Day: 31 August 2024

Researchers have discovered a rare electron localization phenomenon that could expand material selection options and could be used to improve existing performance of semiconductors or expand their applications in areas such as lasers, optical modulators and photosconductivity. Anderson localization of elementary quasi-particles such as electrons, photons and phonons in disordered and amorphous semiconductors, proposed by American theoretical physicist P. W. Anderson, is an interesting phenomenon in solid-state physics. It occurs when doping and impurities cause flux absence in metals and semiconductors. In a landmark discovery, researchers at the Jawaharlal Nehru…

The production of key minerals such as iron ore and limestone within the country has continued on the growth trajectory after registering growth in the first quarter of FY 2024-25. Iron ore and limestone account for nearly 80% of total MCDR mineral production in terms of value. Iron ore production in FY 2024-25 (April-June) was 79 million metric tonnes (MMT) and limestone production for the same period was 116 MMT, after reaching record production levels in FY 2023-24. As per provisional data, iron ore production has increased from 90 MMT…

Dr. T.V. Somanathan today took over as the new Cabinet Secretary in the Government of India following the retirement of Shri Rajiv Gauba. Dr. Somanathan is an IAS officer of Tamil Nadu cadre (1987 batch). He holds a PhD in Economics from the University of Calcutta. He has also completed the Executive Development Programme from Harvard Business School, and is a qualified Chartered Accountant, Cost Accountant and Company Secretary. Dr. Somanathan has earlier held important positions at the Centre as Joint Secretary and Additional Secretary in the Prime Minister's Office.…

Novel electrochemical and optical sensors developed with the help of a new family of nanopolymer materials called metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and two-dimensional (2D) materials can be used for rapid and convenient detection of several health, food quality and environmental parameters and may pave the way for low-cost point-of-care devices for rapid identification and screening of diseases like anemia, cancer, etc. These excellent material features have been exploited to develop electrochemical and optical sensors for various analytes such as bacteria, aflatoxins, and heavy metals. Researchers at the Institute of Nano Science…

Researchers exploring the surface magnetic field of Mars found that crustal field effects are very strong during the daytime but are almost negligible during the nighttime, with daytime crustal field effects being unaffected by season or Sun-Mars distance. Decoding the Martian crustal magnetic field and its effects on the near-Mars plasma environment is important for understanding magnetic shielding, which has a direct impact on future robotic/human missions to space. Mars is a planet that does not have its own global magnetic field. However, crustal magnetic fields are scattered in the…