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GS Paper: GS3-17.Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, Robotics, Nano-technology, Bio-technology and issues relating to Intellectual Property Rights.

  • Chang’e-5 Lunar Mission

    The Europlanet Society has released details from the samples brought back by China’s Chang’e-5 Lunar Mission in December 2020.

    Chang’e-5 Lunar Mission

    • The Chang’e-5 lunar mission delivered to Earth nearly 2 kg of rocky fragments and dust from the Moon.
    • It had landed on an area of the Moon (the ‘far side’) not sampled by the American or Soviet missions nearly 50 years ago.
    • It thus retrieved fragments of the youngest lunar rocks ever brought back for analysis in laboratories on Earth.
    • The rocks are also different from those returned decades ago.

    Key findings

    • 90% of the materials collected by Chang’e-5 likely derive from the landing site and its immediate surroundings, which are of a type termed ‘mare basalts’.
    • These volcanic rocks are visible to us as the darker grey areas that spilled over much of the nearside of the Moon as ancient eruptions of lava.
    • Yet 10% percent of the fragments have distinctly different, ‘exotic’ chemical compositions.

    What are the exotic compositions?

    • The distinct 10% fragments may preserve records of other parts of the lunar surface as well as hints of the types of space rocks that have impacted the Moon’s surface.
    • Researchers have looked at the potential sources of beads of rapidly cooled glassy material.
    • They have traced these glassy droplets to extinct volcanic vents known as ‘Rima Mairan’ and ‘Rima Sharp’.
    • These fragments could give insights into past episodes of energetic, fountain-like volcanic activity on the Moon.

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  • What is Vishnuonyx?

    Between 12.5 million and 14 million years ago, members of a genus of otters called Vishnuonyx lived in the major rivers of southern Asia.

    Vishnuonyx neptuni

    • Vishnuonyx were mid-sized predators that weighed, on average, 10-15 kg.
    • Before this, the genus was known only in Asia and Africa (recent findings show that Vishnuonyx reached East Africa about 12 million years ago, according to the release).
    • Vishnuonyx depended on water and could not travel long distances over land.

    Why in news?

    • German researchers have discovered the fossil of a previously unknown species, which they have named Vishnuonyx neptuni, meaning ‘Neptune’s Vishnu’.
    • Fossils of these now extinct otters were first discovered in sediments found in the foothills of the Himalayas.
    • Now, a newly found fossil indicates it had travelled as far as Germany. ‘
    • The dispersal of Vishnuonyx otters from the Indian subcontinent to Africa and Europe about 13 million years ago. ‘
    • This is the first discovery of any member of the Vishnuonyx genus in Europe; it is also its most northern and western record till date.

    How did it travel as far as Europe?

    • According to the researchers, its travels over 6,000 km were probably made possible by the geography of 12 million years ago, when the Alps were recently formed.
    • These Alps and the Iranian Elbrus Mountains were separated by a large ocean basin, which would have made it easier for the otters to cross it.
    • Researchers believe ‘Neptune’s Vishnu’ first reached southern Germany, followed by Ancient Guenz and eventually, the Hammerschmiede.

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  • What is Planet Nine?

    A new study’s “treasure map” suggests that a planet several times more massive than Earth could be hiding in our solar system, camouflaged by the bright strip of stars that make up the Milky Way.

    Do not wonder. This too was a PYQ:

    Q.Which planet was downgraded to dwarf planet status?

    (a) Pluto

    (b) Mars

    (c) Earth

    (d) Venus

     

    [wpdiscuz-feedback id=”j8ws1stgve” question=”Please leave a feedback on this” opened=”1″]Post your answers here![/wpdiscuz-feedback]

    Planet 9

    • Planet Nine is a hypothetical planet in the outer region of the Solar System.
    • Its gravitational effects could explain the unlikely clustering of orbits for a group of extreme trans-Neptunian objects (ETNOs), bodies beyond Neptune that orbit the Sun at distances averaging more than 250 times that of the Earth.
    • Based on earlier considerations, this hypothetical super-Earth-sized planet would have had a predicted mass of five to ten times that of the Earth, and an elongated orbit 400 to 800 times as far from the Sun as the Earth.

    Curiosity for the ninth Planet

    • In August 2006, the International Astronomical Union broke several hearts when it announced that it had reclassified Pluto as a dwarf planet. ‘
    • The decision was based on Pluto’s size and the fact that it resides within a zone of other similarly-sized objects.

    Is everyone convinced that Planet Nine exists?

    • Researchers from across the globe have carried out several studies on Planet Nine and there are several theories about it, including one that stated Planet Nine could in fact be a black hole.
    • Another research has argued that the unknown object causing anomalous orbits of the trans-Neptunian objects could be a primordial black hole.
    • Yet another study noted that a trans-Neptunian object called 2015 BP519 had an unusual trajectory because it was affected by Planet Nine’s strong gravity.

    Back2Basics: Dwarf Planet

    • A dwarf planet is a small planetary-mass object that is in direct orbit of the Sun – something smaller than any of the eight classical planets, but still a world in its own right.
    • As of today, there are officially five dwarf planets in our Solar System.
    • The most famous is Pluto, downgraded from the status of a planet in 2006.
    • The other four, in order of size, are Eris, Makemake, Haumea and Ceres. The sixth claimant for a dwarf planet is Hygiea, which so far has been taken to be an asteroid.
    • These four criteria are – that the body orbits around the Sun, it is not a moon, has not cleared the neighborhood around its orbit, and has enough mass for its gravity to pull it into a roughly spherical shape.

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  • What is Serotype 2 Dengue?

    The Union Health Ministry has flagged the emerging challenge in 11 States across India of serotype 2 dengue, which it said is associated with “more cases and more complications” than other forms of the disease.

    Try this PYQ from CSP 2015:

    Q. Consider the following statements:

    1. In tropical regions, Zika virus disease is transmitted by the same mosquito that transmits dengue.
    2. Sexual transmission of Zika virus disease is possible.

    Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

    (a) 1 only

    (b) 2 only

    (c) Both 1 and 2

    (d) Neither 1 nor 2

     

    [wpdiscuz-feedback id=”f66l7r4swb” question=”Please leave a feedback on this” opened=”1″]Post your answers here![/wpdiscuz-feedback]

    What is Dengue?

    • Dengue is a mosquito-borne viral infection, found in tropical and sub-tropical climates worldwide, mostly in urban and semi-urban areas.
    • It is transmitted by female mosquitoes mainly of the species Aedes aegypti and, to a lesser extent, Ae. albopictus.
    • These mosquitoes are also vectors of chikungunya, yellow fever and Zika viruses.
    • Dengue is widespread throughout the tropics, with local variations in risk influenced by rainfall, temperature, relative humidity and unplanned rapid urbanization.

    Its transmission

    • The virus is transmitted to humans through the bites of infected female mosquitoes, primarily the Aedes aegypti
    • Other species within the Aedes genus can also act as vectors, but their contribution is secondary to Aedes aegypti.
    • Mosquitoes can become infected from people who are viremic with dengue.

    Various serotypes

    • Dengue is caused by a virus of the Flaviviridae family and there are four distinct, but closely related, serotypes of the virus that cause dengue (DENV-1, DENV-2, DENV-3 and DENV-4).
    • Recovery from infection is believed to provide lifelong immunity against that serotype.
    • However, cross-immunity to the other serotypes after recovery is only partial and temporary.
    • Subsequent infections (secondary infection) by other serotypes increase the risk of developing severe dengue.

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  • General Sherman: World’s largest tree

    Two wildfires in California are burning through the Sequoia National Park in the Sierra Nevada that is home to some of the largest trees in the world.

    Among these trees is the world’s largest tree popularly known as General Sherman, which firefighters are now trying to protect from the blaze.

    About General Sherman

    • The General Sherman tree is the world’s largest in terms of volume and exists in the Giant Forest sequoia grove of the national park.
    • As per recent estimates, General Sherman is about 2,200 years old.
    • It stands at a height of 275 feet (taller than the leaning tower of Pisa) and has a diameter of 36 feet at the base.
    • Even 60 feet above the base, the tree has a diameter of 17.5 feet.
    • Giant sequoia trees have existed in the national park for thousands of years and there are an estimated 2,000 such trees in the park.

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  • What is a Solar Storm?

    Studies have found that a powerful solar storm can cause a disruption of the internet, damage submarine cables, and communication satellites.

    What is a Solar Storm?

    • A solar storm or a Coronal Mass Ejection as astronomers call it is an ejection of highly magnetized particles from the sun.
    • These particles can travel several million km per hour and can take about 13 hours to five days to reach Earth.
    • Earth’s atmosphere protects us, humans, from these particles.
    • But the particles can interact with our Earth’s magnetic field, induce strong electric currents on the surface and affect man-made structures.

    History of solar storms

    • The first recorded solar storm occurred in 1859 and it reached Earth in about 17 hours.
    • It affected the telegraph network and many operators experienced electric shocks.
    • A solar storm that occurred in 1921 impacted New York telegraph and railroad systems and another small-scale storm collapsed the power grid in Quebec, Canada in 1989.
    • A 2013 report noted that if a solar storm similar to the 1859 one hit the US today, about 20-40 million people could be without power for 1-2 years, and the total economic cost will be $0.6-2.6 trillion.

    Why is it a cause of concern?

    • The Sun goes through an 11-year cycle – cycles of high and low activity.
    • It also has a longer 100-year cycle.
    • During the last three decades, when the internet infrastructure was booming, it was a low period.
    • And very soon, either in this cycle or the next cycle, we are going towards the peaks of the 100-year cycle.
    • So it is highly likely that we might see one powerful solar storm during our lifetime.

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  • Tasks accomplished by the Chandrayaan-2

    The failure of Chandrayaan-2, India’s second mission to the Moon, to make a soft landing on the lunar surface had led to much disappointment.  But that did not mean the entire mission had been wasted.

    Chandrayaan-2: A quick recap

    • Chandrayaan-2 consisted of an Orbiter, Lander and Rover, all equipped with scientific instruments to study the moon.
    • The Orbiter would watch the moon from a 100-km orbit, while the Lander and Rover modules were to be separated to make a soft landing on the moon’s surface.
    • ISRO had named the Lander module as Vikram, after Vikram Sarabhai, the pioneer of India’s space programme, and the Rover module as Pragyaan, meaning wisdom.

    Utility of the Orbit

    • The Orbiter part of the mission has been functioning normally. It is carrying eight instruments.
    • Each of these instruments has produced a handsome amount of data that sheds new light on the moon and offers insights that could be used in further exploration.

    Some of the most significant results so far:

    (a) Water

    • The presence of water on the Moon had already been confirmed by Chandrayaan-1, India’s first mission to the Moon that flew in 2008.
    • Using far more sensitive instruments, the Imaging Infra-Red Spectrometer (IIRS) onboard Chandrayaan-2 has been able to distinguish between hydroxyl and water molecules and found unique signatures of both.
    • This is the most precise information about the presence of H2O molecules on the Moon to date.
    • Previously, water was known to be present mainly in the polar regions of the Moon.
    • Chandrayaan-2 has now found signatures of water at all latitudes, although its abundance varies from place to place.

    (b) Minor elements

    • The Large Area Soft X-ray Spectrometer (CLASS) measures the Moon’s X-ray spectrum to examine the presence of major elements such as magnesium, aluminum, silicon, calcium, titanium, iron, etc.
    • This instrument has detected the minor elements chromium and manganese for the first time through remote sensing, thanks to a better detector.
    • The finding can lay the path for understanding magmatic evolution on the Moon and deeper insights into the nebular conditions as well as planetary differentiation.
    • CLASS has mapped nearly 95% of the lunar surface in X-rays for the first time.
    • Sodium, also a minor element on the Moon surface, was detected without any ambiguity for the first time.

    (c) Study of Sun

    • One of the payloads, called Solar X-ray Monitor (XSM), besides studying the Moon through the radiation coming in from the Sun, has collected information about solar flares.
    • XSM has observed a large number of microflares outside the active region for the first time.
    • This has great implications on the understanding of the mechanism behind the heating of the solar corona, which has been an open problem for many decades.

    Utility of this Data

    • While the Orbiter payloads build upon existing knowledge of the Moon in terms of its surface, sub-surface and exosphere, it also paves the path for future Moon missions.
    • Four aspects — mineralogical and volatile mapping of the lunar surface, surface and subsurface properties and processes involved, quantifying water in its various forms across the Moon surface, and maps of elements present on the moon — will be key for future scope of work.
    • A key outcome from Chandrayaan-2 has been the exploration of the permanently shadowed regions as well as craters and boulders underneath the regolith, the loose deposit comprising the top surface extending up to 3-4m in depth.
    • This is expected to help scientists to zero in on future landing and drilling sites, including for human missions.

    Who is going to use it?

    • Some key future Moon missions that hope to make use of such data include the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)-ISRO collaboration Lunar Polar Exploration (LUPEX) mission scheduled for launch in 2023/2024.
    • Its aim is to obtain knowledge of lunar water resources and to explore the suitability of the lunar polar region for setting up a lunar base.
    • NASA’s Artemis missions plan to enable human landing on the Moon beginning 2024 and target sustainable lunar exploration by 2028.
    • The Chinese Lunar Exploration Programme too plans to establish a prototype of the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) at the lunar south pole and build a platform supporting large-scale scientific exploration.

    What was missed because of the crash-landing?

    • The most obvious miss has been the opportunity to demonstrate the technology to make a soft landing in outer space.
    • The lander Vikram and rover Pragyaan were carrying instruments to carry out observations on the surface.
    • These were supposed to pick up additional information about the terrain, and composition, and mineralogy.
    • While the instruments onboard the Orbiter is making “global” observations, those on the lander and rover would have provided much more local information.
    • The two diverse sets of data could have helped prepare a more composite picture of the Moon.

    Future with the Chandrayaan-3

    • ISRO scientists maintain that the accident was caused by a relatively small error that has been identified and corrected.
    • But, to demonstrate this technology all over again, ISRO would have to send a fresh mission, Chandrayaan-3, planned for next year.
    • It is expected to have only a lander and rover, and no Orbiter.

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  • Green hydrogen, a new ally for a zero carbon future

    Context

    The forthcoming 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow from November 1-12, 2021 is to re-examine the coordinated action plans to mitigate greenhouse gases and climate adaptation measures.

    How Green hydrogen as a fuel can be a game changer?

    • Hydrogen is the most abundant element on the planet, but rarely in its pure form which is how we need it.
    • High energy density: It has an energy density almost three times that of diesel.
    • ‘Green hydrogen’, the emerging novel concept, is a zero-carbon fuel made by electrolysis using renewable power from wind and solar to split water into hydrogen and oxygen.
    • Best solution to remain under 1.5° C: The International Energy Agency (IEA) forecasts the additional power demand to be to the tune of 25%-30% by the year 2040.
    • Thus, power generation by ‘net-zero’ emission will be the best solution to achieve the target of expert guidelines on global warming to remain under 1.5° C.
    • Untapped potential: Presently, less than 0.1% or say ~75 million tons/year of hydrogen capable of generating ~284GW of power, is produced.

    Challenges: Production and storage cost

    • The challenge is to compress or liquefy the LH2 (liquid hydrogen); it needs to be kept at a stable minus 253° C.
    • This leads to its ‘prior to use exorbitant cost’.
    • The ‘production cost’ of ‘Green hydrogen’ has been considered to be a prime obstacle.
    • The production cost of this ‘green source of energy’ is expected to be around $1.5 per kilogram (for nations having perpetual sunshine and vast unused land), by the year 2030; by adopting various conservative measures.

    Experiments in India

      • The Indian Railways have announced the country’s first experiment of a hydrogen-fuel cell technology-based train by retrofitting an existing diesel engine; this will run under Northern Railway on the 89 km stretch between Sonepat and Jind.
    • The project will not only ensure diesel savings to the tune of several lakhs annually but will also prevent the emission of 0.72 kilo tons of particulate matter and 11.12-kilo tons of carbon per annum.

    Way forward for India

    • India is the world’s fourth-largest energy-consuming country (behind China, the United States and the European Union), according to the IEA’s forecast, and will overtake the European Union to become the world’s third energy consumer by the year 2030.
    • It is high time to catch up with the rest of the world by going in for clean energy, decarbonising the economy and adopting ‘Green hydrogen’ as an environment-friendly and safe fuel for the next generations.

    Conclusion

    In order to achieve the goal of an alternative source of energy, adopting a multi-faceted practical approach to utilise ‘Green hydrogen’ offers a ray of hope.

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  • [pib] What is Pollen Calendar?

    Chandigarh now has its first pollen calendar, which can identify potential allergy triggers and provide a clear understanding for clinicians as well as allergy sufferers about their causes to help limit their exposure during high pollen loads.

    What is a Pollen Calendar?

    • Pollen calendars represent the time dynamics of airborne pollen present in a particular geographical area.
    • They yield readily accessible visual details about various airborne pollen present throughout the year in a single picture.

    Is this a new concept in India? Where else in the west has this calendar been used?

    • Though the concept is not essentially new, this is one of the major environmental concerns that had not been addressed for the Indian cities.
    • Such calendars are location-specific, as pollen concentrations are closely related to locally distributed flora.
    • Europe, UK and the US are using regional pollen calendars in a big way to prevent and diagnose allergic rhinitis/hay fever and predict the timing and severity of the pollen season.

    Why is it important to study pollen?

    • Pollen grains are male biological structures with the primary role of fertilization, but when inhaled by humans, they may strain the respiratory system and cause allergies.
    • Pollen found suspended in air can cause widespread upper respiratory tract and naso-bronchial allergy with manifestations like asthma, seasonal rhinitis, and bronchial irritation.
    • About 20-30 percent of the population suffers from allergic rhinitis/hay fever in India, and approximately 15 percent develop asthma.
    • Pollen is considered a major outdoor airborne allergen responsible for allergic rhinitis, asthma, and atopic dermatitis in humans.

    What were the key findings?

    • The study highlights the variability of crucial pollen types in different seasons.
    • Spring and autumn are two seasons when airborne pollen dominate.
    • The findings will enhance the understanding of pollen seasons, which will in turn help minimize pollen allergies.

    How will a pollen calendar benefit people, especially those who have respiratory issues?

    • A pollen calendar provides a clear understanding for clinicians, as well as people with allergies to identify the potential allergy triggers and help to limit their exposure during high pollen load season.
    • The early advisories can be prepared and disseminated through media channels to the citizens so that they can use protective gear during the period when the concentration of allergic pollen will be high.

    Does the study infer that gardens and parks in the city contribute to the pollen and thus there must be proper scientific tree plantation?

    • It is important to involve experts while designing parks.
    • We should try to plant trees/shrubs that release no or little pollen.
    • Trees such as palms, nettle, safeda, white mulberry (shahtoot), congress grass, pine, have a high incidence of pollen.

    What kind of trees must be grown alongside our roads or in parks?

    • Plant monoecious plants (male and female flowers on the same plant).
    • Hibiscus, lilies, and holly that are grown widely in Chandigarh are examples of such plants.
    • Cucumbers and squashes are also monoecious. Select plants with low to moderate pollen production.
    • Non-allergic or entomophilous plant species should be chosen to provide an allergen-free atmosphere.
    • Examples of such plants include rose, jasmine, salvia, Bougainvillea, Raat Rani, and sunflower.

    With inputs from:

    Indian Express

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  • Revolution unfolding in data regulation

    Context

    A number of countries have been looking to extend their existing data protection frameworks to ensure that users have more effective control over their data than their regulations currently allow.

    Measures to unlock the data silos

    • Benefits: These measures aimed at unlocking data silos will make it easier for data to flow from the entity that currently holds it to any other data business that might want to use it with the permission of the data subject.
    • In Australia, Consumer Data Right framework will allow consumers in Australia to require any business with which they have a commercial relationship to transfer that data to any other business of their choice.
    • The first sector in which this new data right is being rolled out in the banking sector, with power set to follow close on its heels.
    • The EU’s proposed Data Act will create a fairer data economy by ensuring better access to and use of data and is intended to cover both business-to-business and business-to-government transfers of data.
    • Along similar lines, the EU has also drafted a Data Governance Act to govern the data exchanges and platforms.
    • It will thus both enable and regulate new data-sharing arrangements that will intermediate the transfer of data from data businesses that currently hold it to those that have been permitted to use it.
    • Data regulation to protect and utilize data: Regulatory activity seems to suggest that it is not enough to protect data if you cannot also ensure that this data is effectively utilized.

    What are the issues with regulation measures?

    1) Law and regulation cannot keep pace with technology

    • Technology determines how data is collected, processed and used, and, by extension, the manner in which it is transferred.
    • Decades of trying to regulate technology businesses have taught us that laws and regulation simply cannot keep pace with changes in technology.
    • No matter how fast we move, if the only weapon we are using to regulate technology is the law, we will be doomed to play catch-up forever.
    • These new consumer-centric measures are likely to fail if they are to be implemented solely through legislation.

    2) Data transfers in the absence of a legal framework can lead to problems in India

    • India has adopted a slightly different approach to data transfers known as the Data Empowerment and Protection Architecture (DEPA).
    • DEPA offers a technology-based solution for consent-based data flows, allowing users to transfer their data from data businesses that currently hold them to those that want to use them.
    •  Last week, the country’s Account Aggregator framework—the first implementation of DEPA—went live in the financial sector.
    •  It too suffers from infirmities that could threaten its success.
    • India still does not have a data protection regulation and implementing a technological solution for data transfers in the absence of a legal framework could lead to new problems.

    Way forward: Techno-legal approach

    • Use techno-legal approach to regulate: Technology businesses are most effectively regulated through a judicious mix of law and technology—strong, principle-based laws to provide the regulatory foundation, with protocol-based guardrails to ensure compliance.
    • Seven countries came together to endorse a techno-legal approach to data regulation.
    • If successful, this would be the first global attempt to adopt a techno-legal solution for data-transfer regulation.

    Consider the question “There is growing appreciation in regulatory circles that it is not enough to protect data if you cannot also ensure that this data is effectively utilized” In light of this, examine the challenges in regulation of data while ensuring its safe transfer for utilisation.” 

    Conclusion

    Techno-legal solution offers effective ways to deal with the problems of data regulation and data transfer.

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