ISRO’s Gaganyaan Mission to Feature Humanoid Vyomitra in 2025

 In 2025, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) plans to launch the Gaganyaan mission, featuring an uncrewed robot called Vyomitra. This robot, known as a half-humanoid, is designed to help with tasks in space.

What Are Humanoids?

Humanoids, or half-humanoids, are robots that look and move somewhat like humans. Vyomitra has arms, a face, and a neck that can move. These robots are mainly used to perform repetitive or dangerous tasks in space, protecting astronauts so they can focus on important scientific work.

Why Is ISRO Sending Vyomitra?

The Gaganyaan mission will test Vyomitra’s abilities as a technology prototype. Vyomitra will operate the controls, monitor systems inside the spacecraft, and communicate with mission control on Earth. This will help ISRO gather important information about how space travel affects humans.

How Is Vyomitra’s Skull Designed?

Vyomitra’s skull is made from a special lightweight aluminum alloy called AlSi10Mg. This material is strong, flexible, and can withstand heat and mechanical stress. The skull is about 200mm x 200mm in size and weighs only 800 grams, designed to endure the strong vibrations during a rocket launch.

How Was Vyomitra’s Skull Made?

The skull was created using Additive Manufacturing (AM), similar to 3D printing. This method allows for complex designs that reduce weight but maintain strength, which is very important for space missions. Low payload weight is crucial in space travel because heavier loads require more fuel and larger rockets. Using lightweight materials like AlSi10Mg makes the mission more efficient and cost-effective.

About ISRO

ISRO, the Indian Space Research Organisation, was founded in 1969. It launched its first satellite, Aryabhata, in 1975. ISRO developed the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), successfully launching over 300 foreign satellites. In 2014, ISRO’s Mars Orbiter Mission (Mangalyaan) made India the first Asian country to reach Mars. ISRO also developed the NavIC system for regional satellite navigation. ISRO’s headquarters are in Bengaluru, and it operates from several centers across India.

What is Vyomitra? : Vyomitra is an AI-based humanoid developed by ISRO for space missions. It was first introduced in 2020. Vyomitra is designed to help astronauts by performing tasks and monitoring life systems. Its name means “space friend” in Sanskrit. Made with motors and sensors, Vyomitra can mimic human movements and gestures. It can conduct experiments and even simulate human emotions, helping prepare for future crewed missions to the moon and Mars.

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FSSAI Withdraws Advisory on A1, A2 Milk Claims

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) reversed its earlier advisory. This advisory had instructed food businesses to remove any references to ‘A1’ and ‘A2’ milk from their product packaging. The decision to retract this advisory was made to allow more discussions with food sector stakeholders.

Implications for Food Businesses

With the advisory withdrawn, food businesses can now continue to market and sell products that mention ‘A1’ and ‘A2’ types of milk. This means they do not have to remove these claims from their labels or stop using A1 and A2 branding.

Understanding A1 and A2 Milk

The difference between A1 and A2 milk lies in the type of beta-casein protein they contain. This protein variation is due to differences in cow breeds: A1 Milk: Contains A1 beta-casein protein, which is found in certain breeds of cows. A2 Milk: Contains A2 beta-casein protein, which is linked to other breeds of cows.

FSSAI’s Previous Advisory

On August 21, 2024, FSSAI issued an advisory requiring food businesses to remove any claims about A1 and A2 milk from their products and online listings. This was because current regulations under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, did not recognize these protein differences. The earlier advisory had given food businesses six months to use up existing labels that mentioned A1 and A2 milk. This created challenges for businesses that relied on these claims for branding. With the advisory now withdrawn, the FSSAI plans to hold further discussions with industry stakeholders. These talks aim to review and possibly revise the regulations regarding A1 and A2 milk, which could lead to new guidelines and standards in the future.

About FSSAI

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is responsible for regulating food safety in India. Established in 2006, it operates under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare with its headquarters in New Delhi. FSSAI sets food safety standards, issues licenses, and conducts inspections. The organization’s logo includes a unique license number for traceability. FSSAI also runs awareness campaigns on food safety and nutrition and monitors food quality testing labs across the country.

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Bengaluru Researchers Discover Three New Edible Bug Species

Entomologists from the Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE) in Bengaluru have recently identified three new species of edible bugs that are traditionally eaten by indigenous communities in North-East India. This discovery underscores the importance of documenting and preserving traditional knowledge about edible insects, as many such species are still not well-documented despite their role as important food sources.

Significance of the Findings

The research has catalogued over 500 species of edible insects, highlighting their cultural and nutritional significance in local diets. The identification of these new species points to a growing recognition of entomophagy (the practice of eating insects) and its potential for sustainable food production.

Identification of New Species

The newly discovered bugs are part of the genus Coridius and belong to the family Dinidoridae. They range in size from 15 mm to 25 mm and primarily feed on plant sap. The researchers used a comprehensive approach, combining genetic analysis, measurements of physical traits, and classical taxonomy to identify these species. The new species are namedCoridius adii
Coridius esculentu
Coridius insperatus.

Health Concerns and Ecological Studies

While some edible bugs are linked to health issues, such as neurotoxic reactions that can cause symptoms like photophobia (sensitivity to light), the study highlights the need for more research into the safety of consuming different insect species. It also emphasizes the importance of recording and safeguarding indigenous knowledge about these insects, ensuring that local communities are involved in managing their resources and that traditional practices are honored. Globally, around two billion people consume insects, with over 2,000 species recognized as edible. This research supports the promotion of insects as a sustainable protein source, which can complement traditional livestock farming that often has significant environmental impacts.

Facts About Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE)The Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE) was founded in 1996.
ATREE works on ecological research, policy analysis, and engaging with communities.
It uses a mix of different fields to tackle environmental problems.
ATREE is involved in protecting wildlife and plant species.
The organization is involved in projects related to climate change, conservation biology, and urban ecology.

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India’s Scientists Develop Enhanced DNA-Editing System

Scientists at the CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology in New Delhi have developed a new genome-editing system that is better and more accurate than current CRISPR technologies.


CRISPR Basics : CRISPR (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats) is originally a natural defense mechanism in bacteria that destroys viral DNA. Researchers repurposed this system to modify the genes of more complex organisms.

CRISPR-Cas9 System : The CRISPR-Cas9 technology lets scientists add, remove, or change DNA sequences. It works by using a guide RNA (gRNA) to direct the Cas9 enzyme to a specific DNA location, where it cuts the DNA. The cell then repairs the cut, which can fix or change the DNA sequence. However, the traditional CRISPR-Cas9 system can sometimes unintentionally affect other parts of the genome, called “off-target” effects. Although scientists have made improvements to increase precision, these changes often reduce the editing efficiency.

Switching to FnCas9 : To solve this issue, researchers have been studying the FnCas9 enzyme from the bacteria Francisella novicida. This enzyme is more precise and efficient than the SpCas9 variant but usually less effective. The CSIR-IGIB team improved FnCas9 by changing its amino acid interactions with the PAM sequence. This increased its ability to bind to DNA and made gene editing more effective. These modifications also helped the enzyme reach difficult-to-access areas of the genome.

Improved Diagnostic Capabilities : Experiments showed that the improved FnCas9 could identify specific single-nucleotide changes in DNA more efficiently than the unmodified version, doubling its ability to detect genetic variations related to diseases. The enhanced FnCas9 was tested on human kidney and eye cells and showed higher precision with minimal off-target effects compared to SpCas9. This highlights its potential for treating genetic disorders.

Case Study: Leber Congenital Amaurosis 2 (LCA2) :The improved FnCas9 enzyme was used to fix a mutation in the RPE65 gene, which causes a type of blindness called LCA2. The editing almost completely corrected the mutation and led to normal protein production in retinal cells. This method worked better than older systems. Because of these promising results, scientists now want to explore using stem cells from individual patients. They plan to edit these stem cells to fix mutations before transplanting them back into the patient. This approach could be safer and more precise than directly using CRISPR on patients.

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