Science & Technology Current Affairs by Pmfias.

com – January 2020 to July 2020

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{S&T – Biotech – 19/11/03} IndiGen: India’s Genome Sequencing Project .................................................................. 2

{S&T – Biotech – 20/01/12} Genome Sequencing Applications .................................................................................................................... 3
{S&T – Biotech – 20/01/21} Xenobot ....................................................................................................................................................................... 4
{S&T – Biotech – 20/01/31} Stem cell banking and its benefits .................................................................................................................... 4
{S&T – Biotech – 20/03} Stem Cell or Cord Blood Banking ........................................................................................... 5
{S&T – In News – 20/05} Atulya: Microwave Steriliser ...................................................................................................................................... 6
{S&T – In News – 20/05} NSafe Mask ...................................................................................................................................................................... 6
{S&T – In News – 20/05} UV Blaster ......................................................................................................................................................................... 7
{S&T – Indigenization – 20/03} National Supercomputing Mission (NSM) ................................................................. 7
{S&T – Internal Security – 20/07/02} Data Localization and Data Protection .......................................................................................... 8
{S&T – ISRO – 20/01/13} GSAT-30 ................................................................................................................................. 11
{S&T – ISRO – 20/02} Aditya-L1 ............................................................................................................................................................................... 15
{S&T – ISRO – 20/03} GISAT-1 or Geo Imaging Satellite-1 ........................................................................................................................... 16
{S&T – ISRO – 20/03} Oceansat ................................................................................................................................................................................ 16
{S&T – NanoTech – 20/05} Nanomaterials Based Supercapacitors ............................................................................. 17
{S&T – NanoTech – 20/05} Optoelectronic Applications of Nanomaterials ............................................................... 18
{S&T – Nanotech – 20/07/01} Gold Nanoparticles ........................................................................................................................................... 18
{S&T – New Tech – 20/07/06} Winter Diesel ...................................................................................................................................................... 19
{S&T – Nuclear Energy – 20/07/23} Kakrapar Atomic Power Plant ............................................................................................................ 20
{S&T – Nuclear Energy – 20/07/29} International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) .................................................... 21
{S&T – Persons of Interest – 20/02} Dr. Vikram Sarabhai .............................................................................................................................. 22
{S&T – Space – 20/05} Long March 5B .................................................................................................................................................................. 22
{S&T – Space – 20/07/30} Perseverance-NASA’s mission to Mars............................................................................................................. 23
{S&T – Technologies – 20/02} Quantum computing gets funds ................................................................................. 23
{S&T – Technologies – 20/02} Reverse osmosis (RO) ................................................................................................... 23
{S&T – Technologies – 20/03} Cyber Physical Systems (CPS) ...................................................................................... 26
{Sci – Diseases – 20/01/13} Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) ................................................................................................. 27
{Sci – Diseases – 20/01/18} TB diagnostic test Truenat MTB ....................................................................................... 30
{Sci – Diseases – 20/07/07} Bubonic Plague ....................................................................................................................................................... 32
{Sci – In News – 20/01/25} Archaea ........................................................................................................................................................................ 33
{Sci – In News – 20/02} India develops new vaccine to control classical swine fever ......................................................................... 33
{Sci – In News – 20/02} Kerala bans CFL and filament bulbs from Nov 2020 ............................................................ 34
{Sci – In News – 20/02} National Science Day (NSD) ....................................................................................................................................... 35
{Sci – In News – 20/02} Sophisticated Analytical & Technical Help Institutes ....................................................................................... 36
{Sci – In News – 20/03} COVID-19 National Teleconsultation Centre (CoNTeC) .................................................................................. 36
{Sci – In News – 20/03} RaIDer-X ............................................................................................................................................................................. 36
{Sci – In News – 20/07/04} G4 Flu Virus ................................................................................................................................................................ 37
{Sci – In News – 20/07/16} Human Growth Hormone ..................................................................................................................................... 38
{Sci – Space – 20/01/08} LIGO team detects second merger of two neutron stars ............................................................................ 38
{Sci – Space – 20/01/10} Goldilocks zone (planet in habitable zone) ....................................................................................................... 39

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 {Sci – Space – 20/05} Luhman 16: Binary Brown Dwarf System .................................................................................. 40
{Sci – Space – 20/06} Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA) ...................................................................................... 41

{S&T – Biotech – 19/11/03} IndiGen: India’s are responsible for making amino acids, pro-
Genome Sequencing Project teins and, thereby, everything that is necessary
for the body to function.
TH | 03-11-2019 | GS3 > Awareness in the field of
Biotechnology | Basics: NCERT: Nucleic acids – DNA
& RNA
• The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research
(CSIR) concluded the six-month long exercise of
conducting a “whole-genome sequence” of a
1,008 Indians that beloged to diverse ethnicities.
• The project is part of a programme called “Indi-
Gen” and is a precursor to a much larger exercise
funded by the Department of Biotechnology to
sequence at least 10,000 Indian genomes.
• The project involved the Hyderabad-based
Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology
(CCMB) and the CSIR-Institute of Genomics
and Integrative Biology (IGIB).
• Globally, many countries have undertaken ge-
nome sequencing of a sample of their citizens to
determine unique genetic traits, susceptibility
(and resilience) to disease.

Genome

• A genome is the DNA, or sequence of genes, in

a cell.
• Most of the DNA is in the nucleus and intricately
coiled into a structure called the chromosome.
• The rest is in the mitochondria, the cell’s pow-
erhouse.
• Every human cell contains a pair of chromo- • When these genes are altered (mutated), pro-
somes, each of which has three billion base pairs teins sometimes do not function as intended,
or one of four molecules – adenine (A), thymine leading to disease.
(T), guanine (G), and cytosine (C) – that pair in
precise ways. Genome Sequencing
• The order of base pairs & varying lengths of
• Sequencing a genome means deciphering the
these sequences constitute the “genes”, which
exact order of base pairs in an individual.

2
• This “deciphering” or reading of the genome is
what sequencing is all about.
• In this particular piece of DNA, an adenine (A) is
followed by a guanine (G), which is followed by a
thymine (T), which in turn is followed by a cyto-
sine (C), another cytosine (C), and so on.
Whole genome sequencing
• Exome, the portion of the genes responsible for
making proteins occupies just about 1% of the
actual gene.
• Rather than sequence the whole gene, many ge-
neticists rely on “exome maps”.
• However, the non-exome portions also affect the
functioning of the genes.
• Hence to know which genes of a person’s DNA
are “mutated” the whole genome sequencing is
required.
• Whole genome sequencing is the process of de-
termining the complete DNA sequence of an
organism's genome at a single time.
• This entails sequencing all of an organism's chro-
mosomal DNA as well as DNA contained in the
mitochondria and, for plants, in the chloro-
plast.
• In practice, genome sequences that are nearly
complete are also called whole genome se-
quences.
• The whole genome sequencing relies on new
technologies that allow rapid sequencing of the
entire genome in a matter of a few days.
• While India, led by the CSIR, first sequenced an
Indian genome in 2009, it is only now that the
organisation’s laboratories have been able to
scale up whole-genome sequencing and offer
them to the public.
Benefits of Genome Sequencing
• Genome Sequencing will help us understand ge-
netic variations & uique traits of different ethnic
populations.
• It will widen public understanding about the in-
formation that genes hide about one’s suscepti-
bility to disease.
• It will help identify gene variants that make a per-
son less responsive to certain classes of drugs.
For example, having a certain gene makes some
people less responsive to clopidogrel, a drug
that prevents heart attack.
• Whole genome sequencing data of a person can
be analyzed to determine if they carry genes for
particular single genetic disorders. This will help
usher in a new era of personalized medicine.
• WGS findings are starting to guide treatments
for common cancers and are also being used to
determine which medications are safe (and
which are not) on a person-by-person basis.
{S&T – Biotech – 20/01/12} Genome Se-
quencing Applications
TH | 12-01-2020 | Awareness in the field of Biotech-
nology | Basics: NCERT: Nucleic acids – DNA & RNA
• A consortium of scientists has mapped the ge-
nome (genome sequencing) of the Indian cobra.
• The Indian cobra is part of the so called ‘Big 4’:
the Indian cobra (common cobra), the com-
mon krait, Russell’s viper, and the saw-scaled
viper.
3
• The quartet has long been considered responsi-
ble for most snake bites on the Indian subconti-
nent.
• The foray into the Indian cobra genome involved
making a map of its 38 chromosomes & over
12,000 genes.
• The human genome, in comparison, has 23 chro-
mosomes and the estimated 20,000-25,000
genes.
• Knowing the sequence of genes could aid in un-
derstanding the chemical constituents of the
venom and contribute to development of new
effective antivenom therapies without side ef-
fects.
The issues with the present ativenoms
• In the case of the polyvalent antivenom available
in India, it is made by injecting it into horses.
• The antibodies that form are then collected from
the domestic animal’s blood, purified and iso-
lated.
• Antivenom is currently produced by a very-old
process which is considered expensive and time
consuming.
• Their efficacy varies, besides producing side ef-
fects.
• Venom is a complex mixture of an estimated
140-odd protein or peptides.
• Only some of these constituents are toxins that
cause the physiological symptoms seen after
snakebite.
• But antivenom available today does not target
these toxins specifically.
• In the Indian cobra, the authors identified 19
toxin genes, the only ones that should matter in
treatment.
• Using recombinant technology, the genetic se-
quence for each toxin can be pasted into a yeast
or E. coli to produce a new antivenom that would
target only the specific toxins.
{S&T – Biotech – 20/01/21} Xenobot
IE | 21-01-2020 | GS3 > Awareness in the filed of bi-
otechnology
• Scientists in the US have created the world’s first
“living (biological) machines” — tiny robots
built from the cells of the African clawed frog,
that can move around on their own.
• They have named the millimetre-wide robots
“xenobots”.
• The xenobots “can move toward a target, per-
haps pick up a payload (like a medicine that
needs to be carried to a specific place inside a
patient) — and heal themselves after being cut.
• Xenobots can used for searching out nasty com-
pounds or radioactive contamination, gathering
microplastic in the oceans, travelling in arteries
to scrape out plaque, etc.
{S&T – Biotech – 20/01/31} Stem cell bank-
ing and its benefits
TH | 31-01-2020
• The blood collected from the umbilical cord
of the new-born is a rich source of stem cells.
• The stem cells are unspecialised cells (they
don’t have a specific predefined function).
• The stem cells are separated, processed, and pre-
served in liquid nitrogen in cord blood banks.
• Technically, there is no expiry date and these
stem cells can be preserved for a lifetime.
• Scientifically, evidence exists that they can be
stored for about 20 years.
4
• Stem cells taken from umbilical cord blood
are like those taken from bone marrow, capa-
ble of producing all blood cells: red cells,
platelets and immune system cells.
• That is, they are capable of renewing themselves
through cell division to give rise to new stem
cells or specialized cell types (bone cells, mus-
cle cells, etc.).
• When used, stem cells are first concentrated,
then injected into the patient.
• Once transfused, they produce new cells of every
kind.
• They can be induced to become tissue- or organ-
specific cells with special functions.
• In some organs, such as the bone marrow, stem
cells regularly divide to repair and replace dam-
aged tissues.
• The stem cells can treat around 70 blood related
disorders and genetic disorders including thalas-
semia, sickle cell anaemia, leukaemia, and im-
mune related disorders.
• But given the present state of medicine, they are
effective only for around a dozen of them.
• Stem cells offer the possibility of a renewable
source of replacement cells and tissues to
treat diseases including macular degeneration,
spinal cord injury, stroke, burns, heart disease, di-
abetes, etc.
{S&T – Biotech – 20/03} Stem Cell or Cord
Blood Banking
TH | TH | GS3 > S&T: Developments and their Appli-
cations in Everyday Life | Awareness in the field of
Bio-tech.
• Poona Citizen Doctor Forum, a body that pro-
motes ethical medical practice, is making efforts
to bust the aggressively promoted concept of
cord blood banking (Stem cell banking).
Stem Cells
• The blood collected from the umbilical cord
of the new-born is a rich source of stem cells.
• The stem cells are unspecialised cells (they do
not have a specific predefined function).
Stem cell banking or Cord blood (umbilical cord
blood) Banking
• Cord blood is the blood that remains in the um-
bilical cord and placenta post-delivery.
• Cord blood at the time of delivery a rich source
of stem cells and other cells of the immune sys-
tem.
• Cord blood banking is the process of collecting
the cord blood and extracting and cryogenically
freezing its stem cells and other cells of the im-
mune system for potential future medical use.
• In some parts of the world, cord blood banking
is more often referred to as stem cell banking.
• Cord blood banking is designed to collect the
stem cells and not the actual blood cells them-
selves.
How long can the stem cells be preserved?
• The stem cells are preserved in liquid nitrogen in
cord blood banks.
• Technically, there is no expiry date and these
stem cells can be preserved for a lifetime.
• Scientifically, evidence exists that they can be
stored for about 20 years.
Why are stem cells special?
• In some organs, such as the bone marrow, stem
cells regularly divide to repair and replace dam-
aged tissues.
• Stem cells taken from umbilical cord blood
are like those taken from bone marrow, capa-
ble of producing all blood cells: red cells,
platelets, and immune system cells.
• That is, they are capable of renewing themselves
through cell division to give rise to new stem
5
 cells or specialized cell types (bone cells, mus-
cle cells, etc.).
What are the uses of stem cells?
• In a patient, they can be induced to become tis-
sue- or organ-specific cells with special func-
tions.
• Hence, they offer the possibility of a renewable
source of replacement cells and tissues to
treat diseases including macular degeneration,
spinal cord injury, stroke, burns, heart disease, di-
abetes, etc.
• The stem cells in theory can treat around 70
blood related disorders and genetic disorders in-
cluding thalassemia, sickle cell anaemia, leukae-
mia, and immune related disorders.
• But given the present state of medicine, they are
effective only for around a dozen of them.
Are stem cells useful for family members?
• Body’s immune system does not accept outside
stem cells and other cells of the immune system.
• Cord blood taken from a baby's umbilical cord is
always a perfect match for the baby.
• In addition, immediate family members are more
likely to also be a match for the banked stem
cells.
• Hence, it may sometimes be possible to use the
stem cells of the immediate family member to
treat certain diseases.
What does Indian Council of Medical Research
(ICMR) say about cord blood banking?
• Companies convince parents (emotional market-
ing) to bank the cells promising future therapeu-
tic use.
• However, the ICMR does not recommend com-
mercial stem cell banking.
• According to ICMR, there is no scientific basis for
preservation of cord blood for future self use.
• According to ICMR, cord blood banking is advis-
able when there is an elder child in the family
with a condition treatable with stem cells and the
mother is expecting the next baby.
What do experts say?
• Globally, cord blood banking is recommended as
a source of hematopoietic stem cell (derived
from bone marrow, umbilical cord) transplan-
tation for haematological (diseases related to
blood) cancers.
• For all other conditions, the use of cord blood as
a source of stem cells is not yet established.
{S&T – In News – 20/05} Atulya: Microwave
Steriliser
PIB | “In News” topics for prelims
• Defence Institute of Advanced Technology,
Pune, has developed a microwave steriliser
named as ‘Atulya’.
• Defence Institute of Advanced Technology is a
deemed university supported by DRDO.
• The Covid-19 virus gets disintegrated by differ-
ential heating of Atulya in the range of 56° to 60°
C.
• However, it can be used for sterilising non-me-
tallic objects only.
• Sterilisation refers to any process that eliminates,
removes, kills, or deactivates microorganisms
such as fungi, bacteria, viruses, spores, etc. and
other biological agents.
{S&T – In News – 20/05} NSafe Mask
TH | In News Topic for Prelims
• Recently, an IIT-Delhi start-up has launched an
antimicrobial and washable face mask
called ‘NSafe’.
• NSafe mask is reusable up to 50 wash, thus
greatly cutting down the cost of use.
6
• It will also provide a solution to disposal issues
of single use masks.
• It is a triple-layered product consisting of inner
hydrophilic layer for comfort, middle layer hav-
ing antimicrobial activity and outer most layer
having water and oil repellent behaviour.
• The mask has 99.2% bacterial filtration effi-
ciency along with breathability and splash re-
sistance.
{S&T – In News – 20/05} UV Blaster
PIB | “In News” topics for prelims
• DRDO has developed an Ultra Violet (UV) Disin-
fection Tower for rapid and chemical free disin-
fection of high infection prone areas.
• The equipment named “UV blaster” is designed
and developed by Laser Science & Technology
Centre (LASTEC ― Delhi based premier labora-
tory of DRDO) with the help of a private com-
pany.
• The UV blaster is a UV based area sanitiser useful
for high tech surfaces like electronic equipment,
computers and other gadgets in laboratories and
offices that are not suitable for disinfection with
chemical methods.
• The product is also effective for areas with large
flow of people such as airports, shopping malls,
metros, hotels, factories, offices, etc.
• The UV based area sanitiser may be used by re-
mote operation through laptop/mobile phone
using wifi link.
{S&T – Indigenization – 20/03} National Su-
percomputing Mission (NSM)
PIB | GS3 > Indigenization of Technology and Devel-
oping New Technology
• NSM was set up to provide the country with su-
percomputing infrastructure to meet the increas-
ing computational demands by manufacturing
supercomputers indigenously in India.
• The National Super Computing Mission is
steered jointly by the Ministry of Electronics
and IT (MeitY) and Department of Science and
Technology (DST).
• It is implemented by the Centre for Develop-
ment of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), Pune
and the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Ben-
galuru.
• The target of the mission was set to establish a
network of supercomputers ranging from a few
Tera Flops to greater than or equal to 3 Peta
Flops (PF) in institutions of National importance
across the country by 2022.
• This network of Supercomputers envisaging a
total of 15-20 PF was approved in 2015 and was
later revised to a total of 45 PF (45000 TFs).
• Supercomputer PARAM 8000 (made by C-
DAC) launched on July 1, 1991 is considered In-
dia's first supercomputer. It was indige-
nously built in 1991 by C-DAC.
• National Supercomputing Mission's first indige-
nously build supercomputer is called ‘Param
Shivay’
• Param Shivay was followed by Param Shakti and
Param Brahma supercomputers.
Focus of the mission
• The Mission envisages empowering national ac-
ademic and R&D institutions spread over the
country by installing a vast supercomputing grid
comprising of more than 70 high-performance
computing facilities.
• These supercomputers will also be networked on
the National Supercomputing grid over the Na-
tional Knowledge Network (NKN).
7
• The NKN is another programme of the govern-
ment which connects academic institutions and
R&D labs over a high speed network.
Significance of supercomputers
• Most to the supercomputers across the world are
dedicated for weather and climate research.
• Weather prediction has reached accuracy of
forecast as well as real time tracking of natural
phenomenon.
• Timely warning of cyclones in the recent past
have saved many lives and property.
The speed of a supercomputer
• The average computer’s processor performance
is measured by megahertz (MHz) units to calcu-
late its clock speed.
• Since supercomputers are far more capable, the
performance is calculated in Floating-point op-
erations per second, or FLOPS which is of a
considerably larger scale.
 1 billion flops = 1 giga flops (109)
 1000 giga flop = 1 tera flop (1012)
 1000 tera flop = 1 peta flop (1015)
• Param 8000 supercomputer had a maximum
speed of one giga flop.
• PARAM SHIVAY (February 2019) ➔ 833 TFLOPS
• PARAM Brahma (September 2019) ➔ 0.85
PFLOPS
• Pratyush and Mihir (fastest supercomputers in
India) ➔ 6.8 PetaFlops
• The most advanced supercomputer Summit
(U.S.) ➔ ~150 PFLOPS
{S&T – Internal Security – 20/07/02} Data
Localization and Data Protection
TH | GS3 > Challenges to internal security through
communication networks | GS2 > Government poli-
cies and interventions for development in various
sectors and issues arising out of their design and im-
plementation.
• Context: Centre announced an interim ban on
59 apps with Chinese links, citing “Emergent
Threats” to the country’s sovereignty & national
security.
What is Data Localization?
• Data localisation is the act of storing data on
any device physically present within the borders
of a country.
• Localisation mandates that companies collect-
ing critical data about consumers must store &
process them within the borders of the coun-
try.
Why is it important?
• The main intent behind data localisation is to
protect the personal & financial information
of the country’s citizens from foreign surveil-
lance.
• Storing of data locally is expected to help law–
enforcement agencies to access information
that is needed for the detection of a crime or to
gather evidence.
• On–shoring global data could also create do-
mestic jobs & skills in data storage & analytics
too.
• Where data is not localised, the agencies need
to rely on mutual legal assistance treaties
(MLATs) to obtain access, delaying investiga-
tions.
• Technologies like machine learning, Artificial In-
telligence (AI) & Internet of Things (IoT) can
produce tremendous value out of various data.
It can be disastrous if data is not contained
within boundaries.
• To curtail the threatening of unregulated & ar-
bitrary use of personal data, data localization is
necessary.
8
B.N Shrikrishna report on Data Protection
• The SC in 2017 declared “privacy” a funda-
mental right.
• A committee headed by retired SC Judge BN
Srikrishna was constituted by GOI in 2017, to
deliberate on a "Data Protection Framework".
• The report has emphasized that interests of the
citizens & the responsibilities of the state have
to be protected, but not at the cost of trade &
industry.
• The committee proposed a draft Personal Data
Protection Bill.
Highlights of the report and the proposed Per-
sonal Data Protection Bill
Link: Source & Credits
Individual Consent
• The bill makes individual consent the centre-
piece of data sharing, awards rights to users,
imposes obligations on data fiduciaries (person
or organization that acts on behalf of another
person, including the State).
• It will make the data fiduciary liable for harms
caused to the data principal.
• It also calls for privacy by design on part of data
processors, & defines terms like consent, data
breach, etc.
Right to be forgotten
• It refers to the ability of individuals to limit, de-
link, delete, or correct the disclosure of per-
sonal information on the internet that is mis-
leading, embarrassing, irrelevant, etc.
Data Protection Authority
• The law will set up a Data Protection Authority
(DPA), which will be an independent regulatory
body responsible for the enforcement & effec-
tive implementation of the law.
Personal Data
• The law will cover processing of personal data
by both public & private entities.
• The law will have jurisdiction over the pro-
cessing of personal data if such data has been
used, shared, collected or otherwise processed
in India.
• It has proposed that critical personal data of In-
dians be processed in centres located within
the country.
• Additionally, personal data processed by com-
panies incorporated under Indian law will be
covered, irrespective of where it is actually pro-
cessed in India.
Sensitive personal data
• Sensitive personal data will include financial
data, health data, sex life, sexual orientation, bi-
ometric & genetic data, caste, tribe, religious or
political beliefs or affiliations of an individual.
9
• DPA will be given the residuary power to notify
further categories in accordance with the crite-
ria set by law.
Data Storage
• The Bill makes it mandatory for a copy of per-
sonal data to be stored in India.
Appellate Tribunal
• The Central Government shall establish an ap-
pellate tribunal or grant powers to an existing
appellate tribunal to hear & dispose of any ap-
peal against an order of the DPA.
Penalties
• Penalties may be imposed for violations of the
data protection law.
• The penalties paid by violating entities will be
deposited to a Data Protection Fund, which
will, among other purposes, finance the func-
tioning of the Data Protection Authority.
Obligations on Fiduciaries
• Obligations would include “purpose limita-
tion” where data will be used only for clear,
specific & lawful purposes & “collection limi-
tation” where only data necessary for the pur-
pose would be collected.
Impact on allied laws
• The report has also listed the impact of the pro-
posed data protection framework on allied
laws, including the Aadhaar Act & the RTI Act.
• The committee has noted that the Aadhaar Act
is silent on the powers of the Unique Identifica-
tion Authority of India (UIDAI) to take enforce-
ment action against errant companies in its
ecosystem.
• The report has also recommended amend-
ments to the RTI Act, pointing out that
disclosure of information from public authori-
ties may lead to private harm being caused.
Exceptions
• The state can process data without consent
of the user on ground of public welfare, law &
order and emergency situations.
• Processing of data for certain interests such as
security of the State, legal proceedings, re-
search & journalistic purpose, may be exempt
from certain obligations of the proposed data
protection law.
Cross border data transfers
• Cross border data transfers of personal data will
be through model contract clauses.
• Personal data determined to be critical will be
subject to the requirement to process only in
India (there will be a prohibition against cross
border transfer for such data).
Data of Children
• Committee has made specific mention of the
need for separate & more stringent norms for
protecting the data of children.
Limitations
• The Bill proposes that personal data of individ-
uals can be processed for any function of the
state.
• This runs directly counter to the SC’s articula-
tion of informed consent as central to infor-
mational privacy.
• There is very little legislative & judicial over-
sight on surveillance activities and even the bill
doesn’t include any safeguards concerning sur-
veillance activities.
GDPR vs Data Protection Bill
10
• GDPR stands for General Data Protection
Regulation that is in effect in EU since 2018.
• It is a new set of rules designed to give EU citi-
zens more control over their personal data.
• GDPR framework applies to organisations in all
EU member-states.
• GDPR has almost become a common noun for
personal data protection regulation.
• Justice BN Srikrishna committee has referred to
GDPR repeatedly.
The key differences between GDPR and Data
Protection Bill
• GDPR is not an Act; individual member nations
have enacted their own legislations based on
GDPR.
• Unlike in GDPR, Indian draft legislation does
not require the data fiduciary to share the
names and categories of other recipients of the
personal data with the data principal.
• There is no obligation on data fiduciary to share
with the data principal for how long the data
will be stored while collecting or at any time, as
GDPR mandates.
ISRO Launchers (Source)
• The data fiduciary does not need to share the
source of the personal data to the data princi-
pal in case the data has not been collected
from him/her which is an explicit requirement
in GDPR
• Unlike GDPR, there is no requirement that the
data fiduciary share with the data principal the
existence of automated decision making, in-
cluding profiling.
• In India, a citizen has not been given the right
to demand his/her data to be erased. Data
erasure, which is an article in itself in GDPR
does not even find a mention in the Indian draft
bill.
• In case of a breach, there’s no requirement
by Indian draft bill to share it with the data
principal. This is also in contrast to GDPR pro-
visions.
• In India, every data fiduciary should ensure the
storage of personal data locally. GDPR leaves
this to specific countries most of which have
chosen to allow free flow of data.
{S&T – ISRO – 20/01/13} GSAT-30
11
TH | 13-01-2020 | GS3 > Sci & Tech – developments • GSATs (Geo synchronous Satellites)
and their applications, indigenization of technology.
Indian National Satellite System (INSAT)
Basics: Kepler's laws, Satellite Orbits, Launch Vehicles
PSLV & GSLV • INSAT, is a series of multipurpose geostationary
• Isro's GSAT-30 satellite was placed in geostation- satellites launched by ISRO.
ary orbit by Ariane-5 launch vehicle. • Established in 1983 with commissioning of IN-
• Ariane-5 was launched from Ariane Launch Com- SAT-1B, the INSAT system with more than 200
plex at Kourou, French Guiana (overseas terri- transponders in the C, Extended C and Ku-bands
tory of France). provides services to telecommunications, televi-
• The 3,357-kg GSAT-30 will serve as a replace- sion broadcasting, satellite newsgathering,
ment to INSAT-4A services. weather forecasting, disaster warning and Search
• The satellite provides Indian mainland and is- and Rescue operations.
lands coverage in Ku-band and extended cover-
age in C-band covering Gulf countries, a large GSATs (Geo synchronous Satellites)
number of Asian countries and Australia.
• The new generation INSATs are now named as
• With a mission life of 15 years, GSAT-30 provides
GSATs (Geo synchronous Satellites).
DTH, television uplink, digital satellite news
• The GSAT satellites are used for digital audio,
gathering (DSNG) and VSAT services.
data and video broadcasting.
Why didn’t ISRO use GSLV Mk III to place
Transponder
GSAT-30 in orbit?
• In a communications satellite, a satellite tran-
• GSLV Payload Capacity to LEO: 5,000 kg
sponder receives signals over a range of uplink
• GSLV Payload Capacity to GTO: 2,500 kg
frequencies, usually from a satellite ground sta-
• GSLV-III Payload Capacity to LEO: 8,000 kg
tion.
• GSLV-III Payload Capacity to GTO : 4000 kg
• The transponder amplifies them and re-transmits
• ISRO’s GSLV Mk III has the capability to place sub
them on a different set of downlink frequencies
4 ton satellites in GTO.
to receivers on Earth, often without changing the
• Though GSAT-30 is not a heavier satellite
content of the received signal or signals.
(3,500+ kg), ISRO had to use the services of Ari-
anespace.
• This is because of budget and time constraints.
• MK III rockets were already used for Chan-
drayaan-2 and other missions.
• ISRO didn’t have a spare GSLV vehicle for Gsat-
30 and there was an urget need to replace the
dying Insat-4A to ensure continuity of several
services.

India’s Communication Satellites

Satellite frequency bands

• Indian National Satellite System (INSAT)

12
 Source and Credits: ESA
L-band (1–2 GHz) • Primarily used by the military.
• Sub-bands are used in civil, military and govern-
• Used by Global Positioning System (GPS) carriers
ment institutions for weather monitoring, air
and satellite mobile phone communication de-
traffic control, maritime vessel traffic control, de-
vices.
fence tracking and vehicle speed detection for
S-band (2–4 GHz) law enforcement.

• Used by weather radar, surface ship radar, and Ku-band (12–18 GHz)
some communications satellites.
• Used for satellite communications, most notably
C band (4–8 GHz) the downlink used by DTH television.
• Because of the higher frequencies, Ku band
• Used for satellite communications, for full-time
waves have shorter wavelengths.
satellite TV networks.
• Shorter wavelengths mean that you need a
• Ssed in areas that are subject to tropical rainfall
smaller dish to receive these frequencies.
(less susceptible to signal degradation than Ku
band). K-band (18–26 GHz)
• Because of the low frequencies, C band waves
• Due to the 22 GHz water vapor absorption line
have longer wavelengths.
this band has high atmospheric attenuation and
• Because of bigger wavelengths, a bigger dish is
is only useful for short range applications.
required to receive such frequencies.
Ka-band (26–40 GHz)

• Used for communications satellites with high-

resolution, close-range targeting radars on mili-
tary aircraft.
X-band (8–12 GHz)

Why are the Geostationary satellites launched from east coast in eastward direction and from
locations that are close to the equator?

13
• If you observe the location of all the launch cen-
ters like Sriharikota, Kennedy Launch Center
(USA: Florida), Guiana Space Centre etc., all are
located on the East coast of the continent and
are close to the equator.
• The location of Kennedy Space Center and Satish
Dawan Space Center makes them particularly
vulnerable to tropical cyclones and other
weather “events”.
• However, they are good locations for rocket
launches as thay are on the east coast and close
to the equator.
• Also, the islands are less densely populated,
making them safer to carry out launches.
Why in eastward direction?
• As the earth rotates from west to east, a satellite
launched in the east direction will get an initial
boost equal to the velocity of Earth surface.
Why at equator?
Reason 1:
• Earth’s rotational velocity is maximum at the
equator (on earth, centrifugal force is maximum
at the equator).
• Hence for maximum initial boost, the launch site
needs to be closer to the equator.
• Anything on the surface of the Earth at the equa-
tor is already moving at 1670 kilometers per hour
(rotational velocity of earth).
• But this benefit can be taken only for such satel-
lites which are placed in geo-stationary orbit or
which circle the Earth parallel to the equator.
Reason 2:
• Communication satellites are put into geosta-
tionary orbit above the equator with zero incli-
nation to the equatorial plane.
• The ideal place to launch to geostationary orbit
is, obviously, on the equator.
• Equatorial launches only require the vehicle to
bring the payload to orbital speed and do not
require inclination changes.
• For launches that are not on the equator, the ve-
hicle must perform a complex adjustment burn
in the GTO (geostationary transfer orbit) phase
14
 of the mission to bring the vehicle an inclination
of 0º.
• The vehicle first reaches low earth orbit (green
circle), then makes a burn to geostationary trans-
fer orbit (the red ellipse), then makes a second
burn to circularize the orbit into geostationary
orbit (orange circle).
• When a vehicle is launched from the equator, the
three orbits shown are planar (they lie in the
same plane).
• If the vehicle is launched from a non-equatorial
launch site, the green circle and the orange circle
are non-planar, thus requiring the red ellipse to
bridge the two orbits (More fuel will be required
= high costs).
• This maneuver consumes propellant and thus
decreases the payload. That's another reason
why equatorial launches (or as close as possible)
are preferred.
What about polar satellites (remote sensing and
earth observation satellites)?
• Such satellites are usually communication satel-
lites or satellites used for scientific research such
as ISS.
• There are other satellites which are placed in po-
lar orbits moving across the equator in north
south direction and used mainly for mapping or
sometimes for spying.
• Such satellites are generally launched in south
ward or north ward direction and therefore can-
not take advantage of the Earth’s rotation.
Why are launch sites on the east coast?
• Launching stations are generally located near
eastern coastline so that, just in case of failure of
the launch, the satellite does not fall on built-up
hinterland.
{S&T – ISRO – 20/02} Aditya-L1
IE | GS3 > Awareness in the fields of Space
• ISRO is preparing to send its first scientific expe-
dition to study the Sun next year.
• Named Aditya-L1, the mission will try to obtain
information about Sun’s atmosphere and mag-
netic field.
• Aditya-L1 will be inserted in a halo orbit around
L1, which is 1.5 million km from the Earth.
• A Satellite placed in the halo orbit around the La-
grangian Point 1 (L1) of the Sun-Earth system has
the major advantage of continuously viewing
the Sun without any eclipses.
Lagrange Points
• Lagrange Point 1 refers to one of five points in
the orbital plane of the Earth-Sun system.
• Lagrange Points are positions in space where the
gravitational forces of a two-body system (like
the Sun and the Earth) produce enhanced re-
gions of attraction and repulsion.
15
• These can be used by spacecraft to reduce fuel
consumption needed to remain in position.
• The L1 point is home to the Solar and Helio-
spheric Observatory Satellite (SOHO), an inter-
national collaboration project of NASA and the
European Space Agency (ESA).
What is the importance of understanding
Sun’s atmosphere?
• Sun's corona gives rise to solar wind which are
hot, energised and charged particles that stream
outward from the Sun and fill the solar system.
• These charged particles (solar wind) beaming
outwards affects space weather and violent solar
wind can hamper satellites and electronics on
Earth.
Suggested Reading: Sun’s Internal Structure and At-
mosphere, Solar Wind
{S&T – ISRO – 20/03} GISAT-1 or Geo Imag-
ing Satellite-1
TH | GS3 > | Basics: https://www.pmfias.com/kep-
lers-laws-satellite-orbits-pslv-gslv/
• The launch of GISAT-1 from Sriharikota, planned
for March 05, 2020, is postponed due to tech-
nical reasons.
• GSLV-F10 will launch Geo Imaging Satellite
(GISAT-1 ― 2268 kg) into Geosynchronous
Transfer Orbit (GTO).
• GISAT-1 is India’s first earth imaging (Earth ob-
servatio) satellite in a geostationary orbit.
• Subsequently, it will reach the final geostation-
ary orbit (36,000 km) using its onboard propul-
sion system.
• A satellite in geostationary orbit has an orbital
period equal to earth’s rotational period.
• GISATs will image in multi-spectral and hyper-
spectral bands to provide near real-time pictures
of large areas of the country, under cloud-free
conditions.
• GISAT-2 (similar to GISAT-2) is shcheduled to be
launched in August 2020
• The two identical satellites will provide resolution
in the range of 42 to 318 m.
Objectives of GISAT-1
• Quick monitoring of natural disasters.
• Keep a constant watch on borders.
• Monitor any changes in the geographical condi-
tion of the country.
• Helps to obtain spectral signatures of agricul-
ture, forestry, mineralogy, disaster warning,
cloud properties, snow, glaciers and oceanogra-
phy.
{S&T – ISRO – 20/03} Oceansat
PIB | GS3 > Indigenization of technology and devel-
oping new technology.
• The Indian National Centre for Ocean Infor-
mation Services (INCOIS) has reported that
Oceansat Satellite data are used to prepare the
Potential Fishing Zone (PFZ) advisories.
• PFZ are identified using the data on chlorophyll
concentration obtained from ISRO's Oceansat-
2 satellite and the sea surface temperature
from National Oceanic Atmospheric Administra-
tion (NOAA).
Oceansat
• OceanSat-1 (1999) was the first Indian satellite
built specifically for Ocean applications.
• It was a part of the Indian Remote Sensing sat-
ellite series.
• The satellite carried an Ocean Colour Monitor
and a Microwave Radiometer.
• Ocean Colour Monitor is a camera designed to
monitor the colour of the ocean.
• It is used for detecting chlorophyll concentration,
phytoplankton blooms, aerosols, and particulate
matter.
16
• Microwave Radiometer offers information re- {S&T – NanoTech – 20/05} Nanomaterials
garding sea surface temperature, cloud water Based Supercapacitors
content, etc.
• Oceansat-1 completed its mission in 2010. PIB | Source | GS3 > Awareness in the fields of nano-

• Oceansat-1 was retired in 2010 and Oceansat-2 technology

• A group of researchers have made significant
was designed to provide service continuity.
achievements in developing nanomaterials
Indian National Centre for Ocean Infor- based supercapacitors to achieve high
mation Services (INCOIS) ✓ energy density (amount of energy that can
be stored in a given mass of a substance) and
• INCOIS was established as an autonomous body
✓ power density (time rate of energy transfer
in 1999 under the Ministry of Earth Sciences
per unit volume) of supercapacitors.
(MoES).
• The researchers have been working on carbon
• It is located in Hyderabad (not Chennai).
(Carbon Nanotubes, Graphene) nanomateri-
• INCOIS provides ocean information and advisory
als based supercapacitors to achieve high en-
services to society, industry, government agen-
ergy and power density.
cies, etc.
• High energy density of supercapacitors suggests
that constant current can be withdrawn for a
Activities of INCOIS
longer duration without recharging. Hence auto-
• INCOIS provides warning services for the coastal mobiles can run longer distances without charg-
population on tsunamis, storm surges, high ing.
waves, etc. through the in-house Indian Tsu-
nami Early Warning Centre (ITEWC). Capacitors for Energy Storage
• The Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commis-
• Like batteries, Capacitors can also be used
sion (IOC) of UNESCO designated ITEWC as a Re-
to store energy.
gional Tsunami Service Provider (RTSP) to pro-
• While batteries rely on chemical reactions, ca-
vide tsunami warnings to countries on the Indian
pacitors use static electricity to store energy.
Ocean Rim.
• Capacitors have many advantages over batter-
• Provides daily Potential Fishing Zone advisories
ies: they weigh less, generally do not contain
to fisher folk.
harmful chemicals or toxic metals, and they
• Short term (3-7 days) Ocean State Forecasts
can be charged and discharged many times.
(waves, currents, sea surface temperature, etc.)
• However, they cannot store the same amount
are issued daily.
of electrical energy as batteries.
• Established a VSAT aided Emergency Communi-
• However, supercapacitors or Ultracapacitors
cation System (VECS) to provide tsunami warn-
are different and can store a huge amount of
ings with the least possible time delay even when
energy.
there is a failure in conventional communication
• Batteries have a higher energy density, but su-
systems.
percapacitors have a higher power density.
Suggested Reading: {S&T – Space – 19/10/09}
• This makes supercapacitors more suitable
GAGAN, GEMINI
for storing and releasing large amounts of power
relatively quickly.

17
• Supercapacitors deliver quick bursts of energy
during peak power demands and then quickly
store energy and capture excess power that is
otherwise lost.
• In the example of an electric car, a supercapaci-
tor can provide needed power for acceleration,
while a battery provides range and recharges the
supercapacitor between surges.

{S&T – NanoTech – 20/05} Optoelectronic

Applications of Nanomaterials • When a beam of light traverses a dust-free,
transparent sample of a chemical compound, a
PIB | GS3 > Awareness in the fields of nano-technol-
small fraction of the light emerges in directions
ogy
other than that of the incident beam.
• Optoelectronics is the study and application of
• Most of this scattered light is of unchanged
electronic devices that source, detect and control
wavelength (color) (Rayleigh scattered light).
light.
• A small part, however, has wavelengths (color)
• The researchers are developing nanostructures
different from that of the incident light.
of carbon for Surface-Enhanced Raman spec-
• In this case, energy from the light particle is
troscopy (SERS).
transferred to the molecules in the material
• SERS is a technique that enhances Raman scat-
and the remaining energy is emitted as scattered
tering by molecules adsorbed on metals or
light. This interaction process is known as the Ra-
nanostructures.
man effect.
• The enhancement factor so high that the tech-
• Raman spectroscopy can be used in applications
nique may even detect a single molecule.
requiring microscopic chemical analysis & imag-
• The SERS can help detect harmful molecules
ing.
present in water at ultra-low concentrations.
• One simple example is that the Raman spectros-
• The findings make way for materials which can
copy can be used for measuring fat content in
be used as advanced photodetectors and also
milk.
be used as optical sensors for water pollution
control. {S&T – Nanotech – 20/07/01} Gold Nano-
particles
Raman Effect
PIB | GS3 > Indigenization of Technology & Devel-
• Raman Effect is a phenomenon in spectroscopy
oping New Technology, Applications.
(study of interaction between matter and elec-
• Context: Eco–friendly Synthesis of Gold Nano-
tromagnetic radiation) discovered by Sir Chan-
particles is done from Antarctic bacteria for
drasekhara Venkata Raman in 1928.
therapeutic use.
• Raman Effect is a change in the wavelength of
light when a light beam is deflected by mole- What Are Nanoparticles?
cules.

18
• A Nanoparticle is a small particle that ranges be-
tween 1 to 100 nanometres (nm) in size.
• Undetectable by the human eye, nanoparticles
can exhibit significantly different physical &
chemical properties to their larger material
counterparts.
• Nanoparticles (NPs) have wide variety of poten-
tial applications in the fields of biomedical, opti-
cal & electronics research.
What is Nanotechnology?
• Nanotechnology is science, engineering, & tech-
nology conducted at the nanoscale (1 to 100 na-
nometres).
• Nanoscience & nanotechnology can be used
across all the other science fields.
Gold Nano Particles (GNP)
• Gold Nano Particles (GNP) are a small gold par-
ticle with a diameter of 1 to 100nm which, once
dispersed in water, are also known as colloidal
gold.
• The versatile surface chemistry of gold nano-
particles allows them to be coated with small
molecules, polymers, & biological recognition
molecules, thereby extending their range of ap-
plication.
• The morphology of gold nanoparticles is spher-
ical, & they appear as a brown powder.
Applications of Gold Nano Particles (GNP)
• GNPs can be used as a composite therapeutic
agent clinical trials, especially in Anti–cancer,
Anti–Viral, anti–diabetic, & cholesterol–lowering
drugs.
• Researchers have coated gold particles with
DNA & injected them into plant embryos or
plant cells. This will ensure that some genetic
material will enter the cells & enhances plant
plastids.
• Gold nanoparticles are used to detect breast
cancer.
• Photodynamic therapy: when light is applied to
a tumour containing gold nanoparticles, the par-
ticles rapidly heat up, killing tumour cells.
• It was also discovered that the nanoparticles
could detect toxins & pathogens.
• The scattered colours of gold nanoparticles are
currently used for biological imaging applica-
tions.
• The optical–electronics properties of gold na-
noparticles are being explored widely for use in
high technology applications.
{S&T – New Tech – 20/07/06} Winter Diesel
IE | GS3 > Developments & Their Applications & Ef-
fects in Everyday Life.
• Context: India’s armed forces may soon be using
winter diesel for operations in high altitude ar-
eas.
• Winter diesel is a specialised fuel that was intro-
duced by IOCL last year specifically for high alti-
tude regions & low–temperature regions such as
Ladakh, where ordinary diesel can become unus-
able.
• IOC may begin supplying winter diesel to the
armed forces once its use is approved by Direc-
torate General for Quality Assurance of the
armed forces.
Normal Diesel vs Winter Diesel
• The flow characteristics of diesel change at low
temperatures & using it may be detrimental to
vehicles.
• Winter diesel which contains additives to main-
tain lower viscosity can be used in tempera-
tures as low as minus 30°C & that besides a low
pour point, it had higher cetane rating.
• Cetane Rating is an indicator is the combustion
speed of diesel & compression needed for
19
 ignition — & lower sulphur content, which
would lead to lower deposits in engines & better
performance.
{S&T – Nuclear Energy – 20/07/23} Kakrapar
Atomic Power Plant
IE | GS3 > Energy | Nuclear fission
• Context: Third unit at Kakrapar Atomic Power
Plant (Gujarat) achieves criticality.
• KAPP–3 is the country’s first 700 mwe (mega-
watt electric) unit, & the biggest indigenously
developed variant of the Pressurised Heavy
Water Reactor (PHWR).
Criticality
Must Read: Nuclear Fission:
https://www.pmfias.com/nuclear-fission-nu-
clear-reactor-types/
• Criticality is a nuclear term that refers to
the balance of neutrons in the system.
• Balance of neutrons can be achieved using mod-
erators & control rods.
• “Subcritical” refers to a system where the loss
rate of neutrons is greater than the production
rate of neutrons & therefore the neutron popu-
lation decreases as time goes on.
• “Supercritical” refers to a system where the
production rate of neutrons is greater than the
loss rate of neutrons & therefore the neutron
population increases.
• When the neutron population remains constant,
this means there is a perfect balance between
production rate & loss rate, & the nuclear sys-
tem is said to be “critical.”
• When a reactor is starting up, the neutron pop-
ulation is increased slowly in a controlled man-
ner, so that more neutrons are produced than
are lost, & the nuclear reactor becomes super-
critical.
• When the desired power level is achieved, the
nuclear reactor is placed into a critical config-
uration to keep the neutron population & power
constant.
• Finally, during shutdown, the reactor is placed
in a subcritical configuration so that the neu-
tron population & power decreases.
• Therefore, when a reactor is said to have “gone
critical,” it actually means it is in a stable con-
figuration producing a constant power!
✓ Supercritical == Car [nuclear reactor] is
accelerating.
✓ Critical == Car is going at a constant
speed.
✓ Sub critical == Car is slowing down.
Must Read: Types of Nuclear Reactors
Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited
(NPCIL)
• The Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited
(NPCIL) is an Indian PSU, Headquartered at
Mumbai.
• It is wholly owned by GOI & is responsible for the
generation of nuclear power for electricity.
20
• NPCIL is administered by the Department of domestic agencies to deliver their commitments
Atomic Energy (DAE). to ITER.
• ITER–India is the Indian domestic agency, a spe-
{S&T – Nuclear Energy – 20/07/29} Interna- cially empowered project of the Institute for
tional Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor Plasma Research (IPR), an aided organization
(ITER)
under Dept. of Atomic Energy.

PIB | GS3 > Science and Technology – developments • ITER–India is responsible for delivery of the

and their applications following ITER packages: –

• Context: The ITER Organization celebrated the ITER India has shipped the base, upper cylinder

Start of Assembly of the ITER Tokamak (device & lower cylinder for the cryostat.

which uses a powerful magnetic field to con- • Cryostat is a cylindrical vessel which will act has

fine a hot plasma). a huge refrigerator & provide cooling to the fu-
sion reactor that will attempt to harness the en-
What is International Thermonuclear Experi- ergy produced by fusion of atoms
mental Reactor (ITER)
Funding of Project
• ITER is an international nuclear fusion research
& engineering megaproject. • The project is funded & run by seven member

• It is an experimental Tokamak Nuclear Fusion entities:

Reactor that is being built in southern France. 1. The European Union,

• The ITER reactor has been designed to create a 2. China,

plasma of 500 megawatts for around twenty 3. India,

minutes on an input of 50 megawatts of thermal 4. Japan,

power (ten–fold gain of plasma heating power). 5. Russia,

6. South Korea and
7. The United States.

Objectives

• ITER's mission is to demonstrate the feasibility

of fusion power, & prove that it can work with-
out negative impact.
• Develop technologies & processes needed for a
Source & Credits fusion power station — including superconduct-
ing magnets & remote handling (maintenance
India & ITER
by robot).
• India formally joined the ITER Project in 2005.
• The ITER Agreement between the partners was
Nuclear Reaction
signed in 2006.
• Radioactive minerals are used to generate nu-
• ITER Organization (IO) is the central team re-
clear energy through high technological meth-
sponsible for construction at site & operation,
ods.
while the ITER partners created their own

21
• There are two methods which can be used to re-
lease energy from radioactive minerals:
1. Nuclear fission: In this process, the nucleus
of heavy atom namely of uranium (U 235)
or plutonium (P239) breaks apart into
smaller fragments, releasing an enormous
amount of energy.
2. Nuclear fusion: In this process, small nucleus
like those of isotopes of hydrogen, namely
deuterium & tritium fuse or join together
to form heavier nuclei, releasing vast
amounts of energy.
{S&T – Persons of Interest – 20/02} Dr.
Vikram Sarabhai
TOI | Source | Achievements of Indians in Science &
Technology
• ISRO and Department of Atomic Energy (DAE)
are conducting various year long events at na-
tional level to commemorate the 100th birth an-
niversary of Dr. Vikram Sarabhai.
About Vikram Sarabhai
• Vikram Sarabhai was born in 1919.
• Sarabhai was instrumental in forming India's fu-
ture in astronomy.
• Sarabhai founded the Physical Research Labora-
tory in Ahmedabad in the year 1947.
• Its first topic of research was cosmic rays.
• The most significant contribution of Sarabhai
was his role in setting up the country's space re-
search facilities.
• He persuaded GOI to set up the Indian National
Committee for Space Research (INCOSPAR) in
1962.
• Sarabhai was the first chairman of the commit-
tee.
• The INCOSPAR was restructured and renamed as
ISRO in 1969.
• He also set up India's first rocket launch site in
Thumba, a small village near Thiruvananthapu-
ram.
• Vikram Sarabhai was also responsible for bring-
ing cable television to India.
• His constant contact with NASA paved a way for
the establishment of Satellite Instructional Tele-
vision Experiment (SITE) in 1975.
• Sarabhai was the mastermind behind building
India's first satellite, Aryabhata.
• He was one of the founding members of the In-
dian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad
(IIMA).
• Vikram Sarabhai received the Padma Bhushanin
1966.
• He was also awarded the Padma Vibhushan in
1972, posthumously.
{S&T – Space – 20/05} Long March 5B
TH | Basics: Kepler's laws, Satellite Orbits, Launch Ve-
hicles PSLV & GSLV
• China has successfully launched the Long March
5B’ rocket and prototype spacecraft.
• It is expected to transport astronauts to a space
station that China plans to complete by 2022.
• Long March 5B is a step in the direction of
China’s ambition to operate a permanent space
station and send astronauts to the Moon.
• The United States is so far the only country to
have successfully sent humans to the Moon.
International Space Station (ISS)
• A space station is a spacecraft capable of sup-
porting crew members, designed to remain in
space for an extended period of time and for
other spacecraft to dock.
• One fully functional space station in the Earth's
lower orbit is the International Space Station and
astronauts conduct different experiments in it.
22
• ISS is a habitable artificial satellite – the single
largest man-made structure in low earth orbit.
• Its first component was launched into orbit in
1998.
• It circles the Earth in roughly 92 minutes and
completes 15.5 orbits per day.
• The ISS programme is a joint project be-
tween five participating space agencies:
1. NASA (United States),
2. Roscosmos (Russia),
3. JAXA (Japan),
4. ESA (Europe), and
5. CSA (Canada)
• Its ownership and use have been established by
intergovernmental treaties and agreements.
• It serves as a microgravity and space environ-
ment research laboratory in which crew mem-
bers conduct experiments in biology, human bi-
ology, physics, astronomy, meteorology, and
other fields.
{S&T – Space – 20/07/30} Perseverance-
NASA’s mission to Mars
TH | GS3 > Awareness in The Fields of Space
• Context: NASA has launched its Mars 2020 Per-
severance rover.
• Perseverance is the fifth rover sent to Mars by
NASA.
• The first four are Sojourner (1996), Spirit (2004)
and Opportunity (2004), and Curiosity (2011).
What is Perseverance Mars Mission?
Source & Credits
• The Perseverance rover will seek signs of ancient
life & collect rock & soil samples for possible re-
turn to Earth.
• The rover blasted off from Cape Canaveral in
Florida atop an Atlas V rocket, beginning its 6 ½
month trip (July 30 2020 to February 18, 2021) to
the red planet.
• The rover is accompanied by the helicopter In-
genuity, which will help scout locations to study.
• Most dramatic goal of the mission will be the
rover’s attempt to demonstrate a technology
that converts carbon dioxide in the Martian at-
mosphere into oxygen.
{S&T – Technologies – 20/02} Quantum
computing gets funds
D2E | Science and Technology: Developments and
their Applications, Awareness in the fields of Com-
puters
• Union Budget for 2020-21 proposed Rs 8,000
crore over five years for National Mission on
Quantum Technologies and Applications.
• Quantum technologies comprise quantum com-
puting, quantum communication, quantum op-
tics, quantum information processing, quantum
internet and quantum artificial intelligence.
Need for special attention
• The excitement about quantum computer is be-
cause of its power to dabble with complex calcu-
lations involved in fields like cyber-security which
digital computers now deal with.
• Quantum communications can enhance (cyber)
security, provide unique fingerprints and also in-
crease available bandwidth for internet net-
works.
Suggested Reading: {S&T – 19/09/29} Quantum
supremacy
{S&T – Technologies – 20/02} Reverse osmo-
sis (RO)
23
TH | TH | TH | GS3 > Science and Technology: Devel- • Diffusion through a permeable membrane
opments and their Applications and Effects in Every- moves a substance (solute) from a region of high
day Life. solute concentration (hypertonic solution) to
• NGT has recently passed an order prohibiting the a region where its concentration is low (hypo-
use of reverse osmosis (RO) purifiers where total tonic solution).
dissolved solids (TDS) in the supplied water are
below 500 mg per litre.
• The NGT had ordered the ban on the grounds
that RO filters often deprived drinking water of
essential salts (affecting the nutritional security)
and were also wasting a lot of water and power.
• Current BIS regulations consider 500 mg/litre to
1,200 mg/litre of total dissolved solids, which
consist of salts and some organic matter, as ac- • In living organisms, diffusion plays an important

ceptable. role in gaseous exchange between the cells as

• MoEF has recently issued a draft notification that well as the cell and its external environment.

seeks to regulate membrane-based RO water fil- • Exchange of O2 & CO2 in alveoli (millions of tiny,
balloon-shaped air sacs in lungs) is an example
tration systems in areas where the source of wa-
of diffusion.
ter meets drinking water norms of the Bureau of
Indian Standards.

Basics

Solution

• In chemistry, a solution is homogeneous mixture

composed of two or more substances.
• In such a mixture, a solute is a substance dis-
solved in another substance, known as a sol-
vent.
• For example, in salt water, salt is the solute and
water is the solvent.
Diffusion
• Diffusion is a spontaneous movement of a sub-
stance from an area of high concentration to an
area of low concentration.
• In a person suffering from pneumonia, the air
sacs may fill with fluid or pus. This prevents dif-
fusion of O2 & CO2 in alveoli (breathing issues
in Coronavirus patients).
Osmosis
• Water obeys the law of diffusion.
• Osmosis is the passage of water (diffusion of
molecules of a solvent) from a region of low
solute concentration (hypotonic) through a
semi-permeable membrane to a region of
high solute concentration (hypertonic).
• Semi permeable means that the membrane will
allow small molecules and ions to pass through
it but acts as a barrier to larger molecules or dis-
solved substances.

24

• Thus, osmosis is a special case of diffu-
sion through a selectively permeable mem-
brane.
• Unicellular freshwater organisms and most plant
cells tend to gain water through osmosis.
• Absorption of water by plant roots is also an
example of osmosis.
Reverse Osmosis (RO)
• Reverse osmosis (RO) is a water purification
technology that uses a semipermeable mem-
brane to remove larger particles from drinking
water.
• In reverse osmosis, an applied pressure is used
to overcome osmotic pressure so that pure
water flows from a region of high solute con-
centration (hypertonic) through a semi-per-
meable membrane to a region of low solute
concentration (hypotonic).
Note: In NCERT Biology Compilation, I have
given a wrong explanation for both Osmosis
and Reverse Osmosis. What I have given here is
the correct explanation.
Application of Reverse Osmosis (RO)
• RO was originally a technology devised in the
late 1950s to desalinate sea water.
• At present, it is possible to deploy a wide array
of membranes and multiple stages of filters to
filter a wide variety of solutes — arsenic, fluo-
ride, hexavalent chromium, nitrates, bacteria.
• This has led to an industry of home-RO systems
for drinking water.
• To create external pressure, RO relies on a pump
and electric motors.
• It uses “activated carbon” components, such as
charcoal and carbon black that can filter out
contaminants as well as organic substances
such as bacteria (UV light is also used to kill bac-
teria).
• It all depends on the filtering material and the
number of filters that incoming tap water must
pass through.
25
Problem with RO water purifiers
• In making tap water pass through multiple
stages of cleaning, RO systems end up wasting a
lot of water.
• Anywhere between three-five times more water
is wasted by them (high carbon footprint).
• RO system filters out essential micronutrients
such as calcium, zinc, magnesium. Drinking
such water over time could be harmful.
• However, many manufacturers claim to over-
come this challenge by “post-treatment” (added
minerals).
• RO system only reduces Total Dissolved Solids,
ensure water is odourless and has a pH from 6.5-
8.5.
• The National Institute of Virology (NIV) claimed
that most RO methods did not eliminate Hepati-
tis E virus.
• However, a combination of filtration systems can
eliminate most contaminants (more power con-
sumption).
• RO systems reduce the incentive for public-
funded water distribution systems and vast ma-
jority of the country can ill-afford such systems.
• In case of sea water desalinization, deposition of
brine (highly concentrated salt water) along the
shores affects plankton, which is the main food
for small fish species.
How is the quality of piped water in the coun-
try?
• Under the Jal Jeevan Mission, GOI has committed
to provide tap water to the entire country by
2024.
• However, studies show that the existing quality
of piped water is deficient in much of India.
• In Delhi, all tap water samples drawn from vari-
ous places did not comply with the BIS’s require-
ments.
• The case is the same with a lot of other cities.
What is the quality of water globally?
• Countries with a high development index tend to
have good quality tap water.
• Finland, Denmark, Germany, UK have access to
freshwater lakes or glacier melt (clean and min-
eral rich).
• Singapore and Israel rely on extensive recycling
and even making sewage water fit for drinking.
• But for much of the world, access to clean piped
water from the public supply remains a chal-
lenge.
{S&T – Technologies – 20/03} Cyber Physical
Systems (CPS)
IT | PIB | GS3 > Technologies and their applications
in daily life
• Department of Science & Technology has sanc-
tioned funds to IIT Mandi to start a Technology
Innovation Hub (TIH) in its campus.
• DST has sanctioned the funds under its National
Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Sys-
tems.
Cyber Physical Systems (CPS)
• CPS integrates digital elements with physical
objects (e.g. machines, autonomous vehicles)
and data.
• CPS have the capabilities of communication, data
collection & processing, decision making and ac-
tion.
• In CPS, a complex mechanism is controlled or
monitored by computer algorithms.
• CPS is closely associated with technologies like
Al, Internet of Things (loT), Machine Learning
(ML), Deep Learning (DP), Big Data Analytics, Ro-
botics, Cybernetics, Mechatronics, Quantum
Computing, etc.
• Examples of CPS include smart grid, autono-
mous automobile systems, medical
26
 monitoring, industrial control systems, robotics
systems, etc.
National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber
Physical Systems (NM-ICPS)
• Give impetus to advanced research in CPS, Tech-
nology development and higher education in
Science, Technology and Engineering disciplines.
• Place India at par with other advanced countries
and derive several direct and indirect benefits.

• To harness the potential of Cyber-Physical Sys-

tems (CPS) and make India a leading player in
CPS, the Union Cabinet approved the launch of
NM-ICPS in 2018.
• Department of Science & Technology is imple-
menting NM-ICPS since 2018 for a period of five
years.
• NM-ICPS aims to create an integrated and over-
arching National platform to bring convergence
among all stakeholders towards CPS technology {Sci – Diseases – 20/01/13} Coronavirus
development and effective implementations. (2019-nCoV)
• The Mission aims at establishment of 15 num-
IE | TH | IE | TH | TH | TH | TH | IE | 13-01-2020
bers of Technology Innovation Hubs (TIH), six
• Novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) outbreak in Wu-
numbers of Application Innovation Hubs (AIH)
han (capital of Hubei province) has killed close to
and four numbers of Technology Translation
500 people.
Research Parks (TTRP).
• WHO declared 2019-nCoV outbreak a Public
• Technology Innovation Hubs (TIHs) will be the
Health Emergency of International Concern
nodal centres spearheading the activities in a
(PHEIC).
specific domain.
• These Hubs & TTRPs will connect Academics, In- Public Health Emergency of International
dustry, Ministries and State Governments in de- Concern (PHEIC)
veloping solutions in a hub and spoke model.
• The responsibility of declaring an event as an
The mission implementation would develop and
emergency lies with the Director-General of the
bring: WHO.
• International Health Regulations (IHR) of WHO
• Cyber Physical Systems (CPS) and associated
defines a PHEIC as an “extraordinary event” that
technologies within reach in the country.
constitutes a risk to other countries and requires
• Adoption of CPS technologies to address India
a coordinated international response.
specific National/Regional issues.
• A declaration of a PHEIC typically brings greater
• Produce Next Generation skilled manpower in
money and resources but may also prompt for-
CPS.
eign governments to restrict travel and trade to
• Accelerate entrepreneurship and start-up eco-
affected countries.
system development in CPS.
• In 2014, WHO delayed declaring the Ebola epi-
demic in West Africa to be a global emergency

27
 (PHEIC) because it feared the announcement
would anger the countries in the region.
• Till date, WHO has declared a global health
emergency six times.
1. April 2009 for the spreading of H1N1 pan-
demic.
2. May 2014 for the spreading of polio.
3. August 2014 for Ebola outbreaks in west-
ern Africa.
4. February 2016 for Zika outbreaks in the
Americas.
5. July 2019 Ebola outbreak in Congo.
6. January 2020 2019-nCoV outbreak in
China.
International Health Regulations (2005)
• WHO has been working on strengthening health
security through the implementation of the In-
ternational Health Regulations (2005) adopted
by 194 countries.
• The IHR are an international legal instrument
that aim to help the international community
prevent and respond to acute public health risks
that have the potential to cross borders and
threaten people worldwide.
• Countries are legally required to share infor-
mation with WHO under the IHR.
Coronaviruses
Source: CNN & Siencedirect
• Coronaviruses are a specific family of viruses,
with some of them causing less-severe damage,
such as the common cold, and others causing
respiratory and intestinal diseases.
• A coronavirus has many regularly arranged pro-
trusions on its surface, because of which the en-
tire virus particle looks like an emperor’s crown,
hence the name “coronavirus”.
• Apart from human beings, coronaviruses can af-
fect pigs, cattle, cats, camels, some birds, etc.
2019-nCoV
• China shared the whole genome sequence data
with WHO and global researchers.
• However, much still remains to be understood
about the present novel coronavirus (2019-
nCoV).
• Experts have confirmed animal-to-human and
human-to-human transmission of the new
strain.
• Symptoms include dry cough, fever, fatigue,
muscle aches and acute breathing difficulty.
• The incubation period for the virus can last from
10 to 14 days.
• The infection can cause pneumonia, respiratory
distress, kidney failure and in some cases, in
which immunity is weak, even death.
• As of now, there is no vaccine against corona-
virus infection. There is also no cure for the
2019-nCoV.
• According to a new study, 2019-nCoV likely re-
sided in snakes before being transmitted to hu-
mans.
• Comparing the genome of 2019-nCoV with
those of different coronaviruses, the study found
that the new virus formed from a combination of
CoV found in bats, and another of unknown
origin.
28
• It is critical to determine the animal reservoir of
the 2019-nCoV in order to understand the mo-
lecular mechanism of its cross-species spread.
Previous Coronavirus outbreaks
• So far, there are four known disease-causing
coronaviruses, among which the best known are
the SARS corona virus and the Middle East
Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) coronavirus.
• Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) out-
break in China in 2002-03 killed nearly 800 peo-
ple.
• The SARS coronavirus is thought to be an animal
virus from an yet-uncertain animal reservoir, per-
haps bats, that spread to other animals and first
infected humans in the Guangdong province of
China in 2002.
• The MERS coronavirus was passed on from cam-
els to humans in Saudi Arabia in 2012.
Zoonotic infections
• Zoonotic diseases, or those contracted by hu-
mans that originated in other species, account
for a large share of human infectious illnesses.
• The relationship between zoonotic pathogens —
those of animal origin — and global pandemics
is not new.
• The modern pandemics such as HIV/AIDS,
SARS, and H1N1 influenza have one thing in
common: the causal organisms came to humans
from animals.
Why China has emerged as the epicentre of
global zoonotic disease outbreaks?
• Several deadly new viruses in recent years have
emerged in China — Severe Acute Respiratory
Syndrome (SARS), bird flu, and now the novel
coronavirus (nCOV).
• The SARS epidemic began in November 2002 in
China and spread across the world.
• The reason could lie in the busy food markets
dotting cities across the country — where fruits,
vegetables, hairy crabs and butchered meat are
often sold next to bamboo rats, snakes, turtles,
and palm civets.
• Closely packed stalls in busy marketplaces, the
Chinese taste for exotic meats, and the high pop-
ulation density of cities create the conditions for
the spread of zoonotic infections.
Ban on trade in exotic species is essential
• The outbreak of a new virus in China is prompt-
ing renewed calls for enforcement of laws
against the trade in and consumption of exotic
species.
• Not all of Zoonotic diseases come from wildlife
trade — rabies is endemic across many species
and one of the biggest causes of death in the de-
veloping world.
• But mixing species of wild animals increases the
risk of diseases mutating and growing more vir-
ulent as they spread in unregulated markets, ex-
perts say.
Lessons from Kerala (Importance of Decen-
tralization in public health)
Suggested reading: {Bio – Diseases – 19/06/04}
Nipah virus
• The Kerala government dealt effectively with the
Nipah virus outbreak in May 2018.
• Nipah is also zoonotic and made the jump from
fruit bats to humans.
• Though there were 17 deaths in India, effective
quarantine measures by local authorities pre-
vented the spread. It helped that health is a
state subject.
• The State health machinery responded with alac-
rity with many put under observation.
• Kerala was declared Nipah-free after a few
months.
29
• Had the district and State authorities not taken • Truenat takes about 25 minutes to extract the
the initiative and only reported matters to Delhi DNA and another 35 minutes for TB diagnosis.
and awaited instructions while Delhi sent teams • Testing for rifampicin resistance takes an hour
to prepare plans, the outbreak would have taken and is done only if the sample tests positive for
a higher toll. TB.
• The overall sensitivity of the Truenat MTB assay
India needs a better infrastructure and re- is 83% and specificity is 99%.
sponse mechanism • In comparison, Xpert, which is also a molecular
diagnostic test, the sensitivity is 85% and speci-
• Infectious diseases including those of the zoon-
ficity is 98%.
otic variety are on the rise in India.
• Truenat MTB-RIF test for knowing rifampicin re-
• In addition, regions in India suffer from seasonal
sistance has 93% sensitivity and 95% specificity.
outbreaks of dengue, malaria and influenza
• Truenat MTB will be used as an initial test to di-
strains.
agnose TB thus replacing sputum smear mi-
• The nation-wide disease surveillance pro-
croscopy.
gramme needs to be strengthened.
• Sputum smear microscopy (testing mucus for TB
• There is an acute shortage of epidemiologists,
bacteria) has only 50% sensitivity and fails to de-
microbiologists and entomologists which trans-
tect TB when the bacterial load is low.
lates into wasteful delays in diagnostics.
• It is time to put in place a robust public-private
Advantages of Truenat MTB over other di-
partnership model that can transform the health
agnostic tests
sector in the country, covering disease surveil-
lance, diagnostic kit availability and accelerated • Compared with smear microscopy, Truenat had
vaccine development. better ability to diagnose more TB positive cases.
• Instead of smear microscopy, Truenat can be
{Sci – Diseases – 20/01/18} TB diagnostic used as an initial and point-of-care tool for diag-
test Truenat MTB
nosing TB.
• Not much expertise is needed to carry out the
TH | TH | National Health Programme | 18-01-2020 |
test using Truenat.
GS3 > Applications of S&T in everyday life | GS2 >
• While Xpert needs electricity supply and air-con-
Issues related to health sector | Basics: {Bio – Dis-
ditioning, Truenat is battery operated and porta-
eases – 19/08/16} New Tuberculosis Drug Preto-
ble.
manid
• Tuenat takes an hour to diagnose rifampicin re-
• Truenat is a molecular diagnostic test (MTB – ala-
sistance while Xpert takes two hours to complete
lysing individual's genetic code) to diagnose pul-
the TB diagnosis and test for rifampicin re-
monary and extrapulmonary TB (TB in organs
sistance.
other than lungs).
• Truenat is cost effective as it will test for rifam-
• It can also be used to diagnose rifampicin-re-
picin resistance only after detecting TB. This is
sistant TB.
unlike Xpert where both TB diagnosis and rifam-
• WHO had mentioned that the India-made
picin resistance test are done at one go.
Truenat MTB has high diagnostic accuracy.

30
The goal to end TB by 2025
• Revised National TB Control Programme was re-
named as the National TB Elimination Pro-
gramme (NTEP).
• The change in name is in line with the larger goal
of eliminating the disease by 2025, five years
ahead of the Sustainable Development Goals tar-
get.
• NTEP got a much needed boost with the WHO
stating that TrueNat MTB has high diagnostic ac-
curacy.
• As a first step, TrueNat MTB will be available at
community health centres and would slowly be
extended to primary health centres across the
country.
• There are 5,500-6,000 community health centres
and about 25,000 PHCs.
• The states will be procuring the diagnostic ma-
chine directly from the Goa-based manufacturer.
National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP)
• 1962: The National TB Programme (NTP) was
launched by GOI with BCG vaccination at the
district level.
• 1993: WHO declared TB as a global emergency
and devised the directly observed treatment
(DOTS).
• 1993: GOI revitalized NTP as Revised National TB
Control Programme (RNTCP).
• 1997: DOTS was launched as the RNTCP strategy.
By 2006 the entire country was covered under
RNTCP.
• In its second phase (2006–11), RNTCP improved
the quality and reach of services.
• Despite the measures, undiagnosed and mis-
treated cases continued to drive the TB epidemic.
• A large number of MDR-TB cases were reported
every year.
• To address this, National Strategic Plan for Tu-
berculosis Control 2012-2017 was documented
with the goal of ‘universal access to quality TB
diagnosis and treatment’.
• Significant interventions were taken during NSP
2012-2017 in terms of mandatory notification
of all TB cases, integration of the programme
with the National Health Mission, etc.
• To eliminate TB in India by 2025, National
Strategic Plan for Tuberculosis Elimination
2017-2025 involving all the stakeholders was
formulated by RNTCP.
• On 01-01-2020, RNTCP was renamed as Na-
tional TB Elimination Programme (NTEP).
National strategic plan for tuberculosis elimina-
tion (NSP) 2017-2025 (NSP)
• TB elimination has been integrated into the four
strategic pillars of “Detect – Treat – Prevent –
Build” (DTPB).
Detect
• Early diagnosis and treatment of TB is an im-
portant step in TB elimination.
• The objective of NSP was to find all drug sensi-
tive TB cases (DS-TB) and drug resistant TB cases
(DRTB).
• To facilitate TB notification, RNTCP has devel-
oped a TB surveillance system called “NIKSHAY”
(https://nikshay.gov.in) for both government and
private health care facilities.
• For TB diagnosis more than 14,000 designated
microscopy centres spread across the country.
• Cartridge Based Nucleic Acid Amplification
Tests (CBNAAT) / Line Probe Assay (LPA) have
been established at district levels for decentral-
ised molecular testing for drug resistant TB.
• From 2020, GOI will be using Truenat test as a
part of early stage diagnosis.
Treat
31
• Screening of all patients for rifampicin re-
sistance (and for additional drugs wherever in-
dicated) is done.
• For drug sensitive TB, daily fixed dose combina-
tions (FDCs) of first-line anti-tuberculosis drugs
are given.
• First line treatment of drug-sensitive TB consists
of a
1. two-months intensive phase with four drug
FDCs (Isoniazid (INH), Rifampicin, Pyra-
zinamide and Ethambutol (HRZE)) fol-
lowed by a
2. continuation phase of four months with three
drug FDCs (Rifampicin, Isoniazid, and Eth-
ambutol (HRE)).
• For previously treated cases of TB, the intensive
Phase is of three months, where
1. injection streptomycin is given for two
months along with four drugs (HRZE) and
2. then four drugs (HRZE) are continued for an-
other month.
3. In continuation phase Rifampicin, INH, and
Ethambutol are continued for another five
months.
Prevent
• Isoniazid Preventive Therapy (IPT) is given to
Children who are close contacts of a TB patient.
• BCG vaccination is provided at birth or as early
as possible till one year of age.
• BCG vaccine has a protective effect against men-
ingitis and disseminated TB in children.
Build
• Health system strengthening for TB control un-
der the NSP 2017-2025 is recommended in the
form of building and strengthening enabling
policies, empowering institutions and human re-
sources.
Must Read: {Bio – Diseases – 19/08/16} New Tu-
berculosis Drug Pretomanid
{Sci – Diseases – 20/07/07} Bubonic Plague
TP | DTE | GS2 > Health issues
• Context: The Marmots have come into focus
ever since reports surfaced of a bubonic plague
outbreak in Mongolia, China & the Russian Far
East.
• Marmots are large squirrels noted for their
teeth.
What is Plague?
• Plague is an infectious disease that affects ro-
dents, certain other animals, & humans.
• It is caused by the Yersinia pestis bacteria ― a
zoonotic bacterium.
• It is usually found in small mammals & their
fleas.
• The disease is transmitted between animals via
their fleas.
• It can also transmit from animals to humans.
• Plague can be a very severe disease in people,
with a case–fatality ratio of 30% – 100% if left
untreated.
How do people become infected with plague?
• People most commonly acquire plague when
they are bitten by a flea that is infected with
the bacteria.
• People can also become infected from direct
contact with infected tissues or fluids while han-
dling an animal that is sick with or that has died
from plague.
• People can become infected from inhaling res-
piratory droplets after close contact with cats &
humans with pneumonic plague.
What are the Different forms of Plague?
Bubonic plague
32
• Patients develop sudden onset of fever, head- Zoonotic Disease
ache, chills, & weakness & one or more swollen
• Zoonotic diseases (also known as zoonoses)
lymph nodes.
are caused by germs that spread between ani-
• This form is usually the result of an infected flea
mals & people.
bite.
• A zoonosis is any disease or infection that is nat-
• The bacteria multiply in the lymph node clos-
urally transmissible from vertebrate animals to
est to where the bacteria entered the human
humans.
body.
• Animals thus play an essential role in maintain-
• If the patient is not treated with appropriate an-
ing zoonotic infections in nature.
tibiotics, the bacteria can spread to other parts
• Zoonoses may be bacterial, viral, or parasitic,
of the body.
or may involve unconventional agents.
Septicemic plague

• Skin & other tissues may turn black & die, espe-
cially on fingers, toes, & the nose.
• Septicemic plague can occur as the first symp-
toms of plague, or may develop from untreated
bubonic plague.
• This form results from bites of infected fleas or
from handling an infected animal.
Source & Credits
Pneumonic plague
{Sci – In News – 20/01/25} Archaea
• Patients develop fever & a rapidly developing
pneumonia with shortness of breath, chest pain,
IE | 25-01-2020 | In News Topic for Prelims
cough, & sometimes bloody or watery mucous.
• Scientists from Pune have reported a new ar-
• Pneumonic plague may develop from inhaling
chaeon (a kind of microorganism), which they
infectious droplets or from untreated bubonic or
discovered in Sambhar Salt Lake in Rajasthan.
septicemic plague that spreads to the lungs.
• Archaea (singular archaeon) are a primitive
• Pneumonic plague is the most serious form of
group of microorganisms that thrive in extreme
the disease & is the only form of plague that can
habitats such as hot springs, cold deserts and
be spread from person to person (by infectious
hypersaline lakes.
droplets).
• These slow-growing organisms are also present
in the human gut and have a potential relation-
ship with human health.
• They are known for producing antimicrobial mol-
ecules, and for anti-oxidant activity with applica-
tions in eco-friendly waste-water treatment.

{Sci – In News – 20/02} India develops new

vaccine to control classical swine fever
Source & Credits

33
Source | In News Topic for Prelims | Agri > Animal
Rearing > Pork Industry
• The Indian Institute of Veterinary Research (IVRI)
of ICAR has developed a new vaccine to control
swine fever.
• India currently requires 22 million doses of the
CSF (Classical Swine Fever) vaccine every year.
• However, currently, only 1.2 million doses are be-
ing produced.
• The reason behind its less production is that only
50 doses can be prepared from the spleen of a
rabbit.
About the new vaccine
• The vaccine is a live attenuated CSF cell culture
vaccine.
• The indigenously developed vaccine will help in
saving rabbits as the currently used vaccine
(lapinized CSF vaccine) is produced by sacrificing
large numbers of rabbits.
• Besides, the new vaccine gives immunity for two
years as compared to 3 to 6 months protection
under the currently used vaccines.
• The new vaccine will be a part of the govern-
ment's One Health Initiative.
What is Classical Swine Fever (CSF)?
• Classical swine fever (CSF) is a contagious viral
disease in domestic (pig) and wild swine (Wild
boar).
• Although there is no health risk to humans, it is
highly transmissible among swine (pigs).
• As per 2019 census, the country's pig population
declined to 9.06 million from 11.13 million in
2007.
{Sci – In News – 20/02} Kerala bans CFL and
filament bulbs from Nov 2020
IE | General Science for Prelims
• Kerala will impose a ban on the sale of CFL and
incandescent bulbs starting from November
2020.
Tungsten Lamp or incandescent light bulb
• In an incandescent light bulb, a wire filament
(tungsten) is heated to a high temperature by
passing an electric current through it until it
glows with visible light.
• The hot filament is protected from oxidation with
a glass or quartz bulb that is filled with inert gas.
Why tungsten?
• Pure tungsten has very high melting point
(3400 °C) (An electric current can heat the fila-
ment around 2000-3000 °C, which stays below
the melting point of tungsten).
• It has very low vapor pressure, and greatest ten-
sile strength out of all the metals.
CFL
• Compact fluorescent lamp is a fluorescent lamp
designed to replace tungsten lamp.
• Compared to incandescent lamps, CFLs are
highly energy efficient.
• Like all fluorescent lamps, CFLs contain toxic
mercury.
Fluorescent lighting
• A fluorescent lamp is a low pressure mercury-va-
por gas-discharge lamp.
• Electrons that are bound to mercury atoms are
excited to states where they will radiate ultravio-
let light as they return to a lower energy level.
• This emitted ultraviolet light is converted into
visible light as it strikes the fluorescent coating
on the bulb (phosphor coating).
LED lamp
34
• An LED lamp is a light-emitting diode (LED)
product which is assembled into a lamp.
• LED lamps have a lifespan and electrical effi-
ciency which are several times longer than incan-
descent lamps, and significantly more efficient
than most fluorescent lamps.
Light-emitting diode (LED)
• It is a p–n junction diode, which emits light
when activated.
• When a suitable voltage is applied to the leads,
electrons are able to recombine with electron
holes within the device, releasing energy in the
form of photons.
• This effect is called electroluminescence, and
the color of the light corresponds to the energy

• A light-emitting diode (LED) is a two-lead semi- of the photon.

conductor light source.

Comparison: LEDs – Incandescent Light Bulbs – CFLs

Type

Light Emitting Di-

odes (LEDs) Compact Fluorescents
In-
(CFLs)
candescent
Light Bulbs
Life Span (average) 40X 7.5 X X
Power consumption 7 watts (X) 14 watts (2X) 60 watts (9X)
Brightness in lumens 600 540 800
Annual Operating Cost X 2X 10X
Contains TOXIC Mercury No Yes No
CO2 Emissions due to power consumption X 2X 10X
Heat output Low Medium High
Heat sensitive No Yes Yes
Moisture sensitive No Yes Yes

• He was the first Indian to receive Nobel Prize

{Sci – In News – 20/02} National Science Day in any branch of science.
(NSD)
• This year, the theme for National Science Day
2020 is "Women in Science", which aims to ap-
PIB | General Science for Prelims
preciate the contribution of women in the field
• 28th February is celebrated as National Science
of science.
Day (NSD) in India.
• NSD is celebrated to commemorate discovery of
What is Raman Effect?
the 'Raman Effect' by Sir C.V. Raman
• Sir C.V. Raman won the 1930 Nobel Prize in Phys- • It is a phenomenon in spectroscopy (study of in-
ics for his works in the field of light scattering. teraction between matter and electromagnetic

35
 radiation) discovered by Sir Chandrasekhara
Venkata Raman in 1928.
• Raman Effect is a change in the wavelength of
light that occurs when a light beam is deflected
by molecules.
• When a beam of light traverses a dust-free,
transparent sample of a chemical compound, a
small fraction of the light emerges in directions
other than that of the incident beam.
• Most of this scattered light is of unchanged
wavelength (color) (Rayleigh scattered light).
• A small part, however, has wavelengths (color)
different from that of the incident light.
• In this case, energy from the light particle is
transferred to the molecules in the material
and the remaining energy is emitted as scattered
light. This interaction process is known as the Ra-
man effect.
• Raman spectroscopy can be used in applications
requiring microscopic chemical analysis & imag-
ing.
• One simple example is that the Raman spectros-
copy can be used for measuring fat content in
milk.
{Sci – In News – 20/02} Sophisticated Ana-
lytical & Technical Help Institutes
TOI | In News topics for Prelims
• The Department of Science & Technology
(DST) has launched a scheme called "Sophisti-
cated Analytical & Technical Help Institutes
(SATHI)".
• SATHI offers shared, professionally managed and
strong S&T infrastructure which is readily acces-
sible to academia, start-ups, manufacturing, in-
dustry and R&D labs.
• DST has set up three such centres in the country,
one each at IIT Kharagpur, IIT Delhi and BHU.
• These Centres are expected to house instru-
ments to provide common services of high-end
analytical testing, thus avoiding duplication and
reduced dependency on foreign sources.
Objectives of SATHI
• To address the issues of accessibility, mainte-
nance, redundancy and duplication of expensive
equipment in the institutions.
• This will also foster a strong culture of collabora-
tion between institutions and across disciplines
to take advantage of developments, innovations
and expertise in diverse areas.
{Sci – In News – 20/03} COVID-19 National
Teleconsultation Centre (CoNTeC)
PIB | In news topic for prelims
• CoNTeC: COVID-19 National Teleconsultation
Centre.
• CoNTeC, conceptualised by the Ministry of
Health, is being implemented by the AIIMS, New
Delhi.
• The CoNTeC is a Telemedicine Hub wherein ex-
pert doctors from various clinical domains will be
available 24x7 to answer the multifaceted ques-
tions from specialists from all over the country.
• It is a multi-modal telecommunications hub
through which 2-way audio-video and text com-
munications can be undertaken from any part of
the country as well as the world at large.
{Sci – In News – 20/03} RaIDer-X
PIB | In news topics for prelims
• DRDO & the Indian Institute of Science, Banga-
lore have developed a bomb detection device
called Raider-X.
• RaIDer-X can detect up to 20 explosives from a
stand-off distance of two meters.
• It can also discern bulk explosives even if they
have been concealed.
36
• RaIDer-X can also thwart the threat from home-
made explosives made from ingredients like pet-
rol.
• The device has various applications including
narcotics, for local police, for customs and other
detection agencies who need to detect various
elements which may be explosive or non-explo-
sive in nature.
{Sci – In News – 20/07/04} G4 Flu Virus
IE | In News Topic for Prelims
• Context: The G4 flu virus with ‘Pandemic Po-
tential’, found by researchers in China.
About G4 Flu Virus
• Scientists report that the new strain (G4) has
descended from the H1N1 strain of influenza
that was responsible for the 2009 swine flu
pandemic.
• It is infecting Chinese pigs & has the potential of
triggering a pandemic.
• G4 swine flu strain has genes similar to those in
the virus that caused the 2009 swine flu pan-
demic.
• It can grow & multiply in the cells that line the
human airways.
• The G4 strain has the capability of binding to hu-
man–type receptors (like, the SARS–CoV–2 vi-
rus binds to ACE2 receptors in humans)
• It is able to copy itself in human airway epithelial
cells, & it showed effective infectivity & aerosol
transmission.
• Pigs are intermediate hosts for the generation of
pandemic influenza virus.
What is the difference between Pandemic &
Epidemic?
• It cannot be said if this new strain, if transmitted
from pigs to humans, can transmit among hu-
mans.
• An epidemic is defined as “an outbreak of dis-
ease that spreads quickly and affects many in-
dividuals at the same time."
• A pandemic is a type of epidemic, an outbreak
that occurs over a wide geographic area and af-
fects a high proportion of the population.
• However, there is no clear line distinguishing an
epidemic from a pandemic.
The 2009 Swine Flu Pandemic
• The US Centres for Disease Control & Prevention
(CDC) defines swine flu as, “a respiratory dis-
ease of pigs caused by type A influenza vi-
ruses” that regularly cause outbreaks of influ-
enza in pigs.
• Influenza viruses that commonly circulate in
swine are called “swine influenza viruses” or
“swine flu viruses”.
• Like human influenza viruses, there are different
sub–types & strains of swine influenza viruses.
• While humans typically do not get infected by
such a virus that circulates among pigs, when
they do, it is called “variant influenza virus”.
• Human–to–human transmission among vari-
ant influenza viruses is limited.
• Most commonly, humans may get infected by
such viruses due to exposure from infected
pigs.
• The 2009 pandemic was caused by a strain of the
Swine Flu called the H1N1 virus, which was
transmitted from human to human.
• The symptoms of swine flu include fever, cough,
sore throat, body aches, headaches, chills & fa-
tigue.
37

Link: Source & Credits
{Sci – In News – 20/07/16} Human Growth
Hormone
IE | GS3 > Health
• Context: Commonwealth Games silver medallist
& reigning national champion weightlifter has
tested positive for Human Growth Hormone
(HGH).
What is Human Growth Hormone?
• Human Growth Hormone (HGH), produced by
the pituitary gland, spurs growth in children &
adolescents.
• It also helps to regulate body composition, body
fluids, muscle & bone growth, sugar & fat me-
tabolism, & possibly heart function.
• Produced synthetically, HGH is the active ingre-
dient in a number of prescription drugs.
• Some people turn to a substance called human
growth hormone (HGH) in hopes that it will keep
them feeling & looking youthful.
About WADA
• The World Anti–Doping Agency is a foundation
initiated by the International Olympic Commit-
tee based in Canada to promote, coordinate &
monitor the fight against drugs in sports.
• Headquarters: Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
About NADA
• The National Anti–Doping Agency (NADA) is
the national organisation responsible for pro-
moting, coordinating, & monitoring the doping
control program in sports in all its forms in India.
• NADA is formed by the Union Government un-
der the societies Registration Act.
• NADA includes scientists & representatives from
the Indian Olympic Association (IOA).
{Sci – Space – 20/01/08} LIGO team detects
second merger of two neutron stars
TH | 08-01-2020 | GS3 > Awareness in the field of
Space
• Gravitational wave signals detected by the LIGO
detector at Livingstone in April 2019, are likely
due to the collision of two neutron stars at a dis-
tance of 520 million light years away.
• The signal was detected by only one of three ac-
tive detectors in the world.
• The LIGO system consists of detectors at Han-
ford, Washington and Livingstone, Louisiana.
• At the time of detection by LIGO detector at Liv-
ingstone, the detector at Hanford was offline.
• The the signal received by European Virgo detec-
tor was not above the detection threshold. This
38
 is because the detector has a lower sensitivity
than the LIGO detectors.
Gravitational waves
• Gravitational waves are 'ripples' in the fabric
of space-time caused by some of the most vio-
lent and energetic processes in the Universe.
(Spacetime:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sryrZwYguR
Q)
• These ripples travel at the speed of light
through the Universe, carrying with them infor-
mation about their origins.
• Albert Einstein predicted the existence of grav-
itational waves in 1916 in his general theory of
relativity.
• He observed that massive accelerating objects
(such as neutron stars or black holes orbiting
each other) would disrupt space-time in such a
way that 'waves' of distorted space would radiate
from the source (like the movement of waves
away from a stone thrown into a pond).
• In 2015, LIGO (The Laser Interferometer Gravita-
tional-Wave Observatory, USA) physically sensed
the distortions in spacetime caused by passing
gravitational waves generated by two colliding
black holes nearly 1.3 billion light-years away!
Gravitational waves (NASA)
• While the processes that generate gravitational
waves can be extremely violent and destructive,
by the time the waves reach Earth, they are bil-
lions of times smaller.
Einstein’s theory of general relativity
• In 1905, Albert Einstein determined that the
laws of physics are the same for all non-ac-
celerating observers and that the speed of
light in a vacuum was independent of the
motion of all observers.
• As a result, he found that space and time
were interwoven into a single continuum
known as space-time.
• Events that occur at the same time for one
observer could occur at different times for
another. This was the theory of special rela-
tivity.
• In 1915, Einstein published his theory of gen-
eral relativity. In it, he determined that mas-
sive objects distort space-time, which is felt
as gravity.
• Gravitational lensing and gravitational
waves are strong evidence for Einstein’s the-
ory of general relativity.
Gravitational lensing
• Light around a massive object, such as a
black hole, is bent, causing it to act as a
lens for the things that lie behind it.
Source: space.com
Importance of gravitational waves
• The gravitational waves can work as sirens to
measure the expansion rate of the universe
and to understand the origin and the future of
the universe.
{Sci – Space – 20/01/10} Goldilocks zone
(planet in habitable zone)
TH | IE | 10-01-2020 | In news topic for prelims
• NASA researchers have discovered an Earth-
sized planet that lies in its star’s habitable zone.
• A habitable zone, also called the “Goldilocks
zone”, is the area around a star where it is not
39
 too hot and not too cold for liquid water to exist
on the surface of surrounding planets.
• The planet was discovered using NASA’s Trans-
iting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), the
first Earth-sized planet that has been discovered
since the satellite was launched in April 2018.
{Sci – Space – 20/05} Luhman 16: Binary
Brown Dwarf System
TH | GS3 > Awareness in the filed of Space | Basics:
Star Formation
• A group of astrophysicists have found that
the closest known brown dwarf, Luhman 16A,
shows signs of cloud bands similar to those seen
on Jupiter and Saturn.
• They used the technique of polarimetry to
study atmospheric clouds outside of the solar
system.
Polarimetry
• The concept of polarimetry technique was put
forth by Indian astrophysicist Sujan Sengupta.
• Polarimetry is the study of polarization.
• Polarization is a property of light that represents
the direction that the light wave oscillates.
• The light emitted by a brown dwarf, or reflected
off an extrasolar planet, will be polarised at a cer-
tain angle.
• By measuring the polarization angle of
light from a distant system, the presence of
clouds can be predicted.
• In case of Luhman 16A, the researchers were able
to find the actual structure of the clouds also.
• Understanding the cloud system over a brown
dwarf can shed light on the pressure, tempera-
ture, and climate on the surface of the celestial
body.
Luhman 16
• Luhman 16A is part of a binary system (Luhman
16) containing a second brown dwarf, Luhman
16B.
• This pair of brown dwarfs Luhman 16A and Luh-
man 16B orbit each other.
• It is situated at a distance of about 6.5 light
years from the Sun and the third closest system
to the Sun after Alpha Centauri and Barnard’s
star.
Brown Dwarfs
• Brown dwarfs are also called failed stars be-
cause their masses are heavier than planets but
lighter than stars.
• Due to their small masses, they are unable
to sustain fusion of their hydrogen to produce
energy.
• It is believed that some of the more massive
brown dwarfs fuse deuterium or lithium and
glow faintly.
Red dwarf
• The faintest (less than 1/1000th the brightness
of the Sun) main sequence stars are called
the red dwarfs.
• Because of their low luminosity, they are not vis-
ible to the naked eye.
• They are quite small compared to the sun and
have a surface temperature of about 4000 C.
• Proxima Centauri, the nearest star to the Sun,
is a red dwarf.
Binary Stars System
• Binary stars are two stars orbiting a common
center of mass.
• The brighter star is officially classified as the pri-
mary star, while the dimmer of the two is the sec-
ondary star.
• They are important in astrophysics because cal-
culations of their orbits allow the masses of their
40
 component stars to be directly deter-
mined, which in turn allows other stellar param-
eters to be indirectly estimated.
What are the closest stars to the Sun?
• Alpha Centauri is the third brightest star in the
sky (4.37 light-years away).
• Alpha Centauri is not one star, it is a system of
three stars ― Alpha Centauri A & B and Proxima
Centauri.
• Alpha Centauri A and Alpha Centauri B are a bi-
nary pair, orbiting a common centre of gravity.
• Alpha Centauri A is a little more massive than the
Sun, & Alpha Centauri B is slightly less massive.
• Proxima Centauri is the faint red dwarf
star, and it is the closest star to our Sun (4.24
light-years away).
• Proxima Centauri has been the nearest star for
about 32,000 years.
• After 33,000 years from now, the nearest star will
be Ross 248.
• Alpha Centauri is only visible in the Southern
Hemisphere.
• In the Northern Hemisphere, the closest visible
star is Barnard’s Star, another red dwarf which
is too dim just like Proxima Centauri to see with
the unaided eye.
• The closest star that you can see with the naked
eye in the Northern Hemisphere is Sirius (Dog
Star).
• Sirius is the second brightest star when viewed
from the earth, the brightest being the sun.
Closest Stars
1. Proxima Centauri (Alpha Centauri system
– 4.2 light years)
2. Barnard’s Star – 5.9 light years
3. Luhman 16 – 6.5 light years
Brightest Stars from Earth
1. Sun
2. Sirius
3. Alpha Centauri
{Sci – Space – 20/06} Potentially Hazardous
Asteroid (PHA)
IE | GS3 > Awareness in the fields of Space | Down-
load “Solar System PDF” | Read Online on
Pmfias.com
Context
• NASA has announced that an asteroid named
2002 NN4 is expected to pass Earth on 6th June
2020.
• The asteroid is a Near-Earth Object and classi-
fied as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid
(PHA).
• The asteroid is estimated to be between 250-570
meters in diameter.
Near-Earth Objects (NEOs)
• NEOs are comets and asteroids whose orbits
are brought close to the earth’s neighbourhood
by the gravitational influence of the nearby plan-
ets.
Asteroids
• Asteroids are remnants of planetary formation
that circle the Sun in a zone lying between Mars
& Jupiter.
• The circular chain of asteroids between Mars and
Jupiter is called the asteroid belt.
41
• Asteroids (planetoids) are composed mainly of
refractory rocky and metallic minerals, with some
ice.
• Asteroids range in size from hundreds of kilome-
tres across to microscopic.
• Ceres (2.77 AU) is the largest asteroid (946 km
in diameter), a protoplanet, and a dwarf planet.
Comets
• A comet is an icy small Solar System body that,
when passing close to the Sun, heats up due to
the effects of solar radiation and the solar wind
upon the nucleus and begins to outgas, display-
ing a visible atmosphere or coma, and some-
times also a tail.
• Comets have highly elliptical orbits, unlike the
planets which have near-circular orbits.
• They are made of frozen gases (water, NH3, CH4,
CO2) which hold together rocky and metallic
minerals.
• Short-period comets (orbital period of a few
hundred years) originate in the Kuiper belt or its
associated scattered disc, which lie beyond the
orbit of Neptune.
• Longer period comets, with orbits of thousands
of years, come from the more distant Oort
Cloud.
Halley’s Comet
• One of the larger comets is the Halley’s Comet.
• The orbit of Halley’s Comet brings it close to the
Earth every 76 years ― short-period comet.
• It last visited in 1986 and is projected to return in
2061.
Kuiper belt
• The Kuiper belt is a great ring of debris similar to
the asteroid belt but consisting mainly of objects
composed primarily of ice.
• It extends between 30 and 50 AU from the Sun.
Oort Cloud
• Oort cloud is a giant shell of icy bodies that en-
circle the solar system occupying space at a dis-
tance between 5,000 and 100,000 AU.
Distance from Sun (NASA / JPL-Caltech, via Wiki-
media Commons)
Potentially Hazardous Objects (PHO)
• They are NEOs (asteroids or comets) that come
threateningly close to Earth and large enough to
cause significant regional damage in the event of
impact.
• All asteroids with a Minimum Orbit Intersection
Distance (MOID) of 0.05 AU (7,480,000 km) or
less are considered Potentially Hazardous Aster-
oids (PHAs).
• MOID is the minimum distance between two al-
most overlapping elliptical orbits.
• NASA tracks and characterizes NEOs that are 140
meter or larger in size.
• However, no asteroid larger than 140 m has a
“significant” chance of hitting the Earth for the
next 100 years.
Meteoroid, Meteor and Meteorite
42
• A meteoroid is any solid debris originating from
asteroids, comets or other celestial object and
floats through interplanetary space.
• A meteor is the streak of light that appears in the
sky when a meteoroid enters the atmosphere
(mesosphere) at about 200 km at high speed
and burns up because of the friction.
• In some cases, the meteoroid does not burn up
completely and makes its way to the Earth’s
surface.
• The surviving chunk is called a meteorite.
• The depression created on the earth’s surface af-
ter the meteorite’s impact is called as a meteor-
ite crater.
Chicxulub crater
• Chicxulub crater (Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula)
was caused by a meteorite impact that is be-
th
lieved to have wiped out the dinosaurs (5
mass extinction at the end of the Cretaceous 65
million years ago).
The devastation potential of a 10 km asteroid
(meteorite)
• An asteroid roughly 10 km across and travelling
at a speed of 20 km/s hit Earth about 65 million
years ago.
• This impact made a huge explosion and a crater
about 180 km across (E = mc2 ➔ more speed =
more energy).
• Debris layer in the atmosphere blocked sunlight
for months and led to impact winters that lasted
for years, leading to the extinction of roughly 3/4
of species that existed at that time, including the
dinosaurs.
• Tiny mammals that lived in burrows survived.
Hence mammals replaced giant reptiles after the
impact.
• Many asteroids of this type cross Earth's orbit
every now and then.
• Some of these could potentially hit Earth in the
future.
Related: {Sci – Space – 19/12/03} Asteroid Impact
Deflection Assessment (AIDA)
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