TNPSC Current Affairs July 13, 2020

www.tnpsc.academy – TNPSC Current Affairs July 13, 2020 (13/07/2020)

 

Download as PDF

 

Topic: Geological Landmarks, Awareness in Space

NEOWISE- a comet

The recently discovered comet called C/2020 F3, also known as NEOWISE after the NASA telescope that discovered it, will make its closest approach to the Earth on July 22.

On the day, the comet, which takes 6,800 years to complete one lap around its orbit, will be at a distance of 64 million miles or 103 million kilometers while crossing Earth’s outside orbit.

What is Coma?

On July 3, the comet was closest to the sun at 43 million km. On this day, the comet cruised inside Mercury’s orbit and, due to its proximity to the sun, its outer layer was released creating an atmosphere – referred to as coma – of gas and dust from its icy surface.

This atmosphere sometimes leads to formation of a bright tail of debris that can extend for thousands or millions of kilometres.

What Are the Differences Between An Asteroid, Comet, Meteoroid, Meteor and Meteorite?

Asteroid: A relatively small, inactive, rocky body orbiting the Sun.

Comet: A relatively small, at times active, object whose ices can vaporize in sunlight forming an atmosphere (coma) of dust and gas and, sometimes, a tail of dust and/or gas.

Meteoroid: A small particle from a comet or asteroid orbiting the Sun.

Meteor: The light phenomena which results when a meteoroid enters the Earth’s atmosphere and vaporizes; a shooting star.

Meteorite: A meteoroid that survives its passage through the Earth’s atmosphere and lands upon the Earth’s surface.

NASA’s NEOWISE:

Launched in December 2009 as the Wide-Field Infrared Survey Explorer, or WISE, the space telescope was originally designed to survey the sky in infrared, detecting asteroids, stars and some of the faintest galaxies in space.

It did so successfully until completing its primary mission in February 2011.

In December 2013, it was re-purposed for the NEOWISE project as an instrument to study near-Earth objects, or NEOs, as well as more distant asteroids and comets.

 

Topic: Latest Diary of Events

India’s Tiger Census sets a New Guinness Record

The fourth cycle of the All India Tiger Estimation 2018, results of which were declared on Global Tiger Day last year has entered the Guinness World Record for being the world’s largest camera trap wildlife survey.

Camera traps were placed in 26,838 locations across 141 different sites and surveyed an effective area of 121,337 square kilometres.

Tigers in India:

The country now has an estimated 2967 tigers as per the latest census. With this number, India is home to nearly 75% of the global tiger population.

It has already fulfilled its resolve of doubling tiger numbers, made at St. Petersburg in 2010, much before the target year of 2022.

All India Tiger estimation:

The All India Tiger Estimation done quadrennially is steered by the National Tiger Conservation Authority with technical backstopping from the Wildlife Institute of India and implemented by State Forest Departments and partners.

 

Topic: Latest Diary of Events

Snakebites in India

Centre for Global Health Research (CGHR) at the University of Toronto, Canada, had recently conducted a study on snakebites with Indian and U.K. partners. The report has been made public now.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recognises snakebite as a top-priority neglected tropical disease (NTD).

Key findings:

Total deaths caused by snakebites in the 20-year period from 2000 to 2019:  1.2 million.

Annual Average: 58,000.

70% of these deaths occurred in limited, low altitude, rural areas of eight States — Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh (including Telangana), Rajasthan and Gujarat.

Half of all the snakebite deaths occurred during the monsoon period from June to September.

Most of the envenomation (the process by which venom is injected by the bite or sting of a venomous animal) was by Russell’s vipers followed by kraits and cobras.

Snakebite deaths occurred mostly in rural areas (97%), were more common in males (59%) than females (41%), and peaked at ages 15-29 years (25%).

The numbers for annual snakebite deaths were highest in the States of Uttar Pradesh (8,700), Andhra Pradesh (5,200) and Bihar (4,500), it further added.

What needs to be done?

Since deaths are restricted mainly to lower altitude, intensely agricultural areas, during a single season of each year, this should make the annual epidemics easier to manage.

Primary victims of snakebites are rural farmers and their families.

Experts suggest that targeting certain areas and educating people with simple methods such as ‘snake-safe’ harvest practices — using rubber boots and gloves, mosquito nets and rechargeable torches (or mobile phone flashlights) — could reduce the risk of snakebites.

Improved knowledge of the distribution of venomous snake species as well as the human consequences of bites.

India has sufficient capacity to manufacture large volumes of anti-venom. Better understanding of the distribution of India’s many venomous snake species could help in the design and development of more appropriate anti-venoms.

–

Topic: Latest inventions on Science and Health

What is Itolizumab that was recently in News?

Itolizumab (rDNA origin), a monoclonal antibody which was already approved for severe chronic plaque psoriasis, has now been granted Restricted Emergency Use authorisation for COVID 19 patients by the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) based on clinical trials data.

_

Topic: Discovery of Rare Species, International Events

Ophiocordyceps sinensis (Himalayan Viagra)

Chinese Traditional Medicine ‘Himalayan Viagra’ at Risk of Extinction Due to Overharvesting.

Iit is the world’s costliest fungus. It has entered the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species.

IUCN has placed the fungus, known for its aphrodisiac and rejuvenation properties, in the ‘vulnerable’ category.

The fungus, also known as keeda jadi in Uttarakhand because of its caterpillar-like appearance, is endemic to the Himalayan and Tibetan plateau and is found in China, Bhutan, Nepal and India.

In India, it is primarily found in Uttarakhand in the higher reaches of districts like Pithoragarhand Chamoli.

_

Topic: Profile of States, India and Its Neighborhood Countries

Special parcel train to Bangladesh

In a first ever cross-border movement for Indian Railways, a special parcel train was sent to Benapole, Bangladesh carrying dry chillies from Reddipalem in Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh.

The Guntur Sannam Chilli is a variety which has the Geographical Indication (GI) Tag.

Key facts:

Farmers and merchants in and around Guntur area earlier transported dry chillies by road to Bangladesh in small quantities. During the lockdown period when they could not move this essential commodity by road, Railway officials approached the consignors and explained the facilities to transport the produce by rail.

The dry chillies were then moved in bulk to Benapole in Bangladesh by rail through a Special Parcel Express on July 10.

It also helped in reducing the cost of transportation. Sending the chillies to the neighbouring country by road cost around ₹7,000 per tonne while the expense for carrying the same by goods trains has come out to be ₹4,608 per tonne.

_

Topic: Discovery of Rare Species

Rare Orchid Species (Tiger and Ground)

Why in News?

Recently, two rare orchid species i.e. Tiger orchids (Grammatophyllum speciosum) and Ground orchids (Eulophia obtusa) have been found to be blooming in different parts of the country after a gap of many years.

Tiger Orchid (Grammatophyllum speciosum):

It has large and resplendent flowers which resemble the tiger skin. It flowers in alternate years and remains in bloom for about a month.

Geographical Distribution: These epiphytic plants are not native to India, and are endemic to southeast Asia i.e. Indonesia and Philippines.

It is found to be in full bloom at the Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanic Garden and Research Institute (JNTBGRI) Kerala, where it was introduced in the 1990s.

Ground Orchid (Eulophia obtuse):

It has been rediscovered in Dudhwa Tiger Reserve, Uttar Pradesh after 118 years. It was last recorded in Pilibhit, Uttar Pradesh in 1902.

Geographical Distribution: The species is originally from Uttarakhand.

It has white flowers and bright pink hues.

_

Topic: Profile of States, Latest Diary of Events

Flood Resistant Paddy

Why in News?

Recently, farmers from Golaghat district in Assam have cultivated new flood resistant paddy varieties to shift from the traditional ones.

The varieties called Ranjit Sub1, Swarna Sub1 and Bahadur Sub1 have been used by about 60% farmers of the West Brahmaputra area.

Key facts:

Farmers in flood-prone areas of Assam have been harvesting the water-resistant Swarna Sub1, developed by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research and the Manila-based International Rice Research Institute, since 2009.

But the switchover from traditional varieties of paddy has been slow. The flood-resistant varieties including Ranjit Sub-1 were reintroduced in 2018.