Science and Technology
Challenging Iran begins ‘ 12 with N – fuel rod feat, missile test
Iranian scientists have produced the nation’s first nuclear fuel rod, a feat of engineering the West has doubted Tehran capable of, the country’s nuclear agency said on 1 January 2012.
Nasa probe on track, reaches Moon orbit
Grail, 110th Mission to Earth’s Satellite, will help understand Lunar enigma better
As planet Earth rang in the new year, a different counter sown was happening at the moon. After a 3 1/2 month journey, a Nasa spacecraft flew over the Moon’s South pole, fired its engine and dropped into orbit on 1 January 2012 in the first of two back – to – back arrivals over the new year weekend.
A massive star called VFTS 102 is the fastest star that rotates at the rate of million milles per hour — 100 times faster than our Sun was found to date.
Iran tested successfully two missiles that can chase 200 kms target in the Strait of Hormutz on 2 January 2012.
RE60, Bajaj’s 4-wheeled vehicle, launched
India’s Bajaj Auto Ltd launched its first-ever four-wheeled vehicle RE60 on 3 January 2012 saying the RE60 would target commercial users and three-wheeled vehicle owners in India.
Below Antarctic sea, a lost world of unknown species
British Scientists have discovered what they claim is a ” lost world ” of unknown species nearly 8, 000 feet deep on sea floor off the coast of Antarctica —- kept alive by undersea volcanoes.
The stem cells that can produce different cells in an eye were identified by Nural stemcells Institute of Regenerative Research Foundation Scientist Sally Temple on 5 January 2012.
AIDS vaccine for monkeys raises hopes for humans
Scientists in Washington have developed a new vaccine that partially protects monkeys from an infection much similar to HIV, a breakthrough which they say could be a new weapon in the battle against AIDS.
Hydrogen – driven three – wheelers
The world got its first fleet of hydrogen – fuelled three – wheelers on 9 Jan. 2012 when seven vehicles were unvieled at the ongoing Auto Expo 2012 in New Delhi. Called ‘ HyAlfa ‘, the three – wheeler is almost zero-emission vehicle while its fuel consumption is substantially lower as compared to 1kg of hydrogen giving 80 km mileage. The three-wheelers have been developed under a project DelHy 3W, of the United Nations Industrial Development organisation ( UNIDO’s ) Internal Centre for Hydrogen Energy Technologies ( UNIDO-ICHET ) in association with Mahindra & Mahindra and IIT Delh, besides being supported by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy ( MNRE ).
Acer unveils world’s thinnest laptop
The Taiwan-based computer titan Acer unveiled the world’s thinnest laptop in Las Vegas on 9 January 2012.
New earthworm species discovered in Port Blair
Pointing to the rich biodiversity of the Andaman and Nicobar islands , a team of researchers from Thiruvanthapuram has identified a new species of earthworm on 10 January 2012. The species has been named “Moniligaster ivaniosi”.
Two more planets orbiting binary stars discovered
Kepler-34 b, Kepler-35 b binary star systems have low-density gas plannets orbiting them.
More than 700 planets orbiting a star ( extrasolar planets ) have been discovered till date. But a planet orbiting two stars was more in the realms of fiction recently. Scientists on 11 January 2012 discovered two circumbinary planets Kepler – 34 b and Kepler – 35 b orbiting binary stars.
Morocco Rocks Come From Mars
Scientists have cliamed that chunks of a meteorit which fell in Moracco last Jully 2010 were from Mars .which happened once in every fifty years
World Smallest 3D Map Created
Scientists have created a miniature world map which has now been accepted by the Guinness World Record as the worlds smallest 3D map .A map which can only seen through a microscope.
New Species Of Earthworm
The researchers indentified a new speices of earthworm in Portblair , the capital of Andaman and Nicobar islands . The speices was named as Moniligaster Ivaniosi .
11 Solar Systems
NASA ‘s kepler telescope has discovered 26 new planets spread among 11 solar systems.