Introduction: A Nuclear Vision for Viksit Bharat@2047 As India marches toward its ambitious goal of becoming a developed nation by 2047, energy security stands as a pivotal pillar in the vision of Viksit Bharat . Amid the global climate crisis and rising energy demands, nuclear power has re-emerged as a compelling solution. India’s commitment to achieving 100 GW of nuclear power capacity by 2047 is both visionary and necessary—but achieving this requires a strategic shift in policy, participation, and international cooperation. While India’s nuclear energy sector has traditionally been a tightly controlled domain under government monopoly—primarily led by the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) and Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) —it is now imperative to welcome private sector investments and foreign partnerships. A reformed nuclear ecosystem can unlock the full potential of atomic energy as a clean, reliable, and scalable contributor to India’s net-zero aspiration...
Asteroid Bennu: A Gateway to Understanding Life’s Origins About Asteroid Bennu Bennu is a small, near-Earth asteroid that follows a six-year orbit around the Sun, periodically coming close to Earth. It is classified as a carbonaceous (C-type) asteroid, meaning it is rich in carbon-containing compounds and may hold clues to the early solar system. Scientists believe Bennu originated from a much larger carbon-rich asteroid that broke apart 700 million to 2 billion years ago. NASA's OSIRIS-REx Mission The OSIRIS-REx spacecraft was launched by NASA in 2016 to study Bennu and collect surface samples. In 2020, the spacecraft successfully retrieved samples using its robotic arm and stored them in a return capsule. In 2023, these samples were delivered back to Earth for analysis. Scientific Findings from Bennu’s Samples The samples contained essential life-building compounds , such as: Amino acids – Fundamental components of proteins. Nucleobases – Key building blocks of DNA and RNA. W...