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Type: Prelims Only

  • International Space Agencies – Missions and Discoveries

    Chang’e 5 returns to Earth carrying moon rocks

    Prelims Only | Science Tech | Mains Paper 3: Awareness in various sc and tech fields

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: Chang E probe

    Mains level: Various lunar missions and their success

    A Chinese lunar capsule has returned to Earth with the first fresh samples of rock and debris from the moon in more than 40 years.

    Try this PYQ:

    Q.What do you understand by the term Aitken basin:

    (a) It is a desert in the southern Chile which is known to be the only location on earth where no rainfall takes place

    (b) It is an impact crater on the far side of the Moon

    (c) It is a Pacific coast basin, which is known to house large amounts of oil and gas

    (d) It is a deep hyper saline anoxic basin where no aquatic animals are found

    Chang’e-5 Probe

    • The Chang’e-5 probe, named after the mythical Chinese moon goddess, aims to shovel up lunar rocks and soil to help scientists learn about the moon’s origins, formation and volcanic activity on its surface.
    • The goal of the mission is to land in the Mons Rumker region of the moon, where it will operate for one lunar day, which is two weeks long.
    • It will collect 2 kg of surface material from a previously unexplored area known as Oceanus Procellarum — or “Ocean of Storms” — which consist of vast lava plain.
    • The original mission, planned for 2017, was delayed due to an engine failure in China’s Long March 5 launch rocket.

    A big achievement

    • The successful mission was the latest breakthrough for China’s increasingly ambitious space programme that includes a robotic mission to Mars and plans for a permanent orbiting space station.
    • This return marked China’s third successful lunar landing but the only one to lift off again from the moon.
    • It also marked the first time scientists have obtained fresh samples of lunar rocks since the former Soviet Union’s Luna 24 robot probe in 1976.

    Significance of the mission

    • Rocks found on the Moon are older than any that have been found on Earth and therefore they are valuable in providing information about the Earth and the Moon’s shared history.
    • Lunar samples can help to unravel some important questions in lunar science and astronomy, including the Moon’s age, its formation, the similarities and differences between the Earth and the Moon’s geologic features.
    • For instance, the shape, size, arrangement and composition of individual grains and crystals in a rock can tell scientists about its history, while the radioactive clock can tell them the rock’s age.
    • Further, tiny cracks in rocks can tell them about the radiation history of the Sun in the last 100,000 years.

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  • Global Geological And Climatic Events

    How to measure a Mountain?

    Prelims Only | Enviro & Biodiversity | Mains Paper 1: Geographical Features & Their Location

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: Mt. Everest

    Mains level: Himalayan Orogeny

    China and Nepal have announced Mount Everest is 0.86 m taller than the 8,848 m accepted globally so far.

    Try this PYQ:

    Q.When you travel to the Himalayas, you will see the following:

    1. Deep gorges
    2. U-turn river courses
    3. Parallel mountain ranges
    4. Steep gradients causing land-sliding

    Which of the above can be said to be the evidences for the Himalayas being young fold mountains?

    (a) 1 and 2 only

    (b) 1, 2 and 4 only

    (c) 3 and 4 only

    (d) 1, 2, 3 and 4

    Scaling a mountains’ height

    • The basic principle that was used earlier is very simple and uses  only trigonometry which most of us are familiar with, or at least can recall.
    • There are three sides and three angles in any triangle. If we know any three of these quantities, provided one of them is a side, all the others can be calculated.
    • In a right-angled triangle, one of the angles is already known, so if we know any other angle and one of the sides, the others can be found out.
    • This principle can be applied for measuring the height of any object that does not offer the convenience of dropping a measuring tape from top to bottom.

    Accuracy issues

    • For small hills and mountains, whose top can be observed from relatively close distances, this can give quite precise measurements.
    • But for Mount Everest and other high mountains, there are some other complications.
    • These again arise from the fact that we do not know where the base of the mountain is.

    Measuring against sea level

    • Generally, for practical purposes, the heights are measured above mean sea level (MSL). Moreover, we need to find the distance to the mountain.
    • This is done through a painstaking process called high-precision levelling. Starting from the coastline, we calculate step by step the difference in height, using special instruments.
    • This is how we know the height of any city from mean sea level.

    Adjusting gravitation anomaly

    • But there is one additional problem to be contended with — gravity. Gravity is different in different places. It means that even sea level cannot be considered to be uniform at all places.
    • So, the local gravity is also measured to calculate the local sea level. Nowadays sophisticated portable gravitometers are available that can be carried even to mountain peaks.

    Technology solutions

    • These days GPS is widely used to determine coordinates and heights, even of mountains.
    • But, GPS gives precise coordinates of the top of a mountain relative to an ellipsoid which is an imaginary surface mathematically modelled to represent Earth.
    • This surface differs from the mean sea level. Similarly, overhead flying planes equipped with laser beams (LiDAR) can also be used to get the coordinates.

    How accurate are China/Nepal’s apprehensions?

    • Considering that during 1952-1954, when neither GPS and satellite techniques were available nor the sophisticated gravimeters, the task of determining the height of Mount Everest was not easy.
    • Nepal and China have said they have measured Mount Everest to be 86 cm higher than the 8,848 m that it was known to be.
    • But these have been explained in terms of geological processes that might be altering the height of Everest. The accuracy of the 1954 result has never been questioned.
    • Most scientists now believe that the height of Mount Everest is increasing at a very slow rate. This is because of the northward movement of the Indian tectonic plate that is pushing the surface up.
    • Big earthquake, like the one that happened in Nepal in 2015, can alter the heights of mountains. Such events have happened in the past.

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  • Indian Navy Updates

    What is Project 17A?

    Prelims Only | Security Issues | Mains Paper 3: Various Security Forces, Agencies & Their Mandates

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: Project 17A

    Mains level: India's maritime capability

    Himgiri, the first of the three stealth frigates being built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata, under Project 17A for the Navy, was launched into the water.

    Try this question:

    Q“To be secure on Land, we must be Supreme at Sea”. In this context, discuss why India is primarily a Maritime Nation?

    Project 17A

    • The coveted ‘Project 17A’ was cleared by the govt back in 2015.
    • It involves the building of seven stealth frigates at an estimated cost of Rs 50,000 crore.
    • Of these seven, the contract for three frigates was awarded to GRSE while the contract for another four frigates was awarded to Government-owned Mazagon Docks Limited (MDL) which is based in Mumbai.
    • These frigates will come armed with advanced state-of-the-art sensors and boast of top-notch stealth features.
    • They will represent the most advanced class of major surface warships for the Indian Navy in a decade, also featuring BrahMos supersonic surface-to-surface missiles.
    • These will also have torpedoes and rockets to hit submarines and rapid-fire guns to destroy anti-ship missiles as well as a heavy main gun to engage ships and coastal target.

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  • Gravitational Wave Observations

    Galaxy NGC 6240

    Prelims Only | Science Tech | Mains Paper 3: Awareness in various sc and tech fields

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: Merger of Black Holes

    Mains level: Black holes and gravitation waves

    NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory shared the images of Galaxy NGC 6240 that contains two supermassive Black Holes in the process of merging.

    From astronomers to general space enthusiasts, black holes are a topic of interest for many. If you’re someone who spends a lot of their time researching facts about this region of space-time or watching videos on the same, then you must check out this news.

    Galaxy NGC 6240

    • The black holes, located in Galaxy NGC 6240 are 3,000 light-years apart and they will drift together to form a larger black hole millions of years from now.
    • As per a blog post by the observatory, the merging process began some 30 million years ago
    • The pairs of massive black holes in the process of merging are expected to be the most powerful sources of gravitational waves in the Universe.
    • Seen as the bright ‘dots’ near the centre of this image, the black holes are just 3,000 light-years apart.

    About Chandra X-ray Observatory

    • It is a telescope specially designed to detect X-ray emissions from very hot regions of the universe such as exploded stars, clusters of galaxies, and matter around black holes.
    • Orbiting at 139,000 km in space, the telescope was launched aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia during STS-93 by NASA in 1999.

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  • Innovations in Biotechnology and Medical Sciences

    How epigenetics alters inherited genetics’ message

    Prelims Only | Science Tech | Mains Paper 3: Awareness in various sc and tech fields

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: Epigenetics

    Mains level: Genetics and human health

    Researchers have found the cause of vision impairment due to ageing as the accumulation of “epigenetic noise” that disrupts gene expression patterns leading to changes in inherent DNA function

    Genetics is an all-time favourite of UPSC. Every year you can find a question in prelims. Try this one from CSP 2020:

     

    Q.Consider the following statements:

    1. Genetic changes can be introduced in the cells that produce eggs or sperms of a prospective parent
    2. A person’s genome can be edited before birth at the early embryonic stage.
    3. Human-induced pluripotent stem cells can be injected into the embryo of a pig.

    Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

    (a) 1 only

    (b) 2 and 3 only

    (c) 2 only

    (d) 1, 2 and 3

    What is Epigenetics?

    • Epigenetics is the study of how your behaviours and environment can cause changes that affect the way your genes work.
    • Unlike genetic changes, epigenetic changes are reversible and do not change your DNA sequence, but they can change how your body reads a DNA sequence.
    • Environmental stimuli can cause genes to be turned off or turned on.
    • This determines a cell’s specialization (e.g., skin cell, blood cell, hair cell, liver cells, etc.) as a fetus develops into a baby through gene expression (active) or silencing (dormant); and nurture.
    • This normal epigenetic control on our genes can get altered during normal ageing, stress and disease conditions.

    Cellular regulators

    • The functioning of cells and tissues in our body are controlled by thousands of proteins that regulate various cellular functions.
    • These proteins are in turn encoded by the respective genes which are a part of our genome or the cellular DNA.
    • Any minor or major changes to our inherited DNA (addition or mutation) can result in altered protein production, which in turn leads to defective cellular functions.
    • This forms the basis for many heritable genetic disorders affecting mankind.

    A trigger for various inactivities

    • Apart from DNA or protein sequence level alterations, there are other biochemical changes that influence and dictate if a gene should be active or inactive in a given cell type.
    • For example, the gene that encodes for the insulin protein is present in the exact form, in every cell of the body.
    • However, it is allowed to express only in the insulin-secreting beta cells of the pancreas and is kept inactive in the rest of the cells of the body.
    • This phenomenon is tightly regulated by a combination of regulatory proteins that changes the expressivity of the gene.
    • Also, the histone proteins that bind the DNA and help to compactly wrap it inside the chromosomes can undergo chemical modifications such as methylations and acetylations on different lysine amino acids within the protein.
    • These modifications both on the DNA and its associated proteins alter the chromosomal conformations and regulate gene expression.
    • These changes can either unwind the DNA and allow gene expression or can compact the DNA and render the genes in the region inactive or silent.

    Epigenetics and the human eye

    • The human (and mammalian) eye is a remarkable organ in the course of evolution which has allowed us to “see” the external world clearly and in colour.
    • Earlier forms, such as microbes and plants, reacted to light in other ways (for absorption and use, such as photosynthesis).
    • The front part of the human eye (cornea, lens and the vitreous humour gel) is transparent, colourless and helps focus the incoming light into the retina, helping us see colour.
    • It is the retina that sends the message to the brain.
    • Its main component, called the retinal ganglion cells (RGC) are the ones that help in this process of sending the message in the form of electrical signals, called neurons or nerve cells.
    • Thus, RGCs are the ones that convert optics into electronics.

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  • Indian Army Updates

    Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System (ATAGS)

    Prelims Only | Security Issues | Mains Paper 3: Various Security Forces, Agencies & Their Mandates

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: ATAGS

    Mains level: India's capacity building for high mountain warfare

    User trials of the indigenous Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System (ATAGS) developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) will be held very soon.

    Try this question for mains:

    Q.Discuss why high-altitude warfare is challenging. Also, discuss India’s preparedness for a long-term war.

    ATAGS System

    • The ATAGS is a 155-mm, 52-calibre artillery gun jointly developed by the DRDO in partnership with Bharat Forge of the Kalyani Group and the Tata Power SED.
    • ATAGS has greater than 95% of indigenous content. It set a world record for the longest unassisted projectile range of 48 kilometres.

    Its features

    • The gun consists of a barrel, breech mechanism, muzzle brake and recoil mechanism to fire 155 mm calibre ammunition with a firing range of 48 km.
    • It has an all-electric drive to ensure reliability and minimum maintenance over a long period of time.
    • It has advanced features like high mobility, quick deployability, auxiliary power mode, advanced communication system, automatic command and control system with night capability in direct fire mode.

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  • Innovations in Biotechnology and Medical Sciences

    Plasmodium Ovale and Other types of Malaria

    Prelims Only | Science Tech | Mains Paper 3: Awareness in various sc and tech fields

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: Plasmodium parasite

    Mains level: Malaria in India

    A not very common type of malaria, Plasmodium Ovale, has been identified in a jawan in Kerala.

    Try this PYQ:

    Q. Widespread resistance of malarial parasite to drugs like chloroquine has prompted attempts to develop a malarial vaccine to combat malaria.

    Why is it difficult to develop an effective malaria vaccine?

    (a) Malaria is caused by several species of Plasmodium

    (b) Man does not develop immunity to malaria during natural infection

    (c) Vaccines can be developed only against bacteria

    (d) Man is only an intermediate host and not the definitive host

    What is Malaria?

    • Malaria is caused by the bite of the female Anopheles mosquito if the mosquito itself is infected with a malarial parasite.
    • There are five kinds of malarial parasites — Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium vivax (the commonest ones), Plasmodium malariae, Plasmodium ovale and Plasmodium knowlesi.
    • Therefore, to say that someone has contracted the Plasmodium ovale type of malaria means that the person has been infected by that particular parasite.
    • Malaria is treated with prescription drugs to kill the parasite. Chloroquine is the preferred treatment for any parasite that is sensitive to the drug.

    Plasmodium Ovale

    • P ovale rarely causes severe illness and there is no need for panic.
    • Symptoms include fever for 48 hours, headache and nausea, and the treatment modality is the same as it is for a person infected with P vivax.
    • P ovale is no more dangerous than getting a viral infection.
    • It is termed ovale as about 20% of the parasitised cells are oval in shape.

    Burden of Malaria in India

    • In 2018, the National Vector-borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP) estimated that approximately 5 lakh people suffered from malaria.
    • 63% of the cases were of Plasmodium falciparum.
    • The recent World Malaria Report 2020 said cases in India dropped from about 20 million in 2000 to about 5.6 million in 2019.

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  • Electoral Reforms In India

    Digital Voter ID Card and its benefits

    Prelims Only | Polity | Mains Paper 2: Representation Of People’s Act

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: Digital Voter ID

    Mains level: Election reforms

    The Election Commission (EC) is keen to make the Elector’s Photo Identity Card or EPIC available in electronic form.

    Try this PYQ:

    Q.Regarding DigiLocker, sometimes seen in the news, which of the following statements is/are correct?

    1. It is a digital locker system offered by the Government under Digital India Programme.
    2. It allows you to access your e-documents irrespective of your physical location.

    Select the correct answer using the code given below.

    (a) 1 only

    (b) 2 only

    (c) Both 1 and 2

    (d) Neither 1 nor 2

    Digital Voter ID Card

    • The digital voter card is not expected to look too different from its physical form.
    • It will be available as a PDF file and can be downloaded on one’s phone or computer.
    • The soft copy may also have a QR code that will carry the voter’s enrolment details such as name and date of birth and address.
    • This is still just a proposal and needs to be approved by the Election Commission.

    How to avail it?

    • To avail this facility, an eligible voter will have to provide her mobile number or email address to the EC machinery at the time of applying for enrolment in the voters’ list.
    • Once her name is included in the electoral roll, she will be intimated through an SMS or email.
    • The new voter can then download the Voter Card through OTP (One Time Password) authentication.
    • Existing voters may have to re-verify their details with the EC (similar to the Bank KYC process) and provide their email or mobile phone number to get their cards in the electronic form.

    Benefits offered

    • An electronic card will help the EC save costs on printing and distributing a hard copy of EPIC.
    • The EC feels that voters too will find it useful to have the PDF file of her voter card on her phone.
    • This will do away with the necessity of first producing a voter’s slip on the day of voting.

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  • Innovations in Sciences, IT, Computers, Robotics and Nanotechnology

    Narrow Band-Internet of Things (NB-IoT)

    Prelims Only | Science Tech | Mains Paper 3: Awareness in various sc and tech fields

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: IoT , AI

    Mains level: Internet based applications

    In a first, BSNL launches world’s largest NB-IoT to provide connectivity for millions of unconnected machines, sensors and industrial IoT devices across the country.

    What is NB-IoT?

    • NB-IoT is a Low Power Wide Area (LPWA) technology that works virtually anywhere.
    • It will connect many more devices to the Internet of Things and make many new applications a reality.
    • It is optimized for applications that need to communicate small amounts of data over long periods of time.
    • Since it operates in licensed spectrum, it is secure and reliable providing guaranteed quality of service.
    • It connects devices more simply and efficiently on already established mobile networks and handles small amounts of fairly infrequent 2‑way data, securely and reliably.

    And the best is, it provides-

    • very low power consumption
    • excellent extended range in buildings and underground
    • easy deployment into the existing cellular network architecture
    • network security & reliability
    • lower component cost

    Back2Basics: Internet of Things (IoT)

    • The IoT describes the network of physical objects—“things”—that are embedded with sensors, software, and other technologies for the purpose of connecting and exchanging data with other devices and systems over the Internet.
    • The definition of the IoT has evolved due to the convergence of multiple technologies, real-time analytics, AI, sensors, and embedded systems.
    • In the consumer market, IoT technology is most synonymous with products pertaining to the concept of the “smart home”, including devices and appliances.
    • It supports one or more common ecosystems and can be controlled via devices associated with that ecosystem, such as smartphones and smart speakers e.g. Alexa.

    Remember this PYQ?

    When the alarm of your smartphone rings in the morning, you wake up and tap it to stop the alarm which causes your geyser to be switched on automatically. The smart mirror in your bathroom shows the day’s weather and also indicates the level of water in your overhead tank. After you take some groceries from your refrigerator for making breakfast, it recognises the shortage of stock in it and places an order for the supply of fresh grocery items. When You step out of your house and lock the door, all lights, fans, geysers and AC machines get switched off automatically. On your way to office, your car warns you about traffic congestion ahead and suggests an alternative route, and if you are late for a meeting, it sends a message to your office accordingly.

    In the context of emerging communication technologies, which one of the following terms best applies to the above scenario?

    (a) Border Gateway Protocol

    (b) Internet of Things

    (c) Internet Protocol

    (d) Virtual Private Network

    Also read:

    [Burning Issue] Internet of Things (IoT)

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  • Global Geological And Climatic Events

    What is Aurora Borealis?

    Prelims Only | Enviro & Biodiversity | Mains Paper 1: Geographical Features & Their Location

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: Aurora Borealis

    Mains level: Aurora and the science behind

    Northern Lights, also known as aurora borealis could be visible in regions such as in the northern parts of Illinois and Pennsylvania in the US.

    Try this PYQ:

    What is a coma, in the context of Astronomy?

    (a) Bright half of material on the comet

    (b) Long tail of dust

    (c) Two asteroids orbiting each other

    (d) Two planets orbiting each other

    Aurora

    • Auroras occur when charged particles ejected from the Sun’s surface — called the solar wind — enter the Earth’s atmosphere.
    • While flowing toward Earth, the fast-moving solar wind carries with it the Sun’s magnetic field, which disrupts the magnetosphere — the region of space around Earth in which the magnetic field of our planet is dominant.
    • When the Sun’s magnetic field approaches Earth, the protective magnetic field radiating from our planet’s poles deflects the former, thus shielding life on Earth.
    • However, as this happens, the protective fields couple together to form funnels, through which charged solar wind particles are able to stream down to the poles.
    • At the north and south poles, the charged particles interact with different gases in the atmosphere, causing a display of light in the sky.
    • This display, known as an aurora, is seen from the Earth’s high latitude regions (called the auroral oval), and is active all year round.

    Behind the name

    • In the northern part of our globe, the polar lights are called aurora borealis or Northern Lights and are seen from the US (Alaska), Canada, Iceland, Greenland, Norway, Sweden and Finland.
    • In the south, they are called aurora australis or southern lights and are visible from high latitudes in Antarctica, Chile, Argentina, New Zealand and Australia.

    Where is it observed?

    • Generally, the auroral oval is usually witnessed far up in the Polar Regions or the high latitude regions of Europe, like in Norway.
    • But occasionally, the oval expands, and the lights become visible at lower latitudes.
    • This happens during periods of high solar activity, such as the arrival of solar storms.
    • Solar activities include solar flares, solar energetic particles, high-speed solar wind and Coronal Mass Ejections (CME).

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