Factly: Science and Technology Archives

NASA data suggests ocean of ‘salty water’ on dwarf planet Ceres

News: According to the data collected by NASA’s Dawn spacecraft, dwarf planet Ceres reportedly has salty water underground. Facts: Ocean World: These findings have given Ceres the status of an ocean world as it has a big reservoir of salty water underneath its frigid surface. Subsurface Oceans on other Celestial Bodies: Jupiter’s moon Europa, Saturn’s… Continue reading NASA data suggests ocean of ‘salty water’ on dwarf planet Ceres

Skyroot Aerospace first private company to test upper stage rocket engine

News: Spacetech startup Skyroot Aerospace has become the first Indian private company to successfully test fire a rocket engine named Raman. Facts: Raman: It is a 3-D printed upper stage rocket engine that can send satellites of 250-700 kgs into a lower earth orbit.The engine has fewer parts and weighs less than a conventional rocket… Continue reading Skyroot Aerospace first private company to test upper stage rocket engine

CSIR moots ‘mega labs’ to boost COVID-19 testing

News: The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research(CSIR) is working on developing “mega labs” to ramp up testing for COVID-19 as well as improve the accuracy rate. Facts: Mega Labs: These labs will use Next Generation Sequencing(NGS) machines (NGS) which are normally used for sequencing human genomes to sequence 1,500 to 3,000 viral genomes at… Continue reading CSIR moots ‘mega labs’ to boost COVID-19 testing

Explained: What is the Perseids meteor shower set to peak mid-August?

News: The Perseids meteor shower is going to be active from August 17th to 26th,2020. Facts: Perseids: It is a meteor shower that peaks every year in mid-August.It was first observed over 2,000 years ago.It occurs as the Earth runs into pieces of cosmic debris left behind by the comet Swift-Tuttle. Additional Facts: Comets: They… Continue reading Explained: What is the Perseids meteor shower set to peak mid-August?

Explained: What are Sunspots?

News: A massive Sunspot group, AR2770 was observed using images of the Sun’s surface from NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory(SDO). Facts: Sunspots: It is an area on the Sun that appears dark on the surface and is relatively cooler than surrounding parts. Why are sunspots relatively cool: It’s because they form at areas where magnetic fields… Continue reading Explained: What are Sunspots?

Explained: What is the tick-borne virus spreading in China?

News: A new infectious disease called Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome(SFTS) caused by a tick-borne virus has killed seven people and infected 60 others in China. Facts: SFTS virus: Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV) belongs to the Bunyavirus family and is transmitted to humans through tick bites. Origin: The virus was first identified… Continue reading Explained: What is the tick-borne virus spreading in China?

Explained: What is SpaceX’s Starship?

News: SpaceX has successfully completed a flight test of the future rocket Starship which the company hopes to send to Mars. Facts: Starship: Starship has been designed by SpaceX.It is a spacecraft and super-heavy booster rocket meant to act as a reusable transportation system for crew and cargo to the Earth’s orbit, Moon and Mars.… Continue reading Explained: What is SpaceX’s Starship?

Explained: What is ammonium nitrate, which caused the massive explosion in Beirut?

News: The catastrophic explosion at Beirut port in Lebanon was caused by over 2,700 tonnes of ammonium nitrate kept in storage for over six years. Facts: Ammonium Nitrate(NH4NO3): It is a white, crystalline chemical which is soluble in water. Where is it used? It is a common industrial chemical used mainly for fertiliser and is… Continue reading Explained: What is ammonium nitrate, which caused the massive explosion in Beirut?

Time capsules: what they contain, how they are installed and why

News: Ahead of the laying of the foundation stone for the Ram temple in Ayodhya, claims and denials have emerged about plans by the Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust to put in a time capsule. Facts: Time Capsule: It is a container of any size or shape which accommodates documents, photos and artefacts typical of… Continue reading Time capsules: what they contain, how they are installed and why

COVISHIELD phase 2, 3 trials get DCGI nod

News: Drugs Controller General of India(DCGI) has given approval to Serum Institute of India(SII) to conduct Phase II+III clinical trials of Oxford University AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine(COVISHIELD). Facts: COVISHIELD: The Oxford vaccine “AZD1222” is being called Covishield in India. The Serum Institute of India(SII) has entered into a manufacturing partnership with biopharma major AstraZeneca to produce… Continue reading COVISHIELD phase 2, 3 trials get DCGI nod

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