SCIENCE OF THE MONTH: OCTOBER 2015

Photo Courtesy: http://www.thehindu.com

1 October 2015: India's Nationally Determined Contributions to Mitigate Climate Change (NDCMCC) was unveiled today. It is aimed at promoting renewable energy, enhanced energy efficiency, less carbon intensive urban centres, green transport and abatement of pollution. India's strategy ahead of the Climate Summit in Paris in December will be firmly anchored in the principle of ‘common but differentiated responsibilities’ and will clearly project India's financial, technology transfer and capacity building requirements. India, along with several other developing countries, has been a vocal advocate of developed nations doing their bit to transfer mitigation technology in keeping with their historical responsibility for global warming. India believes that while poverty is a big polluter, profligate consumption is a grave threat to the environment. As per India, its per capita carbon imprint cannot be compared to Carbon emitting giants like China. Link: http://www4.unfccc.int

2 October 2015: After combing through soil samples from Southern China’s Guangxi Province, a team of scientists has described seven new terrestrial 'Microsnail' species. One, dubbed Angustopila dominikae, could be the smallest in the world, at a mere 0.86 mm tall, it could fit in the eye of a needle 10 times over. While bird and mammal species are extensively catalogued, the same cannot be said for small-scale invertebrates. Scientists believe that thousands of new tropical species await description. While about 1.5 million species have been named and categorized, researchers estimate that some 10 million more have yet to be discovered.But as is often the case with scientific discovery, Angustopila dominikae might create more questions than it answers. How small a snail can be? This could help us understanding the evolutionary mechanisms of dwarfism in invertebrate animals. The discovery is published in  the journal ZooKeys. Link: http://zookeys.pensoft.net
 
3 October 2015: A group of scientists from Adnan Menderes University in western Turkey announced the discovery of a new snake species. The non-venomous snake was discovered in Dörtyol and Yayladağı, two towns in the southern Turkish province of Hatay, which is located near the Syrian border. The new species became the 515th snake species to be discovered. The new species is named 'Muhtarophis', after late professor Muhtar Başoğlu, founder of herpetology in Turkey. Herpetology is a branch of zoology specialized in the study of amphibians. Muhtarophis was distinguished from other species with its distinct head shape and a flat nose. It is the first time Turkish scientists had found a new amphibian species. Muhtarophis is 30 centimeters in length and a thin animal with a yellowish and red colors with a black strip on its ash-colored head. It is a non-venomous. The finding is detailed in the Russian Journal of Herpetology. Link: http://rjh.folium.ru
 
4 October 2015: A team of scientists from National Institute of Oceanography (NIO), Mumbai, have discovered a treasure trove of corals in the mid-sea off the Konkan coast located in the Arabian Sea. Named after famous Maratha Admiral Kanhoji Anger, the place, known as Angria Bank, is situated around 100-110 kms away from the coastal districts of Ratangiri and Sindhudurg of Maharashtra. It was only after a project was commissioned by the Maharashtra government that we went under the sea to explore the place. Funded by the  United Nations Development Fund (UNDP) at a cost of Rs 1.5 crore, the expedition was initiated to actually study the biodiversity of the area by the forest department of Maharashtra. The expedition found some 200 species of fauna and flora, among which 54 species are corals. However, unlike other corals, the distinctive feature of Angria Bank corals is that it is situated in the middle of the sea. Link: http://www.mangrovecell.org
 
5 October 2015: While filming small sharks and coral reefs in the Solomon Islands in the South Pacific, marine biologists have discovered the world's first biofluorescent sea turtle. It  was a Hawkbill Sea Turtle emitting neon green and red light. The discovery was made by David Gruber of the City University of New York and his team. In just a few years, scientists have started to pay more attention to biofluorescence in marine species. Scientists have discovered the presence of biofluorescence in corals; arthropods such as crabs and insects; and more than 200 species of sharks and fishes. Fluorescence has helped provide a marker for scientists to see the inner workings of cells and that has partially lead to an explosion in research in the biofluorescence field. Unlike bioluminescence, which is when an organism produces its own light through chemical reactions, such as what fireflies do, biofluorescence is when an animal absorbs light, transforms it into different wavelengths and reradiates it. Link: http://www.smithsonianmag.com
 
6 October 2015: The Nobel Prize in Physics 2015 recognizes Takaaki Kajita in Japan and Arthur B. McDonald in Canada, for their key contributions to the experiments which demonstrated that neutrinos change identities. This metamorphosis requires that neutrinos have mass. The discovery has changed our understanding of the innermost workings of matter and can prove crucial to our view of the universe. Around the turn of the millennium, Takaaki Kajita presented the discovery that neutrinos from the atmosphere switch between two identities on their way to the Super-Kamiokande detector in Japan. Meanwhile, the research group in Canada led by Arthur B. McDonald could demonstrate that the neutrinos from the Sun were not disappearing on their way to Earth. Instead they were captured with a different identity when arriving to the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory. The discovery has yielded crucial insights into the hidden world of mysterious neutrinos. Link: http://www.nobelprize.org
 
7 October 2015: The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2015 is awarded to Tomas Lindahl, Paul Modrich and Aziz Sancar for having mapped, at a molecular level, how cells repair damaged DNA and safeguard the genetic information. Their work has provided fundamental knowledge of how a living cell functions and is, for instance, used for the development of new cancer treatments. Each day our DNA is damaged by UV radiation, free radicals and other carcinogenic substances, but even without such external attacks, a DNA molecule is inherently unstable. Thousands of spontaneous changes to a cell’s genome occur on a daily basis. Furthermore, defects can also arise when DNA is copied during cell division, a process that occurs several million times every day in the human body. Our molecular systems continuously monitor and repair DNA, so that our genetic material does not disintegrate into chaos leading to mutations.Link: http://www.nobelprize.org
 
8 October 2015: The Nobel Assembly at Karolinska Institutet has today decided to award the 2015 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine with one half jointly to William C. Campbell and Satoshi Ōmura for their discoveries concerning a novel therapy against infections caused by roundworm parasites and the other half to Youyou Tu for her discoveries concerning a novel therapy against Malaria. William C. Campbell and Satoshi Ōmura discovered a new drug, Avermectin, the derivatives of which have radically lowered the incidence of River Blindness and Lymphatic Filariasis, as well as showing efficacy against an expanding number of other parasitic diseases. Youyou Tu discovered Artemisinin, a drug that has significantly reduced the mortality rates for patients suffering from Malaria. These two discoveries have provided humankind with powerful new means to combat these debilitating diseases that affect hundreds of millions of people annually. The consequences in terms of improved human health and reduced suffering are immeasurable. Link: http://www.nobelprize.org
 
9 October 2015: The only two pandas in Britain could be cloned by scientists in a bid to save the rare bear species from extinction, according to experts at Edinburgh Zoo. Tian Tian and Yang Guang, the bears on loan to the zoo from China since 2011, have failed to mate in their time together and attempts at artificial insemination were confirmed as failed this summer. The pandas originally came from the Ya'an reserve in Chengdu, the capital of south-west China's Sichuan province. They are on loan to Edinburgh Zoo for a £600,000 annual fee and any cubs born to Tian Tian, who has had twins before, would be sent back to China after two years. In 2004, China announced plans to clone pandas in a supposed attempt to save the species from extinction. Panda reproduction is notoriously inefficient. Females only ovulate for one week every year, may be fertile for less than a day, and appear to fail to mate when in captivity. Link: http://www.edinburghzoo.org.uk
 
10 October 2015: Even as Punjab farmers rue the loss of nearly two-thirds of their cotton crop to whitefly, Lucknow-based National Botanical Research Institute (NBRI) has developed a cotton variety that is resistant to the pest. It was created by genetic engineering by inserting a gene derived from a vegetable which the institute did not disclose was found effective against Whitefly (Bemisia tabaci). The 'gene' makes whitefly sterile thus controlling the reproduction of the pest. NBRI, a research lab of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), has applied for a patent for the technology in eight countries. Whitefly is a common pest which affects 30 plant varieties, including cotton, brinjal, papaya, tomato, okra and cucurbits, both in open fields and polyhouses. Though cotton is grown in nine states - Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Telangana, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, it's the northern states where the pest affects the crop more. Link: http://www.researchgate.net

11 October 2015: The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) elected Hoesung Lee of the Republic of Korea as its new Chair. Hoesung Lee was elected by 78 votes to 56 in a run-off with Jean-Pascal van Ypersele. The election took place in Dubrovnik, Croatia, where the IPCC is holding its 42nd Session. Lee, aged 69, is professor in the economics of climate change, energy and sustainable development at Korea University’s Graduate School of Energy and Environment in the Republic of Korea. He is currently one of the IPCC’s three vice-chairs. According to his bio, Lee has real world high level experiences in public policy development for energy, environment and climate change through responsibilities in government and business. The most interesting part of his résumé, however, concerns his first postgraduate job. Lee initially worked for Exxon from 1975-1978. Earlier this year, Rajendra Pachauri, an Indian citizen, resigned as chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change after allegedly pestering at least one female colleague with unsolicited sexual innuendo. Link:http://www.ipcc.ch

12 October 2015: George Mueller, the leader of NASA’s human spaceflight programs in the 1960s, passed away, following a short illness. Mueller headed the Office of Manned Space Flight at NASA and was responsible for overseeing the completion of Project Apollo and starting the development of the Skylab and the Space Shuttle projects. He is best known for his daring solutions to the schedule programs in the Apollo Program. Called the ‘father of the Space Shuttle,’ Mueller joined NASA in 1963 after serving at the Space Technology Laboratories (STL) as Vice President, Research and Development. At NASA, he introduced a series of management changes that not only assured the achievement of landing on the Moon by the end of the decade, but also had a long-lasting impact on the agency. He is best known for his daring solutions to the schedule programs in the Apollo Program. Mueller’s impact extended to Project Gemini, Skylab, and groundwork for the Space Shuttle. His many awards and honors include three NASA Distinguished Service Medals and the National Medal of Science (1970). Link:http://www.astronautix.com

13 October 2015: Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences awarded the Nobel Prize for Economics to British-American economist Angus Deaton, who has spent a considerable amount of time working on the connection between 'stunting' (lack of growth) among Indian children due to abysmally low calorie consumption and its connection with poverty in the country. He later concluded how widespread 'growth faltering' was a human development disaster as height of a person reflected early life nutrition which helps brains grow. Nobel citation reads that the award is 'for his analysis of consumption, poverty, and welfare'. In his early work around 1980, Deaton developed the 'Almost Ideal Demand System' -a simple way of estimating how the prices of all goods and on individual incomes. Deaton investigated whether the consumption of adult goods such as clothes, tobacco, or alcohol, diminishes when a family has children, and whether this reduction is greater when the child is a boy rather than a girl, an important correlation for India. Link: http://www.nobelprize.org

14 October 2015: Shawna Pandya, an Indian-origin doctor in Canada is training for a scientist-astronaut project that may give her the chance to conduct experiments in space. A doctor in Edmonton, Shawna along with ten other candidates from Canada, the US and Spain, spent a week training in Project PoSSUM's (Polar Suborbital Science in the Upper Mesosphere) far-out Scientist-Astronaut Course at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in US. The training aims to familiarise candidates with conditions that exist around noctilucent clouds, which are thought to be increasing in the upper mesosphere as a result of climate change. Astronauts will be sent up in suborbital flights to study the clouds. The point is to raise awareness of upper atmospheric science, and then also to get a pool of candidates going for when suborbital flights start launching, either in 2017 or early 2018. Pandya has completed her Masters in Space Studies at the International Space University and worked at both the European Astronaut Centre and NASA's Johnson Space Centre. Link:http://isdc2015.nss.org

15 October 2015: India paid homage to former president A.P.J. Abdul Kalam on his 84th birth anniversary today. Kalam was born on 15 October 1941 in Rameswaram, in Tamil Nadu. A memorial would be constructed for Dr A P J Abdul Kalam at Rameswaram in Ramanathapuram district in Tamil Nadu where he was buried. Rameshwaram was also included in the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) for providing basic urban infrastructure in the pilgrim town. Dr. Kalam passed away on July 27 2015, following a cardiac arrest while delivering a keynote address at IIM-Shillong. A bust of Dr. Kalam is also unveiled at the Defence Research and Development Organisation complex in Delhi. In Hyderabad, India's prestigious missile complex will be renamed as Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Missile Complex. A statue of Kalam was unveiled at the Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL) in Hyderabad. Government of Tamil Nadu had earlier declared Kalam's birthday as 'Youth Inspiration Day'. Link:http://www.abdulkalam.com
 
16 October 2015: In order to protect the endangered Gangetic River Dolphins, West Bengal Wildlife Board will soon create the country’s first community reserve for the mammal. A committee is being formed to examine means of creating the community reserve that would be set up in the Hooghly River somewhere between Malda and Sundarbans district. According to a World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), the Gangetic River Dolphin or Susu, declared as the national aquatic animal in 2010, inhabits the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna and Karnaphuli-Sangu river systems of Nepal, India, and Bangladesh. Once found in thousands, there are fewer than 2,000 Gangetic dolphins left in the country in the entire distribution range along the Ganga and Brahamaputra river system. The department will also conduct a census to estimate the population of dolphins also known as the ‘Tiger of the Ganges'. As per ecologists, the river dolphin is an indicator animal which has the same position in a river ecosystem as a tiger in a forest. Link:http://www.westbengalforest.gov.in

17 October 2015: In a unique initiative, eight women from eight different countries, spread across six continents, have come together to undertake a 55-day-long water-conservation and education-related expedition along the River Ganges from October 20. It will last till December 8. The 'First Access Water Expedition' was to start from Antarctica, but then India turned out to be the first choice. Apart from Ann Bancroft (Team Leader, from USA), the other seven women accompanying her on the expedition are Liv Arnesen of Norway; Olfat Haidar of Israel; Cindy Jiaojiao Hu of China; Marcia Gutierrez of Chile; Kim Smith of South Africa; Lisa te Heuheu of New Zealand and Krushnaa Patil of India. The expedition would start at Gaumukh, Gangotri and pass through a variety of communities and cities such as Kanpur, Allahabad, Varanasi, Patna, Kolkata and New Delhi. The expedition is sponsored by the Embassy of Norway, Google, TERI, UNESCO, Young Pioneers of China and Tunheim. Link:http://www.yourexpedition.com

18 October 2015: In a move that could provide a major boost to Pokkali rice, the Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Ernakulam has registered a trade mark for the cereal at Chennai Trade Mark registry under the brand name Jaiva Pokkali.  Pokkali is a unique saline-tolerant rice variety organically cultivated in the water-logged coastal regions of Alappuzha, Thrissur and Ernakulam districts of Kerala. The trade mark, presently the property of KVK, would be leased free of cost to farmer groups who are interested to market their Pokkali products.The objective is to bring back the glory of this traditional naturally organic farming system by ensuring good remuneration to Pokkali farmers. Earlier, Pokkali rice had received a geographical indication registration from the GI Registry Office, Chennai in 2008. The area under Pokkali has seen a decline over the years. From around 25,000 hectares 25 years ago, the acreage has now been reduced to around 1,000 hectares. Production of Pokkali is estimated to be around 500 tonnes per year, though the market is local. Link:http://kvkernakulam.org.in

19 October 2015: Two months after the GSLV’s second continuous success, ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) has started promoting its commercial arm Antrix’s launch potential of the medium-lift vehicle among international spacecraft manufacturers. Riding on the success of missions like Chandryaan, ASTROSAT and Mangalyaan that won the prestigious Space Pioneer Award 2015, India’s ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) is gearing up for 6 Singapore satellite launches including a 500 kg earth observatory satellite by mid-December this year. ISRO will use most reliable PSLV (Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle) for launching the satellites into a near-equatorial orbit, inclined 15 degrees lower to the south of equator. There is shortage of launches in 1,000-1,500 small to medium-sized satellites segment and space agencies will launch satellites in this segment in coming two-three years, for that purpose they will use GSLV. Among six satellites mentioned, one is a 500 kg earth observation spacecraft that will be launched in December 2015. Link:http://www.isro.gov.in

20 October 2015: Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies (KUFOS) have plans to launch large scale Vannamei (Litopenaeus vannamei) farming across the state with the formation of various farmer groups. KUFOS would help farmers to export the produce directly avoiding intermediaries. Steps have been taken to obtain the recognition of Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ACC), a global eco-labelling agency headquartered in Netherlands, for getting easy access in foreign market. Kerala shrimp farmers should be ready to accept the changes in the field of shrimp farming around the world. Compared to the other states, we are very late to earn profits out of Vannamei culture. By successfully developing a farming model of Vannamei shrimp suitable to the particular brackish water ecosystem of the State, KUFOS dismissed concerns of shrimp farmers in undertaking the Vannamei culture. The hi-tech model of aquaculture practices and the State-wide training programme on Vannamei farming have received wide response from the fish farming community within the state of Kerala. Link:http://www.scielo.org

21 October 2015: In the wake of Maharashtra having declared the Blue Mormon (Papilio polymnestor) as the state butterfly in June this year and Kerala also considering declaring a state butterfly, conservationist Sammilan Shetty suggests that Karnataka declare Southern Birdwing (Troides minos) as its state butterfly. Sammilan Shetty's butterfly park Beluvai near Moodabidri is the state's first private butterfly park and was set up in 2011 and has recorded as many as 133 species till date. The female of the Southern Birdwing is the largest butterfly in India. The other species considered is the Malabar Banded Peacock (Papilio buddha) that is endemic to Western Ghats. This was rated the third most beautiful butterfly in India by Wynter Blyth. The upper wings of this is a variant of two colours, blue to green, depending on the angle of sight. Crimson Rose (Pachliopta hector), commonly found in Karnataka, is also a candidate. Meanwhile, Kerala Department of Forests will set up a butterfly museum at Konni elephant camp in Pathanamthitta district. Link:http://www.butterflyparkbelvai.com

22 October 2015: ‘Garudakkodi’ (Aristolochia indica), popular for its use among tribal physicians as an anti-venom, might cure cancer, typhoid and a host of other diseases, reveals a study by Anilkumar E S, a scientist at Kerala State Council of Science, Technology and Environment. But there are even bigger wonders in the Aristolochiaceae family. According to his study, ‘Karalakam’ (Aristolochia krisagatra), which looks similar to Aristolochia indica, has showed even better efficacy in curbing the growth of cancer cells. The plants were tested on cervical cancer cell lines, breast cancer cell lines, lung cancer cell lines and colon cancer cell lines. ‘Karalakam’ was most effective in inhibiting the growth of cervical and breast cancer cell lines. The research was completed under the guidance of Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanic Garden and Research Institute (JNTBGRI ) senior scientist Mathew Dan and Director P G Latha. ‘Attukottapala’ (Aristolochia bracteolata) was another species in the Aristolochiaceae family with anti-cancer properties. Link:http://jntbgri.res.in

23 October 2015: A team of researchers from the Centre for Medicinal Plants Research, Arya Vaidya Sala, Kottakal, Kerala Forest Research Institute, Peechi and St. Joseph’s College, Kozhikode, have reported the discovery of a new species of plant from the Western Ghats. The plant belonging to the Acanthaceae family has been named Gymnostachyum warrieranum after noted Ayurvedic physician and managing trustee of Arya Vaidya Sala, Dr. P.K.Warrier. The genus Gymnostachyum is represented by fourteen members in India, of which seven have been recorded in Kerala. Described as an under-shrub, the new species was collected from evergreen patches of the Aralam forests in Kannur district. It has been classified as critically endangered in view of the fact that it has been recorded only from two different areas in the same forest.  The research team comprising K.M. Prabhukumar et al., from KFRI, and Satheesh George from St. Joseph’s College also carried out molecular analysis to establish the identity of the new species. The finding is published in Kew Bulletin, the official journal of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Link:http://link.springer.com

24 October 2015: God’s Own Countries’ one more unique agriculture produce, Changalikodan Banana variety, specially grown in Thrissur-especially places close to the banks of Bharatapuzha, has found its place in the Geographical Indications Registry of of India. The members of the Changalikodan Banana Growers Association, Erumapetty in Thrissur, and Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Cell of the Kerala Agriculture University which approached the GI Registry of India seeking Geographical Indication (GI) status under the Geographical Identification of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999, have been informed that the unique produce of Kerala has received the registration certificate from the GIR, Chennai. Changalikodan Nendran Banana, aka Chengazhikode Banana, is the most popular and traditional tasty Nendran cultivation of the state. As the name suggests, this banana originated from Chengazhikodu a village in the Thrissur. The Changalikodan variety is very different from other varieties of Nendran. Link:http://journals.tubitak.gov.tr

25 October 2015: Vellayani lake, might be declared a Biodiversity Heritage Site soon. Kerala State Biodiversity Board (KSBB) has been asked by the state government to prepare a feasibility report towards this. Earlier, KSBB had submitted a proposal to Ministry of Environment and Forests to implement a Rs 75 crore project for conserving Vellayani. The area of Vellayani lake and catchment area spreads above 490 acres. Since more than fifty per cent of the area is fallow land belonging to private parties, the government will have to buy it from them. This is going to cost crores of rupees. The current proposal comes after International Centre for Gandhian Thoughts (ICGT). The lake habitat has become increasingly unsuitable for the native species to survive. According to a study by Kerala University Aquatic Biology and Fisheries Department, no Indian mottled eel, Valenciennes calriid or ‘Mushi’ (Clarias dussumieri) or Crocodile-tooth pipefish (Microphis cunculus) was spotted. Recently, Indian Mottled Eel (Anguilla bengalensis bengalensis) was spotted but in lesser numbers. Link:http://www.keralabiodiversity.org

26 October 2015: The only two pandas in Britain could be cloned by scientists in a bid to save the rare bear species from extinction, according to experts at Edinburgh Zoo. Tian Tian and Yang Guang, the bears on loan to the zoo from China since 2011, have failed to mate in their time together and attempts at artificial insemination were confirmed as failed this summer. As a result a team of international scientists have taken a step towards cloning one or both of the pandas by taking tissue samples from the bears' mouths. But conservation groups have warned that cloning is not a long-term solution to ecological challenges and said cloned animals often suffer health problems growing up. One of the scientists on the panda team also helped to clone Dolly the sheep, who had to be euthanized at the age of six because of health problems. The pandas originally came from the Ya'an reserve in Chengdu, the capital of south-west China's Sichuan province. They are on loan to Edinburgh Zoo and any cubs born would be sent back to China. Link:http://www.edinburghzoo.org.uk

27 October 2015: The genome of the Aedes albopictus mosquito could reveal what makes it so adept at invading new territory and sparking outbreaks of Chikungunya and Dengue fever. Geneticists have unveiled the genome of one of Earth's most notorious bloodsuckers: the Asian Tiger Mosquito (Aedes albopictus). It is the largest mosquito genome sequenced so far. Researchers also identified exceedingly large groups of genes involved in mosquito immunity, insecticide resistance, sex determination, smell and survival in tough environmental conditions. Such genes may reveal secrets to the species' success as a global invader and carrier for viruses like Chikungunya. The large genome (1,967 Mb) comprises an abundance of repetitive DNA classes and plasticity may contribute to its success as an invasive species. Some sections also resemble viral genomes, supporting the idea that the coevolutionary roots of the mosquitoes and the flaviviruses run deep. Researchers report their finding in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of the Sciences. Link:http://www.pnas.org

28 October 2015: The colour of Vincent van Gogh's famous 'Sunflowers' which dates back to 1889, is changing over time, because of the mixture of pigments used in his painting. The study suggests that the Sunflowers painting may originally have looked different from what we see today. Evidence comes from spectroscopic investigation of the Sunflowers at the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam. A group of scientists headed by Letizia Monico from the Institute of Molecular Science and Technology of Perugia, University of Perugia and University of Antwerp shone X-rays through tiny particles of paint taken from the painting. Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890) is famous for his use of bright yellow colours. Van Gogh used chrome yellows, a class of compounds consisting of lead, chromium and oxygen. There are different shades of the pigment, and not all of them are photochemically stable. Lighter chrome yellow has sulphur mixed into it, and is susceptible to chemical degradation when exposed to light, making them darker. The results are published in Angewandte Chemie. Link:http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com

29 October 2015: Chintan, an Indian environment group based in Delhi, bagged this year's UN Climate Solutions Awards for their work with waste pickers and e-waste to tackle climate change.The award was for its project 'E-waste: From Toxic to Green' which revolves around preventing greenhouse gas emissions due to mass burning of electronic waste in Delhi NCR while promoting green livelihoods for urban waste-pickers. Chintan ensured that the hazardous dismantling of e-waste is stopped and safer practices are adopted, and safeguarding both the environment and livelihoods. Ahead of the UN Climate Change Conference in Paris (COP21), the Momentum for Change spearheaded by the UNFCCC Secretariat recognizes innovative and transformative solutions that address both climate change, economic, social and environmental challenges. Chintan's model to fight climate change was chosen as the best among 16 other initiatives presented from across the globe, to be exhited in Paris. Chintan has trained more than 2,000 workers to collect about 25 tons of e-waste every year, for safe disposal. Link:http://www.chintan-india.org 

30 October 2015: The planet has not been only record warm this year, it's been so unusually mild that the temperature records themselves have set records of their own. This is the case with October 2015, according to new preliminary NASA data released today. The information shows that October 2015 was by far the warmest October on record, dating back to 1880. Not only that, but October also had the largest temperature departure from average of any month on record. The scorchingly hot October seals the deal: 2015 is almost certain to become the Earth’s hottest year since instrument records began in 1880. This means the year will beat out 2014, and become yet another data point showing that manmade global warming, plus natural climate variability, is pushing the climate into new territory.Importantly, this was also the first time that a single month exceeded the 1-degree Celsius temperature anomaly, surpassing the 0.97 degree Celsius temperature anomaly in January 2007. This is a milestone, but can be broken more frequently.Link:http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov

31 October 2015: A mysterious piece of space junk is heading towards the Earth at a very high speed and will crash into Indian Ocean in mid-November. However, the unidentified flying object (UFO) might burn soon after entering the atmosphere and chances are there that it might not be able to make it to the ground. Whatever, the object is, but stargazers and researchers are constantly keeping an eye over it, and the extremely rare phenomenon will be a delight to watch. The object officially called WT1190F will hit earth on November 13 at 6:15 am and will fall into the Indian ocean, nearly 65 miles far from the Sri Lanka’s southern tip. Dubbed as ‘WTF’, the object is 3 to 6 feet long and is hollow from inside suggesting that the mysterious object was made by humans on earth. ‘WTF’ was discovered in the first week of October by the Catalina Sky Survey, a project intended to provide early warning of approaching comets and asteroids. The WT1190F could be part of rocket body discarded in space, the debris of which is now heading towards us. Link:http://www.nature.com