Current Affairs Technology.

The Government has come to know through Telecom Service Providers that approximately 2150 cases of misuse of mobile cloning through duplication of subscriber identity in different parts of country have come to their notice during 2009-10. Cloning of subscriber identity takes place by duplication of SIM (Subscriber Identity Modules) in GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) and R-UIM (Removable User Identity Module)/ESN (Electronic Serial Number) & MIN (Mobile Identification Number in CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) Networks, which gives the subscriber an identity and telephone number.

Dr Anil Kakodkar,

Former Chairman,

Atomic Energy Commission

The power sector, in India and globally, has tremendous opportunities to become a critical player in low cost nuclear power equipment manufacturing. This was the view of some key experts at the 3rd Annual Session of Visionary Leaders for Manufacturing Programme (VLFM) organized by CII, in joint cooperation with National Manufacturing Competitiveness Council of India, and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

Available inputs indicate that terrorists are using several means for communication inter-alia, including use of internet and e-mail. The Department of Information Technology (DIT) has initiated a major programme on cyber forensics specifically focused towards development of cyber forensic tools, setting up of infrastructure for investigation and training of law enforcement and judicial offices in use of cyber forensic tools, to collect and analyse the digital evidence.

Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), successfully conducted fourth consecutive Interceptor Missile test in Endo atmospheric regime at 15 Km altitude off ITR, Chandipur, Orissa. The single stage Interceptor Missile fitted with Directional Warhead and other advanced systems neutralized the target.

The target ballistic ‘enemy’ missile was launched from Launch Complex – III, ITR Chandipur. The Interceptor Missile fitted with directional warhead was launched from Wheeler Island and destroyed the Target Missile breaking it into fragments. This was tracked by various Radars and sensors. All weapon system elements including Command and Control, Communication and Radar performed satisfactorily.

The first electronic computers were developed in middle of 20^th century. They were of the size of a large room and consumed power as much as several present personal computers do. Modern day computers are made up of integrated circuits or chips which have eased our life in many ways. Many of us think that  personal computers are the only computers but the definition of a computer is a device which performs calculations and executes the list of instructions called program. From MP3 to fighter aircraft and from toys to industrial robots are most numerous embedded computers.  Infact, computer is  any programmable electronic device that can store, retrieve, and process data.

There are several dangers that are attached to the progression of the world into the technological and scientific age. One such danger includes the thousands of aerospace objects that revolve around the globe at surprisingly high speeds. These objects are collectively known as space junk. The National Aeronautic Space Administration (NASA) estimates that there are around 13,000 objects bigger than 4 inches in diameter. These objects exist in space due to the abandoned satellites, space shuttle debris, and other adverse effects of man’s quest into space. However, the biggest question exists whether these objects present any immediate danger to the International Space Station, satellites or even to people on the earth.

India on Monday successfully test-fired its indigenously developed interceptor missile, capable of destroying any in-coming hostile ballistic missile, from the  Integrated  Test  Range atWheeler Island off Orissa coast.

Aimed at developing a full-fledged multi-layer Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) system, the trial was carried out from two launch sites of ITR off the Orissa coast, defence sources .

A Low Cost access –Cum-Computing Device is unveiled .The price of the device exhibited is expected to be around $35 per piece, gradually dropping down to $20 and ultimately to $10 a piece. Since this effort of continuous reduction in price and enhancement in capabilities would require a constant endeavour for R&D, IIT Rajasthan and some other IITs and technical institutions are setting up research teams to cover a wide range of issues in achieving ultimate goal in terms of price and quality.

ASSOCHAM AND FROST & SULLIVAN have projected that total broadband subscriber count will reach around 275 million by FY-2015 from approximately 9 million as of now as submarine cable capacity is expected to grow and supply of capacities is likely to increase significantly with adoption of wireless broadband (BWA).

The overall broadband subscribers base stands at around 9 million in Indian market as of now and is seen to be significantly under-penetrated, says the paper on ‘Dawn of the Digital Decade’, jointly brought out by ASSOCHAM and Frost & Sullivan.

• Epic Browser Includes 1500+  Indian Themes and Wallpapers
• Epic Browser supports many Indian languages like Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu, Marathi, Punjabi, Sanskrit etc
• First Browser with built-in Anti-Virus
• Faster Browsing and Speed, Specially tweaked for more speed
• Free 1500+ Apps include Gmail, Facebook, Yahoo Messenger, Cricinfo, Orkut, Linkedin, twitter apps and games
• Malicious website Warning and anti phishing protection

A Bangalore based startup called Hidden Reflex has made available a browser called as the “Epic Browser”. Epic Browser is a Internet web browser which is based on Mozilla Firefox, which taps into several services to serve content which is useful and relevant to Indian users.

The number of people using Facebook hit the 500 million mark, meaning one in every 14 people on the planet has now signed up to the online social-networking service.

“As of this(22nd July 2010)  morning, 500 million people all around the world are actively using Facebook to stay connected with their friends and the people around them,” Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg has said in a blog post.

It’s the age-old question that has puzzled the finest minds for thousands of years — which came first: The chicken or the egg? Now, scientists claim to have finally discovered the answer to the conundrum — it’s the chicken which came first.

A team from University of Sheffield and University of Warwickhas found that a protein called ovocleidin (OC-17) is crucial in the formation of eggshells.

India’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C15), today (on July 12, 2010) successfully launched CARTOSAT – 2B from Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) SHAR, Sriharikota. The launch of PSLV – C15 was the sixteenth consecutive successful flight of PSLV.

India’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C15), today (on July 12, 2010) successfully launched CARTOSAT – 2B from Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) SHAR, Sriharikota. The launch of PSLV – C15 was the sixteenth consecutive successful flight of PSLV.

The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle PSLV-C-15 carrying remote sensing Cartosat-2B along with four satellites blasted off from the spaceport Monday morning.

The four-stage 44.4 metre tall PSLV-C-15 lifted off at the end of a 51-hour countdown from the Satish Dhawan space centre at 9.22 AM.
The rocket soared into skies in clear weather leaving behind plumes of smoke.
It will place four satellites into orbit, including Alsat fromAlgeria, two nano satellites from Canada and Switzerland, and a pico (very small) satellite Studsat built by seven engineering students of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.

The third developmental flight of Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV-D3) conducted on April 15, 2010 from Satish Dhawan Space Centre SHAR, Sriharikota, primarily for the flight testing of indigenously developed Cryogenic Upper Stage (CUS), could not accomplish the mission objectives. Consequently, ISRO had instituted a two-tier process to carry out an in-depth analysis of the flight performance, identify the causes of failure and recommend corrective measures said the ISRO press release.

Scientists have found a mutation in stem cell genes, which they claim could be linked to development of leukaemia and other cancers.

An international team, led by Peter Papathanasiou of The Australian National University, has completed a three-year screening project to find the genes that control development and turnover of stem cells. Stem cells can grow into any other kind of cell in the body, making them a hot area of research to find new treatments for diseases and injuries.

The  three-member Election Commission and the technical experts committee of the Election Commission have been interacting with various political parties on  the use of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).

Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station (TERLS) witnessed another major event – the Technology Demonstrator Flight of the advanced sounding rocket RH 200 from its launch station at Thumba. The rocket was successfully launched at 1550 hrs on July 7, 2010 and achieved its intended altitude of 60 km in 2 minutes said a press release issued by ISRO.

European Space Agency has released what it says is the first ever image of the entire universe which will give scientists new insight into how the stars and galaxies form.

The all-sky image produced by space telescope Planck can also tell how the Universe itself came to life after the Big Bang some 13.7 billion years ago. The satellite was launched last year by the ESA under a 600-million euros project to record the origins of the universe.

In a major step towards gene therapy, scientists claim to have designed a new device — a nanoparticle — which can effectively deliver genes into cells with minimal toxic effects.

In laboratory experiments, a team at Ohio State Universityhas found that this device,  a vector, is able to deliver DNA deeply enough into cell to allow genetic material to be activated — a critical step in gene therapy.

This vector is between two-and-a-half and 10 times more effective than other experimental materials, according to the scientists.