and digital infrastructure. GSMA partners will participate to expand global collaboration, investor engagement, and policy dialogue. IMC 2026 aims to accelerate India’s digital ecosystem and attract international partners and startups.

IMC 2026 dates announced: 7–10 October 2026
Event to be held in New Delhi; long-standing digital forum
Focus on 5G/6G, AI, semiconductors, cybersecurity
GSMA involvement to deepen international collaboration
Aims to boost India’s digital ecosystem and investment

Scindia Inaugurates Bharat Pavilion at MWC 2026

Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia inaugurated the Bharat Pavilion at Mobile World Congress 2026 in Barcelona on 2 March 2026, positioning India as a leading digital and telecom hub. He spoke about India’s ‘IQ Era,’ where connectivity, capability, and inclusion converge with innovation. Scindia credited Narendra Modi’s governance for driving indigenous R&D, trusted telecom ecosystems, production-linked incentives, and deep integration into global value chains. The Bharat Pavilion showcases India-made solutions, digital infrastructure progress, and opportunities for international collaboration. The event underscores India’s ambition to become a global leader in 5G, AI, and other advanced technologies while attracting investment and partnerships.

Scindia inaugurates Bharat Pavilion at MWC 2026 (Barcelona)
Highlights India’s digital leadership and IQ Era
Emphasis on indigenous R&D, PLI schemes, and global integration
Aims to position India as a trusted global tech partner
Showcases India-made solutions and collaboration opportunities

Mar 04, 2026

Scientists trace Earth’s first animals to 541 million years ago

Researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology report evidence of Earth’s earliest animals in rocks more than 541 million years old, pushing back the timeline for complex life. The study suggests soft-bodied sea sponges were among the first animals in oceans, well before the Cambrian explosion. Scientists analysed Precambrian rock samples for chemical fossils known as steranes, molecules derived from sterols that indicate early multicellular life. The findings, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, shift our understanding of early animal evolution and support connections between ancient life and modern sponge biology.

Age: 541 million years; source: MIT study
Evidence: Chemical fossils called steranes in Precambrian rocks
Organisms: Early soft-bodied sponges
Significance: Pushes back timeline of animal evolution
Publication: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

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