The 14th Chandubi Festival was recently held near the Chandubi Lake in Assam’s Kamrup district from January 1 to January 5.
AboutChandubi festival
It is an annual five-day celebration that takes place at Chandubi Lake in Assam’s Kamrup district.
Chandubi Lake is a natural lake that was formed due to massive landslides during the 1897 Assam earthquake, blocking the flow of the Chandubi River.
The festival’s main goal is to encourage eco-tourism and protect the lake, which has been losing water.
Preserving the lake and helping the tribes like Rabhas, Garos, Gorkhas, and tea tribes are reasons for holding the festival.
The festival is deeply rooted in the cultural fabric of the region, celebrating the diversity, customs, and traditions of the local communities.
It represents the confluence of various indigenous tribes and communities, each contributing their unique rituals, arts, crafts, and cultural practices.
The festival features a rich tapestry of cultural performances including traditional dances like Bihu, Sattriya, and tribal dances, showcasing the vibrant folk culture of Assam.
National Sports Awards 2023
The national sports awards are given annually to recognize and reward excellence in sports, highlight extraordinary performance at the national and international competitive events, encourage sportsmanship and promote nation-building by creating a sense of national pride and unity in a country as diverse as India.
The awards are administered by the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, Government of India.
The six categories of the National Sports Awards are:
Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award:
It is considered India’s highest sporting honour, the Khel Ratna was established in 1991-92.
The award is named after the Indian hockey legend, Major Dhyan Chand.
The award is given for outstanding performances in sports spanning over a period of four years and the Khel Ratna winners receive a medallion, certificate and a cash prize.
Legendary sports figures like MC Mary Kom, S. MirabaiChanu, PV Sindhu, Saina Nehwal, Vijender Singh, Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli amongst others have received this highest sporting honour in the past.
In 2023, Chirag Shetty and Satwik Sairaj Rankireddy (badminton) were awarded with Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award.
Arjuna Award
It is awarded for consistent good performance over a period of four years. The winners of the Arjuna Award receive a statuette of Arjuna, a certificate and a cash prize.
Dronacharya Award: It was instituted in 1985, is India’s highest sports honour for coaches. It is awarded to individuals for producing medal winners at prestigious international events. Awardees receive a bronze statue of Dronacharya, a certificate and a cash prize.
Ganesh Prabhakaran (mallakhamb), Mahavir Saini (para athletics), Lalit Kumar (wrestling), RB Ramesh (chess), Shivendra Singh (hockey) were awarded with Dronacharya Award for Outstanding Coaches in Sports and Games 2023.
Major Dhyan Chand Award: This award represents India’s highest honour for lifetime achievements in sports. Presented for good performance and contributing towards the promotion of sports in an individual capacity since 2002, the winners get a Dhyan Chand statuette, a certificate and a cash prize.
Manjusha Kanwar (badminton), Vineet Kumar Sharma (hockey), Kavitha Selvaraj (kabaddi) were awarded with Dhyan Chand Lifetime Award 2023
Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Trophy (MAKA): It was instituted in 1956–1957. It is given to an institution or university for top performance in inter-university tournaments over the last one year.
Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (MAKA) Trophy 2023: Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar (winner), Lovely Professional University, Punjab (1st runners-up), Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra (2nd runners-up).
Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puraskar:
Instituted in 2009.
Awarded to organisations or corporates (both private and public) and individuals for playing a role in the area of sports promotion and development over the last three years.
In 2023, JAIN (Deemed-to-be-University), Odisha Mining Corporation Limited won this award.
DRDO conducts successful flight-test of New Generation Akash missile
Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) conducted a successful flight-test of the New Generation AKASH (AKASH-NG) missile from the Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur off the coast of Odisha.
The flight-test was conducted against a high-speed unmanned aerial target at very low altitude.
During the flight-test, the target was successfully intercepted by the weapon system and destroyed. It has validated the functioning of the complete weapon system consisting of the missile with indigenously developed Radio Frequency Seeker, Launcher, Multi-Function Radar and Command, Control & Communication system.
About AKASH (AKASH-NG) missile
It is a new generation state-of-the-art surface-to-air missile (SAM) for the Indian Air Force (IAF) to destroy high manoeuvring low radar cross section agile aerial threats.
It has been indigenously designed and developed by the DRDO and produced by defence public sector units along with other industries.
Multiple advanced versions of the missile are under development by the team.
Global Risks Report 2024
The World Economic Forum recently released the Global Risks Report 2024.
Key Highlights of the Report
Various global events in 2023, including lethal conflicts, Extreme Weather Conditions, and societal discontent, have contributed to a predominantly negative outlook.
Misinformation and disinformation are listed as the most severe risks over the next two years, highlighting how rapid advances in technology also are creating new problems or making existing ones worse.
A persistent cost-of-living crisis may lead to uncertainties in the global economic stability.
Inflation and economic downturn have emerged noteworthy top risks.
The risk of interstate armed conflict is the immediate concern. The ongoing conflicts, coupled with underlying geopolitical tensions pose the risk of conflict contagion.
In the absence of secure livelihood options, individuals may be prone to crime, militarization, or radicalization.
The countries with a history of conflict or vulnerability to climate change may face growing isolation from investment, technologies and job opportunities. There is continued dominance of environmental risks in the World.
Extreme weather events, critical shifts in Earth systems, biodiversity loss, ecosystem collapse, natural resource shortages, and pollution emerge as severe risks over the next decade.
Global Risks Report 2024: Key Recommendation
To mitigate the risks of AI-enabled misinformation campaigns, the report suggests: Increasing societal resilience through renewed focus on critical thinking, media literacy, and civic responsibility education Governments collaborating with tech firms to promote information integrity while respecting digital rights Fostering international cooperation for early identification and containment of misinformation campaigns
Policymakers need to balance measures to control inflation with targeted relief for vulnerable groups to maintain social cohesion, as per the WEF.
Urgent climate mitigation and adaptation efforts are essential to prevent catastrophic outcomes, the WEF stresses. Similarly, reversing nature loss through conservation and restoration initiatives is vital for our collective future.
The collective actions of individual citizens, companies and countries may seem insignificant on their own, but at critical mass they can move the needle on global risk reduction.
ANUBHAV Awards Scheme 2024
The Department of Pension & Pensioners’ Welfare launched Anubhav Portal in 2015, for sharing experiences of retiring/retired Central Government employees while working with the Government. It is envisaged that this culture of leaving notes by retirees will become the foundation stone of good governance and administrative reforms in future.
AboutANUBHAV Awards Scheme 2024
The scheme aims to create a database of significant suggestions and work experiences.
It channels the human resource of retiring employees for nation building and also enables Ministries/ Departments to take crucial steps while considering useful and replicable suggestions.
To participate in the scheme, retiring Central Government employees/pensioners are required to submit their Anubhav write ups, 8 months prior to retirement and up to 1 year after their retirement.
Thereafter, the write-ups will be published after assessment by concerned Ministries/Departments. The published write-ups will be shortlisted for Anubhav Awards and Jury Certificates.
The last date for submission under ANUBHAV Awards Scheme 2024 is 31.3.2024.
To encourage broader participation in the Anubhav Awards Scheme, 2024, the DOPPW has undertaken an Outreach Campaign to reach out to every pensioner to submit his ANUBHAV experience.
As of now, 54 ANUBHAV Awards have been conferred since the inception of the scheme.
Ujjain Unveils India’s First Hygienic Food Street ‘Prasadam’
Union Minister of Health, Family Welfare and Chemicals and Fertilizers Mansukh Mandaviya and Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav jointly inaugurated the country’s first Healthy and Hygienic Food Street (Prasadam) at Neelkanth Van, Mahakal Lok, Ujjain.
Key Points
It is in line with the vision of ‘Viksit Bharat’.
The initiative aims to connect people in every corner of the country with pure and safe local and traditional food.
The ‘Prasadam’ initiative aims to enhance Ujjain’s tourism attraction and preserve its culinary heritage while also playing a role in promoting economic development.
The newly launched food street is designed to provide various facilities including a kids’ play area, drinking water facility, CCTV surveillance, parking, public conveniences and seating spaces.
In addition to enhancing Ujjain’s tourism appeal and preserving its culinary traditions, “Prasadam” will also contribute to economic growth and community engagement.
Indian Navy gets first India-made long endurance Drishti 10 Starliner drone
The Indian Navy has recently received its first indigenous medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) drone, the Drishti 10 Starliner unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).
About Drishti 10 Starliner unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)
It is developed by Adani Defence and Aerospace with technology transfer from Israeli defence firm Elbit Systems.
It is India’s first indigenous medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) drone. 70% of the drone is made using indigenous components.
With an endurance of 36 hours and the ability to carry a payload of 450 kg, the drone is well-equipped for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions.
It is a variant of Elbit Systems’ Hermes 900 Starliner drones.
Divyakriti Singh Becomes 1st Indian Woman Arjuna Awardee for Equestrian Sports
Divyakriti Singh has been conferred with the prestigious Arjuna Award for Equestrian Sports, making her the first woman from Rajasthan to achieve this honour.
Divyakriti Singh’s remarkable journey in the equestrian world reached new heights with the Arjuna Award, recognizing her outstanding contribution to the sport.
She underwent three years of training in Germany at the Hof Kasselman dressage yard in Hagen. She secured an Individual Silver and two Bronze medals at the International Dressage Competition in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
North Eastern Development Finance Corporation Ltd (NEDFi) sanctions over ₹750 crores for 5,300 Northeast Projects
North Eastern Development Finance Corporation Ltd (NEDFi) has sanctioned Rs 766.47 crore and disbursed Rs 547.11 crore for 5338 projects in the NorthEast region, in diverse sectors – education & training food processing, handlooms & handicrafts, healthcare, hotels & tourism, microfinance etc.
Important Initiatives of NEDFI
NEDFi in collaboration with the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (MDoNER) in setting up ₹100 crore North East Venture Fund to promote regional startups.
It also partners with banks, microcredit organisations and NGOs for last-mile delivery to remote areas.
North Eastern Development Finance Corporation Ltd (NEDFi) plays an important role in facilitating setting up of new industrial and service sector projects in the NE Region.
₹547 crore disbursed at concessional interest rates to micro and small businesses
₹41 crore credit extended via microfinance institutions ₹53 crore direct micro lending to benefit over 9 lakh individuals.
₹98 crore venture capital commitments to 67 startups.
About North Eastern Development Finance Corporation Ltd (NEDFi)
It is a public limited company registered under the Companies Act 1956 on August 9, 1995.
It provides financial assistance to MSMEs in the NE region for setting up industrial, infrastructure and agriculture-related projects.
It also provides micro financing through MFIs/NGOS. It also provides consultancy and advisory services to state governments, private sectors and other agencies.
Three New Frogs Discovered in Arunachal Pradesh
The Scientists have reported three new frog species belonging to new genera from Arunachal Pradesh’s Namdapha-Kamlang protected area network along the Myanmar border.
About the discovery
Gracixalus patkaiensis – A translucent green tree frog with jelly-like appearance and insect-like call
Alcalus fontinalis – A tiny brown frog inhabiting fast-flowing hill streams with unique trickling vocalization
Nidirana noadihing – A marsh-dwelling “music frog” named after the Noa-Dihing river
About Namdapha Tiger Reserve:
It is located in the Changlang district of Arunachal Pradesh, near the international border with Myanmar.
It was declared a Wildlife Sanctuary under the Assam Forest Regulation 1891 on 2nd Oct.’1972.
In the 1983 year it was declared as a tiger reserve under Project Tiger Scheme of the Govt. of India on 15th March 1983.
India, Nepal hold Seventh Joint Commission Meeting
The Seventh Meeting of the Nepal-India Joint Commission was held in Kathmandu. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his Nepal counterpart NP Saud recently attended the 7th meeting of the Nepal-India Joint Commission.
Key Points
Nepal and India signed a long-term agreement for the export of 10,000 MW of power to India for the next 10 years.
Inauguration of Cross-Border Inauguration of 3 cross-border transmission lines which was completed with the help of India (132 kV Raxaul-Parwanipur, 132 kV Kushaha-Kataiya and New Nautanwa-Mainahiya lines).
An agreement for the launch of Nepali satellites was formalized between the Nepal Academy of Science and Technology and NewSpace India Limited under the Indian Space Research Organisation.
Inaugurated 3 132-kV cross-border transmission strains, which include the second circuits of the Raxaul-Parwanipur line and the Kataiya-Kusaha line, and the New Nautanwa-Mahiya line.
About India-Nepal Joint Commission:
It was established in 1987 as a platform for the Foreign Ministers of both countries to review all aspects of the bilateral partnership.
Raghuram Iyer appointed as CEO of Indian Olympic Association
Raghuram Iyer has been appointed as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA).
His appointment follows a meticulous selection process conducted by the nomination committee of the IOA.
The appointment comes after a significant delay and repeated reminders from the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
Raghuram Iyer’s extensive experience in sports management and administration, particularly his previous roles as CEO of Indian Premier League teams Rajasthan Royals and Rising Pune Supergiants, has been recognized as making him an ideal candidate for this position.
XPoSat (X-ray Polarimeter Satellite) mission
The Indian Space Research Organisation successfully launched the PSLV-C58 XPoSat (X-ray Polarimeter Satellite) mission.
About XPoSat (X-ray Polarimeter Satellite)
XPoSat is designed to study X-ray polarization in the medium X-ray band, offering insights into celestial sources’ radiation mechanisms and geometry.
This study is crucial for understanding the physics behind these celestial bodies.
The satellite carries two main payloads, POLIX (Polarimeter Instrument in X-rays) and XSPECT (X-ray Spectroscopy and Timing).
It is India’s first dedicated polarimetry mission to study various dynamics of bright astronomical X-ray sources.
It is designated for observation from low earth orbit.
After this launch, India became the second nation after the US to send an observatory to study astronomical sources, such as black holes, and neutron stars, among others.
Wetland City Accreditation
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has submitted three nominations from India for Wetland City Accreditation (WCA).
The nominated cities include Indore (Madhya Pradesh), Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh), and Udaipur (Rajasthan).
These are the first three Indian cities for which nominations have been submitted for WCA based on the proposals received from respective State Wetlands Authorities in collaboration with the Municipal Corporations.
About Wetland City Accreditation:
The Ramsar Convention during COP12 held in the year 2015 approved a voluntary Wetland City Accreditation system.
The scheme aims to promote the conservation and wise use of urban and peri-urban wetlands, as well as sustainable socio-economic benefits for local populations.
It recognizes cities which have taken exceptional steps to safeguard their urban wetlands and also recognizes the importance of wetlands in urban and peri-urban environments and to take appropriate measures to conserve and protect these wetlands.
This voluntary scheme provides an opportunity for cities that value their natural or human-made wetlands to gain international recognition and positive publicity for their efforts.
About the cities nominated for WCA
Indore: Founded by Holkars. Sirpur Lake, a Ramsar Site in the city has been recognised as an important site for water bird congregation and is being developed as a Bird Sanctuary.
A strong network of wetland mitras is engaged in bird conservation and sensitising the local community to protect Sarus Crane.
Bhopal: Bhoj Wetland, Ramsar Site is the city’s lifeline, equipped with the world-class wetlands interpretation centre, Jal Tarang. Additionally, the Bhopal Municipal Corporation has a dedicated Lake Conservation Cell.
Udaipur: The city is surrounded by five major wetlands, namely, Pichola, Fateh Sagar, Rang Sagar, Swaroop Sagar, and Doodh Talai. These wetlands are an integral part of the city’s culture and identity, help maintain the city’s microclimate, and provide a buffer from extreme events.
Union Cabinet approves overarching scheme “PRITHvi VIgyan (PRITHVI)”
The Union Cabinet recently approved the comprehensive scheme “PRITHvi VIgyan (PRITHVI)” by the Ministry of Earth Sciences. This overarching initiative, with an allocation of Rs 4,797 crore for the period 2021-26.
About PRITHvi VIgyan (PRITHVI) Scheme
Objectives:
The major Objectives of the overarching Prithvi Scheme are:
Augmentation and sustainance of long-term observations of the atmosphere, ocean, geosphere, cryosphere and solid earth to record the vital signs of the Earth System and change
Development of modelling systems for understanding and predicting weather, ocean and climate hazards and understanding the science of climate change
Exploration polar and high seas regions of the Earth towards discovery of new phenomena and resources;
Development of technology for exploration and sustainable harnessing of oceanic resources for societal applications ·
Translation of knowledge and insights from Earth systems science into services for societal, environmental and economic benefit.
The Prithvi scheme integrates five existing sub-schemes:
Atmosphere and Climate Research-Modelling Observing Systems and Services (ACROSS)
Ocean Services, Modelling Application, Resources and Technology (O-SMART)
Polar Science and Cryosphere Research (PACER)
Seismology and Geosciences (SAGE)
Research, Education, Training, and Outreach (REACHOUT).
Additionally, the scheme focuses on providing advanced warning services for natural disasters like cyclones, floods, heatwaves, and earthquakes, facilitating prompt and effective disaster management.
The scheme ensures precise weather forecasts for both land and oceans, enhancing safety and minimizing property damages in adverse weather conditions.
‘Clean and Green Village’ Programme for Solar Power Expansion
The Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR) is prioritizing the ‘Clean and Green Village’ theme as part of its Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP).
About ‘Clean and Green Village’ Programme
Clean and Green Village’ is the fifth theme under the GPDP.
The programme aims to install solar power capacities on a commercial basis.
It aims to develop sustainable business models for solar initiatives at the grassroots level.
The programme focuses on access to safe water, sanitation, and low pollution environments for healthier lives.
It emphasizes sustainable natural resource management for better livelihoods, food security, and environmental protection.
It aims to achieve UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG7 (affordable and clean energy) and SDG13 (climate action).
Areas of Action: Includes 10 specific areas like Open Defecation Free (ODF) Village, Clean and Green School, promotion of Organic Farming, and more.
Initiatives and Schemes for Clean and Green Village:
Organic and natural farming initiatives like Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana.
Reducing chemical fertilizers through schemes like PM-PRANAM. Waste to wealth initiatives like GOBARdhan and SATAT.
Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary
Researchers at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc.) in Bengaluru have observed a significant shift in the habitat of numerous bird species in the Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary due to the escalating temperatures in the region.
About Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary
It is a protected area of India in the Himalayan foothills of West Kameng District, Arunachal Pradesh.
It conjoins Sessa Orchid Sanctuary to the northeast and Pakhui Tiger Reserve across the Kameng river to the east.
It is situated in the biodiversity hotspot of Eastern Himalayas and home to over 500 bird species.
It is also a part of the Kameng Elephant Reserve.
It derives its name from the Red Eagle Division of the Indian army The temperate cloud forest is intermixed with dense bamboo patches and broadleaved evergreen forest across a wide altitudinal range, with conifers and rhododendrons at the higher elevations.
Q82. Bhogeswar Baruah was the first Arjuna Award winner from Assam in 1966. Who was the 2nd Assamese to win this coveted award of Indian sports in 1987?
Tayabun Nisha
Monalisa Baruah Mehta
Madalisa Hazarika
Toshen Bora
Correct option: (B) Monalisa Baruah Mehta.
Five Arjuna Award winners from Assam
Arjuna Award is India’s second highest sporting honour. Started in 1961, the Arjuna Awards are given by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports to recognize outstanding achievement in sports. Since then five sports persons from Assam had been awarded with this prestigious award.
Bhogeswar Baruah
Bhogeswar Baruah is the first Arjuna Award winner from Assam. He received the prestigious award in 1966. He won gold medal in the 800 metres race at Bangkok Asian Games in 1966. Baruah’s birthday is celebrated on September 3 every year in Assam, called Abhiruchi Sports Day.
Monalisa Baruah Mehta.
Ace table tennis player Monalisa Baruah Mehta is the second Assamese to receive Arjuna Award. She received the prestigious award in 1987. Monalisa is married to ace table tennis player Kamalesh Mehta. Monalisa was the 12 time state champion and won the national table tennis championship eight times.
Jayanta Talukdar
Ace archer Jayanta Talukdar received the Arjuna Award in 2006. He is the third sports person from Assam, after Bhogeswar Baruah (1966) and Monalisa Barua Mehta (1987) to receive this prestigious award. Jayanta Talukdar made it to the Indian men’s recurve archers team for London Olympics 2012.
Shiva Thapa
World Championships bronze-medallist Shiva Thapa is the fourth Assamese player to receive the prestigious award in 2016. Thapa was the only boxer recommended in 2016 for Arjuna Award. Shiva Thapa participated in the 2012 London Olympics. He was the youngest Indian boxer to qualify for the Olympics.
Hima Das
India’s track queen Hima Das is the latest addition to the list of Arjuna awardees from Assam this year. She is the second athlete after Bhogeswar Baruah (1966) and fifth Assamese player to receive this award.
Q83.
Q83. Which Assamese film won the first-even National Film Award (the President’s Certificate of Merit) for regional language category in 1955?
Piyoli Phukan
Maniram Dewan
Indramalati
Ronga Police
(A) Piyoli Phukan
The 1955 Phani Sarma directorial film Piyali Phukan received the first Certificate of Merit.
The film is based on the life and struggle of a historical character of Assam, Piyoli Phukan, son of Badan Borphukan, who revolted against British occupation. He was sentenced to death and hanged in 1830 at Jorhat. The film is produced by Gama Prasad Agarwalla under the banner of Rupjyoti Production, Tezpur, Assam. Piyoli Phukan is the first Assamese film, which got national reorganization.
Film Ronga Police, directed by Nip Barua, became the first film to receive the president’s Silver Medal for Best Feature Film in Assamese.
Q84. Great Footballer Talimeren Ao was born in undivided Assam (in Naga Hills
district), and went on to study at Cotton College and RG Kar Medical College for his degree in medicine. He holds an unique status in Indian football. What is that?
He scored the first goal for India in international matches.
He was the first captain of Indian football team in 1948 London Olympics.
He was the flag bearer of Indian contingent in 1948 London Olympics.
Both b and c
Correct option: (D) Both b and c
Talimeren Ao was an Indian footballer and physician. He is best known as the captain of Indian team in their first ever match. He was born on 28 January 1918 in the then Naga Hills District of Assam. He was a figurehead of India’s football history, and his name is resonant in the collective memory of the people.
Ao was the captain of the India national football team in the 1948 Summer Olympics, in the team’s first official game and was the flag-bearer of the Indian contingent.
Q85. Aximat Jar Xeral Xima is a landmark in Assamese Novel written by Kanchan Baruah and was published in 1945. But Kanchan Baruah is the pen name. What is the author’s real name?
Brajamohan Sarma
Bhubanmohan Baruah
Medini Choudhury
None of them
Correct option: (B) Bhubanmohan Baruah
Q86. The Tale of Nomadic Soul is the English translation of a famous Novel by Syed Abdul Malik. Which is that novel among the following?
Parashmoni
Adharshila
Aghari Atmar Kahini
Ruptirthar Yatri
Correct option: (C) Aghori Atmar Ka Hinee
The Tale of Nomadic Soul: Translated in English by R.P.Khaund from the Original Assamese Novel “Aghori Atmar Ka Hinee” by Malik Syed Abdul.
Q87. The novel Abhijatri is based on the life and achievements of
Q43. Wooden Doors often swell up and get stuck during rainy season. This is due to the phenomenon of
Endosmosis
Imbibition
Endocytosis
Capillarity
Correct option: (B) Imbibition
The swelling of wooden doors is caused by the process of imbibition. Imbibition is the absorption of water by solid particles of a substance without forming a solution.
Q44. Who won the Nobel Prize in Physics for the discovery of the law of photoelectric effect?
Wilhelm Roentgen
Albert Einstein
Issac Newton
Ernest Rutherford
Correct option: (B) Albert Einstein
The Nobel Prize in Physics 1921 was awarded to Albert Einstein “for his services to Theoretical Physics, and especially for his discovery of the law of the photoelectric effect.”
Q45. The filament string of an electric bulb is made up of
Copper
Silver
Platinum
Tungsten
Correct option: (D) Tungsten
Tungsten is a metal with a high resistivity. Tungsten has a high melting point, making it ideal for light bulbs. Tungsten is used to make the filament of an electric bulb because it has the highest melting point, lowest vapour pressure, and greatest tensile strength of any metal.
Q46.Which of the following is the chief constituent of biogas?
Q47. Which of the following is an egg laying mammal?
Platypus
Bat
Whale
Seal
Correct option: (A) Platypus
The Extant Species of Egg-laying Mammals Are:
The Duck-Billed Platypus. Ornithorhynchus anatinus is a bizarre-looking animal that’s found in streams with banks suitable for burrowing. They are sleek and brown, with a beaver-like flat tail. Their face has a large, duck-like bill. The males have venomous spurs on their rear ankles. This species eats bottom-dwelling invertebrates such as crabs. They live in eastern Australia, including Tasmania.
The Short-Beaked Echidna. Tachyglossus aculeatus is a widespread animal that’s found across Australia and into New Guinea. They are spikey and have powerful front limbs made for burrowing. These echidnas eat insects and hibernate through the winter.
The Eastern Long-Beaked Echidna. Zaglossus bartoni eats almost exclusively earthworms. They are also spined. They live in humid forests, especially above sea level, in New Guinea. There are four subspecies of eastern long-beaked echidna, primarily separated by geographic area.
Sir David’s Long-Beaked Echidna. Zaglossus attenboroughi lives in the Cyclops mountains of New Guinea. These are the smallest of the Zaglossus genus. It is feared that this species is highly endangered or even extinct, as a specimen has not been collected since 1961. Interviews with locals in 2007 (and signs of digging) suggest that the species is still alive – but no scientists have seen one yet.
Western Long-Beaked Echidna. Zaglossus bruijni is the largest extant monotreme, tipping the scales at 5 to 10kg. They prefer to live in alpine meadows and montane forests. They are considered critically endangered. They live in New Guinea.
Q48. Which of the following diseases is not caused by a virus?
Influenza
Anthrax
AIDS
Dengue
Correct option: (B) Anthrax
Anthrax is a serious infectious disease caused by gram-positive, rod-shaped bacteria known as Bacillus anthracis.
Q49. A washing machine works on the principle of
Gravitation
Acceleration
Centrifugation
Linear Motion
Correct option: (C) Centrifugation
The working principle of a washing machine is centrifugation. Centrifugation is a separation process which uses the action of centrifugal force to promote accelerated settling of particles in a solid-liquid mixture. The washing machine consists of centrifuge for this purpose.
Q50. Raindrops are spherical in shape because of
Viscosity
Velocity
Residual Pressure
Surface tension
Correct option: (D) Surface tension
Raindrops start to form in a roughly spherical structure due to the surface tension of water. On smaller raindrops, the surface tension is stronger than in larger drops. The reason is the flow of air around the drop. As the raindrop falls, it loses that rounded shape.
Q51. Name the clinical procedure in which blood is transfused from recovered COVID-19 patient to a COVID-19 affected patient in critical condition.
Dialysis therapy
Plasma therapy
Solidarity technique
Hydroxychloroquine administration
Correct option: (B) Plasma therapy
Convalescent plasma therapy uses blood from people who’ve recovered from an illness to help others recover. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has given emergency authorization for convalescent plasma therapy with high antibody levels to treat COVID-19.
sun sun ke khaan phaak gaya hamara!!
Q52. A man suddenly encounters a tiger in the jungle, and his heartbeat goes up, blood pressure increases and gets nervous. Which hormone is released more at this point in his body?
Thyroxine
Insulin
Adrenaline
Aldosterone
Correct option: (C) Adrenaline
Adrenaline is also known as the “fight-or-flight hormone.” It’s released in response to a stressful, exciting, dangerous, or threatening situation. Adrenaline helps your body react more quickly. It makes the heart beat faster, increases blood flow to the brain and muscles, and stimulates the body to make sugar to use for fuel.
Hemkosh becomes first Braille dictionary in South-east Asia
South-East Asia’s first Braille version of the prestigious Assamese dictionary “Hemkosh” was formally launched at a program held at the Vivekananda Kendra in Guwahati.
The dictionary was launched by the Sadin Pratidin Group to give a new dimension to the Assamese language with an aim to help in improving the educational quality of visually impaired children in the state.
Sarbananda Sonowal, the minister for ports, shipping, and waterways, as well as other officials, were present on this occasion. The dictionary was formally presented to the Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi.
The first Assamese language dictionary “Hemkosh” was first published in 1919 by Hem Chandra Baruwa.
Government of Assam will use portable device ‘SAANS’ to prevent neonatal deaths
The Assam government has decided to utilize the air pressure machine ‘SAANS,’ in all of its hospitals to minimize infant mortality
SAANS’ is a portable neonatal Continuous Positive Air Pressure (CPAP) system built by a Bangalore-based start-up.
Key Points
The machine can provide lifesaving breathing support to infants in hospital settings as well as during travel.
More than 50 SAANS devices have been deployed across medical colleges in Assam to date with more deployments underway to district hospitals.
InnAccel Technologies, incubated at the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms (C-CAMP), partnered with the SAMRIDH Healthcare Blended Finance Facility to build the equipment to improve respiratory assistance for babies and paediatric populations in Assam.
SAMRIDH is a multi-stakeholder innovation and funding platform operated by IPE Global and supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
The partnership between InnAccel, C-CAMP, and SAMRIDH, with backing from the National Health Mission, , Assam and the Government of Assam will help deploy 307 units of SAANS in the state.
The distribution of these machines is projected to cover practically all of the state’s current demand for respiratory support technology.
Bhaichung Bhutia becomes new president of Hamro Sikkim Party
Legendary footballer Bhaichung Bhutia has been recently elected as the new president of the Hamro Sikkim Party (HSP). He was elected by party leaders and members at a national conference.
Bhutia pledged to put endless effort to serve the people of Sikkim and represent their hopes and aspirations.
He said “We shall make unending efforts to ensure social equality and justice and provide limitless possibilities for every Sikkimese to realize the full potential of our state,”
He also expressed gratitude towards the outgoing HSP president Bina Basnett for successfully completing her tenure of three years.
India will host next Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in 2023
The rotational presidency of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization has been handed over to India in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. The next meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of State will be held in India in 2023.
Delhi will hold the presidency of the grouping for a year until September 2023. Next year, India will take over as the next Chair of SCO from Uzbekistan and will also host the summit.
During the SCO Summit, the Member States noted the various global challenges and threats in the global economy. They expressed deep concern over the security threat posed by terrorism, separatism and extremism and strongly condemned terrorist acts around the world.
They will seek to develop common principles and approaches to form a unified list of terrorist, separatist and extremist organizations whose activities are prohibited on the territories of the SCO member states.
The Member States also made commitments to build a sustainable economic system by promoting green and environmentally friendly technologies.
In the Samarkand Declaration, the member states supported the efforts of the countries of the region to ensure prosperity, peace and sustainable development. They advocated strengthening the role of SCO in enhancing stability and socio-economic development in the region.
About Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO)
Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is an international alliance consists of 8 member states: China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
The Secretariat of the SCO, headquartered in Beijing, China.
The official languages of the SCO are Chinese and Russian.
It is governed by the Heads of State Council (HSC), its supreme decision-making body, which meets once a year.
Science magazine ‘Vigyan Pragati’, received the National Rajbhasha Kirti Award
CSIR’s (Council of Scientific & Industrial Research) popular science magazine ‘Vigyan Pragati Received the National Rajbhasha Kirti Award (first position).
Vigyan Pragati is one of India’s most popular science magazines. It is popular among children, teachers, researchers, and the public across India as well as the world.
Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) started publishing this magazine in 1952. It carries a legacy of seven decades and over these many years.
This monthly Hindi publication imparts the knowledge of the recent national-international S&T related developments. The magazine contents aim at igniting curiosity about science among the young and strive to develop an interest in them to pursue science.
Rajbhasha Kirti Award was introduced by the Ministry of Home Affairs. which aims to encourage the implementation of the Official Language Policy. It is given on the day of Hindi Diwas.
Andaman and Nicobar Islands become India’s first Swachh Sujal Pradesh
Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat has declared Andaman and Nicobar Islands as India’s first Swachh Sujal Pradesh.
With this achievement, all the villages in Andaman and Nicobar Islands have received the Har Ghar Jal certification and also have been verified as ODF (open defecation free) and ODF Plus.
Swachh And Sujal Key Components
Three important components of Sujal and Swachh states are given below
Safe and secure drinking water supply and management;
ODF Plus: ODF Sustainability and Solid and Liquid Waste Management (SLWM)
Cross-cutting interventions like convergence, IEC, action planning, etc.
Government of Assam and Arunachal sign ‘Namsai Declaration’ to resolve vexed boundary dispute
The Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, Pema Khandu and his Assam counterpart Himanta Biswa Sarma inked the ‘Namsai Declaration’ for resolving the vexed inter-state boundary dispute between the two states.
The declaration was signed by the two chief ministers in the presence of several cabinet ministers of both states.
Key Points
The Chief Minister of both the states agreed in principle on restricting the number of contested villages to 86 instead of 123. Of the 123 disputed villages, a consensus has been reached on 37 and 86 others are left.
According to the Namsai Declaration’, both the Chief ministers agreed that out of the 37 disputed villages, 28 which are within the constitutional boundary of Arunachal Pradesh shall remain with the state while, three villages on which claims were withdrawn by Arunachal Pradesh, will be with Assam.
Six other villages which could not be located on the Assam side would also remain with the frontier state if they exist in Arunachal Pradesh, the agreement stated.
Both the states have agreed to form 12 regional committees to resolve the border issues. These committees will submit their report on 15th September. The draft MoU will be referred to the union government for its approval.
Mizoram has the highest ratio of women working as legislators and managers
As per the latest additional data of the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) for July 2020-June 2021, Mizoram has the highest proportion of women workers working as legislators, senior officials and managers, followed by Sikkim and Manipur.
In Mizoram, there was a 70.9% ratio of female-to-male workers who were working as legislators, senior officials and managers. Sikkim with 48.2% and Manipur at 45.1%, Meghalaya at 44.8% Andhra Pradesh recorded 43%.
The other northeastern state among Assam had 16.1% while Nagaland had a ratio of 9.1%.
Among the larger states and Union Territories with a low ratio were Uttarakhand, Jammu and Kashmir, Bihar, Punjab and Andaman and Nicobar. Dadra Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu had the lowest ratio of 1.8%.
In terms of senior managerial jobs, Mizoram again topped the charts with 40.8%, followed by Sikkim with 32.5 and Meghalaya at 31%. Andhra Pradesh with a ratio of 30.4%.
Bonn Global Biodiversity Conclave 2022
Bonn Global Biodiversity Conclave is being organised in Bonn, Germany. This conclave is mainly focusing on sustainable use of wild species.
Assessment on the Sustainable Use of Wild Species report will be published at the 9th conference of Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES).
New Assessment on the Sustainable Use of Wild Species report
It will incorporate the details on diverse uses of wild species and practices that are connected with them, these practices include, Gathering, Logging, Fishing, observing and Terrestrial animal harvesting (shearing and hunting).
It will investigate what ‘sustainable use’ implies and how it is associated with United Nations-mandated Sustainable Development Goals.
Authors of the report will also look after tools and methods to assess, measure and manage the sustainable use of wild species.
They will also read about the effectiveness of policy options, in order to govern the sustainable use of wild species in a better manner. Such policies include trade & incentives, and governance.
They would also highlight why and for whom the sustainable use of wild species is unavoidable.
Report will also explore the links between sustainable use of wild species and challenges associated with it, including climate change & land use.
India’s first floating terminal for liquefied natural gas (LNG) in Maharashtra
India’s first Floating Storage and Regasification Unit (FSRU) has arrived at H-Energy’s Jaigarh Terminal in the Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra, on the west coast of India.
The port is the first deep water, 24×7 operational private port in Maharashtra. This will be the first year-round Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) terminal in Maharashtra.
Floating Storage and Regasification Unit (FSRU) based LNG Terminals aims at providing the ability to enhance the pace of natural gas import capability in an environment friendly and efficient manner.
Key Points
The LNG terminal built in 2017, has a storage capacity of 170,000 cubic metres and installed regasification capacity of 750 million cubic feet per day.
Höegh Giant will deliver regasified LNG to the 56-km long Jaigarh-Dabhol natural gas pipeline, thereby connecting the LNG terminal to the national gas grid.
The facility is capable of reloading LNG onto small-scale LNG vessels for bunkering services and delivering LNG through truck loading facilities for onshore distribution.
H-Energy plans to further develop small-scale LNG markets in the region and use the floating storage and regasification unit for storage and reloading LNG onto smaller vessels.
NASA released James Webb Space Telescope’s first images
National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) released James Webb Space Telescope’s first images in a preview event at the White House in Washington.
This first image from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope is the deepest and sharpest infrared image of the distant universe to date.
Key points
It is a joint venture of NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Canadian Space Agency.
Thousands of galaxies including the faintest objects ever observed in the infrared have appeared in Webb’s view for the first time.
The James Webb Space telescope first photo covers a patch of sky that is approximately the size of a grain of sand held at arm’s length by someone on the ground.
It is a composite made from images at different wavelengths, totaling 12.5 hours.
The first images from the James Webb Space Telescope achieves depths at infrared wavelengths beyond the Hubble Space Telescope’s deepest fields, which took weeks.
It will be able to study Old and distant galaxies, which is not currently possible with Hubble.
It will show images from 250 million years after the Big Bang- taking us closer to the starting point of the Universe.
India ranks 135 in the Global Gender Gap Index 2022
Recently, the World Economic Forum (WEF) ranked India at 135 out of 146 countries in its Global Gender Gap (GGG) Index for 2022.
In 2021, India was ranked 140 out of 156 countries. India’s overall score has improved from 0.625 (in 2021) to 0.629.
About Global Gender Gap Report
The Global Gender Gap Index is an index designed to measure gender equality.
It was first published in 2006 by the World Economic Forum.
It assesses countries on how well they are dividing their resources and opportunities among their male and female populations, regardless of the overall levels of these resources and opportunities.
It is an index designed to measure gender equality by tracking progress towards closing gender gaps over time.
The Global Gender Gap index “benchmarks the current state and evolution of gender parity across four key dimensions–
Economic Participation and Opportunity,
Educational Attainment,
Health and Survival, and
Political Empowerment.
India’s Performance on Global Gender Gap Index 2022
Economic Participation and Opportunity: India ranks 143 out of the 146 countries. (In 2021, India was pegged at 151 out of the 156 countries.)
Educational Attainment: India ranks 107th out of 146. (In 2021, India was ranked 114 out of 156.)
Health and Survival: India ranks 146 in health and survival
Political Empowerment: India ranks the highest (48th out of 146).
Science & Technology is very important sections in any General Studies papers and in APSC GS Paper too, a significant number of Questions are asked from these sections. So, analyzing the previous year’s Qs from this section can be very helpful to understand Focus Areas to study more extensively.
Q32. How does Calcium carbide ripen mangoes?
a. It reacts with moisture and releases ethylene
b. It reacts with moisture and releases ethyne
c. It reacts with moisture and released acetaldehyde which in turn releases ethylene
d. It reacts with starch and releases acetylene
Q33. Which one of the following reflects back more sunlight as compared to other three?
a. Sand desert
b. Paddy cropland
c. Land covered with fresh snow
d. Prairie land
Q34. Which of the following is a bio-fertilizer?
a. Rhizobium
b. Azobacter
c. Blue-green algae
d. all of the above
Q35. Which country approved medical and therapeutic use of cannabis and its derivatives on 19th October, 2017?
a. Cambodia
b. Qatar
c. Pakistan
d. Peru
Q36. Vermicomposting is done by
a. fungus
b. bacteria
c. worms
d. animals
Q37. Group of organisms which converts light into food is called
a. autotrophs
b. heterotrophs
c. decomposers
d. omnivores
Focus Areas: General Science Processes
Q38. What does India’s first all-weather tracked-chassis QR-SAM stand for?
a. Quick Reaction Surface-to-Air Missile
b. Quotient Reaction Surface-to-Air Missile
c. Quicker Reaction Surface-to-Air Missile
d. None of the above
Quick Reaction Surface-to-Air Missile is a missile developed by the Defence Research and Development Laboratory, Bharat Electronics Limited and Bharat Dynamics Limited for the Indian Army, meant for protecting moving armoured columns from aerial attacks. QRSAM has a fully automated Command and Control System.
The WHO Guidelines – PM10 pollution – PM 2.5 and PM 10 levels
Biological Science – Human body, disease & causes
Defence & Security –
Intelligence Agencies ISI, RAW, CIA, MI6, IB, CBI
Defence Army institutes – Army’s Counter-Insurgency Warfare School, Vairengte, Mizoram, Army War College, Mhow, Indian Military Academy (IMA), Dehradun, Officers Training Academy –Chennai and Gaya (new), National Defence Academy (NDA),Pune
Joint Military/Naval Exercises
All Missiles, Aircraft carries & Submarines
Akash surface-to-air missile., Nag antitank missile., Prithvi-I: surface-to-surface ballistic missile,
Agni-V, VI : Four-stage Intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM)- minimum range of 5,500 km
Global Conference on Cyberspace organized in India.
Theme – Cyber4All: A Secure and Inclusive Cyberspace for Sustainable Development.
Brahmos missile successful air launch
The Indian Air Force conducted the first-ever successful air launch of the BrahMos cruise missile from a Sukhoi Su-30 MKI multirole aircraft.
It is the world’s fastest supersonic cruise missile
Glide Bomb – Smart Anti Airfield Weapon
DRDO successfully test fired the Glide Bomb – a Smart Anti Airfield Weapon (SAAW).
India successfully test fires Indigenous Subsonic Cruise Missile Nirbhay
Chandipur test range along the Odisha coast.
It is India’s first indigenously designed and developed Long Range Sub-Sonic Cruise Missile.
NASA Launches Next-Generation Weather Satellite Joint Polar Satellite System-1 (JPSS-1)
to monitor weather around the world and help improve forecasts.
is a joint venture between the US space agency and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
Moscow Declaration on TB &HIV
Representatives from 120 countries adopted the Moscow Declaration to eliminate additional deaths from HIV co-infection by 2020 and achieving synergy in coordinated action against TB and non-communicable diseases.
ISRO’s Sun Mission to take off in 2019
India will send ISRO’s solar mission Aditya-L1 to a vantage point in space, known as the L1 Lagrange point, to do imaging and study of the sun.
Facebook Rolls out Disaster Maps in India
In a bid to help communities recover and rebuild faster in the aftermath of natural disasters in India, Facebook introduced new measures, including its Disaster Maps feature in the country.
First Power Plant under PM Ladakh Scheme commissioned in Drass
The 1.5-mw small hydropower plant in Biaras Drass of Kargil has become the first project to be commissioned under the Prime Minister’s Ladakh Renewable Energy Initiative.
to minimize dependence on diesel in the Ladakh region and meet power requirement through local renewable sources.
International Solar Alliance and India
the first treaty-based international government organisation to be based in India, with 19 countries ratifying its framework agreement.
countries located between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn.
The ISA is headquartered in Gurgaon
International Training Centre for Operational Oceanography
The Union Cabinet approved the agreement with UNESCO on establishment of International Training Centre for Operational Oceanography, as a Category-2 Centre (C2C) of UNESCO, in Hyderabad.
AAROGYAM – 2017
The 1st International Exhibition & Conference on AYUSH & Wellness.
Ajeya Warrior Military Exercises
This is a biennial joint military exercise between India and army of United Kingdom
Ekuverin
The joint military exercise between Indian Army and Maldives National Defence Force
Sentinel-5p Satellite
a European satellite being commissioned by the European Union and the European Space Agency, tracking the levels air pollutants around the world
designed to make daily global maps of the gases and particles that pollute the air.
New Graphene-Based Battery Charges Five Times Faster
Scientists has developed a new graphene-based battery material with charging speed five times faster than today’s lithium-ion batteries.
Graphene is a sheet of carbon atoms bound together in a honeycomb lattice pattern, is hugely recognized as a “wonder material” due to the myriad of astonishing attributes it holds.
Monkey Fever
Kyasanur forest disease (KFD) is a tick borne viral haemorrhagic fever endemic in Karnataka.
The virus causing the disease: KFD virus (KFDV) is a member of the genus Flavivirus and family Flaviviridae.
What Is CYBORG
The term Cyborg was first coined by Manfred Clynes and Nathan S. kline to describe man-machine system in which the control mechanism of the human portion are modified externally by drugs or regulatory devices so that the being can live in an environment different from the normal one
an organism with organic and biomechatronic body parts that is partly human and partly machine .
Agni 5
India successfully conducted the “first pre-induction trial” of its over 5,000-km range Agni-V intercontinental ballistic missile
Agni -5 is the fifth in the line of the Agni Missiles
NASA to launch Parker Solar Probe to explore Sun’s outer atmosphere
Bharat Bio Typhoid Shot
Bharat Biotech has received a pre-qualification from the World Health Organisation (WHO) for Typbar Typhoid Conjugate Vaccine.
Typbar TCV is the first typhoid vaccine clinically proven to be administered to children from 6 months of age to adults, and confers long-term protection against typhoid fever.
GOLD and ICON Mission to explore the Ionosphere
NASA has announced that it would launch two missions to explore the little-understood area of 96 km above Earth’s surface.
The Global-scale Observations of the Limb and Disk (GOLD) mission will be launched in January 2018, and the Ionospheric Connection Explorer (ICON) will be launched later in 2018.
India’s Fastest Supercomputer
Pratyush, India’s fastest supercomputer yet, was unveiled at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) in Pune.
Pratyush is a collection of several computers that can deliver a peak power of 6.8 petaflops, facilitating the weather forecasting and climate monitoring in the country.
Pratyush is fourth fastest supercomputer in world dedicated for weather and climate research
India Misses Kala Azar Elimination Deadline
India has missed the 2017 deadline for elimination of Kala Azar (black fever).
Elimination is defined as reducing the annual incidence of Kala Azar (KA) to less than 1 case per 10,000 people at the sub-district level.
Kala Azar is a slow progressing indigenous disease caused by a single-celled parasite of the Leishmania family.
In India Leishmania donovani is the only parasite causing the disease. The parasite is found in abundance in the bone marrow, spleen and liver.
Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer
In SCNT the nucleus, which contains the organism’s DNA, of a somatic cell (a body cell other than a sperm or egg cell) is removed and the rest of the cell discarded.
Rotavac is the First Indian designed vaccine to pass the WHO Test
Rotavac became first indigenously developed vaccine from India to be pre-qualified by World Health Organisation (WHO). It means that vaccine can be sold internationally to several countries in South America and Africa.
The Rotavac vaccine, developed by the Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech Limited, was included in India’s national immunization programme.
Venezuela becomes first country to launch its own Digital Currency
Venezuela became the first country to launch its own cryptocurrency.
The official cryptocurrency has been named Petro
World Congress on Information Technology
The Government of Telangana has hosted the World Congress on Information Technology (WCIT) in 2018, at Hyderabad.
World Sustainable Development Summit 2018 held in India
organized by the Energy and Resources Institute (TERI).
International Conference on Sustainable Biofuels 2018 organized in New Delhi
jointly organized by Department of Biotechnology, Govt. of India on behalf of Mission Innovation and Biofuture Platform
Biofuels – fuels produced directly or indirectly from organic material – biomass – including plant materials and animal waste.
India Energy Congress 2018 was held in New Delhi
organised by World Energy Council India (WEC India) and inaugurated by Union Power and New and Renewable Energy Minister.
Milan 2018 multinational mega event at Andaman & Nicobar
With the underlying theme of ‘Friendship Across the Seas’
Rustom 2
India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation successfully completed the test flight of its Rustom 2 drone at the Aeronautical Test Range.
It is part of the Rustom line of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) that includes Rustom-I, Rustom-H and Rustom-C.
Three-parent Babies
Mitochondrial replacement therapy, which creates “three-parent babies”, involves a portion of the child’s DNA coming from their mother, father and a third person – an egg donor.
Britain’s fertility regulator Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has allowed doctors to create country’s first ‘three-parent’ babies through mitochondrial donation therapy.
aimed at preventing passage of incurable genetic diseases from mothers to offsprings
India Successfully Test-Fires Nuclear Capable Ballistic Agni II Missile
An indigenously developed intermediate-range nuclear capable ballistic Agni II was successfully test-fired from Launch Complex-4 of Integrated Test Range (ITR) from the Abdul Kalam Island off the Odisha coast.
India Successfully Test-Fires Nuclear Capable Prithvi-II
India successfully test-fired it’s indigenously developed nuclear capable Prithvi-II missile as part of a user trial by the Army from a test range in Odisha.
Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP)
was conceived by renowned scientist Dr A P J Abdul Kalam to enable India attain self-sufficiency in the field of missile technology.
IGMDP was sanctioned to develop Prithvi, Trishul, Akash, Nag and a Technology Demonstrator Agni Missile.
Japanese Encephalitis
Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) is a flavivirus related to dengue, yellow fever and West Nile viruses, and is spread by mosquitoes.
Nearly 100 New Exoplanets Have Been Found in Kepler Space Telescope (K2 mission) Mission Data of NASA
Exoplanets – are all the planets in the universe beyond own solar system.
Rocky planets: Rocky planets are mainly composed of heavier elements
Super-Earths: Super-Earths are planets of between 1 and about 10 Earth masses
Ocean planets and desert planets: planets with enough water to completely cover the entire surface of the planet with oceans.
Gas Giants: All planets with masses exceeding 10 Earth masses
Hot Jupiter: a gas giant that orbits its host star in a very close orbit
Rogue planets: planets without a central star; they are free-floating throughout our galaxy
India To Launch Mission To Explore Moon’s South Pole
India’s second lunar mission – Chandrayaan-II – is scheduled for an April 2018 launch.
It is under Chandrayaan-1 mission that the ISRO spotted water on the moon.
Chandrayaan-2 is a further extension of the project and it is as good as landing a man on the moon.
Chandrayaan-2 Mission
India’s second mission to the Moon is a totally indigenous mission comprising of an Obiter, Lander and Rover.
Marshall Islands to Issue World’s First Legal Tender cryptocurrency
It will be world’s first sovereign cryptocurrency that can be used as legal tender.
This cryptocurrency will be called Sovereign (SOV), has been developed in partnership with Israeli startup Neema.
Unlike Venezuela’s Petro cryptocurrency, the SOV will be recognized in law as legal tender, holding equal status as the US dollar, which is the Pacific island nation’s current currency.
Arctic Seed Vault celebrated the 10th anniversary
The Svalbard Global Seed Vault in Norway in the Arctic Circle got a delivery of more than 76,000 seed batches from gene banks in 22 countries.
The Svalbard Global Seed Vault is meant as a natural deep freeze to back up the world’s gene banks in case of disasters ranging from nuclear war to global warming. It has about 900,000 seed samples.
Exercise Samvedna
a Multilateral Air Force exercise, aimed to ensure better understanding and sharing of response procedures between a number of friendly neighbouring nations.
It was the first Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) exercise of the Indian Air Force (IAF) in association with South Asian Region nations.
involved representatives from air forces of Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal and the UAE.
MILES-18: first ever multi-nation naval exercise at sea held in Andaman
As part of the tenth edition of MILAN 2018.
Australia, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Thailand were the participating countries.
MILAN:
Milan’ was first held in 1995 with the participation of just five navies.
The aim of the initiative was to have an effective forum to discuss common concerns in the Indian Ocean Region and forge deeper cooperation among friendly navies.
Saposhi – a new malware
It is capable of taking over electronic devices and turning them into ‘bots’, which can be then used for any purpose, including a Distributed Denial Of Service attack which, with enough firepower, can cripple entire industries.
DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) attack is an illegal large-scale cyber campaign where a big number of devices are used to create traffic to a certain server.
Lamitye 2018
Joint military exercise ‘Lamitye’ was held between India and Seychelles. It is conducted biennially between the two countries.
Varuna-18
The navies of India and France conducted a joint bilateral exercise, “Varuna-18”, in the Arabian Sea off the Goa coast
The project in Theni district has been cleared by the Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) of the Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEF&CC).
aims to study atmospheric neutrinos in a 1,300-m deep cavern in the Bodi West Hills in Theni district, Tamil Nadu.
If completed, the INO would house the largest magnet in the world, four times more massive than the European Organization for Nuclear Research, CERN’s Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) detector’s magnet.
India Successfully Tests 3rd-Gen Anti-Tank Missile NAG In Desert Conditions
Anti Tank Guided Missiles (ATGM) Nag is one of five missile systems developed indigenously by DRDO under integrated guided missile development programme (IGMDP). The other four missiles are Agni, Akash, Trishul and Prithvi.
India’s First Cloned Assamese Buffalo Born
The Central Institute for Research on Buffaloes (CIRB) claimed that a cloned Assamese buffalo male calf was born for the first time in India.
New State Of Matter Rydberg polarons Created
created “giant atom” and filled it with ordinary atoms, creating a new state of matter termed Rydberg polarons. These atoms are held together by a weak bond and are created at very cold temperatures.
It uses ideas from two different fields: Bose Einstein Condensation and Rydberg atoms.
BEC (Bose Einstein Condensate) is a liquid-like state of matter that occurs at very low temperatures. A BEC can be perturbed to create excitations which are akin to ripples on a lake.
A ‘Rydberg atom’ is an atom in which an electron has been kicked out to a very large orbit.
TESS: NASA, SpaceX Collaborate To Search For Exoplanets
NASA’s little spacecraft, the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite, or TESS, will ascend on a Falcon 9 rocket of the SpaceX to go up in the space.
The primary mission objective of TESS is to survey brightest stars near Earth for transiting exoplanets over two-year period.
ISRO–BHEL Tie up for the Production of Space Grade Lithium-Ion Cells
ISRO has entered into a Technology Transfer Agreement (TTA) with Bharat Heavy Electricals
Limited (BHEL), to transfer the technology for the manufacture of space grade Li-Ion cells
Li-Ion Battery
type of rechargeable battery that contains several cells. Each cell consists of cathode, anode and electrolyte, a separator between electrodes and current collectors.
It is light weighted and is one-third the weight of lead acid batteries. It is nearly 100% efficient in both charging and discharging as compared to lead battery which has 70% efficiency. It completely discharges i.e. 100% as compared to 80% for lead acid.
Scientists discovered a new human organ ‘interstitium’
It will be the 80th organ in the human body. It might be also the biggest organ in human body.
The discovery of interstitium will help to explain how cancer spreads in body and pave way for new ways to detect and treat the disease.
Defence Planning Committee under National Security Advisor Ajit Doval
The committee will drive the country’s military and security strategy, draft capability development plans, guide and accelerate defence equipment acquisitions.
AFSPA lifted in Meghalaya
However, it has been partially revoked in Arunachal Pradesh.
The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act
enacted in 1958 to bring under control what the government of India considered ‘disturbed’ areas.
States under AFSPA (before April 1, 2018) included: Assam, Nagaland, Manipur (except the Imphal municipal area), Arunachal Pradesh (only the Tirap, Changlang and Longding districts plus a 20-km belt bordering Assam), Meghalaya (confined to a 20-km belt bordering Assam) and J&K.
Cybersecurity Tech Accord singed by 34 global technology and security companies
It represents a watershed agreement among the largest-ever group of companies agreeing to defend all customerseverywhere from malicious attacks by cybercriminal enterprises and nation-states.
The 34 companies include ABB, Arm, Cisco, Facebook, HP, HPE, Microsoft, Nokia, Oracle, and Trend Micro, and together represent operators of technologies that power the world’s internet communication and information infrastructure.
Internet Security Threat Report 2017 – India emerged as 3rd most cyber-threat vulnerable
released by security solutions provider Symantec, summarizes the state of cyber threats across the world.
ISRO loses contact with GSAT-6A Satellite
Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has lost contact with GSAT-6A, a satellite launched aiming to provide mobile communication facilities.
Chinese Space Station Tiangong 1 Falls to Earth
China’s prototype space station, whose name translates as “Heavenly Palace 1,” breaking apart and burning up in the skies over the southern Pacific Ocean.
Tiangong-1 was China’s first prototype space station or space laboratory. It was placed in orbit in September 2011.
The spacecraft cemetery / Point Nemo
considered the most remote place on Earth (at about 2400 km from any spot of land).
used to crash-land defunct satellites.
Harimau Shakti 2018
joint training exercise between Indo-Malaysian defence is being conducted in the dense forests of Sengai Perdik, Hulu Langat, Malaysia.
SAHYOG-HYEOBLYEOG 2018
The Indo-Korean joint anti-piracy exercise
Govt. bans imports of hormone Oxytocin
to stop its misuse in the livestock industry because it causes hormonal imbalances and shortens the lives of milch animals.
Often called the ‘love hormone’
Oxytocin is a neurotransmitter and a hormone that is produced in the hypothalamus. From there, it is transported to and secreted by the pituitary gland, at the base of the brain.
It plays a role in the female reproductive functions, from sexual activity to childbirth and breast feeding.
Odilorhabdins (ODLs) – new class of Antibiotics to combat Drug Resistance
which has a distinct way of killing bacteria, has been discovered which may help combat drug-resistant or hard-to-treat bacterial infections.
The bacteria help to kill the insect and importantly secrete the antibiotic to keep competing bacteria away. The antibiotic kills bacteria by binding to ribosome.
IIT-Delhi Installs India’s First 5G Lab
It will be the first of its kind 5G lab in the country and has been setup at Bharti School of Telecommunication Technology and Management.
from Satish Dhawan Space Centre SHAR, Sriharikota.
IRNSS-1I is expected to replace IRNSS-1A, the first of the seven navigation satellites that was rendered ineffective after its three rubidium atomic clocks failed.
The Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS)
is an independent satellite based regional system developed indigenously by India
The NAVIC system is constellation of seven satellites, (namely IRNSS-1I, 1B, 1C, 1D, 1E, 1F and 1G) of which three are geostationary and four are nongeostationary.
NASA launches planet-hunter Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS)
It will discover thousands of exoplanets in orbit around the brightest stars in the sky.
Brahmos Supersonic Cruise Missile extended life of 15 years
The BrahMos supersonic cruise missile with an extended life of 15 years was for the first time
successfully test fired from the Integrated Test Range in Balasore in Odisha.
BrahMos has become the first Indian missile whose life has been extended from 10 to 15 years.
The missile had also reached the maximum speed of 3 Mach, i.e. three times faster than the speed of sound.
BrahMos is supersonic cruise missile developed by joint-venture between Russia’s Mashinostroyenia and India’s Defence Research and Development Organization
It has been named after two rivers Brahmaputra and Moskva (river in western Russia).
Punjab government organised First census to estimate Indus Dolphin
Indus Dolphins, one of the world’s rarest mammals
Punjab government along with WWF-India are conducting a first organised census.
Found only in India and Pakistan, the Indus Dolphins are confined to only 185 km stretch between Talwara and Harike Barrage in India’s Beas river in Punjab.
Technology to tackle Space Junk
A spacecraft that will demonstrate a range of innovative technologies to clean up space debris has been deployed from the International Space Station (ISS)
RemoveDEBRIS – will attempt to address the build-up of dangerous space debris orbiting Earth.
RemoveDebris will deploy a large sail that will drag it into the Earth’s atmosphere, where it will be destroyed.
Net Generation SFDR Surface-to-Air Missile
successfully carried out the first test of a new surface-to-air missile with nozzle less booster making its mark as a military superpower in South East Asia region.
Indigenously designed and developed by DRDO, the missile flew in its intended trajectory at a
speed of Mach 3 (thrice the speed of sound).
The missile, powered by Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet (SFDR), was test-fired at Integrated Test Range (ITR) off Odisha coast.
Russia Launches Soyuz-2.1B
Russia has successfully launched Glonass-M positioning satellite on board of Soyuz-2.1b carrier rocket
GLONASS is Russian acronym for Global Navigation Satellite System, which provides real-time
positioning data for surface, sea and airborne objects around globe, at accuracy reportedly at par with US Global Positioning System (GPS).
now total 26 Glonass satellites in orbit.
Glonass is considered as counterpart to GPS of US, Galileo of European Union (EU) and Beidou of China.
Genome Valley 2.0
The Telangana Government has signed a MoU with Singapore-based Surbana Jurong for preparing a roadmap for Genome Valley 2.0, an upgraded version of life sciences and biotechnology.
The Genome Valley cluster has emerged as the largest life sciences destination in Asia, being home to over 200 companies employing 10,000 people.
Meghalayan – Newest phase in Earth’s History
named it The stalagmite from a cave in Meghalaya helped define climatic events 4,200 years ago, marking the beginning of the phase that continues till today.
The Meghalayan Age began with a mega global drought that devastated ancient agricultural civilizations from Egypt to China.
It is part of a longer period known as the Holocene Epoch, which reflects everything that has happened over the past 11,700 years.
This discovery done by the International Commission on Stratigraphy of the International
Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS)
Biodiesel in India
India’s domestic crude oil output stagnating and the demand for oil continuing to rise at an everincreasing pace, India has an opportunity to use substitutes of fossil fuels for both, economic and environmental benefits.
Ethanol is one such substitute that can be produced from sugarcane and used for transport by blending it with petrol/gasoline.
Another option is biodiesel, which can be produced from the oil-bearing seeds of certain plants and blended with diesel.
India’s first-ever environment friendly biofuel powered flight between Dehradun and Delhi was propelled by blend of oil from jatropha seeds and aviation turbine fuel.
Bio-jet fuel is greenhouse gas (GHG) neutral, carbon neutral, reduces air pollution.
Jatropha
Jatropha is drought-resistant perennial plant that can grow in marginal or poor soil.
The Problem of Jatropha is availability of it’s seeds.
Delhi Police gets india’s first All-Women SWAT Team
Delhi Police is the first police force in the country to have an all-women Special Weapons And Tactics (SWAT) team.
SCO Peace Mission 2018
Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Peace Mission 2018 exercise was started on 24 August 2018 at Chebarkul, Russia.
All eight members of SCO (China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan) participitated
Roadmap for ‘Gaganyaan’ manned flight to space
ISRO unveiled details of its first indigenous human space mission to be launched in 2022.
This will be the first human space mission to be indigenously developed by ISRO. If successful,
India will become fourth nation in the world to send astronaut into space after US, Russia and China.
Indian Air Force (IAF) Rakesh Sharma was first Indian to travel to space.
World’s First Wind-Sensing Satellite ‘Aeolus’
European Space Agency (ESA) successfully launched wind-sensing satellite named ‘Aeolus’ into orbit on board of Vega rocket from French Guyana.
satellite dedicated to map Earth’s wind on global scale in particular tropical winds which are very poorly mapped.
IIT Madras developed first microprocessors under Project Shakti
The first of family of six industry-standard microprocessors under Project Shakti.
Project Shakti was started in 2014 as IIT-M initiative and part of it is funded by Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.
The International Nitrogen Initiative
Indian scientist and academician Nandula Raghuram was elected as the Chair of the International Nitrogen Initiative (INI), a global policy making initiative.
Government bans Fixed Dose Combination (FDC) Drugs
Central government has banned 328 combination drugs in the background of growing antibiotic resistance due to the misuse of medicines.
Fixed Dose Combination (FDC) drugs includes two or more active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) combined in a single dosage form, which is manufactured and distributed in fixed doses.
Zika Virus cause of microcephaly and Guillain-Barré syndrome
Transmission: Zika virus is primarily transmitted to people through the bite of an infected mosquito from the Aedes genus, mainly Aedes aegypti in tropical regions. Sexual transmission of Zika virus is also possible.
Zika virus is a cause of microcephaly and Guillain-Barré syndrome.
Microcephaly – It is a condition where a baby is born with a small head or the head stops growing after birth.
Guillain-Barre syndrome – the body’s immune system attacks part of the peripheral nervous
system muscle weakness and loss of sensation in the legs and/or arms.
National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) released the report HIV Estimations 2017.
The HIV Estimations 2017 is the 14th round in the series of HIV Estimations under National AIDS Control Programme (NACP).
India had around 21 lakh people living with HIV (PLHIV) with adult prevalence of 0.22%.
Around 87000 new HIV infections and 69000 AIDS related deaths happened in 2017.
The impact of the NACP has been significant with more than 80% decline in estimated new infection from peak of epidemic in 1995. Similarly, estimated AIDS related death declined by 71% since its peak in 2005.
goal of attaining the ‘End of AIDS’ by 2030.
World’s first human case of Rat Hepatitis E has been detected in Hong Kong.
Hepatitis E is a liver disease caused by the hepatitis E virus (HEV): a small virus, with a positive-sense, single-stranded ribonucleic acid (RNA) genome.
India-US 2+2 Dialogue
India hosted inaugural 2+2 Dialogue with United States in New Delhi.
US defence secretary Jim Mattis and secretary of state Mike held talk with Indian Foreign minister and defence minister.
G-4 Summit
India hosted summit meeting of the G-4 nations (Brazil, Germany, India and Japan) at India’s Permanent Mission to the UN.
The summit aimed at pushing for early UN Security Council reforms.
They restated their support for Africa’s appropriate representation in a reformed and expanded
Council, which bears primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security.
Saudi Arabia to join CPEC Project
Saudi Arabia is set to join the multibillion-dollar project China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) as a third major economic partner.
CPEC
The $46-billion China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project focuses on road building and
energy infrastructure to end chronic power shortages in Pakistan and to link China’s landlocked
north-west with the deep-water port Gwadar on the Arabian Sea.
The ambitious project is a part of China’s “One Belt and One Road” or new Silk Road project. It is being built from the restive Xinjiang province in China to Gwadar in southwestern Pakistan.
India’s four more nuclear facilities under IAEA Safeguards
The four reactors included under IAEA are – two Russian-designed Pressurised Light Water Reactors and two Pressurised Heavy Reactors being built with Indian technology.
India’s Nuclear Programme
India plans to build 21 reactors by 2030 for power generation as well as to promote Cancer research.
In power generation, a notable achievement was one of the longest run of reactor Unit-1 of Kaiga plant.It has become the third longest running plant in the world.
IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency)
It is the world’s central intergovernmental forum for scientific and technical co-operation in the nuclear field.
Headquarters: Vienna, Austria
Awarded the Nobel Peace Prize on 7 October 2005.
4th International Ayurveda Congress in The Netherlands.
The congress was organized jointly by The International Maharishi AyurVeda Foundation, The Netherlands; the All India Ayurvedic Congress, New Delhi; and the International Academy of Ayurveda, Pune.
Germany has rolled out World’s First Hydrogen Train
Nicknamed Hydrail, these trains are called Coradia iLint trains and have been manufactured by Alstom, one of Europe’s largest railway manufacturers.
The train has batteries made of lithium-ion that is used in mobile phones and home appliances.
the train is equipped with fuel cells that produce electricity through a combination of hydrogen and oxygen, a process that leaves steam and water as the only emissions. Excess energy is stored in lithium ion batteries on board the train.
International Center for Transformative Artificial Intelligence
NITI Aayog, Intel and the TIFR have come together to setup a model International Center for Transformative Artificial Intelligence (ICTAI) towards developing and deploying AI-led application-based research projects.
It will be located in Bengaluru, Karnataka.
Dickinsonia – ancient fossil of the earliest animal
Scientists have discovered an ancient fossil of the earliest animal on geological record -Dickinsonia – that lived on Earth 558 million years ago.
Apsara U Reactor, India’s first and oldest atomic reactor
The Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) has set in motiona higher capacity version Apsara-upgraded (U).
Radioisotopes generated via power generation in nuclear reactors, research reactors, accelerators and spent fuel are used in agriculture, healthcare, industry and even municipal waste management.
Apsara reached criticality in August 1956, was also the first in Asia.
Oneer – innovative technology for Drinking Water Disinfection System
Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, Indian Institute of Toxicology Research (CSIRIITR), Lucknow has developed an innovative technology for Drinking Water Disinfection System with trade name Oneer.
Train 18 – India’s First Engine-less train
A 16-coach prototype known as Train 18 or T18, Indian Railways’ first engine-less train, made its inaugural trial run recently.
Capable of running at a speed of up to 160 kmph, it is being referred to as a successor to the Shatabdi Express.
The fully air-conditioned semi-high speed train has been manufactured by the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai.
2018 Nobel Prize in Physiology/Medicine
jointly awarded to James P. Allison and Tasuku Honjo.
for their discovery of cancer therapy by inhibition of negative immune regulation.
2018 Nobel Prize in Chemistry
Frances H. Arnold “for the directed evolution of enzymes” half of the prize and other half of the prize to George P. Smith and Sir Gregory P. Winter ”for the phage display of peptides and antibodies.”
2018 Nobel Prize in Physics
one half to Arthur Ashkin “for groundbreaking inventions in the field of laser physics” and other half jointly to Gérard Mourou “for the optical tweezers and their application to biological systems”
Nobel Prize
Nobel Prize is awarded annually from a fund bequeathed by the Swedish inventor and industrialist Alfred Nobel.
The prize is widely regarded as the most prestigious award given for intellectual achievement in the world.
The prize is awarded for Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, Literature, and Peace.
The first distribution of the prize took place in 1901. An additional award in Economic Sciences was established in 1968 and was first awarded in 1969.
The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences confers the prizes for physics, chemistry, and economics.
The Karolinska Institute confers the prize for physiology or medicine and the Swedish Academy confers the prize for literature.
The Norwegian Nobel Committee based in Oslo confers the prize for peace.
Gaganyaan
A MoU was signed between ISRO and the Federal Space Agency of Russia ROSCOSMOS on joint activities in the field of the human spaceflight programme Gaganyaan.
If successful, India would be the fourth nation to send a human in space after the US, Russia and China.
Gaganyaan is India’s maiden human spaceflight programme scheduled for completion by 2022.
GSLV Mk-III launch vehicle, which has the necessary payload capability for this mission, will be used to launch Gaganyaan.
China’s Artificial Moon
China has planned to launch an artificial moon over the city of Chengdu, in Sichuan province, by 2020 to provide an alternative means of street lighting and save on electricity.
As per preliminary reports the artificial moon would be a mirror orbiting Chengdu at a height of 500 km. It would reflect the sun’s light at night, and supplement street lighting in Chengdu, which has a population of 1.6 million.
China is not the first country to try beaming sunlight back to Earth. In the 1990s, Russian scientists reportedly used giant mirrors to reflect light from space in an experimental project called Znamya or Banner.
Andhra, West Bengal withdraws CBI power to investigate
Section 5 of the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act (DSPEA) gives powers to the CBI over all areas in the country, but Section 6 states that without the consent of the state concerned, it cannot enter that state’s jurisdiction.
Apart from Mizoram, West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh, the agency has consent in one form or the other for carrying out investigations across the country.
Kilogram re-defined
At the 26th CGPM, General Conference on Weights and Measures, in Versailles, Paris more than 60 nations came together to vote unanimously for a new system that redefines the kilogram.
kilogram, the ampere (electrical current), the kelvin (thermodynamic temperature) and the mole (amount of a substance) were redefined at the conference.
The kilogram has been defined since 1889 by a shiny piece of platinum-iridium kept in a special glass case, the International Prototype of the Kilogram (IPK), also known as Le Grand K (The Big K). It is housed at the headquarters of the International Bureau of Weights and Measures (BIPM), just outside Paris.
Now the kilogram will be defined by the Planck Constant, denoted as h, is a physical constant that is the quantum of action, which relates the energy carried by a photon with the frequency of its electromagnetic wave.
designed and built to work in the same way a human brain does, has been fitted with its landmark one-millionth processor core and has been switched on for the first time.
The SpiNNaker is capable of completing more than 200 million actions per second, with each of its chips having 100 million transistors.
Biological neurons are basic brain cells present in the nervous system that communicate primarily by emitting spikes of pure electro-chemical energy.
Neuromorphic computing uses large scale computer systems containing electronic circuits to mimic these spikes in a machine.
One billion neurons is one per cent of the scale of the human brain, which consists of just under 100 billion brain cells, or neurons, which are all highly interconnected via approximately one quadrillion synapses.
European Human Brain Project
The HBP Flagship was launched by the European Commission’s Future and Emerging Technologies (FET) scheme in October 2013
HysIS (Hyper Spectral Imaging Satellite)
ISRO has successfully launched the PSLV-C43 mission that carried HysIS (Hyper Spectral Imaging Satellite) as part of its payload.
GSAT 29 launched
ISRO’s GSAT-29 communication satellite recently launched successfully by the second developmental flight of Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark III (GSLV Mk III-D2) from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota.
GSAT 29 – weighing 3,423 kg at lift-off, GSAT-29 is the heaviest satellite to be launched from India.
GSLV Mk III – three-stage heavy lift launch vehicle developed by ISRO. The vehicle has two solid strap-ons, a core liquid booster and a cryogenic upper stage.
Earth BioGenome Project
with an ambitious objective was recently announced to map the entire genome of every known animal, plant, fungus and protozoan on earth.
A decade-long experiment to map the genomes of roughly 1.5 million species — all the complex life forms known to man
China unveils heavenly palace space station ‘Tiangong’
a replica of its first permanently crewed space station, which would replace the international community’s orbiting laboratory and symbolises the country’s major ambitions beyond Earth.
The International Space Station – a collaboration between the US, Russia, Canada, Europe and Japan, has been in operation since 1998 but is due to be retired in 2024.
INS Arihant
INS Arihant, India’s first nuclear ballistic missile submarine, has completed its first deterrence patrol.
With the induction of INS Arihant, India is ready with its nuclear triad – the capability of firing nuclear weapons from land, air and sea.
India has now become part of an elite club of countries – Russia, the US, China, France and the UK that possess nuclear ballistic missile submarines – the only non-Permanent member of UNSC having a sea-based nuclear deterrent.
India’s Nuclear Doctrine
made in 2003.
The basic principle of India’s nuclear doctrine is “No First Use”.
Nuclear weapons will only be used in retaliation against a nuclear attack on Indian Territory or on Indian forces anywhere.
10th Indian Ocean Naval Symposium
26 of the 32 countries that constitute the membership of the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) are participating in the 10th edition of the event that commenced in Kochi
CCRAS Developed AYUSH Drug QOL-2C for Cancer Patients
