Silicite: the layered allotrope of silicon

Based on first-principles calculation we predict two new thermodynamically stable layered-phases of silicon, named as silicites, which exhibit strong directionality in the electronic and structural properties. As compared to silicon crystal, they have wider indirect band gaps but also increased absorption in the visible range making them more interesting for photovoltaic applications. These stable phases consist of intriguing stacking of dumbbell patterned silicene layers having trigonal structure with $\sqrt{3} \times \sqrt{3}$ periodicity of silicene and have cohesive energies smaller but comparable to that of the cubic diamond silicon. Our findings also provide atomic scale mechanisms for the growth of multilayer silicene as well as silicites

Food security in India: aquaculture an option

Food, shelter & clothes are the basic necessities of the life and among them food plays a pivotal role in the social of economic development of country. Each and every person is entitled to an equal right to access food. However there are people who are not getting even minimum requirement of food even for their life sustenance. In a developing country like India food security is a major social concern. Approximately 25 % of people in India are Below Poverty Line(BPL) are not able to afford food available in the market even though food is physically accessible. In the country we have people still not deprived of the pangs of hunger and malnutrition. Deficiency in required nutrients like proteins, vitamins, minerals may cause various type of ailments

Virus Chikungunya in Colombia, a simple matter of time?

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is an RNA alphavirus of the family Togaviridae. The alphaviruses consist of 29 species, including eastern, western, and Venezuelan equine encephalitis viruses among others. CHIKV is transmitted by vector mosquitoes, Aedes aegypti and Aedes albipictus, which are abundant in the South American tropics