Current Affairs - Science - Discussion

The Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, developed a computational framework mapping 9,389 chemical reactions to improve the conversion of carbon dioxide (CO₂) into useful fuels such as methanol. The research, reported on October 7, 2026, combined quantum-mechanical simulations, machine learning and automated reaction mapping to study CO₂ hydrogenation on a copper catalyst. The expanded model tracked 105 chemical species and predicted a 40-fold increase in conversion efficiency compared with conventional models. It also identified methanol and carbon monoxide as the primary products. Experimental results were validated by HPCL’s Green Research and Development Centre and Singapore’s A*STAR.