mppscadda.com, Call – 9953733830, WhatsApp - 7982862964 Telegram - t.me/mppscadda 1

India lands LCA Tejas on INS Vikramaditya for SCIENCE & TECH the first time • Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas has made a ENVIRONMENT successful landed on the India's biggest warship INS Vikramaditya. The maiden landing was JAN - DEC 2020 conducted by Commodore Jaideep Maolankar.India becomes sixth nation to master the art of an arrested landing and ski-jump take off ISRO to set its 2nd launch port in Thoothukodi on the deck of a carrier after Russia, the United district of Tamil Nadu States (US), France, the United Kingdom (UK)and • During the press conference in Bengaluru, China.LCA was developed by Aeronautical Karnataka with ISRO Chairman K. Sivan, it has Development Agency (ADA) long with Defence been announced that the second launch port of Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) will be established in Thoothukodi district of Tamil Nadu A 17-year-old intern at NASA, Wolf cukier to launch small satellite vehicles. This will come discovers new planet ‘TOI 1338b’ 1300 light up in 2300 acres. years away • Wolf Cukier, a 17-year-old boy from New York ISRO sets its fourth RAC-S in Karnataka (United States), has discovered a planet named • Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) sets “TOI 1338b” that is 1,300 light years away & about its fourth Regional Academic Centre for Space 6.9 times larger than Earth, on the 3rd day of his (RAC-S) at the National Institute of Technology internship at NASA (National Aeronautics and Karnataka (NIT-K) at Surathkal in Mangaluru Space Administration). taluk. The centre helps for the advanced research in the areas of relevance to the future NASA Discovers Potentially Habitable Earth- technological and programmatic needs of the Sized World “TOI 700 d” in Star's 'Goldilocks' Indian Space programme. Zone • ISRO has set its first RAC-S in Jaipur, second at • Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) of Guwahati and third at Kurukshetra. the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has discovered an Earth- Two Coast Guard ships Annie Besant and sized world ‘Goldilocks’ zone within the habitable Amrit Kaur commissioned at Kolkata range of the star. • The two Indian Coast Guard Ships (ICGS) namely • Scientists confirmed the find as TOI 700 d by using Annie Besant and Amrit Kaur were commissioned NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope (SST). and deployed along the eastern coast by Defence • First, habitable-zone Earth-sized planet is TOI 700 Secretary Ajay Kumar at Khidderpore park, d, the outermost planet 20% larger than Earth and Kolkata, West Bengal. Annie Besant will be based orbits its star in 37 days. at Chennai, Tamil Nadu under the operational and • TOI 700 d is 100 light-years away fromearth. administrative control of the Commander, Coast Guard Region(East). Gaganyaan Mission: ISRO to launch IDRSS satellites for space communication purpose SHOPPER Malware affects 14.23% Indian • The Indian Space Research Organisation users: Kaspersky report (ISRO),the space agency of the Government of • According to the researchers from cybersecurity India (GoI), has planned to launch a new satellite and anti-virus solutions provider Kaspersky, a series called “Indian Data Relay Satellite System new Trojan malware application called ‘Shopper’ (IDRSS)” for seamless communication for India’s (‘Trojan-Dropper. AndroidOS.Shopper.a' ) has first manned space mission ‘Gaganyaan’, which affected more than 14.23% Indian users. This have a schedule to take off in 2022. malware boosts shopping app ratings, spreads • IDRSS For Gangayaan Mission: It consists of 2 ads, installs apps without the permission of the satellites, which will be deployed in phases. The smart phone user. 1st one planned to launch by the end of 2020 to • The malware has infected 28.46% (the most) of track . Then the 2nd IDRSS satellite will be the users in Russia who use shopaholic app from launched in 2021, which will set the platform for October - November 2019. It is followed by Brazil the main mission launch in2022. (18.70%) and India (14.23%).

mppscadda.com, Call – 9953733830, WhatsApp - 7982862964 Telegram - t.me/mppscadda 2

India’s 1st indigenous aircraft carrier Vikrant Pradesh have developed a women security app to be commissioned by early 2021 ‘Very Good Morning’ (VGM) to reduce the crimes • The manufacturing of the country’s first against women. indigenous aircraft carrier Vikrant is likely to be commissioned by early 2021. WHO: TB diagnostic test ‘TrueNat’ developed • Vikrant is currently under phase three of in India has high accuracy construction • World Health Organisation’s (WHO’s) Global Tuberculosis Programme has included an Indian LIGO detects collision of neutron stars for the Molecular assay (test or analysis) named 2nd time “TrueNat” as its initial test to identify strain • A team of Scientists with the Laser Interferometer resistance of TB bacteria. Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO) and Virgo collaborations have detected gravitational waves Xenobots: World’s first living, self-healing due to collision of two neutron stars for the 2nd robots time. The first such gravitational-wave detection • Scientists of the University of Vermont and Tufts of merging neutron stars, called GW170817, took University have created the world’s first living and place in August 2017. self-healing robots Xenobots, using stem cells from frogs. Ariane 5 rocket launches communications • It is named after the African clawed frog, Xenopus satellites for India, Eutelsat into GTO from laevis from which they took stem cells. French Guiana, SA • Arianespace, French Company launched a pair of Indian Army to induct Artillery gun 'Sharang' communication satellites into Geosynchronous by March 31, 2020 Transfer Orbit (GTO) as its first launch in 2020 • Indian Army (IA) has announced to induct 1st through Ariane 5 rocket, consisting of ISRO batch of 18 indigenously upgraded 'Sharang' (Indian Space Research Organization) artillery guns by March 31, 2020. The communication satellite GSAT- announcement was made by the Programme 30(Geosynchronous Satellites) and EUTELSAT Coordinator of Sharang, Brigadier Jayant Kar. The KONNECT for the European satellite operator contract to upgrade the Sharang artillery gun was Eutelsat (European Organization of undertaken by Gun Carriage Factory (GCF) in Telecommunication by Satellite S.A) from Guiana Jabalpur with the help of state-owned ordnance space center, French Guiana, South America (SA). factories, and teams from the Army and DRDO • GSAT-30: To provide high quality television, (Defence Research and Development telecommunications and broadcasting services. Organisation). It’s mission life is more than 15years. • EUTELSAT KONNECT: The satellite is expected to POLNET 2.0 was inaugurated by the Union offer broadband data and internet services at Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai speeds up to 100 megabits per second (Mbps) for • POLNET 2.0 is a captive satellite-based network 40 countries in Africa and 15 countries in Europe. that provides video, audio and data connectivity across the country, especially in times of disasters Mobile app ‘Rojgar Sangi’ in Raipur when regular communication either gets jammed • The Chief Minister (CM) of Chhattisgarh, Bhupesh or crashes. Baghel has launched an employment-oriented • POLNET 2.0 provides video-conferencing facility mobile app,‘Rojgar Sangi’ developed by state-run to four entities sitting at different locations across Chhattisgarh State Skill Development Authority the country with Internet-enabled multimedia (CSSDA) at the ceremony of youth fest 2020 held services. at Science College premises in Raipur, Chhattisgarh. The app is designed to provide World’s oldest ever mushroom fossil employment to trained youths under their skill discovered in Congo,Africa development programme. The app will act as a • The researchers from the Universite Libre de bridge between the employment-generating Bruxelles in France have discovered the world’s institutions or individual and skill-trained youth. oldest ever mushroom fossil in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in Africa. The detail of Very Good Morning mobile app fossilised remains of microscopic mushroom • Mrityunjay Singh and Priya Rai, the students of called mycelium in rocks dates between 715 and Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Banaras 810 million years ago and is published in the Hindu University (BHU) in Varanasi, Uttar journal ‘Science Advances’. mppscadda.com, Call – 9953733830, WhatsApp - 7982862964 Telegram - t.me/mppscadda 3

1st unmanned mission will be launched in launched 3 chipsets in India – Snapdragon 720G, December 2020 as a preparation for 662 and 460, along with the 'Gaganyaan': ISRO • Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO). All 3 • According to the ISRO (Indian Space Research chipsets feature Wi-Fi 6 connectivity and Organisation), chairman Dr Kailasavadivoo Sivan, Bluetooth 5.1 support &the most important thing ISRO would launch 2 unmanned missions in is that these 3 chipsets of Qualcomm have been December 2020 and June 2021 in view of the developed with support for ISRO’s Navigation launch of India’s first manned spacecraft with Indian Constellation (NavIC), a technology “Gaganyaan” in December 2021. considered an advanced location positioning and • For this, ISRO has prepared women robot navigation system than the GPS technology ‘Vyom Mitra’ (means a friend in Sky) for sending currently in use. into space. • Apart from NavIC, these chipsets will also support the widely used GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite Nitin Gadkari launches ‘GATI’ web portal to System). monitor Rs 3 lakh crore rupees project OPPO signs MoU with IIT Hyderabad for • Nitin Jairam Gadkari, Minister for Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has launched an online research on 5G, AI web portal ‘GATI’, on the pattern of portal • Guangdong OPPO Mobile Telecommunications 'PRAGATI', the portal used by the Prime Ministers' Corporation Ltd (commonly referred as OPPO Officer (PMO) for monitoring projects, during the signed an MoU with the Indian Institute of two-day long review meeting of National Technology-Hyderabad (IIT-H), Telangana for Highways Authority (NHAI)-Ministry projects in research on new technologies such as 5G (5th Manesar, Haryana. GATI will be used to monitor Generation) and Artificial Intelligence (AI). It was around 500 projects of Rs 3 Lakh Crore. signed by Mr. Tasleem Arif, Vice President and Head (R&D), OPPO India and Dr. Sumohana S. Pakistan successfully launched ballistic Channappayya, Dean (Research and missile “Ghaznavi” Development), IIT Hyderabad.

New mission launched by NASA & ESA to take first pics of Sun’s poles Paddlefish of China’s Yangtze River, declared • NASA (National Aeronautics & Space as extinct Administration) and ESA (European Space • China has declared that the country’s giant Agency) will jointly launch a new spacecraft- “The paddlefish often called as 'Panda of the Yangtze Solar Orbiter Spacecraft” to take first pictures of river' or 'Chinese swordfish' has become extinct. Sun’s north and south poles. Its outlay is $1.5 • The extinction was reported due to decades of billion. The spacecraft will be launched from Cape overfishing. Canaveral, United States (US) on Feb 7, 2020 on a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V Rocket. The Govt. to encourage Indian pompano solar orbiter mission has 7 year lifetime and will cultivation in the country reach 24 degrees above the sun’s equator • Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute increasing to 33 degrees with additional 3 years (CMFRI) in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh(AP) extended mission operations. Solar Orbiter is built has successfully cultivated Indian pompano- by Airbus Defense and Space, and contains 10 marine fish species in a brackishwater pond (low instruments. salinity)in the region, thus scientifically proving its commercial viability. Dr Jitendra Singh launched ISRO’s Bhuvan • It was also the 1st scientific experiment which Panchayat V 3.0 Web portal became successful in Indian pompano cultivation. • The Bhuvan Panchayat Version V 3.0 web portal to With this success, the govt plans to encourage support Gram Panchayat Development planning more Indian pompano cultivation. The scientific in the country. name of Indian pompano is Trachinotus mookalee. It belongs to genus Trachinotus in the Qualcomm launches 3 new chipsets – familyCarangidae. Snapdragon 720G, 662 &460 with Indian GPS system NavIC Meteorite Contains the Oldest Material On • In a major step to Made in India GPS (Global Earth: 7-billion-year-old Stardust Positioning System) alternative, Qualcomm, an • Scientists discovered the oldest material on earth, american multinational chipset manufacturer, has 7 billion years old grains inside the meteorite that mppscadda.com, Call – 9953733830, WhatsApp - 7982862964 Telegram - t.me/mppscadda 4

crashed in a fireball in 1969 into the town of area of the Emirates of Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Abu Murchison in Victoria State, southeastern Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), the Australia. government-owned energy giant, will jointly • All the dust specks that were analyzed in the develop the reservoir with distributor the Dubai research came from before the solar system’s Supply Authority (DSA). formation known as ‘presolar grains’. • A team of scientists led by Philip Heck, curator of World’s oldest Bamboo Fossil Discovered meteorites from the Field Museum in Chicago, turns out to be Conifer United States examined the presolar grains and • A fossil of leafy branch was discovered in Eocene, research published in ‘Proceedings of the National Patagonia in 1941, at that time of Examination it Academy of Sciences’(PNAS). considered as bamboo’s fossil and still it became the oldest bamboo of the world, but in recent ZSI documents another new snake eel species Examination of that fossil by Dr. Peter Wilf from “Ophichthus kailashchandrai” in Odisha Pennsylvania state university revealed the real • The new snake eel species residing in the Bay of nature of the plant’s fossil (chusquea oxyphylla Bengal has been discovered and documented by name of the fossil) and it was published in open- the Estuarine Biology Regional Centre (EBRC) of access journal Phytokeys. the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) at Gopalpur- on-sea in Odisha. Navy to get third Scorpene submarine in • The new marine species have been named as December 2020 Ophichthus kailashchandrai to honour the vast • Nicolas de La Villemarque, Vice President (VP) of contributions of Dr. Kailash Chandra (Director of India, Asia & Pacific of Naval Group reported that Zoological Survey of India) to Indian animal the 3rd Scorpene submarine, Karanj, will be taxonomy. delivered to the Indian Navy by Dec.2020 and all 6 sub-marine deliveries would be completed by New meat-eating Dinosaur species Allosaurus 2022. The Scorpene submarine is to be equipped jimmadseni found in Utah, US with the AIP (Air Independent Propulsion) system • The new species named as Allosaurus from 2023. It replaces the diesel-electric jimmandseni evolved at least 5 million years ago propulsion system of non- nuclear vessels. and published in open-access scientific journal PeerJ. The species belongs to the allosauroids (a NASA astronaut Christina Koch returns to group of small to large-bodied, 2 legged Earth after record longest stay in ISS carnivorous dinosaurs that lived during the • NASA’s (National Aeronautics and Space Jurassic & Cretaceous period). Administration) astronaut Christina Koch(41 years) from United States(US)who made the 1st all female space walk in 2019 landed in Kazakh NASA decommissioned its Spitzer Space desert steppe of Kazakhstan in a Soyuz MS-13 Telescope after 16 years capsule. She has landed after making a record of • National Aeronautics and Space Administration longest stay on the International Space Station (NASA) has decommissioned its Spitzer Space (ISS). She made her landing after ending a 328 Telescope. The telescope which was used to study days mission in space. the universe by detecting cosmic infrared radiation for more than 16 years was first Indian leopard population declined by 75- launched in 2003. Spitzer was planned to be 90% as per study conducted by CWS & WII decommissioned in 2018 in anticipation of the • Scientists found that the Leopard population has launch of the James Webb Space Telescope decreased to 75-90% in India over the past 120 to (JWST), but as JWST launch mission was 200 years, suggesting that leopards need similar postponed spitzer was given 5th and final conservation attention like tigers in India. The extension till 2020. study was conducted by scientists from the Centre for Wildlife Sanctuaries (CWS), Bengaluru, UAE discovers new natural ‘Jebel Ali gas field’ Karnataka and the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) between Abu Dhabi, Dubai Uttarakhand, Dehradun. • The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has discovered huge shallow gas resources called ‘Jebel Ali gas Astronomers discover monster galaxy XMM- field’ with estimated reserves of 80 trillion 2599 from early universe standard cubic feet spanning an area of 5,000 • International team of astronomers led by square kilometres (sqkm) in the cross-border scientists at the University of California, United mppscadda.com, Call – 9953733830, WhatsApp - 7982862964 Telegram - t.me/mppscadda 5

States (US) has discovered a monster galaxy Kerala CM launched “Yodhavu” mobile app to dubbed as XMM-2599. This galaxy existed around combat drug menace 12 billion years ago just 1.8 billion years after the • Kerala Chief Minister (CM) Pinarayi Vijayan formation of the universe. The details of this launched “Yodhav” (Warrior) mobile app discovery have been published in the (application) at Kochi, Kerala, through which the Astrophysical Journal. The detailed measurement public can inform police about drug abuse & its of XMM-2599 was taken using spectroscopic distribution. The application was introduced by observations from the W. M. Keck Observatory’s the Kochi city police and the informer’s identity powerful Multi-Object Spectrograph for Infrared could be kept secret. The Kerala CM also Exploration or MOSFIRE. inaugurated a modern cyberdom cyber crime police station and unveiled the model of a new Indian Army & Private firm developed the complex for Kochi city police in Kochi, Kerala. World’s Cheapest Gun Shot Locator “Parth” • The Indian Army’s College of Military Engineering Credai launched ‘Credai Awaas’ app to (CME), Pune, Maharashtra, jointly with a private connect homebuyers with developers firm developed gunshot locators named as • CREDAI (The Confederation of Real Estate “Parth”. The device is much cheaper than the Developers Association of India) launched an imported ones.Major Anoop Mishra displayed the ‘Credai Awaas’ app (application) to connect Parth gun shot locator at DefExpo 2020 held in homebuyers with its member developers to Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh (UP). Parth gunshot purchase properties. The app was launched by locator costs around Rs 3 lakhs which is less than Mohammad Akbar, Minister of Transport, Housing the imported ones, which costs around Rs 65 & Environment, Forest & Law, in Raipur, lakhs. It can detect the exact location of the bullet Chhattisgarh. The app will facilitate ease of from a distance of 400 meters. purchase of residential properties by homebuyers. Iran unveils new ballistic missile ‘Raad-500’; dedicated to former Major General Qasim Delhi Police integrated with Uber launched Sulemani “Himmat Plus app” • Delhi Police along with Uber launched “Himmat DRDO developing a new ballistic missile Plus app”, at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) PRANASH with striking range of 200km airport, New Delhi, to ensure safety and security of the people travelling in cabs. The police Ministry of Coal (MoC) launched Web Portal headquarters will receive the real time location of for Star Rating of Mines in India a driver or rider in case of emergency through this app so that PCR (Police Control Room) van can be BARC’s Bhabha Kavach inducted in CISF assigned to provide assistance. • It is India’s lightest level III plus bullet proof jacket (6.8 kgs nominal weight) based on indigenous hot Lithium reserve found in Mandya near pressed boron carbide and carbon nanotube Bengaluru technologies. • Lithium is a rare metal used for manufacturing • It can stop 7.62 x 39 mm hard steel core bullets batteries for electric vehicles. fired from AK 47 rifles, 5.56 x 45mm Ball MK M • India currently imports all its lithium needs, and bullets of Indian Small Arms System (INSAS) rifles these reserves will be useful to promote clean- and Self Load Rifles (SLR)/Bolt action rifles with a energy vehicles. India has set up Khanij Bidesh back face signature of less than 15 mm. India Limited to source and acquire mines in Argentina (Buenos Aires), Bolivia (Sucre) and NASA’s ‘SuperCam’ to study mineralogy of Chile (Santiago). Mars during Mars 2020 rover mission • NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Cabinet approved Procurement of 24 US made Administration) is all set to send a new laser- MH-60R Seahawk helicopters toting robot named ‘SuperCam’ to Mars for • The Cabinet Committee on Security headed by the studying mineralogy and chemistry from up to Prime Minister of India Shri. Narendra Modi has about 20 feet (7 meters) away, to help scientists in approved the acquisition of 24 Sikorsky MH finding the signs of fossilized microbial life on the (Maritime Helicopters)-60R(Romeo) seahawk Red Planet i.e. Mars. SuperCam, a rock-vaporizing multi-role Helicopters from The United States, instrument is a part of seven instruments aboard worth of USD 2.6 billion (approximately Rs.1871 the Mars 2020 rover. crores) for Indian Navy. Lockheed Martin, who mppscadda.com, Call – 9953733830, WhatsApp - 7982862964 Telegram - t.me/mppscadda 6

built the helicopters for the US, will be the iminary survey of the site, BHU found a temple principal contractor for the sale. The helicopters which belongs to the 5th Century AD through 8th will be procured through the foreign military sales Century AD, potteries which are 4000-year-old (FMS) method administered by The US Defence and walls which are 2000-year-old. Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA). Union Labour Minister Shri Santosh Kumar Indian Railways launched HRMS Mobile app Gangwar to launch “Santusht” mobile app for for its employees ESI beneficiaries • Shri Vinod Kumar Yadav, Chairman, Railway • The Union Labour Minister Shri Santosh Kumar Board, launched HRMS (Human Resource Gangwar on Employees State Insurance Management System) Mobile application (app) Corporation (ESIC) foundation day announced through which all employees of Indian Railways about launching “Santusht” mobile app for the can view and access data related to their services. benefit of ESI beneficiaries & launched ESIC’s The app was designed and developed by CRIS Special Service Fortnight from February 24 to (Centre for Railway Information System). The app March 10. allows employees to view their historical data • The minister also renamed ESIC Hospital since the date of joining in Railways. Apart from Basaidarapur, New Delhi to Sahib Singh Verma this, Indian Railways announces the launch of ESIC Hospital and ESIC AYUSH Hospital to Padma joint research initiatives and teaching Vibhushan Brihaspati Dev Triguna ESIC AYUSH programmes with University of Birmingham at Hospital. National Rail Transportation Institute (NRTI). INCOIS launched three new advance warning IRCTC ‘ASKDISHA’ upgraded to converse with systems Railway Customers in Hindi Language • The Indian National Center for Ocean Information • In order to resolve the queries of railway Services (INCOIS), Hyderabad has launched 3 new passengers over the internet related to the various ocean based specialised products for the benefit of services offered, IRCTC introduced Artificial fishermen & people living in the coastal areas of Intelligence based ASKDISHA chatbot in October South India. The 3 warning systems are Small 2018. It was initially launched in English language. Advisory and Forecast Services System (SVAS), Swell Surge Forecast System (SSFS) and Algal Scientists discover breathable oxygen in Bloom Information Service (ABIS). galaxy outside of Milky Way for 1st time o SVAS is aimed at improving the operations of • A team of astronomers at China’s Shanghai numerous small marine vessels, particularly Astronomical Observatory, led by Junzhi Wang fishingvessels. has identified molecular oxygen in a galaxy o SSFS is designed to predict the kallakkadal or outside the Milky Way.The team identified the swell waves in the coastalregion. presence of molecular oxygen by analyzing light o ABIS provides information on harmful algal waves that had reached Earth from Markarian blooms that tend to cause respiratory 231, a galaxy around 581 million light years away. problems in the coastalpopulation. The discovery has been published in Astrophysical Journal. The light wave readings Union Food Processing Industries Minister were taken at two different locations: the IRAM Harsimrat Kaur Badal Launched Market (Institute for Radio Astronomy in the Millimeter Intelligence and Early Warning Range) 30-meter telescope in Granada, Spain, and System(MIEWS) the Northern Extended Millimeter Array telescope • Union Food Processing Industries (FPI) Minister in the FrenchAlps. Harsimrat Kaur Badal Launched Market Intelligence & Early Warning System (MIEWS) at 4,000-year-old crafts village unearthed near Delhi. MIEWS portal is a ‘First-of -its-kind’ Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh by Banaras platform that monitors the prices of TOP Crops University (Tomato, Onion & Potato) & generates alert for • The Banaras Hindu University (BHU) Department timely market intervention under the terms of of Ancient Indian History, Culture and Operation Greens (OG) scheme for price Archaeology Professor, Anil Kumar Dubey and his stabilization during glut situations. team discovered a 4000-year-old urban settlement, which is Astronomers discovered a mini-moon or mentionedascraftvillagesasperAncienttexts,inBab planet’s 2nd moon, “Dubbed 2020 CD3” haniyavvillage,VaranasiinUttarPradesh.Ontheprel • Mini- moon or planet’s 2nd moon “Dubbed 2020 mppscadda.com, Call – 9953733830, WhatsApp - 7982862964 Telegram - t.me/mppscadda 7

CD3” was discovered by Kacper Wierzchos and application in New Delhi, which delivers diesel to Teddy Pruyne of the NASA-funded Catalina Sky doorstep of bulk users. The diesel will be Survey (CSS) in Arizona, US.It is an asteroid about delivered within the period of 8 hours, without the size of the car & its diameter is about 1.9-3.5 wastage and spoilage of fuel. metre. It is a temporary moon, dissimilar to our • The benefits of the diesel delivery service are live permanent moon which will break free of Earth’s tracking of the delivery vehicle, good quality & orbit & go off on its own way. quantity of fuel delivered, automated billing.

8,000 years old Carbon founded inside The Tourism minister (MoS), Shri Prahlad Singh Yongle Blue Hole (YBH) Patel launched Multilingual version of • Peng Yao & his team at the Ocean University of “Incredible India” website & Mobile app in China in Qingdao found 8,000 years old Carbon New Delhi inside The Yongle Blue Hole (YBH), the world’s • The Minister of State (MoS) for Tourism & Culture, deepest blue hole, in the South China Sea. YBH has Shri Prahlad Singh Patel has launched the a depth of 300 metres from top to bottom which multilingual version of ‘Incredible India’ website puts down Dean’s Blue Hole in Bahamas of 202 and mobile app in New Delhi with the aim to metres depth from the position of the world’s provide more information about India’s tourist deepest blue hole. destinations, attractions, experiences, and where the value lies. ENVIRONMENT • The website was earlier hosted in only 2 languages i.e. English & Hindi and now it has been World’s largest species of cave fish discovered launched in 3 new languages i.e. Chinese, Arabic in Meghalaya’s Jaintia Hills and Spanish. • A team of experts from UK (United Kingdom), Switzerland, and India have discovered the SEBI introduces mobile app ‘Sebi SCORES’ for world’s largest species of cave fish in Jaintia Hills, investors to lodge grievances Meghalaya. The fish, Tor putitora has no eyes and • Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), the is white due to lack of melanin pigmentation. The regulator for the securities market in India, has details of the finding are published in the issue of introduced a mobile app called ‘Sebi SCORES’ Cave and Karst Science, published by British Cave [Sebi Complaints Redress System (SCORES)], Research Association. Thee fishes are commonly through which, investors can register their found in the rivers that flow along the foothills of grievances. As per Sebi guideline, within 30 days Himalayas, Afghanistan, Bhutan, Myanmar of receipt of complaint, companies against whom andNepal. complaints are lodged should file an action taken report with the regulator. ‘Henneguya salminicola’-First ever animal that can survive without oxygen discovered Chandrayaan-3 will be launched in the first by Scientists from Tel Aviv University (TAU) half of 2021: Jitendra Singh • Researchers at Tel Aviv University (TAU), Israel • According to the Minister of State in the Prime have discovered a jellyfish-like Minister’s Office, Jitendra Singh, a possible parasite,’Henneguya salminicola’, without a schedule for the launch of Chandrayaan-3 is mitochondrial genome, the first multicellular planned to be implemented in the first half of organism known to have this absence. That means 2021. Chandrayaan-3 will be designed to increase it doesn’t breathe and lives its life completely free design, capacity with a cost of around Rs 610 of oxygen dependency. The study has been crore, including Rs 360 crore for the launch published in the journal Proceedings of the rocket. ISRO also decided to launch in the same National Academy of Sciences. The finding was led area where Chandrayaan-2 launched, and would by Prof. Dorothee Huchon of the School of Zoology have a lander, rover and propulsion module like at TAU’s Faculty of Life Sciences and Steinhardt its predecessor. Museum of Natural History. Nasa’s named Mars 2020 rover as MoS Santosh Kumar Gangwar launched PERSEVERANCE Humsafar mobile app for doorstep diesel • NASA (National Aeronautics and Space delivery Administration) announced the name of the 5th • Shri Santosh Kumar Gangwar, Minister of State Mars (red planet) rover as Perseverance. (MoS- Independent charge) for Labour& Previously the rover was known by its codename Employment, launched ‘Humsafar’ mobile as Mars 2020. The name was suggested by mppscadda.com, Call – 9953733830, WhatsApp - 7982862964 Telegram - t.me/mppscadda 8

Alexander Mather, 7th standard student and was technology’, which can enhance the efficiency of announced by Nasa’s director of science, Thomas fuel in internal combustion (IC) engines by Zurbuchen at an event in Lake Braddock reducing friction. Secondary School in Burke, Virginia. US launches advanced satellite for Raj Kumar Singh Launched a new website of communication: AEHF-6 Ministry of New and Renewable Energy • The United States (US) Space Force launched its • Raj Kumar Singh the Union minister for Power, 1st national security mission on March 26, 2020 New and Renewable Energy & Skill Development by sending an ultra-secure military and Entrepreneurship has launched a new communication satellite into orbit called website of Ministry of New and Renewable Energy Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF)-6 (MNRE). (developed by Lockheed martin) from Cape • The website has additional portals such as Canaveral, Florida on the Atlas V551 rocket. ‘Akshay Urja Portal’ & ‘India Renewable Idea Exchange’ (IRIX). The National Informatics Centre Genetic study revealed the endangered Red (NIC) server hosts the website. Panda is actually two separate species • According to the genetic study on the endangered UK scientists discover fossil of the world’s species of mammals revealed that Red pandas, the oldest known modern bird, call it ‘Wonder bushy-tailed and russet-furred bamboo munchers Chicken’ that exist in Asian high forests, are actually 2 • Scientists at the University of Cambridge in the separate species. Earlier both the Chinese red United Kingdom (UK) have discovered a fossil of pandas & the Himalayan red pandas were the world’s known modern bird skull dating to together considered as red panda species. about 66.8m – 66.7m years ago- means the birds o Chinese red pandas: Chinese red pandas are lived alongside dinosaurs for around a million found in northern Myanmar as well as years before the latter died out. Scientists dubbed southeastern Tibet, Sichuan and Yunnan the creature as ‘Wonderchicken’, which is thought provinces inChina. to be a common ancestor of modern chickens and o Himalayan red pandas: Himalayan red ducks. The findings were published in the journal pandas are native to Nepal, India, Bhutan and Nature. southern Tibet inChina.

After Covid-19 pandemic “Hantavirus” death Newly Discovered insect species named after reported in China singer Lady Gaga • China’s Yunnan province has reported a death due • A newly discovered species of treehopper has to Hantavirus infection (which spreads from been named “Kaikaia Gaga” after American Singer rodents), this is just few days after spread of Lady Gaga. The species was named by Brendan deadly Coronavirus around the world. Rodents Morris, PhD candidate in entomology from are a type of small mammal with sharp front teeth University of Illinois, United States (US). The which include mouse, squirrel, or beaver, hamster Species was found near the Pacific coast of etc. Nicaragua. The information about the new insect • Hantavirus is not a new virus and it does not species was published in the journal Zootaxa. spread from person to person. As per United States’ (US) Centers for Disease Control and Ministry of Tourism launched ‘Stranded in Prevention (CDC), Hantavirusis spread mainly by India’ portal to help foreign tourists stuck in rodents and can cause hantavirus pulmonary India syndrome (HPS), and haemorrhagic fever with • The Ministry of Tourism has launched a portal renal syndrome (HFRS) to the infected person. ‘Stranded in India’ as a support network to help foreign tourists who are stuck in various parts of ARCI, Hyderabad develops ‘ultrafast laser India through the web address surface texturing technology’ to improve the strandedinindia.com. The portal consists of fuel efficiency of IC engines information about Covid-19 helpline numbers and • International Advanced Centre for Powder call centres that foreign tourists can reach out for Metallurgy & New Materials (ARCI), Hyderabad help, information around Ministry of External (Telangana), which functions as a grants-in-aid Affairs (MEA) control centers along with their institution of the Government of India’s contact information and information around Department of Science & Technology (DST), has state-based/regional tourism support developed ‘ultrafast laser surface texturing infrastructure. mppscadda.com, Call – 9953733830, WhatsApp - 7982862964 Telegram - t.me/mppscadda 9

NASA to launch new mission ‘SunRISE’ to (NASA) unveiled its plan to setup ‘Artemis’, the study the Giant Solar Particle Storms first human base camp on Moon’s South Pole by • The National Aeronautics and Space 2024 through a 13-page report titled “NASA’s Plan Administration (NASA) to launch its new mission for Sustained Lunar Exploration and called the Sun Radio Interferometer Space Development”. Experiment (SunRISE), a very large radio telescope to study how the sun generates & Telangana govt deploys India’s first releases the giant space weather storms (solar automated ‘Covid-19 Monitoring System’ app particle storms) into planetary space. The study will help to protect the astronauts that travel to DRDO develops Personnel Sanitisation the moon & mars by providing better information Enclosure & Full-Face Mask: COVID-19 on how the Sun’s radiation affects the space environment in which they travel. DST set up CAWACH at SINE, IIT-B for supporting startups with funding to tackle Government launches its 1stcomprehensive COVID-19 COVID-19 tracking app called Aarogya Setu • The National Science & Technology • The app has been developed by the National Entrepreneurship Development Board (NSTEDB) Informatics Center (NIC) in collaboration with the of Department of Science and Technology (DST) Ministry of Electronics and Information has nominated Society for Innovation and Technology (MeitY) & it is available in 11 Entrepreneurship (SINE), an umbrella launguages. organisation at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay for the formulation of Centre for Geo-fencing app to locate quarantine Augmenting WAR with COVID-19 Health Crisis violators (CAWACH). • The government has tested an application named, “Geo-fencing” to trigger emails and SMS alerts to Centre launches 1st of its kind iGOT e-learning an authorised government agency, if a person has portal on DIKSHA platform of MHRD jumped quarantine or has escaped from isolation, • The Department of Personnel and Training based on the person’s mobile phone’s cell tower (DoPT) under Ministry of Personnel, Public location. Grievances and Pensions has launched 1st of its • Also, Maharashtra government has launched kind Integrated Government Online Training similar kind of app named Maha Kavach to track (iGOT) e- learning portal on Ministry of Human suspected covid-19 cases & Gujarat government Resource Development’s (MHRD) Digital has launched a Geographic Information System Infrastructure for Knowledge Sharing (DIKSHA) (GIS)-based app which will monitor the platform to enhance capacity building of front-line movement of those in quarantine. workers to effectively manage the COVID- 19 pandemic. Pune based company develops technology- “Scitech Airon negative ion generator” Biofortified carrot variety ‘Madhuban Gajar’ • Jclean weather Technology private limited, developed by Vallabhhai Vasrambhai company of Science & Technology (Scitech) Park, Marvaniya- farmer scientist Pune has developed a technology- “ScitechAiron • Vallabhhai Vasrambhai Marvaniya, a farmer negative ion generator” to control viral, bacterial scientist from Junagadh district, Gujarat has and fungal infections in closed environments can developed Biofortified carrot variety named clean the air & disinfect areas caused by COVID-19 ‘Madhuban Gajar’ with high β-carotene (277.75 positive cases & suspects. milligram per kilogram-mg/kg) and iron content (276.7 mg/kg). He was awarded the Padma Shri in Coronavirus: IIT Roorkee in association with 2019 for his extraordinary work & National AIIMS-Rishikesh prepares low-cost portable Award in 2017. ventilator ‘Prana-vayu’ IT-Bombay researchers develop ‘digital Indian Railways’ RCF unit developed low-cost stethoscope’which can hear heart beat from a ventilator ‘Jeevan’ to fight COVID-19 distance

NASA’s Artemis: First human base camp on Moon’s South Pole by 2024 • National Aeronautics and Space Administration mppscadda.com, Call – 9953733830, WhatsApp - 7982862964 Telegram - t.me/mppscadda 10

Google and Apple ties-up to create prepared and managed by Survey of India (SOI), coronavirus contact tracing technology by under Department of Science and Technology smartphone (DST) will complement the“AAROGYA- SETU”mobile application HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal “Nishank” st launched web-portal YUKTI NASA to launch 1 US astronaut mission to ISS • Union Minister for Ministry of Human Resource since 2011 Development (MHRD) Ramesh Pokhriyal • The name of the mission is Demo-2. “Nishank” has launched a web-portal named ‘Young India Combating COVID with Knowledge, Swiss scientists discovered six-planets system Technology and Innovation’ (YUKTI) in New Delhi with near 3:2 resonance that will monitor and record the efforts and • A team of Scientists from the University of Geneva initiatives of MHRD. (UNIGE), Switzerland, have discovered a six- • Its objective is to keep a high-quality learning planet system (a ‘super-Earth’ & five ‘mini- environment for the academic community during Neptunes’) orbiting the star HD 158259 in the this COVID- 19 threat. Draco constellation.

Researchers at NIT-Karnataka develops cost- Pune Municipal Corporation designs ‘Saiyam’ effective disinfectant chamber called ‘ZERO- app to track home quarantined people COV’ • The Pune Municipal Corporation, the civic body • A team of researchers headed by Professor M that governs Pune City, Maharashtra has Isloor from National Institute of Technology- developed a mobile application called ‘Saiyam’ Karnataka (NIT-K) at Surathkal, has designed a under the Smart City Mission (SCM) to ensure disinfection chamber called ‘ZERO-COV’ to effective monitoring of home quarantine citizens disinfect personal protective equipment (PPE) tools, surgical masks, vegetables, packaged food ARI researchers developed “bug sniffer” for items, currency notes and other day-to-day items detection of pathogens in 30 minutes within 15minutes. • Researchers at the Agharkar Research Institute (ARI) of Pune, Maharashtra have developed a low- Government launches ‘Covid Gyan’ a science cost communication initiative biosensornamely“bugsniffer”torapidlydetectbact eria.Thisportabledevicecandetect10bacterialcells ‘Bat coronavirus’ in 2 Indian bat species: ICMR from a sample size of one millilitre in just 30 • The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) in minutes. This research is led by Dr. Dhananjay a 1st of its study in collaboration with a team of Bodas, and has been published in the Journal scientists from the National Institute of Virology ofBiotechnology. (NIV), Pune, have found the presence of different kind of ‘Bat coronavirus’ (BtCoV) from 25 bats in CSIR-IGIB scientists develops” Feluda” a low- 2 Indian bat species namely, Pteropus (Indian cost coronavirus test strip Flying Fox) and Rousettus (old world fruit bats). • The Scientists at Council of Scientific and Industrial Research - Institute of Genomics and Agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar Integrative Biology (CSIR-IGIB) has developed” launches transport aggregator app Feluda” a low-cost coronavirus test strip which ‘KisanRath’ for farmers will not require any expensive machines & is a • The Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers simple way of detecting SARS-coV2. It is Welfare, Narendra Singh Tomar, has launched developed by Debojyoti Chakraborty farmer friendly mobile application named andSouvikMaiti&thetotaltimerequiredforthetesti ‘KisanRath’ with tagline “Kisan ka apnaVahan” to slessthananhour.RT-PCR’spriceiscappedatRs. facilitate the movement of crops. The app has been 4,500 in private labs whereas the ‘Feluda’ test will developed by the National Informatics Centre cost just Rs.500. (NIC) and will connect 5 lakh trucks & 20,000 tractors for transporting farm produce. SpaceX launches FALCON 9 carrier rocket with 60 satellites Starlink Integrated geospatial platform created: • SpaceX a private American aerospace company, “SAHYOG” by Survey of India has successfully launched 60 Starlink broadband • The mobile application SAHYOG and the web satellites aboard Falcon 9 rocket from the Launch portal (https://indiamaps.gov.in/soiapp/) Pad 39A at NASA’s (National Aeronautics and mppscadda.com, Call – 9953733830, WhatsApp - 7982862964 Telegram - t.me/mppscadda 11

Space Administration) Kennedy Space Center in Scientists at JNCASR develop Berberine based Florida, US (United States). Starlink aims to Alzheimer inhibitor ‘Ber-D’ provide low cost internet in some parts of US and • According to the research work published in the Canada. scientific journal iSceince, a team of scientists led by Prof. T. Govindaraju at the Jawaharlal Nehru NASA develops VITAL, a high-pressure Centre For Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR ventilator to fight COVID-19 – Bengaluru, Karnataka) has developed an Alzheimer’s disease inhibitor called ‘Ber-D’. Iran launches its 1st military satellite, “NOOR” into orbit by launch vehicle ‘QASED’ New pit viper discovered in Arunachal • Iran launched its 1st military satellite into orbit Pradesh named after Harry Potter Character named “Noor” (means ‘light’). The satellite has • The new species of green pit viper discovered in successfully reached an orbit of 425 kilometers Arunachal Pradesh by a teamof researchers was above the Earth’s surface. It was launched by named Salazar’ spit viper after Salazar Slytherin, a launch vehicle named Qased (means ‘messenger’) fictional character in J.K. Rowling’s book series from a space center in Dasht-e Kavir, Iran’s largest “Harry Potter”. desert. Janaushadhi Sugam app to access generic ‘e-karyalay’ application launched for medicine benefits 325000 users movement of files: CISF • More than 325000 users are benefited by the • Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) launched “Janaushadhi Sugam” a mobile application ‘e-karyalay’ or ‘e-office’ application to enable the developed by the Bureau of Pharma PSUs of India movement of files and documents without (BPPI) under the Department of Pharmaceuticals, physical touch so as to prevent coronavirus Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers for the infection. Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP). IIITM-K develops AI search engine, ‘vilokana’ • Read More Details Here: Janaushadhi Sugam app for COVID-19 studies to access generic medicine benefits 325000 users • The Indian Institute of Information Technology and Management- Kerala (IIITM-K) has developed IMD releases list of 169 names for upcoming an AI (Artificial Intelligence) semantic search tropical cyclones: North Indian Ocean engine named “Vilokana” to enable researchers to • India Meteorological Department (IMD), an get deeper insights into scientific studies and to agency of the Ministry of Earth Sciences of the find an early solution to the COVID-19 crisis. Government ofIndia(GoI),hasreleasedadetailedlistcontaining1 IIT Delhi develops Dashboard PRACRITI to 69names(listcomprisesnamesof13cycloneseach predict Covid-19 spread for the 13 member nations) of upcoming tropical • The Researchers of the Indian Institute of cyclones that are likely to occur over the north Technology (IIT)-Delhi has developed a web- Indian based mobile- friendly dashboard named OceanincludingtheBayofBengalandtheArabianSea “PRACRITI” (Prediction and Assessment of Corona .The13namesforIndiaincludeGati,Tej,Murasu, Infections and Transmission in India) to predict Aag, Vyom, Jhar, Probaho, Neer, Prabhanjan, the spread of Covid-19 in India & for state-wise Ghurni, Ambud, Jaladhi andVega. and district-wise predictions. Indian-origin girl Vaneeza names NASA’s 1st First black hole merger of uneven massed Mars helicopter as ‘Ingenuity’ observed by LIGO-VIRGO; indicated by GW190412 signal in April 2019 CSIR Launched ‘Kisan Sabha’ App to Connect • The Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Farmers to Supply Chain and Freight Laboratory (LIGO) Scientific Collaboration and the Transportation Management System Virgo Collaboration also known as LVC (LIGO Scientific Collaboration and Virgo Collaboration) Russia to launch its 1st satellite ‘Arktika-M’ to discovered binary blackhole (BBH )merger with monitor Arctic climate & environment different masses for the first time. • Russia will launch its 1st Arktika-M satellite by December 9, 2020, to monitor the Arctic climate and environment. It will be launched from Baikonur space centre (Kazakhstan) using a mppscadda.com, Call – 9953733830, WhatsApp - 7982862964 Telegram - t.me/mppscadda 12

Soyuz-2.1b carrier rocket with a Fregat booster. track conditional exemptions to government The plan for launch of 2nd Arktika-M satellite agencies for COVID-19 related RPAS (Remotely which is still under development is in 2023. The Piloted Aircraft System)/drone operations. The capital and currency of Russia is Moscow and portal was designed & developed and launched by Russian Rouble respectively. Vikram Singh, Senior System Analyst, National Informatics Centre (NIC). Aarogya Setu Mitr launched in private public partnership initiative CSIR-IGIB and TATA Sons sign MoU for • A new private-public partnership (PPP) initiative licensing ‘KNOWHOW’ for rapid diagnosis of called Aarogya Setu Mitr, available on the COVID-19 Aarogaya Setu app, will offer free online COVID- • The Constituent lab of CSIR (Council of Scientific 19-related consultation from the Tata Group, Tech and Industrial Research), Institute of Genomics Mahindra andSwasth, which is a collaboration of and Integrative Biology (CSIR-IGIB – located at other related entities. Aarogya Setu Mitr will be a New Delhi) and TATA Sons signed an MoU for separate site and won’t be able to access licensing ofKNOWHOW related to the individual data from Aarogya Setu. The three development for FNCAS9 EDITOR LINKED private companies listed for free tele- UNIFORM DETECTION ASSAY (FELUDA) for rapid consultationareSwasth,TataBridgitalHealth,whic diagnosis of COVID-19. hisahealthcareinitiativeoftheTataGroup,and Connectsense Telehealth, a platform from Jupiter like cloud bands on closest brown TechMahindra. dwarf discovered by astronomers • AteamofastronomersattheSpaceTelescopeScience Union Minister Narendra Singh Tomar Institute(STScI)discoveredthattheLuhman16A, launched “The Saras Collection” on GeM closest known brown dwarf showing signs of portal from New Delhi cloud bands similar to the Jupiter and Saturn using • Union Minister for Rural Development and the technique of polarimetry to determine the Panchayati Raj, Narendra Singh Tomar, launched properties of atmospheric clouds outside the solar “The Saras Collection” on the Government e system or typically. The Astrophysical Journal has Marketplace (GeM) portal to showcase daily accepted this study. James Webb Space Telescope, utility products made by rural self-help groups an upcoming NASA project will enable the study (SHGs). The Saras Collection is an initiative of GeM system like Luhman16. and the Deen Dayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM). China successfully launches ‘Long March 5B’ • Read More Details Here: Union Minister Narendra rocket to space as it steps up Moon landing Singh Tomar launched “Saras Collection” on plans GeMportal from New Delhi • China has successfully launched a powerful white- large cargo rocket ‘Long March 5B’and prototype DRDO Develops “UV blaster”, an Ultraviolet spacecraft towards the space from the Wenchang Disinfection Tower Space Launch Centre on the coast of southern • The Laser Science & Technology Centre (LASTEC), China’s island province of Hainan. Delhi-based, laboratory of the Defence Research and Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank launches Central DevelopmentOrganisation(DRDO),withtheassista University of Odisha helpline ‘Bharosa’ to help nceofNewAgeInstrumentsandMaterialPrivateLtd. students in distress , Gurugram developed “UV blaster” an ultraviolet • Union Minister for Human Resource Development (UV) disinfection tower for a quick and chemical- (HRD) Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank launched free sanitization of areas that are highly prone to Central University of Odisha (CUO) Helpline the infection of novel coronavirus inmethod. “Bharosa” and its Helpline Number 08046801010 through a virtual platform to relieve the distress GARUD portal launched to fast-track approval of student community during the troubled time of to COVID-19 related drone operations: MoCA the COVID-19. and DGCA • The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) and China launches two satellites to test space- Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) based communication technology launched Government Authorisation for Relief • China launches two satellites Xingyun-2 01 and 02 Using Drones (GARUD) portal into the orbit by Kuaizhou-1A (KZ-1A) carrier (https://garud.civilaviation.gov.in) to provide fast rocket mppscadda.com, Call – 9953733830, WhatsApp - 7982862964 Telegram - t.me/mppscadda 13

fromtheJiuquanSatelliteLaunchCentretotestthesp have been published in the journal ‘Monthly ace-basedInternetofThings(IoT)communication Notices of the Royal AstronomicalSociety’. technology. The Rocket is developed by an affiliated company of Sanjiang Group under the China Aerospace Science and Industry MHRD develops SAMARTH an e-Governance Corporation (CASIC) used to launch low-orbit platform to provide quality education to smallsatellites. students • The Ministry of Human Resource Development MSME Ministry launches CHAMPIONS Portal has developed an e-Governance platform named, • The Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises SAMARTH Enterprises Resource Planning (ERP) (MSME) ministry has launched CHAMPIONS under National Mission of Education in (Creation and Harmonious Application of Modern Information and Communication Technology Processes for Increasing the Output and National Scheme (NMEICT) to provide quality education to Strength) portal, a Technology-driven control students across all Universities & Higher room-cum-Management Information System. The Education Institutes (HEIs), which is the mission objective of the portal is to assist Indian MSME’s of Department of Higher Education. to become National and Global CHAMPIONS in the big league. The system utilises modern Bhopal’s CSIR-AMPRI faculty Rajeev Kumar Information and Communications Technology develops lightweight carbon foam that can (ICT) tools. replace lead batteries • Dr. Rajeev Kumar of the Bhopal based Council of TVS Group, IIT-M develop automated Scientific and Industrial Research -Advanced respiratory assist device “Sundaram Ventago” Materials andProcessesResearchInstitute(CSIR- • The Sundaram Medical Foundation of TVS group AMPRI),whoreceivedtheInspireFacultyAward,con and IIT (Indian Institute of Technology)- Madras, stitutedby the Department of Science and have jointly developed a low-cost, automated Technology (DST), has developed a porous respiratory assistance device named “Sundaram lightweight carbon foam with a density of less Ventago” that will be useful in remote and rural than 0.3g/cc that can replace lead-grids in lead areas where ventilator facilities are not available acidbatteries. and would have a great impact of post COVID-19. The device has been designed according to Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ launches internationally accepted medical standards in ‘National Test Abhyas’ an AI-powered mobile collaboration with the Madras Medical College app for mock tests for JEE Main, NEET2020 (MMC), Kauvery Hospital and with guidance from • Union Human Resource Development Minister MIT-Boston. Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ launched an Artificial Astronomers of the University of Canterbury Intelligence(AI)- poweredmobileappcalledthe‘NationalTestAbhyas discovered new one in a million Super-Earth ’.TheappisdevelopedbyNational Testing • AstronomersattheUniversityofCanterbury(UC)ha Agency(NTA). vefoundanew“oneinamillion”Super-Earthplanet towards the genre of the galaxy. The planet- Researcher of CSIRO develops “heat resistant” hunters’ research has been published in The coral to fight bleaching Astronomical Journal, which states that the size • A team of scientists of CSIRO (Commonwealth and orbit of this planet are comparable to that of Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation) Earth. The newly discovered planet is among only and Australia’s national science agency, the a handful of extra-solar planets that have been Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) and detected with both sizes and orbits close to that the University ofEarth. ofMelbournesuccessfullydiscoveredcoralswithinc South African & US scientists use MeerKAT reasedheattolerancewhichhaspotentialtoreduce the impacts of coral reef bleaching due to telescope to solve the mystery of ‘X galaxies’ climaticchange. • AteamofastronomersfromtheSouthAfricanRadioA stronomyObservatory(SARAO),the(US)National IIT Guwahati discovers methods to prevent Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO), the memory loss due to Alzheimer University of Pretoria, and Rhodes University, • The research team of Indian Institute of (both in SA), Technology (IIT) Guwahati headed by Professor haveusedtheMeerKATtelescopetosolvealongstan Vibin dingpuzzlein‘X’-shapedradiogalaxies.Theresults mppscadda.com, Call – 9953733830, WhatsApp - 7982862964 Telegram - t.me/mppscadda 14

Ramakrishnan,DepartmentofBioscienceandBioen ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute gineeringworkedonanewideatohelpinpreventing (IARI), ICAR-National Rice Research Institute or reducing the short-term memory loss (ICAR-NRRI), Cuttack and University of Delhi associated with Alzheimer’sdisease. South Campus (UDSC), have identifiedapartinthepaddygenomethroughwhicht MeitY launched seven weather services of IMD hereisapossibilityofincreasingyields.Thestudy in UMANG app has been published in ‘The PlantJournal’. • The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has launched seven services India Observatory launches GIS-enabled of India Meteorological Department (IMD) on the dashboard, CoAST India Unified Mobile Application for New-age • India Observatory, an open-source database, Governance (UMANG) App to further enhance the launched a GIS-enabled dashboard, CoAST India online delivery of Government services. The seven (Collaboration / Covid Action Support Group) in services are Current collaboration with Anand-based Forest Ecological Weather,Nowcast,CityForecast,RainfallInformati Security(FES) as its main nodal point, to help on,TourismForecast,Warnings,Cyclone.UMANGw administrators, civil society organisations & aslaunched in 2017 by PM Modi, its aim is to make volunteers to plan urgent steps to get the stranded the government accessible on the mobile phone of migrant population to safety & care. citizens. US Scientists discover 1st known aquatic IIT Madras develops magnesium alloy to Dinosaur ‘Spinosaurus aegyptiacus’ replace steel, aluminium in cars • The research team of Dr. Sushanta Kumar North Pole’s largest-ever ozone hole,620,000 Panigrahi at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), square miles, finally closes In accordance with Madras the World Meteorological Organization belongingtoIMPCRGgroupandProfessorRajivMish (WMO) ra,UniversityofNorthTexasandK.Cho,theUnited States(US) Army Research Laboratory has engineered a magnesium alloy to replace the steel Indian Scientists discover 3 new species of and aluminium in the automobile industry to fishes under genus ‘Dawkinsia’ in western reduce the carbon footprint and increase fuel ghats efficiency. The magnesium alloy contains rare earth elements like Gadolinium (Gd), Yttrium (Y) and Zirconium(Zr). Denmark researcher discovers new species of fungus ‘Troglomyces Twitteri’ on Twitter ISRO receives patent for highland soil simulant for future lunar missions Zoological Survey of India lists 20 species of • Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has amphibians as critically endangered and 35 received a patent for its method of manufacturing as endangered highland lunar soil simulant or “moon soil” which was prepared to create an artificial moon surface Cyclone Amphan causes havoc in India and as a Bangladesh partof2019’sMoonlandingmissionChandrayaan- 2sothattheVikramlanderandPragyaanrovercould Scientists at BSI discover 3 new plant species betested.Itismadeinbulkfromanorthositerocks,as amplesimilartoregolithidentifiedandpickedout in Western Ghats from Sittampundi Anorthosite Complex,TN. • A team of scientists led by K.A. Sujana at the Botanical Survey of India (BSI - Kolkata) under • Read More Details Here: ISRO receives patent for Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate highland soil simulant for future lunar missions Change have discovered 3 new plant species AI namely- Eugenia sphaerocarpa, Goniothalamus sericeus and Memecylon nervosum at the Western Indian researchers explore new possibilities Ghats in Kerala and Tamil Nadu (TN). to increase paddy yield Irrawaddy Dolphin population at Odisha ‘s • A team of researchers from the Department of Biotechnology’s National Institute of Plant Chilika lake increased with the help of IIT Genome Research (DBT-NIPGR) of New Delhi, Madras’ dredging methodology • Theproject involved the excavation (loosening or mppscadda.com, Call – 9953733830, WhatsApp - 7982862964 Telegram - t.me/mppscadda 15

dislodging) of unwanted substances from the diseases from high altitude area, isolated and foothills without damaging the lake’s ecosystem, remote places. The design requirements are removing the loosened material to the dredge developed on the guidelines issued by the vessel & transportation of the material to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), placementarea. National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers (NABH) and Centre for NASA astronauts fly SpaceX spacecraft Disease Control (CDC), USA. The IAF is inducting a ‘Dragon’ first private company to dock with total of 7 ARPITs. ISS • The US based SpaceX became the first private Scientists discover new star Kepler-160 & company to fly astronauts into orbit. NASA planet KOI-456: ‘mirror image’ of Earth and astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley Sun docked the SpaceX“ Dragon” spacecraft with the • According to the research published in the journal International Space Station (ISS). The astronauts Astronomy and Astrophysics, a team of scientists named the SpaceX Crew Dragon Capsule, led by the Max Planck Institute for Solar System “Endeavour” after the retired winged orbiters, Research (MPS) in Gottingen (Germany) have stating that they both had their first flight on the discovered a new planet named KOI-456.04 & its shuttle Endeavour. host star called Kepler-160 by using Kepler Space Telescope. PM Modi Launches ‘CHAMPIONS’ portal to empower MSMEs Thane engineer develops world’s first ‘Internet-controlled’ robot ‘Coro-bot’ for DRDO develops ‘Ultra Swachh’ to disinfect COVID-19 hospitals PPE and other materials • Pratik Tirodkar (23), Thane based engineer & • Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Allied Science founder of a start-up PNT Solutions, Dombivali (INMAS) a Delhi based laboratory of Defence developed theworld’s1st‘Internet- Research and DevelopmentOrganisation (DRDO) controlled’robotnamed‘Coro- in association with M/s Gel Craft Healthcare bot’toaddresstheneedsofthehospitalstreating Private Ltd., Ghaziabad developed “Ultra Swachh”, COVID-19 patients. It is deployed for the 1st time a disinfection unit to disinfect Personal Protective in Holy Cross Hospital,Maharashtra. Equipments (PPEs), electronic items, fabrics and other materials. The Pune based Defence Institute of Advanced Technology (DIAT) develops “ANANYA” SANSA & NASA collaborates to support human nanotechnology based disinfectant spray to spaceflight missions to the Moon, Mars and fight COVID-19 beyond • The South African National Space Agency (SANSA) Central Railway Launched Robotic ‘CAPTAIN has partnered with National Aeronautics and ARJUN’ to Boost Screening, Surveillance in Space Administration (NASA) to host a deep-space Pune along with ‘Febri Eye’ in Mumbai ground station to support human space flight • The Railway Protection Force of Central Railway missions to the Moon, Mars and beyond. South (CR), Pune division, Maharashtra launched a Africa became the 4th country after the United Robotic ‘Captain Arjun’ (Always be Responsible States of America, Spain and Australia to host a and Just Use to be Nice) to intensify the screening deep space ground station. and surveillance of passengers. The Brainchild behind this innovation is Alok Bohra DIG/RPF, Rare ‘first of its kind’ Trojan asteroids called Central Railway. 2019 LD2 detected near Jupiter’s Orbit by • Also, the “FebriEye thermal cameras”, developed astronomers at the “ATLAS” Institute of by Vehant Technologies was set up by central Astronomy railway to ensure contactless entry.

Airborne Rescue Pod for Isolated IIT Mandi Develops Herbal Infusion Transportation (ARPIT) inducted by the Technology to Help Farmers in the Mid- Indian Air Force Himalayan Region • ARPIT (Airborne Rescue Pod for Isolated • The Researchers of IIT Mandi have developed an Transportation) was designed, developed and herbal infusion technology, as a source of income inducted by the Indian Airforce (IAF) for the for local marginal farmers in the mid-Himalayas. evacuation of critical patients with infectious The technology is ready to license industries mppscadda.com, Call – 9953733830, WhatsApp - 7982862964 Telegram - t.me/mppscadda 16

interested in working with Enabling Women of Cham Temple Complex located in My Son Kamand (EWOK)- a rural incubator at IIT Mandi. Sanctuary of Quang Nam Province, Vietnam.

Union Minister Pralhad Joshi Launches 500 Years Old Temple Found Submerged in ‘SATYABHAMA’ Portal to Promote R&D in Mahanadi River of Odisha Mining & Mineral Sector • The Researchers at Indian National Trust for Art & • Pralhad Joshi, Union Ministerfor Mines has Cultural Heritage (INTACH) along with heritage launched SATYABHAMA (Scienceand Technology enthusiast of Odisha, Rabindra Rana have located Yojana for Aatmanirbhar Bharat in Mining the 500-year-old submerged temple in the Advancement) Portal, developed by National Mahanadi rivernear Baideswar in Padmavati area, Informatics Centre (NIC), Mines Informatics Cuttack,Odisha. Division. The Portal, integrated with NGO Darpan Portal of NITI Aayog, will promote research and Rijiju Launches National Anti-Doping development in the mining and mineralssector. Agency’s 1st App, ‘NADA INDIA’ to Help Athletes Stay Updated on Banned IIT Bombay Researchers Develops Chip ‘Dhruva’ to Navigate Locations Substances • The first mobile app of National Anti-Doping Indian Navy Inducts Advanced Torpedo Decoy Agency (NADA), “NADA INDIA” was released by System ‘Maareech’ Indigenously Developed Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju. The initiative is an by DRDO labs-NPOL & NSTL important step towards dope free sports, • Indian Navy inducted an Advanced Torpedo providing updates & information about the Decoy System (ATDS) namely ‘Maareech’ that is banned substances and their use to aware the capable of being fired from all frontline warships. athletes & Coaches. The design and development of this ATDS have been done by Defence Research and Development Swedish Institute of Space Physics to Organisation (DRDO) labs viz. Naval Physical and Explore Venus for 2nd time via Indian Oceanographic Laboratory (NPOL), Kochi, Kerala and the Naval Science and Technological Space Mission Shukrayaan-1 Laboratory (NSTL), Visakhapatnam, Andhra • The Swedish Institute of Space Physics (IRF) will Pradesh. explore Venus for the second time through the India’s 1st Venus Mission Shukrayaan-1. The Russia is Set to Take First Tourists on Space Shukrayaan-1 is scheduled for launch at the end of Walk in 2023 2023 from Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. • Russia’s Space Corporation RSC Energia in contract with Space Adventures of US announced IIT Kanpur Develops Virtual Classroom Aid, that it is set to take its first tourist on space walk in 2023. Note: Roscosmos and RSC Energia in ‘Mobile Masterjee’ collaboration with Space Adventures took 8 tourists to ISS between 2001 and2009. Researchers Found Jupiter Like Planet: TOI- 849b, First Ever Planetary Core Researchers of CMFRI have found a rare • The researchers spotted a Jupiter-like planet, 39 bandtail scorpion fish in Gulf of Mannar times more massive than the Earth, orbiting • This was the first time that the particular species was found alive in Indian waters during the around a distant star with temperature lower than exploratory survey of the seagrass ecosystem. The the Sun, the planet is located around 730 light specimen was deposited in the National Marine years away from Earth. The astronomers named Biodiversity Museum of the CMFRI and the the planet TOI-849b. This is the first ever research work was published in the latest issue of planetary core to be found by the astronomers. the journal “CurrentScience”. The study was published in Journal Nature. ASI team discovers 1100-year-old Shiva India’s Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) Captured lingam in Vietnam during temple excavation • A 4-member team of Archaeological Survey of the Image of Mars’ moon Phobos India (ASI) has discovered a 1100-year-old • Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) monolithic sandstone Shiva lingam, a released the picture of the closest and biggest representation of the Hindu deity Shiva, at the moon of Mars named “Phobos” which was mppscadda.com, Call – 9953733830, WhatsApp - 7982862964 Telegram - t.me/mppscadda 17

captured by Mars Colour Camera (MCC) onboard Government launches ASEEM portal to India’s Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM – also known support skilled people to find as Mangalyaan). The image was taken on July 1, sustainable livelihood opportunities 2020 when MOM was about 7200 km from Mars • Mahendra Nath Pandey, Union Minister of Skill and at 4200 km from Phobos. Development and Entrepreneurship (MoSDE) launched the Aatamanirbhar Skilled Employee- Venkaiah Naidu Launched ‘Elyments’, Employer Mapping (ASEEM) portal, to improve India’s First Social Media Super App the information flow and bridge the demand- developed by Sumeru Software Solutions supply gap in the skilled workforce market to help • Vice President of India Venkaiah Naidu launched skilled people find sustainable livelihood India’s first social media super application opportunities. ASEEM is developed and managed ‘Elyments’ virtually on 5th July 2020. The app was by National Skill Development Corporation developed by Sumeru Software Solutions & (NSDC) in collaboration with Betterplace, a provides free audio/video calls, and private/ Bengaluru based company. group chats through vibrant feed. NITI Aayog’s AIM launched ATL App Israel Successfully Launches New Spy Satellite Development Module for school students ‘Ofek 16’ into Space Using Shavit Rocket & teachers nationwide; • The Israel Ministry of Defence (IMoD), and Israel #TinkerfromHome Aerospace Industries (IAI), have successfully • NITI (National Institution for Transforming India) launched a new spy satellite “Ofek 16” into orbit Aayog has launched pan India “ATL App by using a locally developed Shavit rocket from a Development Module”, a free online course for launchpad at Palmachim airbase in central Israel. school students and teachers on the lines of the Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi’s vision of IIT Roorkee Develops “Unisaviour” – AtmaNirbhar Bharat. The module was developed Disinfection Box to Sterilise Personal by NITI Aayog’s Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) Belongings and Indian startup, Plezmo. The hashtag or campaign for this state of the art platform is • The Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee (IIT- R) announced that the IIT-R researchers team led “#TinkerfromHome”. by Prof. Soumitra Satapathi, Laboratory of IIT Kanpur Develops ‘SHUDH’, UV Sanitizing Integrated Nano photonics and Biomaterials, have Device to make Surroundings COVID free developed the disinfection box – “Unisaviour” box, • The Imagineering Laboratory department of IIT which can be used to sterilise various personal Kanpur has developed an Ultraviolet (UV) belongings to minimise the COVID-19 sanitizing product, ’SHUDH’. The SHUDH is a transmission. smartphone operated Handy UV Disinfection ISRO to Launch Brazil’s Amazonia-1 Earth Helper. It helps to make the surroundings COVID Observation Satellite on PSLV free especially the highly prone places such as

• Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is set hospitals, hotels, malls, offices and schools. to launch the Amazonia – 1 on board the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) as a primary ARAD and CARMEL – New Israeli Assault payload by August 2020. Amazonia -1 is Brazil’s Rifles Are Set to Manufacture in India first satellite for Earth observation – designed, under Make in India Initiative assembled and tested in Brazil. India and Brazil • The latest Israeli Assault Rifles, Arad and Carmel, signed the agreement of Cooperation in the 6th will be manufactured under the Make in India BRICS Summit in 2014 on setting up a Brazilian initiative in the PLR Systems Private Limited, earth station to receive data from the Indian established by Israel Weapons Industries (IWI) in Remote Sensing Satellites (IRS) series. 2017 as a joint venture with Punj Lloyd in Madhya Pradesh, India.

mppscadda.com, Call – 9953733830, WhatsApp - 7982862964 Telegram - t.me/mppscadda 18

GHIAL’s Rajiv Gandhi International Hope Mission: UAE became 1st West Airport Introduces India’s First Fully Asian & Arab Nation to Launch Space Contactless Car Parking Mission to Mars; Took off from Japan • The GMR Hyderabad International Airport • United Arab Emirates (UAE) became the 1st West (GHIAL), introduced India’s first ever fully Asian and Arab nation to embark on a first-ever contactless airport car parking with contact less interplanetary space mission to Mars namely “Hope Probe mission” from Tanegashima Space toll transaction for their passengers and visitors in Centre, Japan atop a Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) to H-IIA rocket. It was also known as Al-Amal or provide a safe airport amid COVID-19. The NETC Emirates Mars Mission, this $200 mn mission will FASTag Car Park is a part of the “One Nation One be the first to study both Martian climate viz. Tag” – NETC FASTag programme of Indian diurnal (daily) and seasonal cycles. Notably, the Government. mission arrival, which is expected to reach Mars’s orbit by February 2021 which marks the 50th Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ E-Launched anniversary of the unification of the UAE, an alliance of seven emirates. “Corosure” – World’s Most Affordable COVID-19 Diagnostic Kit Developed by CSIR-CMERI, Durgapur Introduced IIT Delhi COVID Protection System (COPS) with • Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’, the Union Minister of IntelliMAST, TouF & 360° Car Flusher Human Resource Development (MoHRD) E- for Workplace launched the world’s most affordable Reverse • The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research – Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT- Central Mechanical Engineering Research PCR) based COVID- 19 diagnostic kit, “Corosure Institute (CSIR-CMERI), Durgapur, West Bengal Kit”. It is developed by the Indian Institute of introduced the COVID Protection System (COPS), Technology, Delhi (IIT-D) approved by Indian a collection of technologies for workplace, which Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and Drugs includes, contactless Solar Based Intelligent Mask Controller General of India (DCGI). Automated Dispensing Unit cum Thermal Scanner (IntelliMAST), Touchless Faucet (TouF) and 360° PM SVANidhi app launched to provide micro- Car Flusher. credit facility for street vendors at their door steps Prakash Javadekar hails KURMA mobile app • A mobile Application of Prime Minister Street as unique tool for conservation of Indian Vendor’s AtmaNirbhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi) was Turtles virtually launched by Durga Shanker Mishra, Secretary, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs • Prakash Javadekar, Union Minister of (MoHUA) from New Delhi. The aim of the app is to Environment, Forest and Climate Change and ease the sourcing and processing of loan Information & Broadcasting hailed KURMA, a applications of street vendors under the Scheme mobile based application contributing towards by providing user friendly digital interface. conservation of Indian turtles, as a unique tool for tracking and reporting Indian turtles and ICAT launched automotive technology e- tortoises. The application was developed by portal ASPIRE Indian Turtle Conservation Action Network • The International Centre of Automotive (ITCAN) in collaboration with the Turtle Survival Technology (ICAT) has launched an automotive Alliance – India and Wildlife Conservation Society technology e- portal, Automotive Solutions Portal for Industry, Research and Education (ASPIRE). – India. The key objective of this portal is to enhance the technological capability of Indian automotive South Korea Launched 1st Military sector through exchange of knowledge & communications Satellite, ANASIS-II by Falcon expertise. It was launched to facilitate the 9 Rocket initiative of the Department of Heavy Industry

(DHI), Govt. of India to promote, R&D and product • South Korea launched its first military development in India for various sectors. communications satellite, Army/Navy/Air Force mppscadda.com, Call – 9953733830, WhatsApp - 7982862964 Telegram - t.me/mppscadda 19

Satellite Information System 2 (ANASIS-II). The also launched 3 portals of e-BIS on satellite was deployed into a geostationary Standardisation, Conformity assessment and transfer orbit (GTO) by a Falcon 9 rocket Training Portals on www.manakonline.in for developed by US space firm SpaceX. It was lifted consumers. off from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in CSIR’s CSIO along with AMESYS INDIA the US state of Florida. With this launch South developed a microorganism Korea has become the 10th country to own a military-only communications satellite. decontamination box named ‘Suraksha’ • Council of Scientific and Industrial Research DRDO Test Fires ‘Made in India’ Anti-Tank (CSIR)’s Central Scientific Instruments Guided Nag Missile named “Dhruvastra” Organisation (CSIO) along with AMESYS INDIA developed a microorganism decontamination box, • The Defence Research and Development ‘Suraksha’. The box sanitizes an object in the span Organisation (DRDO) test fired the Anti-Tank of 10 – 15 minutes using heat and UVC light. Guided Missile (ATGM) named “Dhruvastra” (Formerly known as Helicopter launched Nag DIAT Developed ‘Aashray’, the Medical Bed Missile, “HELINA”) without Helicopter at the Isolation System to Combat COVID-19 Interim Test Range (ITR) in Balasore, Odisha. The • The Defence Institute of Advanced Technology flight trials were conducted in direct and top (DIAT) has developed ‘Aashray’, the Medical Bed attack mode. Isolation System to fight against COVID-19 China Launches Tianwen-1: China’s First pandemic by controlling the spread of infection Rover Mission to Mars released by the patient. It is a low cost, reusable • On 23rd July 2020, Tianwen-1, China’s first fully solution. The model of Aashray was manufactured home-grown Mars Mission, was launched by Long by M/s Cleancore Solutions Pvt Ltd. Bhosari, Pune. March 5 Rocket from the Wenchang Satellite Launch Centre in Hainan Island, China. The name Iran Launched the Underground Ballistic Tianwen means “Questions to Heaven” it was Missiles During ‘Great Prophet 14’ Military taken from the poem by Qu Yuan (Lived in 340 to Exercise 278 BCE). • Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), a paramilitary force, launched the underground Nitin Jairam Gadkari Launches Mentoring ballistic missiles from the depths of the Earth in a Platform ‘RestartIndia’ to Support MSME completely camouflaged way during the last day of ‘Great Prophet 14’ (code name- “Payambar e Sector Azam 14”) military exercise near Gulf waters. • Nitin Jairam Gadkari, Union Minister of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MoMSME), “Golden Birdwing” from Uttarakhand launched www.restartindia.com, a mentoring surpassed “Southern Birdwing” to become platform. It was initiated jointly by Muthoot India’s largest butterfly after 88 years Fincorp and INKtalks to support the MSME sector • The Himalayan butterfly named “Golden Birdwing to restart the business across the nation. (Troides aeacus)” has surpassed the “Southern Birdwing (Troides minos)” after 88 years to Space become the largest butterfly in India. The female Golden Birdwing was recorded from Didihat in Ram Vilas Paswan launched ‘BIS-Care’ Uttarakhand, the largest male was from the App to Check the Authenticity of ISI and Wankhar Butterfly Museum in Meghalaya capital Hallmark Quality Certified Products Shillong. The new measurements of Golden • Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food & Birdwing and 24 other species, are published in Public Distribution Ram Vilas Paswan launched the latest issue of Bionotes the Bureau of Indian Standard (BIS)’s Mobile App, ‘BIS-Care’, by which consumers can check the authenticity of the ISI and hallmarked products and also lodge complaints. In addition to this, he mppscadda.com, Call – 9953733830, WhatsApp - 7982862964 Telegram - t.me/mppscadda 20

New species of a Fan-Throated Lizard, system, Arrow-2, a ballistic missile interceptor, ‘Sitana Dharwarensis’ Discovered from which serves as the top tier integrated Israeli Northern Karnataka shield built to withstand various missile salvoes, was built with the support of the United States of • A 3-member team has discovered a new species of America. Arrow 2 is a multi-layered system a fan-throated lizard, Sitana dharwarensis, from designed and manufactured by Israel Aerospace the barren lands of northern Karnataka’s Bagalkot Industries and Boeing, US based industry. district. The study on the discovery was published in Bonn zoological Bulletin. This is the 2nd species NASA’s TESS Completed Primary Mission, discovered from the open scrub and rock terrain Finds 66 New Exoplanets & around 2100 of northern Karnataka after Hemidactylus ‘candidates’ vijayraghavani, a gecko. • Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) of National Aeronautics and Space Administration A Team of Wildlife researchers rediscover (NASA) completed its primary mission of imaging ‘Ypthima watsoni’ butterfly after 61 years in 75% of the starry sky during the two-year survey Tripura and found 66 new exoplanets beyond the solar • A team of wildlife researchers has rediscovered system, and around 2100 candidates on which the ‘Ypthima watsoni’ butterfly (commonly known as astronomers are working on to confirm among ‘Looped three-ring’) after 61 years near a village others. The NASA Astrophysics Explorer mission called Phuldungsei in Jampui Hills under the led and operated by Massachusetts Institute of North Tripura district. The research paper Technology (MIT), Cambridge. regarding this discovery was published in the Journal of Entomology and Zoology Studies. Israel shares AI-based technology, high-end A Team of Researchers from Singapore equipment with AIIMS to help combat COVID- 19 Discovered a New Species, ‘Bathynomus • As part of Israel-India cooperation to fight the raksasa’ in Indian Ocean ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic, Israel has shared • A team of researchers led by Peter Ng from Artificial Intelligence (AI) based technology and Singapore confirmed the discovery of a new high-end equipment with All India Institute of species called ‘Bathynomus raksasa’ (Described as Medical Science (AIIMS), Delhi, India. “cockroach of the sea”). The scientists reported their findings in the biodiversity research journal Astronomers Found SPT0418-47, a Look- ‘ZooKeys’. ‘Bathynomus Raksasa’ is the second- alike of the Milky Way at 12 Billion Light Years largest isopod species known to researchers to Away date and is the sixth “supergiant” species from the • The Astronomers at the Max Planck Institute of Indo-West Pacific. Astrophysics found a baby galaxy called “SPT0418-47” a look-alike of the Milky galaxy at Mars 2020 mission: NASA’s Mars rover 12 billion light-years away using the Atacama ‘PERSEVERANCE’ launched to seek signs of Large Millimeter/sub- millimeter Array (ALMA) ancient life Telescope. The galaxy appears as a near-perfect • United States’ (US) 5th Mars Mission “Mars 2020” ring of light like the “Einstein Ring”. The research initiated by NASA (National Aeronautics and published in the Journal Nature. Space Administration) after launching the biggest Mars rover named “Perseverance”, which was MoTA: Launched Tribal Health & Nutrition lifted off by United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V Portal – “Swasthya” and Opened National 541 rocket from Florida’s Cape Canaveral Air Overseas Portal & National Tribal Fellowship Force Station, United States (US). The rover will Portal land on Jezero Crater of Mars on Feb. 18, 2021. • Union Minister of Tribal Affairs Arjun Munda inaugurated the first of its kind e-portal Israel Successfully tested its Arrow-2 Ballistic “Swasthya” (hosted on the National Informatics Missile Interceptor Centre (NIC)), a tribal health and nutrition portal • Israel government announced that Israel has and Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) also successfully tested their advanced missile defence launched e-newsletter on health and nutrition mppscadda.com, Call – 9953733830, WhatsApp - 7982862964 Telegram - t.me/mppscadda 21

ALEKH and opening of National Overseas Portal galaxy called “AUDFs01” which is 9.3 billion light- and National Tribal Fellowship Portal. years away from Earth. The galaxy is located in the Hubble Extreme Deep field (XDF). The study is Nitin Gadkari Launched VedKrishi.com an published in “Nature Astronomy”. Online Farm to Fork Service Promoted by Farmers First in Indian Railways: Ahmedabad Railway • Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister of Micro, Small and Division Introduces Baggage Sanitization and Medium Enterprises (MoMSME) launched Wrapping Machine VedKrishi.com, an Online Farm to Fork Service, • Ahmedabad Railway Division launched the over a virtual platform. The portal is promoted by Baggage Sanitization and Wrapping Machine at the farmers for selling toxic free farm produce. the Ahmedabad Railway station to ensure safe The platform was set up by the VedKrishi Farmer travel for the passengers during the Pandemic. Producer Company, Nagpur based farmer The railways have taken this initiative under the producer Company. New Innovative Non Fare Revenue Idea Scheme (NINFRIS). Dwarf Planet Ceres is now an ‘Ocean World’ • Researchers have given Dwarf Planet Ceres the NHAI has Developed, ‘Vendor Performance status of an “Ocean World”. The scientists have Evaluation System’ to Establish a Transparent analysed the data collected by NASA’s Dawn and Comprehensive Performance Rating Spacecraft and published the findings as a series System of papers in the journals Nature Astronomy, • The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) Nature Communication and Nature Geoscience. has developed the ‘Vendor Performance Evaluation System’ to establish a transparent and NASA observes the Slowly Splitting South comprehensive performance rating system for its Atlantic Anomaly, a dent in Earth’s Magnetic consultants, contractors and concessionaires. The Field portal-based objective assessment of vendors was • National Aeronautics and Space Administration initiated to track the vendor performance for (NASA) observes the South Atlantic Anomaly various NHAI projects. (SAA), a strange dent in Earth’s magnetic field over South America and the nearby Atlantic Ocean IIT Alumni Council Partnered with Russoft& which was there for more than 10 years is growing Moscow State University to Build World’s and splitting this change in the magnetic field will Largest & Fastest Hybrid Quantum Computer affect the earth. • The IIT Alumni Council has signed an agreement with Russia’s Lomonosov Moscow State Nitin Jairam Gadkari launched ‘Harit Path’, University (MSU) and Russoft, an association of Mobile App developed by NHAI to monitor software developing companies, to access and highway plantation transfer key technologies from Russia to build the • Nitin Jairam Gadkari, Union Minister for Road world’s largest and fastest hybrid quantum Transport and Highways launched the mobile app, computer in India. “Harit Path” for monitoring plantations and transplantation of trees along the highway. during Defence Minister Shri Rajnath Singh launched the meeting to review the New Green Highway mobile App, ‘DGNCC’ for NCC Training Policy. The mobile app was developed by the • Defence Minister Rajnath Singh launched National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), a Directorate General National Cadet Corps Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) under the (DGNCC), a mobile training app which will help in Ministry of Road and Transport. conducting a countrywide online training for the National Cadet Corps (NCC). India’s ASTROSAT Detected Extreme UV light from AUDFs01 Galaxy CISF launched ‘Pensioners Corner’ Mobile App • In accordance with the Pune based Inter- for its Pensioners University Centre for Astronomy and • The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) has Astrophysics (IUCAA), India’s first multi- created & launched an in-house mobile wavelength satellite observatory, ASTROSAT, has Application, ‘Pensioners Corner’ to get in touch detected an extreme ultraviolet (UV) light from a with the pensioners and to bring them to the mppscadda.com, Call – 9953733830, WhatsApp - 7982862964 Telegram - t.me/mppscadda 22

digital platform as a one stop solution. It will also New E-market Platform “Agriota” Launched to cater to the needs of its pensioners. Bridge Gap between Indian Farmers & UAE food industry China Launches Most Advanced Warship • United Arab Emirates (UAE) launched ‘Agriota’, a Type-054 class for Pakistan Navy new technology-driven Agri-commodity trading • China launched the first of the four advanced naval and sourcing e-market platform during a launch warships, Type-054 class frigates for the Pakistan ceremony, which was also attended by Pavan Navy. The Type-054 class frigate is manufactured Kapoor, Ambassador of India to the UAE. The by China Shipbuilding Trading Company Ltd market platform aims to bridge the gap between (CSTC) and was launched in the Chinese state- millions of rural farmers in India and the Gulf nation’s food industry. It has been launched by owned HudongZhonghua Shipyard, Shanghai. Dubai’s free-zone Dubai Multi Commodities ARIES Discovered the Accelerated Formation Centre (DMCC) and the government of Dubai’s authority on commodities trade and enterprise. of the Stars of Dwarf Galaxies • The astronomers named Amitesh Omar and Sumit Indian Railways develops ‘MEDBOT’ to deliver Jaiswal from the Aryabhatta Research Institute of food, medicines to COVID-19 patients Observational Sciences (ARIES), Nainital, • Indian Railways has developed a remote- Uttarakhand have discovered the aberration in controlled medical trolley named ‘MEDBOT’ to the formations of the stars in dwarf galaxies while deliver food, medicine to COVID-19 patients. At studying several such galaxies. The findings of the present, ‘MEDBOT’ is providing service in the study with detailed images of 13 galaxies will be Central Hospital of the Diesel Rail Engine Factory, published in the Monthly Notice of Royal Varanasi of Indian Railways. Astronomical Society (MNRAS) journal by Royal LIGO and VIRGO Detected Mammoth Collision Astronomical Society, United Kingdom. of ‘Impossible’ Black Holes for 1st time Polar Bears in Arctic could become extinct by • For the 1st time, The Collision of ‘Impossible’ Black 2100: The Study published in Nature Climate Holes was detected and directly observed by the Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Change Laboratory (LIGO) Scientific Collaboration and the • The new study of University of Toronto Virgo Collaboration also known as LVC (LIGO Scarborough published in the journal of Nature Scientific Collaboration and Virgo Collaboration), Climate Change titled “Fasting season length sets which includes scientists from the Australian temporal limits for global polar bear persistence” National University (ANU). on 20th July 2020, states that climate change is starving the polar bears into extinction and SpaceX Launched 60 Starlink Satellites to concluded that the Polar bears in the Arctic could Provide Faster Internet become extinct by 2100. • The Falcon 9 of SpaceX, a two stage rocket launched the 12th batch of starlink mission with Scientists Identified 77 New Species of 60 starlink satellites into orbit. Falcon 9 was Butterflies in Matheran Near Mumbai launched from the Kennedy Space Center of National Aeronautics and Space Administration • The 8 year long (2011 – 2019) field work research (NASA), Florida. This launch is the first mission of conducted in the Matheran an eco-sensitive zone SpaceX in September and 16th Mission in 2020. near Mumbai, Maharashtra an area of 214.73 Square Kilometre, identified around 140 rare Delhi Metro Launched India’s 1st Indigenous species of butterflies including 77 new species. Signalling Technology ‘i-ATS’ under Make in Scientists Mandar Sawant, Dr. Nikhil Modak and India Sagar Sarang from the Bombay Natural History • On the occasion of Engineers Day i.e. September Society (BNHS) and Somaiya Vidya Vihar 15, 2020, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation University published their research paper (DMRC) launched i-ATS (Automatic Train ‘Finding the forgotten gems: Revisiting the Supervision), the first Made-in-India signalling butterflies of Matheran after 125 years’ in the system. It is an important sub-system of the community peer-reviewed Biodiversity Data signalling system for the development of CBTC (Communication Based Train Control) based Journal. signalling technology for metro railway by automatically detecting all trains on a corridor. mppscadda.com, Call – 9953733830, WhatsApp - 7982862964 Telegram - t.me/mppscadda 23

Scientists Discovered 1st Ever Planet, ‘WD Garden and Research Institute(JNTBGRI) from 1856 b’ Orbiting a White Dwarf, ‘WD Palode of Kerala, have identified a new and 1856+534’ extremely rare climber named “Pothos boyceanus” • An international team of astronomers have after Peter G. Boyce, expert on ‘Araceae’ of discovered the 1st ever planet, ‘‘WD 1856 B’’ Southeast Asia. The discovery of Pothos orbiting a white dwarf (‘WD 1856+534’) or a dead boyceanus was published in Taiwania, star, located about 80 light years away in the international journal of biodiversity. The northern constellation Draco. The Jupiter sized discovery was made during a floristic survey of planet has a very short orbital period, i.e., a year the Western Ghats in the evergreen forests of on this planet is only 1.4 days. The findings are Valara, Iddukki at Kerala. published in the Journal Nature. The discovery was made using NASA’s (The National AgniKul Cosmos Signs MoU with Alaska Aeronautics and Space Administration) Transiting Aerospace for Test-Launch Of Its Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) and retired ‘Agnibaan’ Rocket Spitzer Space Telescope. WD 1856 b is about 7 • Indian Aerospace Startup AgniKul Cosmos signed times larger than ‘WD 1856+534’. a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Alaska Aerospace Corporation to test launch IIIT Bhubaneswar Students Developed, Indian made Agnibaan Rocket from Pacific ‘Swasner’, a 1st of its kind Helmet-like Spaceport Complex Alaska (PSCA) on Kodiak Ventilation Device to Ease Breathing Island in the United States. • A group of 7 engineering students from IIIT (International Institute of Information ISRO to Launch Venus mission” Technology), Bhubaneswar have developed Shukrayaan-1″ in 2025 with France’s ‘Swasner’, a 1st of its kind helmet-like ventilation CNRS Participation device to help patients breathe more • Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has conveniently. The designed hyperbaric chamber is selected the VIRAL (Venus Infrared Atmospheric a low-cost device to help COVID-19 patients. Gases Linker) instrument co-developed with the Russian federal space agency Roscosmos and the DRDO conducts successful flight test of LATMOS attached to the CNRS. Notably this will be ABHYAS from Odisha Test Range the first time a French payload will be flown on an • Defence Research and Development Organisation Indian exploration mission. (DRDO) successfully conducted the flight test of ABHYAS — High Speed Expendable Aerial Target NASA Launched SS Kalpana Chawla (HEAT) from the Interim Test Range, Balasore, Cargo Spacecraft Carrying 8000 Pound Odisha. ABHYAS is designed and developed by Stuff to ISS Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE) • National Aeronautics and Space Administration of DRDO. This is the second time that the target (NASA) launched the Northrop Grumman Cygnus vehicle (ABHYAS) was successfully tested. The resupply spacecraft named “SS Kalpana Chawla” first successful test was conducted in May 2019. after its astronaut Kalpana Chawla, the first Indian- born woman to enter space and was one of the seven crew members who died in the Space Shuttle Researchers of ZSI Discovers Two New in Columbia disaster when the spacecraft Species of Cockroach Wasps in Western Ghats disintegrated during its re-entry into the Earth’s • Researchers of the Zoological Survey of India atmosphere in 2003. The spacecraft was launched (ZSI), Kozhikode discovered 2 new species of on an Antares rocket from the Mid-Atlantic Cockroach Wasps in Western Ghats. These new Regional Spaceport (MARS) at NASA’s Wallops species were named Dolichurus sahyadriensis Flight Facility in Virginia, United States. It should after Sahyadri or Western Ghats mountain ranges be noted that this delivery is the Northrop and Dolichurus chareshi after C. Charesh, the Grumman’s 14th contracted cargo flight to the laboratory assistant, ZSI who contributed in the space station. collection of the species. The findings will be published in the Zootaxa, an internationally peer India Successfully Test-Fired New reviewed journal of animal taxonomy. Version of Nuclear-Capable surface-to- surface Missile, “Shaurya” JNTBGRI Identified New & Rare Species of • Defence Research and Development Organisation Climber “Pothos boyceanus” in Western Ghats (DRDO) successfully test-fired a new version of • Scientists of Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanic indigenously developed canister launched mppscadda.com, Call – 9953733830, WhatsApp - 7982862964 Telegram - t.me/mppscadda 24

hypersonic nuclear-capable ‘Shaurya’ missile ICG Offshore Patrol Vessel ‘Vigraha’ from the Abdul Kalam Island test range off launched to enhance Coastal Security Dhamra, Odisha to a target in Bay of Bengal. • The Seventh Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) Shaurya, a surface-to-surface medium range ‘Vigraha’ of Indian Coast Guard (ICG) was missile is a land version of Submarine Launched launched at Kattupalli Port, Chennai. The vessel Ballistic Missile (SLBM) K-15 (B-05) and can be has been built by Larsen & Toubro (L&T). This is used by both the Navy and the Army. the first time that a private sector shipyard has designed & constructed an offshore patrol vessel DRDO Successfully Flight Tested class ship. ‘Vigraha’ is the last in the series of Supersonic Missile Assisted Release of Seven OPVs contracted to Larsen & Toubro by the Torpedo (SMART) Defence Ministry in 2015. • Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully flight tested the Supersonic Russia Successfully Test-Fires Tsirkon Missile assisted release of Torpedo (SMART) from Hypersonic Cruise Missile Dr. Abdul Kalam Island, formerly known as • Russia successfully test-fired the Tsirkon (Zircon) Wheeler Island off the coast of Odisha. SMART will Hypersonic Cruise Missile. The missile be used for anti-submarine warfare (ASW) successfully hit a target in the Barents Sea. The operations beyond torpedo range. test was carried out from Frigate Admiral Gorshkov Vessel located in White Sea, Northern China to Send World’s 1st Mining Robot, Russia. The Missile successfully hit its target at a ‘Asteroid Mining Robot’ into Space by distance of 450 Kilometres in Four and Half November 2020: IEEE Spectrum report Minutes, and reached hypersonic speeds of more • An IEEE Spectrum report stated that Origin Space, than Mach 8. the Beijing-based company is set to send world’s first mining robot named ‘asteroid mining robot’ Indian Private Firm Alpha Design into space by November 2020 to identify and Technology Limited to upgrade Pechora extract resources. The mining robot will be surface to Air Systems launched into space by a Chinese Long March • Indian Private Firm Alpha Design Technology series rocket. The 30- gram spacecraft, NEO-1, is Limited (ADTL) bagged INR 591 crore contract for likely to be launched as a secondary payload on a upgrading and digitising 16 Soviet Era Pechora Chinese Long March rocket. This company also missile and radar systems. ADTL has partnered has another mission, Yuanwang-1 (‘Look up-1’), with Russian entities for the project which will be nicknamed ‘Little Hubble’, which is to be launched executed in four years. It will be a major boost to by late 2021 or early 2022. indigenous defence manufacturing.

India, France to launch Constellation of IIT Kharagpur Developed iMediX – Maritime Surveillance Satellites for IOR Telemedicine Homecare Technology for Region COVID-19 • France’s National Centre for Space Studies (CNES) • Indian Institute of Technology(IIT) – and India’s Indian Space Research Organisation Kharagapur’s Department of Computer Science & (ISRO) will jointly launch Constellation of Engineering(CSE) has developed iMediX, a Maritime Surveillance Satellites for Indian Ocean telemedicine technology for homecare amid Region (IOR). The Satellite will trace illegal COVID-19 to provide critical health care support spillage of oil by ships. It will be the first space- to the patients through remote consultation by a based system in the world capable of tracking physician. The device highlights the digital ships continuously. healthcare system and promotes social distancing protocol. The system is adopted for public use at AC to Commission India’s fastest HPC- the IIT Kharagpur on campus healthcare system. AI Supercomputer ‘PARAM Siddhi – AI’ On a trial basis the base model has been installed with NVIDIA at Swasthya Bhawan, West Bengal. • Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) will commission India’s largest HPC-AI India Successfully Test Fired 1st Anti- supercomputer, ‘PARAM Siddhi – AI’ in order to be Radiation Missile ‘Rudram’ from Sukhoi- at par with international standards in AI (Artificial 30 Fighter Aircraft intelligence) supercomputing research and • India successfully test-fired its first indigenous innovation. anti-radiation missile, Rudram 1, a New Generation Anti- Radiation Missile (NGARM) mppscadda.com, Call – 9953733830, WhatsApp - 7982862964 Telegram - t.me/mppscadda 25

integrated on Su-30MKI fighter aircraft of Indian Arun of Thennilai for launch in suborbital space in Air Force. It was Developed by Defence Research June, next on NASA’s sounding rocket 7. and Development Organisation (DRDO), this air- to-surface missile was tested at the interim test Japan Coast Guard Tests “SeaGuardian” range Balasore, off the coast of Odisha in the Bay Maritime Surveillance Drone of Bengal. It has been designed for suppression of • Japan’s Coast Guard started testing “SeaGuardian” enemy air defenses (SEAD). – a Maritime Surveillance Drone in the coast of Sariku in Northeastern Japan, along the coasts of GSFC launches indigenous Calcium Sea of Japan. The drone is being tested amidst Nitrate and boronated Calcium Nitrate rising tensions between China & Japan in the East • Gujarat State Fertilizers and Chemicals India Ltd China Sea. (GSFC) launched an Indigenous variety of Calcium Nitrate and Boronated Calcium Nitrate. Union IMD Operationalised Advanced High- Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers, Mansukh resolution Air Quality Early Warning Mandaviya launched the products virtually. System for Delhi and India Calcium Nitrate is a water-soluble fertilizer in • India Meteorological Department (IMD) under the agriculture, and also in wastewater treatment. The ministry of Earth Science has operationalised indigenous variety will provide a cheaper ENFUSER – ENvironmental information FUsion alternative to the farmer community in India. SERvice, a high resolution city scale model for Delhi. The ENFUSER will identify the hotspots of DRDO Launches Nirbhay Cruise Missile; air pollution and pollution up to street levels. The Aborts Mission due to Technical Snag System for Integrated modelling of Atmospheric • Defence Research and Development Organisation composition (SILAM), the Air quality forecast (DRDO) launched the Nirbhay Cruise Missile from model for India was improved with the Odisha’s test facility, the mission was aborted due implementation of global emission inventories to technical snag. Nirbhay is India’s first CAMS-GLOB v2.1 supplemented with EDGAR indigenously developed Cruise Missile and has v4.3.2 for coarse and mineral-fine anthropogenic been developed by Advanced Systems Laboratory particulate matter at 10km resolution. ENFUSER (ASL). The two-stage Missile is powered by a solid and SILAM are developed in collaboration with rocket booster in the first stage & Turbofan, Finnish Meteorological Institute (FMI). Turbojet in the second stage. India conducts Successful Night Trial of India Meteorological Department Nuclear Capable Prithvi-2 Missile Launches Impact-Based Cyclone • India successfully conducted the night trial of Warning System indigenously developed Nuclear-capable Prithvi-2 • India Meteorological Department (IMD) launched Missile at the Integrated Test Range (IPR), a dynamic, impact-based cyclone warning system Balasore, Odisha. Prithvi-2 is a surface-to-surface to reduce economic losses and damage to Short Range Ballistic Missile (SRBM). This is the property caused by the cyclones that hit Indian second night trial of the missile, the First Trial of coast annually. The system has been Prithvi-2 was tested successfully after sunset on commissioned from this cyclone season (October- September 23, 2020. The launch was carried out December). The announcement of the launch was by Strategic Force Command of the Army and made by Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, Director- monitored by scientists of Defence Research and General (DG) of IMD on October 6, 2020 while Development Organisation (DRDO). giving presentation on ‘Chasing the Cyclones’, organised as part of World Space Week (October Russian Soyuz Spacecraft launched with 4- 10) celebrations by the Indian Society of 1 NASA Astronaut & 2 Russian Remote Sensing (ISRS)’s Delhi chapter. Cosmonauts • Russian Soyuz MS-17 spacecraft carrying NASA to Launch Nano Satellite, ‘India (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) Sat’ Developed by 3 Tamil Nadu NASA astronaut Kate Rubins and two Russian Students into Sub-orbit cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Sergey Kud- • The National Aeronautics and Space Sverchkov was launched from Baikonur Administration (NASA) has chosen ‘India Sat’, an cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. This marks the last indigenous experimental satellite developed by 3 scheduled Russian flight carrying a U.S. crew students from Tamil Nadu namely, M. Adnaan of member. The crew boarded the International Thanthonrimalai, M. Kesavan of Nagampalli and V. Space Station on 14th October 2020. mppscadda.com, Call – 9953733830, WhatsApp - 7982862964 Telegram - t.me/mppscadda 26

Astrosat, India’s first Multi-Wavelength 2019 by the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) and Astronomical Observatory Completes 5 the Botanical Survey of India (BSI). The ZSI and years of Imaging Celestial Objects in BSI have been releasing these books since 2007 Space and the 2019 list marks the 13th edition of this collection. The Animal discovery 2019 has listed • Astrosat, the first multi-wavelength astronomical 364 species as new to science and 116 species as observatory of India completed its 5 years of first data from India. Plant Discoveries 2019 has imaging celestial objects in space, on September listed 180 new plant species which includes seed- 28, 2020. It was launched by the Indian Space bearing plants, ferns, fungi, algae and various Research Organisation (ISRO) on September 28 species of microbes and 73 new data are found 2015. It has carried out 1,166 observations of 800 from India unique celestial sources proposed by scientists from India and abroad. The Ultraviolet Imaging Scientists Found India’s First Dragonfly Telescope (UVIT), a 3-in- 1 imaging telescope simultaneously observing the visible, the near- Fossil of 2.5mn Years Old in Jharkhand ultraviolet (NUV), and the far- ultraviolet (FUV) • A team of scientists from West Bengal headed by spectrum is one of the five payloads on board Mahasin Ali Khan, assistant professor of Botany at AstroSat. Sidho- Kanho-Birsha University found India’s first Dragonfly fossil in Latehar, Jharkhand. The fossil India successfully Test-fired SANT belongs to the late Neogene Period and it is Missile with ‘Lock-on After Launch’ & expected to be around 2.5 million years old. The ‘Lock-on Before Launch’ capabilities findings of the discovery are published in the October 10 edition of Current Science journal. • India successfully Test-fired Standoff Anti-Tank Missile (SANT Missile) from a roof-top launcher at India Successfully Test-Fired Air Launched Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur, Odisha. Version of BrahMos Supersonic Cruise Missile The missile is equipped with Lock-on After • Indian Air Force (IAF) successfully test-fired an air Launch and Lock-on Before Launch capabilities. launched version of the BrahMos supersonic The Missile hit the designated static target with cruise missile from a Sukhoi fighter aircraft in the high accuracy. SANT Missile is an air-to-surface Bay of Bengal. The missile hit the target of the missile being developed by Defence Research and sinking ship with accuracy. The aircraft, belonging Development Organisation (DRDO) for Indian Air to Thanjavur-based Tigersharks squadron, took off Force (IAF). The missile is an upgraded version of from a frontline airbase in Punjab and it was Helicopter Launched Nag (HeliNa) Missile. It is refuelled mid-air before the missile was released. additionally equipped with an advanced node- mounted seeker. DRDO successfully test-fires QRSAM system

for the Second Time from Chandipur, Odisha ARI Scientists Discovered 2 New Species • On November 17, 2020, Defence Research and of Wetland Plants in Western Ghats: Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully Eriocaulon parvicephalum & Eriocaulon test- fired its Quick Reaction Surface to Air Missile (QRSAM) system from Integrated Test Range karaavalense (ITR), Chandipur, Odisha for the Second Time. It • Scientists of Agharkar Research Institute (ARI) demonstrated the warhead’s performance on have discovered two new species of pipewort, a proximity detection. The first test conducted on type of wetland plants in the areas along the November 13, 2020 showcased the Radar and Western Ghats in Maharashtra and Karnataka. The Missile’s capabilities. It is an indigenous Missile species found in Sindhudurg in Maharashtra is System developed by DRDO in association with named Eriocaulon parvicephalum and the species Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), and Bharat found Kumta in Karnataka is named Eriocaulon Dynamics Limited (BDL). karaavalense. Chang'e-5: China Successfully Launched its 1st Added 544 species to India’s Diversity in spacecraft to Collect Samples from Moon; Also 2019: Animal Discoveries 2019 & Plant World’s 1st since 1976 Discoveries 2019 of ZSI & BSI Launched • On November 24, 2020, China National Space by Babul Supriyo Administration (CNSA) has successfully launched • The Scientists have discovered around 544 new the 8.2 tonne lunar probe namely "Chang'e-5" species from India during 2019, the list of these through Long March-5, China’s largest carrier new discoveries were released as two books, rocket. The launch took place from the Wenchang Animal Discoveries 2019 and Plant Discoveries mppscadda.com, Call – 9953733830, WhatsApp - 7982862964 Telegram - t.me/mppscadda 27

Spacecraft Launch Site in the southern province of Point Information Resource” updates initiatives Hainan, China. It is the world’s first moon-sample by various Ministries Nationally and mission in 44 years i.e. since 1976. Internationally, towards the fight on climate change. The portal is built similar to the world DRDO Chairman Satheesh Reddy flags off First bank’s Climate Change Knowledge Portal. ‘Varunastra’ - Heavyweight Torpedo at BDL, Visakhapatnam Unit Indian Navy inducts two ‘MQ-9B Sea Guardian’ • On November 21, 2020, Secretary, Department of American Predator drones ,1st Defence Defence Research & Development (R&D) and hardware procured on lease under the DAP Chairman, Defence Research and Development 2020 Organisation (DRDO), G. Satheesh Reddy flagged • On November 25, 2020, Indian Navy inducted two off the first ‘Varunastra’, heavy weight torpedo to ‘MQ-9B Sea Guardian’ unarmed drones be delivered to the Indian Navy during a ceremony (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles – UAV) procured from held at Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL), the United States (U.S.) on lease. MQ-9B Sea Visakhapatnam Unit, Andhra Pradesh. The Guardian became the first defence hardware to be Varunastra has been designed and developed by procured on lease under the new Defence Naval Science & Technological Laboratory (NSTL), Acquisition Procedure (DAP) 2020. The drone will Visakhapatnam. help in carrying out surveillance in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). India successfully Test-Fires Land-attack version of BrahMos Missile from A & N Island Territory Periclimenella agattii & Urocaridella • On November 24, 2020, Indian Army successfully arabianesis: New Species of Shrimp test-fired the land-attack version of BrahMos Discovered from Lakshadweep Islands, India supersonic cruise Missile from the Andaman and Nicobar (A & N) Island Territory. The range of the Archaeologists Found Evidence of Dairy land-attack version of Brahmos supersonic cruise Production in Indus Valley Civilisation Missile has been extended to 400 Kms from the • The research of archaeologist of India and Canada original 290 kms.It is a surface-to-surface found evidence of dairy production in the Indus supersonic cruise missile.The missile hit the Valley Civilization. target in the Bay of Bengal accuracy. BrahMos • The research discovered that dairy was produced Missile has been jointly designed, developed and and processed by the Harappans back in 2500 BCE produced by BrahMos Aerospace Pvt Ltd. (Before the Common Era). • The study was carried out on 59 shards of pottery Indian Railway Launches Digitised Online from the archaeological site in Kotada Bhadli, Human Resource Management System Gujarat. • On the lines of Minister’s (PM) Narendra Modi • The findings of the research were published in vision of digitally empowered society and Scientific Reports of Nature Research Journal. knowledge economy, Indian Railway has launched a completely digitized online Human Resource “Rohanixalus”: New Genus of Tree Frog Management System (HRMS) on November 27, Discovered in Andaman Island and Northeast 2020 to improve the efficiency and productivity of India Railway system & also employee satisfaction. • A team of researchers from India, China, Indonesia Vinod Kumar Yadav, Chairman & CEO, Railway and Thailand had found a new genus of tree frogs Board has launched some modules of HRMS & in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands and the User depot useful for railway employees and Northeastern parts of India. pensioners via video conferencing. • The new genus was named “Rohanixalus” after Union Minister of Environment Forest and Rohan Pethiyagoda, taxonomist from Sri Lanka. The research team was led by Professor S D Biju of Climate Change Launched ‘India Climate Delhi University. Change Knowledge Portal’ • On November 27, 2020 Union Minister of Roridomyces Phyllostachydis: New Environment Forest and Climate Change Mr. Mushroom Species That Glow Bright Green Prakash Javadekar has launched “India Climate Found in Meghalaya Forests Change Knowledge portal” to provide information • A new species of mushroom that emits bright about the Government initiatives towards climate green light in the dark was found in the West change to the citizens. This will be the “Single Jaintia Hills District of Meghalaya by a team of mppscadda.com, Call – 9953733830, WhatsApp - 7982862964 Telegram - t.me/mppscadda 28

scientists from India and China following the in Vasco Town, Goa by Raj Kumar, Secretary reports of the locals. (Defence Production). The vessel has been • The species is named Roridomyces designed and built indigenously by GSL.The 1st Phyllostachydis, this is the first record of the ship in series - ICGS Sachet was commissioned by genus Roridomyces in India.This species is now Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in May, added to the 97 other species of bioluminescent mushrooms in the world. 2020.

Japan’s Hayabusa2 brings Rocket Samples ISRO sets up ‘NETRA’ – Dedicated Control from Asteroid “Ryugu” Centre for Space Situational Awareness • On December 6, 2020, A small capsule containing • Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has First rock samples from beneath the surface of set up ‘NETRA’ (NEtwork for space object Asteroid ‘Ryugu’ landed at Woomera in South TRacking and Analysis) – an dedicated Space Australia, it was released by Japanese Spacecraft Situational Awareness (SSA) Control Centre at Hayabusa 2. The samples are expected to provide ISTRAC (ISRO Telemetry, Tracking and Command clues regarding the origin of the solar system & life Network) Campus at Peenya, Bengaluru, on our planet. Japanese Aerospace Exploration Karnataka. The main objective of NETRA is to Agency (JAXA) stated that this is the 1st time that protect Indian Space Assets from Space debris an international spacecraft has visited a celestial close approaches and collisions. NETRA was body which is under 100 metres in diameter. formally inaugurated by ISRO Chairman K Sivan on December 14, 2020. SpaceX Launched New Next-Generation Dragon Cargo Ship To ISS India successfully test-fires two Prithvi-2 • On 6th December 2020, SpaceX launched its 21st Missiles from Odisha’s Balasore Coast Commercial Resupply Services mission (CRS-21) • On December 16, 2020, India successfully fired to International space station(ISS) from the two Nuclear Capable Prithvi-2 Ballistic Missiles Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at Kennedy Space from Balasore, the eastern coast of Odisha. Center, Florida. The launch was supported by Prithvi-2 is a Surface-to-Surface Short-Range Falcon 9 first stage rocket booster. This is the first Ballistic Missile (SRBM).The Missile is developed flight of the updated cargo version of Dragon, by DRDO (Defence Research and Development which is capable of carrying about 20% more Organisation) under the Integrated Guided Missile volume than its previous version. The new dragon Development Program (IGMDP) and is deployed cargo ship is designed for 5 flights to and from the by SFC (Strategic Forces Command). ISS. China’s Chang’e-5 spacecraft brings home first China becomes 2nd country to Plant its moon samples in 40 years National Flag on Moon • China’s Chang’e-5 spacecraft successfully landed • China’s Chang’e-5 probe planted the Chinese in Siziwang Banner, China bringing home the first National Flag on the Moon’s Surface. The United samples of the moon in 40 years. It was China’s 1st States was the first country to plant its National attempt to get materials from an extraterrestrial Flag on the Lunar surface during the manned body. The mission marks the successful Apollo 11 mission in 1969. Chang’e-5 planted the conclusion of China’s 3 step lunar exploration flag before starting on its return journey from the programme which began in 2004. moon. It is carrying China’s first Lunar Samples. China Launches 5 Satellites with its New Space Indian Coast Guard’s OPV ‘Sujeet’ Carrier Rocket ‘Long March-8’ commissioned in Goa • On December 22, 2020, China’s new Space Carrier • On 15th December, 2020, Indian Coast Guard’s Rocket ‘Long March-8’ successfully launched 5 (ICG) Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) ‘Sujeet’, which satellites into a preset orbit in its maiden flight, is second in the series of 5 OPVs was the rocket was launched from Wenchang commissioned at the Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) Spacecraft Launch Site, Hainan, China. The rocket mppscadda.com, Call – 9953733830, WhatsApp - 7982862964 Telegram - t.me/mppscadda 29

has been developed by China Academy of Launch Awas & m-Ashoka5) of the Directorate of Estates. Vehicle Technology (CALT). The 5 satellites will perform in-orbit verification of microwave China Launches a New Remote Sensing imaging and other technologies and conduct Satellite ‘Yaogan 33R’ into Space experiments in Space Science, remote sensing & • On December 27, 2020 China successfully Communication technologies. launched ‘Yaogan 33R’, a new remote sensing satellite from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in India successfully Test-fires Army variant of northwest China into space. The satellite was sent MRSAM from ITR, Odisha into orbit by a Long March-4C(Y35) rocket. It was • On December 23, 2020, India successfully the 357th flight mission of the Long March carrier conducted the first army variant test of Medium- rocket series.Weina Jishu Shiyan, a micro and Range Surface-to-Air Missile (MRSAM) from nano technology experiment satellite was also Integrated Test Range, Chandipur, Odisha. The launched in this mission. missile has been jointly developed by Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) & ISRO releases Initial Data from Chandrayaan- Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI). The MRSAM has 2 Mission;ISRO Developing Green Propulsion been manufactured by Bharat Dynamics Ltd for ‘Gaganyaan’ (BDL). • On December 24, 2020, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) released the initial data from NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant Virtually Chandrayaan-2, India’s second Moon Mission to Launched DigiBoxx, India’s 1st Digital Asset the general public through PRADAN portal hosted Management Platform by ISSDC (Indian Space Science Data Centre). The • On December 22, 2020 Amitabh Kant, CEO of data sets have been released to the public in the National Institution for Transforming India (NITI) Planetary Data System-4 (PDS4) format. ISRO is in Aayog virtually launched India’s 1st digital asset the process of developing Green Propellants for management platform, DigiBoxx. The digital file ‘Gaganyaan’ – India’s human space flight mission. storage, sharing, and management SaaS product The Green propellants will be used for every stage provides storage options for individuals and of a rocket. organisations of all sizes and industries. This cloud storage service was created by a tech Harsh Vardhan Launched India’s 1st startup founded and promoted by Arnab Mitra, Indigenous Vaccine ‘Pneumosil’ MD, LIQVD ASIA along with Ashish Jalan and Vivek • On December 28, 2020, Union Minister for Health Suchanti, Concept Group. DigiBoxx is 1st & Family Welfare, Dr Harsh Vardhan virtually indigenous tech startup to enter the Digital Asset launched India’s 1st Indigenous Pneumococcal Management business. Conjugate Vaccine (PCV) – ‘Pneumosil’ to treat pneumonia. The vaccine has been developed by Hardeep Singh Puri launches ‘E-Sampada’ Serum Institute of India Private Limited Web Portal & Mobile App for Management of (SIIPL) in collaboration with Bill & Melinda all GoI Estate Services Gates Foundation. • On December 25, 2020, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Housing & Urban Affairs Union Minister for Earth Science Harsh (MoHUA), Hardeep Singh Puri virtually launched Vardhan launches ‘Digital Ocean’ ‘E-Sampada’ – web portal & Mobile app on Good • On December 29, 2020 Union Minister for Earth Governance Day 2020.E-Sampada will serve as a Science, Dr Harsh Vardhan virtually launched single window for Management of all Government ‘Digital Ocean’ (www.do.incois.gov.in) a 1st of its of India (GoI) Estate services. It has been kind Digital platform for Ocean Data Management. developed by the National Informatics Centre • The platform has been developed by INCOIS (NIC). E-Sampada is an integration of Four (Indian National Center for Ocean Information Websites (gpra.nic.in, eawas.nic.in, estates.gov.in, Services) of the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES). holidayhomes.nic.in), and two Mobile Apps (m- The platform will serve as a one stop-solution for mppscadda.com, Call – 9953733830, WhatsApp - 7982862964 Telegram - t.me/mppscadda 30

all data related needs of a wide range of users such New species of Pygmy Grasshopper named as research institutions, operational agencies, “Tettilobus trishula” after Shiva’s Trishul strategic users, academic community, maritime • A new species of wide-nosed Pygmy industry & public. Grasshopper documented by researchers in BARC Develops India’s first indigenous Eravikulam National Park (Idukki, Kerala) in January, 2018 has been named ‘Tettilobus Ruthenium 106 Plaque to treat Eye cancer Trishula’ (common name Shiva’s pygmy trishula) • On December 29, 2020, an eye cancer therapy as its protrusion in pronotum resembles the namely “Ruthenium plaque therapy” developed three-pronged spear ‘Trishul’ used by Lord Shiva. by Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) has The discovery has been published in the Journal been successfully used for the first time for the Zootaxa. treatment of patients with ocular tumours in All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS)-Delhi. India records 60% rise in Leopard population The therapy used Ruthenium 106 plaque for across the Country: Status of Leopards in treatment of a patient with choroidal hemangioma India, 2018 report (benign tumour in blood vessels). Ruthenium-106 • On December 21, 2020, Union Minister for plaque has been made available free of cost for Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEFCC), AIIMS-Delhi, Hyderabad (Telangana) based Prakash Javadekar released the ‘Status of Centre for Sight and Sankara Eye Hospital in Leopards in India, 2018’ report. The report states Bengaluru (Karnataka). that India has recorded a 60% rise in Leopard Cnemaspis avasabinae: New Lizard Species population across the country and it now has 12, Identified in Eastern Ghats in Andhra Pradesh 852 Leopards. The states Madhya Pradesh (3, 421), Karnataka (1, 783) & Maharashtra (1, 690) • A team of researchers has discovered a new recorded the most number of leopards. species of dwarf gecko named “Cnemaspis avasabinae”, also the smallest known Indian Researchers Discovered 2 New Plant Species Gekkonid from the Eastern Ghats. in Arunachal Pradesh • Cnemaspis avasabinae is the 12th species • Researchers have discovered 2 new species: discovered outside the Western Ghats and the first Hedychium mechukanum and Amomum species from the Velikonda Range, Andhra Arunachalense from Arunachal Pradesh, North Pradesh. East India. The Hedychium mechukanum belongs • The new species has been given a common name to the Hedychium genus and Amomum “Sabin’s Nellore dwarf gecko”. Arunachalense belongs to the Amomum genus. Researchers Discovered New Frog Species: The discovery was published in the Gardens Bulletin, Singapore. Sphaerotheca Bengaluru, Named After

Bengaluru City • A team of researchers discovered a new species of

Frog - Sphaerotheca Bengaluru, a type of burrowing frog, outside its natural habitat in a barren tract of land near Rajankunte, outskirts of Bengaluru. The new species is a part of the team’s effort in documenting the “Amphibians in the Deccan Plateau parts of Karnataka”. The findings about the species are published in the international journal Zootaxa published from New Zealand.

mppscadda.com, Call – 9953733830, WhatsApp - 7982862964 Telegram - t.me/mppscadda 31

mppscadda.com, Call – 9953733830, WhatsApp - 7982862964 Telegram - t.me/mppscadda 32