Civil Services Simplified: Decoding the Enigma of UPSC by Dr. CP. Kaushik

Science and Technology Past Year Questions Analysis: Part 1.. 2/3 more discussions to follow..

Some myths and facts about the Optional Anthropology..

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5. Bioenergy Crops: According to a new study, converting annual crops to perennial bioenergy crops can induce a cooling effect on the areas where they are cultivated. • Bioenergy crops include specific plants that are grown and maintained at lower costs for biofuel production. • Biofuel generation using fast growing and photosynthetically efficient bioenergy crops is emerging as a reliable alternative to fossil fuels. • Bioenergy crops are one such energy source that could positively impact the environment to reduce the level of carbon dioxide, emission of greenhouse gases and soil erosion. • These crops increase soil carbon and fix atmospheric carbon. They could be used for the phyto-remediation of heavy metal-contaminated soils. • Bioenergy crops are classified into five types namely, 1. First-generation bioenergy crops - Corn, sorghum, rapeseed and sugarcane 2. Second-generation bioenergy crops - Switchgrass, miscanthus, alfalfa, reed canary grass, Napier grass and other plants. 3. Third-generation bioenergy crops - Boreal plants, crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) plants, eucalyptus and microalgae. 4. Bioenergy halophytes - Genera Acacia, Eucalyptus, Casuarina, Melaleuca, Prosopis, Rhizophora and Tamarix. 5. Dedicated energy crops - Perennial herbaceous and woody plant species as giant miscanthus, switchgrass, jatropha and algae.

4. Dark Genome: Scientists investigating the ‘dark genome’ have discovered recently evolved regions that code for proteins associated with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. • Dark genome - Human genome is conventionally divided into, 1. Coding genome, which generates the ~20,000 annotated human protein coding genes, and 2. Dark genome, which does not encode proteins. • Dark genome is a vast space, accounting for the ~98.5% of genomic space where repeat elements, enhancers, regulatory sequences, and non-coding RNAs reside. • It comprises the DNA outside our genes. These are the regions, not classed as genes in the traditional sense, which create proteins. • Study - The scientists say that these new proteins can be used as biological indicators to distinguish between the two conditions - schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. • It can also be used to identify patients more prone to psychosis or suicide.

3. Muscle Dysfunction and Vitamin D: A new study has examined the molecular nature of muscle dysfunction in the absence of vitamin D. • Usually, the glucose absorbed from the food is converted into glycogen and stored in the skeletal muscle. • This stored energy reserve is used by muscles to produce energy after the food consumed is digested. • Without the vitamin D, the skeletal muscles continued to make glycogen, but could not convert them into glucose (usable form of energy). • When the glycogen storage does not give energy, particularly in a post-absorb state, the skeletal muscle draws more glucose from the blood. This leads to a systemic energy shortage. • When there is systemic lack of energy, the protein degradation in muscle is triggered leading to muscle wasting. • This shows that vitamin D deficiency starves the skeletal muscles, leading to muscle wasting. Functions of Vitamin D: • Vitamin D works more as a hormone than and is involved in a host of biochemical reactions. • It is key to maintaining metabolic functions, immune system, bone health and plays a crucial role in depression, mood swings, anxiety and sleep quality. • As part of the normal metabolic process, proteins produced in our body degrade, and in due course, new proteins are made to replace them. • Usually, when the protein degradation exceeds protein synthesis, skeletal muscle atrophy or simply a decrease in muscle mass occurs. This is what happens during Vitamin D deficiency.

2. Black Hole ignites Star Formation: NASA's Hubble Space Telescope finds a black hole igniting star formation in a dwarf galaxy. • Often portrayed as destructive monsters that hold light captive, a black hole at the heart of the dwarf galaxy Henize is creating stars rather than gobbling them up. • The black hole is apparently contributing to the firestorm of new star formation taking place in the galaxy. • Outflow of gas - An outflow of gas from the black hole stretches across space like an umbilical cord to a bright stellar region that is located 230 light-years from the black hole. More massive the host galaxy, more massive the black hole at its centre.

Target Prelims-cum-mains 2023: 1. The Challenge of Antimicrobial Resistance: The Global Research on Antimicrobial Resistance (GRAM) report was published in the Lancet recently providing the most comprehensive estimate of the global impact of AMR. • Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is the ability of a microbe to resist the effects of medication previously used to treat them. • Resistant microbes are more difficult to treat, requiring alternative medications or higher doses, both of which may be more expensive or more toxic. • Microbes resistant to multiple antimicrobials are called Multi Drug Resistant (MDR) or sometimes Superbugs. Prominent causes: • Usage- There is an increasing use of antibiotics for human and veterinary purposes in the recent period. • There is irrational consumption(over usage) of broad spectrum antibiotics. • In India, effluents generated from these industries are treated as per the pharmaceutical wastewater discharge guidelines as prescribed by the Central Pollution Control Board. • But the current standards do not include antibiotic residues, and they are not monitored in the pharmaceutical industry effluents. • The existing good manufacturing practices (GMP) under the WHO (2016) framework is restricted to drug safety alone and does not recognise the environmental risk with pharmaceuticals products. • Waste Discharge- The uncontrolled discharge of untreated urban waste is another major source for AMR in many low and middle income countries.

2 qs. Much expected. Vaccine development and James Webb Telescope.

5. Aquamation: • It is a green alternative to traditional cremation methods. • It also known as alkaline hydrolysis and defined as “flameless cremation”. • In this process the body is immersed for a few hours in a mixture of water and a strong alkali in a pressurized metal cylinder and heated to around 150 degrees centigrade. • The combination of gentle water flow, temperature and alkalinity accentuate the breakdown of the organic materials. The process leaves behind bone fragments and a neutral liquid called effluent. • The effluent is sterile, and contains salts, sugars, amino acids and peptides. • There is no tissue and no DNA left after the process completes • The process was developed and patented in 1888 by Amos Herbert Hanson, a farmer who was trying to develop an ingenious way to make fertilizer from animal carcasses. • This process uses energy which is five times less than fire. It also reduces by about 35% the amount of greenhouse gases that are emitted during other ways of cremation.

4. Chemical weapons: • Chemical weapons are weapons and other equipment that use the toxic effects of chemicals on living organisms to cause death or other harm. • To qualify as a chemical weapon, the toxic effects of warheads must not necessarily be fatal. • Chemical weapons are considered weapons of mass destruction, as toxic chemicals can spread over large areas and affect large numbers of people. International Law regarding Use of Chemical Weapons: • Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) is a multilateral treaty banning chemical weapons and requiring their destruction within the stipulated time. • Negotiations for the CWC began in 1980 at the United Nations Conference on Disarmament. • The convention was opened for signature in January 1993. It became effective from April 1997. • Members should also declare the riot-control agents (tear gas) in possession of them. • India signed the treaty in January 1993. The Chemical Weapons Convention Act, 2000 was passed to implement the CWC. • Apart from CWC, Australia Group seeks to check proliferation of chemical or biological weapons. India joined (as 43rd Participant) the Australia Group (AG) in January 2018. ## Russia accused of attack on Ukraine using illegal phosphorus bombs. • International law prohibits the use of white phosphorus shells in heavily populated civilian areas but allows them in open spaces to be used as cover for troops. • White phosphorous is used in fumes, lights and incendiary warships, and is usually the burning element of tracer ammunition. • It is pyrophoric which mean it ignites on contact with air, burns fiercely and can ignite clothing, fuel, ammunition and other flammable materials.

3. Blue Straggler Stars: ##Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Bengaluru conducted a study on the aberrant behaviour of Blue Straggler Stars. #The researchers made use of the observations by the UVIT instrument (Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope) of Astrosat, India’s first science observatory in space. About Blue Straggler Stars: • It is a class of stars on open or globular clusters that stand out as they are bigger and bluer than the rest of the stars. • These stars tend to be strongly concentrated toward the centre of the cluster. • These stars are seen in clusters and sometimes alone.

2. Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet (SFDR) Technology: The DRDO successfully conducted a flight trial of the SFDR booster. About SFDR • It is jointly developed by India and Russia. • It is a missile propulsion system consisting of a thrust modulated ducted rocket with a low smoke nozzleless missile booster. • Thrust modulation in the system is achieved by using a hot gas flow controller. • SFDR-based propulsion enables the missile to intercept aerial threats at very long ranges at supersonic speeds. • This type of propulsion system significantly increases the range with a higher average speed. • Missiles using such a system are also capable of carrying large payloads due to the absence of oxidizer. • Unlike solid-propellant rocket, the Ramjet takes up oxygen from the atmosphere during flight. ➢ At present lot of conventional missiles uses booster or sustainer configuration with solid or liquid propellants, which have limitations against manoeuvring target. ➢ This is because terminal stage of conventional missiles cannot provide enough energy to maintain their speed in order to hit targets. ##SDFR technology removes this drawback by exceptionally enhancing endgame manoeuvrability of missile at terminal stage when its seeker is locked onto target.

Science and Technology Current Affairs: Target Prelims 2023 1. India’s Step To Tackle Space Debris: • ISRO initiated ‘Project NETRA’ in Bengaluru. • It is an early warning system in space to detect debris and other hazards to Indian satellites. • It will give India its own capability in space situational awareness (SSA), which is used to ‘predict’ threats from debris to Indian satellites. • It also goes so far as to serve as an unstated warning against missile or space attack for the country. Kessler Syndrome: It is a possible effect that if one satellite produces debris that hit another satellite, this will create a chain reaction that will obliterate every orbiting object in the Low Earth Orbit, and thus creating a thick cloud of white dots travelling at high speed. Rockets would no longer be able to reach space since they risk getting hit by these debris.

13 Qs from Tech section..