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

4. Climate forcing is the physical process of affecting the climate on the Earth through a number of forcing factors. These factors are specifically known as forcings because they drive the climate to change, and it is important to note that these forcings exist outside of the existing climate system. * Examples of some of the most important types of forcings include: variations in solar radiation levels, volcanic eruptions, changing albedo, and changing levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. * Climate forcing is the difference between the rate of energy received by absorption of solar radiation and the rate of energy emitted by the top of the Earth's atmosphere, expressed in watts per square meter. **There are two main types of forcings that exist - positive forcing and negative forcing. Positive forcing warms the Earth, while negative forcing cools it. Greenhouse gases are a major contribution to the forcing effect - most notably carbon dioxide, methane, and NO2.

Target Prelims 2025: Day 27 1. Carbon sequestration is the long-term removal, capture, or sequestration of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to slow or reverse atmospheric CO2 pollution and to mitigate or reverse climate change. Carbon dioxide (CO2) is naturally captured from the atmosphere through biological, chemical, and physical processes. These changes can be accelerated through changes in land use and agricultural practices, such as converting crop and livestock grazing land into land for non-crop fast growing plants. Artificial processes have been devised to produce similar effects including large-scale, artificial capture and sequestration of industrially produced CO2 using subsurface saline aquifers, reservoirs, ocean water, aging oil fields, or other carbon sinks, bio-energy with carbon capture and storage, biochar, ocean fertilization, enhanced weathering, and direct air capture when combined with storage. ** Ocean iron fertilization is an example of a geo-engineering technique used to sequester CO2 in oceans. Iron fertilization attempts to encourage phytoplankton growth, which removes carbon from the atmosphere for at least a period of time. * Natural iron fertilisation events (e.g., deposition of iron-rich dust into ocean waters) can enhance carbon sequestration. Sperm whales act as agents of iron fertilisation when they transport iron from the deep ocean to the surface during prey consumption and defecation. **Although a bamboo forest stores less total carbon than a mature forest of trees, a bamboo plantation sequesters carbon at a much faster rate than a mature forest or a tree plantation. Therefore the farming of bamboo timber may have significant carbon sequestration potential. 2. Rating system for green buildings in India:  The Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) was formed by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). IGBC is India's premier body for green building certification and related services.  GRIHA: Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment (GRIHA) is a rating system evolved by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI).  The Energy Conservation Building Code (ECBC) was launched in May 2007 by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), Ministry of Power. Its main objective is to establish minimum requirements for energy efficient design and construction of buildings.  ECO-NIWAS Portal (Energy Conservation-New Indian Way for Affordable & Sustainable homes) was launched by the government to increase awareness about sustainable building and energy efficient homes in the country. It is developed by BEE. 3. A carbon offset is a reduction in emissions of carbon dioxide or other greenhouse gases made in order to compensate for emissions made elsewhere. Offsets are measured in tonnes of carbon dioxide-equivalent. One tonne of carbon offset represents the reduction of one tonne of carbon dioxide or its equivalent in other greenhouse gases. Carbon offsets represent multiple categories of greenhouse gases, including[16] carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), perfluorocarbons (PFCs), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), and sulfur hexafluoride (SF6). Emission reduction projects reduce the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere in one of three ways:  By capturing and destroying a greenhouse gas that would otherwise be emitted into the atmosphere. An example of this is a methane gas capture project at a landfill.  By producing energy using a clean, renewable resource that eliminates the need to produce that same energy from fossil fuels, the burning of which releases greenhouse gas into the atmosphere. An example of this is wind power.  By capturing and storing (or “sequestering”) greenhouse gases to prevent their release into the atmosphere. An example of this is a project that promotes the healthy growth and maintenance of forests.

5. Phytoextraction Rhizofilteration:  Phytoextraction (or phytoaccumulation or phytosequestration) exploits the ability of plants or algae to remove contaminants from soil or water into harvestable plant biomass.  The roots take up substances from the soil or water and concentrate it above ground in the plant biomass. ** Phytoextraction can also be performed by plants (e.g. Populus and Salix) that take up lower levels of pollutants, but due to their high growth rate and biomass production, may remove a considerable amount of contaminants from the soil. Rhizofiltration:  It is a form of phytoremediation that involves filtering contaminated groundwater, surface water and wastewater through a mass of roots to remove toxic substances or excess nutrients.  The contaminated water is either collected from a waste site and brought to the plants, or the plants are planted in the contaminated area, where the roots then take up the water and the contaminants dissolved in it.  Many plant species naturally uptake heavy metals and excess nutrients for a variety of reasons: sequestration, drought resistance, disposal by leaf abscission, interference with other plants, and defense against pathogens and herbivores.  Rhizofiltration is a contamination treatment method that may be conducted in situ, with plants being grown directly in the contaminated water body or ex situ, where plants are grown off-site and later introducted to the contaminated water body.

Target Prelims 2025: Day 26 1. The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (2015–2030) is an international document that was adopted by the United Nations member states at the World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction held in Sendai, Japan. ** It is the successor agreement to the Hyogo Framework for Action (2005–2015), which had been the most encompassing international accord to date on disaster risk reduction. The Sendai Framework sets four specific priorities for action: 1. Understanding disaster risk 2. Strengthening disaster risk governance to manage disaster risk 3. Investing in disaster risk reduction for resilience 4. Enhancing disaster preparedness for effective response, and to "Building Back Better" in recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction 2. The Rotterdam Convention is a multilateral treaty to promote shared responsibilities in relation to importation of hazardous chemicals. The convention promotes open exchange of information and calls on exporters of hazardous chemicals to use proper labeling, include directions on safe handling, and inform purchasers of any known restrictions or bans. ** Basel Convention, is an international treaty that was designed to reduce the movements of hazardous waste between nations, and specifically to prevent transfer of hazardous waste from developed to less developed countries (LDCs). The convention is also intended to minimize the rate and toxicity of wastes generated, to ensure their environmentally sound management as closely as possible to the source of generation, and to assist LDCs in environmentally sound management of the hazardous and other wastes they generate. ** Istanbul Convention is a human rights treaty of the Council of Europe against violence against women and domestic violence. 3. Effect of ocean acidification on cloud formation:  The majority of sulphur in the atmosphere is emitted from the ocean, often in the form of dimethylsulfide (DMS) produced by phytoplankton.  Some of DMS produced by phytoplankton enters the atmosphere and reacts to make sulphuric acid, which clumps into aerosols, or microscopic airborne particles.  Aerosols seed the formation of clouds, which help cool the Earth by reflecting sunlight.  But, in acidified ocean water, phytoplankton produces less DMS.  This reduction of sulphur may lead to decreased cloud formation, raising global temperatures. 4. Bioremediation and phytoremediation are two types of mechanisms used in the removal of contaminants from the ecosystems. ** Both involve in the degradation, transform, detoxify or immobilization of the pollutants. Difference between Bioremediation and Phytoremediation:  Bioremediation refers to the use of either naturally occurring or deliberately introduced microorganisms to consume and break down environmental pollutants, in order to clean a polluted site while phytoremediation refers to a process of decontaminating soil or water by using plants and trees to absorb or break down pollutants.  Bioremediation is the method of removing contaminants from ecosystems while phytoremediation is a type of bioremediation.  Bioremediation mainly uses microbes while phytoremediation depends on plants.  Bioremediation can be either in situ or ex situ while phytoremediation is mainly an in-situ process.  Bioremediation is more ecologically-friendly while phytoremediation is cost friendly.

4. The Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 is an Act of the Parliament of India enacted for protection of plants and animal species. This Act provides for the protection of the country’s wild animals, birds, and plant species, in order to ensure environmental and ecological security. Among other things, the Act lays down restrictions on hunting many animal species. It has six schedules which give varying degrees of protection: Schedule I: Under this schedule species need rigorous protection and therefore, the harshest penalties for violation of the law are for species under this Schedule. Schedule II: Animals under this list are accorded high protection. They cannot be hunted except under threat to human life. Species listed in Schedule III and Schedule IV are also protected, but the penalties are much lower. Animals under Schedule V, e.g. common crows, fruit bats, rats and mice, are legally considered vermin and may be hunted freely. The specified endemic plants in Schedule VI are prohibited from cultivation and planting. These species are:  Beddomes' cycad  Blue Vanda  Kuth  Ladies slipper orchids  Pitcher plant  Red Vanda 5. New and Emerging Strategic Technologies –NEST is created under the Ministry of External Affairs. ** The NEST acts as a nodal point to exchange views with foreign governments on new and emerging strategic technologies. * The division helps in collaboration with foreign partners in the field of 5G and artificial intelligence. * It help assess foreign policy and international legal implications of new and emerging technologies and technology-based resources, and recommend appropriate foreign policy choice. * The division holds responsibility for matters that involves negotiations with multilateral fora like the United Nations, G20. This will help to safeguard India’s interests as such forums govern the rules of access to such technologies

Target Prelims 2025: Day 25 1. The Forest Conservation Act, 1980 (FCA) is the principal legislation that regulates deforestation in the country. It prohibits the felling of forests for any “non-forestry” use without prior clearance by the central government. * The clearance process includes seeking consent from local forest rights-holders and from wildlife authorities. The Centre is empowered to reject such requests or allow it with legally binding conditions. *In a landmark decision in 1996, the Supreme Court had expanded the coverage of FCA to all areas that satisfied the dictionary definition of a forest; earlier, only lands specifically notified as forests were protected by the enforcement of the FCA. 2. The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006, was passed on 18 December 2006. The law concerns the rights of forest-dwelling communities to land and other resources, denied to them over decades as a result of the continuance of colonial forest laws in India. * It expands the mandate of the Fifth and the Sixth Schedules of the Constitution that protect the claims of indigenous communities over tracts of land or forests they inhabit. * The act recognize and vest the forest rights and occupation in Forest land in forest Dwelling Scheduled Tribes (FDST) and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (OTFD)who have been residing in such forests for generations. These are:  Title rights - i.e. ownership - to land that is being farmed by tribals or forest dwellers as on 13 December 2005, subject to a maximum of 4 hectares; ownership is only for land that is actually being cultivated by the concerned family as on that date, meaning that no new lands are granted.  Use rights - to minor forest produce (also including ownership), to grazing areas, to pastoralist routes, etc.  Relief and development rights - to rehabilitation in case of illegal eviction or forced displacement and to basic amenities, subject to restrictions for forest protection.  Forest management rights - to protect forests and wildlife. 3. Bonn convention, also known as the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals is an international agreement that aims to conserve migratory species throughout their ranges. It is the only global, and United Nations-based, intergovernmental organization established exclusively for the conservation and management of terrestrial, aquatic and avian migratory species. The Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer is a multilateral environmental agreement signed in 1985 that provided frameworks for international reductions in the production of chlorofluorocarbons due to their contribution to the destruction of the ozone layer, resulting in an increased threat of skin cancer. Basel Convention, is an international treaty that was designed to reduce the movements of hazardous waste between nations, and specifically to prevent transfer of hazardous waste from developed to less developed countries (LDCs). The Kigali Agreement is an amendment to the Montreal Protocol which seeks to gradually reduce the consumption and production of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). It is a legally binding agreement designed to create rights and obligations in international law.

5. Dehing Patkai National Park: It is located in the Dibrugarh and Tinsukia districts of Assam. It is located in the Dehing patkai landscape which is a lowland rainforest. River Dehing flows through it. Anshi National Park: It is a protected area and tiger reserve. It is located in Karnataka. The park is a habitat of Bengal tigers, black panthers and Indian elephants, amongst other distinctive fauna. The Kali River flows through it and is the lifeline of the ecosystem. Bhitarkanika National Park: It is located in Odisha. This national park and wildlife sanctuary is inundated by the rivers Brahmani, Baitarani, Dhamra, Pathsala. It hosts many mangrove species, and is the second largest mangrove ecosystem in India. 6. Gahirmatha Sanctuary is a marine wildlife sanctuary located in Odisha. It extends from Dhamra River mouth in the north to Brahmani river mouth in the south. It is very famous for its nesting beach for olive ridley sea turtles. It is the one of world's most important nesting beach for turtles. National Chambal Sanctuary, also called the National Chambal Gharial Wildlife Sanctuary, is a tri-state protected area for the protection of the Critically Endangered gharial, the red-crowned roof turtle and the Endangered Ganges river dolphin. It is located on the Chambal River near the tripoint of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. Vikramshila Sanctuary is the protected area for the endangered Gangetic dolphins. It is located in Bihar. The Gangetic Dolphin has been declared as the national aquatic animal of India.

Target Prelims 2025: Day 24 1. Conditions for Coral Growth are:  Stable climatic conditions: Corals are highly susceptible to quick changes. They grow in regions where climate is significantly stable for a long period of time.  Perpetually warm waters: Corals thrive in tropical waters [30°N and 30°S latitudes, the temperature of water is around 20°C] where diurnal and annual temperature ranges are very narrow.  Shallow water: Coral require fairly good amount of sunlight to survive. The ideal depths for coral growth are 45 m to 55 m below sea surface, where there is abundant sunlight available.  Clear salt water: Clear salt water is suitable for coral growth, while both fresh water and highly saline water are harmful.  Abundant Plankton: Adequate supply of oxygen and microscopic marine food, called plankton [phytoplankton], is essential for growth. As the plankton is more abundant on the seaward side, corals grow rapidly on the seaward side.  Little or no pollution: Corals are highly fragile and are vulnerable to climate change and pollution and even a minute increase in marine pollution can be catastrophic. 2. DBT: Major Initiatives **Local Treatment of Urban Sewage streams for Healthy Reuse (LOTUS-HR) program aims to demonstrate a novel holistic (waste) water management approach that will produce clean water which can be reused for various purposes. * The LOTUS-HR project is jointly supported by Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India and Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research /STW, Government of Netherlands. **Ind-CEPI (Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations) Mission aims to strengthen the development of vaccines for the diseases of epidemic potential in India as well as build coordinated preparedness in the Indian public health system and vaccine industry to address existing and emergent infectious threats in India. **UMMID (Unique Methods of Management and Treatment of Inherited Disorders) initiative aims to tackle inherited genetic diseases of newborn babies. The programme is implemented through government hospitals to regularise the use of cutting edge scientific technology and molecular medicine to achieve Universal Health Coverage for all. The initiative is designed on the concept of ‘Prevention is better than Cure’. 3. Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Limited (IFFCO) introduced the world's first Nano Urea Liquid for farmers across the world. It is a nutrient (liquid) to provide nitrogen to plants as an alternative to the conventional urea. * It is developed to replace conventional urea and it can curtail the requirement of the same by at least 50%. Conventional urea is effective 30-40% in delivering nitrogen to plants, while the effectiveness of the Nano Urea Liquid is over 80%. It has been found effective and efficient for plant nutrition which increases the production with improved nutritional quality. ** It will boost a balanced nutrition program by reducing the excess use of Urea application in the soil and will make the crops stronger, healthier and protect them from lodging effect. 4. The Montreux Record is a register of wetland sites on the List of Ramsar wetlands of international importance where changes in ecological character have occurred, are occurring, or are likely to occur as a result of technological developments, pollution or other human interference. ** It is a voluntary mechanism to highlight specific wetlands of international importance that are facing immediate challenges. * It is maintained as part of the List of Ramsar wetlands of international importance. At present, 48 sites are listed in Montreux Record. At present 2 Indian sites are listed under it:  Keoladeo National Park  Loktak Lake In 1993 Chilka lake was also listed in Montreux record due to problem of Siltation, But later in 2002, it was removed from the list as problem tackled by govt actions.

Target Prelims 2025: Day 23 1. The Gaia Hypothesis is an ecological hypothesis proposing that the biosphere and the physical components of the Earth (atmosphere, cryosphere, hydrosphere and lithosphere) are closely integrated to form a complex interacting system that maintains the climatic and biogeochemical conditions on Earth in a preferred homeostasis. ** It was named after the Greek supreme goddess of Earth. * The hypothesis is frequently described as viewing the Earth as a single organism. 2. Sun-synchronous orbit (SSO) is a particular kind of polar orbit. Satellites in SSO, travelling over the Polar Regions, are synchronous with the Sun. This means they are synchronised to always be in the same ‘fixed’ position relative to the Sun. * This means that the satellite always visits the same spot at the same local time – for example, passing the city of Paris every day at noon exactly. * A satellite in a Sun-synchronous orbit would usually be at an altitude of 600 to 800 km. 3. New Horizon mission is to help us understand worlds at the edge of our solar system by making the first reconnaissance of the dwarf planet Pluto and by venturing deeper into the distant, mysterious Kuiper Belt – a relic of solar system formation. **The objective of OSIRIS-REX (Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security, Regolith Explorer) is to collect and bring samples of Asteroid Bennu back to Earth by 2023. ** The objective of SPHEREx (Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization, and Ices Explorer) is to to survey the sky in the near-infrared light to study the birth of the universe, gather data on more than 300 million galaxies as well as more than 100 million stars in the Milky Way galaxy. 4. NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) is planned to be launched. **The mission will measure Earth’s changing ecosystems, dynamic surfaces, and ice masses providing information about biomass, natural hazards, sea level rise, and groundwater, and will support a host of other applications. **NISAR will observe Earth’s land and ice-covered surfaces globally with 12-day regularity on ascending and descending passes, sampling Earth on average every 6 days for a baseline 3-year mission. 5. Multilateral Export Control Regimes: MECR are voluntary and non-binding agreements created by the major supplier countries that have agreed to co-operate in their effort to prevent and regulate the transfer of certain military and dual use technology. It aims at preventing the proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD).  They are independent of the United Nations.  Their regulations apply only to members and it is not obligatory for a country to join.  India is now a member of three of the four MECRs, except the nuclear supplier Group. ** The Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), for the control of nuclear related technology.  The Australia Group (AG) for control of chemical and biological technology that could be weaponized  The Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) for the control of rockets and other aerial vehicles capable of delivering weapons of mass destruction.  The Wassenaar Arrangement on Export Controls for Conventional Arms and Dual-Use Goods and Technologies

** Ethylene Oxide / Ethylene Glycol – Used to make other chemicals, including antifreeze, textiles, plastics, detergents, and adhesives. o Also used as a pesticide and sterilizing agent for medical equipment. o Recently, several countries have ordered to recall of India’s Spice product due to the presence of ethylene oxide. • Ethylene Dichloride – Used in PVC pipes, siding, medical devices, and clothing.

Target Prelims 2025: Day 22 1. Agnikul launches World’s First Rocket with Fully 3D Printed Engine: ## ‘Agnibaan - SOrTeD’ Sub-Orbital Technology Demonstrator also has the unique distinction of having been launched from India's first private launch pad called ‘Dhanush’ established by Agnikul. ## It is also India's first semi-cryogenic engine-powered rocket launch. ** The key purpose of this mission, which is also Agnikul’s first flight, is to serve as a test flight, to demonstrate the in-house and home grown technologies, gather crucial flight data and ensure optimal functioning of systems for Agnikul's orbital launch vehicle, the ‘Agnibaan’. ## The flagship launch vehicle, ‘Agnibaan’, is designed to be compatible with the mobile launchpad called ‘Dhanush,’ allowing for launch flexibility regardless of location. Agnibaan can be configured to accommodate payloads ranging from 30 kg to 300 kg, ensuring versatility across a wide range of mission requirements. 2. Astronomical transients: Indian-American astronomer Shrinivas Kulkarni was awarded the Shaw Prize for Astronomy in 2024 for his work on the physics of astronomical transients. In astronomy, a ‘transient’ is any celestial object whose brightness changes in short spans of time. ** There are many kinds of astronomical transients, all of them united by phenomena that are violent in some measure. * Astronomers study transients to understand where their violence comes from and what that can tell us about non-transient event. Examples of transients 1. Supernovae: When the outer layers of large stars blow up while their cores implode because the stars have run out of elements to fuse. Many a supernova has been known to become so bright that it emits light more intensely than the stars in the rest of its host galaxy combined. 2. Active Galactic nucleus (AGN): The centres of massive galaxies host supermassive black holes. Sometimes, these black holes actively feast on matter in their orbit. Interactions between the black holes and the matter in this process cause the latter to acquire energy and glow with a changing brightness. 3. Fast Radio Burst (FRB): It was discovered in 2007 and it can emit more than 10-times as much energy as the Sun in a few milliseconds. 3. JUNO MISSION: • NASA's Juno captures closest views of erupting volcanoes on Jupiter's moon Io. Moon Io is the most volcanically active world in the solar system. o Launched in 2011. ✓ To understand the origin and evolution of Jupiter. ✓ Investigate the existence of a possible solid planetary core, map Jupiter’s intense magnetic field, etc. o In its extended mission, it continues its investigation of Jupiter till 2025, or until the spacecraft’s end of life. 4. DRAGONFLY MISSION: • NASA has announced that Dragonfly mission to Saturn's massive moon Titan will be launched in 2028. ** It is fourth mission of NASA’s New Frontiers Program. The other three are NewHorizons, Juno, and OSIRIS-Rex (also OSIRIS-APEX). • Goal: To explore the chemistry and habitability of multiple surface sites covering a large area. It will help in investigating Titan’s habitability. • Titan is the only satellite in our solar system known to be blanketed by a dense atmosphere and host liquid seas on its surface. 5. Ethylene & associated chemicals: • Ethylene is a simple gaseous plant growth regulator (PGR). • Synthesis: Mainly by tissues undergoing senescence (process of becoming old) and ripening fruits. o Influences of ethylene on plants include horizontal growth of seedlings, swelling of the axis and apical hook formation in dicot seedlings. o Highly effective in fruit ripening. It enhances the respiration rate during ripening of the fruits. This rise in rate of respiration is called respiratory climactic. o Promotes senescence and abscission of plant organs especially of leaves and flowers.

Target Prelims 2025: Day 21 1. White Rabbit Collaboration: CERN has introduced the White Rabbit Collaboration to promote the adoption of its White Rabbit (WR) technology, initially developed to synchronize devices in particle accelerators with sub-nanosecond precision. • This technology has applications beyond particle physics and has been incorporated into the Precision Time Protocol (PTP) standard. • Unlike other technologies, WR is open-source and based on standards, allowing companies and institutes to adapt it to their needs. White Rabbit (WR) is a technology developed at CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, to provide time synchronization and data transfer for the LHC accelerator chain. WR is a deterministic Ethernet-based network that provides sub-nanosecond accuracy and picosecond precision of synchronization. It uses the Precision Time Protocol to achieve sub-nanosecond accuracy, which allows for precise adjustment of clock phase and offset. WR also provides the flexibility and modularity of real-time Ethernet networks. 2 .Future Circular Collider: Scientists at CERN are advancing plans for a multibillion-euro project to construct a larger and more potent particle collider called the Future Circular Collider. The Future Circular Collider (FCC) is a particle accelerator that is being designed to host the next generation of particle colliders. The FCC is expected to be completed in 2035 and will have a significantly higher energy than previous colliders. The FCC is an international design study that aims to create a hadron collider with a centre-of-mass energy of around 100 TeV. The LHC is located near Geneva, Switzerland, and has been operational since 2010. 3. High-altitude pseudo satellite vehicle (HAPS): The National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL) in Bengaluru has successfully conducted the first test of a solar-powered "pseudo satellite" called HAPS (High-Altitude Pseudo Satellite), a new type of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). • HAPS can fly at altitudes of 18-20 km, remain airborne for months or even years, and offer surveillance capabilities similar to satellites but at a lower cost. HAPS development addresses the need for continuous surveillance of border areas, inspired by events like the Doklam standoff in 2017. • HAPS has potential applications in disaster response and providing mobile communication networks in remote areas. Other countries like China, South Korea, and the UK are also developing similar technology. 4. Ergosphere: Scientists theorize that extracting matter and energy from the Ergosphere, the region between the event horizon and the stationary limit of a rotating black hole, is possible. The ergosphere is a region surrounding a rotating black hole, located between the event horizon and the stationary limit. In this area, space-time itself is dragged along with the rotation of the black hole. **Objects within the ergosphere are forced to rotate along with the black hole's spin due to the distortion of spacetime caused by its immense gravitational pull. 5. Hanooman: ** The BharatGPT group, has unveiled 'Hanooman', a series of large language models (LLMs) capable of responding in 11 Indian languages, with plans to expand to over 20 languages. • Hanooman is designed for use in healthcare, governance, financial services, and education sectors. • It is a multimodal AI tool that can generate text, speech, videos, and more in multiple Indian languages.

Target Prelims 2025: Day 20 1. Dry ice: Dry ice is solid carbon dioxide (CO2) formed by compressing and cooling carbon dioxide gas. **Unlike regular ice, which melts into liquid water, dry ice undergoes sublimation, transitioning directly from a solid to a gas without passing through a liquid phase. This sublimation process releases large volumes of CO2 gas, making dry ice useful for applications such as cooling, preservation, and creating special effects like fog or smoke. ** When in contact with moisture in the mouth or digestive tract, dry ice sublimates rapidly, releasing CO2 gas and potentially causing serious internal injuries, such as burns, bloating, vomiting, and even life-threatening complications like stomach or intestinal perforation. 2. India's first indigenous Fast Breeder Reactor: • This reactor, developed by BHAVINI, marks a significant step in India's nuclear capabilities. Core loading is the process of placing nuclear fuel assemblies into the core of a nuclear reactor. This fuel comprises enriched uranium or plutonium pellets housed in metal tubes called fuel rods. Core loading is a critical step in initiating the reactor's operation What is FBR? * A Fast Breeder Reactor (FBR) is a type of nuclear reactor that uses fast neutrons to cause the fission of uranium-238 (unlike conventional nuclear reactors that use slow neutrons). The term “breeder” refers to the ability of these reactors to produce more fissile material (Plutonium-239) than they consume. ** Once commissioned, India will only be the second country after Russia to have commercial operating FBR. • It initially employs Uranium-Plutonium Mixed Oxide (MOX) fuel and liquid sodium coolant. 3. Karnataka bans harmful dyes:: ** Karnataka bans harmful dyes in Gobi Manchurian, cotton candy, imposing imprisonment of up to seven years and fines of up to Rs 10 lakh for violators. Chemicals banned: Chemical Description : Tartrazine Can induce allergic or pseudo-allergic reactions. Carmoisine May lead to skin rashes and respiratory allergies **Red Rhodamine B Considered carcinogenic; commonly used in textile dyeing and the paper industry. 4. Ghost particles: Astronomers analysing data from the IceCube Neutrino Observatory in Antarctica have potentially detected the first evidence for astrophysical tau neutrinos, nicknamed "ghost particles" due to their elusive nature. • These subatomic particles interact minimally with matter, allowing them to travel vast distances without disturbance, making them valuable for tracing their origins in the universe. • Astrophysical neutrinos, including tau neutrinos, originate from distant cosmic sources and are challenging to detect. The IceCube Neutrino Observatory is a distinct detector spanning a cubic kilometer of Antarctic ice with 5,000+ light sensors. It identifies high-energy neutrinos, with energies millions to billions of times greater than those from stellar fusion reactions. 5. Gram Negative Bacteria: ** Gram-negative bacteria are prokaryotic organisms that are resistant to multiple drugs and can cause infections like pneumonia and meningitis. **They are a significant public health problem because they can pass along genetic materials that allow other bacteria to become drug-resistant as well.

Gud mg everyone. As many students are continuously demanding notes for the static part of General Science as well as technology, I am planning to share mixed updates now. Some concepts from the core conventional part and some from the current updates. I can't commit to cover everything for the static section, but will try to provide as many relevant topics as possible.. For the current section, we will be getting everything relevant in my view over here! We shall be covering from January 2024 to 15th April 2025.. Stay connected! Study Well.

OTR edit is live..👍

Coming soon!! After a long wait.. Sci Tech manual to be followed!! Society, Social Issues and Social Justice after that!!

Target Prelims 2025: Day 19 1. HAYFLICK LIMIT: ● The Hayflick Limit is a biological concept discovered by Dr. Leonard Hayflick, which defines the maximum number of times human cells can divide. ● This limit changed the understanding of aging by showing that cells have a built-in lifespan, challenging the idea that aging is only due to external factors. 2. Anti-matter: ** Antimatter is a type of matter composed of particles that are the exact opposites of the particles found in regular matter. For every particle in normal matter (like electrons, protons, and neutrons), there is a corresponding antiparticle with the same mass but opposite charge and other properties. ● When a particle and its antiparticle meet, they annihilate each other, releasing energy in the form of gamma rays or other particles. ● Antimatter is created in high-energy processes like cosmic rays or particle accelerators like the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) operated by CERN near Geneva. ● Matter and antimatter cannot exist together for long; they annihilate each other upon contact, releasing vast amounts of energy in the form of gamma rays or elementary particles. 3. BIOE3 POLICY: BioE3 Policy (Biotechnology for Economy, Environment, and Employment) to accelerate growth in biotechnology manufacturing across the country. ● To establish a framework to drive the adoption of advanced technologies and foster innovative research to revolutionize biomanufacturing processes. ● Implementation: Department of Biotechnology (DBT). ● Provides innovation-focused support for R&D and entrepreneurship in key thematic areas. Outlines a bold vision to achieve technological leadership and address significant challenges through targeted missions in six thematic sectors. 4. NEUROMORPHIC COMPUTING TECHNOLOGY: ** Neuromorphic computing is a field of computer science focused on creating systems that mimic the structure and function of the human brain. It combines neuroscience, electrical engineering, and computer science to design hardware and software that replicate neural networks in the brain. • A neuromorphic chip consists of Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) made up of millions of artificial neurons built from silicon. • These systems are inspired by the brain’s complex organic neural networks, aiming to create more efficient and powerful computing devices. 5. QUASARS: ** A quasar is a highly luminous and energetic active galactic nucleus (AGN) powered by a supermassive black hole at the center of a galaxy. • "Quasar" stands for quasi-stellar radio source, as they were first observed in 1963 as star-like objects emitting strong radio waves. • Characteristics: They emit intense X-rays and visible light and among the brightest and most powerful objects in the universe.

A big relief for the appearing candidates!!