New Ramsar Wetlands

5 more Indian wetlands have been added to the global list of wetlands of international importance under the Ramsar Convention taking Indian Ramsar Sites to 80.

• The total number of Ramsar sites in Tamil Nadu is 16, highest in India.
• The United Kingdom has most number of Ramsar sites in the world.
• The world’s 1st Ramsar Site was the Cobourg Peninsula in Australia, designated in 1974.
• The largest site is Rio Negro in Brazil (120,000 square kilometres).
• World Wetland Day is celebrated every year on February 2.

High Altitude Pseudo Satellite Vehicle (HAPS)

Recently, the National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL) has successfully completed the 1st test of high altitude pseudo satellite vehicle.

• HAPS – It is a solar-powered pseudo satellite, a new age unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) which is also called as stratospheric vehicle.
• Features – It can fly at altitudes of 18-20 km from the ground, almost double the heights attained by commercial airplanes.
• Unlike drones, they can remain in air for months for being solar powered and can cover larger area.
• They move slowly, at just about 80-100 km per hour.
• Unlike satellites, it has lower operating cost as it does not require a rocket to get into space.
• Unlike geostationary satellites, can be easily redeployed over another location or re-equipped with different payload.
• India’s prototype – A scaled-down version, one-third in size to the eventual aircraft had a wing-span of about 12 metres, remain in air for about 8 and a half hours, achieving an altitude of about 3 km.
• The full-scale machine that NAL is trying to build, by 2027, would be aiming to remain in the air for 90 days at a stretch.

AI models in news

Greening India's Wastelands with Agroforestry (GROW) Report

• GROW Report provides state-wise and district-wise analysis, supporting government departments and industries for greening and restoration projects.
• It is released by Niti Aayog.
• NITI Aayog utilized remote sensing and GIS to assess agroforestry suitability across all districts in India.
• Using thematic datasets, an Agroforestry Suitability Index (ASI) was developed for national-level prioritization.
• The GROW initiative aligns with national commitments, aiming to restore 26 million hectares of degraded land by 2030 and create an additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent.
• Agroforestry integrates trees, crops, and livestock, addressing food, nutrition, energy, employment and environmental challenges.

Nilgiri Marten

Tamil Nadu Government has planned to conserve the lesser-known species such as Nilgiri Marten under its new “TN Endangered Species Conservation Fund”.

• It is a rare species of marten, a small carnivores belonging to the weasel and badger families.
• Scientific name – Martes gwatkinsii
• Native – Endemic to the Western Ghats.
• Distribution – It spans across the states of Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
• Habitat – 5 clusters in the Western Ghats namely Brahmagiri, Nilgiris, Anamalai, Cardamom Hills and Agasthyamalai.
• They are seen in Shola ecosystems, typically semi-evergreen forests, evergreen forests and forest patches interspersed with grasslands and also in tea, acacia, coffee, cardamom, and wattle plantations.
• Features – It is a small mustelid with a chocolate coloured fur and a canary yellow throat.
• It looks like a civet or a mongoose and it most prefers higher altitudes (300 to 1200 m).
• Life style – They are omnivorous, diurnal, and mainly arboreal but descend to the ground occasionally. They are social and spend their time and even hunt in groups.
• Threats – Habitat loss & fragmentation and poaching.
• Protection status
  • IUCN Status – Vulnerable
  • Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 – Schedule II

Multiple Independently targetable Re-Entry Vehicle (MIRV)

The Agni VI missile will have the feature of MIRV.

• MIRV is a ballistic missile payload that contains multiple warheads, each capable of being aimed at a different target.
• They can confuse anti-ballistic-missile protection systems by releasing multiple warheads, some of which may be dummies, with different targets.
• The United States was the 1st country to develop MIRV technology, deploying a MIRVed Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) in 1970 and a MIRVed Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missile (SLBM) in 1971.
• The United States, the United Kingdom, and France use MIRV technology on SLBMs.
• In India, Agni-P is equipped with MIRV

Virus vs Viroid

Virtual Private Network (VPN)

Mumbai cops arrested a 21 year old student who allegedly sent threatening emails by masking his IP address using a Virtual Private Network service.

• Virtual – No physical cables are involved.
• Private – No one else can see your data or browsing activity.
• Networked – Multiple devices work together to maintain an established link.
• Working – It establishes a digital connection between your computer and a remote server owned by a VPN provider, creating a point-to-point tunnel that encrypts your personal data, masks your IP address.
• Secures the data – VPN scrambles personal data into code and renders it unreadable to anyone without an encryption key.
• Bypass censorship and surveillance – Location spoofing allow users the ability to circumvent firewalls and view blocked websites.
• Prevent tracking – It masks your IP address, prevents Internet service providers (ISP's) tracking, and keeps your personal data private.

Morodharo

Morodharo is the recently discovered Harappa site near Dholavira that provides insight into the expansion and influence of the ancient civilization.

• Morodharo is a Harappa site dated back to around 4,500 years ago, flourished during 2,600-1,900 BCE to late 1,900-1,300 BCE period.
• It is located near the village of Lodrani near the World Heritage Site of Dholavira.
• It is situated close to the Rann desert and it is interpreted that the region, which eventually turned into a desert, was likely navigable during the Harappan era.
• The settlement features a large fortification, platform, well and burial cairns.
• The discovery included a substantial quantity of Harappan pottery reminiscent of artefacts found in Dholavira.
• Artefacts found at Morodharo are similar to those found at Dholavira, indicating cultural connections.

Nordic-Baltic Eight (NB8)

The India-Nordic-Baltic Eight (NB8) meeting was held recently on the sidelines of the Raisina Dialogue, 2024 in New Delhi.

• NB8 - A regional framework consisting of 8 countries from the Northern Europe.
• Members
  • 5 Nordic Countries – Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden.
  • 3 Baltic countries – Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.
• Established in – 1992
• Aim – To discuss important regional and international issues in an informal atmosphere.
• Chair – In 2024, NB8 is chaired by Sweden which was taken over from Latvia.
• NB8 Wise Men Report – Also known as Birkavs-Gade Report, it provides concrete guidelines for promoting cooperation between the 8 countries.
• e-PINE – Enhanced Partnership in Northern Europe (e-PINE) was launched by the United States in 2003.

Snow Leopard Population Assessment in India (SPAI) Program

Recently, Indian government released the report, ‘Status of Snow Leopards in India’ under Snow Leopard Population Assessment in India.

• It is the 1st ever population estimation of Snow Leopard.
• Study period – From 2019 to 2023.
• Study area – It systematically covered over 70% of the potential snow leopard range in the country, approximately 120,000 sq km of snow leopard habitat across the trans-Himalayan region.
• National Coordinator – Wildlife Institute of India (WII), supported by all range states and 2 conservation partners, Nature Conservation Foundation of Mysuru and WWF-India.
•  Techniques – Methods as outlined under the Global Snow Leopard and Ecosystem Protection Program’s (GSLEP) Population Assessment of the World’s Snow leopards (PAWS) initiative.
• Findings – There are around 718 snow leopards in India. Only 34% of the habitat in India legally protected.
• Ladakh has the highest estimated population (477) followed by Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, and Jammu and Kashmir.

World Restoration Flagships

UN has announced 7 World Restoration Flagships which will be awarded during the 6th UN Environment Assembly.

• World Restoration Flagships is an initiative under the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, a global movement coordinated by UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
• The winning initiatives were announced ahead of the 6th session of the UN Environment Assembly, which is the world’s highest-level decision-making body for matters related to the environment.
• The award conferred by the UNEP and FAO of the UN makes the initiatives eligible for technical and financial support from the organisation
• The awards serve as a part of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, led by the two agencies.
• The campaign aims to prevent, halt and reverse the degradation of ecosystems on every continent and in every ocean.
• The projects/ initiatives of the World Restoration Flagships that are honoured are:

Parthenogenesis

Charlotte, a female round stingray has become the topic of international attention after getting pregnant despite not having a male ray companion for at least 8 years.

• Parthenogenesis – In Greek, it means ‘virgin creation’.
• It is a rare form of asexual reproduction in which a female produces an embryo without fertilization by a male’s sperm.
• An egg produced parthenogenetically may be either haploid (n) or diploid (2n).
• Parthenogenesis occurs in many types of invertebrates including scorpions, nematodes, mites, water fleas, wasps, some bees, etc.
• It may also occur in some vertebrate animals as well, such as amphibians, some fish, reptiles, and in few bird species.
• Parthenogenesis has less genetic variation than sexual reproduction.
• Parthenogenic species may be
  • Obligate – They are incapable of sexual reproduction.
  • Facultative – They are capable of switching between parthenogenesis and sexual reproduction depending upon environmental conditions.
• Apomixis – A process where the egg is fertilised with cells from the mother rather than by a male.
• Automixis - The process by which a mammal can undergo virgin birth. Here, egg would need to double its genetic content, divide, and then re-combine.
• The egg would end up with the normal number of chromosomes without the need for any additional genetic material.
• A smaller cell known as a “polar body,” which forms at the same time as the egg and contains DNA similar to the mother’s, merges with the fertile egg.
• The offspring’s are similar to the mother but not exact clones.
• It is more common in low-density populations, such as those on the verge of extinction.

Subika Painting

• Subika paintings are from Manipur, which are based on stories and events from the Hindu epic and Puranas.
• The style is intricately linked to the Meitei community’s cultural history through its 6 surviving manuscripts that include:
  1. Subika
  2. Subika Achouba
  3. Subika Laishaba
  4. Subika Choudit
  5. Subika Cheithil
  6. Thengrakhel Subika
• Basohli painting – Is a traditional art form that originated in the Basohli town of Jammu and Kashmir, known for its rich cultural heritage.
• It is a distinct style of miniature painting that has a unique blend of Hindu mythology, folk art and Persian influences.
• Pichwai paintings – Are a traditional Indian art form that originated in the town of Nathdwara in Rajasthan, India over 400 years ago.
• Thangka paintings – Of Arunachal Pradesh are famous in the Tawang, West Kameng and Upper Siang districts.
• The process involves a picture panel of paint which is put on a silk border or cover.

C-CARES

• It is the web portal for Coal Mines Provident Fund Organization (CMPFO), working under aegis of Ministry of Coal.
• The portal is developed by the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), an R&D organization under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.
• The portal marks a significant leap in the digitization journey of CMPFO aiming to address the long-standing issue of digitizing its records and work processes.
• Coal Mines Provident Fund Organization (CMPFO) – An autonomous organization under the aegis of Ministry of Coal.
• It was established in 1948 for administering provident fund and pension schemes for providing social security to the coal sector workers.

Payment Banks

• Payments banks are a new model of banks, conceptualised by the Reserve Bank of India.
• These banks can accept a restricted deposit, which is currently limited to rupees 2,00,000 per customer and may be increased further.
• These banks cannot issue loans and credit cards.
• The minimum paid-up capital requirement for payments bank is Rs 100 crore.
• For the first 5 years, the stake of the promoter should remain at least 40%.
• The foreign shareholding will be allowed in these banks as per the rules for FDI in private banks in India.
• These banks were created on the basis of the Nachiket Mor Committee.

Ilsenhohle Cave Site

• The researchers re-excavated the Ilsenhohle cave site in Ranis, Germany.
• The site provides evidence for the first dispersal of Homo sapiens across the higher latitudes of Europe.
• The stone artefacts that were thought to be produced by Neanderthals were in fact part of the early H. sapiens tool kit.
• During the re-excavation a 1.7-metre-thick rock and human fossils were also found.
• The site now has the oldest H. sapiens fossils.
• Bones and stone artefacts from the cave showed that these people hunted large mammals including reindeer, horses, bison and woolly rhinoceroses.
• The new study’s revelations mean that Homo-sapiens reached Northern Europe before Neanderthals went extinct.

Jigarthanda

India's First High Hypersonic Test Facility, nick named ‘Jigarthanda’ was recently unveiled at IIT Kanpur.

• The S2 is the India's First High Hypersonic Test Facility that was nicknamed as Jigarthanda.
• It is a 24-meter-long facility located at IIT Kanpur’s Hypersonic Experimental Aerodynamics Laboratory (HEAL).
• It is capable of generating flight speeds between 3-10 km/s, simulating the hypersonic conditions encountered during atmospheric entry of vehicles, asteroid entry, scramjet flights and ballistic missiles.
• This makes it a valuable test facility for ongoing missions of ISRO and DRDO including Gaganyaan, RLV, and hypersonic cruise missiles.

Symbiotic Relationship

Scientists have recently found a mushroom growing out of a frog, indicating a symbiotic relationship between a frog and the mushroom.

• Symbiosis is a term describing any relationship or interaction between two dissimilar organisms.
• The specific kind of symbiosis depends on whether either or both organisms benefit from the relationship.
• Symbiotic relationships can be useful measures of an ecosystem’s health.
• There are 4 main symbiotic relationships:

1. Mutualism
2. Commensalism
3. Parasitism
4. Competition

Parasitism

• In parasitism, one species (the parasite) lives with, on, or in a host species, at the expense of the host species.
• Examples of common parasites includes nematodes, leeches and barnacles.
• Example - Barnacles & Swimming Crabs

Mutualism

• In a mutualistic relationship, both species benefit.
• Examples - Clownfish & Sea Anemones

Commensalism

• Commensalism happens when one species lives with in another species, known as the host.
• The host species neither benefits nor is harmed from the relationship.
• Examples - Barnacles & Humpback Whales
• The huge whales transport the tiny barnacles to plankton-rich waters, where both species feast upon the abundant microorganisms that live there.

Competition

• It happens between the members of the same species (intraspecific competition) and between different species (interspecific competition).
• Example - Corals & Sponges
• Sponges are very abundant in coral reefs. If they become too successful they take the needed food and other resources from the corals that make up the reef.

Super Pollutants

The Climate and Clean Air Conference 2024 in Nairobi, Kenya began with a call for international collaboration to phase-out short-lived climate pollutants.

• Super pollutants, also sometimes referred to as short-lived climate pollutants (SCLPs), derive their name from their relatively short life in the atmosphere as compared to carbon dioxide.
• Common super pollutants - Black Carbon, Methane. Hydrofluorocarbons, and Ground-level ozone.
• Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) is not a super pollutant.