Nobel Prize in Physics for 2023

GS Paper - 3 (Science and Technology)

The Nobel Prize in Physics for 2023 has gone to three scientists whose work made it easier to observe electrons, and which has potential applications in the field of diagnosing diseases and developing electronic gadgets.

Who are the scientists?

• Anne L’Huillier, Pierre Agostini, and Ferenc Krausz have been awarded for their experiments which have given humanity new tools for exploring the world of electrons inside atoms and molecules.
• They 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.

What exactly have the scientists done?

• An atom, a tiny unit into which matter can be divided, is composed of a nucleus of protons and neutrons, and electrons that travel around this nucleus.
• Electrons move so fast that it is impossible to observe them in real time. The work of L’Huillier, Agostini, and Krausz has brought humanity closer to observing and studying the movement of electrons, by producing pulses of light that last only attoseconds, which is 1×10−18 of a second.
• Roughly, this can be compared to a high-shutter-speed camera. If a normal camera is used to capture a moving train, the image will be blurred. But a high shutter-speed camera can freeze motion and capture a clear image of the train.

How did they do this?

• All three worked in the field for years. According to the Nobel website, back in 1987, L’Huillier discovered that when a laser light wave was passed through a noble gas, it interacted with the atoms, giving some electrons extra energy that was then emitted as light. She continued to work on this.
• In 2001, Pierre Agostini succeeded in producing and investigating a series of consecutive light pulses [or flashes of light], in which each pulse lasted just 250 attoseconds.
• At the same time, Ferenc Krausz was working with another type of experiment, one that made it possible to isolate a single light pulse that lasted 650 attoseconds.
• These flashes of light made it possible to provide images of processes inside atoms.

Why is this work important?

• 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.
• One possible application is to study molecular-level changes in blood, to identify diseases.
• A better understanding of how electrons move and transmit energy can also help in creating more efficient electronic gadgets.

Flashback

• Physics is the second Nobel to be awarded this week after Hungarian scientist Katalin Kariko and US colleague Drew Weissman won the medicine prize for making mRNA molecule discoveries that paved the way for Covid-19 vaccines.
• Created in the will of dynamite inventor and businessman Alfred Nobel, the prizes for achievements in science, literature and peace have been awarded since 1901 with a few interruptions, becoming the arguably highest honour for scientists everywhere.
• While the sometimes controversial award for peace can hog the limelight, the physics prize has likewise often taken centre stage with winners such as Albert Einstein and awards for science that have fundamentally changed how we see the world.
• Last year, Alain Aspect, John Clauser and Anton Zeilinger won the prize for work on quantum entanglement, where two particles are linked regardless of the space between them, something that unsettled Einstein himself who once referred to it as "spooky action at a distance".
• Announced on consecutive weekdays in early October, the physics prize announcement will be followed by ones for chemistry, literature, peace and economics, the latter a later addition to the original line-up.

UN authorises second malaria vaccine

GS Paper - 3 (Health and Diseases)

The R21/Matrix-M™ malaria vaccine developed by the University of Oxford and the Serum Institute of India, leveraging Novavax’s adjuvant technology, has been recommended for use by the World Health Organization (WHO) after meeting required safety, quality and effectiveness standards.

More about the Vaccine

• The vaccine was developed by the Jenner Institute at Oxford University and Serum Institute of India with support from the European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (‘EDCTP’), the Wellcome Trust, and the European Investment Bank.
• The World Health Organisation authorised a second malaria vaccine on 1 October 2023, a decision that could offer countries a cheaper and more effective option than the world's first shot against the parasitic disease.
• WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the UN health agency was approving the new malaria vaccine based on the advice of two expert groups, recommending its use in children at risk of the disease.
• Oxford University developed the new three-dose vaccine with help from the Serum Institute of India.
• Research suggests it is more than 75% effective and that protection is maintained for at least another year with a booster. The shot would cost about $2 to $4 and could be available in some countries next year.
• Earlier this year, regulatory authorities in Ghana and Burkina Faso approved the vaccine.

First malaria Vaccine

• In 2021, WHO endorsed the first malaria vaccine in what it described as a "historic" effort to end the devastating toll the mosquito-transmitted disease has on Africa, home to most of the world's estimated 200 million cases and 400,000 deaths.
• But that vaccine, known as Mosquirix and made by GSK, is only about 30% effective, requires four doses and protection fades within months.

Dengue Vaccine

• In a separate decision, WHO's expert group also authorised the dengue vaccine made by Takeda, which was previously approved by the European Union drug regulator.
• There is no specific treatment for dengue, common in tropical Latin American and Asian countries. While most infections are mild, severe cases of the mosquito-spread disease can lead to internal bleeding, organ damage and death.
• WHO's expert groups advised that the Takeda dengue vaccine be used in children aged 6 to 16 in countries with a high prevalence of the disease.
• Previous studies have shown Takeda's vaccine was about 84% effective in preventing people from being hospitalised with dengue and about 61% effective in stopping symptoms four years after getting immunised.
• Nearly 1,000 people have been killed by dengue this year in an ongoing epidemic in Bangladesh, the country's worst outbreak of the disease.

World first country introduces digital passports

GS Paper - 2 (International Relations)

Finland has become the first country in the world to introduce digital passports. A digital passport is a mobile application that allows travelers to store and present their passport information on their smartphones instead of carrying a physical passport.

More about digital passport project

• Finland started a pilot project, in collaboration with Finnair, the Finnish police, and Finavia, the airport operator.
• The project is part of a larger EU initiative to test digital passports to improve travel technology and security.
• The project involves travelers on some Finnair flights from Helsinki to the UK and back, who can register their digital passports at the Vantaa Main Police Station's license services.
• The travelers need to download the FIN DTC Pilot app, which uses facial recognition and biometric data to verify their identity.
• The travelers can then transmit their data via the app to the Finnish Border Guard 36 to 4 hours before departure and use their smartphones to scan a QR code at the border control.
• The project aims to make travel faster, smoother, and more secure by reducing the need for physical documents and human interaction.
• The project will run until February 2024 and will be evaluated for its feasibility and user satisfaction.
• However, Finland is not the only country that is developing or implementing digital passport projects.
• Other countries such as Poland, South Korea, the US, and the UK are also working on similar initiatives.
• Some countries such asUkraine, Singapore, China, Estonia, and Israel have also introduced digital health or vaccine passports to facilitate travel during the Covid-19 pandemic.
• Digital passportsare expected to become more common and popular in the future as they offer convenience and security for travelers.