News: A study has found that asteroid 16 Psyche could be made entirely of metal and is worth an estimated $10,000 quadrillion — more than the entire economy of Earth. Facts: 16 Psyche: It is an asteroid which orbits between Mars and Jupiter. Where is it located? It is located around 370 million kilometres… Continue reading Explained: What is 16 Psyche, the asteroid believed to be worth $10,000 quadrillion?
Category: Factly: Science and Technology
This category contains all Current Affairs Factly Articles for Prelims, related to Science and Technology. You can find all relevant Science and Technology related updates on this page. This page is specifically useful for UPSC Prelims exam.
NASA’s SOFIA Discovers Water on Sunlit Surface of Moon
News: NASA’s Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy(SOFIA) has confirmed for the first time water on the sunlit surface of the Moon.This discovery indicates that water may be distributed across the lunar surface and not limited to cold, shadowed places. Facts: SOFIA: It is an airborne observatory jointly built by NASA and German Aerospace Centre.It features… Continue reading NASA’s SOFIA Discovers Water on Sunlit Surface of Moon
Serum Institute of India, IAVI and Merck join forces to develop COVID-19 antibodies
News: Serum Institute of India(SII) and the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI) have announced an agreement with pharmaceutical major Merck to develop SARS-CoV-2 neutralising monoclonal antibodies(mAbs). Facts: What are Monoclonal Antibodies? They are man-made proteins that act like human antibodies in the immune system.They are made by cloning a unique white blood cell. Features: Monoclonal antibodies can… Continue reading Serum Institute of India, IAVI and Merck join forces to develop COVID-19 antibodies
Scientists discover new organ in the human throat
News: Scientists in the Netherlands have discovered a potential new organ in the human throat named “tubarial salivary glands”. Facts: Tubarial Salivary Glands: It is about 3.9 centimeters in length on average and is located over a piece of cartilage called the torus tubarius,the structure that supports the entrance of the auditory tube. Function: Researchers suspect that the… Continue reading Scientists discover new organ in the human throat
India successfully test-fired the Stand-off Anti-tank(SANT) Missile off the coast of Odisha
News: India has successfully flight tested an indigenously developed Stand-off Anti-tank(SANT) missile from a ground-based platform off Odisha coast. Facts: SANT Missile: It is an air-to-surface missile developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation(DRDO) for the Indian Air Force. Range: The missile can destroy targets 15 km to 20 km away. Upgraded Version: The… Continue reading India successfully test-fired the Stand-off Anti-tank(SANT) Missile off the coast of Odisha
IIT Kharagpur launched COVIRAP
News: Indian Institute of Technology(IIT) Kharagpur has launched a Covid-19 test called ‘COVIRAP’. Facts: COVIRAP: It is a cuboid-shaped portable testing device that can deliver results in an hour making it an effective tool to scale up Covid-19 screening in peripheral and rural areas. Benefits of COVIRAP: Economical: It is a cheaper and quicker… Continue reading IIT Kharagpur launched COVIRAP
NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft successfully touches asteroid
News: OSIRIS-REx spacecraft has successfully touched an asteroid Bennu to collect dust and pebbles from the surface for delivery to Earth. Facts: OSIRIS-REx (Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security, Regolith Explorer) is a NASA asteroid-study and sample-return mission. Aim: To travel to a near-Earth asteroid named Bennu and bring a small sample back to… Continue reading NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft successfully touches asteroid
IIT-M develops indigenous microprocessor
News: Indian Institute of Technology, Madras have developed a microprocessor named ‘Moushik’ Facts: Moushik: It is an indigenous microprocessor-cum-system on a chip that can cater to the rapidly-growing Internet of Things(IoT) devices. The project was funded by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. Additional Facts: Microprocessor: It is an integrated circuit(IC) that… Continue reading IIT-M develops indigenous microprocessor
India successfully test-fires naval version of BrahMos missile
News: India has successfully tested a naval version of the BrahMos missile from the indigenously-built stealth destroyer, INS Chennai. Facts: Brahmos Missile: It is a Supersonic Cruise missile that has been jointly developed by India and Russia.The missile has been named after the rivers Brahmaputra and Moskva. Significance: The missile is capable of being… Continue reading India successfully test-fires naval version of BrahMos missile
Explained: What is New Shephard, the rocket system built by Blue Origin?
News: New Shephard, a rocket system has successfully completed its seventh test launch after it took off from a test facility in Texas,US. Facts: New Shephard: It is a rocket system meant to offer flights to space over 100 km above the Earth and accommodation for payloads. Essentially, it has been designed to take… Continue reading Explained: What is New Shephard, the rocket system built by Blue Origin?
