Facts For Prelims Source: The Hindu Context: NASA’s Dragonfly mission to explore Titan is scheduled for launch in 2027, and the spacecraft is expected to arrive at its destination in around 2034. About Titan: Titan is the second largest moon (Saturn’s) in our solar system (after Jupiter’s Ganymede). It is larger than Mercury …
Facts For Prelims Source: Indian Express Context: A team led by experts at Tel Aviv University has shown tomato and tobacco plants, among others, not only make sounds but do so loudly enough for other creatures to hear. Plants have evolved complex biochemical responses and the ability to dynamically alter their growth (and regrow …
Facts For Prelims Source: The Hindu Context: Researchers at IIT Mandi have developed a novel carbon-based catalyst to make water electrolysis more efficient. Water electrolysis is the process of choice to produce ‘green hydrogen ‘thus making it more significant. About water electrolysis: In water electrolysis, water molecules are split into hydrogen and oxygen using electricity inside …
Continue reading “Novel catalyst offers to make hydrogen more viable as a fuel”
Facts For Prelims Source: The Hindu Context: Indian Institute of Science (IISc) researchers have designed a novel ultra-micro supercapacitor, a tiny device capable of storing an enormous amount of electric charge. Apart from being small in size and more compact than existing supercapacitors, they can potentially be used in many devices ranging from streetlights …
Facts for Prelims (FFP) Source: DTE Context: The first-ever International Day of Zero Waste was celebrated on March 30, 2023, to encourage people to prevent and minimize waste and promote a circular economy and help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (11 and 12). Established by: The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and UN …
Facts For Prelims Source: PIB Context: The Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board has implemented the Unified Tariff, a long-awaited reform in the natural gas sector. What is a Unified Tariff? The Unified Tariff is a way to calculate the price of transporting natural gas across different pipelines in India. This helps to …
Facts For Prelims Source: TH Context: The Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-in) may soon be exempt from responding to queries under the Right to Information (RTI) Act 2005. Background: The DoPT has reviewed a proposal from the MeitY to include CERT-in in the 2nd Schedule to the RTI Act, which deals …
Facts for Prelims (FFP) Source: IE Context: A scarf – a hybrid creation of an Assamese gamosa and a Bengali gamcha – became the subject of controversy in Assam. Assamese gamosa/gamusa (Body wipes or Towel): It is generally a white rectangular piece of cloth with primarily a red border on two sides and …
Content for Mains Enrichment (CME) Source: DTE Example 1: Planting a “barrier” of crops that repel animals such as elephants. It will benefit both the animals and local people and involve the communities concerned. Example 2: Kenya: Tracking collars have been fitted to some elephants in a herd to inform locals about their movements, …
Continue reading “How can humans & animals exist more peacefully?”
GS Paper 3 Syllabus: Infrastructure/Manufacturing sector Source: Business Standard, DTE Context: The parliamentary standing committee on heavy industry highlighted that Phase 2 of the FAME scheme to subsidize electric vehicles has achieved only 51.96 per cent of its target. In related news, the Committee on Estimates (2022-23) for the evaluation of electric vehicle policy under …
Continue reading “FAME II subsidy for electric vehicles at only 52% of its target”
GS Paper 3 Syllabus: Indian Economy Source: PIB, IE Context: Ministry of Commerce and Industry launched the Foreign Trade Policy 2023, which will come into effect from April 1, 2023. FTP 2023 sets a $2 trillion target for exports of goods and services by 2030 with a shift from incentives to remission …
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GS Paper 2 Syllabus: International Relations Source: TH Context: As Russia-China bolster ties, Saudi Arabia-Iran strike a deal (with China’s mediation), India’s tightrope walk gets tougher ahead of a number of crucial meetings – G7, G20, SCO and Quad. Recent global developments: Other developments: AUKUS: US, Australia and UK announced the 3-phase …
Continue reading “What do Russia-China and Saudi-Iran deals mean for India?”
GS Paper 2 Syllabus: Indian Polity Source: TH Context: On March 31, Donald Trump was indicted by a Manhattan grand jury on charges related to payments made during the 2016 presidential campaign to silence claims of an extramarital affairs. Criminal processing against Presidents in USA and India Comparison table of President Impeachment …
Continue reading “Comparison of Presidents in USA and India”
GS Paper 1/3 Syllabus: Salient features of the World’s Physical Geography/ Conservation, Environmental Pollution and Degradation Source: IE Context: According to a new study, an alarming effect on the global temperature, the marine food chain and the stability of ice shelves is being caused by the Antarctic ice sheet’s rapid melting. Background: …
Continue reading “Impact of Antarctic ice melting on Ocean currents”
