Mana La Excellence

S&T Current Affairs Gist

Jan 2023- Dec 2023

Part 4/4
81. Nuclear Fusion

US Scientists achieve net energy gain from nuclear fusion reaction for second time;
fusion is a process where two atomic nuclei combine to create a single, heavier
nucleus; The same fusion reaction powers the sun and stars; Potential - produces
unlimited, clean energy without the issues associated with radioactive waste or the
risk of meltdowns.
82. New Space Port of India

India is establishing a new spaceport in Kulasekarapattinam, Tamil Nadu; Purpose- to

launch Small Satellite Launch Vehicles (SSLV); The spaceport will be open for use by
Non-Government Entities (NGEs) in accordance with technical and safety requirements
outlined in the Indian Space Policy 2023; The Indian government has created the
Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe) to serve as a
single-window agency for facilitating and authorizing the space activities of NGEs;
It helps in avoiding Dog Leg Maneuverer (a sharp
turn or bend in a satellite's launch trajectory to
avoid collisions or debris from falling into
populated areas) over SriLanka and can directly
place the Satellites into Polar Orbit.
83. BPaL Regimen

BPaL is a novel treatment for drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB) using three drugs:
bedaquiline, pretomanid, and linezolid; Unlike traditional DR-TB treatments lasting 18
months, BPaL is a shorter regimen, spanning just 26 weeks; BPaL specifically targets
drug-resistant tuberculosis, especially for patients with pre-XDR TB or those
unresponsive to multidrug-resistant (MDR) pulmonary TB treatment; India conducts a
randomized phase-3/4 trial with 400 participants across eight locations to evaluate
BPaL's effectiveness.
84. Vector Borne Diseases

Vector-borne diseases are caused by pathogens transmitted to humans by vectors like

mosquitoes, ticks, and fleas; Common vector-borne diseases include Malaria, Dengue,
Chikungunya, Yellow fever, Zika Virus, Lyme disease, West Nile virus, Rocky Mountain
spotted fever, Chagas disease, and Leishmaniasis; The National Vector Borne Disease
Control Programme (NVBDCP) is a centrally sponsored scheme by the Government of
India (2003). Objective- to prevent and control six major vector-borne diseases- Malaria,
Dengue, Chikungunya, Japanese Encephalitis, Kala-azar, and Lymphatic Filariasis.
85. Attoseconds
Three scientists were awarded the 2023 Nobel Prize in Physics for their experimental
methods in generating attosecond pulses; An attosecond is one-billionth of a
nanosecond. Attosecond physics provides a way to directly observe the ultra-fast
dynamics of electrons, allowing a deeper understanding of electron-governed
mechanisms. In medical diagnostics, attosecond pulses can be employed to detect
specific molecules based on their fleeting signatures, demonstrating potential
applications beyond fundamental research; Attosecond lasers have many applications,
including: Tracking chemical reactions; Controlling chemical reactions, Imaging
ultrafast processes, Developing materials, Developing ultrafast electronics, Drug
discovery.
86. Quantum Dots

Quantum dots (QDs) are nano materials with size-dependent properties; Composed of
substances like cadmium selenide; Applications- displays, medical imaging, solar cells,
LED lighting, quantum computing, and cancer detection. Concerns - toxicity (cadmium),
environmental impact, health risks, manufacturing challenges, privacy issues, and
evolving regulatory oversight.
87. XPoSAT

India's first dedicated polarimetry mission for studying bright astronomical X-ray
sources. Carries two payloads: POLIX (Polarimeter) and XSPECT (Spectroscopy and
Timing). Will be launched using PSLV; Planned lifetime of approximately 5 years.
POLIX expected to observe about 40 bright astronomical sources. Applications:
Observes various sources like X-ray pulsars, black hole binaries, low-magnetic field
neutron stars, AGNs, and Magnetars.
88. NISAR Launch in 2024

Jointly developed by NASA and ISRO, NISAR (NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar) is
an Earth-observation satellite; Aims to study Earth's dynamic land and ice surfaces in
detail; Developed by Jet Propulsion Laboratories and ISRO, featuring L-Band and S-
Band SAR payloads; NASA provides L-Band SAR, engineering payloads, and shared
components; Applications- geosciences phenomena, characterize carbon emissions,
monitor Earth changes, and track coastal and sea variations.
89. Functional Foods

products that offer health benefits beyond basic nutrition, often containing added
ingredients with specific physiological functions, promoting well-being and reducing the
risk of chronic diseases when consumed as part of a balanced diet; Functional foods
may include Conventional foods such as grains, fruits, vegetables and nuts, and
modified foods such as yogurt, cereals and orange juice; They offer health benefits,
aiding disease prevention and promoting well-being. For farmers, functional foods
present an income-boosting opportunity, contributing to food security.
90. Wolbachia Bacteria

Special mosquitoes being bred to fight dengue; Wolbachia, occurring in many insects,
spiders, and nematodes, has disease control properties; Wolbachia has shown the ability
to reduce the multiplication rate of viruses like chikungunya and yellow fever in
mosquitoes; Cross-breeding local Aedes aegypti mosquitoes (disease carriers) with
Wolbachia-carrying mosquitoes from Australia's Monash University- Successfully
implemented during a dengue outbreak in Australia's Queensland. Wolbachia competes
with viruses in Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, hindering virus reproduction. Reduces the
likelihood of mosquitoes transmitting diseases like dengue, Zika, chikungunya, and yellow
fever.
91. Deep Ocean Mission

Deep Ocean Mission (DOM): Led by the Ministry of Earth Sciences, DOM aims to
explore the largely uncharted deep ocean for scientific and economic gains;
Samudrayaan - Flagship mission targeting 6,000 meters depth in the Central Indian
Ocean. Matsya6000: Deep-ocean submersible constructed from a titanium alloy to
withstand pressures of up to 6,000 bar. Varaha: Deep-ocean mining system with
successful trials at 5,270 meters in the central Indian Ocean; The 'Decade of Ocean
Science' (2021-2030) declared by the United Nations aligns with the mission.
92. AI Safety Summit

World’s first-ever AI Safety Summit was held at Bletchley Park in Buckinghamshire near
London (United Kingdom); 27 Countries including India participated; Agreed on
Bletchley Declaration- establishing shared agreement and responsibility on the risks,
opportunities and a forward process for international collaboration on frontier AI
safety and research.
93. Multimodal AI

Processes multiple data types simultaneously such as text, images, video, etc for
comprehensive understanding; Applications in image captioning, virtual assistants, etc;
Relies on deep learning; Integrates computer vision, NLP, and speech recognition;
Enables more natural communication; Challenges - data heterogeneity and model
scalability, etc.
94. Wifi7 Technology

Wi-Fi 7 is the next-generation Wi-Fi standard to be launched; Based on IEEE 802.11be

— extremely high throughput (EHT); Characteristics- Offers faster speeds and
increased capacity, Operates on the 6 GHz frequency band, Supports multi-user
multiple input, multiple output (MU-MIMO) technology, Enhances performance in
crowded environments, Enables low-latency, high-bandwidth applications, Expected
to facilitate advancements in IoT, AR/VR, and streaming; Complements 5G
connectivity for seamless wireless experiences.
95. Epigenetics

Study of heritable changes in gene expression, doesn’t involve alterations to DNA

sequence; Influenced by environment, lifestyle, and experiences; Mechanisms include
DNA methylation and histone modification; Plays a role in development, disease, and
aging; Can be affected by nutrition, stress, and chemical exposures; Provides insights
into gene regulation and personalized medicine.
96. CAR T Cell Therapy (NexCAR19)

NexCAR19 is the result of collaboration between IIT Bombay and Tata Memorial
Centre (TMC). Approval by Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSO) ; CAR-
T cell therapy is a personalized cancer treatment; involves modifying a patient's T-cells
to attack tumours.; T-cells are harvested from the patient's blood and engineered in
the lab to express chimeric antigen receptors (CARs). These CAR T-cells are infused
back into the patient's bloodstream; CAR T-cells recognize specific proteins on tumour
cells, leading to their destruction.; NexCAR19 is an indigenous CD19-targeted CAR-T
cell therapy developed in India. CD-19 is a biomarker for B lymphocytes and is
targeted in leukaemia immunotherapies.
(Chemotherapy uses drugs to kill rapidly dividing
cells, affecting both cancerous and healthy cells.
CAR-T therapy requires fewer treatments and
offers a more personalized approach,
chemotherapy follows a standardized treatment
protocol and often involves multiple cycles over
an extended period.)
97.Global Innovation Index 2023

India (40th rank); India climbs from 81st spot in 2015. Published by- WIPO: Global
forum for Intellectual Property. 7 Parameters – 1. Institutions 2. Human Capital and
Research 3. Infrastructure 4. Market Sophistication 5. Business Sophistication 6.
Knowledge and Technology Outputs 7. Creative Outputs; Switzerland tops innovation
rankings.; India leads among lower-middle-income countries. India has 4 S&T clusters in
top 100; Initiatives: Digital India, UPI, National Education Policy, Atal Tinkering labs (NITI
Aayog), etc.
98. NASA’s INFUSE Mission

Integral Field Ultraviolet Spectroscope Experiment (INFUSE) mission launched by

NASA; To study the Cygnus Loop supernova remnant.; Cygnus Loop: 20,000-year-old
remnant, 2,600 light-years away; Aims to deepen understanding of new star system
formation. (Supernovae: Spectacular and powerful stellar explosions- Type I (result
from white dwarf explosion) and Type II (occur in massive stars; Significance-
Disperses heavy elements into interstellar medium. Contributes to star, planet, and
life formation. Influences galaxy chemical composition and cosmic evolution.)
99. E- Cigarettes

WHO calls for urgent action to protect children from e-cigarettes. Usage rates among
children aged 13-15 surpass adults globally. The Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes
(Production, Manufacture, Import, Export, Transport, Sale, Distribution, Storage and
Advertisement) Act, (PECA) 2019 banned e-cigarette in India. E-cigarettes contain
nicotine and harmful substances, posing health risks. Easily available despite bans,
marketed with attractive flavors and designs. (Vaping vs Smoking).
100. Personally Identifiable Information (PII)

Includes direct identifiers like passport information and quasi-identifiers that, when
combined, can reveal a person’s identity; Compromised data involves Aadhaar
numbers, voter IDs, and driving license records. Surge in cyberattacks in India raises
risks of identity theft and financial crimes.
101. ‘Mika’

Becomes World’s First AI Human-Like Robot CEO; Hanson Robotics and Dictador, a Polish
run company, have appointed the world’s first humanoid robot CEO named Mika.
102. Krutriyam AI

Krutrim SI Designs, founded by Bhavish Aggrawal, introduces multilingual AI models

tailored for the Indian ecosystem. Models named Krutrim Pro, emphasizing cultural
connect and accessibility at India-first cost structures. Krutrim comes in two sizes: base
model trained on 2 trillion tokens and larger Krutrim Pro with advanced capabilities.
Focus on India-specific training data, cultural context, and cost considerations for
successful AI implementation. Capable of understanding and generating content in 22
Indian languages, covering languages like Marathi, Hindi, Bengali, Tamil, etc.
103. Bhashini AI

PM Modi utilizes 'Bhashini', a govt-developed AI language tool, for real-time translation

during a speech in Uttar Pradesh. 'Bhashini' facilitates communication across diverse
linguistic communities in India. Developed by the government, 'Bhashini' draws on
open-source language datasets contributed by tens of thousands of individuals.
'Bhashini' operates as an AI-driven language translation system, available through
dedicated Android and iOS apps. 'Bhashini' encourages diverse contributions through
crowdsourcing initiatives like Suno India, Bolo India, Likho India, and Dekho India.
104. Smishing

Indian government alerts public about rising threat of "Smishing," a combination of

SMS and Phishing. Smishing involves deceptive text messages posing as trusted
sources to extract sensitive information. Victims urged to report incidents promptly to
mitigate impact. Precautionary measures include refraining from clicking on suspicious
links and avoiding sharing personal information via unsolicited text messages.
105. Kakrapar Atomic Power Project's Unit-4

Achieves criticality (is a state in a nuclear reactor when the number of neutrons produced
is equal to the number absorbed. This means that a reactor is operating at a steady-state,
self-sustaining chain reaction); adherence to stringent safety standards set by the Atomic
Energy Regulatory Board (AERB). Unit-4 is part of the project to deploy sixteen
indigenous Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWR) of 700 MW each across India.
KAPP 3&4 situated at Kakrapar in Gujarat, adjacent to existing reactors, with advanced
safety features; managed by NPCIL. NPCIL operates 23 reactors with 7480 MW capacity
and has nine units under construction, with plans for 10 more reactors by 2031-32,
emphasizing India's leadership in nuclear power technology.
106. Mosquito fish

Various regions in Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, and Punjab released mosquitofish to combat
mosquito menace. Introduced to control mosquito larvae, Gambusia fish became
invasive species. Mosquitofish disrupt native fish communities, threaten biodiversity, and
may lead to species extinction. WHO stopped recommending Gambusia for mosquito
control, and India designated it as an invasive species. Gene drive technology and
genetically modified mosquitoes offer alternative control methods. Way forward- Focus

on improved sanitation, integrated vector management, and community engagement for

effective mosquito and disease control.
107. Fibre optic communication and quantum optics
Increasing demand for high-speed internet connections due to digitisation. Fiber
Optics: Fiber optics is a technology that uses thin, flexible fibers made of glass or
plastic to transmit light signals over long distances. It is widely used in
telecommunications, internet connectivity, and data transmission due to its high
bandwidth, low signal loss, and immunity to electromagnetic interference (Compared
to Traditional Copper Wire Cables).
Quantum Optics: Quantum optics is the field of
physics that studies the interaction between light
and matter at the quantum level. It explores
phenomena such as the emission, absorption, and
scattering of light by atoms and molecules, as well
as quantum effects like entanglement and
superposition in optical systems.
108. CRISPR Therapeutics

Approval of CRISPR-based therapies for sickle-cell disease and β-thalassemia in the

U.K. and the US. CRISPR technology, initially a bacterial defence mechanism, has
evolved for precise genome editing in eukaryotic cells. Casgevy, the approved
therapy, corrects genetic defects in blood stem cells, potentially curing the disorders.
New CRISPR techniques like base-editing and prime editing allow for precise genome
modifications. Challenges include safety concerns like off-target effects and the need
to balance risks and benefits.
Important Space Missions 2023

1. SSLV-D2/EOS-07 Mission:
a. Launched on February 10, 2023.
b. Successfully placed EOS-07, Janus-1, and AzaadiSAT-2 into a 450 km circular orbit.
c. Demonstrated SSLV's payload capability in LEO.
2. LVM3 M3/ OneWeb India-2 Mission:
a. Launched successfully, placing 36 satellites into intended orbit.
b. Achieved satellite injection conditions in about 17 minutes.
c. Implemented sophisticated maneuvers to avoid satellite collision.
3. Reusable Launch Vehicle Autonomous Landing Mission (RLV LEX):
a. Successful autonomous landing of a winged body released by a
helicopter.
b. Demonstrated high-speed, unmanned, and precise landing.
c. Utilized cutting-edge technologies for navigation and landing.
4. PSLV-C55/TeLEOS-2 Mission:
a. Successfully launched TeLEOS-2 and Lumelite-4 satellites.
b. TeLEOS-2 serves Singapore's government agencies with SAR
capabilities.
c. Lumelite-4 demonstrates VDES for maritime safety.
5. GSLV-F12/NVS-01 Mission:
a. Successfully deployed NVS-01 navigation satellite into Geosynchronous
Transfer Orbit.
b. NVS-01 is the first of second-generation satellites for NavIC.
c. Incorporates L1 band signals and an indigenous atomic clock.
6. LVM3-M4-Chandrayaan-3 Mission:
a. Launched on July 14, 2023, aiming for a soft landing at the Moon's
south pole.
b. Seeks to demonstrate soft landing, deploy Pragyan rover, and conduct
lunar exploration.
c. Official confirmation of landing pending, with communication lost
before expected touchdown.
7. PSLV-C56/DS-SAR Mission:
a. Launched DS-SAR satellite into Near-equatorial Orbit.
b. Developed under partnership between DSTA and ST Engineering.
c. Carries Synthetic Aperture Radar for all-weather imaging.
8. PSLV-C57/Aditya-L1 Mission:
a. India's solar space mission stationed at Sun-Earth L1 Lagrange point.
b. Equipped with seven payloads for observing solar activities.
c. Aims to provide crucial data on solar dynamics and space weather
predictions.
All The Best