According to a recent study,86% of the tested dogs around the Ranthambhore National Park in Rajasthan carried Canine Distemper Virus (CDV) antibodies in their bloodstream. These findings points out that there is an increased risk of disease transfer from the dogs to tigers and leopards that live in the park. Wildlife biologists has also raised… Continue reading Tigers in India face lurking threat from virus
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.
Nigeria becomes fourth African nation to join global coalition to protect pollinators
Nigeria has become the fourth African country to join the Global Coalition of the Willing on Pollinators.Ethiopia was the first African nation to be part of this global coalition in 2017. This Coalition was formed to follow up on the findings of IPBES assessment on Pollinators and Food Production.The coalition aims to foster policy measures… Continue reading Nigeria becomes fourth African nation to join global coalition to protect pollinators
New molecule promises to address drug resistance
Researchers at the Indian Institute of Science(IISc),Bangalore have designed an antimicrobial protein called Omega 76. This protein promises to kill multidrug-resistant bacterium called Acinetobacter baumannii. The bacterium is among those responsible for most of the infections in hospitals and other healthcare settings and is fast becoming resistant to available antibiotics. The protein was developed using… Continue reading New molecule promises to address drug resistance
‘Hope Probe’ Arab world first mars mission in 2020: UAE
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has announced that it will launch the ‘Hope Probe’, also known as the Emirates Mars Mission (EMM), in July 2020. It will be the Arab world’s first spacecraft to Mars. The mission aims at collecting information on Mars and meteorological layers. It also seeks to study the causes of loss… Continue reading ‘Hope Probe’ Arab world first mars mission in 2020: UAE
Explained: What’s at stake in India’s biggest ever trial of tuberculosis vaccines
Recently,the Indian Council of Medical Research(ICMR) has launched India’s first large-scale trial for two new tuberculosis(TB) vaccines. The two vaccines being tested in the trial are (a)Immuvac which is also known as mycobacterium indicus pranii or MIP and (b)VPM1002. Currently,Bacille Calmette-Guerin(BCG) vaccine is used in the routine Expanded Programme of Immunisation(EPI) in countries across the… Continue reading Explained: What’s at stake in India’s biggest ever trial of tuberculosis vaccines
ICMR launches India Hypertension Control Initiative
Indian Council of Medical Research(ICMR) in collaboration with World Health Organization and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has decided to expand its India Hypertension Control Initiative(IHCI) across the country. IHCI was launched in 2017.The initiative has enrolled more than three lakh patients with high blood pressure in government health facilities in 25 selected districts… Continue reading ICMR launches India Hypertension Control Initiative
Japan approves growing human organs in animals for first time
Scientists in Japan has received government permission to grow human organs in animals for the first study of its kind in the country. The research involves genetically modifying sheep or pig embryos so they cannot grow a specific organ.Human induced pluripotent stem(iPS) cells are then injected into the embryo in the hope that the DNA… Continue reading Japan approves growing human organs in animals for first time
Cabinet approves ISRO Technical Liaison Unit at Moscow
The Union Cabinet has approved the setting up of Indian Space Research Organisation(ISRO)’s Technical Liaison Unit(ITLU) in Moscow, Russia. The establishment of this unit will help ISRO to collaborate with Space agencies/industries in Russia and neighbouring countries for mutually synergistic outcomes. Further,this unit will also help in ISRO’s Gaganyaan programme which requires development of some… Continue reading Cabinet approves ISRO Technical Liaison Unit at Moscow
TOI 270 – NASA finds a new planetary system about 73 light years away from earth
NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) has recently discovered a new planetary system. It has been named as TOI 270. TOI 270 is about 73 light years away from Earth, and is located in the constellation Pictor. The members of the planetary system include a dwarf star (TOI 270), which is 40% smaller than the… Continue reading TOI 270 – NASA finds a new planetary system about 73 light years away from earth
WHO says Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal & Thailand achieve Hepatitis B control
According to World Health Organization(WHO) report on World Hepatitis Day on July 28,it has found that viral hepatitis kills 4 lakh people every year. The report has said that investing $6bn per year in eliminating hepatitis in 67 low and middle-income countries would avert 4.5 million premature deaths by 2030. The report has also said… Continue reading WHO says Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal & Thailand achieve Hepatitis B control
