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New ChatGPT-like AI tool for scientific discovery launched

The Polymathic AI team includes experts in physics, astrophysics, mathematics, artificial intelligence and neuroscience…reports Asian Lite News

An international team of scientists have launched a new research collaboration that will leverage the same technology behind ChatGPT to build an AI-powered tool for scientific discovery.

While ChatGPT deals in words and sentences, the new initiative, called Polymathic AI, will learn from numerical data and physics simulations from across scientific fields to aid scientists in modeling everything from supergiant stars to the Earth’s climate.

“This will completely change how people use AI and machine learning in science,” said Polymathic AI principal investigator Shirley Ho, a group leader at the Flatiron Institute’s Center for Computational Astrophysics in New York City, US.

The idea behind Polymathic AI “is similar to how it’s easier to learn a new language when you already know five languages,” said Ho.

Starting with a large, pre-trained model, known as a foundation model, can be both faster and more accurate than building a scientific model from scratch.  That can be true even if the training data isn’t obviously relevant to the problem at hand.

“Polymathic AI can show us commonalities and connections between different fields that might have been missed,” said co-investigator Siavash Golkar, a guest researcher at the Flatiron Institute’s Center for Computational Astrophysics.

The Polymathic AI team includes experts in physics, astrophysics, mathematics, artificial intelligence and neuroscience. Polymathic AI’s project will learn using data from diverse sources across physics and astrophysics (and eventually fields such as chemistry and genomics, its creators say) and apply that multidisciplinary savvy to a wide range of scientific problems.

ChatGPT has well-known limitations when it comes to accuracy. Polymathic AI’s project will avoid many of those pitfalls, Ho said, by treating numbers as actual numbers, not just characters on the same level as letters and punctuation. The training data will also use real scientific datasets that capture the physics underlying the cosmos.

Transparency and openness are a big part of the project, Ho said. “We want to make everything public. We want to democratise AI for science in such a way that, in a few years, we’ll be able to serve a pre-trained model to the community that can help improve scientific analyses across a wide variety of problems and domains.”

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ISRO fights over 100 cyber-attacks every day, says Somanath

The ISRO chief further said that apart from the software, ISRO is also going ahead with various tests focusing on the safety of the hardware chips inside the rockets…reports Asian Lite News

S Somanath, the chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Saturday said that the country’s space agency is facing more than 100 cyber-attacks daily.

Somanath, while speaking on the concluding session of the 16th edition of the c0c0n, a two-day international cyber conference in Kerala’s Kochi, further said that the possibility of cyber-attacks is much higher in rocket technology which uses ultra-modern software and chip-based hardware.

“The organisation is equipped with a robust cybersecurity network to face such attacks,” he said.

Notably, the conference was organised by the Kerala Police and Information Security Research Association here.

The ISRO chief further said that apart from the software, ISRO is also going ahead with various tests focusing on the safety of the hardware chips inside the rockets.

“Earlier, the way of monitoring one satellite has changed to a way of software monitoring many satellites at a time. This indicates the growth of this sector. During COVID, it was possible to launch from a remote location which shows the triumph of technology,” he added.

He further said that there are different types of satellites that branch out for navigation, maintenance, etc.

“And apart from these, satellites which help the daily life of common people are also present. All these are controlled by different types of software. Cyber security is very important to protect all of these,’ Somanath added.

He said advanced technology is a boon and a threat at the same time.

“We can face the challenges posed by cyber criminals using technology like artificial intelligence with the same technology. There should be research and hard work towards this end,” he said.

Meanwhile, Kerala Revenue Minister P Rajeev, who inaugurated the concluding session of the conference said that the state is a role model for cyber security governance as the state government is capable of providing adequate security to the cyber arena.

“The state government is capable of providing adequate security to the cyber arena. The government is also providing necessary support to this sector by establishing the Digital University in the state. Kerala is a state where the internet is ensured through K-Fone in every house,” the minister said.

He further said that the c0c0n is a role model for the Indian cyber security sector, which is making the necessary innovations for cyber security.

“C0c0n is capable of creating cyber security experts among the next generation,” P Rajeev added.

Hibi Eden MP presided over the function in which Mayor M Anilkumar was the chief guest. Actor Mamta Mohandas, Intelligence ADGP Manoj Abraham IPS and ISRA president Manu Zacharia also addressed the event. (ANI)

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ISRO’s Crucial Test Nears for Human Spaceflight

Preparations for the Flight Test Vehicle Abort Mission-1 (TV-D1), which demonstrates the performance of the Crew Escape System, are underway

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is preparing for the first Flight Test Vehicle Abort Mission-1 (TV-D1) to demonstrate the crew escape system as part of its human space mission called Gaganyaan.

According to the space agency, it will commence unmanned flight tests for the Gaganyaan mission.

“Preparations for the Flight Test Vehicle Abort Mission-1 (TV-D1), which demonstrates the performance of the Crew Escape System, are underway,” ISRO said.

The first development flight Test Vehicle (TV-D1) is in the final stages of preparation.

The Test Vehicle is a single-stage liquid rocket developed for this abort mission.

“The payloads consist of the Crew Module (CM) and Crew Escape Systems (CES) with their fast-acting solid motors, along with CM fairing (CMF) and Interface Adapters,” ISRO said.

This flight will simulate the abort condition during the ascent trajectory corresponding to a Mach number of 1.2 encountered in the Gaganyaan mission.

ISRO said the Crew Escape System with Crew Module will be separated from the Test Vehicle at an altitude of about 17 km.

“Subsequently, the abort sequence will be executed autonomously commencing with the separation of CES (Crew Escape System) and deployment of the series of parachutes, finally culminating in the safe touchdown of CM (Crew Module) in the sea, about 10 km from the coast of Sriharikota,” ISRO said.

The Crew Module will house the astronauts in a pressurised earthlike atmospheric condition during the Gaganyaan mission.

It is in different stages of development.

For the TV-D1, the Crew Module is an unpressurised version that has completed its integration and testing and is ready to be shipped to the launch complex.

This unpressurised Crew Module version has to have an overall size and mass of actual Gaganyaan Crew Module and would house all the systems for the deceleration and recovery.

With its complete set of parachutes, recovery aids, actuation systems and pyros.

The avionics systems in Crew Module are in a dual redundant mode configuration for navigation, sequencing, telemetry, instrumentation and power.

According to ISRO, the Crew Module in this mission is extensively instrumented to capture the flight data for evaluation of the performance of various systems.

It will be recovered after touchdown in the Bay of Bengal, using a dedicated vessel and diving team from the Indian Navy.

The space agency said the Crew Module after integration underwent various electrical testing, at ISRO’s facility in Bengaluru, including an acoustic test and was dispatched to the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota on August 13.

At Sriharikota, it will undergo vibration tests and pre-integration with the Crew Escape System, before final integration to the Test Vehicle at the Launch Pad.

This Test Vehicle mission with this Crew Module is a significant milestone for the overall Gaganyaan programme as a near-complete system is integrated for a flight test.

The success of this test flight will set the stage for the remaining qualification tests and unmanned missions, leading to the first Gaganyaan mission with Indian astronauts, ISRO said.

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Study on electrons with attosecond pulses wins Nobel in Physics  

The Laureates’ experiments have produced pulses of light so short that they are measured in attoseconds, thus demonstrating that these pulses can be used to provide images of processes inside atoms and molecules…reports Asian Lite News

The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences on Tuesday awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics 2023 for exploring the world of electrons with extremely short pulses of light.

The award went to Pierre Agostini from the the Ohio State University; Ferenc Krausz from Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics, Germany; and Anne L’Huillier from Lund University, Sweden “for experimental methods that generate attosecond pulses of light for the study of electron dynamics in matter”.

In the world of electrons, changes occur in a few tenths of an attosecond — an attosecond is so short that there are as many in one second as there have been seconds since the birth of the universe.

The Laureates’ experiments have produced pulses of light so short that they are measured in attoseconds, thus demonstrating that these pulses can be used to provide images of processes inside atoms and molecules.

“The three Nobel Laureates in Physics 2023 are being recognised for their experiments, which have given humanity new tools for exploring the world of electrons inside atoms and molecules,” the Academy said in a statement.

“Pierre Agostini, Ferenc Krausz and Anne L’Huillier have demonstrated a way to create extremely short pulses of light that can be used to measure the rapid processes in which electrons move or change energy”.

A prize money of 11 million Swedish kronor will be shared equally between the Laureates. In 1987, L’Huillier discovered that many different overtones of light arose when she transmitted infrared laser light through a noble gas.

Each overtone is a light wave with a given number of cycles for each cycle in the laser light. They are caused by the laser light interacting with atoms in the gas; it gives some electrons extra energy that is then emitted as light.

L’Huillier has continued to explore this phenomenon, laying the ground for subsequent breakthroughs. In 2001, Agostini succeeded in producing and investigating a series of consecutive light pulses, in which each pulse lasted just 250 attoseconds.

At the same time, Krausz was working with another type of experiment, one that made it possible to isolate a single light pulse that lasted 650 attoseconds. The Laureates’ contributions have enabled the investigation of processes that are so rapid they were previously impossible to follow.

“We can now open the door to the world of electrons. Attosecond physics gives us the opportunity to understand mechanisms that are governed by electrons. The next step will be utilising them,” said Eva Olsson, Chair of the Nobel Committee for Physics.

There are potential applications in many different areas. In electronics, for example, it is important to understand and control how electrons behave in a material. Attosecond pulses can also be used to identify different molecules, such as in medical diagnostics.

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‘Aditya L1 spacecraft escapes sphere of earth’s influence’

The PSLV-C57.1 rocket carrying the Aditya-L1 orbiter lifted off successfully from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh on September 2….reports Asian Lite News

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Saturday informed that the Aditya-L1 spacecraft has successfully escaped the sphere of Earth’s influence adding that it is now navigating its path towards the Sun-Earth Lagrange Point 1 (L1).

Taking to X (former Twitter), ISRO said, “The spacecraft has travelled beyond a distance of 9.2 lakh kilometres from Earth, successfully escaping the sphere of Earth’s influence. It is now navigating its path towards the Sun-Earth Lagrange Point 1 (L1).”

ISRO further stated that it is the second time in succession that the space agency could send a spacecraft outside the sphere of influence of the Earth with the first time being the Mars Orbiter Mission (Mangalyaan).

The PSLV-C57.1 rocket carrying the Aditya-L1 orbiter lifted off successfully from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh on September 2.

The successful launch of the maiden solar mission of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) came on the heels of the historic lunar landing mission — Chandrayaan-3.

According to the agency, the Aditya-L1 mission is expected to reach the observation point in four months. It will be placed in a halo orbit around Lagrangian Point 1 (or L1), which is 1.5 million km away from the Earth in the direction of the sun.

It will carry seven different payloads to have a detailed study of the sun, four of which will observe the light from the sun and the other three will measure in-situ parameters of the plasma and magnetic fields.

Major objectives of India’s solar mission include the study of the physics of solar corona and its heating mechanism, the solar wind acceleration, coupling and dynamics of the solar atmosphere, solar wind distribution and temperature anisotropy, and origin of Coronal Mass Ejections (CME) and flares and near-earth space weather. (ANI)

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India plans to use N-energy to achieve net zero emissions

Atomic Energy Commission Chairman Ajit Kumar Mohanty shared India’s ambitious plans to step up nuclear power generation during a meeting with IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi….reports Asian Lite News

India on Wednesday spelled out plans to generate 22 GW power through nuclear energy to achieve Net Zero emissions for addressing the challenges posed by climate change.

At the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna, Atomic Energy Commission Chairman Ajit Kumar Mohanty shared India’s ambitious plans to step up nuclear power generation during a meeting with IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi.

Mohanty is in Vienna to attend the annual IAEA General Conference.

Mariano Grossi posted on X, “Greetings to Mohanty on India’s ambitious plans to reach 22 GW through nuclear energy for Net Zero.”

Addressing the conference, Mr Mohanty said Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) has been setting records in extended continuous power plant operations and maintaining excellent safety records.

“Some of its units have operated continuously for more than 365 days (a year) on 42 occasions and more than 700 days on five occasions. One remarkable achievement is that unit-3 at Kakrapar in the Gujarat state of India recently commenced commercial operation, the first-of-its-kind 700 MW indigenous Pressurised Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR),” he said.

Mohanty said a few days ago, India hosted the G20 Summit where energy security, access, affordability, and transition are essential considerations.

“Under India’s Presidency, the countries that opt to use civil nuclear energy reaffirmed their role in providing clean energy. These countries will now collaborate in research, innovation, development & deployment of civil nuclear technologies, including advanced and Small Modular Reactors (SMRs),” he said.

The discussions at G20 also centered around helping build resilient nuclear supply chains, promoting responsible nuclear decommissioning and radioactive waste and spent fuel management, and sharing knowledge and best practices, he said.

Mohanty also touched upon India’s nuclear programme, commitment to peaceful uses of nuclear energy, and its long history of partnership with the IAEA, the global nuclear watchdog. 

NPCIL currently operates 23 commercial nuclear power reactors with a combined capacity of 7480 MW and plans to increase it to 22480 MW by 2031.

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AI may help find life on Mars, other planets  

The innovative analytical method does not rely simply on identifying a specific molecule or group of compounds in a sample…reports Asian Lite News

Scientists have developed a novel Artificial Intelligence-based method that can test for signs of past or present life on Mars and other planets.

In the journal ‘Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences’ (PNAS), the team said their Artificial Intelligence (AI) -based method can distinguish modern and ancient biological samples from those of abiotic origin with 90 per cent accuracy.

“The search for extraterrestrial life remains one of the most tantalising endeavours in modern science,” said lead author Jim Cleaves of the Earth and Planets Laboratory, Carnegie Institution for Science, Washington, DC.

“The implications of this new research are many, but there are three big takeaways: First, at some deep level, biochemistry differs from abiotic organic chemistry; second, we can look at Mars and ancient Earth samples to tell if they were once alive; and third, it is likely this new method could distinguish alternative biospheres from those of Earth, with significant implications for future astrobiology missions,” Cleaves said.

The innovative analytical method does not rely simply on identifying a specific molecule or group of compounds in a sample.

Instead, the researchers demonstrated that AI can differentiate biotic from abiotic samples by detecting subtle differences within a sample’s molecular patterns as revealed by pyrolysis gas chromatography analysis (which separates and identifies a sample’s component parts), followed by mass spectrometry (which determines the molecular weights of those components).

Vast multidimensional data from the molecular analyses of 134 known abiotic or biotic carbon-rich samples were used to train AI to predict a new sample’s origin.

With approximately 90 per cent accuracy, AI successfully identified samples that had originated from: Living things, such as modern shells, teeth, bones, insects, leaves, rice, human hair, and cells preserved in fine-grained rock; remnants of ancient life altered by geological processing (e.g. coal, oil, amber, and carbon-rich fossils) or samples with abiotic origins, such as pure laboratory chemicals (e.g., amino acids) and carbon-rich meteorites.

The researchers said that until now the origins of many ancient carbon-bearing samples have been difficult to determine because collections of organic molecules, whether biotic or abiotic, tend to degrade over time.

Surprisingly, in spite of significant decay and alteration, the new analytical method detected signs of biology preserved in some instances over hundreds of millions of years.

“These results mean that we may be able to find a life form from another planet, another biosphere, even if it is very different from the life we know on Earth. And, if we do find signs of life elsewhere, we can tell if life on Earth and other planets derived from a common or different origin,” said Dr. Robert Hazen, from the laboratory.

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Modi Lauds India’s Diplomatic, Scientific Achievements

Giving a recap of the last 30 days, PM Modi praised the successful launch of the Chandrayaan-3 mission….reports Asian Lite News

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday highlighted India’s diplomatic and scientific achievements in the past month adding that India’s diplomacy has reached new heights. The Prime Minister was addressing the G20 University Connect finale.

“Two weeks back, in this Bharat Mandapam, there was a great bustle. This Bharat Mandapam had become a happening place. I am delighted that in the same Bharat Mandapam, my future Bharat is present,” PM Modi said at the G20 University Connect Finale.

He further said that the world is surprised to see the height at which India took the organising of G20. But I am not surprised…Do you know why?

“When youth like you take up the responsibility to make an event successful, it does become successful,” he added.

“Before G20, the BRICS Summit was held in South Africa. With India’s efforts, six new countries were included in the BRICS community. You have chosen me to do all the good deeds,” the PM added.

Giving a recap of the last 30 days, PM Modi praised the successful launch of the Chandrayaan-3 mission.

“I want to give you a recap of the last 30 days. That will give you an idea of the speed and scale of New India. You must remember the 23rd of August…Everyone was praying and then suddenly there was a smile on everyone’s face. The entire world heard India’s voice – India is on the Moon. 23rd August has become immortal in the country as National Sports Day. But after that, India launched its solar mission soon after the success of its lunar mission,” he said.

Also invoking the passage of ‘Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam’ in Parliament, PM Modi said that the new Parliament building filled the entire country with pride.

“You saw the first session of Parliament in the new Parliament building. The first Bill that was passed in the new Parliament building filled the entire country with pride. Through ‘Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam’, Parliament happily accepted women-led development,” he said.

He further said that several initiatives taken to empower SCs, STs, OBCs, the poor, and the middle class in the last 30 days and the government also launched the PM Vishwakarma Yojana for artisans.

Several programmes were held across the country under the G-20 University Connect initiative. They witnessed extensive participation from higher education institutions. (ANI)

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Hamdan Meets Astronaut AlNeyadi and ‘Zayed Ambition 2’ Team

H.H.’s remarks came during a visit to MBRSC, where he met with astronaut Sultan AlNeyadi and the team behind ‘Zayed Ambition 2’….reports Asian Lite News

H. H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai and Chairman of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) said the Centre’s accomplishments and its role in driving the UAE’s development in the space sector reflect the vision of UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to launch ambitious space projects that support the global scientific community.

H.H. also said that the successful accomplishment of the longest Arab space mission by UAE astronaut Sultan AlNeyadi is the culmination of the dedicated efforts of the exceptional Emirati talent at MBRSC.

H.H.’s remarks came during a visit to MBRSC, where he met with astronaut Sultan AlNeyadi and the team behind ‘Zayed Ambition 2’. He congratulated Sultan for completing the mission, and the MBRSC team for establishing a new Emirati and Arab milestone in space exploration.

“The ‘Zayed 2 Mission’ is the latest in our journey of continuous accomplishments since the launch of our space programme. The UAE leadership’s vision continues to inspire us to pursue new frontiers in space exploration. As part of our steadfast commitment to serving humanity, the UAE is set to launch new ambitious space projects,” H.H. said.

He commended the passion and dedication of the MBRSC team. “The determination of our youth opens the door to new horizons in the fields of science, technology and innovation, which are of great importance to the future of space exploration,” His Highness said. “The outstanding achievements of MBRSC’s missions demonstrate that we have a team capable of successfully managing complex space projects. We have been able to develop a deep pool of national talent as a result of the leadership’s belief in the capabilities of our youth,” he added.

H.H. also discussed with the ‘Zayed 2 Mission’ team the critical role of the UAE Astronaut Programme in the nation’s space achievements, and how the space sector promotes broader development in the UAE.

H.H. learned from astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi about the scientific experiments he conducted on the International Space Station, in the presence of astronaut Hazzaa Al Mansouri.

“We take great pride in seeing a UAE astronaut achieving such a significant milestone in the space sector, further elevating the UAE’s standing in space exploration. This mission is a testament to the UAE’s unwavering commitment to advancing the frontiers of human knowledge,” H.H. said.

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Aditya-L1 Begins Journey to Sun-Earth Lagrange Point 1

Aditya-L1 was orbited in low earth orbit (LEO) on September 2 by an Indian rocket called Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle –XL (PSLV-XL) variant…reports Asian Lite News

Indian space agency in the wee hours of Tuesday sent off the Aditya-L1 solar observatory towards the Sun by successfully inserting it at the Trans-Lagrangian Point 1.

According to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), the Aditya-L1, the country’s space-based solar observatory was inserted at the Trans-Lagrangian Point 1 at 2 a.m. on Tuesday.

“The spacecraft is now on a trajectory that will take it to the Sun-Earth L1 point. It will be injected into an orbit around L1 through a manoeuvre after about 110 days,” ISRO said.

This is the fifth consecutive time ISRO has successfully transferred an object on a trajectory toward another celestial body or location in space.

ISRO has transferred its spacecraft thrice towards the moon and once towards Mars.  And the Tuesday transfer towards the Sun is the fifth time.

Aditya-L1 was orbited in low earth orbit (LEO) on September 2 by an Indian rocket called Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle –XL (PSLV-XL) variant.

The spacecraft’s orbit has been raised by ISRO four times since then.

As the spacecraft travels towards Lagrange Point (L1), it will exit the earth’s gravitational Sphere of Influence (SOI).

After the exit from SOI, the cruise phase will start and subsequently, the spacecraft will be injected into a large halo orbit around the L1 — the point where the gravitational pull of two large bodies – Sun and Earth – will be equal and hence the spacecraft will not gravitate towards any one of the planet.

The total travel time from the launch to the L1 would take about four months for Aditya-L1 and the distance covered will be about 1.5 million km from the Earth.

ALSO READ-Aditya-L1: India’s Solar Mission Lifts Off To Study Sun