Page 134 - Environment

New rocket fuel safer, cleaner and as effective as common hypergolic fuels, suggests study

A research has indicated that it could be possible to develop rocket fuel that is much cleaner and safer than the commonly used hypergolic fuels.The research published in the journal Science Advances also revealed that the new fuel is still just as effective as the hypergolic fuels."This is a new, cleaner approach to develop highly combustible fuels, that are not only significantly safer than those currently in use, but they also respond or combust very quickly, which is an essential quality in rocket fuel," said Tomislav Friscis, a co-senior author.The new fuels use simple chemical 'triggers' to unlock the energy of one of the hottest new materials, a class of porous solids known as metal-organic frameworks, or MOFs.MOFs are made up of clusters of metal ions and an organic molecule called a linker.Satellites and space stations that remain in orbit for a considerable amount of time rely on the hypergolic, fuels that are so energetic they will immediately ignite in the presence of an ..

Skyscrapers killing up to 1 bn birds annually in US

At least 100 million and maybe as many as a billion birds die each year in the US when they collide with buildings, especially glass-covered or illuminated skyscrapers, according to a new study.

Poacher killed by elephant, eaten by lions

A suspected rhino poacher was trampled on by an elephant and then eaten by lions in South Africa's Kruger National Park, the media reported on Sunday.

PFS partners USICEF for financing solar projects

Infrastructure finance company PFS has joined hands with the US-India Clean Energy Finance (USICEF) to leverage funds for solar projects in India. It is an innovative facility which presents PFS with an opportunity to finance and deploy high-impact development projects which can contribute in achieving India's distributed energy target of 40 GW by 2022, PFS Managing Director and CEO Pawan Singh said. "As part of it, we have partnered with USICEF to leverage these funds for the most promising, investment-ready distributed solar projects in India," PFS said in a release. PTC India Financial Services (PFS) has processed and sanctioned 3 distributed solar power projects with an aggregate debt amount of Rs 242 crore, of which approximately Rs 39 crore is outstanding in the books. The company is actively looking at new distributed solar power proposals being implemented by reputed developers under various schemes. "As one of the pioneers in the clean energy space, we have been actively ...

MNRE working on unified portal for helping consumers looking to install rooftop solar panels

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) in association with the World Bank and Asian Development Bank is developing a unified web portal, which will facilitate as a single-window clearance system for the consumers looking to install rooftop solar panels. Besides, the portal will also help in promoting and creating awareness regarding usage of rooftop solar in India. In India, awareness related to installation of rooftop solar panels is very low among the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and households, said an official involved in the process. "MNRE, ADB and the World Bank are developing Unified Web Portal (UWP). The respective states are also part of the initiative. The portal will work like a single-window clearance system for the consumers looking to install rooftop solar panels, besides promoting and creating awareness regarding usage of rooftop solar in India. Today, if someone wants to install a solar panel at roof of his ..

NPP launches 'One Voice, One North East' campaign online

Meghlaya's ruling National People's Party on Saturday launched its social media campaign, with the theme "One Voice, One North East", to enlighten the electorate across the northeast on its agenda.

Post-ASAT, India sees role in drafting space laws

India said on Saturday it is looking to play a role in drafting international laws on different aspects of outer space as a major space faring nation with proven technology such as ground-based direct hit deterrence capability.

Punjab CEO calls for green campaigning

Punjab Chief Electoral Officer S Karuna Raju has asked all political parties to use eco-friendly material for campaigning during the Lok Sabha election. Raju asked the parties not to use single-use plastic material as it causes adverse impact on human health and environment. In a statement, Raju said the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change had approached the commission with the request to direct political parties to use eco-friendly material. "A lot of the campaigning material, including posters, cut-outs, hoardings, banners, political advertisements and others, are made of plastic and, after the elections, these electioneering material becomes waste," Raju said. The chief electoral officer said a number of alternatives like compostable bags, natural fabrics, recycled paper and other material could be used during the campaign. Raju emphasised that the general election had given an excellent opportunity to bring a revolutionary change in campaigning by promoting such ...

A-SAT: India chose much lower orbit to avoid debris threat to global space assets, says DRDO

With the successful anti-satellite missile test, India is capable of hitting a target at a range of over 1,000 km in space and a lower orbit was chosen for the mission to avoid threat of debris to global space assets, DRDO Chairman G Satheesh Reddy said Saturday. On being asked whether multiple satellite targets can be hit, he said, "It is a question of how many launchers we have, and with multiple launchers, one can have multiple engagements. But, multiple (targets) is definitely feasible." India shot down one of its satellites in space on March 27 with an anti-satellite (A-SAT) missile to demonstrate this complex capability, joining the elite club of countries -- the US, Russia and China -- which have such capabilities. "The A-SAT test was successfully conducted with a new interceptor missile against a live orbiting satellite in the Low Earth Orbit (LEO) in a hit-to-kill mode. The interceptor has the capability to hit target at a range of 1,000 km, which covers most of the LEO ...

Political parties flayed for ignoring environment

Taking a dig at the political parties for ignoring the green agenda, environmentalists and activists on Saturday said MPs from West Bengal asked only 197 environment related questions in Parliament in the last five years, not even one each in every year on an average.

Monkey slayer tribe from Goa to debut as voters in LS polls

A tribe of monkey slayers in Goa would be making their debut as voters in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections for the first time since Independence. And their expectations from public representatives are simple: construction of toilets and providing them with electricity connections. Though votes of 40 members, including 20 women, of the 100-member group may not be of a consequence for any political party, the tribals are excited over the sense of empowerment. This Nomadic Tribe (NT) monkey slayers or "Vanarmare" traditionally inhabited dense forest areas in Goa. Currently, they live in Nirancal-Dabhal village, around 90 kms away from here, which falls under South Goa Lok Sabha constituency. All the 40 voters from the tribe had voted for the first time in the 2017 state Assembly elections, recording a 100 per cent turnout. Activist and agriculturist Sachin Tendulkar, who took the initiative of rehabilitating this tribe that earlier never existed on the demographic map of the

Seven hurt in wild boar attack, mob kills the animal

Seven persons including two women were injured as a wild boar attacked them in Odisha's Kendrapara district on Saturday, Forest officials said. The incident occurred when the victims were engaged in farming operation in the agriculture field in Teragaon village under Mahakalpada area of the district, the officials said. Later angry people captured the animal and hacked it death, they said. The Forest department has registered a case under the provisions of Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 as the animal is accorded protection under law, said Forest Range Officer, Bijoy Parida. The animal might have sneaked into the village to eat standing vegetable plants, he said. The injured persons who were hospitalised are out of danger. The forest department is bearing the cost of treatment of the injured persons. Besides ex-gratia compensation grants will be disbursed towards the injured persons, he said. Forest personnel have started maintaining night watch and vigil in the village in .

SC notice to Centre on coal mining in Chhattisgarh

The Supreme Court on Friday issued a notice to the Centre on a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking cancellation of coal block allocation in Chhattisgarh to Rajasthan Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Limited (RRVUNL) and the mining operations by the Adani Enterprise Limited (AEL) for violating the environmental clearance granted by the Ministry of Environment and Forests.

Leopard beaten to death in UP

A leopard was beaten to death by villagers after it attacked and injured at least six people in Uttar Pradesh's Bahraich district, officials said. The locals were working at a sugarcane field in a village adjacent to the Kakraha range of Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary on Friday. The three-year-old leopard attacked and injured six of them, following which the villagers chased the leopard and attacked it with sticks, officials said. After receiving the information, forest department officials reached the spot and caught the leopard. The animal was brought to the range hospital where it succumbed to injuries, the officials said, adding that the injured had been admitted to a community health centre. Divisional Forest Officer G P Singh said a post-mortem would be conducted. An FIR has been filed against two named and 50-100 unnamed persons. Action will be taken against all those involved, the officer added. According to locals, the leopard had attacked several people since February 28 ...

Amazon aims inclusive Internet with 3,236 satellites

In a bid to provide Internet to the "unserved and underserved communities around the world", Amazon is working to launch a constellation of 3,236 satellites into low-Earth orbit.

NASA's Solar Probe completes 2nd flyby of Sun

NASA's Parker Solar Probe has successfully completed its second close approach to the Sun, the US space agency has said.

NASA says cooperation with ISRO remains intact

Apparently under prodding from the White House, NASA has said it will continue to cooperate with the ISRO, days after the US space agency's chief criticised India and termed its anti-satellite weapon test a "terrible thing" for creating about 400 pieces of orbital debris. In a letter to ISRO Chairman K Sivan, NASA Administrator James Bridenstine said: "based on the guidance received from the White House", he looks forward to continuing to work with ISRO on a host of issues including human space flights. "As part of our partnership with you, we will continue to work on issues using the NASA-ISRO Human Space Flight Working Group, Planetary Science Working Group, US India Earth Science Working Group and the Heliophysics Working Group," Bridenstine said. In his letter, Bridenstine says he recently wrote to ISRO about the suspension of cooperation on human space flight. "Recently, we sent you a letter indicating a suspension of activities under the NASA-ISRO Human Space Flight Working ...

Italy underlines efforts to avert no-deal Brexit

Rome, April 6 (IANS/AKI) Italy will keep striving to prevent a disorderly UK departure from the European Union, premier Giuseppe Conte's office said on Friday in a statement which warned that no-deal Brexit seemed "a growing probability".

NASA's solar probe completes 2nd closest encounter with Sun

NASA on Friday announced that its Parker Solar Probe, the fastest spacecraft in history, has completed its second close approach to the Sun and is now entering the outbound phase of the second solar orbit.

Sikhs aim to plant million trees to mark 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak

Sikhs around the world are taking part in a campaign to plant a million trees as a "gift to the entire planet" as part of celebrations marking 550th birth anniversary of Sikh founder Guru Nanak. The Sikh diaspora has taken on the challenge and tens of thousands of trees have already been planted under the project, which aims to reverse environmental decline and help people reconnect with nature. These are mostly in India the majority of the world's Sikh population lives in the state of Punjab, which is planning to plant 550 saplings in every village but also in the UK, US, Australia and Kenya, the Gurdian reported. "We want to mark the anniversary in a significant way," Rajwant Singh, the president of the Washington DC-based environmental organisation EcoSikh, said. Guru Nanak was a nature lover. He had talked about nature as a manifestation of God and many of his writings talk about how we need to learn lessons of life from nature, he added. Sikh Union Coventry has started planting