Top News of Last Week with ANA
Azad News Agency (ANA) published a number of scientific and technological news during the past week whose top ones are as follows:
Iran to Hold Event for Digital Transformation in Gas Industry
Iran’s Innovation and Prosperity Fund and the Technology Development and Application of Artificial Intelligence Headquarters of the Iranian Vice-Presidency for Science, Technology and Knowledge-Based Economy is due to hold an event to develop knowledge-based cooperation with the aim of digital transformation in the gas industry.
The National Iranian Gas Company has put this specialized event on the agenda to utilize the capacity of knowledge-based and technology-based companies on the path of digital and intelligent transformation.
In this event, which will be held on November 3-4, the requirements and capacities of the gas company's development on the path of intelligence and in the fields of infrastructure, process optimization, equipment, etc. will be introduced, and knowledge-based and technology-based companies in the private sector will also present their capabilities in the form of products, services, and practical solutions. The goal of this technological event is to create direct links between capable knowledge-based companies and managers and officials of the National Iranian Gas Company in a way that will lead to the formation of effective operational cooperation.
The event will have various sections, including a product exhibition, introduction of technological requirements, expert discussions, negotiation sessions, and introduction of knowledge-based capabilities.
Gas Production at South Pars Field’s Phase 11 Exceeds 22 Million Cubic Meters
Phase 11 of the South Pars gas field increased its daily gas extraction capacity to over 22 million cubic meters.
Phase 11 of the South Pars gas field increased its gas extraction capacity to over 22 million cubic meters per day with the production of the ninth well on the SPD11B platform.
By connecting this well to the production network and conducting additional tests, over 2 million cubic meters of raw gas were added to the production capacity daily, and the production of Phase 11 exceeded 800 million cubic feet of enriched gas per day.
In relevant remarks in September, the CEO of Pars Oil and Gas Company had also announced the commissioning of the ninth well at Phase 11 of the South Pars gas field, stating that its launch has increased the phase's gas production capacity to more than 22 million cubic meters per day.
Touraj Dehqani underlined the successful completion of drilling, perforation, and acidizing operations for the ninth well at the SPD11B platform of Phase 11.
He said that by connecting the SPD11B-09 well to the production platform and completing final tests, the platform's daily production capacity for raw gas has increased by more than 2 million cubic meters.
Iranian University Trains 400 Cybernetics Experts in Cyberspace Laboratory
The head of the Cyberspace Laboratory at the University of Tehran announced that 400 specialists have been trained in the center with a cybernetics approach.
“Our laboratory has been active for nearly eight years, and I can claim that a total of various classes, courses, and meetings have been held in which about 400 people have been trained. They come from a wide range of sciences among our audience, from purely humanities such as philosophy to completely technical fields like mechanics, electricity, and computers, as well as the fields of biology, agriculture, and watershed management,” said Kazzem Fouladi Qalaeh, a faculty member at the University of Tehran and the head of the Cyberspace Laboratory at the University of Tehran.
He underlined the need for the formation of a new scientific movement based on cybernetics knowledge, expressing the hope that this movement could first formulate a significant part of society's problems and then move towards providing practical solutions.
Iran’s Academy of Sciences Establishes Young Scientists Network
The head of the Iran’s Academy of Sciences announced the formation of the Young Scientists Network to further help the development of advanced sciences.
“The path of development of artificial intelligence, quantum, and science and technology in Iran has reached an acceptable point and the Academy of Sciences has become one of the main players in the country's scientific decision-making today,” Mohammad Reza Mokhber Dezfouli said.
“We have approved the formation of the Academy of Sciences’ Young Scientists Network in the Academy of Sciences' Scientific Council. Today, over 100 young faculty members at the associate and professor levels are members of this network, and this group is expanding,” he added.
“These young and highly motivated scholars are active in various scientific fields and play an effective role in science and technology monitoring programs and analyzing global trends,” Mokhber Dezfouli said.
Among the major objectives of Iran’s Academy of Sciences are the attainment of scientific and cultural independence, promotion of science and technology, encouragement of the spirit of research, access to the latest scientific findings and innovations through teamwork, and absorbing, encouraging and supporting eminent researchers and scholars.
Iran Gains Self-Sufficiency in Producing Valuable Type of Steel Industry's Catalyst
An industrial project dubbed ‘changing the charge profile and composition of the endothermic gas synthesis catalyst formulation’ was introduced by the Iranian Iron and Steel Scientific Association as the top innovative project in the steel industry putting also an end to the country's dependency to the valuable product.
The project, which was implemented with the aim of indigenizing the technical know-how of one of the most complex catalysts used in the heat treatment industries and in cooperation with a technology company and the Faculty of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering of Sharif University of Technology, has ended the country's steel industry's dependence on importing this type of catalyst.
“Heat treatment catalysts are among the most complex products used in Iran, which were previously only supplied through foreign companies. The formulation and industrial application of these catalysts requires a high level of specialized knowledge, and with the efforts of the company's specialists and the cooperation of steel companies, we succeeded in completely localizing this knowledge and taking an effective step towards self-sufficiency in the steel industry,” said Ehsan Ebrahimi, the managing director of the technology company.
He also underlined continued cooperation with Sharif University of Technology, adding, "The development and completion of the technical knowledge of this project will be pursued in the form of joint research projects with the Sharif Faculty of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering."
Scientists Find ‘Time Travel’ Trick to Unlock Lost Childhood Memories
Research shows that adopting a childlike facial expression can make adults feel more connected to their childhood experiences.
New research suggests that temporarily changing how people perceive their own bodies can help them recall personal memories, potentially even those from their earliest years of life. Published in the journal Scientific Reports, the study is the first to show that adults can retrieve more early-life memories after viewing and embodying a version of their own face that has been digitally transformed to look like their childhood self.
The experiment, led by neuroscientists at Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) in Cambridge, involved 50 adult participants and used a technique called the “enfacement illusion.” This method allows individuals to perceive a face displayed on a computer screen as their own reflection.
Participants were shown a live video feed of their face that had been digitally altered with an image filter to resemble how they might have looked as children. As they moved their heads, the modified face mirrored their movements in real time, reinforcing the illusion that the childlike face belonged to them. A control group experienced the same setup but viewed their unaltered adult faces.
Iran’s Academic Center for Education, Culture, Research Produces Aquatic Vaccines
A member of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz in Southwestern Iran announced that the specialists at the Academic Center for Education, Culture and Research have managed to produce home-made aquatic vaccines.
“The Academic Center for Education, Culture and Research has succeeded in preparing a complete biotechnology package for the propagation of Asian seabass fish, and a contract for the sale of this technology has also been signed,” said Mojtaba Alishahi.
Noting that the only indigenous vaccine used in the country against streptococcosis in seabass fish is also the product of the Academic Center for Education, Culture and Research, he said that this vaccine is used both in the form of immersion and injection.
“Also, the dual vaccine for vibriosis and streptococcosis has been produced by the Academic Center for Education, Culture and Research researchers and has been successfully used in propagation workshops,” Alishahi said.
Iran Hosts Int’l Nano-Micro Symposium in Cooperation with 5 Technological Universities
The 4th International Nano-Micro Symposium was held at the Tehran International Permanent Fairground, simultaneously with the 16th International Nano and Micro Technology Exhibition.
The 4th International Nano-Micro Symposium, titled ‘Transformative Technologies: Five-Year Outlook’ ended earlier today.
The event aimed to explain the five-year outlook for transformative technologies and explore future research paths in emerging fields in cooperation with the Consortium of Five Technological Universities of Iran (UT5), the Iran Nano and Micro Technologies Innovation Council (INIC), the Iranian Smart Energy Network Scientific Association, and the Organization for the Development of International Scientific and Technological Cooperation.
This symposium featured four specialized sessions on smart sensors: integration of energy, processing, and intelligence in the future of autonomous sensors; neuromorphic computing: brain-inspired intelligence and new hardware architectures; bioelectronics: convergence of bio-electronics in precision medicine and novel treatments; and smart mobility: a connected and autonomous future in smart vehicles and robots.
Over the four days of the event, a number of 20 prominent speakers from universities and research centers in Iran and abroad presented their latest scientific and technological achievements.
Iranian Technologists Indigenize Nanolayer for Application in Medicine, Nuclear Industry
Iranian technologists at a company stationed at the Islamic Azad University’s Tabriz branch managed to design a gamma-ray-sensitive nanolayer of tellurium oxide with industrial applications in medicine and nuclear industry.
“This product is classified as a nanolayer or nanofilm and consists of a thin layer of tellurium oxide deposited on a substrate. This structure is highly sensitive to gamma rays and can be used in various industries, including medicine and even the nuclear field,” Robab Talebzadeh told ANA.
My research in the form of a doctoral thesis focused on examining the sensitivity of this nanolayer to gamma rays; because in the sterilization process of materials, accurate measurement of the radiation dose is of great importance,” she added.
Talebzadeh noted that a laboratory sample of the product has been designed, and if the necessary equipment is provided, it can be commercialized.
Iran Unveils 1st Nat’l Drug for Rare Cancer, Pulmonary Fibrosis
An Iranian knowledge-based company unveiled two new drugs produced by using nanotechnology for the patients with rare cancer and pulmonary fibrosis.
“The drug Midovance, equivalent to the drug Midostaurin, has been produced to treat a specific type of blood cancer called AML or acute myeloid leukemia,” Mohammad Karim Rezayee, the R&D manager of the company, told ANA on the sidelines of the 16th International Nano Technology Exhibition in Tehran.
“This type of drug is a rare disease treatment that was previously only available through imports, and patients faced serious difficulties in obtaining it due to cost and access,” he added.
Rezayee explained that a nanoemulsion system has been used in the formulation of the drug Midvance which is a method that increases the absorption and effectiveness of the drug compared to its traditional forms.
He described Ofenib as the company's second new product, which is designed to treat pulmonary fibrosis and interstitial lung disorders, saying that patients with pulmonary fibrosis have difficulty performing daily activities due to reduced lung function, and the aim of producing this drug is to improve their breathing and physical performance.
Iranian Market Provides Possibility for Downloading AR Glasses Apps
An Iranian local mobile market introduced its new option for directly downloading the Augmented Reality (AR) glasses apps.
The new capability was unveiled in the presence of Iranian Vice President for Science, Technology and Knowledge-Based Economy Hossein Afshin at the Farr Iran exhibition which is being held on the sidelines of the 16th International Nano Technology Exhibition in Tehran.
The ability to download AR apps in a local market will have three important results, including ensuring users’ access to applications, creating a legal and secure channel for domestic developers, and facilitating the production of local content that is designed in accordance with the language, culture, and market needs.
This measure can strengthen the incentive to invest in high-quality content production, create new jobs in the technology field, and grow the software production value chain.
Iranian Researchers Produce High-Temperature Resistant Industrial Filters
The head of the Amirkabir University’s Academic Center for Education, Culture and Research in Tehran announced production of high-temperature resistant industrial filters by the Center’s researchers.
“These filters, which are used in the cement, mining and power plant industries, are designed to purify the air entering the turbines and remove polluting particles from the environment,” Mohsen Mardani said.
Noting that in the mining and cement industries, high temperatures cause ordinary filters to burn, he said that the filters produced by specialists at Amirkabir University’s Academic Center for Education, Culture and Research are made of glass fibers with high thermal resistance, which allow air to pass through properly, prevent dust and suspend particles from passing through.
“Another product of our Center is glass meshes specifically for the construction industry. These meshes are used in walls and increase the tensile strength of the structure,” Mardani said.
Iranian Technology Increases Shelf Life of Grains with Irradiation
The inspector of the National Grains Association of Iran underlined application of the modern irradiation technology to boost the shelf life of grains and beans.
“The modern irradiation technology can help improve the quality and shelf life of products,” Ershad Talebi said.
“We sent over 120 tons of beans to Isfahan Irradiation Center and we witnessed very favorable results, and we hope that by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), all bean industry activists will become familiar with this technology and keep their products up to date and healthy,” he added.
“By using this technology, we witnessed that the microbial load and larvae in the product were eliminated,” Talebi said.
Iranian, Austrian Researchers Presents New Theory for Managing Natural Hazards
Iranian researchers from the Universities of Tehran and Vienna in a joint study presented an interdisciplinary theory titled ‘Regional Peace Theory’ that examines the direct relationship between establishing regional peace and reducing damage caused by natural hazards.
The research, conducted by Ebrahim Moqimi, a professor at the Faculty of Geography at the University of Tehran, and Professor Thomas Glad, a professor at the University of Vienna, shows through a comparative study of the two basins of the Danube in Europe and the Tigris-Euphrates in the Middle East that international cooperation and establishing peace leave a direct impact on reducing the effects of natural hazards like drought, dust storms, and floods.
Based on the findings of the researchers in the study, many natural hazards, from dust and drought to floods, are regional in nature and are not stopped by political borders. The authors believe that regional understanding and management of these events is not possible without cooperation and peace among the neighboring states. Therefore, regional peace is not only a political value, but also a scientific and environmental necessity.
The study examines two study regions, the Tigris-Euphrates basin in Southwest Asia and the Danube basin in Europe, which both face natural hazards but in different political contexts. In the Tigris-Euphrates basin, political rivalries, dam construction, and long-term wars have increased drought, soil erosion, and dust production. In contrast, in the Danube basin, cooperation among the European countries and the formation of the European Union are examples of the relative realization of regional peace based on the joint management of natural resources. This difference shows that sustainable peace itself is an effective tool for reducing natural hazards and increasing social and environmental resilience.
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