Science & Technology General Knowledge

The first GSLV launch (GSLV-D1) occurred on April 18, 2001. This marked a significant milestone in India's space program, developing indigenous capability to launch heavier satellites into geosynchronous orbit.

Moore's law, formulated by Gordon Moore in 1965, observes that the number of transistors on a microchip doubles approximately every two years. It refers to transistor density, not die size, clock speed, or memory speed.

Intel Corporation was founded on July 18, 1968, by Robert Noyce and Gordon Moore. The company emerged during the semiconductor boom of the late 1960s.

The Intel 4004, released in 1971, was the first commercially available single-chip microprocessor. It was designed by Federico Faggin and had 2,300 transistors.

Intel acquired Wind River Systems in 2009 for approximately $884 million to expand its embedded software capabilities. Wind River develops software for intelligent connected systems and is a major player in embedded software.

DDR SDRAM stands for Double Data Rate Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory. DDR means it transfers data on both the rising and falling edges of the clock signal, effectively doubling the data transfer rate compared to single data rate memory.

Intel's first financially successful product was the 3101 SRAM (Static Random Access Memory) chip introduced in 1969, which generated significant revenue and saved the company from bankruptcy. The 4004 was their first microprocessor, the 8085 was a later 8-bit processor, and the 4040 was an improved version of the 4004. The SRAM memory products were crucial to Intel's early success.

MID stands for Mobile Internet Devices, a category of small, portable computing devices optimized for internet access. Intel introduced this term for devices that fill the gap between smartphones and laptops, typically featuring 5-7 inch screens and full web browsing capabilities. They're designed primarily for web connectivity rather than general computing.

ENIAC (Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer) was the first general-purpose electronic digital computer, completed in 1946 at the University of Pennsylvania. ABACUS is an ancient mechanical counting device, not electronic. Babbage designed the Analytical Engine in the 1830s, but it was mechanical and never completed. APPLE is a computer company, not the first electronic computer.

Isohyets are lines on a map connecting places with equal rainfall. Isobars show pressure, isohypses (contours) show elevation, and isohalines show salinity. Isohyets are specifically used in climatology and meteorology.

The Earth Summit (1992 Rio Conference) was sponsored by UNCED - the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development. UNCED organized this landmark conference that produced Agenda 21 and the Rio Declaration.

Jaundice is caused by liver dysfunction when it cannot process bilirubin properly. Bilirubin is a yellow pigment produced during red blood cell breakdown, and liver damage or blocked bile ducts cause it to accumulate in the blood.

EEG (Electroencephalogram) records electrical activity in the brain using electrodes placed on the scalp. It is used to diagnose epilepsy, sleep disorders, and brain function monitoring.

Cow's milk appears slightly yellow due to beta-carotene, a pigment from fresh grass that cows consume. Carotene is a fat-soluble antioxidant that gets incorporated into the milk fat, giving it the characteristic yellow tint.

Aspirin is the common name for acetylsalicylic acid, a widely used pain reliever and anti-inflammatory drug. Salicylic acid is a related compound, but aspirin specifically contains an acetyl group attached to the salicylic acid molecule. Methyl salicylate is oil of wintergreen, a different compound used in topical pain relief.

Smallpox is caused by the Variola virus, specifically Variola major and Variola minor. Rubeola virus causes measles (also called rubeola), while Varicella causes chickenpox. Myxovirus is an older term for influenza viruses.

Hydrogen is highly flammable and burns readily in air to form water. Helium and nitrogen are noble gases that are inert and do not burn. Oxygen supports combustion but is not itself flammable - it is an oxidizer that enables other materials to burn.