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SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY - February 2024

Feb 2024

Apr 23, 2026

NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope completes assembly

NASA has completed the assembly of the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope at the Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland, entering final testing ahead of a 2026 launch. The telescope features a 2.4‑metre mirror and advanced instruments designed for wide-field sky surveys. Compared with prior observatories, Roman can image ten times the area of the sky and collect data up to a thousand times faster during surveys. Engineers report a smooth transition from construction to testing as mission teams prepare environmental and performance evaluations. Roman’s capabilities are expected to expand cosmology, exoplanet studies, and large-scale structure mapping.

Fully assembled at Goddard Space Flight Center
Launch planned for 2026
2.4-metre primary mirror
Wide-field sky surveys with ~100x Hubble area
data collection up to 1000x faster during surveys
Advances in cosmology and exoplanet science

Apr 22, 2026

India identified as cradle of Jamun evolution in new study

New research suggests that the Jamun tree, genus Syzygium, originated much earlier than previously believed, with India as a central hub of early diversification. Scientists propose an East Gondwanan origin dating back about 80 million years, challenging earlier ideas that Jamun began in Australia or Southeast Asia. Fossil records and molecular timelines show discrepancies with older estimates of around 51 million years for some lineages. The discovery relies on Miocene fossils around 20 million years old from Himachal Pradesh’s Kasauli Formation, used to re-evaluate how Syzygium spread across Asia and Africa. The study was led by the Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences (BSIP) and collaborating institutions.

Origin traced to East Gondwana about 80 million years ago.
India plays a central role in early diversification of Jamun.
Older ideas placed Jamun origins elsewhere.
Miocene fossils from Himachal Pradesh informed timelines.
BSIP led the study with collaborators.
Reevaluation of Syzygium dispersal across Asia and Africa.

Apr 21, 2026

India Launches AI Chatbot Abhay to Combat Online Scams

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has launched an AI-powered chatbot named Abhay to help citizens verify official notices and avoid digital scams. The platform will be officially unveiled by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Surya Kant, marking a major step in using artificial intelligence for public safety and cybercrime prevention. Abhay enables users to check the authenticity of notices allegedly issued by the agency, reducing panic from fraudulent communications and lowering the risk of financial exploitation. The initiative arises amid rising digital arrest frauds where criminals impersonate officials demanding money. Experts say the tool could be scaled nationwide and integrated with other government notices.

Tool: AI-powered chatbot named Abhay by CBI.
Purpose: verify notices and prevent online scams.
Launch involves Chief Justice Surya Kant.
Addresses digital arrest frauds and impersonation of officials.
Potential for nationwide scaling and integration with notices.

Blue Origin Lands Reused New Glenn Booster; Mixed Mission Results

Blue Origin successfully landed the reused first-stage booster of its New Glenn rocket, named Never Tell Me the Odds, at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on 20 April 2026. The mission marked a milestone for reusable launch systems and potential cost reductions, yet the onboard BlueBird 7 satellite failed to reach its planned orbit, delivering mixed results. The booster touchdown occurred about 10 minutes after liftoff, signaling progress in reusable technology and competition with SpaceX. The mixed outcome highlights remaining challenges in achieving a fully successful mission while advancing reusable capabilities.

Reused booster landing success demonstrates reusable-rocket progress.
Booster name: Never Tell Me the Odds; launch date: 20 April 2026.
Orbit goal: BlueBird 7 satellite did not reach planned orbit.
Implication: progress toward lower launch costs; ongoing technical challenges remain.
Context: positions Blue Origin amid competition with SpaceX.

Apr 20, 2026

Odisha to host India’s first advanced 3D semiconductor unit at Info Valley

The foundation stone for India’s first advanced 3D semiconductor packaging unit was laid in Info Valley, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, on 19 April 2026. Promoted by US-based 3D Glass Solutions through its Indian arm HIPSPL, the project costs about ₹1,943 crore and targets next‑generation packaging. The facility will enhance India’s AI, 5G/6G, and defence electronics capabilities by enabling advanced 3D packaging techniques. Located in Khordha district, the project marks a major step toward domestic self-reliance in high-end electronics manufacturing and a stronger position in the global semiconductor value chain.

Foundation stone laid on 19 April 2026 at Info Valley, Odisha.
Promoter: 3D Glass Solutions (HIPSPL).
Investment: ₹1,943 crore.
Facility specializes in 3D heterogeneous integration packaging.
Aims to boost AI, 5G/6G, and defence electronics sectors.

IIT Kharagpur Establishes Vikram Sodhi Centre for AI-Driven Mining Systems

IIT Kharagpur announced the establishment of the Vikram Sodhi Centre of Excellence for AI-enabled geological and mining systems. The center aims to transform India’s mining sector through artificial intelligence and data-driven innovation, combining geology, mining engineering, and computer science into a single research framework. The project carries a funding commitment of ₹15 crore over five years, provided by Vikram Sodhi, a business leader linked with Mineros SA and Sun Valley Investments. Researchers will work on automated ore assessment, predictive maintenance, and safety analytics. The new hub highlights industry-academia collaboration to solve real-world challenges and accelerate responsible mineral extraction and energy efficiency.

New center: Vikram Sodhi Centre of Excellence for AI-enabled mining.
Institution: IIT Kharagpur.
Funding: ₹15 crore over five years.
Funded by: Vikram Sodhi (Mineros SA, Sun Valley Investments).
Focus areas: AI in geology, ore assessment, predictive maintenance, safety analytics.
Goal: Industry-academia collaboration for sustainable mining.

Apr 19, 2026

Punjab Deploys AI System For Real-Time Crime Tracking

The Punjab government, in collaboration with IIT Ropar, is deploying an artificial intelligence-based system for real-time crime tracking and analysis. The project aims to modernise policing by converting scattered data into actionable intelligence and supporting ongoing anti-crime and anti-drug campaigns. IIT Ropar will design a structured data system with analytics, voice recognition, and dashboard monitoring to help law enforcement track criminal activity in real time and generate faster insights. The system will integrate structured and unstructured data, digitising records such as scanned documents and handwritten notes into a single database. Officials expect significant improvements in investigative speed and accuracy.

Partnership: Punjab government with IIT Ropar for AI policing.
Features: data analytics, voice recognition, dashboards for real-time tracking.
Goal: real-time crime tracking; strengthen anti-crime campaigns.
Data integration includes structured and unstructured records into a single database.
Expected outcomes: faster investigations and improved accuracy.

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