Decoding the Universe, One Discovery at a Time: Your Daily Dose of Indian Science From ISRO's groundbreaking missions propelling India to new heights in space exploration, to indigenous innovations tackling pressing climate challenges, abtak.com brings you the latest in science and technology shaping our nation and the world. Are Indian scientists unlocking the secrets of personalized medicine? How are advancements in AI impacting our daily lives, from agriculture to healthcare? Dive into cutting-edge research, breakthroughs in biotechnology, and the minds revolutionizing our understanding of the planet and beyond. Stay informed about the implications of scientific advancements, ethical considerations, and the future of technology right here in India. Explore the mysteries of the cosmos, delve into the intricacies of the human body, and witness the transformative power of scientific inquiry. Join us as we unravel the complexities of science and its impact on our future. What breakthroughs await us tomorrow?
Chennai: Researchers of the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) have developed an innovative and affordable microfluidic device that can rapidly determine whether bacteria are resistant or susceptible to antibiotics. Unlike many modern techniques that rely on costly metals, complex fabrication processes, or those that require highly skilled technicians, the lab-on-chip device, known as 'ε-µD' is based on screen-printed carbon electrodes embedded in a simple microfluidic chip. The approach makes the device not only economical but also suitable for deployment in smaller clinics and rural healthcare centres. Designed for speed, sensitivity, and ease of use, it holds strong potential for early diagnosis and better treatment of bacterial infections, particularly in regions with limited access to advanced laboratory infrastructure. The ε-µD device can deliver results within three hours and is based on 'Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy'. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the most pressing challenges facing global healthcare systems today. The World Health Organization (WHO) has identified AMR as one of the top 10 threats to global health, and estimates suggest that nearly 4.95 million deaths worldwide in 2019 were associated with bacterial AMR. The burden is especially high in low- and middle-income countries, where diagnostic facilities are limited and infections often go untreated or are improperly managed. Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (AST) is an important method used to identify which antibiotics will work against a specific infection. It helps doctors choose the right treatment and avoid the misuse of antibiotics, which is a major cause of AMR. However, traditional AST methods, which involve growing bacterial cultures and observing their response to antibiotics, are labour-intensive and typically take 48 to 72 hours. This delay can lead to the use of broad-spectrum antibiotics as a stopgap, which in turn exacerbates the resistance problem. To address these limitations, the IIT Madras team developed ε-µD -- a cost-effective phenotypic testing device that uses electrochemical signals to assess bacterial growth and antibiotic susceptibility. This device meets several key criteria outlined by the WHO, including affordability, speed, ease of use and reliability. By addressing these priorities, ε-µD takes a significant step toward making antimicrobial susceptibility testing more accessible, especially in low-resource settings. The research has been published in the prestigious Nature Scientific Reports, a peer-reviewed, open-access scientific mega journal published by Nature Portfolio (part of Springer Nature), covering all areas of the natural sciences. The paper was co-authored by Saranya Gopalakrishnan (Director Technology Innovation, Kaappon Analytics India Pvt Ltd, a startup incubated in IITM Research Park, and Diksha Mall, Research Scholars from IIT Madras alongside IIT Madras faculty Prof Subramaniam Pushpavanam and Dr Richa Karmakar. Elaborating on the research, Prof S Pushpavanam, YBG Varma Institute Chair Professor, Department of Chemical Engineering, IIT Madras, said, "An important aspect of our device is the use of a specially prepared nutrient solution that serves a dual purpose. It not only supports bacterial growth, which is essential for testing, but also enhances the sensitivity of the electrical signals we use for detection. As the bacteria grow, they cause measurable changes in the electrical properties of the solution, which our system can accurately track." Explaining how this technology can be taken to the real world and possible initiatives in this direction, Prof. S Pushpavanam added, "This approach will make a real impact on patients in Intensive Care Units, who may be suffering from complications due to bacterial infections. This will help the doctors prescribe the right treatment and can be life-saving. Currently, we are doing clinical validation in collaboration with the IITM Institute hospital. After rigorous clinical validation, we are planning to commercialise this through our startup, Kaappon Analytics India Private Limited." Further, Dr Richa Karmakar, Assistant Professor, Department of Biotechnology, IIT Madras, added, "The device monitors how the electrical signal changes over time to determine whether bacteria are continuing to grow in the presence of an antibiotic. If the bacteria are resistant, they multiply despite the drug, and this activity causes a distinct change in the electrical signal. In contrast, if the bacteria are killed by the antibiotic, their growth is inhibited and the signal remains relatively unchanged. A metric called 'Normalized Impedance Signal' (NIS) developed by the researchers allows clear differentiation between resistant and non-resistant bacterial strains in a matter of hours." The researchers tested the device on two types of bacteria - gram-negative E coli and gram-positive B subtilis. They used two antibiotics with different modes of action -- ampicillin, which kills bacteria and tetracycline, which prevents them from growing -- to confirm the device's ability to detect both kinds of responses. The ε-µD was able to detect susceptibility profiles within three hours. In an important demonstration of real-world applicability, the team also tested the device on urine samples spiked with E. coli and successfully identified resistance to tetracycline, showing the potential of this device in clinical diagnostics. Also Read
CHITTOOR (Andhra Pradesh): The Apollo University, Apollo Hospitals and University of Leicester, United Kingdom, have partnered to establish the Centre for Digital Health and Precision Medicine (CDHPM) at The Apollo University campus in Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh. The advanced research center will bring together the expertise and resources of both institutions to create a global hub for digital health and precision medicine. The CDHPM will be the hub in Chittoor, India. The hub at the University of Leicester will be based at the BHF Cardiovascular Research Centre at Glenfield Hospital, Leicester ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], June 26 (ANI): In a milestone for cancer care in India, President Droupadi Murmu, formally inaugurated the Sri Ganga Ram Hospital (SGRH) Cancer Care Centre and interacted with cancer patients on Thursday. According to an official release, the Sri Ganga Ram Hospital is a cutting-edge facility dedicated to providing comprehensive care to cancer patients. The President ceremonially visited the premises, acknowledging the hospital's pivotal role in delivering ethical and affordable healthcare, marking a presence of pride and recognition for the institution's seven-decade-long ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], December 3 (ANI): On the occasion of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, the World Health Organisation (WHO) South-East Asia Region has called for amplifying the leadership of persons with disabilities to foster an inclusive and sustainable future. WHO's Regional Director, Saima Wazed, stressed that empowering persons with disabilities and ensuring their active participation in all sectors is essential to addressing the barriers they face, particularly in healthcare and during humanitarian crises. Also Read | South Korea Unrest: Martial Law Troops Enter Nat ...Read More >
New Delhi: The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is probing from all angles, including sabotage, in the Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad that killed 274 people on board and on the ground last month, Minister of State (MoS) For Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol said. Mohol said the black box of the Air India flight AI 171 that has been recovered is in AAIB's custody and will not be outside the country for a thorough assessment. The MoS was speaking at the Pune chapter of the Emerging Business Conclave. "It (plane crash) was an unfortunate incident. The AAIB has begun a full investig ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jul 6 (PTI) The Delhi government on Sunday appointed over 1,300 new nursing officers and launched Ayushman Bharat registration vans to strengthen the healthcare system in the national capital. The event was attended by BJP president J P Nadda, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, Health Minister Pankaj Singh, and other senior ministers. Addressing the gathering, Chief Minister Gupta sharply criticised the previous government, alleging that it had allowed the capital's health infrastructure to deteriorate significantly. "In the past, Delhi's healthcare was in such a poor state that t ...Read More >
New Delhi, July 6 (SocialNews.XYZ) Health Minister JP Nadda on Sunday urged all stakeholders to work dedicatedly towards implementing PM-ABHIM (Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission) in Delhi, and fulfil the target of opening 1,100 Ayushman Arogya mandirs by March 31, 2026, with an outlay of Rs 1,700 crore. The minister distributed appointment letters to Delhi nursing officers and paramedical staff and flagged off Ayushman Bharat Registration Vans, in the presence of Chief Minister Rekha Gupta at Vigyan Bhawan here. "This is a momentous occasion as today, after 15 years, our nursing ...Read More >
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday called on Brics countries to work together in order to secure critical mineral supply chains and ensure that no one nation is able to dominate and weaponize these resources. His call at the 17th Brics Summit in Rio de Janeiro comes amid a Chinese chokehold on global rare earth supplies. Brics is a group of 11 countries that was set up by Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. Modi said it was important to make critical mineral supply chains reliable and ensure that no one country uses these resources for its own selfish gains or as a ...Read More >
Hyderabad, Dec 3 (Maxim News): The inspecting teams of Drugs Control Administration (DCA), Telangana State raided a healthcare facility operated by a quack Banothu Srinu and seized illegally stocked drugs meant for sale at Beerappagadda, Uppal Khalsa village, medical-Malkajgiri district. Click Here To Join Us On WhatsApp Banothu Srinu was practicing medicine without proper MBBS qualification at his healthcare facility named Anjali Clinic. During the course of the raid, the DCA teams seized 17 varieties of medicines worth Rs. 20,500 including antibiotics, steroids, antifungal drugs, analgesic ...Read More >
Haridwar: A woman politician has been arrested for allegedly letting her boyfriend and others repeatedly rape her 13-year-old daughter in Haridwar, Uttarakhand. The horrifying crime, which occurred between January and March, was exposed when the minor bravely confided in her father, prompting a police investigation that led to the arrest of the accused. The accused was arrested with her boyfriend and one more. According to police reports, the minor was gang-raped multiple times, often in the presence of her mother. The minor, who had been living with her father following her parents' separat ...Read More >
New Delhi, June 29 (UNI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi today highlighted a series of public health achievements, with a special emphasis on the eradication of eye disease trachoma, promotion of traditional wellness practices such as yoga, and women-led health initiatives at the grassroot levels. Addressing the nation in the 123rd edition of his radio talk show Mann Ki Baat, the PM lauded India's successful elimination of Trachoma, a bacterial eye infection, which has now been declared eradicated by the World Health Organisation (WHO). "I am very happy to share with you that WHO has declared I ...Read More >
Srinagar- Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Saturday said foreign countries were told clearly during the post-Operation Sindoor diplomatic outreach that in case of a fresh provocation, India would repeat its action. Speaking at a discussion at the Ahmedabad Management Association, Tharoor said Indian delegations which visited foreign countries in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor managed to convey that India acted with restraint and responsibility. "In other places, we actually were able to get some very high-placed people to say not only that they respected and supported India's right of self- ...Read More >
India will observe National Doctor's Day on July 1. The day acknowledges doctors' dedication. The 2025 theme is 'Behind the Mask: Who Heals the Healers?'. It highlights the mental health of doctors. The day commemorates Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy. He was a physician and former Chief Minister of West Bengal. Events will include ceremonies and campaigns. India marks National Doctor's Day on July 1 every year to recognise the tireless service, dedication, and compassion of the country's medical profess ...Read More >
New Delhi, May 29 (PTI) A genetic study has traced a 2023 outbreak of a neurological infection in Tamil Nadu to contaminated saline water used at a dental clinic, findings of which were published in The Lancet Regional Health Southeast Asia journal. Twenty-one probable cases of neuromelioidosis -- a neurological infection caused by bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei -- between July 2022 and April 2023 were identified across four districts in the northern part of the state. Seventeen of the 21 cases came from a single district, of which 10 reported undertaking treatment at a dental clinic. T ...Read More >
Srinagar, June 7: Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, on Saturday, congratulated the University of Kashmir for getting an A++ grade in the NAAC inspection. The Lt Governor extended his heartiest congratulations to the Vice Chancellor, faculty, staff, and students of the University of Kashmir for attaining the prestigious A++ Grade by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC), and securing an outstanding Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 3.68 on a seven-point scale. Calling it a proud moment for J&K UT, the Lt Governor said, "The A++ Grade places the Un ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: Signalling the government's intent to move ahead with the impeachment motion of Allahabad High Court judge Justice Yashwant Varma, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju on Thursday said that main opposition parties have given their in-principle approval to support the motion in the upcoming monsoon session scheduled for July21-August 21. Rijiju said that the government is yet to decide whether the motion would be brought in the Lok Sabha or the Rajya Sabha. For the Lok Sabha, signatures of a minimum 100 MPs is required. The requirement is the support of at least 50 MPs in the Rajya Sabha. H ...Read More >
The Delhi government on Sunday (July 6, 2025) handed appointment letters to 1,388 nursing officers and 41 paramedical staff, and flagged off Ayushman Bharat registration vans to help eligible residents, especially from the weaker sections, to enrol for the Ayushman Bharat and Vaya Vandana Yojana schemes. At a ceremony held at Vigyan Bhawan, Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda called the appointments a "historic initiative" that bridges a 15-year gap in Delhi's healthcare recruitment. "This is not j ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jun 29: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday lauded two major national achievements in public health and social security during his monthly radio address Mann Ki Baat, calling them milestones that "will fill every Indian with pride." Citing praise from global organisations such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Labour Organization (ILO), the Prime Minister said India has been declared Trachoma-free by WHO, marking a major public health victory, and that over 64% of the Indian population now benefits from some form of social protection, as recognised in a ...Read More >
POONCH, June 29: To strengthen their campaign to aware the common populace about the ill effects of cardiovascular diseases, Head Department of Cardiology GMCH Jammu in collaboration with management of Gurudwara Sant Bhai Bahadur Singh Ji held a day long cardiac awareness cum health checkup camp at Dharamsal Khari Poonch. The camp was inaugurated by SSP Poonch Shafket Hussain, Dr Sushil Sharma along with ADC Tahir Mustafa, Harcharan Singh, Hardev Singh, Sunil Sharma (president Bar Association Poonch ) , Naresh Chander Raj (Ex Councillor MC), Mohinder Singh (Ex Councillor MC) and others promin ...Read More >
India's medical education is set for a big change. The National Medical Council has new rules. These rules allow more experienced doctors to become professors. Government hospitals with 220 beds can now be teaching centers. The goal is to increase the number of medical seats. This will help India get more doctors and improve healthcare.Non-teaching specialists or consultants with 10 years of experience at government hospitals can now be appointed as associate professors, while those with two year ...Read More >
Biocon Biologics, in collaboration with Diabetes Africa and St Paul’s Hospital in Ethiopia, has launched the Embedding Specialist Nurses in Diabetes Care project. The initiative focuses on training nurses to become diabetes specialists to address the country’s growing diabetes crisis. With Ethiopia ranking among the top countries in sub-Saharan Africa for diabetes prevalence, this project aims to integrate diabetes care into primary healthcare, enhancing accessibility and care quality. By upskilling nurses and establishing a structured pathway for them, the program seeks to improve diabetes ma ...Read More >
Health Minister Dr. Shane Reti announced encouraging progress in Health New Zealand's (Health NZ) financial recovery, highlighting a significant reduction in its projected deficit for 2024/25. The improvement follows extensive efforts to address what Dr. Reti describes as a financial crisis inherited from the previous Labour-led government. Health NZ's revised budget for 2024/25 now forecasts a deficit of $1.1 billion, a significant reduction from the projected $1.76 billion deficit before the Government's intervention. "This progress reflects our commitment to restoring financial discipline ...Read More >
New Delhi: India registered 8.6 million deaths in 2022, the least deadly year of the Covid-19 pandemic. This represents a 15% decline from 2021, the deadliest pandemic year, with the death rate likely returning to pre-pandemic levels. This suggests mortality was normalising as Covid-19 infections became less severe and vaccines were deployed. However, signs of health system stress persisted due to the virus. Excess deaths, or the surplus over the number of deaths that would have happened at the death rate seen in 2019, were higher than the Covid-19 tally issued by states in 2022. This suggest ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jul 7 (PTI) Over 15 million people in the world born between 2008 and 2017 might develop gastric cancer at some point in life, with India contributing the second highest number among these cases, after China, a study has projected. Two-thirds of the more than 15 million projected cases could be concentrated in Asia, followed by the Americas and Africa. Researchers, including those from the International Agency for Research on Cancer -- the World Health Organisation's cancer agency -- analysed data on the incidence of gastric cancer across 185 countries using the GLOBOCAN 2022 data ...Read More >
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that nearly 95 crore people in India are currently benefiting from one social security scheme or another, a significant rise from the less than 25 crore who were covered by such schemes before 2015. Speaking during his monthly Mann Ki Baat radio address, Modi referred to a recent International Labour Organisation (ILO) report, which highlighted that more than 64% of India's population is now receiving some form of social protection. "Presently, most o ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], June 6 : At the 4th India-Central Asia Dialogue held in New Delhi on Friday, the ... New Delhi [India], June 6 : At the 4th India-Central Asia Dialogue held in New Delhi on Friday, the foreign ministers of India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan reiterated their commitment to collaborative approaches to global public health, sustainable development, and climate resilience. The meeting underscored shared priorities, including India's One Earth, One Health vision, the DAKSHIN initiative for South-South cooperation, glacier preservation, a ...Read More >
Nagpur: Warrior king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj belonged to the entire country, but British history tried to confine him as a regional icon, said BJP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sudhanshu Trivedi, who was in Nagpur on Friday to attend an event marking the 351st anniversary of Shivaji Maharaj's coronation. Trivedi told TOI at the event organized by Shivaji Maharaj Kruti Samiti that Shivaji Maharaj's contribution in 'safeguarding' the southern part of India from Mughal invasion must not be forgotten.Trivedi said, "Shivaji Maharaj belonged to all of us, entire country. Unfortunately, the British p ...Read More >
Madurai: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday chaired the core committee meeting of Tamil Nadu BJP unit here and said that the people of the state are fed up with the "massive corruption" of the DMK government. The BJP top leader was in the temple city to review the preparedness of the party to face the Tamil Nadu Assembly election next year and devise a strategy to fight polls. "The people of Tamil Nadu are fed up with the massive corruption of the DMK govt. The BJP Karyakartas will reach out to every locality, neighborhood, and home with Modi Ji-led NDA's vision for a prosperous and deve ...Read More >
NAHARLAGUN, 28 Jun: Governor KT Parnaik advised the graduating doctors of the Tomo Riba Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (TRIHMS)to uphold the principle of 'service before self', stating that medicine is a moral calling as much as it is a profession. Attending the graduation ceremony of the 2019 MBBS batch of the TRIHMS here on Saturday, the governor presented graduating certificates to 46 students, including 29 from Arunachal Pradesh. Congratulating the graduates, the governor urged them to serve where they are needed the most, particularly in rural and underserved areas, and to rem ...Read More >
Jaipur: In a decisive move, the state govt informed the Rajasthan High Court Tuesday it would not cancel the controversial 2021 sub-inspector recruitment examination, despite allegations of paper leaks and use of dummy candidates. After months of protests for and against the demand to cancel the exam as well as the court's directives for administrative clarity in the matter, the state govt finally made its stand clear during the hearing before the single bench of Justice Sameer Jain.Advocate general Rajendra Prasad, representing the state govt, said, "The decision to continue with the recruitm ...Read More >
ITANAGAR, 2 Jul: Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Wednesday claimed that the frontier state holds the distinction of being India's largest carbon sink, an ecological powerhouse playing a pivotal role in combating climate change and aiding the country's march toward net-zero emissions. In a social media post as part of his administration's 'Pema 3.0 - Year of Ref-orms and Growth' campaign, Khandu highlighted that Arunachal Pradesh contributes a remarkable 14.38 percent to India's total carbon sequestration. With an impressive 79 percent forest cover, the state currently boasts a carbon stock of ...Read More >