Latest inventions in science and technology e-MERLIN Context : A team of astronomers from the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), an autonomous institute under the Department of Science and Technology (DST), carried out observations of nearby galaxies using the e-MERLIN radio telescope array. The study represents one of the first statistically complete, high-resolution radio surveys designed to detect faint black hole activity in nearby galaxies. About e-MERLIN e-MERLIN (Enhanced Multi-Element Radio Linked Interferometer Network) is a network of seven radio telescopes spread over 217 km across Great Britain. The telescopes are linked through a high-speed optical fibre network to the Jodrell Bank Observatory, which serves as its central headquarters. Unlike optical telescopes that rely on visible light, radio telescopes can observe invisible gas clouds, enabling them to study regions of space hidden behind cosmic dust. e-MERLIN provides an angular resolution that is comparable to that of the Hubble Space Telescope, making it highly effective for detailed astronomical observations. It also serves as the core component of the European Very Long Baseline Interferometer Network (EVN). European Very Long Baseline Interferometer Network (EVN) The EVN is an international network of radio telescopes located mainly across Europe and Asia. By combining observations from multiple telescopes, it performs extremely high-angular-resolution studies of radio-emitting celestial objects, allowing astronomers to examine distant cosmic sources in great detail. Space Mission Drishti Context: The Bengaluru-based space start-up GalaxEye has lost contact with Mission Drishti, the world's first OptoSAR satellite, as it encountered an anomaly following a geomagnetic solar storm. About Mission Drishti Mission Drishti was launched on May 3, 2026. Mission Drishti is the world’s first multi-sensor Earth Observation (EO) satellite. It is India’s largest privately built satellite and the highest-resolution satellite developed in the country. The mission is being developed by GalaxEye, a Bengaluru-based space startup. Key…
