Academic Awards

An international team of astronomers today announced the discovery of the two earliest and most distant galaxies ever seen, dating back to only 300 million years after the Big Bang. These results, using NASA's James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), mark a major milestone in the study of the early universe. The discoveries were made by the JWST Advanced Deep Extragalactic Survey (JADES) team. Daniel Eisenstein from the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian (CfA) is one of the team leaders of JADES and Principal Investigator of the observing program that revealed these galaxies. Ben Johnson and Phillip Cargile, both Research Scientists at CfA, and Zihao Wu, a Harvard Ph.D. student at CfA, also played important roles. Because of the expansion of the universe, the light from distant galaxies stretches to longer wavelengths as it travels. This effect is so extreme for these two galaxies that their ultraviolet light is shifted to infrared wavelengths where only JWST can see it....

Quantum computers hold the promise of being able to quickly solve extremely complex problems that might take the world’s most powerful supercomputer decades to crack. But achieving that performance involves building a system with millions of interconnected building blocks called qubits. Making and controlling so many qubits in a hardware architecture is an enormous challenge that scientists around the world are striving to meet. Toward this goal, researchers at MIT and MITRE have demonstrated a scalable, modular hardware platform that integrates thousands of interconnected qubits onto a customized integrated circuit. This “quantum-system-on-chip” (QSoC) architecture enables the researchers to precisely tune and control a dense array of qubits. Multiple chips could be connected using optical networking to create a large-scale quantum communication network. By tuning qubits across 11 frequency channels, this QSoC architecture allows for a new proposed protocol of “entanglement multiplexi...

A pioneering study has used extensive global datasets and machine learning to map the activities of seafloor invertebrate animals, including worms, clams and shrimps, across the entire ocean, revealing for the first time critical factors that support and maintain the health of marine ecosystems. The international team, led by Texas A&M University and including investigators from Yale University and the University of Southampton, specifically focused on the unsung yet vital role burrowing animals play as "ecosystem engineers" in shaping nutrient cycling and ecosystem health — and, in turn, maritime economies and food security — throughout the oceans. The researchers used machine learning to map out a global picture of these animals' activities and the environmental conditions that drive them. Marine sediments cover the majority of the Earth’s surface and are extremely diverse. By stirring up and churning the seafloor — a process known as bioturbation — seafloor inverte...

For the first time, India is advancing payload technology and space-bound hardware within facilities outside the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) labs, Chairman and Secretary of the Department of Space, Somanath S, has said. In a significant move, ISRO plans to source payloads and satellites from Indian companies, aiming to propel these firms onto the global stage. Payload technology, which includes equipment or cargo carried by vehicles like rockets or drones, is crucial for accomplishing diverse space missions. During a visit to ISRO headquarters on Friday, US Ambassador to India, Eric Garcetti, engaged in discussions with Somanath about ongoing US-India space collaboration. Both officials delved into shared goals in advancing space science, technology, and the economy, with a keen focus on expediting access to critical components. While Somanath emphasised opportunities for developing advanced detectors and packaging technologies through US-India academic collaborations, ma...

When Apple unveiled its Vision Pro, the extended reality headset last year, not many would have thought it would be of use in the healthcare space too. From bariatric surgery to even while operating on the spine, doctors across the world are trying their hands on the device for improved outcomes. At a hospital in New Delhi recently, the Vision Pro was used for bariatric surgery for a first-of-a-kind surgery, which lasted for 40 minutes, on a 45-year-old patient, who weighed 155 kg and had high blood pressure and obstructive sleep apnea. Here, the device offered an immersive 3D environment allowing the team of doctors to see the complicated anatomical structures with clarity.   “The successful integration of Apple Vision Pro into bariatric surgery marks a significant milestone in our journey towards revolutionising surgical procedures,” said Dr Vaibhav Kapoor, co-founder, Pristyn Care, where the surgery was performed. “The successful use of Apple Vision Pro in these complex procedu...

Generation Alpha, born into a digitally connected world, is revolutionizing education with their tech-savvy approach and boundless curiosity. Their innovative learning methods and collaborative spirit are reshaping the educational landscape, transcending traditional boundaries. A profound transformation is underway in the realm of education, spearheaded by the emergence of Generation Alpha. These digital natives, born into a world of seamless connectivity and technological advancement, are redefining the very essence of teaching and learning. Their innate ability to harness technology, coupled with an insatiable curiosity, is paving the way for a new educational paradigm that transcends traditional boundaries. At the core of Generation Alpha's approach lies a deep respect for technology as a catalyst for exploration and discovery. Unlike previous generations, they view interactive platforms, simulations, and gamified learning experiences not as mere tools but as gateways to immers...

Cyclone Remal news: The IMD has warned of heavy to very heavy rainfall on May 26 and 27 in Kolkata, South and North 24 Parganas, Purba Medinipur and Howrah. Cyclone Remal news: A depression in the Bay of Bengal is likely to develop into a severe cyclonic storm and make landfall somewhere between West Bengal's Sagar Island and Bangladesh's Khepupara around Sunday midnight, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Friday. Cyclone Remal news: The meteorological department expects a wind speed of upto 100 to 120 km per hour at the time of the landfall.(IMD) The weather system will bring heavy to very heavy rain in the coastal districts of West Bengal on May 26 and 27, according to the IMD. Cyclone Remal: Here are 10 things to know about the cyclonic storm Cyclone Remal currently lies over the central Bay of Bengal, about 800 km south-southwest of Khepupara (Bangladesh) and 810 km south of Canning (West Bengal). Cyclone Remal is likely to concentrate into a cyclonic storm b...

In the heart of Rajasthan, a transformative movement is underway, altering the agricultural landscape through a project known as the Pradhan Mantri Kishan Urja Suraksha evam Uthan Mahabhiyan Scheme, or PM-KUSUM. This initiative focuses on enhancing energy independence for farmers by harnessing solar power, contributing significantly to India’s renewable energy goals. The scheme comprises several components, aiming to install solar power plants, solar-powered pumps, and solarize grid-connected agricultural pumps. Notably, the solarization of grid-connected pumps, referred to as Component-C, is particularly impactful. It involves installing solar power plants that can fulfill the energy requirements of multiple agricultural feeders. The project has seen widespread participation from Jodhpur Vidyut Vitran Nigam Limited (JdVVNL) among other regional power distribution companies. They’ve orchestrated competitive bidding processes to identify service providers for the installation of these s...