Source: ISRO.gov.in

Three new species of bacteria, which are not found on Earth and which are highly resistant to ultra-violet radiation, have been discovered in the upper stratosphere by Indian scientists. One of the new species has been named as Janibacter hoylei, after the Distinguished Astrophysicist Fred Hoyle, the second as Bacillus isronensis recognising the contribution of ISRO in the balloon experiments which led to its discovery and the third as Bacillus aryabhata after India’s celebrated ancient astronomer Aryabhata and also the first satellite of ISRO.

The experiment was conducted using a 26.7 million cubic feet balloon carrying a 459 kg scientific payload  soaked in 38 kg of liquid Neon, which was flown from the National Balloon Facility in Hyderabad, operated by the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR). The payload consisted of a cryosampler containing sixteen evacuated and sterilised stainless steel probes. Throughout the flight, the probes remained immersed in liquid Neon to create a cryopump effect. These cylinders, after collecting air samples from different heights ranging from 20 km to 41 km, were parachuted down and safely retrieved. These samples were analysed by scientists at the Center for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad as well as the National Center for Cell Science (NCCS), Pune for independent examination, ensuring that both laboratories followed similar protocols to achieve homogeneity of procedure and interpretation.

The Analytical Findings are Summarised as Follows:

In all, 12 bacterial and six fungal colonies were detected, nine of which, based on 16S RNA gene sequence, showed greater than 98% similarity with reported known species on earth. Three bacterial colonies, namely, PVAS-1, B3 W22 and B8 W22 were, however, totally new species. All the three newly identified species had significantly higher UV resistance compared to their nearest phylogenetic neighbours. Of the above, PVAS-1, identified as a member of the genus Janibacter, has been named Janibacter hoylei. sp. nov. The second new species B3 W22 was named as Bacillus isronensis sp.nov. and the third new species B8 W22 as Bacillus aryabhata.

The precautionary measures and controls operating in this experiment inspire confidence that these species were picked up in the stratosphere. While the present study does not conclusively establish the extra-terrestrial origin of microorganisms, it does provide positive encouragement to continue the work in our quest to explore the origin of life.

This multi-institutional effort had Jayant Narlikar from the Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics, Pune as Principal Investigator and veteran Scientists U.R. Rao from ISRO and P.M. Bhargava from Anveshna supported as mentors of the experiment. S. Shivaji from CCMB and Yogesh Shouche from NCCS were the biology experts and Ravi Manchanda from TIFR was in charge of the balloon facility. C.B.S. Dutt was the Project Director from ISRO who was in charge of preparing and operating the complex payload.

This was the second such experiment conducted by ISRO, the first one being in 2001. Even though the first experiment had yielded positive results, it was decided to repeat the experiment by exercising extra care to ensure that it was totally free from any terrestrial contamination.

Source: ISRO.gov.in

Click below to download the 120 page pdf file released by Election Commission of India this evening.

Lok Sabha Polls 2009
(Full Details) PDF

India kicked off its most ambitious warship building project on Saturday. It began the process of assembling its first indigenous aircraft carrier. This 40,000 ton carrier will also be India’s largest warship. Only three other countries have made warships of this size.

It’s a giant leap for a country, 80 per cent of whose military hardware is of foreign origin.

What is the big deal about India’s first aircraft carrier which will be built here at these docks? This will herald the arrival of India as an expeditionary power, capable of launching air strikes 8,000 nautical miles away from its shores. And all this muscle will be Swadeshi.

Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Sureesh Mehta said, ” Sixty more warships to be made in India over next 10 years. This will not be the last indigenous carrier. “

India’s very own carrier will be a floating airstrip, 260 metres long, 60 metres wide and as high as a 14-storeyed building. From its two take-off runways, it will be able to launch as many as 30 aircraft on the high seas, including MiG-29K fighters and the Light Combat Aircraft. Its 4 gas turbines will produce 80 MW of power, enough to light up a small city. It will need a crew of 1,600 and is expected to eventually cost about $3 billion before it is handed over to the Navy in 2014.

Call it the Lego block building approach. About 875 blocks of metal will be welded together into an aircraft carrier. The 400-odd blocks which have been built so far occupy two entire grounds at the Cochin Shipyards”

Ahead of the polls, putting his stamp on this carrier on his home turf is A K Antony’s last hurrah as Defence Minister. He also announced a major post-26/11 revamp of India’s coastal security

Six years down the line, India’s indigenous aircraft carrier could be a metaphor for national capability, perhaps the biggest brand ambassador for the made in India tag.

The satellite launched successfully from the Vandenberg Air Force Base in California aboard a Taurus XL rocket at 1:55 am (0951 GMT), NASA said.

A fatal mission error occurred minutes after liftoff when a clamshell-like nose cone known as a fairing, which protects the satellite during its ascent, failed to separate properly.

“The initial indications show that the vehicle did not have enough lift to reach orbit and landed short of Antartica in the ocean,” said John Brunschwyler, program director for the Taurus rocket at Orbital Sciences Corporation, the Virginia-based company that built it.

“Our whole team at a very personal level are disappointed, we are very upset with the results,” he said, noting that six out of seven Taurus rockets launched between 1994 and 2004 have flown without any problems.

NASA flight director Chuck Dovale called it “a huge disappointment” for the science community.

It was the first time NASA had used a Taurus rocket, but Brunschwyler said the system has had a nearly perfect record in previous flights with no issues with the fairing design.

“The liftoff was smooth,” Jet Propulsion Laboratory spokesman Alan Buis told AFP. “It was pretty far along in the ascent” over the Pacific Ocean when the “contingency” was declared, Buis said.

The mission of the Orbiting Carbon Observatory (OCO) was to map the global distribution of carbon dioxide and study how it changes over time, NASA said.

Carbon dioxide is the leading greenhouse gas driving climate change. Other than the verbal commentary during the launch there was little visual indication on NASA TV that the satellite had failed.

“Several minutes into the flight, launch managers declared a contingency when the fairing failed to separate properly,” NASA said in a brief statement.

Dovale said all indications were that all stages of the launch vehicle burned, so there was no threat to the environment from the toxic hydrazine fuel on board.

An investigation board would be formed to determine the “probable cause” of the failure, he said.

Michael Freilich, the director of NASA’s science division, said it was unclear how long it might take to field a replacement for the OCO, which took eight years to develop.

It was NASA’s first spacecraft dedicated to studying carbon dioxide, though not the first in orbit: on January 23 Japan launched the world’s first satellite dedicated to monitoring greenhouse gas emissions.

“The science is moving forward so it’s difficult to put a precise time delay on how quickly in the future we would be able to realize the understanding that OCO would have given us, having succeeded,” Freilich said.

The Japanese mission aims to help scientists measure the density of carbon dioxide and methane from almost the entire surface of the Earth, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) said.

A Japanese-made H-2A rocket carrying the Greenhouse Gases Observing Satellite (GOSAT) blasted off from Tanegashima, a small island in southern Japan.

The satellite is collecting data from 56,000 locations around the world, a dramatic increase from the 282 observation points available as of last October, JAXA said.

Japan hopes the mission will provide governments with useful data as they come under pressure to meet their 2008-2012 Kyoto Protocol goal of cutting greenhouse gas emissions.

AR Rahman, first indian to win two oscars, arrived at Chennai yesterday morning. His fans gathered were gathered at the Chennai International Airport to welcome him. He meet the press people in Chennai Vadapazhani Green Park hotel. But, he came to the hotel 1 hours late. Hundreds of press people were waiting for him. Finally he came at around 4′O clock.

The following is the gist of that press meet:

Q : What would you do if you are offered MP post by the Central Government?

A : (Laughs) I don’t expect such an offer. I don’t need any powers like this..

Q : You have worked in Tamil, Hindi and English movies. In which you feel very comfortable?

A : As TAMIL is my mother tongue, I am comfortable more with Tamil Movies than others.

Q : Did you expect Oscar for Slumdog Millionaire?

A : Yes, It is a good movie with a completely different theme.

Q : What is your opinion about Danny Boyle?

A : He is a great director.

Q : Are you planning to work with him again?

A : I have not yet decided about that.

more>>

Thirukural:

He also added that he is going to composer Thirukural and Kunankudi Masthan’s poetries. He assured to continue to compose music for quality tamil movies. He also said that he is a music director and not planning to act as hero.

An Exclusive collection for you!

See what Mr.Gautham Daamodaran has said in Behindwoods.com:Now, people are raving about ‘Slum dog Millionaire’ and its Oscars. But I am very surprised. That is because there were other better films like THE MILK, THE READER, and THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON. I am very happy that Heath Ledger received the Oscars because considering the way they chose the films I was expecting him to be denied of one. No doubt Slum dog is a great film and its director Danny Boyle is no ordinary director. His other movies like the TRAIN SPOTTING and the film SUNSHINE were awesome. But, still, Slum dog never was received well by the Indian audience unlike abroad. Despite the fact that Indians were there in the film and AR was there, and despite a neat screenplay and an innovative story, the film may have appeared pretty ordinary to the audience. Perhaps we are used to this kind of a set pattern of screenplay or may be we have seen better movies? I feel that Slum dog is pretty ordinary comparing the previous benchmarks set by Tom Hanks and Al Pacino.

Now, comes the question. Doesn’t Ilayaraja deserve the Oscar or at least the Lifetime Achievement Oscar? He may not be known all over the world or all over India for that matter. But whoever listens to the BGM of Naan Kadavul or the songs will definitely vouch that he deserves one. It is not just this but a lot of other films. Why it is always that Hindi films have to be India’s entry to the Oscars? We all know that Taare Zameen Par was a good film. But there were other films much better and equally good to TZP. There was Chak De and many from the south. Why is the committee so miserable partial that, they overlook south Indian Films and prefer films from the North.

AIn terms of quality we all know that there can never be a Kamal Haasan or a Vikram or a Suriya in the North. Suriya’s portrayal in Gajini was ten times better because he emoted better than Amir (I am not degrading Amir because I am a very big fan of him, but still that’s the truth). These small things have to be noticed. So was Suriya’s portrayal in Nanda, and Vikram’s portrayal in Pithamagan. These films were never the Indian entry to the Oscars and eventually the world never got to see them. Isn’t it pathetic to see such great films being sidelined and then blaming that we don’t produce quality films and that we never win the Oscars.

I remember showing Pithamagan to a foreigner when I was out of India. He was astounded and was awestruck. He said he had never seen such an authentic portrayal ever before and was surprised why did not the film make it to the Oscars. That is when I replied, “That’s India”. Coming back to Naan Kadavul, never before and never again can Indian cinema witness such a spell binding film. That is the strength of its maker Bala.

If people here rave about the fact that Saroja (a remake), Vaaranam Aayiram and Subramaniyapuram were the best films in terms of quality in the year 2008, Naan Kadavul stands ten times above. In terms of directors I really feel that very few really stand tall. They include Mani Rathnam, Gautham Menon, A.R. Murgadoss, Ameer, Shankar, Bala, Selvaragavan, Ram, Mysskin and Sasikumar.

I never know if any one watched the film “Tamizh M.A”. Despite the fact the film had a few faults and reviewers found it to be very depressing it was one of the best films that explored the terrain as to why a normal guy becomes a psychopath.

And if slum dog received an award for the background score, I don’t know what award does Ilayaraja deserve for Naan Kadavul. There may be Britney spears, Pink Floyd, Enrique Isgelsias, Guns and Roses, Michael Jackson, Amy Lee, Avril Lavigne, Shigere Umeyabashi, Alan Silvestri and A R Rahman and many more… All of them are the best and stand tall but, in terms of music reaching the depth of your heart and soul, its Ilayaraja any day. Coming to Naan Kadavul, it is well known that Bala shot two climaxes and held one for the awards. Despite the film having no romance angle, it stands tall for the portrayal of the travails of beggars, the differently abled people. Pooja’s portrayal as the blind beggar can never be surpassed by any actress in the north or even Hollywood for that matter. So was Arya’s portrayal. Though many say Arya’s role was cut short and that his role was not well defined, I would say his portrayal was the best. He just came as the deliverer of justice and showcased the concept of Aghoris. That is the concept. This was brilliantly executed by Bala. Ilayaraja’s music brings the feel so well and makes you empathize. You begin to see the lives of beggars through their eyes. The film also speaks about a lot of hidden meanings like – how gifted we are all and that we got to celebrate life. The magician Bala waved his wand very well by interlacing a lot of humor into the film and playing down the portrayal of the Aghori as there are bound to be comparisons with his previous protagonists in terms of body language. Call it morbid or morose or gross or say yuck! You all know that there can never be a film again like this. The art direction was brilliant- right from the burning pyres to the world of agoris and beggars, the camera of Arthur Wilson has rolled wonderfully. Name the mood and the feel and you have it on screen. Art direction in this film has taken cinema to dimensions never explored before. So was the camera work. Ilayaraja’s background music gels much better than many of the films that are being raved about.

It is a very sincere attempt. I request all the members of the committee to give Naan Kadavul the ticket for India’s entry to the Oscars next time and we can really look forward to an Indian film winning the coveted award for the best actress and the best director and the best bgm and song award. This is not an attempt to criticize or degrade A R Rahman or the film “Slum Dog Millionaire”. I am a very big fan of Rahman and Danny Boyle and I was praying for Rahman to get the Oscars. But my question is why South Indian Films are being avoided by the selectors and why such great films by makers like Bala are never showcased to the world.

Thanks and regards,
Gautham
gautham.daamodhar@gmail.com

Now what would you say to this??

1.”Chinna Chinna Aasai” by Minmini. (Tamil)

2. “Thamizha Thamizha” by Hariharan. (Tamil)