News- Recently China’s ‘artificial sun’, the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST) reactor, sustained plasma for 1,000 seconds, breaking its 2023 record of 403 seconds. About Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST) reactor It is a fusion research device located at the Institute of Plasma Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (ASIPP) in Hefei, China. It… Continue reading China’s ‘Artificial sun’ EAST
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.
Organophosphate
News- Recently, doctors treating patients from J&K’s Baddal village said that organophosphate could be behind the 17 deaths that had spread panic in the village. About Organophosphate Organophosphates are chemical compounds formed through the esterification process involving phosphoric acid and alcohol. Esterification is a chemical reaction where two reactants like alcohol and acid combine to… Continue reading Organophosphate
Stargardt disease
News– Researchers from Switzerland have announced the development of a gene-editing technique that may potentially aid in the treatment of Stargardt disease. About Stargardt Disease It is a rare inherited genetic disorder that leads to progressive vision loss, especially in children and young adults. Cause: The disease is caused by mutations in the ABCA4 gene,… Continue reading Stargardt disease
Paraquat poisoning
News: A Thiruvananthapuram court recently sentenced a 24-year-old woman to death for poisoning her boyfriend in 2022 with the herbicide paraquat. About Paraquat Paraquat, also known as paraquat dichloride or methyl viologen, is one of the world’s most-used herbicides. It a highly toxic chemical which is mainly used to control weeds and dry out crops… Continue reading Paraquat poisoning
Mission SCOT
News: The Prime Minister has congratulated Digantara for the successful launch of Mission SCOT (Space Camera for Object Tracking). About Mission SCOT It is the world’s first commercial satellite for surveillance of Resident Space Objects (as small as 5cm) orbiting the Earth to ensure safer space operations. Surveillance of Outer Space or Situational Space… Continue reading Mission SCOT
IMD Celebrates 150 Years and Improves Weather Forecasting Accuracy
Source: The post IMD Celebrates 150 Years and Improves Weather Forecasting Accuracy has been created, based on the article “150 years of IMD: What the weather agency has planned for the future” published in “Indian Express” on 17th January 2025 UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS Paper3- Disaster and disaster management. Context: The article discusses the India… Continue reading IMD Celebrates 150 Years and Improves Weather Forecasting Accuracy
Pink Fire Retardant
News: Authorities in the United States are using planes to drop pink fire retardant to curb the Southern California Wildfires. About Pink Fire Retardant Fire retardant is a mix of chemicals used to extinguish or slow down the spread of fires. Authorities in the US most commonly rely on Phos-Chek, a type of fire retardant,… Continue reading Pink Fire Retardant
Earthquakes in Himalayas Threaten Lives and Infrastructure
Source: The post Earthquakes in Himalayas Threaten Lives and Infrastructure has been created, based on the article “Damage control: Adherence to existing regulations can limit the impact of earthquakes” published in “The Hindu” on 10th January 2025 UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS Paper3-Disaster and disaster management. Context: The article discusses a recent earthquake in Tibet that… Continue reading Earthquakes in Himalayas Threaten Lives and Infrastructure
MicroRNAs and Caenorhabditis elegans
News: The discovery of microRNAs (miRNAs) in Caenorhabditis elegans transformed our understanding of gene regulation. Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun were awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 2024 for discovering miRNAs in C. elegans. About MicroRNAs (miRNAs) Definition– MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, non-coding RNA molecules, typically around 20-22 nucleotides long, that play a crucial… Continue reading MicroRNAs and Caenorhabditis elegans
Sonobuoys
News: India and the U.S. announced cooperation on co-production of U.S. sonobuoys for Undersea Domain Awareness (UDA) for the Indian Navy. About Sonobuoys Sonobuoys are expendable, electro-mechanical acoustic devices used to detect underwater sounds, such as those made by submarines or ships. Working Mechanism: Sonobuoys are dropped from aircraft or ships in canisters and activate… Continue reading Sonobuoys
