Terpene
- Terpenes are organic compounds found in a variety of plants, and contribute to their flavor, scent and color.
- The compounds are responsible for the essential oils of plants and the resins of trees and are often used in food additives, perfumery and aromatherapy.
- Some are even thought to have medicinal properties, and to help in fighting bacteria, fungus and environmental stress.
- Terpenes are also being used by living organisms as an instrument for long-distance communication.
- The researchers suggest that terpenes are the most popular chemical medium on our planet to communicate through.
The Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute (BORI)
- The Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute, Pune, was founded in the honor of the work of R.G. Bhandarakar, the foremost pioneer of scientific Orientology in India.
- Orientology is the study of the indigenous lore and wisdom of the ancient East or the 'Orient'.
- The Institute also hosts a Manuscripts Resource a Conservation Centre under the auspices of the National Mission for Manuscripts, a project of the Cultural Ministry of India.
- Recently, BORI has initiated the process of launching e-library and major digitization of its rare manuscripts in Sanskrit, Prakrit and Pali languages.
Chinnar River
- The Chinnar, east flowing river originates in the Annaimalai Hills in Idukki District, Kerala.
- The 18 km long chinnar river defines the East-West Tamil Nadu/Kerala state boundary along the northern edge of the chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary and the southern edge of the Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary.
- Recently, there was an illegal attempt to divert the water from Chinnar river to a dead stream “Mangayaar” in Tamil Nadu state by constructing a deep trench.
- This unscientific interlinking of Chinnar and Mangayaar would adversely affect the Muthuvan tribal settlement in the Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary.
Scorpene class submarine
- It is a class of diesel-electric submarine jointly developed by the French DCNS under Project 75.
- It features diesel-electric propulsion and an additional air-independent propulsion (AIP) system.
- It will have both anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare.
- Conventional diesel-electric submarines have to surface every few days to get oxygen to recharge their batteries. With AIP systems, they can stay submerged for much longer periods.
- INS Kalvari and INS Khanderi, a Kalvari class scorpene submarine was built under the project and will be commissioned soon.
- INS Kalvari is succceded by the Project 75I, under which 6 diesel submarines with AIP technology will be built for Indian Navy by 2022.
