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  • Nobel and other Prizes

    Venezuela’s María Machado wins Nobel Peace Prize, 2025

    Prelims Only | Art and Culture | Mains Paper 1: Arts & Culture

    Why in the News?

    Maria Corina Machado won the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize for defending democracy in Venezuela; President Trump praised her but criticised the Nobel Committee.

    Venezuela’s María Machado wins Nobel Peace Prize, 2025

    About Nobel Peace Prize:

    • Origin: Instituted in 1901 under the will of Alfred Nobel, Swedish inventor and philanthropist, to honour outstanding contributions to peace and humanitarian cooperation.
    • Administered By: Managed by the Norwegian Nobel Committee, a five-member body appointed by the Parliament of Norway, distinct from Sweden’s Nobel institutions.
    • Purpose: Awards individuals or organisations advancing disarmament, peace negotiations, democracy, human rights, and a stable global order.
    • Expanded Focus: Now includes climate change, environmental protection, and global justice as integral to sustainable peace.
    • Prize Components: Laureates receive a gold medal, diploma, and 11 million Swedish krona (≈ US $1.2 million, 2025).
    • Venue: Presented in Oslo, Norway, the only Nobel Prize awarded outside Sweden, symbolising Norway’s neutral and humanitarian tradition.
    • Global Significance: Remains the world’s most prestigious peace honour, mirroring contemporary geopolitical and ethical realities.

    These trivial facts are too unlikely to be asked in the CS prelims but may hold importance for CAPF and other exams. 

    US Presidents who won Nobel Peace Prize:

    • Theodore Roosevelt (1906): Mediated the Russo–Japanese War settlement; first US President to win the prize.
    • Woodrow Wilson (1919): Recognised for ending World War I and founding the League of Nations, precursor to the UN.
    • Jimmy Carter (2002): Cited for human-rights mediation and the Camp David Accords, plus global work via the Carter Center.
    • Al Gore (2007): Shared with the IPCC for elevating climate change as a global peace and security issue.
    • Barack Obama (2009): Honoured for efforts toward nuclear disarmament and renewed international diplomacy; only US President got awarded while in office.

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  • Indian Army Updates

    Indian Army inducts ‘Saksham’ Counter-Unmanned Aerial System (CUAS) Grid

    Prelims Only | Science Tech | Mains Paper 3: Achievements Of Indians In S&T

    Why in the News?

    The Indian Army has initiated procurement of ‘Saksham’, an indigenously developed Counter-Unmanned Aerial System (CUAS) Grid, to enhance airspace security and counter emerging aerial threats.

    Indian Army inducts ‘Saksham’ Counter-Unmanned Aerial System (CUAS) Grid
    Visual Representation

    About Saksham Counter-Unmanned Aerial System (CUAS) Grid:

    • Overview: Indigenous counter-drone system developed by the Indian Army with BEL, Ghaziabad, to detect, track, identify, and neutralise unmanned aerial threats.
    • Purpose: Secures the Tactical Battlefield Space (TBS) or Air Littoral—airspace up to 3,000 m (10,000 ft) against low-altitude drones.
    • Origin: Conceived after Operation Sindoor, which revealed gaps in air defence.
    • Acronym: SAKSHAM – Situational Awareness for Kinetic Soft & Hard Kill Assets Management; a Command-and-Control (C2) platform integrating sensors, weapons, and AI analytics to create a Recognised UAS Picture (RUASP).
    • Procurement: Approved under Fast Track Procurement (FTP); aligns with Atmanirbhar Bharat and the Army’s Decade of Transformation (2023–2032).

    Key Features:

    • Detection & Tracking: Continuous surveillance via radar, radio-frequency, and electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) sensors.
    • AI-Enabled Prediction: Uses AI to forecast hostile activity and suggest counter-responses.
    • Sensor–Weapon Fusion: Integrates jammers, directed-energy systems, and kinetic interceptors for unified action.
    • Automated Command Support: Provides real-time decision aids for threat prioritisation.
    • 3-D Airspace Visualisation: Displays dynamic views of friendly and hostile assets.
    • Network Integration: Runs on the Army Data Network (ADN) and links with Akashteer Air Defence Control for unified airspace management.
    • Mobility & Modularity: Compact, scalable, and rapidly deployable across terrains.
    • Indigenous Focus: Fully designed and produced in India, demonstrating advanced self-reliant defence capability.
    [UPSC 2025] With reference to Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), consider the following statements:

    I. All types of UAVs can do vertical landing. II. All types of UAVs can do automated hovering. III. All types of UAVs can use battery only as a source of power supply.

    Which of the statements given above are correct?

    (a) Only one (b) Only two (c) All the three (d) None*

     

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  • Wildlife Conservation Efforts

    India unveiled ‘National Red List Roadmap’ Survey to Assess Extinction Risks of Species

    Prelims Only | Enviro & Biodiversity | Mains Paper 3: Conservation, Environmental Pollution & Degradation, Eia

    Why in the News?

    India unveiled its National Red List Roadmap and Vision 2025–2030 at the IUCN World Conservation Congress 2025 in Abu Dhabi.

    Global Context:

    • IUCN Red List: Globally, 1,69,420 species have been assessed; about 28% are classified as threatened.
    • Biodiversity Decline: The Living Planet Report 2024 documented a 73% decline in vertebrate populations (1970–2020), with freshwater species down by 85%.
    • Extinction Rate: Current extinction rates are 1,000–10,000 times higher than natural background levels due to human pressures such as habitat loss, overexploitation, and climate change.
    • Global Need: Strengthening regional red lists like India’s provides granular, science-based data to guide conservation financing and global biodiversity monitoring.

    About National Red List Roadmap and Vision (2025–2030):

    • Purpose: Marks India’s first coordinated national effort to scientifically assess the extinction risk of ~11,000 species of plants and animals by 2030 using IUCN Red List methodology, the global benchmark for species assessment.
    • Aim: To establish a science-based, nationally coordinated red-listing system that strengthens biodiversity planning, conservation policy, and threat mitigation.
    • Strategic Alignment: Supports India’s commitments under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KM-GBF), reaffirming India’s leadership in global biodiversity governance.
    • Outcome Goal: To publish National Red Data Books on flora and fauna by 2030, serving as authoritative reference guides for ecological protection and management.

    Key Features of the Initiative:

    • Scientific Alignment: Adopts IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria, ensuring uniformity and comparability with international conservation assessments.
    • Scope and Coverage: Envisions evaluation of 11,000 terrestrial and marine species, encompassing major ecological regions across India.
    • Core Outputs:
      • Peer-reviewed species assessments with global visibility.
      • Publication of National Red Data Books and creation of a digital public database for species data and risk analysis.
    • Institutional Framework:
      • Implemented jointly by the Botanical Survey of India (BSI) and Zoological Survey of India (ZSI).
      • Partner agencies include IUCN India, Centre for Species Survival: India – Wildlife Trust of India (CSS: India–WTI), and the IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC).
    • Funding and Resources: Total outlay of ₹95 crore, comprising ₹80 crore from BSI and ZSI budgets and ₹15 crore mobilised for training and international collaboration.
    • Capacity Building: Creation of a cadre of 300 trained species assessors and development of national training modules on biodiversity evaluation.
    • Policy Integration: The data generated will inform India’s National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan, legislative updates, and species recovery prioritisation through 2030.

    Need for such a profile:

    • India’s Biodiversity Profile: Recognised as one of the 17 megadiverse nations, India hosts four biodiversity hotspots, the Himalayas, Western Ghats, Indo-Burma, and Sundaland (Nicobar Islands).
    • Ecological Richness: Despite covering only 2.4% of global land area, India shelters 8% of global flora and 7.5% of fauna, with 28% of plants and 30% of animals being endemic.
    [UPSC 2011] The “Red Data Books’’ published by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) contain lists of:

    (a) Endemic plant and animal species present in the biodiversity hotspots.

    (b) Threatened plant and animal species. *

    (c) Protected sites for conservation of nature and natural resources in various countries.

    (d) None of the above.

     

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  • Nobel and other Prizes

    Laszlo Krasznahorkai wins Nobel Prize in Literature, 2025

    Prelims Only | Art and Culture | Mains Paper 1: Arts & Culture

    Why in the News?

    The 2025 Nobel Prize in Literature has been awarded to Laszlo Krasznahorkai, a Hungarian novelist known for his dense, philosophical narratives and apocalyptic vision of modern existence.

    Back2Basics: Nobel Prize in Literature

    • First awarded in 1901, the Nobel Prize in Literature has been conferred 117 times to 121 laureates.
    • Prize Details (2025): Each laureate receives 11 million Swedish kronor (~1.2 million USD), an 18-karat gold medal, and a diploma.
    • Ceremony: Held annually on December 10, marking the death anniversary of Alfred Nobel (1896), Swedish inventor and founder of the prize.
    • The 2024 laureate was Han Kang of South Korea, recognized for fiction confronting historical trauma and the fragility of life.

    About Laszlo Krasznahorkai:

    • Overview: Hungarian novelist celebrated for his dense, philosophical, and apocalyptic prose that examines the fragility of modern civilization.
    • Background: Regarded as one of Europe’s leading postmodern writers, noted for long, flowing sentences and hypnotic rhythm.
    • Themes & Style: His works probe moral collapse, spiritual decay, existential isolation, and the search for meaning amid disorder.
    • Literary Voice: Combines dark humor with metaphysical reflection; often set in bleak, decaying landscapes where characters struggle between despair and artistic endurance.
    • Recognition: Known as a “writer’s writer”, his art embodies a belief in the redemptive endurance of literature.

    Major Works & Adaptations:

    • Satantango (1985):  Debut novel portraying a collapsing rural community; adapted by Béla Tarr into a seven-hour film, acclaimed for its realism and existential tone.
    • The Melancholy of Resistance (1989): Allegory of hysteria and conformity in a small town; adapted as Werckmeister Harmonies (2000).
    • War and War (1999): Follows a Hungarian archivist obsessed with preserving a manuscript symbolising human history; explores madness and transcendence.
    • Seiobo There Below (2008): Interlinked stories on art and divinity across cultures; won the 2015 Man Booker International Prize.
    • Baron Wenckheim’s Homecoming (2016): Tragicomic portrait of post-communist moral decay; won the 2019 National Book Award (Translated Literature).

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  • Historical and Archaeological Findings in News

    Private players to conserve heritage monuments

    Prelims OnlySchemes | Art and Culture | Mains Paper 1: Arts & Culture

    Why in the News?

    The Centre has recently proposed to open conservation of protected monuments to private participation, ending the Archaeological Survey of India’s (ASI) exclusive control over this domain.

    About Archaeological Survey of India (ASI):

    • Establishment: Formed in 1861 under the Ministry of Culture, ASI is responsible for archaeological research, exploration, and protection of India’s cultural heritage.
    • Legal Authority: Enforces the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958 and the Antiquities and Art Treasures Act, 1972.
    • Scope of Work: Manages about 3,700 centrally protected monuments and archaeological sites of national importance.
    • Organisational Structure: Operates through 37 regional Circles and specialist wings such as Science Branch (material analysis), Horticulture Branch (site maintenance), Temple Survey Projects (documentation), and Underwater Archaeology Wing (submerged heritage).
    • Institutional Challenges: Faces staff shortages, budget limits, and procedural delays, constraining nationwide conservation capacity.

    What is the new Public–Private Partnership (PPP) Model for Conservation?

    • Purpose: Supplements ASI’s work by allowing private participation in conservation of heritage monuments.
    • Participants: Corporates, PSUs, and philanthropic bodies may fund, execute, and monitor restoration projects under ASI supervision.
    • Funding Mechanism: Routed through the National Culture Fund (NCF); donations qualify as CSR expenditure with 100% tax exemption.
    • Implementation Framework:
      • Empanelment of conservation architects via RFP by the Ministry of Culture.
      • Donors select architects, who jointly engage restoration agencies experienced in structures over 100 years old.
      • Each project must have a Detailed Project Report (DPR) approved by ASI and comply with the National Policy for Conservation, 2014.
    • Priority Monuments: 250 sites identified for initial adoption based on region or thematic interest.
    • Eligibility: Proven heritage conservation experience, financial competence, and technical compliance with ASI standards.

    Difference from ‘Adopt a Heritage’ Scheme:

    • Earlier Model (2017, revised 2023): Focused on tourism amenities cafés, ticketing, signage through “Monument Mitras”; excluded structural restoration.
    • Current PPP Model: Extends to scientific conservation and architectural restoration under direct ASI oversight.
    • Regulatory Control: ASI retains authority over authenticity, ethics, and policy compliance; funding channelled via NCF with technical audit.
    • Policy Evolution: Marks a shift from tourism partnership to heritage stewardship, blending private resources with public accountability for monument preservation.

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  • Nobel and other Prizes

    Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs) wins Chemistry Nobel Prize, 2025

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

    Why in the News?

    The 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry has been awarded to Richard Robson, Susumu Kitagawa, and Omar Yaghi for pioneering the creation of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs).

    Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs) wins Chemistry Nobel Prize, 2025

    What are Metal–Organic Frameworks (MOFs)?

    • Overview: They are crystalline materials composed of metal ions linked by organic molecules, forming a three-dimensional porous network capable of selectively trapping and storing gases, vapours, or liquids.
    • Structure: Metal ions serve as nodes or connectors, while organic ligands (carbon-based linkers) create scaffold-like frameworks with very high surface area and controllable pore size.
    • Porosity: MOFs possess some of the highest porosity among solids, often exceeding 7,000 square metres per gram, enabling the storage of large volumes of gases within minimal material.
    • Flexibility: Organic linkers can be chemically modified, allowing custom design for specific interactions, such as selective gas capture or catalysis.
    • Thermal and Chemical Stability: Advanced MOFs remain stable up to 300–400°C and can withstand diverse chemical environments, suitable for industrial and environmental use.
    • Bonding Principle: Based on coordination chemistry, MOFs combine metal rigidity with organic flexibility, enabling precise control over molecular architecture.
    • Functionality: Their open channels permit easy adsorption and desorption, making MOFs reusable, durable, and efficient for a range of scientific and industrial applications.

    Applications of MOFs:

    • Water Harvesting: Capture moisture from arid air and release it upon heating — enabling portable water generation in desert regions.
    • Carbon Capture: Their selective pores allow efficient CO₂ capture and storage, aiding climate change mitigation.
    • Hydrogen and Methane Storage: Act as solid sponges essential for fuel cells and clean energy systems.
    • Pollutant Filtration: Remove PFAS (Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances), heavy metals, and organic contaminants from water sources.
    • Food Preservation: Absorb ethylene gas emitted by fruits, slowing ripening and extending shelf life.
    • Catalysis and Sensing: Serve as heterogeneous catalysts and chemical sensors for trace-level detection in industrial settings.
    • Clean Energy Systems: Integrated into batteries, fuel cells, and supercapacitors for energy storage due to high conductivity and surface area.

    Scientific Development:

    • Richard Robson (University of Melbourne, 1970s): He pioneered the idea of linking metal atoms and ligands into extended frameworks, though early models were fragile.
    • Susumu Kitagawa (Kyoto University): Built porous coordination polymers, the first to demonstrate that gases could diffuse through molecular cavities—a defining MOF feature.
    • Omar Yaghi (University of California, Berkeley, 1990s): Created robust, heat-resistant MOFs, standardised synthesis techniques, and coined the term “Metal–Organic Framework” in a 1995 Nature paper.
      • Breakthrough Achievement: Yaghi’s team designed copper- and cobalt-based MOFs stable up to 350°C, capable of hosting guest molecules without collapse.
    [UPSC 2024] With reference to Direct Air Capture, an emerging technology, which of the following statements is/are correct?

    I. It can be used as a way of carbon sequestration.

    II. It can be a valuable approach for plastic production and in food processing.

    III. In aviation, it can be a source of carbon for combining with hydrogen to create synthetic low-carbon fuel.

    Select the correct answer using the code given below.

    (a) I and II only (b) II only (c) I, II, and III* (d) None of the above statements is correct

     

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  • Agricultural Sector and Marketing Reforms – eNAM, Model APMC Act, Eco Survey Reco, etc.

    [pib] E-NAM (electronic National Agriculture Market) Portal

    Prelims Only | Agriculture | Mains Paper 3: Agriculture and related issues

    Why in the News?

    The Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare has expanded the National Agriculture Market (e-NAM) by including 9 additional commodities, raising the total tradable items on the platform to 247.

    About National Agriculture Market (e-NAM):

    • Launch: Introduced in April 2016 by the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare under the Integrated Scheme on Agricultural Marketing (ISAM).
    • Implementing Agency: Managed by the Small Farmers Agribusiness Consortium (SFAC) under the Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare.
    • Objective: To unify agricultural markets across India by offering farmers and traders a transparent, competitive, and quality-based digital trading platform for real-time price discovery and reduced intermediary dependence.
    • Legal Framework: Operates within state Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) Acts, harmonised through inter-state trading licences and digital linkage.
    • Funding & Governance: Fully centrally funded, providing both digital infrastructure and physical market modernisation to APMCs.
    • Working Mechanism:
      • Digital APMC Integration: Each mandi connected to the e-NAM portal for online inter-state trading.
      • Online Auctions: Produce graded, assayed, and weighed before real-time electronic bidding.
      • Price Discovery & Payment: Transparent auction ensures quality-linked pricing; proceeds transferred directly to farmers’ bank accounts.
      • Unified Licensing: A single trading licence enables purchase from multiple mandis nationwide.
      • Warehouse Trading (e-NAM 2.0): Incorporates warehouses and cold storages for sale of stored produce and extended logistics support.
    • Coverage (2025):
      • Mandis Integrated: 1,522 mandis across 23 States & 4 UTs.
      • Commodities: 247 tradable items including cereals, pulses, oilseeds, fruits, spices, and medicinal plants.
      • Participants: Around 1.7 crore farmers and 4,500 FPOs registered.
      • Leading States: Tamil Nadu (213 mandis), followed by Rajasthan and Gujarat.
      • Data Analytics: Real-time insights on trade volume, prices, and demand trends aid policy decisions.

    Key Features & Impact:

    • Pan-India Integration: Realises “One Nation, One Market” by linking mandis and private markets.
    • Quality Assurance: Standardised parameters framed by Directorate of Marketing & Inspection (DMI) ensure grade-based pricing.
    • Digital Efficiency: Electronic weighing, e-payments, and cloud-based architecture cut transaction time from 8–10 hours to 30 minutes.
    • FPO & Warehouse Linkages: Strengthen logistics, storage, and collective bargaining power.
    • Scheme Synergy: Complements PM-KISAN, PM-AASHA, and MSP operations through traceable, transparent procurement data.
    [UPSC 2017] What is/are the advantage/advantages of implementing the `National Agriculture Market’ scheme?

    1. It is a pan-India electronic trading portal for agricultural commodities.

    2. It provides the farmers access to nationwide market, with prices commensurate with the quality of their produce.

    Select the correct answer using the code given below:

    Options: (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2* (d) Neither 1 nor 2

     

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  • Solar Energy – JNNSM, Solar Cities, Solar Pumps, etc.

    India to boost solar pumps scheme in Africa, Island nations

    Prelims Only | International Relations | Mains Paper 2: Bilateral, Regional and Global Groupings and agreements involving India

    Why in the News?

    The Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) plans to showcase India’s PM-KUSUM and PM Surya Ghar schemes to several African and island nations through the International Solar Alliance (ISA) platform.

    India’s Global Outreach via International Solar Alliance (ISA):

    • Founded: 2015, jointly by India and France, headquartered in Gurugram (Haryana, India).
    • Membership (2025): 98 countries, focused on promoting solar energy deployment in developing and tropical nations.
    • Mandate: Facilitate affordable solar technology, finance mobilization, and policy support to achieve global energy access and climate goals.
    • Strategic Focus Areas (2025):
      • Catalytic Finance Hub: Mobilising global investments in solar infrastructure.
      • Global Capability Centre: Providing technical training, digital tools, and policy frameworks.
      • Technology Roadmap: Driving innovation in floating solar, AI-based grid management, green hydrogen, and One Sun, One World, One Grid (OSOWOG) connectivity.
      • Country Engagement: Strengthening regional partnerships for implementation and capacity-building.
    • Global Showcasing of Indian Models:
      • India plans to export the PM-KUSUM and PM Surya Ghar models to Africa and island nations facing low electrification and irrigation coverage.
      • Only 4% of Africa’s arable land is irrigated, creating a vast opportunity for solar-powered irrigation and energy access.
    • Significance: ISA serves as the primary vehicle for India’s renewable diplomacy, promoting clean energy cooperation, technology transfer, and South–South collaboration for sustainable development.

    Back2Basics:

    [1] PM-KUSUM Scheme:

    • Full Name: Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (PM-KUSUM) launched in 2019 by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE).
    • Objective: To promote solar energy use in agriculture, enabling farmers to generate clean electricity, replace diesel pumps, and earn additional income through sale of surplus solar power.
    • Targets:
      • Add 34,800 MW of decentralized solar capacity by March 2026.
      • Total outlay of ₹34,422 crore in Central financial assistance.
    • Structure: Three key components –
      1. Component A: 10,000 MW of decentralized grid-connected solar/renewable plants on barren land.
      2. Component B: 14 lakh standalone solar pumps for irrigation.
      3. Component C: Solarization of 35 lakh existing grid-connected pumps (including feeder-level solarisation).
    • Financial Support: Farmers receive 60% subsidy, 30% institutional loan, and contribute 10% cost.
    • Achievements (as of 2025):
      • 70% completion in standalone solar pumps.
      • Limited progress in grid-connected plants (6%) and pump solarization (16–25%).
      • Scheme likely to be extended beyond 2026 due to delayed infrastructure readiness.
    • Benefits: Reduces input costs, ensures energy self-reliance, lowers carbon emissions, and generates sustainable farmer income through surplus power sales.

    [2] PM Surya Ghar Scheme:

    • Full Name: PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana launched in 2025 as a flagship rooftop solar initiative for residential households.
    • Implementing Agency: Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE).
    • Objective: To promote rooftop solar installations for one crore households, especially middle-class and economically weaker sections, providing affordable or free electricity.
    • Budget: ₹75,021 crore for implementation till FY 2026–27.
    • Features:
      • Subsidy up to 40% of total installation cost.
      • Annual household savings of up to ₹18,000 through self-generation.
      • Net metering enables sale of surplus power to the grid.
      • Simplified application via national portal; eligibility limited to one household per residence.
    • Impact: Reduces power bills, promotes decentralized renewable energy generation, and contributes to India’s target of 500 GW non-fossil energy capacity by 2030.
    [UPSC 2016] Consider the following statements:

    1. The International Solar Alliance was launched at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in 2015.

    2. The Alliance includes all the member countries of the United Nations.

    Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

    Options: (a) 1 only* (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2

     

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  • New Species of Plants and Animals Discovered

    Nesolynx banabitanae new wasp discovered in West Bengal

    Prelims Only | Enviro & Biodiversity | Mains Paper 3: Conservation, Environmental Pollution & Degradation, Eia

    Why in the News?

    A new species of wasp, Nesolynx banabitanae, has been discovered in Central Park (Banabitan), Salt Lake, Kolkata.

    Nesolynx banabitanae new wasp discovered in West Bengal

    About ‘Nesolynx banabitanae’:

    • Taxonomic Family: Belongs to the Eulophidae family — known for parasitic and hyperparasitic wasps.
    • Type of Species: It is a hyperparasitoid, meaning it parasitises other parasitoid wasps rather than directly preying on host insects.
    • Host Interaction: Parasitises the ichneumonid parasitoid Charops aditya, which itself attacks caterpillars of the Common Palmfly (Elymnias hypermnestra) and Common Castor (Ariadne merione) butterflies.
    • Significance: Only the seventh known wasp species discovered in India, adding to the country’s limited record of Nesolynx genus.
    • Etymology: Named banabitanae after “Banabitan”, the local Bengali name for Central Park, where it was first identified.

    Significance:

    • Ecological Role: Contributes to multitrophic ecological interactions by adding a fourth trophic level influencing population dynamics of butterflies and their parasitoids.
    • Scientific Relevance: Enhances understanding of hyperparasitoid behaviour, urban insect ecology, and biodiversity conservation in anthropogenic landscapes.
    • Analytical Importance: The SEM-based structural mapping provides baseline data for future phylogenetic and taxonomic comparisons within Nesolynx.
    [UPSC 2024] Regarding Peacock tarantula (Gooty tarantula), consider the following statements:

    I. It is an omnivorous crustacean. II. Its natural habitat in India is only limited to some forest areas. III. In its natural habitat, it is an arboreal species.

    Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

    (a) I only (b) I and III (c) II only (d) II and III *

     

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  • Nobel and other Prizes

    Physics Nobel Prize for Quantum Tunneling

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

    Why in the News?

    The 2025 Nobel Prize in Physics has been awarded to John Clarke, Michel Devoret, and John Martinis for their discovery of macroscopic quantum mechanical tunnelling and energy quantisation in an electric circuit.

    nobel

    Discovery of Macroscopic Quantum Effects:

    • Essence of the Discovery: John Clarke, Michel Devoret, and John Martinis proved that quantum effects—tunnelling and energy quantisation—can occur in macroscopic electrical circuits, not just in atoms or particles.
    • Experiments (UC Berkeley, 1984–85): Demonstrated that superconducting circuits, visible to the naked eye, act as quantum systems when isolated from external disturbances.
    • Observed Phenomena:
      • Macroscopic Quantum Tunnelling: Electric current “jumps” through an insulating barrier even when classical physics predicts no flow.
      • Energy Quantisation: The circuit holds only discrete energy levels, behaving like an artificial atom that exchanges energy in fixed quanta.
    • Scientific Breakthrough: First experimental proof that quantum mechanics governs engineered large-scale systems, forming the foundation of quantum computing.

    The Josephson Junction:

    • Structure: Two superconductors separated by a thin insulating layer, allowing the passage of Cooper pairs paired electrons that move as a single quantum entity.
    • Mechanism: Though insulators block current in classical systems, Cooper pairs tunnel through the barrier, producing a supercurrent without resistance.
    • Key Berkeley Findings:
      • The phase difference across the junction behaved as a quantum variable, showing discrete energy states.
      • Spontaneous tunnelling of current produced measurable voltage, confirming macroscopic quantum tunnelling.
    • Outcome: The Josephson junction became the first laboratory model of macroscopic quantum behaviour and the prototype for superconducting qubits used in today’s quantum computers.

    Significance:

    • Redefined Quantum Boundaries: Established that quantum laws are universal, applying from electrons to circuits of billions of atoms when quantum coherence is preserved.
    • Foundation for Quantum Computing: Provided the conceptual basis for superconducting qubits, now central to Google, IBM, and TIFR quantum processors.
    • Technological Impact: Enabled innovations in quantum sensors, precision metrology, and quantum communication through microwave-to-optical conversion.
    • Philosophical Insight: Resolved the scale question of how large a system can remain quantum,  proving that superconducting isolation preserves coherence even at macroscopic levels.
    • Legacy: Bridged the quantum–classical divide, converting a theoretical boundary into experimentally verified reality, launching the modern quantum technology era.
    [UPSC 2022] Which one of the following is the context in which the term “qubit” is mentioned?

    Options:  (a) Cloud Services b) Quantum Computing* (c) Visible Light Communication Technologies (d) Wireless Communication Technologies

     

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