Current Affairs - Technology

Scientists from China have made a significant scientific breakthrough by developing an innovative method to produce white sugar (sucrose) without relying on traditional agricultural sources like sugarcane or sugar beets. This process uses an in vitro biotransformation (ivBT) system, which is a lab-based enzymatic technique. Importantly, the methanol used in this method can be synthesised from industrial waste or directly from carbon dioxide (CO₂), making the process not only efficient but also environmentally sustainable. This development represents a step forward in carbon utilisation and sustainable food production technologies.

IISc Bangalore partnered with Raman Research Institute (RRI) and IISER Kolkata in a groundbreaking study that challenges long-held assumptions about quantum noise. Traditionally considered detrimental, quantum noise was found to sometimes enhance, revive, or even create entanglement—particularly in intraparticle systems. The research highlighted that amplitude damping noise could have constructive effects on entanglement, unlike phase damping or depolarising noise, which generally degrade it. The team also introduced a Global Noise Model and developed analytical tools to predict entanglement behaviour in noisy environments, marking a significant advancement in designing practical and robust quantum technologies.

The black hole merger designated as GW231123 is the most massive ever observed by the LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA (LVK) collaboration. This cosmic event involved two black holes with masses around 100 and 140 times that of the Sun, resulting in a final black hole weighing approximately 225 solar masses. Unlike most stellar black holes, which are under 60 solar masses, GW231123 stands out due to its exceptional size and rapid spin. Detected in 2025, the gravitational waves from this merger had travelled for billions of years before reaching Earth, offering scientists deeper insight into black hole formation and the dynamics of extreme astrophysical phenomena.

Researchers at the S. N. Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences (SNBCBS) have innovated a sustainable method to produce hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) directly from water using sunlight. This process is environmentally friendly, as it results in only water and oxygen as byproducts, offering a cleaner alternative to conventional chemical methods. The key material enabling this method is Mo-DHTA COF, which plays a crucial role in the reaction. This advancement highlights the institute's contribution to green chemistry and sustainable industrial processes.

A team of scientists from the Beijing Institute of Technology in China developed the world’s lightest brain controller, weighing only 74 milligrams, designed to guide the flight of bees. This breakthrough turns bees into insect cyborgs capable of being used for military and rescue operations in areas that are difficult for humans or machines to access. The device works by sending electronic signals through tiny needles inserted into the bee’s brain, allowing precise control of its movements. Inspired by earlier efforts in Singapore, this Chinese version is significantly lighter and represents a major advancement in bio-robotics and mind-machine interfaces.