Northwestern University researchers have developed a first-of-its-kind small, stretchable bandage that uses electrotherapy to a wound site to accelerate the healing process. In an animal study conducted by the US university, the new bandage healed diabetic ulcers 30% faster when applied for just 30 minutes per day. It also actively monitors the healing process and easily dissolves into the body when no longer needed. The new device could prove to be a useful tool for patients with diabetes, whose ulcers can lead to serious complications. Clinicians have used electrotherapy fo
UK-based satellite company Inmarsat has claimed that it achieved the world’s first carbon neutral rocket launch with the send-off of its I-6 F2 satellite into space aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9. “We are offsetting roughly 5,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions associated with the launch,” said CEO Rajeev Suri. The CarbonNeutral Protocol certified the launch as a carbon neutral event. London-based Inmarsat sent its I-6 F2 satellite into space aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 on February 17, lifting off from Cape Canaveral, Florida. Rajeev Suri said the rocket and spacecraft build emi
Researchers from IIT Guwahati have developed a ‘recombinant protein toolbox’ that converts skin cells into heart cells. The heart cells produced using this toolbox can perform the same function as the original heart cells and regenerate damaged heart tissues. This technique is safer as the recombinant proteins disappear over time, without leaving toxic waste. The toolbox comprises six special proteins. The results of the research have been published in the journals, Current Research in Biotechnology, Molecular Biotechnology, Bioprocess and Biosystems Engineering, Applied Microbiol
A 53-year-old man diagnosed with HIV in 2008 is now free of the virus after a stem cell transplant treatment, researchers reported in the journal Nature Medicine on February 20. The German man, known as “the Düsseldorf patient,” is the third confirmed person to be cured of HIV using this treatment. Last year, the researchers announced that two other patients had recovered from the virus. The patients included a woman of mixed race. However, papers on these patients have not been published yet. The Düsseldorf patient received the stem cell transplant to treat his leukemia
Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Narendra Singh Tomar has said that the government has released Rs. 126.99 crore towards Kisan Drone promotion. In a written reply in the Rajya Sabha, the union minister said that the released funds include Rs. 52.50 crore released to the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) for purchase of 300 Kisan Drones and organising their demonstrations on the farmers’ fields in 75,000 hectares through 100 Krishi Vigyan Kendras, 75 ICAR institutions and 25 state agriculture universities. The released funds will go to various state governme
The Indian Space Research Organisation Chairman S Somanath on February 17 said that the space agency is planning to launch a second batch of 36 OneWeb satellites in March. In October 2022, ISRO had successfully launched the first batch of 36 satellites by OneWeb from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. S Somanath was speaking after the successful launch of ISRO’S Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) D2. He said that the year 2023 will see new developments and activities, specifically leading to the Gaganyaan programme. The OneWeb communications satellites will b
The Unified Payments Interface (UPI) of India was linked to Singapore's PayNow payments system on February 21 in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Singaporean counterpart Lee Hsien Loong. Reserve Bank of India Governor Shaktikanta Das, and Ravi Menon, Managing Director, Monetary Authority of Singapore, led the launch of this cross-border connectivity on Tuesday. The linkage of two real-time payment systems will enable faster and cost-efficient transfer of money. It will help residents of both countries to send cross-border remittances more quickly and cheaply. It is e
Amazon has said that its self-driving vehicle unit, Zoox, successfully carried passengers on a public road in its fully autonomous vehicle on public roads for the first time. On February 14, the electric vehicle, which does not have a steering wheel, ran a mile-long route carrying employees between Zoox’s two main buildings in Foster City, California. The company said that its employees are test-riding the taxi on California public roads. It now plans to operate a shuttle for employees on the same trip, while it seeks additional clearances to expand its service to the public. Amazon s
Japan-based global data centre and telecommunications company NTT has outlined plans to invest Rs 2,000 crore in a hyperscale data centre in Kolkata over the next few years, said Shekhar Sharma, Chief Executive Officer, NTT Global Data Centers & Cloud Infrastructure India and NTT Communications India on February 13. This investment is part of the ongoing $2.5 billion total investment plan of the company in India announced about two years ago. NTT Limited shared plans to build three data centres in Kolkata with a cumulative capacity of 25MW IT load; the first building will be on ground
Saudi Arabia will send its first ever woman astronaut on a space mission later this year. Rayyana Barnawi will join fellow Saudi male astronaut Ali Al-Qarni on a mission to the International Space Station (ISS) during the second quarter of 2023, the official Saudi Press Agency said on February 12. The astronauts will join the crew of the AX-2 space mission and the space flight will launch from the USA, the agency added. With the launch, Saudi Arabia will become the second Arab country after its neighbour the United Arab Emirates to send its citizens into space. In 2019, Emirati astronau