Tuesday, October 7, 2025

Pharmaceutical Pollution in Soil and Water



"Explore the growing threat of pharmaceutical pollution in soil and water, its environmental impacts, and sustainable solutions to protect ecosystems and human health. Learn how medications enter the environment and what can be done to reduce contamination." #PharmaceuticalPollution #WaterPollution #SoilContamination #EnvironmentalAwareness #EcoFriendly #SustainableSolutions #PollutionAwareness #ToxicWaste #ProtectOurPlanet #environmentalhealth Global Best Achievements Awards Visit : bestachievements.com Award Nomination Link : bestachievements.com/award-nomination/?ecategory=Awards&rcategory=Awardee Award Registration Link : bestachievements.com/award-registration/ Award Winners: bestachievements.com/award-winners/ For Enquiries : support@bestachievements.com Get Connected Here : ------------------------------ -------------------------------- pinterest: in.pinterest.com/scientists345/_created/ Twitter: x.com/jeyadeepa22 Instagram : www.instagram.com/ganga123163/ Blogger : bestach.blogspot.com/ Tumblr : /www.tumblr.com/blog/bestachievements123
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Monday, October 6, 2025

World's largest-capacity centrifuge is now operational

 




The world's largest-capacity centrifuge — the first of three main centrifuges housed inside the Centrifugal Hypergravity and Interdisciplinary Experiment Facility — has recently begun operating in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province.

The facility, a key national science infrastructure project, is designed to create a hypergravity field hundreds to thousands of times stronger than Earth's gravity, providing vital support for a wide range of research.

Led by Zhejiang University, the facility includes three main centrifuges, six experiment modules and 18 onboard devices.

The first centrifuge is located in a 230-square-meter circular underground chamber. During operation, its 6.4-meter-long rotating arm drives the attached experimental device to spin at high speed. The faster the rotation, the greater the centrifugal force generated — creating a hypergravity field when centrifugal acceleration exceeds normal gravity.

The machine has passed its acceptance test, achieving gravity levels 10 to 300 times that of Earth.

"We aim to establish experimental environments for studying the motion of multiphase substances by adjusting centrifugal acceleration and load," said Chen Yunmin, chief scientist of the facility. "These environments will cover timescales from brief moments to 10,000 years, spatial scales from the atomic level to kilometers, and environmental conditions from normal to high temperature and pressure."

Chen, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and professor at Zhejiang University, said the facility allows researchers to reproduce large-scale natural processes such as geological evolution, major disasters and extreme environments in a controlled lab setting and on a much shorter timescale.

For example, in an experiment under 100 times normal gravity, a 100-meter real-world structure can be simulated using a 1-meter model, and a pollutant migration process that normally takes 100 years can be observed in just 3.65 days. This "time-space compression" effect, Chen said, will be essential for advancing scientific research, supporting the development of new technologies for major engineering projects, and driving innovation in material science.

"To ensure the facility delivers a stable and high-quality hypergravity environment that meets the needs of different disciplines, we adopted a series of measures — including deep excavation, low-pressure chambers and liquid-cooled wall technology," said Ling Daosheng, chief engineer of the facility and professor at Zhejiang University.

The facility is a large-scale, integrated experimental platform combining hypergravity and extreme environmental testing. Its 18 onboard devices will support research in fields such as deep-sea and deep underground resource development, disaster prevention and mitigation, waste disposal and new material creation.

Chen said the team aims to build an open, world-class research platform and looks forward to working with leading scientists from around the globe.

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Saturday, September 13, 2025

AIIMS Launches AI Mental Health Programme Never Alone




AIIMS Launches AI Mental Health Programme Never Alone





The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, revealed a new Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based mental health programme called Never Alone in 2025. The initiative targets the rising concern of student suicides and mental health awareness. Launched on World Suicide Prevention Day, the programme offers round-the-clock virtual and offline consultations through a web-based app accessible on WhatsApp. It aims to provide affordable, personalised, and secure mental health screening for students across India.

Background and Urgency

India faces a severe mental health crisis with over 1.7 lakh suicides reported in 2022, the highest in more than five decades. Young adults aged 18 to 30 accounted for 35 per cent of these deaths. Suicide is a leading public health issue globally, with the World Health Organisation (WHO) reporting one death every 45 seconds worldwide. Low- and middle-income countries bear 73 per cent of this burden. In India, mental health stigma and lack of awareness contribute to a large treatment gap, with 70 to 80 per cent of affected individuals not seeking help

Features of the Never Alone Programme

The programme offers personalised mental health screening at an affordable cost of just 70 paise per student per day for institutions with 5,000 or more students. It is designed to be highly secure and accessible via WhatsApp, ensuring ease of use. Students can access consultations both virtually and offline. The app focuses on screening, intervention, and post-intervention follow-up to ensure continuous care. The service is currently available at AIIMS Delhi, AIIMS Bhubaneswar, and the Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences (IHBAS), Shahdara, with plans for expansion.

Implementation and Support

Educational institutions can subscribe to the programme by approaching AIIMS Delhi. All AIIMS institutions nationwide will receive the service free of cost through the Global Centre of Integrative Health (GCIH), a non-profit initiative supported by AIIMS alumnus Dr Deepak Chopra. The GCIH aims to promote integrative health and personal transformation, enhancing the programme’s reach and impact.

Addressing Stigma and Treatment Gaps

Mental health stigma remains a major barrier to treatment in India. Despite the availability of mental health professionals, many students avoid seeking help due to fear and social stigma. Never Alone aims to normalise mental health discussions and reduce stigma through easy access and confidentiality. The programme also marks the importance of a public health approach to suicide prevention, including increasing trained mental health professionals and addressing social and economic stressors that trigger impulsive suicides.
Significance

The programme specifically targets college and university students, a vulnerable group with high suicide rates. By integrating AI and digital platforms, it ensures timely intervention and continuous support. The cost-effective model makes it feasible for large educational institutions, potentially transforming mental health care accessibility in India’s youth population.
AI mental health programme


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Friday, September 12, 2025

Earth’s Umbra creates rare blue hue in stunning Blood Moon eclipse, NASA reveals image




Earth’s Umbra creates rare blue hue in stunning Blood Moon eclipse, NASA reveals image




On the night of September 7 and 8, skywatchers worldwide witnessed a rare celestial event. The Full Moon passed near the centre of Earth’s dark umbral cone. This created a slow-moving total lunar eclipse visible from many parts of the planet.

What Is the Earth’s Umbra?
The umbra is the inner, dark shadow of Earth. Conical in shape, it reaches deep into space. Its circular cross-section is best seen in a lunar eclipse. As the Moon moved through the shadow, it gradually darkened.


A timelapse composite image from Zhangjiakou City, China, shows the eclipse clearly. The pictures progress from left to right, revealing the umbra’s curved shadow. During totality, the Moon was fully inside Earth’s umbra for about 83 minutes.

Why Does the Moon Turn Red and Blue?
Sunlight refracted by Earth's atmosphere provides the Moon with a reddish hue. This is due to the fact that the atmosphere refracts and scatters light into the umbra. Surprisingly, at the edge of the umbra, the limb of the Moon was clearly blue. This blue light is due to the sunlight that has passed through the upper stratosphere. Ozone in the atmosphere scatters red light and lets blue light pass.


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Thursday, September 11, 2025

Antarctic Ice Growth Linked to Early Indian Monsoon




Antarctic Ice Growth Linked to Early Indian Monsoon



Recent research has revealed link between the formation of Antarctic ice about 34 million years ago and the early evolution of the Indian monsoon system. Fossil leaves from Nagaland’s Laisong Formation show that the region once had a warm and wet climate. This discovery sheds light on how global climatic changes influenced the development of the monsoon, which is vital for India’s environment and agriculture.

Fossil Evidence

Scientists found well-preserved fossil leaves in Nagaland dating back approximately 34 million years. These fossils indicated a warm and wet tropical climate in the region. Using the Climate Leaf Analysis Multivariate Program (CLAMP), researchers studied the leaf morphology to reconstruct past climate conditions. The results showed unusually high rainfall and temperatures compared to ’s climate.

Link to Antarctic Ice Formation

The fossil age coincides with the period when large ice sheets began forming in Antarctica. This global event triggered shifts in wind and rainfall patterns. The growth of Antarctic ice caused the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ), a key rain belt, to move from the South Pole towards the tropics. This shift brought intense monsoonal rains to Northeast India, driving the evolution of the monsoon system.

Impact

The study suggests that the Antarctic glaciation reshaped global climate systems. The altered position of the ITCZ increased tropical rainfall and temperatures over the Indian subcontinent. This created conditions favourable for lush forests and the establishment of a strong monsoon. The findings provide a timeline for the early development of the monsoon linked to global climatic events.

Modern Climate Change Implications

The research holds important lessons for ’s climate scenario. Current Antarctic ice melt due to global warming could again shift the ITCZ. Such changes may disrupt monsoon patterns affecting agriculture, water resources, and millions of people in India and neighbouring countries. It marks the interconnectedness of Earth’s climate and the need for global climate action.

Global Climate Interconnections

This discovery emphasises that climate events in one region can influence distant areas. Antarctic ice growth millions of years ago affected tropical rainfall in India. About these connections helps predict how current and future climate changes may impact global weather systems. It underlines the importance of studying Earth’s past to prepare for future challenges.



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Wednesday, September 10, 2025

Single and Multi-Thread Rivers Dynamics

Single and Multi-Thread Rivers Dynamics



Recent research by geographers at the University of California Santa Barbara (UCSB) has resolved a long-standing question in river geomorphology. They investigated why some rivers flow as a single channel while others split into multiple threads. Using satellite data and advanced image processing, the study revealed the physical mechanisms driving these river patterns. This knowledge has important implications for flood management, ecosystem services, and river restoration worldwide.

Single-Thread Versus Multi-Thread Rivers

Rivers either flow as a single channel or split into multiple threads, known as braided rivers. Single-thread rivers maintain a balance between bank erosion and sediment deposition. Material eroded from one bank is roughly equal to what is deposited on the opposite bank, keeping the river stable and narrow. Multi-thread rivers show a different pattern. They erode their banks faster than they deposit sediment, causing channels to widen and split repeatedly over time. This imbalance triggers the formation of multiple channels.

Methodology and Data Analysis

Researchers analysed 84 rivers worldwide over 36 years using Landsat satellite imagery from 1985 to 2021. They applied particle image velocimetry, a technique that tracks small changes in riverbank positions to measure erosion and deposition rates. Millions of data points showed how riverbanks evolved, revealing the fundamental processes behind river channel patterns. This comprehensive approach allowed scientists to understand river dynamics across different climates and landscapes.

Impact of Vegetation on River Behaviour

Vegetation on riverbanks influences how rivers meander and migrate. Contrary to earlier beliefs, recent studies show that vegetated river bends move sideways, forming levees that limit the river’s sinuosity or winding nature. Unvegetated bends tend to shift downstream without lateral movement. This difference affects sediment deposits and river stability. Vegetation thus plays important role in shaping river morphology and controlling erosion.

Case Studies – The Ganga and Brahmaputra Rivers

The research included stretches of the Ganga and Brahmaputra rivers in India and Bangladesh. The Brahmaputra, a classic braided river, experiences rapid lateral erosion causing its channels to widen and split. This instability challenges previous assumptions that erosion and deposition balance out in braided rivers. The findings suggest that multi-thread rivers operate under cycles of instability rather than equilibrium, which is vital for managing these dynamic systems.

Human Interference and River Management

Human activities such as damming, embankment construction, sediment mining, and land clearing have altered natural river flows, often forcing braided rivers into single channels. This disrupts their natural dynamics and increases flood risks. Restoring rivers to their natural multi-thread state can reduce flooding and restoration costs. Nature-based solutions include removing artificial embankments, reconnecting flood plains, and creating vegetated buffer zones to stabilise banks and improve ecosystem health.

Implications for Flood Risk and Restoration

The study marks the need to update river flow measurement methods regularly, especially in multi-thread rivers, as their channels change shape over time. Managing rivers with an understanding of their natural instability can improve flood prediction and mitigation. Restoring natural river patterns supports biodiversity and reduces the impact of extreme weather events. This knowledge is critical in regions like India where large rivers face intense human pressure.

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Tuesday, September 9, 2025

WHO Updates Essential Medicines List




WHO Updates Essential Medicines List



The World Health Organization (WHO) released the 24th edition of its Model List of Essential Medicines (EML) and the 10th edition of the Essential Medicines for Children (EMLc) in 2025. These updates reflect new treatments for cancer, diabetes, obesity, and other diseases. The lists guide over 150 countries in medicine procurement and healthcare policies. This edition aims to improve access to life-saving drugs worldwide.

Significance

WHO’s EML and EMLc identify medicines that meet priority health needs. Launched in 1977, they support public health systems globally. The lists influence government procurement, insurance coverage, and reimbursement schemes. Regular updates ensure inclusion of effective and affordable medicines for emerging health challenges.

New Additions and Revisions

The Expert Committee reviewed 59 applications and added 20 new medicines to the EML and 15 to the EMLc. Seven existing medicines received new use indications. The lists now include 523 essential medicines for adults and 374 for children. These medicines address urgent issues like cancer, diabetes, cystic fibrosis, psoriasis, haemophilia, and blood disorders.

Cancer Medicines and Access Strategies

Cancer causes nearly 10 million deaths annually and is a leading cause of premature mortality. The Committee included only cancer drugs with proven benefits of extending life by four to six months. Notable additions include PD-1/PD-L1 immune checkpoint inhibitors like pembrolizumab, atezolizumab, and cemiplimab for metastatic cancers. Emphasis was placed on clinical and health system strategies such as dose optimisation to improve affordability and accessibility, especially in resource-poor settings.

Diabetes and Obesity Treatments

Diabetes affects over 800 million people, and obesity impacts more than 1 billion globally. The Committee added glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists such as semaglutide, dulaglutide, liraglutide, and the dual GLP-1/GIP agonist tirzepatide. These medicines improve blood sugar control, reduce heart and kidney complications, aid weight loss, and lower mortality risk in type 2 diabetes patients with comorbidities. High costs limit access, prompting calls for generic competition and integration into primary care.

Challenges in Access and Affordability

Out-of-pocket spending on essential medicines remains high, especially for noncommunicable diseases. WHO stresses the need for strong political will, multisectoral cooperation, and people-centred health programmes to ensure equitable access. The organisation will continue monitoring pricing and support countries in expanding availability of these medicines.

Expert Committee and Process

The 25th WHO Expert Committee met in Geneva in May 2025. It assessed medicines on effectiveness, safety, cost, and cost-effectiveness. The Committee also reviewed antibiotic classifications under the AWaRe framework. The biennial update process ensures the lists remain relevant to current global health priorities.

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Celebrating Dr. Narjes Sadeghiamirshahidi’s Remarkable Research Journey #GlobalBestAchievementsAwards #WorldResearchAwards

Celebrating Dr. Narjes Sadeghiamirshahidi’s Remarkable Research Journey Congratulations to Dr. Narjes Sadeghiamirshahidi on this distinguish...