3rd December 2020

SCI-TECH NEWSLETTER

#18
IN THIS NEWSLETTER

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1 Where is the earth’s deepest point?
The Challenger Deep near Guam.
It is the deepest known point in
the Earth’s seabed hydrosphere
(the oceans), with a depth of
10,902 to 10,929 m.
In the Covid-19 world, some
positive news came from the
scientific realm, as Kathryn
Sullivan became the first woman to
reach the Challenger Deep.
● Then IIT-Madras Researchers developed a processor
cum SoC, ‘MOUSHIK‘ Microprocessor, for use in
growing IoT devices and Smart Cities of a Digital India.
● PM Modi inaugurated this the CANI project, for
high-speed broadband connectivity at the Andaman
and Nicobar Islands.
● India opened its space sector for private players and
launched a new autonomous body, IN-SPACe.

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 Tesla’s Model 3 was about to be sold
2 to which company?
Apple.
Elon Musk said that he reached
out to Apple during the ‘darkest
days’ of the development of
Tesla’s Model 3 to talk about
selling it to Apple for ~$60
billion, but ‘the Apple CEO’
refused to take any meeting.
● As per Reuters, Apple is
making plans to launch its first-ever
passenger vehicle. Fondly being called ‘Apple iCar‘
by its fans, it is speculated to have a ‘next level’ battery,
● It is inclined towards the “monocell” design, which
bulks up the individual cells and makes more space
inside the battery pack by eliminating pouches that
hold battery materials.
● iCar may feature multiple lidar sensors for scanning
different distances. Apple’s iPhone 12 Pro and iPad Pro
models from this year featured lidar sensors..

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3 What is Floriculture?
It is flower farming i.e a discipline of
horticulture concerned with the
cultivation of flowering and
ornamental plants for gardens
and for floristry.
An IIT-Kanpur backed,
biomaterial startup, Phool.co
recently raised $1.4 million in a
funding round.
● Started by Ankit Agarwal and Prateek
Kumar, Phool.co turns waste flowers from temples
into incense sticks via flower cycling.
● During Holi, they make colours from these very flowers.
● They also make Fleather – a green alternative to leather
that is made using biomass waste and thus does not
use animals to make it.
● According to Ankit, each tonne of crop residue can yield
70 to 140 square feet of fleather.

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4 Who has short generation times?
Of course viruses!
Infact RNA viruses have
relatively high mutation rates.
This elevated mutation rate,
when combined with natural
selection, allows viruses to
quickly adapt to changes in their
host environment, the cause
may not be apparent.
● Meanwhile, a new strain of the SARS-CoV-2 virus which
causes Covid-19 has been found to increase
transmission of the disease in parts of the UK.
● The new variant carries 17 types of mutations,
including 7 in the spike protein, which mediates entry of
SARS-COV-2 in human cells.
● This is worrisome as it is relatively larger than the
variants existing globally. It is said to have emerged in a
patient with a weakened immune system

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Hope you enjoyed reading!

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