Facts in News

 

Facts in News

Einsteinium (Es)

Source:  Britannica

  • Synthetic element named after Albert Einstein.:
  • Difficult to create and highly Radioactive (Unstable)
  • Symbol: Es and atomic number 99.
  • discovered in 1952 in the debris of the first hydrogen bomb
    • (the detonation of a thermonuclear device called “Ivy Mike” in the Pacific Ocean)
  • Half-Life: The time required to reduce the quantity of material by half.
    • Es-254: 276 days: More workable due to longer life
    • Es-253: 20 days
  • Till now, there is no known use of this element.
  • Scientists are studying its bonding with other atoms using X-rays in Particle Accelerator
    • Few future usages may be in
      • Nuclear Power Production
      • Radiopharmaceuticals
  • IUPAC is the apex body responsible for naming and assigning symbols

 

World’s smallest reptile?

Source: IE

  • A chameleon discovered in the island country of Madagascar by scientists may be the world’s smallest adult reptile
  • The discovered species is Brookesia nana, or nano-chameleon, has a body of just 13.5mm
    • Female of this species is far bigger at around 29mm.
  • It may be threatened by extinction due to limited known habitat in a degraded montane rainforest in northern Madagascar.
    • Its habitat is facing a threat of deforestation.
  • Previously the chameleon species Brookesia micra was considered the smallest.

 

Denmark to create world’s first energy island in the North Sea

Source: BBC

  • It is a project to build a giant artificial island which will provide enough green energy for three million households
  • It will boast of 200 giant offshore wind turbines.
  • It will help to fulfil Denmark’s Climate Act’s commitment of
    • reducing GHGs emission by 70% from 1990 levels by 2030 and
    • becoming CO2 neutral by 2050.
  • It will also supply energy to neighbouring countries.
  • Initially, it will produce 3 GHz which will later be increased to 10 GHz.