PYQ Relevance
[UPSC 2019] How is the Government of India protecting traditional knowledge of medicine from patenting by pharmaceutical companies?
Linkage: The question on protecting traditional knowledge from patenting directly links with India’s global Ayurveda outreach and the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Centre, which focus on safeguarding and validating traditional systems. The article highlights India’s investment in research, standardisation, and international cooperation to integrate and protect Ayurveda while projecting it globally. |
Mentor’s Comment
The significance of traditional medicine has moved far beyond being an alternative to modern healthcare. With its widespread practice across 170 countries, increasing global market share, and India’s leadership through AYUSH, traditional medicine now represents a paradigm shift from reactive to preventive healthcare. This article explores the transformation of traditional medicine, India’s global leadership, scientific validation, and its contemporary relevance in addressing both lifestyle diseases and climate change.
Introduction
Traditional medicine, once considered peripheral to mainstream health systems, is increasingly being recognised as central to global health. The World Health Organization reports that 88% of its member-states practise traditional medicine, making it a cornerstone of healthcare for billions. India, with its vibrant AYUSH sector, is at the forefront of this transformation — combining ancient wisdom with modern science, and positioning itself as a global leader in preventive, sustainable, and inclusive healthcare.
Why is traditional medicine in the news?
The growing relevance of Ayurveda and related systems has been highlighted due to multiple firsts and major developments. The WHO Global Traditional Medicine Centre in India marks a historic milestone, anchoring India as a hub for global research and innovation in this field. The AYUSH industry’s eight-fold growth within a decade, and exports reaching $1.54 billion to 150 countries, reflect the scale of transformation. With the 2025 theme of “Ayurveda for People & Planet”, traditional medicine is being reframed not just as healthcare but as a holistic movement addressing lifestyle diseases, biodiversity conservation, and climate change.
How significant is the global presence of traditional medicine?
- WHO report: 170 of 194 countries (88%) practise traditional medicine.
- Primary healthcare: For billions in low- and middle-income countries, it remains the first line of treatment due to affordability and accessibility.
- Market size: Global traditional medicine market projected to hit $583 billion by 2025, growing at 10–20% annually.
- Country data: China’s TCM valued at $122.4 billion, Australia’s herbal medicine at $3.97 billion, India’s AYUSH sector at $43.4 billion.
What has been India’s transformation in AYUSH?
- Industrial growth: Over 92,000 MSMEs drive the AYUSH sector. Revenues expanded from ₹21,697 crore (2014-15) to ₹1.37 lakh crore today.
- Services sector: Generated ₹1.67 lakh crore in revenue.
- Exports: AYUSH and herbal products worth $1.54 billion reach over 150 countries.
- Recognition abroad: Ayurveda now has formal recognition as a medical system in multiple nations.
- Public awareness: NSSO (2022-23) survey — 95% rural, 96% urban awareness; over half of India used AYUSH in the past year.
How is India promoting scientific validation and global outreach?
- Research institutions: AIIMS Ayurveda, National Institute of Ayurveda, and CCRAS focus on drug standardisation, clinical validation, and integrative care models.
- International cooperation: 25 bilateral agreements, 52 institutional partnerships, 43 AYUSH cells in 39 countries, 15 academic chairs abroad.
- WHO Centre: WHO Global Traditional Medicine Centre in India integrates traditional knowledge with AI, big data, and digital health.
- AI integration: WHO publication highlights AI’s role in predictive care and strengthening clinical validation.
Why is Ayurveda relevant to global challenges today?
- Philosophy of balance: Between body–mind, human–nature, consumption–conservation.
- Lifestyle diseases: Offers preventive care against rising global non-communicable diseases.
- Climate change: Promotes sustainability and biodiversity conservation.
- Beyond humans: Extends to veterinary care and plant health.
- Theme 2025: “Ayurveda for People & Planet” underlines Ayurveda as both a wellness system and a planetary health framework.
Conclusion
Traditional medicine, led by Ayurveda, has transitioned from being an ancient practice to a modern global movement. India’s leadership, backed by research, exports, and global outreach, has made it central to the evolving global health architecture. As the world faces lifestyle disorders and ecological crises, Ayurveda’s holistic framework offers sustainable solutions for both people and the planet.
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Introduction
The United Nations (UN) was envisioned in 1945 as the cornerstone of a rules-based global order. Yet, 80 years later, it faces one of its gravest challenges. US President Donald Trump’s second term has unleashed a sweeping retreat from multilateralism, leaving the UN structurally weakened and financially strained. His push for sovereignty-driven unilateralism, withdrawal from critical agreements and institutions, and deep funding cuts have left a vacuum increasingly filled by China. For India, this turbulence is both a threat and an opportunity to shape a new multilateralism.
Trump’s Shift from Multilateralism to Unilateralism
- America First Doctrine: Trump has framed sovereignty as the fundamental principle of international relations, rejecting supra-nationalism.
- UN Critique: He claims to have done “a better job than the UN Security Council” in maintaining peace, boasting of “ending seven wars” within eight months of his second term.
- First-term precedent: Withdrawals from the Paris Agreement, UNESCO, Human Rights Council, Iran Nuclear Deal signalled this trend.
- Second-term escalation: Guided by Project 2025 (Heritage Foundation manifesto), Trump has cut >80% of US contributions to UN operations, including peacekeeping and global health.
How is the UN Being Undermined?
- Massive Funding Cuts: US contributions slashed from 22% to a fraction, crippling UN’s financial base.
- Institutional Withdrawals: Exit from WHO, UNESCO, Human Rights Council and halting support for the Paris Agreement & Climate Loss and Damage Fund.
- Policy Rejection: No support for sustainable development or climate mitigation under Trump’s agenda.
- Domestic Politics Spillover: Appeals to his populist base that frames liberals as “war party” and paints the UN as an obstruction.
China’s Expanding Role in Global Governance
- Strategic Positioning: Beijing systematically places its nationals in influential leadership, technical, and administrative posts.
- New Initiatives: Promotes “Global Development, Global Security, Global Civilisation, Global Governance” — aligned with the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
- Funding Power: Contributes around $680 million (~20% of UN budget), second only to the US.
- Outcome: While not yet supplanting US dominance, Chinese activism is making Beijing an indispensable player.
Decline of Multilateralism: A Structural Problem
- Historical High Point: Around 2000 with WTO launch & Millennium Development Goals.
- Erosion Factors: Populist nationalism, US-China rivalry, US-Russia vetoes paralyzing UNSC, and transatlantic divisions.
- Current Paralysis: Even humanitarian crises are stalled by veto politics.
- Reform Blockage: Calls for UNSC expansion remain frozen, while agencies face financial crisis and inefficiencies.
India’s Opportunities and Responsibilities
- Financial Contribution Gap: India contributes $38 million (<1%), far below its stature as the world’s 4th largest economy.
- Comparative Figures: US: $820 million (22%), China: $680 million (20%).
- Strategic Priorities: Instead of old demands (like UNSC expansion), India should focus on:
- AI governance
- North-South coalitions
- UN reforms for efficiency
- Moral Leadership: As a long-standing Global South champion, India must pay more and lead more to shape new rules.
Conclusion
The UN at 80 stands fragile, buffeted by American retreat and Chinese ambition. Trump’s second-term disruption has turned long-standing weaknesses into systemic crises. Yet, neither the US nor China enjoys universal legitimacy. For India, the moment is decisive: it can no longer lament but must shoulder the responsibility of building a multilateralism that works in an age of rivalry and rapid change.
PYQ Relevance
[UPSC 2019] Too little cash, too much politics, leaves UNESCO fighting for life. Discuss the statement in the light of US’ withdrawal and its accusation of the cultural body as being ‘anti-Israel bias’.
Linkage: It highlights how US funding withdrawal and political accusations cripple UN agencies like UNESCO, leaving them under-resourced and delegitimised. Similarly, Trump’s second-term cuts — over 80% reduction in US contributions and exits from WHO, UNESCO, HRC — show how financial muscle and politics erode multilateral institutions.
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Introduction
The struggles of India’s transgender community highlight the deep chasm between constitutional guarantees of equality and the lived reality of marginalisation. Despite progressive measures such as the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019, welfare schemes, and quotas in education and employment, access to these rights often remains obstructed by bureaucracy, social prejudice, and tokenism. The issue is not confined to a minority group alone; it reflects a larger national loss of talent, creativity, and human capital. Denial of dignity and opportunities to gender minorities undermines India’s democratic fabric, making it imperative that policies move beyond symbolic gestures towards genuine representation, enforceable protections, and inclusive development. This article is a stark reminder that policy is not paperwork, but life itself.
Legal & Policy Framework for Transgender Rights in India:
Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019
- Comprehensive protections – The Act prohibits discrimination against transgender persons in education, employment, healthcare, housing, and access to public services.
- Legal recognition – It affirms the right of individuals to be recognised as transgender and ensures access to identity documents in accordance with their self-perceived gender.
- Obligations on institutions – Schools, workplaces, and healthcare institutions are legally bound to create safe, inclusive environments, though implementation remains weak.
- Critical limitation – While progressive, the Act has faced criticism for requiring medical boards’ involvement in recognising gender, which many activists argue undermines the principle of self-identification upheld in NALSA v. Union of India (2014).
NITI Aayog’s SDG India Index
- Measuring inclusivity – The Index tracks progress towards Sustainable Development Goals, with transgender inclusion mapped to SDG 5 (Gender Equality) and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities).
- Policy relevance – States are ranked on inclusivity measures, encouraging competitive federalism to adopt progressive policies.
- Limitations – Despite formal inclusion in metrics, ground-level impact remains limited, with most States lagging in transgender-specific initiatives.
National Portal for Transgender Persons (2020)
- Ease of certification – A digital platform was launched to streamline self-identification and certification of transgender persons without cumbersome physical verification.
- Access to welfare schemes – The portal links beneficiaries to scholarships, healthcare support, and livelihood initiatives.
- Barrier reduction – Aimed to reduce harassment and delays in government offices, but digital literacy and awareness remain challenges.
Government Schemes and Initiatives:
SMILE Scheme (2022)
- Full form: Support for Marginalised Individuals for Livelihood and Enterprise.
- Livelihood support – Offers vocational training, financial assistance, and rehabilitation to transgender persons and others in vulnerable conditions (e.g., beggars).
- Holistic rehabilitation – Focus on dignity through sustainable income opportunities, not just short-term aid.
Garima Greh (Shelter Homes for Transgender Persons)
- Safe housing – Provides temporary shelter to transgender persons in need, particularly those facing family rejection or homelessness.
- Rehabilitation support – Along with accommodation, offers skill-building, counselling, and reintegration programmes.
- Geographical spread – Shelters are being established in multiple States, though demand far outstrips supply.
National Transgender Welfare Board
- Advisory role – Created to guide and monitor welfare schemes, policies, and rights protection for transgender persons.
- Policy advocacy – Acts as a bridge between community needs and government initiatives.
- Challenge – Effectiveness has been questioned due to limited representation from grassroots transgender voices.
Why do policies remain hollow for transgender persons?
- Hollow quotas – Promises on paper, but weak implementation and bureaucratic humiliation in accessing them.
- Selective dispersal – Corruption and leakages mean benefits rarely reach genuine beneficiaries.
- Urban-rural gap – Schemes concentrated in cities, leaving rural transgender communities excluded.
- Insensitive officials – Lack of sensitisation among staff, police, and service providers reinforces stigma.
- Economic marginalisation – Limited job opportunities push many into begging or unsafe livelihoods.
- Weak accountability – No penalties for institutions failing to ensure inclusivity.
- Data deficit – Census undercounts transgender population, weakening policy design.
- Fragmented ecosystem – Welfare spread across ministries with poor coordination and monitoring.
Why is access to basic needs still a challenge?
- Considerable Population– Over 4.87 lakh individuals identified as transgender, under the ‘Other’ gender category as per the 2011 census.
- Housing discrimination – Landlords refuse to rent, neighbours ostracise, and societies erect silent barricades, denying stability.
- Public ridicule – Buses, markets, and streets are unsafe; everyday survival requires courage against humiliation.
- Hunger and survival – With families abandoning them, many trans persons face destitution, leaving them vulnerable to unsafe livelihoods.
How does exclusion repeat historical injustices?
- Historical parallels – Denial of rights to African-Americans and women earlier hollowed democracies; similarly, denying rights to trans persons repeats history’s mistakes.
- Loss of talent – Every trans child forced out of school means a lost scientist; every denied home displaces an artist; every humiliation silences a leader.
Why is representation in politics critical?
- Beyond symbolism – Representation is structural, not tokenistic. Without trans voices in legislatures, policies reproduce privilege and blind spots.
- Absence in institutions – No trans person has been appointed to media boards despite censor boards clearing derogatory content against them.
What are the urgent priorities for reform?
- Education – Scholarships, inclusive curricula, and anti-bullying measures are essential to prevent dropouts.
- Healthcare – Affordable, state-supported gender transition and mental health care; transition is survival, not cosmetic.
- Employment & housing – Anti-discrimination laws must be enforced with penalties, ensuring workplace inclusion and rental protections.
Way Forward
- Enforceable protections – Move from symbolic promises to penalties for violations in housing, jobs, and education.
- Political representation – Reserved seats or political pathways must ensure gender minorities are participants in policymaking.
- Educational reform – Gender-sensitive curricula and anti-bullying frameworks to prevent dropouts.
- Cultural shift – Mainstream media, schools, and workplaces must promote respect and positive representation, not ridicule.
- Holistic inclusion – From healthcare to public spaces, dignity must be guaranteed as a right, not charity.
Conclusion
The resilience of transgender persons cannot substitute for rights. A nation that sidelines its gender minorities sidelines its own conscience and potential. Policy must no longer be about trans persons but must be shaped with them. The denial of dignity is not a transgender issue—it is a national issue of justice, equality, and democratic maturity. India’s claim to global leadership will remain hollow until all its citizens, regardless of gender identity, can live with dignity.
PYQ Relevance
[UPSC 2019] Development and welfare schemes for the vulnerable, by its nature, are discriminatory in approach.” Do you agree? Give reasons for your answer.
Linkage: This article’s critique of hollow quotas and tokenistic welfare for transgender persons directly links to the PYQ by showing how schemes meant for the vulnerable, instead of empowering, often reinforce exclusion and discrimination.
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Why in the News?
Justice M.M. Sundresh of the Supreme Court remarked that the time has come to decriminalise defamation, reflecting concern over its growing misuse.
Free Speech and Defamation: Constitutional Provisions
- Article 19(1)(a): Freedom of speech & expression.
- Article 19(2): Allows reasonable restrictions in the interests of:
- Sovereignty & integrity of India.
- Security of the State.
- Friendly relations with foreign States.
- Public order, decency or morality.
- Contempt of court, defamation, or incitement to an offence.
- Article 21: Right to reputation is part of right to life (Subramanian Swamy v. UOI, 2016).
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What is Criminal Defamation?
- Overview: Offence of harming a person’s character, fame, or reputation with false and malicious statements.
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Forms:
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- Libel: False defamatory statement in writing.
- Slander: False defamatory statement spoken orally.
- Indian Context: Both libel & slander are criminal offences if made publicly.
- Earlier IPC Section 499: Criminalised communication of false info harming reputation; punishment under IPC Section 500 – up to 2 years imprisonment.
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Law under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023:
- Section 354(2) – punishment up to 2 years simple imprisonment, or fine, or both, or community service.
- Section 356 – covers words, signs, or visible representations harming reputation.
- Scope: Applies to individuals, companies, and deceased persons if family reputation is harmed.
- Essential Elements: False statement, harm to reputation, communication to third party, and intent/knowledge of likely harm.
- Nature of Offence: Non-cognizable and bailable – requires a warrant for arrest; bail available.
- Digital Extension: Covers defamatory posts on social media, websites, and messaging platforms.
- Defences/Exceptions: Truth in public interest, fair comment on public servants, judicial proceedings, public performances, and cautionary statements made in good faith.
Judicial Pronouncements related to Defamation:
- Subramanian Swamy v. Union of India (2016): SC upheld constitutionality of IPC Sections 499 & 500; held that reputation is part of Article 21; criminal defamation valid under Article 19(2) restrictions.
- Kaushal Kishore v. Union of India (2017): SC held no extra restrictions on free speech beyond Article 19(2).
- Shreya Singhal v. Union of India (2015): SC struck down Section 66A of IT Act, calling it vague and violative of free speech.
- Imran Pratapgarhi Case (March 2025): Court adopted the “reasonable person” test (Clapham omnibus standard), not that of overly sensitive individuals.
- Recent Stays: SC stayed multiple cases (incl. against Rahul Gandhi and Shashi Tharoor) stressing courts should not be tools for political vendetta.
| [UPSC 2014] What do you understand by the concept of “freedom of speech and expression”? Does it cover hate speech also? Why do the films in India stand on a slightly different plane from other forms of expression? Discuss.
[UPSC 2021] ‘Right to Privacy’ is protected under which Article of the Constitution of India?
Options: (a) Article 15 (b) Article 19 (c) Article 21 * (d) Article 29 |
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Why in the News?
The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) released its latest assessment (2022–23) on the health of Indian rivers.
About Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB):
- Overview: Statutory body set up in September 1974 under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974.
- Expanded mandate: Later entrusted with powers under the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981.
- Umbrella role: Serves as the technical arm of the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEFCC), implementing provisions of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
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Principal Functions:
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- Water pollution control: Promote cleanliness of streams and wells across states by preventing, controlling, and abating pollution; Oversee the National Water Quality Monitoring Program to collect, collate, and disseminate data.
- Air pollution control: Improve air quality and control emissions; Run the National Air Monitoring Programme (NAMP) to determine current status and trends. Regulate industrial pollution, provide baseline data for industrial siting and town planning.
- Data Management: Collects, collates, and disseminates technical and statistical data on air and water pollution.
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Key Initiatives and Programs:
- NAMP: Monitors air quality and pollution trends.
- NAQI (National Air Quality Index): Offers real-time air quality data.
- GRAP (Graded Response Action Plan): Measures graded interventions based on severity of pollution.
- Clean Air Campaign: Awareness and enforcement measures for pollution reduction.
CPCB Assessment of Pollution in Indian Rivers:
Parameters & Definitions:
- Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD): It is the amount of dissolved oxygen needed by microbes to break down organic matter.
- Healthy river: BOD <3 mg/L.
- Unfit for bathing: BOD >3 mg/L.
- Polluted River Stretch (PRS): When two or more consecutive locations in a river exceed bathing criteria (BOD >3 mg/L).
- Priority Classification (BOD levels):
-
- Priority 1: >30 mg/L → Most polluted, urgent remediation.
- Priority 2: 20–30 mg/L.
- Priority 3: 10–20 mg/L.
- Priority 4: 6–10 mg/L.
- Priority 5: 3–6 mg/L → least polluted category but still polluted.
Key Findings of the Report:
- Unfit bathing locations: 807 (2023) vs 815 (2022), shows marginal dip.
- Polluted River Stretches (PRS): 296 stretches/locations across 271 rivers in 2023 vs 311 stretches in 279 rivers in 2022.
- State-wise PRS (2023):
- Maharashtra: 54 (highest).
- Kerala: 31.
- Madhya Pradesh: 18.
- Manipur: 18.
- Karnataka: 14.
- Most polluted states by Priority 1 (2023): Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand (5 each).
- Most polluted states by Priority 1 (2022): Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh (6 each).
| [UPSC 2017] Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) is a standard criterion for:
Options: (a) Measuring oxygen levels in blood
(b) Computing oxygen levels in forest ecosystems
(c) Pollution assay in aquatic ecosystems *
(d) Assessing oxygen levels in high altitude regions |
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Why in the News?
Finnish researchers showed that nonlinear optical fibres can perform AI tasks efficiently, advancing optical computing.
About Optical Computing:
- Overview: A computer that uses light (photons) instead of electricity (electrons) to process data.
- Why Important: Light is faster, makes less heat, and carries more data at once.
- Technology Used: Runs through optical fibres, the same cables that carry internet data.
- Main Challenge: Hard to control how light behaves, especially when it gets very strong and non-linear (changes colour, merges, or spreads).
Recent Breakthrough:
- Research:
- Turned images into light pulses.
- Sent them through optical fibre where the light changed.
- These changes acted like a hidden computing layer.
- The system read the light at the other end to classify the images.
- Results: Reached 91–93% accuracy, close to normal AI computers.
How can it help AI working?
- Energy-efficient AI hardware: Can make faster and greener AI systems in the future.
- Tech needs: New tools like photonic chips and optical neural networks before large-scale use.
| [UPSC 2022] Which one of the following is the context in which the term “qubit” is mentioned?
(a) Cloud Services (b) Quantum Computing* (c) Visible Light Communication Technologies (d) Wireless Communication Technologies |
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Why in the News?
China is planning to evacuate 4 lakh people ahead of the landfall of Super Typhoon Ragasa.
About Typhoon & Super Typhoon:
- Typhoon: A tropical cyclone forming in the Western Pacific Ocean and China Sea, usually above sea temperatures of 27°C.
- Formation: Warm, moist air rises and creates a low-pressure system with spiralling winds.
- Super Typhoon: Defined by the US Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) as sustained winds of ≥240 km/h (some agencies use 185 km/h).
- Structure:
- Eye: Calm centre.
- Eyewall: Strongest winds and rainfall.
- Spiral Rainbands: Bands of showers spreading outward.
- Impacts: Can cause storm surges, coastal flooding, landslides, and destruction of infrastructure, agriculture, and homes.
Back2Basics: Tropical Cyclones
- What is it: Large low-pressure systems over warm oceans, marked by rotating winds, heavy rain, and storm surges.
- Conditions: Form when ocean temps >27°C, with moist rising air releasing latent heat to fuel convection.
- Rotation: Driven by the Coriolis force – anticlockwise in Northern Hemisphere, clockwise in Southern.
- Structure: Eye (calm), Eyewall (violent winds/rains), Rainbands (widespread showers).
- Regional Names: Typhoons (Pacific), Hurricanes (Atlantic/Caribbean), Cyclones (Indian Ocean).
- Drivers & Frequency: Common in Southeast Asia due to warm Pacific waters, El Niño/La Niña cycles, and climate change.
- Impacts: Loss of life, property damage, flooding, soil salinisation, displacement, and disease outbreaks.
- Climate Change Link: Global warming is making tropical cyclones stronger, less predictable, and more frequent, raising risks for coastal populations.
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| [UPSC 2020] Consider the following statements:
1. Jet streams occur in the Northern Hemisphere only.
2. Only some cyclones develop an eye.
3. The temperature inside the eye of a cyclone is nearly 10°C lesser than that of the surroundings.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Options: (a) 1 only (b) 2 and 3 only (c) 2 only * (d) 1 and 3 only |
https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/china-to-evacuate-4-lakh-as-super-typhoon-ragasa-approaches/article70080064.ece
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Why in the News?
Astronomers have confirmed the discovery of asteroid 2025 PN7, Earth’s latest quasi-moon.
About Quasi-Moon 2025 PN7:
- Discovery: First detected on 2 August 2025 by the Pan-STARRS 1 telescope in Hawaii; confirmed in September 2025 as Earth’s newest quasi-satellite.
- Orbit: Circles the Sun, not Earth, but remains near Earth due to a 1:1 orbital resonance – meaning it completes one solar orbit in the same time as Earth.
- Distance from Earth: At closest, ~299,000 km, similar to the Moon’s distance.
- Physical Traits: Roughly 19 metres wide, very faint (magnitude 26.4), requiring large telescopes to track.
- Orbital Parameters: Semi-major axis 1.003 AU (same as Earth), eccentricity 0.108 (slightly oval), inclination just under 2°.
- Arjuna Nature: Fits the Arjuna asteroid class criteria – extremely Earth-like orbit, low eccentricity, and low inclination, making it appear as a temporary companion.
- Stability: Expected to remain a quasi-satellite for ~128 years before shifting into another orbital configuration.
What is the Arjuna Asteroid Class?
- Overview: A rare group of near-Earth objects (NEOs) with orbits closely matching Earth’s path around the Sun.
- Etymology: Originated with the discovery of asteroid 1991 VG by astronomer Robert H. McNaught at the Siding Spring Observatory in Australia in 1991.
- Name Origin: Inspired by Arjuna from the Mahabharata – symbolising fast-moving and elusive objects.
- Special Traits:
- Can approach Earth more closely than most asteroid families.
- Sometimes become temporary mini-moons or quasi-satellites.
- Have relatively low relative velocities, making them attractive for spacecraft missions.
- Scientific Importance:
- Offer natural laboratories for studying orbital resonance and gravitational effects.
- Useful for testing asteroid mining and redirection technologies.
- Significant for planetary defence, since tracking their movements refines collision risk predictions.
| [UPSC 2023] Consider the following pairs:
Object in space – Description
1. Cepheids – Giant clouds of dust and gas in space
2. Nebulae – Stars which brighten and dim periodically
3. Pulsars – Neutron stars that, are formed when massive stars run out of fuel and collapse
How many of the above pairs are correctly matched?
(a) Only one * (b) Only two (c) All three (d) None |
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