Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Yellowstone NP
Mains level: Not Much
Yellowstone National Park, which celebrated its 151st anniversary earlier this week, is widely considered to be the first national park in the world.
Yellowstone National Park
- It is a large protected area located primarily in the U.S. state of Wyoming, although it also extends into Montana and Idaho.
- It was established in 1872 and is widely considered to be the first national park in the world.
- It spans an area of over 9,000 sq. km comprising lakes, canyons, rivers, iconic geothermal features such as the Old Faithful geyser, and mountain ranges.
Some key features and attractions of Yellowstone National Park include:
- Geothermal features: Yellowstone is famous for its geothermal features, including geysers, hot springs, mud pots, and steam vents. The most famous of these is Old Faithful, a geyser that erupts on a regular schedule.
- Wildlife: Yellowstone is home to a diverse array of wildlife, including grizzly bears, wolves, bison, elk, and moose. Visitors can see these animals in their natural habitats throughout the park.
- Scenic drives: The park has several scenic drives, including the Grand Loop Road, which takes visitors to many of the park’s major attractions.
- Fishing: The park has many rivers and lakes that offer excellent fishing opportunities, including the Yellowstone River.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Loan-Loss Provision
Mains level: NPA crisis
The Reserve Bank of India is moving closer towards ring-fencing the banking system from credit losses as it proposes to move to provision on the principles of ‘expected losses’ from ‘incurred losses. ‘
What is a Loan-Loss Provision?
- The RBI defines a loan loss provision as an expense that banks set aside for defaulted loans.
- Banks set aside a portion of the expected loan repayments from all loans in their portfolio to cover the losses either completely or partially.
- In the event of a loss, instead of taking a loss in its cash flows, the bank can use its loan loss reserves to cover the loss.
- The level of loan loss provision is determined based on the level expected to protect the safety and soundness of the bank.
What is Expected Credit Loss (ECL) regime?
- The Expected Credit Loss (ECL) regime is a new accounting standard that was introduced by the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) in response to the global financial crisis of 2008.
- The ECL regime requires banks and other financial institutions to estimate and report the expected losses from their loan portfolios over the lifetime of the loans.
- Under the ECL regime, financial institutions must assess the credit risk associated with each loan and estimate the expected losses that will result from default or other credit events.
- These expected losses must be recognized in the financial institution’s accounts and reported to investors and other stakeholders.
- Under this practice, a bank is required to estimate expected credit losses based on forward-looking estimations rather than wait for credit losses to be actually incurred before making corresponding loss provisions.
Benefits of the ECL regime
- ECL will result in excess provisions as compared to a shortfall in provisions, as seen in the incurred loss approach.
- It will further enhance the resilience of the banking system in line with globally accepted norms.
Issues with this regime
- It requires banks to provide for losses that have already occurred or been incurred.
- The delay in recognizing loan losses resulted in banks having to make higher levels of provisions which affected the bank’s capital.
- This affected banks’ resilience and posed systemic risks.
- The delays in recognizing loan losses overstated the income generated by the banks, which, coupled with dividend payouts, impacted their capital base.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Anmol Jeevan Mission, Tanka
Mains level: Not Much
A recent initiative called the ‘Anmol Jeevan Abhiyan’ (Precious Life Campaign) in Barmer, Rajasthan has motivated village panchayats and homeowners to add hand pumps and locked covers to tankas for improved structure.
What are Tankas?
- The tankas with a huge water storage capacity are traditionally built adjacent to the residential units in western Rajasthan.
- It is used for collecting rainwater and using it throughout the year for drinking and other household needs.
- They were constructed in households under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS).
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Anmol Jeevan Abhiyan
- The ‘Anmol Jeevan Abhiyan’ (Precious Life Campaign) has encouraged village panchayats and owners of houses to make the structural addition of hand pumps and locked covers on tankas.
- The light-weight hand pumps made of fibre serve the dual purpose of preventing the accidents and suicides as well as drawing of water from the tank.
- The campaign has been started jointly by the district administration, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and Action Aid.
- Among the 171 suicide cases reported last year, as many as 64 were those of women and a majority was those who had jumped into the water tanks.
Benefits offered
- Though the campaign has made an impact during the last three to four months, it cannot be measured in quantitative terms at present because of its continuity, even as the reports of suicides have gradually reduced.
- The permanent closure of tankas with the metal cover having lock also ensured that no cattleheads or other animals fall into them tank.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Proton Beam Therapy
Mains level: Not Much
There is currently a demand-supply gap of proton beam therapy machines in India, leaving many cancer patients in a difficult situation.
What is Proton Beam Therapy?
- Proton beam therapy is a type of radiation therapy — a treatment that uses high-energy beams to treat tumors.
- Radiation therapy using X-rays has long been used to treat cancers and noncancerous (benign) tumors.
- It uses protons rather than x-rays to treat cancer. At high energy, protons can destroy cancer cells.
- It can also be combined with x-ray radiation therapy, surgery, chemotherapy, and/or immunotherapy.
- Like x-ray radiation, proton therapy is a type of external-beam radiation therapy.
How it works?
- Fundamentally, all tissue cells are made up of molecules with atoms as their building blocks.
- In the center of every atom is the nucleus. Orbiting the nucleus of the atom are negatively charged electrons.
- When energized protons pass near orbiting electrons, the positive charge of the protons attracts the negatively charged electrons, pulling them out of their orbits. This is called ionization.
- It changes the characteristics of the atom and consequentially the character of the molecule within which the atom resides.
- Because of ionization, the radiation damages molecules within the cells, especially the DNA.
- Damaging the DNA destroys specific cell functions, particularly the ability to divide or proliferate.
- While both normal and cancerous cells go through this repair process, a cancer cell’s ability to repair molecular injury is frequently inferior.
- As a result, cancer cells sustain more permanent damage and subsequent cell death than occurs in the normal cell population.
Why in news?
- There is currently a significant demand-supply gap of proton beam therapy machines in India, with only a few machines available in the country.
- This has resulted in long wait times for patients who need the treatment, and many patients are forced to travel abroad to access the treatment, which can be prohibitively expensive.
Various challenges
- Huge demand: The demand for PBT machines is also increasing, as more and more patients are being diagnosed with cancer and are seeking the latest and most effective treatments available.
- High cost: One of the major challenges in setting up PBT machines is the high cost involved, as the machines are complex and require a significant investment.
- Shortage of personnel: In addition, there is a shortage of trained personnel who can operate and maintain the machines, which further limits their availability.
Way Forward
- The government and private sector need to invest more in setting up and maintaining the machines. This could include-
- Offering tax incentives and subsidies to private healthcare providers who invest in PBT machines
- Providing training and education to personnel who can operate and maintain the machines
- Setting up more public hospitals that offer proton beam therapy, which would help to make the treatment more accessible and affordable to patients who need it
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Chandrayaan
Mains level: Chandrayaan-3 Mission
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully conducted a crucial test for its upcoming Chandrayaan-3 mission.
What was the test?
- The test involved the high-thrust cryogenic engine, which will be used to power the rocket that carries the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft.
- The engine was tested for its endurance and performance under various conditions.
About Chandrayaan-3 Mission
- The Chandrayaan-3 mission is the third lunar exploration mission by the Indian Space Research Organisation.
- The mission follows the successful Chandrayaan-1 and Chandrayaan-2 missions, which were launched in 2008 and 2019 respectively.
- The Chandrayaan-3 mission is designed to further explore the Moon’s South Pole region and conduct various scientific experiments, including studying the lunar surface, mineralogy, and the presence of water.
Significance of the recent test
- With the successful test of the high-thrust cryogenic engine, ISRO is now one step closer to launching the Chandrayaan-3 mission.
- The mission is expected to be a significant step forward in India’s space exploration efforts and will further our understanding of the Moon and its potential for future exploration and exploitation.
Chandrayaan-2: A quick recap
- Chandrayaan-2 consisted of an Orbiter, Lander and Rover, all equipped with scientific instruments to study the moon.
- The Orbiter would watch the moon from a 100-km orbit, while the Lander and Rover modules were to be separated to make a soft landing on the moon’s surface.
- ISRO had named the Lander module as Vikram, after Vikram Sarabhai, the pioneer of India’s space programme, and the Rover module as Pragyaan, which crash-landed.
Inception of Chandrayaan 3
- The subsequent failure of the Vikram lander led to the pursuit of another mission to demonstrate the landing capabilities needed for the Lunar Polar Exploration Mission proposed in partnership with Japan for 2024.
Its design
- The lander for Chandrayaan-3 will have only four throttle-able engines.
- Unlike Vikram on Chandrayaan-2 which had five 800N engines with a fifth one being centrally mounted with a fixed thrust.
- Additionally, the Chandrayaan-3 lander will be equipped with a Laser Doppler Velocimeter (LDV).
Back2Basics: Chandrayaan-1 Mission
- The Chandrayaan-1 mission was launched in October 2008 was ISRO’s first exploratory mission to the moon, in fact to any heavenly body in space.
- The mission was designed to just orbit around the moon and make observations with the help of the instruments onboard.
- The closest that the Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft came to the moon was in an orbit 100 km from its surface.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Exercise Cobra Warrior
Mains level: Not Much
IAF contingent comprising to participate in Exercise Cobra Warrior at the Waddington Air Force Base of the Royal Air Force in the United Kingdom.
Exercise Cobra Warrior
- Cobra Warrior is a multinational military exercise that takes place annually in the United Kingdom.
- It is designed to improve the readiness and interoperability of the Royal Air Force and allied air forces for joint combat operations.
- The exercise brings together military units from different countries, including NATO allies and partner nations, to practice and enhance their air combat capabilities.
- During the exercise, the participating air forces conduct a series of realistic training scenarios that simulate air-to-air combat, air-to-ground attacks, and other mission types.
- The aim is to provide pilots and ground crews with realistic training experiences to help prepare them for real-world combat situations.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Organ as a chip
Mains level: Not Much
Central idea: Organ-on-a-chip technology has emerged as a new laboratory setup that scientists are using instead of animals to test new drugs.
What is Organ-on-a-Chip?
- Organ-on-a-chip is a microfluidic device that aims to mimic the structure and function of specific human organs or tissues in vitro.
- It is a small, transparent chip made of biocompatible materials such as silicon, glass, or polymers, and contains tiny channels lined with living cells.
- The living cells are derived from human tissues and can be cultured to replicate the microenvironment of the specific organ being modelled.
How does Organ-on-a-Chip work?
- Microfluidic channels simulation: Each organ-on-a-chip contains a complex network of microfluidic channels and chambers that can simulate the mechanical and chemical environment of a specific organ.
- Mimics the blood flow: The microfluidic channels can mimic the flow of blood and air, while the living cells provide a realistic environment for drug testing and disease modelling.
Potential applications of organ-on-a-chip
- Organ-on-a-chip technology has numerous potential applications, including drug development, disease modelling, and toxicity testing.
- By replicating the structure and function of human organs, researchers can study how organs interact with drugs and other compounds.
- This could lead to the development of more effective and personalized treatments for a variety of diseases.
- Additionally, organ-on-a-chip technology provides a more ethical and effective approach to testing drugs and other compounds, reducing the reliance on animal testing.
Examples of Organ-on-a-Chip
Several examples of organ-on-a-chip technology have been developed, including-
- Lung-on-a-chip mimics the air-blood interface in the lungs
- Heart-on-a-chip mimics the mechanical and electrical properties of the heart
- Liver-on-a-chip replicates the metabolic activity of the liver
- Brain-on-a-chip models the blood-brain barrier and neural activity in the brain
Future prospects
- Organ-on-a-chip technology is a promising and rapidly evolving field that offers numerous advantages over traditional drug development and testing methods.
- It provides a more ethical and effective approach to testing drugs and other compounds, reducing the reliance on animal testing.
- Furthermore, it has the potential to revolutionize the field of drug development by enabling more personalized and effective treatments for a variety of diseases.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: CV Raman, Raman's Effect
Mains level: Promoting scientific temper in India
National Science Day is commemorated on Feb 28 every year to commemorate the bird anniversary of Sir CV Raman.
National Science Day
- In 1986, the Government of India, under then PM Rajiv Gandhi, designated February 28 as National Science Day to commemorate the announcement of the discovery of the “Raman Effect”.
- The Raman Effect was the discovery which won physicist Sir CV Raman his Nobel Prize in 1930.
Who was CV Raman?
- Raman conducted his Nobel-prize-winning research at IACS, Calcutta.
- While he was educated entirely in India, Raman travelled to London for the first time in 1921, where his reputation in the study of optics and acoustics was known to physicists such as JJ Thomson and Lord Rutherford.
- The Raman Effect won scientist Sir CV Raman the Nobel Prize for physics in 1930.
- It was also designated as an International Historic Chemical Landmark jointly by the American Chemical Society (ACS) and the Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science (IACS).
- His speciality was the study of vibrations and sounds of stringed instruments such as the Indian veena and tambura, and Indian percussion instruments such as the tabla and mridangam.
The Raman Effect
- In 1928, Raman discovered that when a stream of light passes through a liquid, a fraction of the light scattered by the liquid is of a different colour.
- While Raman was returning from London in a 15-day voyage, he started thinking about the colour of the deep blue Mediterranean.
- He wasn’t convinced by the explanation that the colour of the sea was blue due to the reflection of the sky.
- As the ship docked in Bombay, he sent a letter to the editor of the journal Nature, in which he penned down his thoughts on this.
- Subsequently, Raman was able to show that the blue colour of the water was due to the scattering of the sunlight by water molecules.
- By this time he was obsessed with the phenomenon of light scattering.
Observing the effect
- The Raman Effect is when the change in the energy of the light is affected by the vibrations of the molecule or material under observation, leading to a change in its wavelength.
- Significantly, it notes that the Raman effect is “very weak” — this is because when the object in question is small (smaller than a few nanometres), the light will pass through it undisturbed.
- But a few times in a billion, light waves may interact with the particle. This could also explain why it was not discovered before.
- In general, when light interacts with an object, it can either be reflected, refracted or transmitted.
- One of the things that scientists look at when light is scattered is if the particle it interacts with is able to change its energy.
Real-life applications
- Raman spectroscopy is used in many varied fields – in fact, any application where non-destructive, microscopic, chemical analysis and imaging is required.
- Whether the goal is qualitative or quantitative data, Raman analysis can provide key information easily and quickly.
- It can be used to rapidly characterize the chemical composition and structure of a sample, whether solid, liquid, gas, gel, slurry or powder.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Stupa Architecture
Mains level: Ancient Buddhist Architecture
The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) stumbled upon a 1,300-year-old stupa right in the middle of a Khondalite mining site in Odisha’s Jajpur district.
About the Stupa
- The stupa could be 4.5-meter tall and initial assessment showed it may belong to the 7th or 8th
- It was found at Parabhadi which is situated near Lalitagiri, a major Buddhist complex, having a large number of stupas and monasteries.
- The newly discovered stupa was possibly disfigured in an earlier period.
Khondalite
- Khondalite is a foliated metamorphic rock.
- It is also called Bezwada Gneiss and Kailasa Gneiss.
- It was named after the Khond tribe of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh because well-formed examples of the rock were found in the inhabited hills of these regions of eastern India.
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Back2Basics: Lalitagiri Buddhist Complex
- Lalitagiri is a major Buddhist complex in the state of Odisha.
- The complex is home to stupas, ‘esoteric’ Buddha images, and monasteries (viharas), which is the oldest site in the region.
- Significant finds at this complex include Buddha’s relics. Tantric Buddhism was practiced at this site.
- Together with the Ratnagiri and Udayagiri sites a short distance away, Lalitagiri is part of the “Diamond Triangle”.
- It used to be thought that one or all of these were the large Pushpagiri Vihara known from ancient records, but this has now convincingly located at a different site.
Stupa Architecture
In the most basic sense, as an architectural representation of a sacred burial site, a stupa — no matter where it is located in the world or when it was built — has three fundamental features.
- A hemispherical mound (anda) The anda’s domed shape (green highlights) recalls a mound of dirt that was used to cover the Buddha’s remains. As you might expect, it has a solid core and cannot be entered. Consistent with their symbolic associations, the earliest stupas contained actual relics of the Buddha; the relic chamber, buried deep inside the anda, is called the tabena. Over time, this hemispherical mound has taken on an even grander symbolic association: the mountain home of the gods at the center of the universe.
- A square railing (harmika) The harmika (red highlights) is inspired by a square railing or fence that surrounded the mound of dirt, marking it as a sacred burial site.
- A central pillar supporting a triple-umbrella form (chattra) The chattra, in turn, was derived from umbrellas that were placed over the mound to protect it from the elements (purple highlights). Just as the anda’s symbolic value expanded over time, the central pillar that holds the umbrellas has come to represent the pivot of the universe, the axis along which the divine descends from heaven and becomes accessible to humanity. And the three circular umbrella-like disks represent the three Jewels, or Triantha, of Buddhism, which are the keys to a true understanding of the faith: (a) Buddha; (b) dharma (Buddhist teachings or religious law); and (c) sangha (monastic community).
Around these three core building blocks were added secondary features.
- Enclosure wall with decorated gateways (toranas) at the cardinal directions The wall — with its trademark three horizontal stone bars (in the top image) — surrounds the entire structure. The wall is marked in light blue highlights and the toranas in yellow.
- A circular terrace (medhi) The terrace — surrounded by a similar three-bar railing — supports the anda and raises it off the ground (black highlights); it likely served as a platform for ritual circumambulation.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: International IP Index
Mains level: Patenting in India
India ranks 42nd among 55 leading global economies on the International Intellectual Property (IP) Index released by the US Chambers of Commerce.
International IP Index
- It is released annually by the US Chamber of Commerce.
- The index evaluates IP rights in 55 global economies across 50 unique indicators.
- The indicators include patent and copyright policies to commercialization of IP assets, and ratification of international treaties.
- The index aims to help nations navigate toward a brighter economic future marked by greater innovation, creativity, and competitiveness.
Key prospects for India
- India is ripe to become a leader for emerging markets seeking to transform their economy through IP-driven innovation said the report.
- Successful IP-based businesses in India include pharmaceutical companies, software firms, and creative industries.
Key factors contributing to India’s score
- IP laws
- Efficiency of its judicial system and
- Level of enforcement of IP rights
Challenges faced
- These are some challenges faced by Indian companies in protecting and monetizing their IP include issues such as-
- Counterfeiting
- Piracy
- Weak enforcement of IP laws
IP regime in India
Broadly, the following acts deal with the protection of intellectual property:
- Trade Marks Act, 1999
- The Patents Act, 1970 (as amended in 2005)
- The Copyright Act, 1957
- The Designs Act, 2000
- The Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999
- The Semiconductor Integrated Circuits Layout Design Act, 2000
- The Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Right Act, 2001
- The Information Technology Act, 2000
Way forward
- India must undertake reforms to strengthen IP protection and enforcement, modernizing IP laws, and increasing investment in IP infrastructure.
- Collaboration between government, industry, and academia is important in improving India’s IP ecosystem/
- Lessons can be learned from other countries with successful IP regimes, such as the United States, Japan, and South Korea.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Neutrino, Ant-particles
Mains level: Not Much
Central idea: The article discusses recent research on the idea that neutrinos might be their own antiparticles, a concept that has been debated in the scientific community for many years.
What are neutrinos?
- Neutrinos are fundamental particles that are similar to electrons but have no electric charge.
- They are one of the most abundant particles in the universe, but they are also one of the most difficult to detect because they interact only very weakly with matter.
- Neutrinos are created in a variety of natural processes, including nuclear reactions in stars, radioactive decay, and cosmic ray interactions.
- They are also produced in particle accelerators and nuclear reactors.
Its types
- Neutrinos come in three different types or “flavors”:
- Electron neutrinos
- Muon neutrinos, and
- Tau neutrinos
- Each flavor of neutrino is associated with a different charged lepton (electron, muon, or tau).
Why study neutrinos?
- Because they are electrically neutral and interact only weakly with matter, neutrinos can pass through enormous amounts of material without being stopped or deflected.
- This property makes them useful for studying astrophysical phenomena such as supernovae and the sun’s interior, as well as for exploring the fundamental nature of matter.
Neutrinos as their own antiparticles
- Particle physics explains that particles and their antiparticles have opposite properties, and they can annihilate each other when they meet.
- Neutrinos are fundamental particles that are difficult to detect as they have no electric charge and interact only weakly with matter.
- The idea that neutrinos could be their own antiparticles is supported by the fact that they are electrically neutral, and they could interact with themselves in a process called neutrinoless double beta decay.
Substantiation of this
- The Majorana Demonstrator experiment is designed to detect neutrinoless double beta decay.
- The experiment has reported some promising results that suggest that neutrinos could indeed be their own antiparticles.
Significance of this theory
- If confirmed, the idea that neutrinos are their own antiparticles could have important implications for our understanding of the fundamental nature of matter and the universe as a whole.
- More research will be needed before any definitive conclusions can be drawn, but the results of the Majorana Demonstrator experiment provide some promising evidence for the idea that neutrinos are their own antiparticles.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: E-Sanjeevani App
Mains level: Telemedicine
The eSanjeevani app was featured in Prime Minister’s “Mann Ki Baat” address as part of the government’s efforts to promote digital healthcare in the country.
What is the e-Sanjeevani app?
- E-Sanjeevani is a browser-based platform-independent application that allows for both ‘doctor-to-doctor’ and ‘patient-to-doctor’ teleconsultations.
- During the Covid pandemic, the union health ministry launched the e-Sanjeevani telemedicine services to ensure that health consultations reach people even in remote villages.
- At the time of its launch, the union health ministry stated that it was a doctor-to-doctor telemedicine service that would provide general and specialised health care in rural areas.
How does e-Sanjeevani work?
- The e-Sanjeevani service establishes a virtual link between the beneficiary and doctor or specialist at the hub, which will be a tertiary healthcare facility.
- This network’s spoke would be a paramedic or generalist at a health and wellness centre.
- It allows for real-time virtual consultations between doctors and specialists at the hub and the beneficiary (via paramedics) at the spoke.
- The e-prescription generated at the conclusion of the session is used to obtain medications.
What is the reach of e-Sanjeevani?
- Sanjeevani HWC is currently operational in approximately 50,000 health and wellness centres across the country.
- As PM Modi stated in ‘Mann Ki Baat’, the number of tele-consultants using the e-Sanjeevani app has now surpassed 10 crore.
- Health minister has stated that 100.11 million patients were served at 115,234 Health and Wellness Centres (as spokes) via 15,731 hubs and 1,152 online OPDs staffed by 2,29,057 telemedicine-trained medical specialists and super-specialists.
- More than 57% of e-Sanjeevani beneficiaries are women, with only about 12% being senior citizens, according to union health ministry.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: ALMA Telescope
Mains level: NA
The Atacama Large Millimetre/submillimetre Array (ALMA) — a radio telescope in the Atacama Desert of northern Chile is set to get software and hardware upgrades.
What is ALMA?
- ALMA is a state-of-the-art telescope that studies celestial objects at millimetre and submillimetre wavelengths which can penetrate through dust clouds.
- It helps astronomers examine dim and distant galaxies and stars out there.
- It also has extraordinary sensitivity, which allows it to detect even extremely faint radio signals.
- The telescope consists of 66 high-precision antennas, spread over a distance of up to 16 km.
- Each antenna is outfitted with a series of receivers, and each receiver is tuned to a specific range of wavelengths on the electromagnetic spectrum.
Who operates ALMA?
- ALMA is operated under a partnership among the United States, 16 countries in Europe, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and Chile.
- Fully functional since 2013, the radio telescope was designed, planned and constructed by US, Japan and EU.
Why is ALMA located in Chile’s Atacama Desert?
- ALMA is situated at an altitude of 16,570 feet (5,050 metres) above sea level on the Chajnantor plateau in Chile’s Atacama Desert.
- The high altitude and low humidity of the site make it an ideal location for a radio telescope, as there is minimal atmospheric interference.
- Moreover, the desert is the driest place in the world, meaning most of the nights here are clear of clouds and free of light-distorting moisture — making it a perfect location for examining the universe.
Significant discoveries
- One of the earliest findings came in 2013 when it discovered starburst galaxies earlier in the universe’s history than they were previously thought to have existed.
- These newly discovered galaxies represent what today’s most massive galaxies looked like in their energetic, star-forming youth.
- In 2015, the telescope helped scientists observe a phenomenon known as the Einstein ring, which occurs when light from a galaxy or star passes by a massive object en route to the Earth, in extraordinary detail.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Social Stock Exchange (SSE)
Mains level: Not Much
The National Stock Exchange (NSE) has received final approval from the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) to set up a Social Stock Exchange (SSE) as a separate segment of the NSE.
What is a Social Stock Exchange?
- Social Stock Exchange (SSE) is a platform that connects social enterprises with investors who are looking for social impact along with financial returns.
- Social enterprises are organizations that prioritize social impact over profits.
- SSE aims to provide these organizations with access to capital markets and raise awareness about social investment opportunities.
Who can get listed for SSEs?
- Any social enterprise, Non-Profit Organisation (NOPs) or For-Profit Social Enterprises (FPEs), that establishes its primacy of social intent can get registered or listed on the Social Stock Exchange segment.
- Eligible NPOs can begin by registering on the SSE segment.
- After onboarding, NPOs can initiate the fund mobilization process by issuing instruments such as Zero Coupon Zero Principal (ZCZP) via a public issue or private placement.
- Currently, the regulations have prescribed a minimum issue size of Rs 1 crore and a minimum application size for the subscription of Rs 2 lakhs for ZCZP issuance.
How will SSE work?
- The SSE will be a separate segment on the NSE, where social enterprises can list their securities.
- These securities will be available for trading to investors who are interested in social impact investing.
- The SSE will also provide a range of services such as capacity building, impact measurement, and reporting to help social enterprises improve their operations and measure their social impact.
Benefits of SSE
- For social enterprises, SSE will provide access to capital markets and help them raise funds for their social projects.
- For investors, SSE will provide a platform to invest in social enterprises and contribute to social impact.
- SSE will also create a transparent marketplace where investors can assess the social impact of their investments.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Section 153A of IPC
Mains level: Free speech and defamation
Central idea: A politician was recently arrested under Section 153A of IPC for the alleged use of objectionable words against the Prime Minister.
Section 153A: What the law says
- Section 153A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) penalises “promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony”.
- This is punishable with imprisonment up to three years, or with fine, or with both.
- The provision was enacted in 1898 and was not in the original penal code.
- At the time of the amendment, promoting class hatred was a part of the English law of sedition, but was not included in the Indian law.
Charges laid for remarks against PM
The FIR mentioned the use of Sections-
- 153B(1) (Making imputations, assertions prejudicial to national integration);
- 295A (Deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs);
- 500 (Defamation); and
- 504 (Intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace).
Conviction rates under Section 153A
- Data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) show that the rate of conviction for Section 153A is very low.
- In 2020, 1,804 cases were registered, six times higher than the 323 cases in 2014.
- However, the conviction rate in 2020 was 20.2%, suggesting that the process often becomes the punishment.
Issues with the law
- Hate speech laws have been invoked under regimes of all parties to crack down on criticism of public functionaries and to arrest individuals.
- The invocation of Section 153A is often criticized for restricting free speech and misusing the legal processes for political purposes.
Safeguards against misuse
- Given that the provisions are worded broadly, there are safeguards against its misuse.
- For example, Sections 153A and 153B require prior sanction from the government for initiating prosecution.
- But this is required before the trial begins, and not at the stage of preliminary investigation.
- To curb indiscriminate arrests, the Supreme Court laid down a set of guidelines in its 2014 ruling in Arnesh Kumar v State of Bihar.
- As per the guidelines, for offenses that carry a sentence of fewer than seven years, the police cannot automatically arrest an accused before investigation.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Caveat
Mains level: Not Much
Recently, the Supreme Court bench reprimanded a law student for filing a caveat in a petition seeking menstrual leave for female students and working women across Indian institutions.
What is a Caveat?
- In common parlance, a caveat refers to “warning” or “caution”.
- However, legally it connotes a “formal notice requesting the court to refrain from taking some specified action without giving prior notice to the person lodging the caveat.”
- The person lodging the caveat is called a “caveator”.
- The provision was inserted by the Amendment Act of 1976 after the Law Commission’s recommendation by Section 148A of the Civil Procedure Code (CPC).
- However, the term is not expressly defined anywhere except in the Calcutta High Court’s 1978 ruling.
Who can fill the Caveat?
- Any person has a right to lodge a caveat in a Court.
- Any person claiming a right to appear before the Court on the hearing of such application may lodge a caveat in respect thereof.
- The caveator or the person lodging is also required to serve a notice of the caveat by “registered post” to the person on whose plea they are lodging the application
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: CCR5-delta 32 mutation
Mains level: Not Much
Central idea: This article discusses recent developments in the field of HIV research that have led to the possibility of a cure for the disease.
What is HIV/AIDS?
- HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) is a virus that attacks cells that help the body fight infection, making a person more vulnerable to other infections and diseases.
- First identified in 1981, HIV is the cause of one of humanity’s deadliest and most persistent epidemics.
- It is spread by contact with certain bodily fluids of a person with HIV, most commonly during unprotected sex, or through sharing injection drug equipment.
- If left untreated, HIV can lead to the disease AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome).
- The human body can’t get rid of HIV and no effective HIV cure exists.
Present treatment of HIV
- However, by taking HIV medicine (called antiretroviral therapy or ART), people with HIV can live long and healthy lives and prevent transmitting HIV to their sexual partners.
- In addition, there are effective methods to prevent getting HIV through sex or drug use, including pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP).
What is the new breakthrough?
- Doctors selected a donor carrying two copies of a CCR5-delta 32 genetic mutation – a mutation that is known to make the carriers almost immune to HIV.
- The CCR5-delta 32 genetic mutation is a rare genetic mutation that affects the CCR5 gene, which is involved in the immune system’s response to infection.
- The mutation causes a deletion of 32 nucleotides in the gene, resulting in a truncated or shortened version of the CCR5 protein.
- This truncated protein is not able to function normally, and people with this mutation are largely resistant to HIV infection.
How has the CCR5-delta 32 mutation been used in HIV research?
- Researchers have been studying the CCR5-delta 32 mutation as a potential avenue for developing an HIV cure.
- One approach involves using gene editing technologies like CRISPR to induce the mutation in HIV-positive individuals, effectively making their immune cells resistant to HIV infection.
- Another approach involves bone marrow transplantation from donors with the CCR5-delta 32 mutation.
What are the risks associated?
- Gene editing technologies like CRISPR are still in their early stages, and there are concerns about the safety and effectiveness of these methods.
- Additionally, bone marrow transplantation is a complex and risky procedure that is not feasible for all HIV-positive individuals.
- Finally, it is important to note that not all HIV infections are caused by the CCR5 strain of the virus, and therefore the use of the CCR5-delta 32 mutation as an HIV cure would not be effective for all cases of HIV.
Prevalence of HIV/AIDS in India
- As per the India HIV Estimation 2019 report, the estimated adult (15 to 49 years) HIV prevalence trend has been declining in India since the epidemic’s peak in the year 2000 and has been stabilizing in recent years.
- In 2019, HIV prevalence among adult males (15–49 years) was estimated at 0.24% and among adult females at 0.20% of the population.
- There were 23.48 lakh Indians living with HIV in 2019.
- Maharashtra had the maximum at 3.96 lakh followed by Andhra Pradesh (3.14 lakh) and Karnataka.
- ART is freely available to all those who require and there are deputed centres across the country where they can be availed from.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Neutral Citiation
Mains level: Not Much
The CJI expressed hope that High Courts too would follow neutral citation for their judgments. The Delhi, Kerala, and Madras HCs have already introduced neutral citation.
What is a “Citation”?
- A case citation is essentially an identification tag for a judgment.
- Typically, it would contain a reference number, the year of the judgment, the name of the court that delivered that judgment, and a shorthand for the journal publishing the judgment.
And what is a neutral citation?
- A neutral citation would mean that the court would assign its own citation — distinct from those given by traditional Law Reporters.
- Law Reporters are periodicals or annual digests that publish judgments, often with an editorial note to make it accessible for lawyers to refer to precedents.
- For example, for the landmark Kesavananda Bharati case, the citation in ‘Supreme Court Cases’, a journal published by the Eastern Book Company, is (1973) 4 SCC 225.
- In the All India Reporter (AIR), the citation is AIR 1973 SC 1461.
Why is a neutral system good or necessary?
- Judgments mention citations while referring to precedents and often use citations from different Law Reporters.
- With artificial intelligence (AI) enabled translation of judgments and transcribing of court proceedings, a uniform citation is necessary.
- Several High Courts including Delhi High Court have started a neutral citation format.
- The Delhi HC neutral citation is, for example, in this format: No-YEAR/DHC/XXXXXX
How will the SC implement the neutral citation system?
- Our recent initiative is neutral citations for all judgments of the Supreme Court.
- So all 30,000 judgments are going to have neutral citations.
- First tranche will be till January 1, 2023, then the other tranche will be till judgments from 2014 and then finally we will go back to 1950.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Keeladi Civilization, Sangam Age
Mains level: Major civilizations
Central idea: Keeladi is an archaeological site that has been excavated by the Tamil Nadu State Department of Archaeology since 2014. Recent excavations here has pushed the Sangam age further back.
About Keeladi
- Keeladi is a tiny hamlet in the Sivaganga district in south Tamil Nadu.
- It is about 12 km south-east to the temple city of Madurai and is located along the Vaigai River.
- The excavations here from 2015 prove that an urban civilisation existed in Tamil Nadu in the Sangam age on the banks of the Vaigai River.
How is Keeladi linked to Sangam age?
- The Sangam age is a period of history in ancient Tamil Nadu which was believed to be from the third century BCE to the third century CE.
- The name is derived from the renowned Sangam poets of Madurai from that time.
Recent findings
- In 2019, a TNSDA report dated the unearthed artefacts from Keeladi to a period between sixth century BCE and first century BCE.
- Some samples sent for carbon dating in the US, dated back to 580 BCE.
- The findings placed Keeladi artefacts about 300 years earlier than the previously believed third century BCE.
Significance of the findings
- Older than perceived: Recent finding at Keeladi has pushed the Sangam age to 800 BCE based on these archaeological findings.
- Literary evidences: Keeladi, along with other Tamil Nadu sites which have over a thousand inscribed potsherds, clearly suggest the long survival of the script.
- Substantial evidence to Sangam Age: It comes across as an industrious and advanced civilisation and has given evidence of urban life and settlements in TN during the Early Historic Period.
- Another major civilisation: The unearthed Keeladi artefacts have led academics to describe the site as part of the Vaigai Valley Civilisation. It has all the characteristics of an urban civilisation, with brick structures, luxury items and proof of internal and external trade.
- Filling in the cultural gaps: This could provide crucial evidence for understanding the missing links of the Iron Age (12th century BCE to sixth century BCE) to the Early Historic Period (sixth century BCE to fourth century BCE) and subsequent cultural developments.
Links with Indus Valley
Ans. A lot of digging and study has to be done to establish the links between these two civilisations.
- The findings have invited comparisons with the Indus Valley Civilisation while acknowledging the cultural gap of 1,000 years between the two places.
- Till now, the gap is filled with Iron Age material in south India, which serve as residual links.
- However, some of the symbols found in pot sherds of Keeladi bear a close resemblance to Indus Valley signs.
What has been unearthed so far?
- Pottery: Unearthing of heaps of pottery suggest the existence of a pottery making industry, mostly made of locally available raw materials.
- Inscriptions: Over 120 potsherds containing Tamil Brahmi inscriptions have been found.
- Jewellery: There also existed a dyeing industry and a glass bead industry. Gold ornaments, copper articles, semi-precious stones, shell bangles, ivory bangles and ivory combs reflect the artistic, culturally rich and prosperous lifestyle of the Keeladi people.
- Import of semiprecious stones: Agate and carnelian beads suggest import through commercial networks while terracotta and ivory dice, gamesmen and evidence of hopscotch have been unearthed revealing their pastime hobbies.
Recent politicization of the excavation
- The Keeladi site, since its discovery has been shrouded in controversies with several Dravidian and Left ideologues.
- They claim that the archaeological finds prove that the Indus Valley Civilisation was a “Dravidian” culture and an independent “secular” Tamil civilisation.
- The attempt to define the finds in narrow and racial terms is ideologically motivated to one, pump up Tamil exclusivist sentiments, and two, and challenge the view that sees India as one— unity in diversity.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: HD 3226 wheat variety
Mains level: Not Much
Scientists at the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) have developed a new variety of wheat ‘HD 3226’ that can withstand high temperatures.
HD 3226 Wheat
- The wheat, known as “HD 3226”, has been developed specifically for cultivation in the northwest region of India, where temperatures can reach up to 42 degrees Celsius.
- It took 10 years for ICAR to develop this variety.
- It has been specifically developed for cultivation in the northwest region of India.
Features of HD 3226 Wheat
- More resilient to heat stress: The HD 3226 wheat variety is reportedly more resilient to heat stress than other varieties of wheat.
- Higher yields: The HD 3226 wheat variety can produce up to 12-15% higher yields in high-temperature conditions.
Significance
- The development of this new wheat variety is particularly important given the increasing frequency of heatwaves in the region due to climate change.
- With rising temperatures, it is becoming more challenging for farmers to grow crops.
Government approval and availability
- The HD 3226 wheat variety has now been submitted to the Indian government for approval.
- Once approved, it is expected to be available to farmers in the coming years.
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