Day: 4 April 2025

Scientists at the Raman Research Institute (RRI), an autonomous institute funded by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, have made a significant advancement in the understanding of adsorption processes. Their novel approach using Laponite clay nanoplatelets as the adsorbate and Latex spheres as the adsorbent provides new insights into how individual particles interact during adsorption.   Adsorption, a crucial process in fields such as water purification, catalysis, and pharmaceuticals, involves the accumulation of molecules onto a surface. Understanding the microscopic mechanisms that govern adsorption can lead…

A new study has uncoded the mysteries of how the venom of Pope’s pit viper, a snake species native to northern and northeastern parts of India, works. The study can help establish the foundation for venom toxicity, pharmaceutical advancements, and enhanced antivenom compositions.   The “Big Four” venomous snakes—Russell’s Viper, Saw-Scaled Viper, Spectacled Cobra, and Common Krait—have undergone considerable research, but venom composition of Pope’s Pit Viper (Trimeresurus popeiorum), an arboreal, nocturnal serpent indigenous to the dense forests of Northeast India, remains unexamined.   Prof. Ashis K. Mukherjee, Director of…