Page 8 - Updated Spectrum-volume-14-issue-7

8 2021 | Spectrum | Volume 14 Number 7
8 2020 | Spectrum | Volume 14 Number 7
Everything scientific has a mathematical conneciton

GAUTHAM PILLAI was to give a platform for young on the topic of Mathematical E.P. Siva, Assistant Professor,
minds to experience and learn Applications in Space Science. Department of Mathematics.
Even through the tough times from the best in the field. It He further said, “Mathematics The participants were further
of the pandemic, the Department created a stage where the young is everywhere and everything asked to join the speaker talks.
of Mathematics conducted researchers could express their scientific has a mathematical There was a total of 15 speakers
the second iteration of their innovative and intuitive ideas. connection.” Moreover, he gave out of which 3 were international
renowned event called the ICMTA Talks by experts enhanced many insights regarding the speakers. They shared their
(International Conference on the overall aptitude of these topic which truly enlightened intellectual ideas regarding the
Mathematical Techniques and young minds. The event was the minds of the participants. importance of mathematics. The
Application). Due to the reason presided by Shri G. Grahadurai, This was followed by the release participants were then directed to
that it was conducted online, it Deputy Director, Satish Dhawan of the conference proceedings. display their research work. The
was renamed to e-ICMTA 2021. Space Centre, Sriharikota. He The inaugural meeting ended event ended on an encouraging
Brochure of e-ICMTA The sole purpose of the event delivered a beautiful speech with a thanking speech by Dr. and positive note.

The Journey of Perseverance: Pokémon – A behemoth of an IP goes Silver

NASA’s Mars Rover
RITIK SHRIVASTAVA the show, which has 23 seasons
under its belt with an ongoing
SUMISHA MOHAN as testing new technology to With phrases like “Gotta catch 24th season and more movies
benefit future robotic and human em all” and “I wanna be the very than you could count.
NASA’s Mars 2020 exploration of Mars. best”, Pokémon made its way
Another not-so-well-kept
Perseverance rover landed The hardware of the rover into all our households one way secret to this miraculous IP
successfully on 18th February consists of instruments that or another and integrated itself The Official Pokémon 25th
2021. Its journey to Mars, will carry out unprecedented into our systems so comfortably anniversary Logo are the trading cards which
have become something of
which began on 30th July and exciting science such as that the colour Yellow became player catching these creatures a collectors’ favourite and
2020 hasn’t been without its practically synonymous with the with special powers, training the mobile gaming sensation,
share of challenges including SHERLOC or Scanning Habitable cute electric mouse Pikachu. and winning Pokémon battles Pokémon GO which now has
those caused by the COVID-19 Environments with Raman &
While a larger part of the with them to prove his mettle. become the most downloaded
pandemic. A large chunk of the Luminescence for Organics and Indian public might have come
work was completed remotely Chemicals, a spectrometer that to know of Pokémon through Since then, Pokémon has only mobile game.
and the Perseverance team had will provide fine-scale imaging the TV series following the grown, so much so that it has This year, 2021, Pokémon is
to undergo a three-day-long and uses an ultraviolet (UV) journey of Ash Ketchum as left behind every competing celebrating its 25th anniversary
COVID-adapted simulation of laser to map mineralogy and he tries to be the very best franchise in smoke as it became this year with events planned
the upcoming landing. One of organic compounds. Another trainer there ever was, but the the highest-grossing media through 2021. We already have
Perseverance’s main missions is MOXIE, the Mars Oxygen concept of Pokémon had been franchise with a collective revenue seen the announcement of 3
is looking for signs of ancient In-Situ Resource Utilization brought to life by Game Freak of well over 90 Billion dollars. new games arriving in early
microbial life at Mars’ Jezero Experiment, a technology in the year 1996 in the form of This fan favourite franchise 2022 and a concert featuring
Crater, which was home to an demonstration that will produce a game for Nintendo’s ‘Game already has 18 iterations of the Post Malone, but with Silver,
actively forming river delta and oxygen from Martian atmospheric Boy’. The game, much like game along with an umpteen Gold, Platinum and Diamond,
lakes filled with water billions carbon dioxide. If successful, the show, centred around the number of spinoffs. Similarly, the journey has only begun.
of years ago. “Our science this technology could be used
team has been busy planning to burn rocket fuel for returning
how best to work with what we to Earth. The Second Wave Rises– Are Vaccinations Working?
anticipate will be a firehose of The Perseverance rover will
cutting-edge data,” said Ken spend at least one Mars year
Farley, project scientist for or two Earth years, exploring SHRUTI RAMESH transmission
Mars 2020. the landing site. Like every of the virus by
Its other missions include space mission, NASA’s Mars Exactly one year since the at least 80%.
collecting and storing a set mission will also further our outbreak, the second wave This means that
of soil and rock samples that understanding of the universe of the novel Coronavirus has while there is
could be returned to earth by a and the future of the human taken the entire world by storm no guarantee
future NASA mission as well species. yet again. And it isn’t breaking that one will
any time soon. As of Sunday, not contract the
4th April 2021, India recorded virus after being
its highest ever daily count of vaccinated, Frontline workers, people with comorbidities,
new cases – 1,03,558 to be infection rates and people over the age of 45 are currently
precise. While Maharashtra will certainly be eligible for vaccines.
has been hit worst, states such lower. Secondly, it is imperative
as Punjab, Kerala, and Tamil that people get both shots to distancing, regularly washing
Nadu are closing in on the race achieve immunity, a process our hands, and wearing masks
with alarming speed. However, spanning over months. So far are still a must.
with extensive vaccination in India, only 9 out of 1,366
campaigns being conducted million people have been In conclusion, the vaccines
across the globe, why is the fully vaccinated. According are working, but the process of
situation so dire? to a statement by the Indian putting an end to this gruelling
The answer is two-fold. Firstly, government, the steep rise in the pandemic is long and arduous.
it is still unclear to what extent number of daily cases could be This aim can only be achieved
the vaccines protect people from mainly attributed to the severe if the general public complies
infection entirely. The data we decline in compliance with with the rules set forward by
The first high-resolution colour image sent to do have, however, confirms that Covid-appropriate measures. It officials, and that includes getting
Earth after Perseverance landed these vaccines will decrease the goes without saying that social vaccinated when possible.