UniFocus IAS ( UNIFOCUS UNIVERSAL )

The three-day Dryland Congress 2026 concluded in New Delhi with the adoption of the Delhi Declaration on Drylands (3D), setting out a shared agenda for transforming dryland agriculture through collaboration, knowledge exchange, innovation and collective action across the Global South. It was endorsed at the closing plenary by participating governments, institutions, partners and delegates of the Dryland Congress 2026. Held under the theme “Transforming Dryland Agriculture with South–South Cooperation,” the Congress concluded with a renewed commitment to translate scientific knowledge into action, scale proven innovations and strengthen partnerships for resilient and sustainable dryland agriculture across the Global South. Drylands are defined using an Aridity Index (AI), which is calculated by dividing mean precipitation by potential evapotranspiration. Drylands have an AI of 0.65 or lower, meaning that potential evapotranspiration is at least 50% greater than actual mean precipitation...

Spectrum is a two-stage orbital small-lift launch vehicle built by German company Isar Aerospace. Development of the Spectrum commenced during the 2010s. Much of its design has been produced internally. A key target during development was the price point of €10,000 ($11,700) per kg, as well as to be as flexible as possible as to suit a wide variety of payload requirements. Isar Aerospace has arranged to launch Spectrum from both the Andøya Spaceport in Norway and the Guiana Space Centre in French Guiana. Early customers for the launcher include Airbus Defence and Space, the German Aerospace Center (DLR), and Spaceflight, Inc. A second launch on 5 September 2026 was successful, deploying several small satellites into a Sun-synchronous orbit.  The flight carried 5 academic cubesats and 1 undeployable payload to qualify Spectrum for future commercial satellite launches. This will be  first commercial rocket to reach orbit from continental Europe. Wikipedia Reuters

On September 09, 2026, ISRO successfully conducted the flight acceptance hot testing of the cryogenic engine identified for the seventh operational mission of LVM3 launch vehicle (LVM-M7). The test was conducted at the Main Engine & stage Test facility (MET) at ISRO Propulsion Complex (IPRC), Mahendragiri. Cryogenic engines for every mission undergo hot testing as part of its acceptance for the flight. In order to conduct hot testing of this upper stage engine under sea-level conditions with its nozzle designed for high altitude operations, a Nozzle Protection System (NPS) was developed and validated previously through multiple qualification tests. NPS has reduced the time and effort associated with flight acceptance testing of cryogenic engines, simulating the flight equivalent vacuum conditions at High Altitude Test Facility. In order to enhance the payload capability of the LVM3 vehicle, future missions of LVM3 are planned with C32 stage operating at an uprated thrust level of 2...

Relevance: The Guardian Anak Krakatoa , or Anak Krakatau ( Indonesian for ' child of Krakatoa ' ) , is a volcanic island and an active volcano in Indonesia .  Geography: Brown and almost barren, Anak Krakatau rises out of the Sunda Strait, the narrow band of the Indian Ocean that separates the Indonesian islands of Sumatra and Java.  Anak Krakatau emerged from the sea less than 80 years ago, and is a natural laboratory to watch the development of an ecosystem. Since the soil is new, it was uncontaminated with seeds. All of the plants seen growing on the island came from seeds that drifted in on the sea or blew across the ocean on the wind. As a result, the plants are clumped on the shallowly sloped eastern shores of the volcano where loose ash and volcanic sand cover the ground. In contrast to the solid rock seen elsewhere on the island, these loose soils allow plants to take root easily. Like most of the approximately 130 active volcanoes in Indonesia, Krakatau was formed...

 Relevance: PIB Recirculating aquaculture systems ( RAS ) are land-based aquaculture facilities – either open air or indoors – that minimize water consumption by filtering, adjusting, and reusing the water. Compared to traditional ponds or open water aquaculture, the water recirculation process in RAS makes it possible to control the culture conditions and collect waste. In addition, land-based aquaculture avoids escapees and limits external transmission of diseases and parasites. RAS gives promise of more sustainable food production with lower consumption of fresh water, and shorter transport distances, as fish can be grown closer to the markets. By controlling the culture conditions, aquaculture production in a RAS facility can be established almost anywhere, regardless of local conditions. By moving the production on land, it can also mitigate the scarcity of available space and competition for access to sea areas. On the other hand, a RAS facility tends to be energy-intensive a...

Relevance: PIB BFT is an innovative aquaculture approach that enhances sustainability and production efficiency by fostering a microbial community in nutrient-rich water. This community, known as "biofloc," consists of beneficial microorganisms that convert unconsumed feed into nutritious biomass, serving as a supplementary food source for cultured fish and shrimps. BFT significantly improves water quality by stabilizing harmful nitrogenous compounds, contributing to overall health and reducing stress in aquatic organisms. This natural filtration process minimizes disease outbreaks. Moreover, technology improves growth rates and survival, resulting in enhanced yields and profitability for farmers. There are still significant problems for scalability of this technology, such as: (i) The technical management requires a precise understanding of microbial ecology and constant monitoring of water quality parameters such as pH, dissolved oxygen, and nutrient levels. (ii) Another si...

Pandora, NASA’s newest exoplanet mission and the first satellite to launch through the agency's Astrophysics Pioneers program, is now making unique observations of worlds beyond our solar system and the stars they orbit. The mission will determine the atmospheric make-up of at least 20 exoplanets, including the presence of hazes, clouds, and water. The results of the mission will lay a firm foundation for interpreting measurements by NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, as well as future observatories focused on finding habitable worlds. In fact, Pandora’s near-infrared detector is a spare originally developed for Webb. Launched into low Earth orbit on Jan. 11, Pandora is an ambitious small satellite (SmallSat) funded by NASA’s Astrophysics Pioneers program. Pioneers are designed to explore compelling questions about the universe with fast-paced, low-cost missions that require a higher-than-usual tolerance for failure.  Pandora’s telescope, jointly developed by Livermore and Corning ...

  NASA’s Deep Space Network facility in California is marking the addition of a brand new 34-meter-wide (114-foot-wide) radio frequency antenna to the agency’s deep space communications and navigation system. The network uses giant dish antennas located at three global facilities to support more than 40 spacecraft exploring the solar system and interstellar space. The new Deep Space Station 23 (DSS-23) is located at the Goldstone Deep Space Communications Complex, near Barstow, and is managed by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. After completing a testing campaign from May through July to demonstrate its capabilities, the new DSS-23 began operations on Aug. 3, tracking NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory. Since then, it has been communicating with dozens of missions such as NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, Psyche, Juno, Voyager 1, and other robotic spacecraft in deep space. It is the fifth antenna at Goldstone (joining three 34-meter antennas and one 70-meter...

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Rasonque (daraxonrasib), a RAS inhibitor for the most common form of pancreatic cancer—delivering a new treatment option to patients with advanced pancreatic cancer months ahead of schedule.  Rasonque, a tablet taken once daily, targets multiple forms of a protein called RAS, a key driver of tumor growth in most patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma, which arises from cells lining the ducts of the pancreas.   RAS Protein: Ras, from "Rat sarcoma virus", is a family of related proteins that are expressed in all animal cell lineages and organs. All Ras protein family members belong to a class of protein called small GTPase, and are involved in transmitting signals within cells (cellular signal transduction). Ras is the prototypical member of the Ras superfamily of proteins, which are all related in three-dimensional structure and regulate diverse cell behaviours. When Ras is 'switched on' by incoming signals, it subs...

A new "smart" cancer drug designed to switch on and work only inside cancer cells can replace traditional chemotherapy, which in many cases also harms healthy cells. Cancer treatment often damages healthy cells along with cancer cells, causing significant associated adverse effects and side effects. This has created a need for targeted therapies that remain inactive in normal tissues while it travels through the body and become activated specifically at tumor sites. Scientists have taken an important step toward making this idea a reality. Collaborative research led by Dr. Asis Bala from the Institute of Advanced Study in Science and Technology (IASST), an Autonomous Institute under the Department of Science & Technology (Govt. of India), and Dr. K.P. Bhabak from the Indian Institute of Technology-Guwahati has developed a new "smart" cancer drug called RK-251. RK-251 is designed to activate primarily in cancer cells and does not harm healthy cells. Fig : Schemat...

NASA’s Starling mission has marked another milestone in spacecraft autonomy by using a new system that determines a satellite’s position in orbit by referencing other objects in space, instead of relying on a navigational network.   The FALCON (Fast Autonomous Lost-in-space Catalog-based Optical Navigation) technology demonstration is a step toward spacecraft being able to operate more independently. As NASA prepares for more missions beyond Earth’s orbit, technologies like FALCON can support lunar satellite swarms, distributed science missions, and human exploration.   Traditional satellite navigation depends on GPS signals, but those can be unreliable or unavailable in lunar or deep space environments. The FALCON payload is a joint flight experiment by NASA and EraDrive, a startup spun out from Stanford University. It combines EraDrive’s Era-Core flight software and embedded algorithms with Starling’s cameras and an onboard catalog of known satellites to support GP...

  Scientists have detected an unusually high concentration of ozone in the upper atmosphere over the North Bay of Bengal. This unexpected finding is helping researchers better understand how air currents transport ozone through the stratosphere. The ozone layer, which protects life on Earth by absorbing harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the Sun, normally reaches its maximum concentration at altitudes of about 25–30 km. Researchers have been trying to understand how atmospheric circulation and dynamical processes influence the distribution of ozone in the stratosphere over the Indian region. Following this quest, scientists from institutions across India, of which the Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences (ARIES), an autonomous institute under the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, was an important participant, used data from a countrywide network of atmospheric radars, weather balloons, satellites, and advanced atmospheric model...

SHetA2 therapy is an investigational oral small-molecule drug designed to treat HPV-related precancerous cervical lesions and advanced solid tumors by targeting heat shock proteins without high toxicity . It was co-developed by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) National Institute of Cancer Prevention and Research and the University of Oklahoma.  About the Technology:   SHetA2 selectively targets HPV-driven oncogenesis, with the potency to kill cancer cells while sparing normal cells. It targets mortalin, Hsc70, and Grp78 to disrupt HSP70/E7 complexes, reduce p16 expression, and inhibit tumor growth. SHetA2 has shown strong safety, tolerability, and improved bioavailability in preclinical and Phase 1 studies. Delivered orally or as a vaginal suppository, it offers a cost-effective, non-invasive, take-home therapy, well-suited for global use, including LMICs. Need and utility of the Technology from Public health perspective: SHetA2 inhibits HPV induced tumor growth ...

 The U.S. FCC recently cleared Hawthorne-based startup Reflect Orbital to launch " Eärendil-1 ," an 18-meter-wide orbital mirror designed to reflect sunlight back to specific locations on Earth at night . The company aims to sell on-demand artificial twilight for solar farms, disaster relief, and round-the-clock construction. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ] How it Works The concept relies on large, ultra-lightweight deployable reflectors (made of materials like mylar) that fold up during launch and expand once in low Earth orbit. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ] Targeted Beams: By precisely angling the mirror, it can direct a beam of sunlight onto dark, predetermined coordinates. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ] Brightness: The beam is adjustable and at its maximum can appear brighter than the full Moon, casting up to 36,000 lux (daylight brightness) if fully concentrated, though commercial setups will likely aim for softer, moonlight-level illumination. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ] Control: The mirrors can be rotated out of position, ...

Vikram-I is a four-stage, expendable orbital small-lift launch vehicle developed by Skyroot Aerospace. Its first three stages are solid stages, while the fourth stage is a liquid stage. Skyroot Aerospace unveiled the Vikram-I launch vehicle in October 2023 at its MAX-Q headquarters in Hyderabad. The company stated that the rocket was developed to serve the growing global small satellite launch market. The vehicle's development followed the successful launch of the suborbital demonstrator Vikram-S in November 2022, which made Skyroot the first Indian private company to launch a rocket from the ISRO's launch facilities. In May 2022, Skyroot completed a full-duration static test of the Kalam-100 solid rocket stage, a component of Vikram-I. Additional qualification tests, including stage separation tests and avionics validation, were carried out through 2024 and 2025. In November 2025, Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled the flight-ready configuration of Vikram-I during the inau...

It was developed at CERN to provide sub-nanosecond accuracy and picoseconds precision of synchronisation for the LHC accelerators chain. It was developped as an open-source hardware, with primary adoption by other research infrastructures with similar challenges in highly accurate synchronization of distributed electronic devices.  It was first developped in 2012. It is an ethernet based technology. Sub-nanosecond synchronization, deterministic data transfer, timestamping***, trigger distribution are its important features.  It has potential to be incorporated into different sectors including  telecommunications, financial markets, smart grids, space industry and quantum computing . ( *** Time stamping is the process of securely recording the exact date and time when a digital event—such as a file creation, data transaction, or signature—occurs . ) PIB CERN

Cyclosporiasis is a gastrointestinal illness caused by the microscopic parasite Cyclospora .  People can become infected by consuming food or water contaminated with the parasite.  This illness is not usually spread directly from person to person.  Case counts typically rise during spring and summer months, and CDC considers May 1-August 31 the annual cyclosporiasis season. Previous outbreaks have been linked to consuming contaminated fresh produce. Since May 1, 2026, CDC has received reports of 1,645 confirmed domestic cases of cyclosporiasis and is aware of more than 5,100 cases that require further analysis to confirm the illness as domestically acquired cyclosporiasis. This is substantially higher than the 249 cases reported nationally by this same time last year. Of the 1,645 case-patients with available information, 141 (9%) were hospitalized, and none have died.  Symptoms: Symptoms of cyclosporiasis typically begin about 1 week after exposure. Onset of sympt...

  Indian Railways is set to flag off India's first Hydrogen Fuel Cell Trainset, a train that generates its own electricity onboard using hydrogen, the cleanest fuel known. It produces near-zero emissions at the point of use. This milestone marks the latest chapter in the evolution of how Indian Railways has powered its trains, reflecting India's broader journey from coal and steam to cleaner, more sustainable sources of energy. Over the past 12 years, rapid electrification has significantly reduced dependence on imported diesel, paving the way for the next leap in clean rail mobility. Today, with over 99% of Broad Gauge routes electrified, Indian Railways is taking that journey a step further. Unlike conventional electric trains that draw power from overhead lines, the Hydrogen Fuel Cell Trainset generates electricity onboard through a chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen, with water vapour as its only by-product. In a sense, the train once again carries its own source...