Published on: May 6, 2024

Snippets : 6 MAY 2024

Snippets : 6 MAY 2024

  • The Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium (JNP) has launched a ‘telescope library’ programme aimed at popularizing science among educational institutions and the public. The programme allows institutions and individuals to borrow telescopes, binoculars, and gnomons for a specified period to use at their locations
  • Madrid Tennis Open: Iga Swiatek beats Aryna Sabalenka
  • The iconic Cauvery theatre in Bengaluru recently closed its doors after celebrating its golden jubilee just three weeks earlier. It marked the end of an era for many longtime moviegoers in the city. Cauvery theatre opened its doors on January 11, 1974, with the screening of the Dr. Rajkumar starrer “Bangarada Panjara.” Over the years, it became a beloved destination for movie enthusiasts during the heyday of single-screen cinemas
  • The BBMP reinstates randomisation system for bill clearance due to challenges faced by the Nagamohan Das Commission
  • Tamil Nadu government launches an e-Pass portal for visiting Nilgiris and Kodaikanal hill stations
  • The Koothandavar festival, held in Koovagam, Tamil Nadu during the Tamil month of Chithirai, is an 18-day event steeped in tradition that celebrates the transgender identity. It gained global attention for its unique rituals and historical significance, including the story of Aravan offering himself as a sacrifice in the Tamil Mahabharata and Lord Krishna marrying him in the form of Mohini. The festival’s focal point is Lord Aravan’s sacrificial ritual, with transwomen coming together on the 17th day to wed Lord Aravan, followed by his symbolic sacrifice the next day, marking a significant cultural and religious observance
  • The Integrated Pensioners’ Portal launched by the Centre, in collaboration with Bank of India, aims to digitalize pension services by combining processing and payment from multiple banks, offering features like accessing pension slips, life certificates, Form 16 submission, and integrating with the Bhavishya portal. The Bhavishya platform ensures end-to-end digitization, providing progress updates via SMS/email, while CPENGRAMS facilitates grievance redressal.
  • Researchers from Linköping University in Sweden have developed ‘goldene,’ a one-atom thick sheet of gold with unique properties, including being 100 nanometers thick, making it promising for applications in the electronics industry as a catalyst and for various other purposes like carbon dioxide conversion and water purification
  • China’s Chang’e-6 mission aims to bring back samples from the Moon’s far side, focusing on the South Pole-Aitken basin for insights into the Moon’s internal structure. This follows China’s successful Chang’e-4 mission in 2019, which achieved a soft landing on the far side
  • The Indian Air Force (IAF) recently got its second C295 aircraft out of the planned 56. These planes, designed by Airbus, are versatile, with capabilities including troop transport, cargo handling, and surveillance. The C295 has a flight endurance of 13 hours, can carry up to nine tonnes or 71 troops, and operates in diverse weather conditions. India’s acquisition includes an industrial partnership with Airbus delivering the first 16 aircraft, while Tata Advanced Systems (TASL) will manufacture the remaining 40 in India
  • IN-SPACe released NGP for implementing ISP 2023, aiming for a predictable regulatory regime and private sector involvement. NGP lists authorized space activities, specifies criteria, and mandates authorization for entities within India’s jurisdiction. ISP 2023 institutionalizes private sector participation, encourages investment in space infrastructure, targets a 10% share in the global space economy, defines roles for ISRO, NSIL, and IN-SPACe, allowing ISRO to focus on R&D.