DAY – 61 (InstaTest-61): Insta 75 Days Revision Plan-2020: Topic – Science & Technology, Previous year UPSC papers – 2003, April 2020 CA Revision

Solution: C

A DDoS attack (distributed denial-of-service attack) is an attempt to make an online service, network, or application unavailable by overwhelming it with traffic from multiple compromised sources, blocking legitimate traffic from getting through.

In DDoS attacks, malware first creates network of bots — called botnet and then uses botnet to ping single server beyond its capacity at same time. As number of pings are far beyond server’s capacity, server crashes and denies service to its consumers.Malwares like Saposhi, Reaper and Mirai are primarily are used for DDoS attacks.

Solution: A

Context: A recent report issued by the United States State Department on “Adherence to and Compliance with Arms Control, Nonproliferation, and Disarmament Agreements and Commitments (Compliance Report)” has raised concerns that China and Russia might be conducting nuclear tests in violation of its Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) undertakings.

However, Russia and China have rejected the U.S.’s claims.

What is CTBT?

The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) is the Treaty banning all nuclear explosions – everywhere, by everyone. The Treaty was negotiated at the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva and adopted by the United Nations General Assembly. It opened for signature on 24 September 1996.

The Treaty will enter into force after all 44 States listed in Annex 2 to the Treaty will ratify it. These States had nuclear facilities at the time the Treaty was negotiated and adopted.

India, North Korea and Pakistan have not yet signed the Treaty.

What is a “zero yield”?

A comprehensive test ban has been defined as a “zero yield” test ban that would prohibit supercritical hydro-nuclear tests but not sub-critical hydrodynamic nuclear tests.

Why is the CTBT so important?

The CTBT is the last barrier on the way to develop nuclear weapons. It curbs the development of new nuclear weapons and the improvement of existing nuclear weapon designs. The Treaty provides a legally binding norm against nuclear testing. The Treaty also helps prevent human suffering and environmental damages caused by nuclear testing.

Solution: D

On Panchayati Raj Diwas (April 24th), the Prime Minister of India launched ‘Swamitva Yojana’ or Ownership Scheme to map residential land ownership in the rural sector using modern technology like the use of drones.

The scheme aims to revolutionize property record maintenance in India.

Overview and key features of the ‘Swamitva Yojana’:

The scheme is piloted by the Panchayati Raj ministry.

The residential land in villages will be measured using drones to create a non-disputable record.

Property card for every property in the village will be prepared by states using accurate measurements delivered by drone-mapping. These cards will be given to property owners and will be recognized by the land revenue records department.

Benefits of the scheme:

• The delivery of property rights through an official document will enable villagers to access bank finance using their property as collateral.
• The property records for a village will also be maintained at the Panchayat level, allowing for the collection of associated taxes from the owners. The money generated from these local taxes will be used to build rural infrastructure and facilities.
• Freeing the residential properties including land of title disputes and the creation of an official record is likely to result in appreciation in the market value of the properties.
• The accurate property records can be used for facilitating tax collection, new building and structure plan, issuing of permits and for thwarting attempts at property grabbing.

Need for and significance of the scheme:

The need for this Yojana was felt since several villagers in the rural areas don’t have papers proving ownership of their land. In most states, survey and measurement of the populated areas in the villages has not been done for the purpose of attestation/verification of properties.

The new scheme is likely to become a tool for empowerment and entitlement, reducing social strife on account of discord over properties.

Solution: B

LiFi (Light Fidelity) is a wireless optical networking technology that uses light-emitting diodes (LEDs) for data transmission.

LiFi is designed to use LED light bulbs similar to those currently in use in many energy-conscious homes and offices. However, LiFi bulbs are outfitted with a chip that modulates the light imperceptibly for optical data transmission. LiFi data is transmitted by the LED bulbs and received by photoreceptors.

Benefits of LiFi

1. Higher speeds than Wi-Fi.
2. 10000 times the frequency spectrum of radio.
3. More secure because data cannot be intercepted without a clear line of sight. LiFiuses light sources to transmit data. WiFi uses radio waves to transmit data. Radio waves can pass through pretty much all objects, which makes it susceptible to piggybacking and potentially the theft of data. Light waves can’t pass through walls and other objects, which makes it more secure than WiFi.
4. Prevents piggybacking.
5. Eliminates neighboring network interference.
6. Unimpeded by radio interference.
7. Does not create interference in sensitive electronics, making it better for use in environments like hospitals and aircraft.

Solution: C

Context: India has taken a bold step to provide innovative treatment to patients suffering from COVID-19 disease- plasma therapy.

Technically called “convalescent-plasma therapy”, the treatment aims at using the immune power gained by a recovered person to treat a sick person.

But, before understanding more about the therapy, let’s see how our immune system works?

When a pathogen like novel coronavirus infects, our immune systems produce antibodies.

Like the police dogs, the antibodies span out to identify and mark the invading virus.

White blood cells attach the identified intruders, and the body gets rid of the infection.

But, what are antibodies?

Antibodies are one of the front-line immune response to an infection by a microbe. They are a particular type of proteins secreted by immune cells called B lymphocytes when they encounter an invader, such as a novel corona virus.

The immune system designs antibodies that are highly specific to each invading pathogen. A particular antibody and its partner virus are made for each other.

How plasma therapy works?

1. Blood is drawn from a person who has recovered from COVID-19 sickness.
2. The serum is separated and screened for virus-neutralizing antibodies.
3. Convalescent serum, that is the blood serum obtained from one who has recovered from an infectious disease and especially rich in antibodies for that pathogen, is then administered to a COVID-19 patient.
4. The sick acquires passive immunization.

When was it previously used? How effective has it been?

We have effective antibiotics against bacterial infection. However, we do not have effective antivirals. Whenever a new viral outbreak takes places, there are no drugs to treat it. Hence, the convalescent serum has been used during past viral epidemics.

• 2009–2010 H1N1 influenza virus pandemic.
• The Ebola outbreak in 2018.

How long the antibodies will remain in the recipient?

After the antibody serum is given, it will stay on the recipient for at least three to four days. During this period, the sick person will recover. Various studies have confirmed this.

Differences between this therapy and vaccination:

This therapy is akin to passive immunization. When a vaccine is administrated, the immune system produces the antibodies.

Here, the effect lasts only up to the time the antibodies injected remain the bloodstream. The protection given is temporary.

Whereas, Vaccination provides lifelong immunity.

For example, the mother transfers antibodies through breast milk to an infant before the child could build her own immunity.

Related fact:

In 1890, Emil von Behring, a German physiologist, discovered that the serum obtained from a rabbit infected with diphtheria was effective in preventing the diphtheria infection. Behring was awarded the first-ever Nobel prize for medicine in 1901.

Solution: A

About Software Technology Parks of India (STPI):

It is an autonomous society under Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Govt. of India.

It was established in 1991 with the objective of encouraging, promoting and boosting the export of software from India.

The STPI’s Governing Council’s Chairperson is the Union Minister for Electronics & Information Technology.

The objectives of the Software Technology Parks of India are:

1. To promote the development and export of software and software services including Information Technology (IT) enabled services/ Bio- IT.
2. To provide statutory and other promotional services to the exporters by implementing Software Technology Parks (STP)/ Electronics and Hardware Technology Parks (EHTP) Schemes, SEZ scheme and other such schemes which may be formulated and entrusted by the Government from time to time.
3. To provide data communication services including value added services to IT / IT enabled Services (ITES) related industries.
4. To promote micro, small and medium entrepreneurs by creating conducive environment for entrepreneurship in the field of IT/ITES.
5. To establish and manage infrastructure resources such as Datacom facilities, Project Management and Consultancy and IT support facilities.

Solution: D

AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) is a syndrome caused by a virus called HIV (human immunodeficiency virus).

The disease alters the immune system, making people much more vulnerable to infections and diseases. This susceptibility worsens if the syndrome progresses.

HIV is found throughout all the tissues of the body but is transmitted through the body fluids of an infected person (semen, vaginal fluids, blood, and breast milk).

HIV infection can cause AIDS to develop. However, it is possible to contract HIV without developing AIDS. Without treatment, HIV can progress and, eventually, it will develop into AIDS in the vast majority of cases.

HIV is a retrovirus that infects the vital organs and cells of the human immune system.

Currently, there is no vaccine or cure for HIV, but treatments have evolved which are much more effective and better tolerated; they can improve patients’ general health and quality of life considerably, in as little as one pill per day.

Solution: D

What is National Cadet Corps?

It is a youth development movement. It came into existence under the National Cadet Corps Act of 1948.

It is a Tri-Services Organization, comprising the Army, Navy and Air Force, engaged in grooming the youth of the country into disciplined and patriotic citizens.

• The NCC provides exposure to the cadets in a wide range of activities., with a distinct emphasis on Social Services, Discipline and Adventure Training. The NCC is open to all regular students of schools and colleges on a voluntary basis. The students have no liability for active military service.

Why in News?

National Cadet Corps (NCC) has offered a helping hand to civilian authorities in the country’s fight against COVID-19 by extending the services of cadets under ‘Exercise NCC Yogdan’.

Solution: A

The Government of India constituted the Technology Development Board (TDB) in September 1996, under the Technology Development Board Act, 1995, as a statutory body, to promote development and commercialization of indigenous technology and adaptation of imported technology for wider application. The board consists of 11 Board members.

Currently, the chairperson is the Secretary to Ministry of Science and technology.

The TDB is the first organization of its kind within the government framework with the sole objective of commercializing the fruit of indigenous research. The Board plays a pro-active role by encouraging enterprises to take up technology-oriented products.

Provides equity capital or loans to industrial concerns and financial assistance to research and development institutions. The loan carries a simple interest rate of 5% per annum. With its pro-active stance the Board:

• Facilitates interaction between industry, scientists, technocrats and specialists
• Fosters and innovation culture through contract and cooperative research between industry and institutions
• Provides an interface with financial institutions and commercial banks for leveraging funds
• Facilitates the creation of new generation of entrepreneurs
• Assists partnerships with other, similar technology financing bodies
• Provides vistas for venturing into hi-tech areas
• Creates new job opportunities.

The Fund has been receiving grants from the Government of India out of the cess collections from the industrial concerns under the provisions of the Research and Development Cess Act, 1986, as amended in 1995. Any income from investment of the amount of the Fund and the recoveries made of the amounts disbursed from the Fund are credited for building up the Fund. The finance Act, 1999, enabled full deductions to the donations made to the fund for income tax purposes.

Solution: A

The orbital track of the satellite does not have to cross the poles exactly for an orbit to be called polar, an orbit which passes within 20 to 30 degrees of the poles is still classed as a polar orbit.

A low Earth orbit is normally at an altitude of less than 1000 km and could be as low as 160 km above the Earth.

Polar orbits pass over the Earth’s polar regions from north to south. The orbital track of the satellite does not have to cross the poles exactly for an orbit to be called polar, an orbit which passes within 20 to 30 degrees of the poles is still classed as a polar orbit.

These orbits mainly take place at low altitudes of between 200 to 1000 km. Satellites in polar orbit look down on the Earth’s entire surface and can pass over the North and South Poles several times a day.

Solution: B

KISAN RATH MOBILE APP:

Union Agriculture Ministry has launched Kisan Rath Mobile App to facilitate transportation of food grains and perishables during lockdown.

• The app is developed by the National Informatics Centre to facilitate farmers and traders in searching transport vehicles for movement of Agriculture and Horticulture produce.
• The App will also facilitate traders in transportation of perishable commodities by Refrigerated vehicles.

The Union Minister of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, Shri Narendra Singh Tomar launched a farmer friendly mobile application in Krishi Bhavan today developed by the National Informatics Centre (NIC) to facilitate farmers & traders in searching transport vehicles for Primary and Secondary transportation for movement of Agriculture & Horticulture produce. Primary transportation would include movement from Farm to Mandis, FPO Collection Centre and Warehouses etc. Secondary Transportation would include movement from Mandis to Intra-state & Inter-state mandis, Processing units, Railway station, Warehouses and Wholesalers etc.

The Mobile Application named “Kisan Rath” facilitates Farmers and Traders in identifying right mode of transportation for movement of farm produce ranging from food grain (cereal, coarse cereal, pulses etc), Fruits & Vegetables, oil seeds, spices, fiber crops, flowers, bamboo, log & minor forest produce, coconuts etc. This App also facilitates traders in transportation of perishable commodities by Reefer (Refrigerated) vehicles.

Transportation of agri produce is critical and indispensable component of supply chain. Under the extraordinary situation prevailing in the country currently due to lockdown, “Kisan Rath” will ensure smooth and seamless supply linkages between farmers, warehouses, FPOs, APMC mandis and intra-State & inter-State buyers and help in reduction of food wastage by providing timely services. All these will contribute in better prices for perishable commodities.

Solution: B

Context: The eleventh and first ever virtual Petersberg Climate Dialogue was held on April 28th 2020.

India, along with 30 countries, deliberated over ways and means to tackle the challenge of reinvigorating economies and societies after COVID-19, while enhancing collective resilience and catalyzing climate action while also supporting in particular those most vulnerable.

About the Petersberg Climate Dialogue:

This has been hosted by Germany since 2010.

The Climate Dialogue was originally an initiative of German Chancellor Angela Merkel. It is hosted by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety.

Aim: To provide a forum for informal high-level political discussions, focusing both on international climate negotiations and the advancement of climate action.

The Dialogue was co-chaired by Germany and the United Kingdom, the incoming Presidency of the 26th Conference of Parties (COP 26) to United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

Solution: C

Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) is an informal and voluntary partnership among 35 countries to prevent the proliferation of missile and unmanned aerial vehicle technology capable of carrying above 500 kg payload for more than 300 km.

G7 countries founded MTCR in 1987. Membership has grown to 35 nations, with 4 additional nations, including Israel.

India also joined in 2016 as 35th member adhering to the MTCR Guidelines unilaterally. The People’s Republic of China and Pakistan are not members of the MTCR.

https://www.armscontrol.org/factsheets/mtcr

Solution: C

What is helicopter money?

What to study?

For Prelims and Mains: What is Helicopter money, features, need for and significance? How is it different from quantitative easing?

Context: Amid rising concerns over economic crisis that has been triggered by the COVID-19 lockdown; Helicopter Money is one concept that is being considered by authorities’ world over.

In fact, Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao has suggested RBI to adopt the concept of Helicopter Money to help state governments tide over the current crisis and kickstart economic activity in India.

What is helicopter money? This is an unconventional monetary policy tool aimed at bringing a flagging economy back on track.

It involves printing large sums of money and distributing it to the public.

American economist Milton Friedman coined this term.

Why it is called so?

It basically denotes a helicopter dropping money from the sky. Friedman used the term to signify “unexpectedly dumping money onto a struggling economy with the intention to shock it out of a deep slump.”

Under such a policy, a central bank “directly increases the money supply and, via the government, distribute the new cash to the population with the aim of boosting demand and inflation.”

Why is helicopter money in news now? With the corona virus-hit economy falling deeper and deeper into a chasm with each passing day, Telangana chief minister KC Rao has said helicopter money can help states comes out of this morass.

He asked for the release of 5% funds from GDP by way of quantitative easing (QE).

Is helicopter money the same as quantitative easing? Quantitative easing also involves the use of printed money by central banks to buy government bonds. But not everyone views the money used in QE as helicopter money. It sure means printing money to monetize government deficits, but the govt has to pay back for the assets that the central bank buys. It’s not the same as bond-buying by central banks “in which bank-owned assets are swapped for new central bank reserves.”

Solution: A

National Science Day

28th February is celebrated as National Science Day (NSD) in India. NSD is celebrated to commemorate discovery of the ‘Raman Effect’, which led to Sir C.V. Raman winning the Noble Prize.

The first National Science Day was celebrated on February 28, 1987.

Theme:

The theme for National Science Day 2020 is “Women in Science”, which aims to appreciate the contribution of women in the field of science.

What is Raman Effect?

A phenomenon in spectroscopy discovered by the eminent physicist Sir Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman in 1928.

Raman Effect is a change in the wavelength of light that occurs when a light beam is deflected by molecules.

• When a beam of light traverses a dust-free, transparent sample of a chemical compound, a small fraction of the light emerges in directions other than that of the incident (incoming) beam.
• Most of this scattered light is of unchanged wavelength. A small part, however, has wavelengths different from that of the incident light; its presence is a result of the Raman Effect.

Solution: D

Dr. B. R. Ambedkar

• On 14 April 2019, the birth anniversary of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar was celebrated.
• Dr Ambedkar is rightly recognised as the modern Buddha of his age.
• This title was given to him by Mahant Veer Chandramani, the great Buddhist monk who initiated Babasaheb to Buddhism.
• He was the 14th and last child of his parents.
• Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar’s real surname was Ambawadekar. But his teacher, MahadevAmbedkar, gave him Ambedkar surname in the school records
• He founded BahishkritHitkarniSabha (1923).
• He led the Mahad Satyagraha in March 1927 to challenge the regressive customs of the Hindus.
• He participated in all three round-table conferences.
• Dr. Ambedkar is the only Indian whose statue is attached to Karl Marx in the London Museum
• Babasaheb is the first and only person in the world to receive a valuable doctorate degree named “Doctor All Science” from the London School of Economics. Many intelligent students have tried for it, but they have not been successful until now.
• Babasaheb was the world’s first and only Satyagrahi, who did Satyagraha for drinking water. The day (20 March) is being observed as Social Empowerment day in India.

Solution: B

National Children’s Science Congress (NCSC)

The latest edition of National Children’s Science Congress was held in Thiruvananthapuram.

Theme: “Science, Technology and Innovation for a Clean, Green and Healthy Nation”.

National Children’s Science Congress (NCSC):

It is a nationwide Science Communication programme started in the year 1993.

It is a programme of National Council for Science and Technology Communication (NCSTC), Department of Science and Technology, New Delhi.

It is a forum child of the age-group of 10-17 years, both from formal school system as well as from out of school, to exhibit their creativity and innovativeness and more particularly their ability to solve a societal problem experienced locally using by method of science.

About National Council for Science and Technology Communication (NCSTC):

It is mandated to communicate science & technology to masses.

• It is a registered body guided by a Board of Governors with headquarters at Delhi.
• It has about eighty members spread in all states and union territories.
• Volunteers in districts lend it great strength and capability for implementing the projects that reach the common man and woman.

Solution: D

What is LIGO?

It is a massive observatory for detecting cosmic gravitational waves and for carrying out experiments.

The objective is to use gravitational-wave observations in astronomical studies.

The project operates three gravitational-wave (GW) detectors. Two are at Hanford, Washington, north-western US, and one is at Livingston in Louisiana, south-eastern US.

The proposed LIGO India project aims to move one advanced LIGO detector from Hanford to India.

About LIGO- India project:

It is piloted by Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) and Department of Science and Technology (DST).

The LIGO-India project will be jointly coordinated and executed by three Indian research institutions: The Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA), Pune and Department of Atomic Energy organizations: Institute for Plasma Research (IPR), Gandhinagar and the Raja Ramanna Centre for Advanced Technology (RRCAT), Indore.

Benefits for India:

1. The project will bring unprecedented opportunities for scientists and engineers to dig deeper into the realm of gravitational wave and take global leadership in this new astronomical frontier.
2. The LIGO-India project will also bring considerable opportunities in cutting-edge technology for the Indian industry which will be engaged in the construction of the eight-km long beam tube at ultra-high vacuum on a levelled terrain.
3. With its establishment, India will join the global network of gravitational wave detectors.
4. Establishing an observatory in India also assumes importance because the further the distance between the observatories, the greater will be the accuracy in locating gravity waves.

Solution: C

Different festivals being celebrated in several parts of country- April 13 and 14:

• Vaisakhi– Spring harvest festival celebrated by Hindus ans Sikhs. The day marks the formation of KhalsaPanth of warriors under Guru Gobind Singh. It is celebrated as the first day of the month of Vaisakha according to Hindu calendar.
• Vishu– It is a Malayalam festival celebrated in the South Indian state of Kerala, Tulu Nadu region in Karnataka, bordering areas of Tamil Nadu and their diaspora communities. The festival marks the first day of Medam, the ninth month in the solar calendar followed in Kerala.
• Rongali Bihu- Celebrated in Assam. It marks the beginning of the Assamese New Year.
• Naba Barsha– Bengali New Year according to the Gregorian calendar.
• Puthandu – Tamil Nadu. It is celebrated on the first day of the Tamil month – Chithirai – and marks the beginning of the Tamil New Year.

Solution: B

Polycrack technology

The country’s first Government-owned Waste-to-Energy Plant was recently commissioned at the Mancheswar Carriage Repair Workshop in Odisha.

The plant, a patented technology called Polycrack, is first-of-its-kind in the Indian Railways and fourth in the country. It converts multiple feed stocks into hydrocarbon liquid fuels, gas, carbon and water.

What is Polycrack?

It is the world’s very first patented heterogeneous catalytic process which converts multiple feedstocks into hydrocarbon liquid fuels, gas, carbon as well as water.

• The waste generated will become the feeder material for the waste to energy plant.
• The energy which will be produced at the plant, will be in the form of light diesel oil and this oil will be used to light furnaces.

The plant, having a capacity of 500 kg per batch can be fed with the following:

• All kinds of existing plastic
• Petroleum sludge
• Un segregated MSW with moisture up to 50 per cent
• E-waste
• Automobile fluff
• Organic waste including bamboo, garden waste
• Jathropa fruit and palm bunch

Solution: D

Education for Justice:

• The Education for Justice (E4J) initiative was launched by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes to teach next generation about crime prevention and address problems under law.
• The initiative seeks to prevent crime and promote a culture of lawfulness through education activities designed for primary, secondary and tertiary levels.
• The E4J initiative is under the Global Programme for the Implementation of the Doha Declaration.

Solution: C

Biosimilar medicine

WHO prequalifies first biosimilar medicine– trastuzumab- to increase worldwide access to life-saving breast cancer treatment.

• Trastuzumab – a monoclonal antibody – was included in the WHO Essential Medicines List in 2015 as an essential treatment for about 20% of breast cancers.

What are Biosimilars?

• It is a biologic medical product that is almost an identical copy of an original product that is manufactured by a different company.
• They are officially approved versions of original “innovator” products and can be manufactured when the original product’s patent expires.
• Reference to the innovator product is an integral component of the approval.

Characteristics:

• Biological medicines contain active substances from a biological source, such as living cells or organisms.
• Most biological medicines in current clinical use contain active substances made of proteins.

Difference between biosimilars and generics:

• Biosimilars involve developing equivalent of biological entity while generics involve developing equivalent of a chemical entity-the Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient.
• Cost: Generic drugs are chemically identical to the original branded drug and, as such, cost significantly less because they don’t require much testing. Because biosimilars are made from living organisms, though, and don’t contain identical ingredients to their name-brand counterparts, they still require some testing. So, they cost more than generics, but less than the branded biologic.

Solution: C

New Development Bank:

• It is a multilateral development bank operated by the BRICS states (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa).
• The New Development Bank was agreed to by BRICS leaders at the 5th BRICS summit held in Durban, South Africa in 2013.
• It was established in 2014, at the 6th BRICS Summit at Fortaleza, Brazil.
• The bank is set up to foster greater financial and development cooperation among the five emerging markets.
• In the Fortaleza Declaration, the leaders stressed that the NDB will strengthen cooperation among BRICS and will supplement the efforts of multilateral and regional financial institutions for global development.
• The bank will be headquartered in Shanghai, China.
• Unlike the World Bank, which assigns votes based on capital share, in the New Development Bank each participant country will be assigned one vote, and none of the countries will have veto power.
• The New Development Bank will mobilise resources for infrastructure and sustainable development projects in BRICS and other emerging economies and developing countries, to supplement existing efforts of multilateral and regional financial institutions for global growth and development.

Solution: A

Microbial Fuel Cells

Microbial fuel cells have been installed at a zoo in London.

Using these cells, a plant has taken the botanical world’s first selfie.

What are microbial fuel cells?

A device that converts chemical energy to electrical energy by the action of microorganisms.

How it works?

• Under sunlight, plants produce sugars and oxygen from water and CO2 (photosynthesis).
• These sugars do not remain in the leaves, but are transported throughout the plant to the stem and roots.
• Some of these sugars are excreted by the roots as a waste product from the plant.
• Soil micro-organisms break this down further, releasing energy.
• This energy is captured using an anode (minus) and a cathode (plus) and charge a super capacitor.
• When the super capacitor is full, the power is discharged and a photo is taken.
• It is a bio-electrochemical system that uses bacteria as the catalyst to oxidize organic and inorganic matter, and consequently, generate electric current out of it.

Significance:

Unlike solar panels, plants can survive in the shade, naturally moving into position to maximize the potential of absorbing sunlight.

Solution: B

About International Energy Forum (IEF):

• The International Energy Forum (IEF) aims to foster greater mutual understanding and awareness of common energy interests among its members.
• The 72 Member Countries of the Forum are signatories to the IEF Charter, which outlines the framework of the global energy dialogue through this inter-governmental arrangement.
• Covering all six continents and accounting for around 90% of global supply and demand for oil and gas, the IEF is unique in that it comprises not only consuming and producing countries of the International Energy Agency and OPEC, but also Transit States and major players outside of their memberships, including Argentina, China, India, Mexico, Russia and South Africa.
• The IEF is the neutral facilitator of informal, open, informed and continuing global energy dialogue.
• The Forum’s biennial Ministerial Meetings are the world’s largest gathering of Energy Ministers.
• The IEF and the global energy dialogue are promoted by a permanent Secretariat of international staff based in the Diplomatic Quarter of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

https://www.ief.org/about-ief/ief-overview.aspx

Solution: A

Hence, Deepa is at the second left of Prakash.

Solution: A

Priti is sitting exactly opposite of Deepa

Solution: B

Deepa and Mukesh are immediate neighbours of Pankaj.

Solution: A

Priti is sitting immediate right to Lalit.

Answer. D.

The passage talks about three arguments which can be be brought in the defence technology which is not true for AI. This is what option D is about.