According to scientists, clinical trials of experimental treatment for Parkinson’s disease could not substantially prove whether the treatment was able to halt or slow down the disease. The treatment is called Glial Cell Line Derived Neurotrophic Factor (GDNF). GDNF is made by privately-held Canadian biotech firm MedGenesis Therapeutix. Clinical trials are scientific studies conducted to find… Continue reading Parkinson’s drug trial offers glimmer of hope for cell repair
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.
Quick reaction missile tests a success
India successfully test-fired two indigenously developed Quick Reaction Surface-to-Air missiles(QR-SAM) from a test range off the Odisha coast. The QR-SAM weapon system has been jointly developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Bharat Electronics Ltd.It is a quick reaction, all-weather, network-centric missile system capable of search-on-the-move. The missile system can also engage… Continue reading Quick reaction missile tests a success
Why Mirage of ’80s is IAF’s ‘weapon of choice’
India with its 12 Mirage-2000 fighter jets decimated multiple terror camps across the Line of Control in Pakistan. The Mirage-2000 is one of the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) most versatile and deadliest aircraft and it was first commissioned in 1985.Soon after inducting the Mirage, IAF gave it the name – Vajra – meaning lightning thunderbolt… Continue reading Why Mirage of ’80s is IAF’s ‘weapon of choice’
NASA greenlights SpaceX test flight to ISS
NASA has given SpaceX the green light to test a new crew capsule by first sending an unmanned craft with a life-sized dummy figure to the International Space Station.The mission is called as Demonstration Mission-1 or DM-1 where Crew Dragon test capsule is scheduled to take off in falcon 9 rocket to the ISS. This… Continue reading NASA greenlights SpaceX test flight to ISS
Israel sends world’s first privately funded mission to moon
Israel has launched the Beresheet- world’s first largely privately funded spacecraft to land on the moon. If the landing is successful, Israel will become the fourth nation to soft land on moon after the former Soviet Union (Luna 2, 1959), the USA (Ranger 4, 1962) and China (Chang’e 4, 2018) Beresheet was flown by Space… Continue reading Israel sends world’s first privately funded mission to moon
Apache copter delivery in July: Boeing
Boeing officials has said that India will receive the first batch of Apache attack helicopters and one C-17 transport aircraft in July-August this year. The AH-64 Apache is a multi-role combat helicopter and is used by the US Army and a number of international defence forces. It is equipped with all-weather and night-fighting features apart… Continue reading Apache copter delivery in July: Boeing
Neptune has a new moon
Scientists have recently theorised the origin of Hippocamp- one among Neptune’s moons. Originally designated as S/2004 N 1 and Neptune XIV, this moon was found in images taken by NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope in 2004–05 and 2009. It was then confirmed in further images captured in 2016. The Hubble Space Telescope (HST) is a space… Continue reading Neptune has a new moon
New space company to facilitate Isro tech transfer to industry
The union cabinet approved the setting up of a new company under the Department of Space (DoS), to commercially exploit the research and development work carried out by the various centres of the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro). The new company will be licensed by the DoS/Isro, which will in turn sub-license the technology and… Continue reading New space company to facilitate Isro tech transfer to industry
Astrocomb to help hunt for planets, aliens
Scientists from National Institute of Standards and Technology’s (NIST) have developed an Astrocomb. It is a custom made frequency comb which can precisely measure frequencies or colours of light. The instrument will help the precision needed for discovering and characterising planets orbiting M dwarf stars. M dwarfs (also known as red dwarfs) are the most… Continue reading Astrocomb to help hunt for planets, aliens
Desi lab harvest meat that even PETA activists will love
Mumbai has become the world’s first city to host a research centre dedicated to lab-grown meat. The Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai has planned to establish a Centre of Excellence in Cellular Agriculture. The centre will be backed by US-based Good Food Institute- an international non-profit that promotes plant and cell-based meat through research. The… Continue reading Desi lab harvest meat that even PETA activists will love
