Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: SpaceX Starship
Mains level: Read the attached story
SpaceX is preparing for the first test flight of Starship, which is the most powerful rocket ever built.
About SpaceX Starship
- Starship is a fully reusable spacecraft designed and built by SpaceX with the primary goal of sending humans to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.
Key objectives
- SpaceX aims to use Starship to establish a self-sustaining human settlement on Mars.
- The ultimate goal is to enable humans to become a multi-planetary species.
- It also aims to make Starship reusable, reducing the cost of spaceflight and bringing down the price to a few million dollars per flight.
- In the long run, the company aims to achieve full and rapid reusability of the spacecraft.
Features
|
Details
|
| Design and configuration |
- Made up of two parts: a 50-meter tall spacecraft and a 70-meter tall Super Heavy rocket booster.
- Spacecraft has six Raptor engines; Super Heavy Booster has 28 Raptor engines.
- Payload capacity of up to 100 metric tons and features a large heat shield.
- Interior can be configured for up to 100 passengers or cargo.
|
| Manoeuvrability |
- Designed to be fully reusable, with vertical take-off and landing on Earth, Moon, and Mars.
- Can be refuelled in orbit for deeper space travel and for establishing a human settlement on Mars.
|
| Construction and materials |
- Built using durable and cost-effective stainless steel material.
- Stainless steel also provides heat protection during re-entry into the Earth’s atmosphere.
|
| Power and thrust |
- Powered by methane and liquid oxygen fueled Raptor engines.
- Generates 17 million pounds of thrust more than twice that of the Saturn V rockets used for the Apollo missions.
|
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: T Cell Immunity
Mains level: Covid resurgence
Central idea: The SARS-CoV-2 virus has the ability to evade CD8 T cells, which are important in reducing the viral load and clearing the infection by detecting and killing infected cells.
What is the news?
- A recent study has revealed that the SARS-CoV-2 virus has the ability to modulate MHC I expression in host cells.
- MHC I is crucial in alerting the immune system to virally infected cells.
- The virus has evolved multiple strategies to inhibit MHC I expression, which is not seen in the case of the influenza virus.
What is T Cell Immunity?
- Like B cells, which produce antibodies, T cells are central players in the immune response to viral infection.
- For your immune system to fight off any kind of invader, such as a virus, you need a kind of white blood cell called a B cell, which makes antibodies, and a similar-looking white blood cell called a T cell.
- T cells can play different roles altogether.
- They can act as “killer cells”, attacking cells which have been infected with a virus or another kind of pathogen, or they can act as “helper cells” by supporting B cells to produce antibodies.
How do they function?
- Alongside antibodies, the immune system produces a battalion of T cells that can target viruses.
- Some of these, known as killer T cells (or CD8+T cells), seek out and destroy cells that are infected with the virus.
- Others, called helper T cells (or CD4+T cells) are important for various immune functions, including stimulating the production of antibodies and killer T cells.
- T cells do not prevent infection, because they kick into action only after a virus has infiltrated the body. But they are important for clearing an infection that has already started.
- In the case of COVID-19, killer T cells could mean the difference between a mild infection and a severe one that requires hospital treatment.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Pralay Missile
Mains level: Strategic weapons
India is going to buy 250 more Pralay ballistic missiles for the services to strengthen them on the northern borders, further boosting the firepower of the defence forces.
Pralay Ballistic Missile
- Pralay is a tactical missile developed from India’s K-series of submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs).
- It has a range of 150-500 km and can carry warheads weighing between 350 to 700 kg.
- The missile is a canisters road-mobile system, which enhances its mobility and allows for quick preparation and launch of the missile.
- Pralay has the ability to perform manoeuvres in flight and follows a quasi-ballistic trajectory to maintain high speed, making it difficult for enemy missile defence systems to intercept.
Classification
- The Indian Defence Ministry has classified Pralay as a “conventional Surface-to-Surface missile”.
- This distinguishes it from the Agni series of missiles, which have the capability to carry either conventional or nuclear warheads.
Testing and launch
- The missile was launched on a quasi-ballistic trajectory in one of the two tests, which enhances its effectiveness against enemy missile defence systems.
- Satellite imagery of the test shows that Pralay is a canisterised road-mobile system, which adds to its mobility and flexibility in responding to evolving threats.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: NISAR, Seismic Zones
Mains level: Read the attached story
Central idea
- The ISRO and the NASA have jointly developed a forthcoming satellite called NISAR.
- It will map the most earthquake-prone regions in the Himalaya.
What is NISAR?
- NISAR stands for NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar.
- The mission aims to provide global measurements of the causes and consequences of land surface changes using advanced radar imaging.
- The satellite is equipped with two types of synthetic aperture radars (SAR): L-band and S-band, which will allow for high-resolution, all-weather imaging of the Earth’s surface.
- The NISAR satellite is expected to be launched in January 2024.
How it will be used for earthquake monitoring?
- It will generate data that can potentially give advance warning of land subsidence and identify places that are at greatest risk from earthquakes.
- The geoscience community can use this to determine how strain is building up in various parts of the Himalayas.
- Strain refers to the deformation that occurs in rocks when it is under pressure from other rocks.
- Movements of continental plates that are sliding, colliding, or subducting against each other cause strain.
- With a frequency of 12 days and the ability to provide images even under cloudy conditions, NISAR would be a valuable tool to study deformation patterns, such as in Joshimath.
Strain Map already in place
- In 2021, scientists from the Geological Survey of India published a “strain map” of the Himalayas based on data from 1,252 GPS stations along the Himalayas.
- It identified regions that had the greatest odds of generating earthquakes of magnitude above 8 and their extent.
- However, these many stations are still too few, and there’s only one satellite (Sentinel) that we rely on.
- With NISAR, the costliest space mission ever, we can have a game-changer in earth-science observation.
Seismic Zones of India
India is divided by Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) into 4 seismic zones based on the level of seismicity and the frequency of earthquakes that occur in that particular region.
These zones are as follows:
1. Zone 2: This is a low seismic zone comprising of areas with the lowest risk of earthquakes. It includes regions like the northeastern states of India, parts of J&K, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand.
2. Zone 3: This is a moderate seismic zone comprising of areas that are at moderate risk of earthquakes. It includes regions like Gujarat, Haryana, Delhi, parts of UP, Bihar, West Bengal, and parts of Jharkhand.
3. Zone 4: This is a high seismic zone comprising of areas that are at high risk of earthquakes. It includes regions like the A&N Islands, parts of Himachal Pradesh, J&K, Uttarakhand, and the entire northeastern region.
4. Zone 5: This is a very high seismic zone comprising of areas that are at the highest risk of earthquakes. It includes regions like the entire state of J&K, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, the entire northeastern region, parts of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, and the A&N Islands. |
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Magnetoresistance
Mains level: NA
Researchers in the UK, led by Nobel laureate Andre Geim, have discovered magnetoresistance in graphene – a single-atom-thick layer of carbon atoms bonded in a honeycomb pattern – that further distinguishes this ‘wonder’ material.
Graphene’s anomalous Giant Magnetoresistance (GMR)
- Graphene displayed an anomalous giant magnetoresistance (GMR) at room temperature.
- GMR is the result of the electrical resistance of a conductor being affected by magnetic fields in adjacent materials.
- It is used in hard disk drives and magnetoresistive RAM in computers, biosensors, automotive sensors, micro-electromechanical systems, and medical imagers.
What is GMR?
- GMR is a phenomenon where the electrical resistance of a conductor is affected by magnetic fields in adjacent materials.
- Say a conductor is sandwiched between two ferromagnetic materials (commonly, metals attracted to magnets, like iron).
- When the materials are magnetised in the same direction, the electrical resistance in the conductor is low.
- When the directions are opposite each other, the resistance increases.
Significance of the finding
- The magnetoresistance observed in the graphene-based device was almost 100 times higher than that observed in other known semimetals in this magnetic field range.
- In the study, the magnetoresistance in monolayer graphene at 27º C held between two layers of boron nitride increased by 110% under a field of 0.1 tesla.
- To compare, the magnetoresistance in these conditions increases by less than 1% in normal metals.
- The team attributed this to the presence of a ‘neutral’ plasma and the electrons’ mobility.
Try this MCQ
Which of the following best describes magnetoresistance?
(a) The magnetic resistance of a conductor to electrical current flow
(b) The phenomenon where the electrical resistance of a conductor is affected by magnetic fields in adjacent materials
(c) The ability of a conductor to produce a magnetic field when an electrical current is passed through it
(d) The resistance of a magnet to demagnetization by an external magnetic field
Post your answers here.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Bioluminiscence
Mains level: NA
The blooms of Noctiluca Scintillans, commonly known as “sea sparkle or bioluminescence” are being witnessed along the coasts of Visakhapatnam, AP.
Noctiluca Scintillans
- Scintillans is a bioluminescent specie that brightens the seawater during the night.
- It grazes on other micro-organisms such as larvae, fish eggs, and diatoms. But the unicellular phytoplankton that lives inside it can photosynthesize, turning sunlight into energy.
- They help their host cell survive even when food was scarce.
- Thus, N. Scintillans acts as both a plant and an animal
Threats posed
- According to marine experts, the phenomenon is an indicator of climate change.
- While smaller blooms may be harmless, slow-moving larger blooms may have an impact on deep-sea fishes.
- The toxic blooms of N. Scintillans were linked to massive fish and marine invertebrate kills.
- Though the species does not produce a toxin, it was found to accumulate toxic levels of ammonia, which is then excreted into the surrounding waters, possibly acting as the killing agent in blooms.
- They have displaced microscopic algae called diatoms, which form the basis of the marine food chain. This has deprived food for the planktivorous fish.
Back2Basics: Bioluminescence
- It is the property of a living organism to produce and emit light.
- Animals, plants, fungi and bacteria show bioluminescence. A remarkable diversity of marine animals and microbes are able to produce their own light.
- It is found in many marine organisms such as bacteria, algae, jellyfish, worms, crustaceans, sea stars, fish and sharks.
- Luminescence is generally higher in deep-living and planktonic organisms than in shallow species.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Gond Painting
Mains level: Contribution of GI tags in tribal economy
The Gond painting of Madhya Pradesh has received the prestigious Geographical Indication (GI) tag.
Other recent GI tags awarded in UP
10 products from UP got GI Tag on March 31:
- Aligarh Tala
- Bakharia Brassware
- Banda Shazar Patthar Craft
- Pratapgarh Aonla (Amla)
- Ramnagar Bhanta (Brinjal)
- Muzaffarnagar Gur (jaggery)
- Banarasi Pan
- Nagina Wood Craft
- Hathras Hing
- Banaras Langda Aam
|
Gond Art
- Gond painting is a traditional art of Madhya Pradesh and belongs to the Gond tribe.
- Patangarh village of Dindori district is famous for Gond paintings, where there is an artist in every house.
- Their work is famous in the state and abroad for its unique style, theme, and motifs.
- Gond art has been passed down through generations, traditionally adorning the walls of each artist’s home in Patangarh.
Features of Gond Painting
- Gond paintings showcase the beauty of nature, including trees, plants, animals, the moon, sun, river, drains, God, and Goddesses.
- The paintings also portray daily life activities such as food, plough making, and even how the king used to fight.
Back2Basics: Geographical Indication (GI)
- A GI is a sign used on products that have a specific geographical origin and possess qualities or a reputation that are due to that origin.
- Nodal Agency: Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry
- India, as a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO), enacted the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999 w.e.f. September 2003.
- GIs have been defined under Article 22 (1) of the WTO Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Agreement.
- The tag stands valid for 10 years.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Dabba Trading
Mains level: Read the attached story
Central idea
- The National Stock Exchange (NSE) has issued a series of notices warning retail investors about entities involved in ‘dabba trading’.
- The NSE cautioned investors not to subscribe or invest using these products offering indicative, assured or guaranteed returns in the stock market as they are prohibited by law.
- The entities involved in dabba trading are not recognized as authorized members by the exchange.
What is Dabba Trading?
- Dabba (Box) trading refers to informal trading that takes place outside the purview of the stock exchanges.
- It involves betting on stock price movements without incurring a real transaction to take physical ownership of a particular stock as is done in an exchange.
- In simple words, it is gambling centred around stock price movements.
How does it work?
- In dabba trading, investors place bets on stock price movements at a certain price point.
- If the price point rises, they make a gain, and if it falls, they have to pay the difference to the dabba broker.
- The broker’s profit from the investor’s loss, and vice versa.
- Transactions are facilitated using cash and unrecognised software terminals or informal records, which helps traders stay outside the regulatory mechanism.
What are the problems with dabba trading?
- Since dabba traders do not maintain proper records of income or gain, they are able to escape taxation, which results in a loss to the government exchequer.
- The use of cash also means that they are outside the purview of the formal banking system.
- Investors in dabba trading do not have formal provisions for investor protection or grievance redressal mechanisms available within an exchange, which exposes them to the risk of broker defaults or insolvency.
- Dabba trading also perpetuates a parallel economy, potentially encouraging the growth of black money and criminal activities.
What is the current scenario?
- Industry observers have reported that dabba brokers harass clients for default payments and refuse payments upon profit.
- Potential investors are lured by aggressive marketing, ease of trading using apps with quality interfaces, and lack of identity verification.
- Brokers keep their fees and margins open to negotiation depending on an individual’s trading profile.
- The mechanism could potentially induce volatility and cause losses for the regulated bourse when dabba brokers look to hedge their exposures.
What are the legal implications?
- Dabba trading is recognised as an offence under Section 23(1) of the Securities Contracts (Regulation) Act (SCRA), 1956.
- Upon conviction, it can invite imprisonment for a term extending up to 10 years or a fine up to ₹25 crore, or both.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: MUDRA Scheme
Mains level: Read the attached story
PM hit out at people ridiculing the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY) and said those who gave loans to big businessmen “over phone” never understood the power of microfinance.
MUDRA Scheme
- MUDRA (Micro Units Development and Refinance Agency) Scheme is a financial initiative launched by the Government of India in April 2015 to provide financial support to micro-enterprises in India.
- The scheme is designed to cater to the financial needs of the non-corporate, non-farm sector enterprises in the country.
- The objective of the scheme is to promote entrepreneurship, employment generation, and to provide access to finance to small and micro-businesses in India.
Range of loans
- The MUDRA scheme provides loans ranging from Rs. 50,000 to Rs. 10 lakhs to small and micro-businesses.
- These loans are provided through various financial institutions such as banks, microfinance institutions, and non-banking financial companies (NBFCs).
- The scheme also offers refinance support to these institutions.
| Category |
Loan Amount |
| Shishu |
Up to Rs. 50,000 |
| Kishore |
Rs. 50,001 to Rs. 5 lakhs |
| Tarun |
Rs. 5 lakhs to Rs. 10 lakhs |
Key features of the MUDRA scheme
- Refinance support: The scheme offers refinance support to various financial institutions, such as banks, microfinance institutions, and non-banking financial companies (NBFCs), to provide loans to small and micro-businesses.
- Employment generation: The scheme aims to promote entrepreneurship and employment generation in the country.
- Digitalization of financial transactions: The scheme has helped in promoting the digitalization of financial transactions.
- Focus on underprivileged and marginalized sections: The scheme aims to provide financial assistance to underprivileged and marginalized sections of the society, especially those belonging to the non-corporate, non-farm sector enterprises in the country.
- Simplified loan processing: The loan processing under the scheme is simplified and requires minimal documentation.
- No collateral requirement: The loans provided under the scheme do not require any collateral or security.
- Competitive Interest rate: The interest rate for the loans provided under the scheme is competitive and affordable.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Uthiramerur inscriptions
Mains level: Democracy since Indian Civilizations
PM Modi referred to an over 1,100-year-old inscription found in Uthirameur, Tamil Nadu, which talks about rules for a local body, including provisions for disqualifying a member.
What are Uthiramerur inscriptions?
- Uthiramerur inscriptions are a set of ancient Tamil inscriptions found in Uthiramerur, a town in the Kanchipuram district of Tamil Nadu.
- These inscriptions date back to the 10th century CE and were created during the reign of the Chola dynasty, which ruled over a large part of South India.
- It was crafted under the rule of Parantaka Chola I (907 – 956 AD.)
What does the inscription say?
The temple inscriptions of Uthiramerur provide historical descriptions of rural self-governance.
(1) Sabha and Ur
- Uthiramerur had two village assemblies: Gram Sabha and Ur.
- Sabha was exclusively a Brahmin assembly, while the Ur was made up of people belonging to all classes.
- Sabha managed land sales, endowment fund for dredging a tank, and assigned duties to the Ur for managing deserted land.
- Sabha assembled in the hall of the local temple and was summoned through beating of the drums.
- The inscriptions contained references to variyars, the executive officers subordinate to the Sabha.
(2) Administrative System
- The executive powers were given to committees called Variyams during the Chola king Parantaka I’s reign (907–955).
- Each variyam constituted 6 to 12 members, depending on the importance of its functions.
- The first inscription (dated 919 CE) described the rules for electing committee members.
- The second inscription (dated 921 CE) described some amendments to these rules to make them more practical.
(3) Committees and Qualifications
- The village had 30 kudumbus or wards, from which the members of various committees were selected annually.
- The inscription lays down the qualifications for a nominee, including ownership of tax-paying land, residence on self-owned land, age between 35 and 70 years, knowledge of mantras and the Brahmanas, and not being associated with certain offenses or activities.
- The candidates were selected via Kudavoloi (pot of palm leaf tickets) system.
- The tenure of a committee member was 360 days.
- Anyone found guilty of an offense was immediately removed from the office.
(4) Punishments
- The Uthiramerur inscriptions indicate that parading on a donkey was a punishment for offenses such as incest, adultery, theft, and forgery.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Parliamentary Committees
Mains level: Legislative consultation
Central idea: This article discusses the importance and functions of parliamentary committees in India.
Why in news?
- As little as 25% of the Bills introduced were referred to committees in the 16th Lok Sabha, as compared to 71% and 60% in the 15th and 14th Lok Sabha respectively.
- This represents a declining trend of national legislation being subjected to expert scrutiny.
What is a Parliamentary Committee?
- A committee appointed or elected by the House or nominated by the Speaker that works under the direction of the Speaker and presents its report to the House or the Speaker.
- Two kinds of committees: Standing Committees and Ad hoc Committees.
(1) Standing Committees
- Permanent and regular committees constituted from time to time in pursuance of the provisions of an Act of Parliament or Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha.
- The work of these Committees is of continuous nature.
- Examples include the Financial Committees and DRSCs.
(2) Ad hoc Committees
- Appointed for a specific purpose and cease to exist when they finish the task assigned to them and submit a report.
- The principal Ad hoc Committees are the Select and Joint Committees on Bills.
- Examples include the Railway Convention Committee and Joint Committee on Food Management in Parliament House Complex.
Why need Parliamentary Committee?
- Parliament scrutinizes legislative proposals (Bills) in two ways: discussion on the floor of the two Houses and referring the Bill to a parliamentary committee.
- Since Parliament meets for 70 to 80 days in a year, there is not enough time to discuss every Bill in detail on the floor of the House.
Role of the committee in the passage of a Bill
- The debate in the house is mostly political and does not go into the technical details of a legislative proposal.
- Referring a Bill to a parliamentary committee takes care of the legislative infirmity of debate on the floor of the House.
- However, referring Bills to parliamentary committees is not mandatory.
What is a Select Committee?
- India’s Parliament has multiple types of committees.
- Departmentally related Standing Committees focus on the working of different ministries.
- Each committee has 31 MPs, 21 from Lok Sabha and 10 from Rajya Sabha.
- The main purpose is to ensure the accountability of Government to Parliament through a more detailed consideration of measures in these committees.
When does a committee examine a Bill?
- Bills can reach a committee through a recommendation by the minister piloting the Bill or the presiding officer of the House.
What happens when a Bill goes to a Committee?
- The committee undertakes a detailed examination of the Bill, inviting comments and suggestions from experts, stakeholders and citizens.
- The government also appears before the committee to present its viewpoint.
- The committee’s report makes suggestions for strengthening the Bill.
- While the committee is deliberating on a Bill, there is a pause in its legislative journey.
- The Bill can only progress in Parliament after the committee has submitted its report.
What happens after the report?
- The report of the committee is of a recommendatory nature.
- The government can choose to accept or reject its recommendations.
- Select Committees and JPCs have an added advantage of including their version of the Bill in the report.
- The minister in charge of that particular Bill can move for the committee’s version of the Bill to be discussed and passed in the House.
Importance of these Committees
- Parliamentary committees analyze the impact that a specific piece of legislation may have on governance indicators.
- It recommends the government to take an ‘Action Taken’ report for the House to judge the progress made on the suggestions of the committee.
- Though committee reports aren’t binding on the government, it helps the legislature ensure oversight of the executive.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Large Hadron Collider (LHC)
Mains level: Not Much
Central idea: The article provides an overview of the LHC, its construction, how it works, and what it has discovered. It also discusses the future of the LHC, including plans to upgrade it and build a bigger version.
Large Hadron Collider (LHC)
- The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) is the world’s largest science experiment built by the European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN).
- It is a collider that smashes two beams of particles in opposite directions and these particles are hadrons.
- The LHC is on the energy frontier of physics research, conducting experiments with highly energized particles.
- Currently, the LHC is being warmed up for its third season of operations following upgrades that have made it more sensitive and accurate.
How does the LHC work?
- Hadrons are subatomic particles made up of smaller particles, and the LHC typically uses protons.
- Protons are energized by accelerating them through a narrow circular pipe that is 27 km long.
- The pipe encircles two D-shaped magnetic fields created by almost 9,600 magnets.
- Protons are accelerated through the beam pipe by rapidly switching the direction of the magnetic field.
- Eventually, protons move at 99.999999% of the speed of light, according to the special theory of relativity.
What happens when particles are smashed?
- When two antiparallel beams of energized protons collide head-on, the energy at the point of collision is equal to the sum of the energy carried by the two beams.
- The highest centre-of-mass collision energy the LHC has achieved so far is 13.6 TeV.
- At the moment of collision, there is chaos, and energy coalesces into different subatomic particles under the guidance of the fundamental forces of nature.
- Different particles take shape depending on the amount and flavour of energy available.
What has the LHC found so far?
- The LHC consists of nine detectors, and they study particle interactions in different ways.
- The ATLAS and CMS detectors discovered the Higgs boson in 2012 and confirmed their findings in 2013.
- Using the data from collisions, scientists have tested the predictions of the Standard Model of particle physics, observed exotic particles, and pieced together information about extreme natural conditions.
What is the LHC’s future?
- The LHC has not been able to find ‘new physics’ that can explain the nature of dark matter or why gravity is such a weak force.
- One way forward is to improve the LHC’s luminosity by 10x by 2027 through upgrades.
- Another idea is to build a bigger and more powerful version of the LHC, based on the hypothesis that it can find ‘new physics’ at even higher energies.
- Physicists are divided on whether to invest in building a bigger machine or less expensive experiments with guaranteed results.
B2BASICS
What is Hadron?
- Hadron is any member of a class of subatomic particles that are built from quarks and thus react through the agency of the strong force. The hadrons embrace mesons, baryons (e.g., protons, neutrons, and sigma particles), and their many resonances.
CERN
- European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN) is the world’s largest nuclear and particle physics laboratory.
- CERN is based in Geneva on the French-Swiss border. It has 23 member states.
- India in 2016 became an associate member of the CERN. Indian scientists have played a significant role in the ALICE experiment, which is a dedicated experiment for search and study of Quark Gluon Plasma (QGP).
Try this MCQ
Which of the following is a subatomic particle made up of smaller particles and is commonly used in the Large Hadron Collider (LHC)?
(a) Protons
(b) Electrons
(c) Neutrons
(d) Photons
Post your answers here.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Teja Singh Sutantar
Mains level: NA
Punjab Chief Minister unveiled a statue of Teja Singh Sutantar, a former MP and revolutionary leader.
Teja Singh Sutantar
- Teja Singh was born as Samund Singh in 1901 in Aluna village of Gurdaspur district.
- After completing his schooling, he joined Khalsa College in Amritsar.
- Following the Jallianwala Bagh massacre in 1919, he joined the Akali Dal to participate in the movement to liberate gurdwaras from degenerate mahants.
- However, in September 1921, he formed his own squad called the Sutantar Jatha, which successfully liberated a gurdwara in a village called Teja in Gurdaspur district from the mahants.
- He later freed another gurdwara in Othian village from mahants.
Early life and revolutionary activities
- In early 1923, Teja Singh went to Kabul as a Sikh missionary and there he came into contact with a few leaders of the Ghadar Party, who were preparing for their second attempt to overthrow the British government.
- They persuaded Teja Singh to undergo military training, so he joined the Turkish military academy in 1925 under the pseudonym Azad Beg.
- He later moved to Berlin and then to Canada and the United States, where he addressed congregations of Indians, mainly Punjabi Sikh immigrants.
Political Career
- After visiting several countries, Teja Singh returned to India and became a prominent leader of the communist party (CPI).
- He contributed revolutionary articles to the party journal, the Kirti, frequently writing about issues that plagued peasants.
- In May 1937, he was elected unopposed to the Punjab Legislative Assembly as a nominee of the Indian National Congress while he was still in prison.
- He continued to remain a member of the Punjab Legislative Assembly till 1945.
- He was also the secretary of the Communist Party (Punjab) from 1944 to 1947.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Exercise Cope India 23
Mains level: NA
The Indian Air Force (IAF) fighters, including Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), Rafale, SU-30MKI, and Jaguars, are set to participate in bilateral air Exercise Cope India 23 with US Air Force (USAF) F-15 fighters and B-1B long-range bombers.
Exercise Cope India
- Cope India began in 2004 as a fighter training exercise held at Air Station Gwalior.
- The exercise has evolved to incorporate subject matter expert exchanges, air mobility training, airdrop training and large-force exercises, in addition to fighter-training exercises.
- The exercise was last held in 2009.
- The exercise showcases US and India’s efforts and commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific region.
Highlights of the 2023 version
- The exercise will be conducted in two phases, with the first phase practicing the air-mobility component involving transport aircraft of both countries.
- The IAF element will include the Su-30MKI, Rafale, Tejas, and Jaguar fighter aircraft, while Japan is taking part in the exercise as an observer.
- The second phase of the exercise will witness the participation of B-1B bombers of USAF, and F-15 fighter aircraft of the USAF will join the exercise subsequently, according to an IAF statement.
- The exercise will be supported by aerial refuellers, Airborne Warning and Control System, and Airborne Early Warning and Control aircraft of the IAF.
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From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Juice Mission
Mains level: Not Much
The European Space Agency (ESA) is all set to launch the Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer, or Juice, mission from its spaceport in French Guiana on an Ariane 5 launcher.
What is the Juice Mission?
- Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (Juice) mission is a project by the European Space Agency (ESA) to explore the Solar System’s largest planet Jupiter and its three largest moons, Ganymede, Callisto, and Europa.
- Juice is constructed by an industrial consortium led by Airbus Defence and Space and is planned to reach Jupiter in 2031 using remote sensing, geophysical, and in situ instruments.
Goals of the Juice mission
- Juice aims to create a detailed map of the surfaces of Jupiter’s moons and to look beneath them to probe their potential habitability by creating a comprehensive picture of Jupiter.
- One of the primary goals of the Juice mission is to gain insight into how planetary systems form and evolve over time and how possibly habitable environments can arise in Jupiter-like systems around other stars.
- Juice will also analyze the chemistry, structure, dynamics, weather, and climate of Jupiter and its ever-changing atmosphere.
Ganymede: Focus of the Juice mission
- Ganymede is the largest moon in the Solar System and the only one to generate its magnetic field.
- Juice will move into Ganymede’s orbit after approximately four of arriving at Jupiter.
- Juice will use its suite of ten sophisticated instruments to measure how Ganymede rotates, its gravity, its shape and interior structure, its magnetic field, its composition, and to penetrate its icy crust using radar down to a depth of about nine km.
Can Juice detect life?
- Juice is not equipped to detect life on Jupiter or its moons.
- It is, however, capable of finding out whether there could be places around Jupiter, inside the icy moons, where the necessary conditions, such as water, biological essential elements, energy, and stability, to sustain life are present.
- Scientists believe that there is a possibility that life is present on Jupiter’s moons, in the form of microbes or more advanced species, such as those found in deep-sea trenches and at hydrothermal vents on Earth.
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From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Guru Tegh Bahadur
Mains level: Not Much
The Parkash Purab (birth anniversary) of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur, the ninth guru of the Sikhs, was celebrated on April 11.
Who was Guru Tegh Bahadur?
- Guru Tegh Bahadur was born on April 1, 1621, in Amritsar, Punjab.
- He was the ninth Guru of the Sikhs and the son of Guru Hargobind, the sixth Guru of the Sikhs, and Mata Nanaki.
- His birth name was Tyag Mal, which means “master of renunciation.”
- He spent his early years in Amritsar and was trained in religious studies, martial arts, and horse riding.
- He was also trained in music and poetry, and he became a skilled poet and musician.
His teachings and beliefs
- Guru Tegh Bahadur’s teachings were based on the importance of meditation, self-discipline, and living a moral and ethical life.
- He believed in the idea of one God and the unity of all religions.
- His term as Guru ran from 1665 to 1675. One hundred and fifteen of his hymns are in Guru Granth Sahib.
- He emphasized the importance of serving others and treating everyone with respect and dignity, regardless of their religion or social status.
- He also believed in the principle of selfless service and encouraged his followers to help those in need.
Significance in Indian History
- Guru Tegh Bahadur played a crucial role in Sikh history by defending the religious freedom of Hindus against the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb.
- Aurangzeb was known for his intolerance towards non-Muslims and had imposed a tax on Hindu pilgrims visiting the holy city of Varanasi.
- When a group of Kashmiri Pandits approached Guru Tegh Bahadur for help, he decided to defend their right to practice their religion freely.
- He refused to convert to Islam despite facing torture and persecution, and was eventually executed by Aurangzeb in 1675.
- His martyrdom is remembered as a significant event in Indian history, and he is considered a hero and a martyr by Sikhs around the world.
His legacy
- His legacy continues to inspire Sikhs and people of all religions and backgrounds.
- His teachings and beliefs are an essential part of Sikhism today and are embodied in the Sikh scripture, the Guru Granth Sahib.
- He is remembered as a saint, scholar, and warrior who sacrificed his life to defend the rights of others.
- Many Gurudwaras (Sikh temples) around the world are dedicated to him, including the Gurudwara Sis Ganj Sahib in Delhi, where he was martyred.
- His martyrdom is commemorated each year on the occasion of Guru Tegh Bahadur’s Martyrdom Day, which is observed on December 19.
Try this PYQ:
Q.Consider the following Bhakti Saints:
- Dadu Dayal
- Guru Nanak
- Tyagaraja
Who among the above was/were preaching when the Lodi dynasty fell and Babur took over?
(a) 1 and 3
(b) 2 only
(c) 2 and 3
(d) 1 and 2
Post your answers here.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Zojila Pass
Mains level: Not Much
Union Transport Minister recently visited the Zojila Tunnel In Jammu & Kashmir which is Asia’s longest as well as highest.
About Zojila Tunnel
- The Zojila tunnel is an upcoming 14.15 km road tunnel that will connect Srinagar and Leh in the Union Territory of Ladakh.
- It is being constructed as part of a project to improve connectivity in the region, with a connecting tunnel from Z-Morh to the Zojila tunnel also being built.
- The tunnel is being built at a cost of more than Rs 4,600 crore and is expected to be completed by December 2023.
Need for the tunnel
- All weather connectivity: The Zojila Pass is closed during harsh winters due to fears of avalanches, landslides, and slippery roads, cutting off areas beyond the pass from the rest of the country for at least five months.
- Military mobilization: The upcoming Zojila tunnel will provide perennial connectivity between Ladakh and the rest of the country and benefit both civilians and the military.
- Time and effort saving: The distance from Baltal to Minamarg, currently 40 km, will come down to 13 km, with travel time expected to be cut by an hour and a half.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: State Energy Efficiency Index
Mains level: Not Much
The Union Minister of Power and New & Renewable Energy has released the report of State Energy Efficiency Index (SEEI) 2021-22.
State Energy Efficiency Index
- The SEEI 2021-22 has been developed by Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) in collaboration with Alliance for an Energy Efficient Economy (AEEE).
- SEEI 2021-22 consists of 50 indicators (common and programme-specific) spanning 7 sectors – buildings, industry, municipal services, transport, agriculture, DISCOMs, and cross-sector.
- 36 states and union territories have been assessed for their energy efficiency progress in FY 2020- 21 and FY 2021-22 in SEEI 2021-22.
- Based on their efforts and achievements, states have been classified as ‘Front runner’, ‘Achiever’, ‘Contender’, and ‘Aspirant’.
Highlights of the 2021-22 report
| Category |
States |
| Front Runner (>60 points) |
Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Rajasthan, Telangana |
| Achiever (50-60 points) |
Assam, Haryana, Maharashtra, Punjab |
Importance of SEEI
- The SEEI improves data collection, enables cross-state collaboration, and develops energy efficiency program ideas.
- It helps states identify areas for improvement, learn from best practices, and adopt an economy-wide approach to energy efficiency implementation.
- By prioritizing energy efficiency, it aims at driving decarbonization efforts and achieving a more sustainable future.
Key recommendations of the report
The report outlines the following recommendations to help states drive change in EE which will contribute towards the fulfillment of SDGs and NDC:
- Enabling fiscal assistance for energy efficiency in the focus sectors.
- Developing institutional capacity in states and UTs to address emerging needs and challenges in energy efficiency implementation.
- Enhancing cross-functional collaborations across financial institutions, energy service companies, and energy professionals in large-scale energy efficiency implementation in states.
- Mainstreaming energy data reporting and monitoring across sectors.
Back2Basics: Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE)
- BEE was established by the Government of India on 1st March 2002 under the provisions of the Energy Conservation Act, 2001.
- The primary objective of BEE is to reduce the energy intensity of the Indian economy by developing policies and strategies based on self-regulation and market principles.
- BEE coordinates with designated consumers, designated agencies, and other organizations to perform its functions under the Energy Conservation Act.
- The Energy Conservation Act provides for both regulatory and promotional functions for BEE.
- BEE’s role includes recognizing, identifying, and utilizing existing resources and infrastructure to promote energy conservation and efficiency.
- It works towards driving energy efficiency policies and programs at the state and local level, enabling cross-state collaboration and developing energy efficiency program ideas.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Rare earth elements
Mains level: Not Much
Scientists at the National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI) in Hyderabad have discovered the presence of rare-earth elements (REEs) in Anantapur district, Andhra Pradesh.
What are Rare-Earth Elements?
- Rare-earth elements (REEs) are a group of 17 elements, including lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, yttrium, hafnium, tantalum, niobium, zirconium, and scandium.
- These elements are widely used in modern electronics, such as smartphones, computers, jet aircraft, and other products, due to their unique magnetic, optical, and catalytic properties.
- These elements are crucial components in various electronic devices and have industrial applications in sectors like imaging, aerospace, and defense.
SHORE Project and discovery of REEs
- The discovery was part of a study funded by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) under a project called ‘Shallow subsurface imaging Of India for Resource Exploration’ (SHORE).
- NGRI scientists found enriched quantities of REEs in “whole rock analyses”.
- Drilling for at least a kilometer deep will help ascertain the consistency of the elements’ presence underground.
Significance of the discovery
- The discovery of REEs in Anantapur district is significant as these elements are in high demand worldwide, and their supply is limited.
- REEs have become a subject of geopolitical concern due to their increasing demand and limited supply.
- China is currently the world’s largest producer and exporter of rare-earth elements (REEs), accounting for more than 80% of global production.
- The country has significant reserves of REEs and has invested heavily in mining and processing infrastructure.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: LIGO
Mains level: Gravitational waves study
India has given the final approval to build its biggest scientific facility, Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO), in the Hingoli district of Maharashtra. The facility will join the global project to detect and study gravitational waves.
Gravitation and General Theory of Relativity
- Newton’s law of gravitation, proposed by Sir Isaac Newton in the 17th century, explains that the force that makes an object fall to the ground is also responsible for making heavenly bodies go around in their orbits.
- However, the theory did not explain the existence of an attractive force between any two bodies or the instantaneous propagation of the gravitational force over large distances.
- In 1915, Albert Einstein proposed the General Theory of Relativity, which altered our understanding of gravitation. Einstein proposed that space-time interacted with matter, was influenced by it, and in turn, and influenced events.
- The curvature in space-time produced by matter was the reason other smaller bodies in the vicinity felt the gravitational pull.
- General Relativity also predicted that moving objects would generate gravitational waves in space-time.
|
What is LIGO?
|
What is it?
|
Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) |
| Purpose |
Detect and study gravitational waves |
| Cause |
Ripples in spacetime caused by violent and energetic events in the universe |
| Location |
Livingston, Louisiana and Hanford, Washington |
| Detector |
Michelson interferometer |
| Function |
Measure changes in length caused by passing gravitational waves |
| Benefits |
Improving our understanding of the universe and its origins |
| Discovery |
Detected gravitational waves for the first time in 2015 |
| Significance |
Confirmed a prediction made by Albert Einstein’s theory of general relativity |
| Field |
Gravitational wave astronomy |
| Discoveries |
Many exciting discoveries about the nature of the universe |
About LIGO-India
- LIGO-India will be the fifth node of this international network of gravitational wave observatories, and possibly the last.
- The instrument is so sensitive that it can easily get influenced by events like earthquakes, landslides, or even the movement of trucks, and produce a false reading.
- That is why multiple observatories are needed to revalidate the signals.
- India’s involvement in LIGO is crucial to demonstrating its intent and capability to pull-off complex science projects independently.
Significance
- The detection and study of gravitational waves could help in understanding the universe’s structure, the origin of the universe, and the functioning of black holes.
- The LIGO project also has huge spin-off benefits for India’s science and technology sector.
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