TNPSC Current Affairs July 17, 2018

www.tnpsc.academy – TNPSC Current Affairs July 17, 2018 (17/07/2018)

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Topic: New Inventions on Science and Health, Latest Diary of Events, Profile of States

IIT-Madras unveils word’s first remotely operable LEAP microscope

The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)-Madras has commissioned remotely operable Local Electrode Atom Probe (LEAP) microscope.

It is claimed to be world’s first remotely operable LEAP microscope, as it can be remotely operated through special terminal by researchers divided geographically.

About LEAP microscope:

LEAP is high-performance microscope that can provide a precise atom-by-atom view of materials. It provides atomic-scale insights into metallic, which will influence wide spectrum of industries ranging from steel to automobiles and energy to transportation sector.

Who developed it?

The remotely operable LEAP microscope has been developed in a collaborative exercise involving eight top research institutions in country, spearheaded by IIT-M.

Other partner institutions are IITs of Bombay, Delhi, Kanpur, Kharagpur and Ropar, International Advanced Research Centre for Powder Metallurgy and New Materials (ARCI) and Board of Research in Nuclear Sciences (BRNS).

Potential applications:

Local Electrode Atom Probe (LEAP) allows the user to extract atoms from materials sequentially and are detected using a Time of Flight Mass spectrometer.

This facility will be able to provide atomic-scale insights into metallic materials thereby impacting a wide spectrum of industries ranging from steel to automobiles and energy to transportation sector.

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Topic: Court Orders, General Administration

Petcoke

The Petroleum Ministry has told the Supreme Court that it is in favour of a ban on the import of petroleum coke.

However, the environment ministry is yet to take the final call and will consult with all stakeholders before arriving upon a decision.

Background:

The apex Court had, in December last year, refused to lift the ban on the use of pet coke and furnace oil in many industrial units in Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana keeping in view the increasing level of pollution.

It had also refused to give any relief to industrial units like the National Thermal Power Corporation Limited (NTPC) and Hindalco.

What is petcoke?

Petroleum coke, the bottom-of-the-barrel leftover from refining Canadian tar sands crude and other heavy oils, is cheaper and burns hotter than coal.

But it also contains more planet-warming carbon and far more heart- and lung-damaging sulphur.

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Topic: Latest Diary of Events, Geographical Research

Moons of Jupiter

Ten new moons are discovered around Jupiter, raising the count to 79 confirmed moons. One of these new moons, S/2016 J 2, nicknamed Valetudo, is notable for orbiting backwards compared to the other moons in its vicinity, and may collide with one of them in the future.