Science and Technology Current Affairs Dec 2015 (Part 1)

GAIL Launched Project for Satellite Monitoring of Pipelines

• State-run energy major Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL) and National Remote Sensing Centre, a unit of ISRO, have launched an innovative surveillance geo-portal called. Bhuvan-GABL Portal on November 4, 2015 for utilizing space technology for its pipeline application.
• A report system integrated with the Bhuvan-GAIL portal can send alerts to relevant executives through SMS and e-mail, regarding the changes noted along the Right of Use (RoU) as well as the arrival of any new satellite photos.
• To establish the technical feasibility of utilizing space technology for its pipeline applications, GAIL began the study with imageries from Indian satellites and later shifted to very high-resolution foreign satellites.

Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV) Launched

• The Union government launched the injectable Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV) in India on November 30, 2015 as part of its commitment to the ‘Global Polio Endgame Strategy’. In the 1st phase this vaccine will be introduced in six States, viz Asom, Gujarat, Punjab, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh.
• The government of India is introducing IPV into its routine immunization program along with oral polio vaccine in a landmark step to provide’ double protection to our children and securing our gains of polio eradication.
• IPV injection will be given to children below one year, of age along with the third dose of the Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) at the routine immunization sessions free of cost. IPV and OPV together will further strengthen the children’s immune system and will provide double protection against polio.

Read Also – Economy & Banking Current Affairs Dec 2015 (Part 3)

Tianhe-2 Remained World’s Most Powerful Supercomputer

• As on November 17, 2015, China’s Tianhe-2 supercomputer has maintained its position as the world’s most powerful system for the sixth consecutive time, according to a biannual Top500 list of Supercomputers, It has held the title.-$in.ce June, 2013.
• Tianhe-2 (or Milky Way 2), with a performance of 33.86 petaflopsper second (Pflop/s), was developed by China’s National University of Defence Technology and deployed at the National Supercomputer Center in Guangzhou.
• There has been no change among the ranking of the world’s top 5 supercomputers since June; 2013 in the latest edition of the closely watched list. The Top500 list is considered one of the most authoritative rankings of the world’s supercomputers. It is compiled on the basis of the machines’ performance on the Unpack benchmark by experts from the USA and Germany.

Ford Tested Driverless Cars using LiDAR Technology

• ‘Ford’ become the first manufacturer to test drive its driveriess vehicle in Mcity on November 15, 2015, which is located in the University of MI campus. It features everything from street lights to crosswalks, lane delineators, bike lanes, trees, sidewalks, signs and traffic control devices, Seating Chair.
• The new age vehicle research included front-facing camera technology, ultrasonic sensors, radar as well as LiDAR sensors which generate real-time 3D maps of the surroundings of the auto Seating Chair.
• Mcity is a 32 acre site housing the world’s first, full scale, simulated urban environment. Here, Ford Fusion Hybrid Autonomous Research Vehicle is tested over a range of surfaces—concrete, asphalt, simulated brick and dirt and, maneuvers two, three and four lane roads, as well as ramps, roundabouts and tunnels.

Check it – India & World Current Affairs December.

Scientists Developed 3-D Printing Method for Embryonic Stem Cells

• The scientists have developed a 3-D printing method capable of producing highly uniform ‘blocks’ of embryonic stem cells. It is published on November 4, 2015 in the journal Biofabrication.
• These cells capable of generating all cell types in the body and they could be used as the ‘Lego bricks’ to build tissue constructs, larger structures of tissues, and potentially even micro-organs.
• As per Wei Sun, a lead author osb the paper “the grown embryoid body is uniform and homogenous, and serves as a much better starting point for further tissue growth”.
• The researchers used extrusion-based 3-D printing to produce a grid-like 3-D structure to grow embryoid body that demonstrated cell viability ai$3 rapid self-renewal for 7 days while maintaining high pluripotentcy.

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