International Science Conference Begins at IIT-Kanpur

To encourage the younger generation to evince interest in science, especially chemistry, a three-day international conference meant for the PhD scholars began at the Indian Institute of Technology-Kanpur (IIT-K) on Friday, December 4, 2009.

The programme began with the lighting of the lamp. Prof RK Theraja, deputy director, IIT-K, was the chief guest. Prof Ray CF Jones from Lough Borough University, UK delivered a lecture on the day.

Over 100 students, including eight PhD scholars from UK, from various institutes of the country will present their research papers in the conference. The 5th J-NOST international conference has been jointly organised by National Organic Symposium Trust (NOST) and chemistry department of IIT-K. Twenty students will be given the Eli Lilly and Company Asia Outstanding Thesis Award with a cash prize and a plaque each.

Speaking about the conference, Dr Gurunath of the chemistry department said, "This is the only conference in the world which gives PhD students a podium to share their thesis with other PhD scholars. The participants will give presentations of their research works while the faculty will get the opportunity to adjudge them on their teaching skills. Those found giving good presentations can thus become good academicians in future."

"Our main motive is to ensure that every PhD student, who has come here, should receive maximum benefit through this conference," added Prof Gurunath.

Speaking on the similar lines, Prof Vinod Kumar Singh, director, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Bhopal and member of Scientific Advisory Council to Prime Minister informed, "The conference is aimed at promoting organic chemistry."

Dr Prabhakar Jadhav representing Eli Lilly, a US based company, said, "The purpose of the conference is to promote science in India. Awards to students will further motivate them to do well in their respective streams and contribute their best to the science."

Students from BHU, Allahabad University, CDRI Lucknow, Delhi University, IISc Bangalore, University of Hyderabad, IIT-Delhi, University of Madras, IIT-Madras, IIT-Bombay, University of Leeds, UK, University of Bath, UK, Cardiff University, UK, Imperial College London, etc., are participating in the conference.

Source: TOI

Hungary and Japan Vow to Cooperate Over Green Technology

Hungry and Japan agreed on Thursday (December 3, 2009) to step up bilateral cooperation in the field of alternative energy.

Hungarian President Laszlo Solyom met with Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama in Tokyo, and discussed ways for both nations to cooperate in science and technology, among other issues.

Solyom told a joint news conference that followed the meeting that Hungary welcomes Japanese companies as it aims to become more self-sufficient in energy supplies.

"As you may know, Hungary is dependent on Russia for its energy. We'd like to change this situation. There are a lot of things we hope to learn from Japan in this field, such as renewable energy technology," Solyom said.

"We'd like more and more Japanese companies to invest in research and development in Hungary," he added.

Hatoyama agreed, adding that both nations will also cooperate in tackling global warming.

Source: REUTERS

Dying Hot Star Photographed

Astronomers in Britain have taken the first pictures of one of the hottest stars in the Galaxy-- a mysterious dying body that fascinates scientists.

At 200,000 degrees Celsius, the star at the heart of the Bug Nebula is 35 times hotter than the Sun.

The dying star-- 3,500 light years away in the constellation Scorpius-- has never been seen before as it is hidden behind a cloud of dust and ice.

Now, a team of astronomers at the University of Manchester, led by Professor Albert Zijlstra, have recorded images using the recently refurbished Hubble Space Telescope.

The pictures are to be published in the Astrophysical Journal next week.

Zijlstra said: “It is extremely important to understand planetary nebulae such as the Bug Nebula as they are crucial to understanding our own existence on Earth.”

Our own Sun is set to follow the star’s example in about 5 billion years’ time.

Source: IANS

India Says Will Not Accept Legally Binding Emission Cut in National Interest

India must be flexible without compromising the basic national interest at the United Nations climate summit in Copenhagen, Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh said on Thursday (December 03, 2009).

India will aim to cut carbon intensity by 20-25 percent by 2020 compared with 2005 levels, the last major emitter to pledge targets that could boost chances of a breakthrough in next week's global climate talks.

Carbon intensity refers to the amount of carbon dioxide emitted for each unit of gross domestic product.

India has come under intense pressure to issue targets ahead of the UN Dec 7-18 talks in Copenhagen after the United States and China announced their plans on reducing emissions.

"We must be flexible without compromising on the basic national interest, basic national interest means no legal binding emission cuts, no legally binding emission peaking year and as far as possible distinguishing between supported mitigation action and unsupported mitigation action," Ramesh told the parliament, laying down for the first time the country's negotiating position ahead of the Copenhagen talks.

The carbon intensity goal still means that India's overall emissions will rise in coming years, just not as fast as its rapid economic growth needed to lift millions of its inhabitants out of poverty.

Ramesh, however, said that India would go to Copenhagen with a positive frame of mind and was ready to work with like-minded countries like China to ensure that there were equitable arrangements.

"We are going with a positive frame of mind, we want a comprehensive and equitable agreement in Copenhagen, I am realistic enough to know that such an agreement may not materialise but we will work overtime with like-minded countries, with China and other countries to ensure that there is comprehensive in equitable arrangements," he said.

Ramesh said India would accept international verification of its efforts to reduce emissions if those actions are supported by foreign finance and technology.

India, like other developing countries, has long made any major emission cuts dependent on aid from the developed world, which it sees as responsible for most of the problems of global warming.

India is especially in a difficult position as any significant adjustment to make its industry green without outside financial support would be very costly and crimp its economic growth.

"India of all the 192 countries of the world owes a responsibility not to the world but to itself to take climate change seriously, we are not doing the world a favour, forget Copenhagen, forget UN, we have to do it in our self interest, our future as a society in …on how we respond to the climate change challenge," Ramesh said.

Developing countries, under no obligation to make any cuts under existing global pacts, say they could make the shift to less polluting economies with a helping hand from the rich.

India ranks as the world's fourth highest carbon emitter, with 1.8 tonnes of emissions per thousand dollars of GDP compared to China's emission of 2.85 tonnes.

India is under pressure to announce details of how it will control its growing carbon emissions, and issuing targets will likely strengthen New Delhi's hands at the Copenhagen negotiations.

China and the United States, the top and second largest emitters in the world, have unveiled plans to curb greenhouse gas emissions, leaving India the only major polluter still to issue any targets.

China's position comes after the United States said it would commit to cut its greenhouse gas emissions roughly 17 percent below 2005 levels by 2020, a drop of about 3 percent below the 1990 benchmark year used in UN treaties.

Source: REUTERS

Bhopal Gas Tragedy Survivors and Their Families Mark the Disaster's 25th Anniversary

Tormented survivors of the Bhopal gas tragedy and their families staged a protest burned effigies of the Union Carbide factory to mark 25th anniversary of world's most deadly industrial disaster on Thursday (December 03, 2009).

When the factory was set up it was seen as a symbol of the new emerging India -- a factory that would not only generate thousands of jobs, but also manufacture cheap pesticides for millions of farmers.

But the Union Carbide plant in the central city of Bhopal left a more potent legacy when it accidentally released toxic gases into the air, killing thousands of people and causing many more to suffer in the world's most deadly industrial disaster.

In the early hours of December 3, 1984, around 40 metric tonnes of toxic methyl isocyanate (MIC) gas leaked into the atmosphere and was carried by the wind to the surrounding slums.

The government says around 3,500 died because of the disaster. Activists however calculate that 25,000 people died in the immediate aftermath and the years that followed.

Activists and health workers say a further 100,000 people who were exposed to the gas continue to suffer today.

Holding placards, banners, and raising slogans against the officials of the Union Carbide and Dow Chemicals, the protestors asserted that they would continue to fight against the government until they get justice.

Activists blamed the government of not keeping its word on setting up an empowered commission for long-term rehabilitation for Bhopal gas tragedy survivors.

"About 18 months back the Prime Minister (Dr Manmohan Singh) promised to set up an empowered commission in Bhopal for long-term rehabilitation for Bhopal gas tragedy survivors and their families. However, he did not keep his promise. But we hope that the recent report of the Centre for Science and Environment and the fact that at least 18,000 people are still drinking poisoned water will move the Prime Minister to set up the commission," said Satinath Sadangi, an activist of Bhopal Group for Information and Action.

A report by the independent Center for Science and Environment (CSE), which in October tested the toxicity levels of ground water and soil samples in and outside the plant, suggested that the entire site was highly contaminated.

A quarter of a century on, the derelict factory stands abandoned, but behind its locked iron gates lies what environmentalists say is "a disaster within a disaster" -- a highly polluted site which, was slowly poisoning the drinking water for thousands of residents.

Sicknesses range from cancer, blindness, respiratory difficulties, immune and neurological disorders, female reproductive disorders as well as birth defects among children born to affected women. However, activists and lawyers representing the affected populations from the nearby slums say the tragedy of this disaster is that it continues unabated.

Bhopal has long cast a shadow over India and how it handles the challenges of a 1.1 billion, largely poor population, improve health and safety regulations, and a fast-growing economy.

Around 340 metric tonnes of chemical waste are stored in a warehouse inside the plant and needs to be disposed of. Dow Chemical, which now owns Union Carbide, denies any responsibility saying it bought the company a decade after Union Carbide had settled its liabilities to the Indian government in 1989 by paying $470 million for the victims.

Authorities also have for years refuted claims that the water is contaminated, saying that various studies commissioned by the government have found no evidence of pollution.

However, the CSE report contradicts the government's findings, saying samples taken from around the factory site were found to contain chlorinated benzene compounds and organochlorine pesticides 561 times the national standard.

Samples taken as far as 3 km (1.9 miles) away from the plant were found to have toxic chemicals 38.6 times more than the standard. The report said there could be no other source of these toxins than Union Carbide.

Source: REUTERS

President Pratibha Devi Singh Patil Rides Electric Car

President Pratibha Patil left behind her limousine and used a small electric car to go around the Raj Bhavan grounds while on a visit to Itanagar in the first week of April.

As the presidential entourage was getting ready to leave for a forward post called Kibithu near the Sino-Indian border on Friday, 3 April, 2009, an India-made ‘Reva’ car with the Ashoka emblem mounted on it was parked ahead of all the other cars.

Arunachal Pradesh Governor General (retd) J.J. Singh said he would take the President on a tour of the grounds in the car to show her a new golf course besides an organic farm.

“The car is environment friendly and can be easily driven by me inside the Raj Bhavan,” said the Governor about the two cars, which have clocked more than 20,000 km each.

When the President came out, the Governor escorted her to a white-coloured car and himself took the wheels. Separately, President Patil’s husband Devi Singh Shekhawat was driven around in a red car for nearly half an hour. A security official ran along them.

Source: PTI

Young Scientists Exhibit New Inventions

From a new gadget to thwart terror to experimental bringing up of a plant in water for long without soil, several innovative ideas were exhibited by children participating in the Children's Science Congress, one of the major events of the 96th edition of the Indian Science Congress held at NEHU in Shillong.

Topan Kumar Samal, a student of Kendriya Vidyalaya, CRPF, Bhubaneswar, made a model of a 'logical' Close Circuit Camera Television (CCTV) fitted with a killing weapon to identify and gun down terrorists from a control room.

He came up with the idea after he saw TV footage of the Mumbai terror attack at Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus where terrorists went on a rampage killing many innocents even as security personnel laid down their lives confronting the terrorists.

''I was thinking how causalities relating to security personnel could be reduced and then came up with the model, where security personnel need not go into the conflict zone but make the best use of available technology,'' he said.

The young scientist made a model of his innovation saying that security agencies need not physically venture into a conflict zone but personnel at the control room could gun down any terrorist after proper identification.

Bharati Singh, of BBL Public School, was fascinated by a history lesson where she learnt that soldiers during World War II applied mosses to their wounds when they were injured to stop infection.

''We did some experimentation on mosses and finally extracted a protein that could prevent multiplication of viruses and were thrilled with the result. We finally applied for patent of our discovery in December,'' she said.

Philawan Shisha Thabah, a student of Meghalaya's Laitumkhrah Presbyterian Higher Secondary School, Shillong, exhibited her invention of 'nutrient film technique'. The nutrient film technique is a method of growing crops in a nutritional rich solution without the use of soil.

The basic idea is to grow plants in a thin film of nutrient which allows the root of the plants to have constant contact with the nutrient and the air layer above at the same time.

The nutrient rich solution is continuously pumped to nurture the plants and any excess is recycled back to a nutrient reservoir.

Another child scientist Sumen K Marak, of St Thomas Higher Secondary School, Mendipathar, East Garo Hills, exhibited organic non-toxic pesticides invented by her which can be used without any side effects to the crops and plants.

According to her, the indigenous, home-made organic pesticides could be promoted among farmers in a large way in the Northeast.

Ms Marak developed chilli, neem, garlic and tobacco based solution to be used as non-toxic pesticides for the growth of these produces.

Dheeraj Kumar, a student of SKD academy, Lucknow, concerned with the waste of energy because street lights are never put off during the day, has evolved a system that will turn off the lights the moment the sun rises.

The system, which prompts the streetlights to automatically turn off and on with the sunrise and sunset, has already been put into use in his locality, claimed Kumar, adding the country's endeavour to save energy will get a fillip if the system is put into use.

Source: UNI

Most Destructive Virus Being Spread Through Email On Osama

Anti-virus software experts of McAfee, leading company in intrusion prevention and security risk management, have detected the ''most destructive virus'' being sent through e-mail invites across the world with pictures of Osama Bin Laden captured/hanged.

''The moment you open e-mails saying ''Osama Bin Laden Captured'' or ''Osama Hanged'', your computer will crash and you will not be able to fix it,'' the experts warned today.

This e-mail is being distributed through countries around the globe, but mainly in the US and Israel, according to experts. 

''It is a virus that opens an Olympic Torch, which ''burns'' the whole C hard disc of your computer,'' they said, adding that CNN and Microsoft have called it the worst and most destructive virus ever respectively.

This virus was discovered by McAfee on 3 January, 2008, and there is no repair yet for this kind of virus, the experts said. 

This virus simply destroys the Zero Sector of the Hard Disc, where the vital information is kept, the experts said.

Source: UNI

Prof MGK Menon Inaugurates PARAM Sheersh Facility

PARAM Sheersh, a supercomputing facility for bio-informatics and computational biology was formally inaugurated at the North Eastern Hill University in Shillong on 5 January, 2009.

Prof MGK Menon, who inaugurated the facility in the absence of former President APJ Abdul Kalam, said the new technology was specifically developed for the North Eastern Region to usher in new benefits for the local population.

Developed by Pune-based Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), the facility will take up in conducting research in strategic areas of Weather, Seismic, Bio-informatics, Physics, Computational Fluid Dynamics, Material Sciences and Life Sciences.

PARAM Sheersh facility consists of 4 TF peak supercomputing power along with 10 TB High Performance storage scratch space and 24 TB on-line storage.

Source: UNI

India To Double Investment In Science: PM

While announcing a doubling of the investment in science from 1 to 2 per cent of the national income, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday, 3 January, 2008, urged the Indian industry to invest in research and development aimed at boosting science and technology so that young minds are attracted to seeking a career in science.

"We need a new wave of investment from the private sector so that young people will be encouraged to seek a career in science," the prime minister said while inaugurating the 96th Indian Science Congress at the Northeastern Hill University in Shillong.

"India is lagging behind not just in comparison to developed Western nations, but also the new industrialising economies of Asia. While the government is doing its bit to ensure quantitative development, the leadership for qualitative development must come from you (students, researchers and scientists)," Manmohan Singh said.

"Today we can say with pride that we have launched five new institutions dedicated to teaching and research in sciences," he said. "New institutes for research in Himalayan glaciology, molecular materials, nano science and technology are to be created."

Stressing that the central government was committed to enhancing the budgetary allocations for science and technology, Manmohan Singh said the budget outlay for the ministries of Science and Technology and Earth Sciences have been trebled in the last four years (2004-2008).

Singh said the parliament recently announced the setting up of a National Science and Engineering Research Board that would work towards formulating plans for scientific research funding in the country.

Stating that the government has placed the highest emphasis on making a career in science attractive to young students, the Prime Minister said that his government has widened the higher education base of the country by investing in the creation of 30 new central universities, five new Indian Institutes of Science, Education and Research, eight new Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) and 20 new Indian Institutes of Information Technology.

There are also proposals from the Ministry of Science and Technology to adopt a Cancer Research Institute in Chennai, Institute for Advanced Study in Science and Technology in Guwahati and the National Innovation Foundation as grantee institutions.

A large number of scientists, engineers and technologists from India and abroad have gathered for the annual science congress, which this year is on the theme of 'Science education and attraction of talent for excellence in research'.

Sibal Calls For Utilitarian And Result Oriented Research: Emphasing that research should be utilitarian and result oriented, Union Science and Technology Minister Kapil Sibal said on 3 January, 2008 that resources should be spent on projects which can offer quick and lasting solutions.

Delivering a key-note address at the 96th edition of the Indian Science Congress held at North Eastern Hill University in Shillong, Mr Sibal said the country needed to continue with its efforts to ensure a strong future supply of scientists, engineers and technologists and to unlock the talents of all people in the country to use science and technology to help them lead their lives more richly.

Expressing concern over the misuse of technology for destructive purpose, the Union Minister said the answer to the problem lies not in embracing a technology denial regime, but act in the belief that technology alone can provide answers to those who seek to misuse it.

Mr Sibal said the challenges for society are formidable and will require substantial information, knowledge, wisdom, and above all collaboration between the scientific community, policy makers and the public.

Observing that the importance of scientific engagement across society and the potential for science to contribute to good policy making and sound governance has never been greater, the Union Minister expressed confidence that it is only science which will help the nation address the challenges facing it.

In this regard, Mr Sibal believed that there is a pressing need to strengthen the level of high quality engagement with the public on all major scientific issues; and increase the number of people who choose to study science subjects and to take up research and scientific careers.

Sibal said scientists of Indian origin scattered in various parts of the world were willing to contribute to Indian science.

"We are devising special programmes to encourage return of scientists to India and work in areas related to life sciences and bio-technology," he said.

The five-day congress will see a galaxy of eminent scientists taking part in various seminars.

Sources: IANS, UNI