Covid pill molnupiravir does not cut hospitalisation, the death rate in many vaccinated adults Subject: Science and Technology Context: Merck & Co Inc’s COVID antiviral molnupiravir speeds up recovery but does reduce the hospitalisation or death rate in higher-risk vaccinated adults, detailed data shows. Detail: The study, called PANORAMIC, compared the oral pill […]

    GSAT communication satellite costing Rs 508 crore unused for half its lifetime: CAG report Subject: Science and Technology Context: A lack of coordination between the Department of Space (DoS) and the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) led to the underutilisation of the GSAT-6 satellite, according to the Comptroller and Auditor General of […]

    Smart Farming Subject :Science and Technology Context: Government is promoting adoption of smart farming methods through the use of technology and innovation in the agriculture sector in the country. Government is implementing a Digital Agriculture Mission (DAM) which includes India Digital Ecosystem of Agriculture (IDEA), Farmers Database, Unified Farmers Service Interface (UFSI), Funding to the States on […]

    BCAS to issue technical norms within a month for new security technology Subject :Science and Technology The aviation security regulator, the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), is expected to issue technical norms within a month which will pave the way for airports to adopt modern equipment to screen bags without removing electronic […]

    The mRNA vaccine technology transfer hub Subject : Science and Technology Announced on 21 June 2021. Objective: to build capacity in low- and middle-income countries to produce mRNA vaccines through a centre of excellence and training (the mRNA vaccine technology hub). Located at Afrigen, Cape Town, South Africa. Partners: The initiative is supported […]

    This sand battery could be a solution for Europe’s energy crisis Subject : Science and Technology Context: A new battery technology by a Finland-based company that uses sand to store thermal energy may aid clean energy solutions. About the battery: The battery uses sand as a medium to store thermal energy. It was […]

    Here are some new trends in electrolyser tech to catalyse green hydrogen production Subject : Science and Technology Context: Green hydrogen, one of the major fuels to propel India’s clean energy transition, is produced by electrolysis of water done using clean electricity from renewable sources (wind, solar, etc). Green hydrogen: Green hydrogen is […]

    Not everything we call AI is actually ‘artificial intelligence’ Subject : Science and Technology Generative AI: Generative AI refers to unsupervised and semi-supervised machine learning algorithms that enable computers to use existing content like text, audio and video files, images, and even code to create new possible content. The main idea is to […]

    Nasal vaccines promise to stop the COVID-19 virus before it gets to the lungs – an immunologist explains how they work Subject : Science and Technology Context: Researchers are in the process of developing alternative approaches to vaccines to improve their effectiveness, including how they’re administered. Immunologists at the University of Buffalo explain […]

    Japan reverse nuclear phaseout plan adopted after Fukushima Subject : Science and Technology Context: Japan on Thursday adopted a new policy promoting greater use of nuclear energy to ensure a stable power supply amid global fuel shortages and to reduce carbon emissions, in a major reversal of its phase-out plan following the Fukushima […]