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 INDEX

S.No. Title Page No

SPACE .................................................................................................................................................................................... 3
1. SUPER BLOOD BLUE MOON .................................................................................................................................................. 3
2. NASA’S PARKER SOLAR PROBE ............................................................................................................................................. 3
3. NASA'S UPCOMING MISSIONS ............................................................................................................................................. 5
4. SOFIA - STRATOSPHERIC OBSERVATORY FOR INFRARED ASTRONOMY ........................................................................................... 5
5. CHINA SENDS TWIN NAVIGATION SATELLITES ........................................................................................................................... 6
6. CHANDRAYAAN-2 ............................................................................................................................................................... 7
7. CHANG’E 4 - CHINA'S LUNAR PROBE ...................................................................................................................................... 7
8. ICON & GOLD - MISSIONS EXPLORING IONOSPHERE ............................................................................................................... 8
9. TABBY'S STAR................................................................................................................................................................... 10
10. NASA’S KILOPOWER PROJECT ............................................................................................................................................ 10
DEFENCE .............................................................................................................................................................................. 10
11. INDIA-ISRAEL DEAL ON ANTI-TANK GUIDED MISSILES .............................................................................................................. 10
12. PROCUREMENT OF BARAK MISSILES (ISRAEL) AND GUIDED BOMBS (RUSSIA) ............................................................................... 11
13. INS ARIHANT................................................................................................................................................................... 12
14. SPIKE MISSILE ................................................................................................................................................................... 13
15. AKASH MISSILE ................................................................................................................................................................ 13
16. AGNI- V ........................................................................................................................................................................ 13
17. BIRD FLU IN BENGALURU ................................................................................................................................................... 14
18. RAJASTHAN - SWINE FLU ALERT ........................................................................................................................................... 14
19. WHO PRE-QUALIFICATION TYPHOID VACCINE ........................................................................................................................ 15
20. INDIA MISSES KALA-AZAR ELIMINATION DEADLINE ................................................................................................................. 16
21. ROTAVAC ........................................................................................................................................................................ 16
22. HUMAN PAPILLOMA VIRUS (HPV)....................................................................................................................................... 17
23. PULSE POLIO IMMUNISATION (PPI) ..................................................................................................................................... 17
TECHNOLOGY ....................................................................................................................................................................... 17
24. MORE SECURITY TO LIFI ..................................................................................................................................................... 17
25. PRATYUSH ....................................................................................................................................................................... 19
26. TRIBOLELECTRIC NANOGENERATORS - WIRELESS TRANSMISSION OF ELECTRICAL ENERGY ............................................................... 20
27. SPEED BREEDING TECHNIQUE - WHEAT PRODUCTION.............................................................................................................. 21
28. 5G TECHNOLOGY .............................................................................................................................................................. 22
29. LARGEST PRIME NUMBER................................................................................................................................................... 22
30. INTERNATIONAL TERMINATION CHARGES (ITC) ....................................................................................................................... 22
ENVIRONMENT .................................................................................................................................................................... 22
31. PROLONGED HEAT-WAVE .................................................................................................................................................. 22
32. URBAN HEAT ISLANDS ....................................................................................................................................................... 23
33. FUNARIA HYGROMETRICA .................................................................................................................................................. 23
34. MIHIR ............................................................................................................................................................................ 23
35. HEAT-TOLERANT GENES IN ALGAE - ADDRESSING CORAL BLEACHING ......................................................................................... 23
36. WINTER 'BOMB CYCLONE' ................................................................................................................................................. 24
37. POLAR VORTEX ................................................................................................................................................................ 25
38. CRYOSPHERE.................................................................................................................................................................... 25
39. IONOSPHERE .................................................................................................................................................................... 25

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SPACE
1. Super Blood Blue Moon

 “Super Blood Blue Moon” is a rare cosmic event that combines an extra big Super moon, a Blue moon and a
total lunar eclipse.

 Super moon – It occur when the full moon coincides with the Moon‟s closest orbit point (perigee) to
Earth.

 During a super moon, the moon appears 14% larger and 30% brighter.

 The farthest distance between the moon and the Earth is termed „apogee‟, while the perigee is the nearest
point.

 Lunar Eclipse – It occurs when the Sun, the Earth and the Moon are so aligned that the full moon passes
through the shadow of Earth.

 The moon gliding into Earth‟s shadow will gradually turn in to orange or red.

 This is because the sunlight passing through the Earth‟s atmosphere break down and red part gets scattered
by the atmosphere and falls on the Moon‟s surface.

 For this reason, a totally eclipsed moon is called a “Blood Moon/Copper Moon”.

 Blue Moon – It refers to the second full moon (or second lunar eclipse) in a month.
 The Moon does not turn blue but historically the second full Moon of an English calendar month is termed
as a Blue Moon.
 Typically, it happens every two years and eight months.
 The world is going to witness this event on Jan 31 st in parts of western North America, Asia, the Middle
East, Russia and Australia.
 The umbra, the penumbra, and the antumbra are the 3 different areas of a shadow.
 The umbra is a shadow's dark core. Penumbra is the lighter outer part of the shadow and the Antumbra is
the lighter part of the shadow that begins where the umbra ends.
2. NASA’s Parker Solar Probe
Why in news?
NASA is set to launch Parker Solar Probe, a mission to “touch” the Sun.

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What is the Parker Solar Probe?
 NASA‟s Parker Solar Probe (previously Solar Probe, Solar Probe Plus, or Solar Probe+) is scheduled for
launch in 2018.
 Parker Solar is NASA's robotic spacecraft to probe the outer corona of the Sun.
 The Parker Solar Probe will perform its scientific investigations in a hazardous region of intense heat and
solar radiation.
 The probe will use Venus‟ gravity
during seven flybys over nearly seven
years.
 This is to gradually bring its orbit
closer to the Sun.
 The spacecraft will fly through the
Sun‟s atmosphere as close as around 6
million km to its surface.
 This would be closer than any
spacecraft has gone before.
 Objectives - The primary goal of the
mission is to trace how energy and
heat move through the solar corona.
 As also to explore what accelerates the solar wind as well as solar energetic particles.
 The Probe will provide new data on solar activity.
 It can make critical contributions to our ability to forecast major space-weather events that impact life on
Earth.
How is the probe significant with a solar event?
 The solar wind is a continuous outward stream of
particles (mostly protons and electrons) from the sun.
 Energized by high temperatures in the corona, these
particles leave the sun.
 This could be at speeds ranging from 200 to 500 miles
per second.
 The fastest of these particles stream out through the
middle of coronal holes.
 Embedded in this particle explosive are magnetic
fields that get dragged into interplanetary space.
 When they reach the earth, they can cause severe space weather storms.
 It can also affect Earth's magnetic field and pump energy into the radiation belts.
 The changes in near-Earth space, known as space weather, can change the orbits of satellites.
 It can also shorten their lifetimes, or interfere with onboard electronics.
 It is cautioned that a huge solar event without advance warning could cause 2 trillion dollars in damage in
the US alone.
 It is essential at this juncture that the mysteries of the corona are unlocked.
 It is also crucial to protect an increasingly technology-dependent society from a destructive solar event.
 Besides these, understanding sun can also help know better how life on Earth developed.

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3. NASA's Upcoming Missions
Why in news?
Turning 60 in 2018, NASA is set to launch a slew of important missions.
What are NASA's notable missions?

 Mars - In 2018, NASA will add to its existing robotic fleet at the Red Planet with the InSight Mars
lander.
 This is designed to study the interior and subsurface of Mars.

 Asteroid - NASA's OSIRIS-REx (Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security,

Regolith Explorer) is underway.

 It is NASA's first asteroid sample return mission.

 It is scheduled to arrive at the near-Earth asteroid Bennu in August 2018.

 It will then return a sample for study in 2023.

 Solar system - Planned in mid 2018, the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) will search for
planets outside the solar system.

 This is to be achieved by monitoring 200,000 bright, nearby stars.

 Earth - NASA will launch the next generation of two missions, ICESat-2 and GRACE Follow On in 2018.

 This is to continue the long-term record of how Earth‟s ice sheets, sea level, and underground water
reserves are changing.
4. SOFIA - Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy
Why in news?
NASA made statements declaring plans to carry out various missions with its flying observatory, SOFIA.
What is SOFIA?

 The Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared

Astronomy (SOFIA) is the world‟s largest
airborne astronomical observatory.

 It is a joint project between NASA and the German

Aerospace Centre, DLR.

 It features a 100-inch diameter telescope weighing

up to 20 tons.

 It is mounted on a modified Boeing aircraft.

 SOFIA is equipped with first-generation cameras

and spectrographs.
What are the objectives?

 Images - Its 2.5-meter diameter telescope allows astronomers to access the visible, infrared and sub-
millimeter spectrum.

 The telescope has the ability to produce images three times higher in resolution than those captured by
other observatories.

 It enables NASA to use the images for a wide variety of missions.

 Space events - The telescope is capable of observing occultations of stars by solar system objects.

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  An occultation (the state of being hidden) happens when one object passes in front of another from an
observer's perspective.

 Origin - SOFIA will help astronomers learn more about the following:
i. birth of stars
ii. formation of new solar systems
iii. identification of complex molecules in space
iv. formation of planets, comets and asteroids in our solar system
v. nebulae and dust in galaxies
vi. black hole at the centre of our Milky Way galaxy
 Infrared - Most of the interesting objects in the universe emit much of their energy in the infrared region
of the electromagnetic spectrum.

 Yet, ground-based telescopes can detect only limited portions of the infrared spectrum.

 This is because most of it is absorbed by the water vapour in the Earth‟s atmosphere.

 SOFIA operates at an altitude of about 41,000 feet.

 It can thus avoid more than 99% of the obscuring water vapor.

 This enables it to make observations which are impossible for even the largest and highest ground-based
telescopes.

 Dust Clouds - Furthermore, vast reaches of the universe contain huge dust clouds which block visible
light.

 However, infrared detectors can, in effect, see through these dust clouds as they don‟t block infrared
radiation.

 This supports observing the otherwise invisible objects inside and behind the clouds.

 US - Sofia is designed with an aim to integrate and improve the level of education in US in sectors dealing
with science and technology.

 The mission thus includes the participation of students and educators in scientific and astronomical
research.

 They will be assisted in designing and analyzing observations of SOFIA‟s telescope.

What is SOFIA’s 2018 campaign?

 SOFIA‟s polarimeter is used for measuring the alignment of incoming light waves.

 This will be combined with the High-resolution Airborne Wideband Camera-Plus, called HAWC+.

 The aim is to understand how magnetic fields affect the rate at which interstellar clouds condense to form
new stars.

 HAWC+ will also be used to trace magnetic fields for better understanding about the formation of new or
existing planets.
5. China Sends Twin Navigation Satellites
Why in news?
China recently sent twin satellites into space on a single carrier rocket to enable its BeiDou system to
provide navigation and positioning services to countries along the Belt and Road by 2018-end..
What is BeiDoU?

 The BeiDou Navigation Satellite System is a Chinese satellite navigation system.

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  It consists of two separate satellite constellations – a limited test system that has been operating since
2000, and a full-scale global navigation system that is currently under construction.

 The recentl mission included the Long March-3B carrier rocket that took off from Xichang Satellite Launch
Centre in Sichuan province.

 The other GPS Satellite Systems around the World are

1. United States - GPS
2. Japan - QZSS
3. Russia - GLONASS
4. China Peoples Republic of China - BeiDou Navigation Satellite System
5. European Union - Galileo
6. India - IRNSS
6. Chandrayaan-2
Why in news?
The Indian Space Research Organisation announced that the Chandrayaan-2 mission is on schedule.
What are the components of Chandrayaan- 2?

 The spacecraft has three major components – orbiter, lander, and rover.

 In the case of Chandrayaan-1, the spacecraft‟s probe crashed into the Moon‟s surface and deployed a rover.

 Whereas in Chandrayaan 2, the spacecraft will instead use the lander to make a gentle stop on the lunar
surface, and then deploy the rover.

 It will be launched by GSLV Mk II.

 The rover alone weighs about 20 kg, and will function solely on solar power.

 The orbiter weighs 1,400 kg, and the lander around 1,250 kg.

 The aim of the mission is to prove the existence of water ice on the Moon, as well as map parts of its surface
like never before.

 The Orbiter craft will also conduct mineralogical and elemental studies of the Moon‟s surface from orbit.

 Meanwhile, the Rover will have two scientific payloads for chemical analysis of the soil.

 It will also have a high definition camera to take pictures of the soil and rocks on site.

 Chandrayaan – 1 was India‟s first lunar probe launched by the ISRO in October 2008 and operated until
August 2009.

 It was launched by PSLV-C11 from Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.
7. Chang’e 4 - China's Lunar Probe
Why in news?
China announced its plans to launch a lunar probe, Chang‟e 4, in 2018.
What is Chang’e 4?

 Chang'e 4 is a Chinese lunar exploration mission.

 The mission will incorporate an orbiter, a robotic lander and rover.
 It will be China's second lunar lander and rover.
 Chang'e-4 will follow China's successful Chang'e-3 mission which soft-landed on the Moon in 2013.
 After Chang'e-4, an upcoming Chang'e-5 craft is being developed.

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  Chang'e-5 will be an even more ambitious mission aiming at landing on the Moon and then returning to
Earth.
 The present Chang'e-4 will make China the world's first country to launch a lunar probe on far side of
moon.
What is the far side of moon?
 The far side of the moon is also called the dark side.
 This is because it has been an unknown side of the moon and has remained Moon's most mysterious
territory.
 It faces away from the Earth and has never been seen up close by human eyes.
 The dark side has been observed from orbit and been photographed.
 But it has never been explored by human astronauts nor landed upon by spacecraft.
 There has thus been no surface exploration of the far side of the Moon.
What does the mission aim for?
 The research aims at bringing to light all sorts of new things
about the far side of the Moon.
 Especially, it could help explore the lunar surface in the South
Pole-Aitken basin.
This is one of the largest known impact craters in the Solar System.
 The impact could be taken as a strong evidence for an extreme
event that would have affected all of the terrestrial planets.
 In that case, the mission might provide information on the early
stages of Earth as well.
 This gigantic hole may also feature exposed mantle materials.
What are India's notable lunar missions?
 Chandrayaan-1 - Chandrayaan-1 is India's first mission to Moon.
 Launched through PSLV - C11 in 2008, it was a successful mission.
 The spacecraft was orbiting around the Moon at a height of 100 km from the lunar surface.
 The objective is to carry out chemical, mineralogical and photo-geologic mapping of the Moon.
 The mission was concluded when the communication with the spacecraft was lost in August, 2009.
 Chandrayaan-2 - ISRO has announced its intention to launch Chandrayaan-2 mission in 2018.
 It will include ISRO's second lunar orbiter, a lander and a lunar rover.
 It will be launched to the Earth orbit by a GSLV Mark II rocket.
 The orbiter will then take the package to lunar orbit, 100 km above the surface, from which the lander will
descend.
8. ICON & GOLD - Missions Exploring Ionosphere
Why in news?
NASA has announced that it would launch two missions to explore the ionosphere.
What are the two missions?
 ICON and GOLD are the two missions that will team up to explore the ionosphere.

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  ICON - The Ionospheric Connection Explorer (ICON) is a NASA satellite.
 ICON will be in low-Earth orbit, at
560 km above Earth.
 This will work as a close-up camera,
flying directly through and just
above ionosphere.
 It would capture detailed remote and
in situ data on the forces that shape
this area.
 GOLD - The Global-scale
Observations of the Limb and Disk
(GOLD) is a NASA instrument.
 It is aboard a commercial
communications satellite.
 GOLD will be in a geostationary
orbit over the Western Hemisphere,
about 35,000 km above the planet‟s
surface.
 This will build up a full-disk view of the ionosphere and upper atmosphere every half hour.
 This is the first mission to be able to monitor the true weather of the upper atmosphere, rather than the
longer cycles of its climate.
Why is Ionosphere so significant?
 The ionosphere is a part of the Earth‟s atmosphere
above the ozone layer.
 This area of 96 km above Earth‟s surface has been a
little understood region for long.
 Ionosphere is where particles are subjected into a sea of
electrically-charged electrons and ions by the Sun‟s
radiation.
 Resultantly, it is a region that is constantly in flux
undergoing the push-and-pull between Earth‟s
conditions and those in space.
 These layers of near-Earth space are largely part of the
human domain.
 This is because, it is home to astronauts, as also to radio signals (to guide airplanes and ships), and various
other satellites.
 Understanding this is crucial to improve situational awareness to help protect astronauts, spacecraft and
humans on the ground.
What are the objectives of the mission?
 Data - The two missions provide distinct but complementary perspectives on ionosphere.
 Their combined data makes it easier to identify reasons for changes in the upper atmosphere at a given
time.
 Space weather - The space has its weather as well, like the Earth.
 The earth's weather is characterized by swirling winds and downpours of precipitation.
 The Space weather, on the other hand, is defined by shifting electric and magnetic fields and rains of
charged particles.

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  Geomagnetic storms are temporary disturbances of Earth‟s magnetic field caused by solar activity.
 One of the mission goals is to
understand upper
atmospheric changes in
response to hurricanes and
geomagnetic storms.
 Notably, it was earlier
believed that only solar wind
could effect changes in the
ionosphere.
 Also, it was believed that only
the lower atmosphere was
affected by terrestrial
weather.
 But the present mission is an
effort to see how both the energies are coupled together and how the influences work.
9. Tabby's star
 Tabby‟s star is the “most mysterious star in the universe” as it kept dimming and brightening irregularly,
following no pattern.
 Officially called KIC 8462852, the star is 1,000 light years away from the Earth and 1,000 degrees hotter
than the Sun.
 There was a 20% decrease in brightness and the dip lasted from five to 80 days.
 A recent report showed that the dimming is caused by ordinary dust particles, the majority of them at a size
less than one micrometre.
10. NASA’s Kilopower Project
 NASA has invented a small nuclear reactor Kilopower, It can generate a reliable power supply by using
uranium-235 reactor core.
 This power system could provide up to 10 kilowatts of electrical power enough to run two average
households continuously for at least 10 years.
 This reactor will be used for electronic propulsion systems and for providing safe and plentiful energy for
future robotic and human missions for Mars and beyond.
DEFENCE
11. India-Israel Deal on Anti-Tank Guided Missiles
Why in news?
The deal on purchase of Israel‟s Spike anti-tank guided missiles
(ATGM) by India has been renewed.
What is the deal on?
 It is a $500 million deal between India and Israel for
purchase of 8,000 Israeli spike missiles.
 The deal was earlier cancelled after DRDO developed the
indigenous Nag ATGM.
 DRDO was also against any Transfer Of Technology from
Rafael Advanced Systems, the Israeli company that makes the Spike missile.

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  However, with the recent visit of Israel's PM to India, the deal was renewed.
What is a guided missile?
 Guided missiles are often referred to as 'fire-and-forget' missiles.
 A guided missile's pursuit is for a target rather than a location.
 It works by tracking the location of the moving target in space and pursues the chosen target until a hit is
achieved.
 The target is usually tracked by using a radar or following its heat signature.
 Guidance systems mainly consist of three parts:
1. navigation - for tracking the current location of the missile
2. guidance - for directing the missile towards the target
3. control - for applying guidance commands on the missile
 Guided missile system is more advantageous than the LOS (Line Of Sight) systems.
 The LoS system has limitations with hitting a moving target.
What is an Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM)?
 The ATGM is also called the anti-tank missile or Anti-Tank Guided Weapon (ATGW).
 It is a guided missile primarily designed to hit and destroy heavily armored military vehicles.
 Spike - The Spike ATGM is a battle proven missile.
 It has a much longer range and is light in weight when compared to DRDO's Nag.
12. Procurement of Barak Missiles (Israel) and Guided Bombs (Russia)
Why in news?
 The Defence Ministry recently approved the procurement of 131 Barak missiles and 240 precision-guided
munitions (PGM).
 The procurements are part of the efforts to bolster operational capability of the armed forces in the evolving
security situation.
What is the Barak missile?
 The Barak Missiles are
surface-to-air missiles.
 It is being referred as Barak-8
missile system, the upgraded
version of BARAK Missile
System.
 Long Range Surface-to-Air
Missile (LR-SAM) and Medium
Range Surface-to-Air Missile
(MR-SAM) are being
developed.
 LR-SAM is the Ship Launch
Version of Barak-08 Missile
system.
 MR-SAM is the Land Launch
Version of the Barak-08 Missile
system.
 These are jointly developed by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and Rafael Advanced Defense Systems of
Israel.

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  It is done in collaboration with India‟s Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO).
What are the features?

 LR-SAM is designed to be used as a ship-borne anti-missile defence system against anti-ship missiles.

 It provides missile defence against a variety of aerial, naval and airborne threats.

 LR-SAM has got long range engagement capability to penetrate in deep water/land.

 It can intercept all types of aerial targets like Subsonic and Supersonic Missiles, Fighter Aircraft, Maritime
Patrolling Aircraft, etc

 MR-SAM detects incoming enemy aircraft while they are well over 100 km away and destroys them at
range upto 70 km.

What is the procurement from Russia?

 The 240 PGMs will be procured from Rosoboronexport of Russia.

 These KAB-1500 laser-guided bombs are to be fitted to IAF's Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighter jets.

 It is designed to destroy ground targets such as railway lines, ammunition depots, bridges, military facilities
and ships.

What are the advantages of guided bombs?

 A guided bomb is a form of precision-guided munition (PGM)

 PGM (smart weapon, smart munition, smart bomb) is a guided munition intended to precisely hit a specific
target.

 They are equipped with a terminal guidance system.

 It contains electrical equipment that guides it in the last phase before impact.

 The idea is to minimize collateral damage and increase lethality against intended targets.

 Unlike conventional bombs, these bombs can be guided after being dropped so that it can find the target
precisely.

 Even when dropped from high altitude, these can deviate from the vertical path to the target.

 The deviation could be by as much as 5 miles (8 km).

 This allows the aircraft to operate at a distance from the enemy and avoid the risk of direct contact while
dropping bombs.

13. INS Arihant

 INS Arihant is India‟s only operational ship submersible ballistic nuclear (SSBN) asset.

 It is its most dependable platform for a second-strike.

 This is because the other options, land-based and air-launched, are easier to detect.

 Arihant has been immobilised after „accident‟ 10 months ago

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  It can stay undetected deep underwater for long periods and ranges far and wide.

 INS Arihant and other nuclear launch platforms are operationally handled by the Strategic Forces
Command.

 They report to the Nuclear Command Authority chaired by the Prime Minister.

 However, over 100 nuclear warheads are not mated with missiles or bombs and remain in civilian custody
of the Atomic Energy Department and the DRDO.

14. Spike missile

 India has cancelled a $ 500 million deal to buy 1,600 Spike anti-tank guided missiles from Israel.
 This is because of decision of defence ministry to procure world-class missile from state owned Defence
Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) by 2021.
 Spike is a man-portable "fire and forget' missile built by Israel's state-run firm, Rafael Advanced Defence
Systems, which can hit moving targets such as a tank.
 It allows the soldier who fires the missile to quickly move for cover.
15. Akash Missile
 Recently Indian army planned to procure Akash Missiles.
 Akash was developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) as part of the
Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme.
 It is indigenously developed short-range surface-to-air missile (SR SAM) with a range of 25 km.
 It can simultaneously engage multiple targets in all weather conditions and has a large operational
envelope from a low altitude of 30 metres to a maximum of up to 20 km.
16. AGNI- V
 Recently India test-fired Agni-V, an Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile in its final operational configuration.
 Agni V is a nuclear capable missile, which can reach the northern-most parts of China with its strike range
of over 5,000-km.
 The missile is over 50-tonne and designed to carry a 1.5-tonne nuclear warhead.
 It is considered to be a credible strategic deterrent against India‟s aggressive foes.

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  It is part of the Agni series surface to surface missiles indigenously developed by DRDO under the
Integrated Guided Missile Development Program (IGMDP).
INS Karanj
 The Indian Navy has launched the third Scorpène class submarine Karanj.
 It has been constructed by shipbuilder Mazagon Dock Limited (MDL) with collaboration of French
shipbuilding major Naval Group (formerly DCNS).
 The submarine will undergo rigorous tests for the next one year before it is commissioned.
HEALTH
17. Bird Flu in Bengaluru
Why in news?
An outbreak of avian influenza, also called bird flu, has been reported from Dasarahalli village in Bengaluru.
What is bird flu?
 Bird flu, also called avian influenza, is a viral infection.
 H5N1 is the most common form of bird flu.
 The influenza A virus is termed H7N9 (Chinese bird flu).
 Other bird flu types include H7N7, H5N8, H5N2, and H9N2.
Whom does it affect?
 Most forms of the virus are restricted to birds.
 However, it can easily affect humans and other animals that come in contact with a carrier.
How does it spread?
 Among the several types of bird flu, H5N1 is the first avian influenza virus to infect humans.
 H5N1 occurs naturally in wild waterfowl.
 It can spread easily to domestic poultry.
 The disease is transmitted to humans through contact with infected birds.
 It could be through bird feces, nasal secretions, or secretions from the mouth or eyes.
 Currently, the virus is not known to spread via human-to-human contact.
What are the precautions?
 Meat is considered safe if cooked to an internal temperature of 165ºF (73.9ºC).
 Consuming properly cooked poultry or eggs from infected birds does not transmit bird flu.
 At present, there is no commercially available vaccine for humans against bird flu strains.
18. Rajasthan - Swine flu alert
Why in news?
More than 400 people were diagnosed positive for the swine flu virus in a month, in Rajasthan.
What is Swine flu?
 Swine flu is a respiratory disease.
 It is caused by influenza viruses H1N1 and H3N2.
 They infect the respiratory tract of pigs.
How does it affect humans?
 Swine flu viruses may mutate (change).
 This makes them easily transmissible among humans.

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  They could spread -
i. by airborne respiratory droplets (coughs or sneezes)
ii. by saliva
iii. by touching a contaminated surface
iv. by skin-to-skin contact
 Symptoms of swine flu in humans are similar to most influenza infections.
 These include fever (100 F or greater), cough, nasal secretions, fatigue, and headache.
 The incubation period for the disease is about 1 to 4 days.
 Swine flu is contagious about one day before symptoms develop to about 5 to 7 days after symptoms
develop.
 Some patients may be contagious even for a longer time span.
 The most serious complication of the flu is pneumonia.
What are the prevention methods?
 Vaccination is the best way to prevent or reduce the chances of infection with influenza viruses.
 Three antiviral agents have been reported to prevent or reduce the effects of swine flu.
 These are zanamivir (Relenza), oseltamivir (Tamiflu), and peramivir (Rapivab).
19. WHO pre-qualification Typhoid Vaccine
Why in news?
Typbar TCV against typhoid fever recently received pre-qualification from the World Health Organisation (WHO).
What is the Typbar TCV?
 Typhoid conjugate vaccines (TCVs) are innovative products that have longer-lasting immunity than older
vaccines.
 They require only fewer doses.
 Also, it can be given to young children through routine childhood immunization programs.
 Typbar TCV is Bharat Biotech‟s typhoid vaccine.
 It is the first typhoid vaccine, clinically proven to be administered to children from 6 months of age to
adults.
 It reportedly confers long term protection against typhoid fever.
What is the significance of WHO's pre-qualification?
 A WHO pre-qualification enables better procurement and supplies of this vaccine.
 The vaccine could now be supplied to UNICEF, Pan-American Health Organisation (PAHO) and GAVI-
supported countries (Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization).
 The WHO prequalification marks an important milestone in the global effort to rid the world of typhoid
fever.
 It can pave the way for countries to introduce the vaccine into their immunisation programmes.
 This will help reduce the burden of typhoid disease, especially among the vulnerable populations.
How does typhoid occur?
 Typhoid is an infection caused by the bacterium Salmonella typhimurium (S. typhi).
 The bacterium lives in the intestines and bloodstream of humans.
 S. typhi enters through the mouth and spends 1 to 3 weeks in the intestine.
 After this, it makes its way through the intestinal wall and into the bloodstream.
 From the bloodstream, it spreads into other tissues and organs.
 The immune system of the host can do little to fight back.

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  This is because S. typhi can live within the host's cells, safe from the immune system.
How does it spread?
 It spreads between individuals by direct contact with the feces of an infected person.
 It infects humans due to contaminated food and beverages.
 Transmission is always human to human as no animal carry this disease.
 Increasing resistance to antibiotic treatment is increasingly making it easier for typhoid to spread.
 Overcrowded populations in cities and inadequate and/or flooded water and sanitation systems add to the
cause.
How serious is typhoid?
 Currently, a third of the global population is at risk of typhoid fever.
 Typhoid could result in low productivity in adults, lowered pregnancy outcomes and impaired physical and
cognitive development of children.
 If untreated, around 1 in 5 cases of typhoid could be fatal.
 With treatment, fatality could be reduced to fewer than 4 in 100 cases.
20. India Misses Kala-Azar Elimination Deadline
Why in news?
India has missed the 2017 deadline to eliminate Kala Azar.‟
What is kala-azar?
 Kala-azar is a fatal infection caused by a parasitic protozoa called Leishmania donovani.
 It is spread from one person to other by bite of an infected female sand fly.
 The symptoms of kala azar are irregular fever that is associated with rigor and chills.
 Definitive diagnosis requires tissue specimens, which are often associated with complications and can be
difficult to obtain.
 Tissue that are sampled most often to diagnose kala-azar include bone marrow, spleen and, at times
lymphnodes.
 There are limited treatment options for kala azar.
What is the present scenario?
 The Finance Minister had announced for elimination of Kala Azar by the end of 2017 in his Budget speech
2017-18.
 Elimination is defined as reducing the annual incidence of Kala Azar (KA) to less than 1 case per 10,000
people at the sub-district level.
 Instead the endemic blocks of the disease have increased from 61 to 68 in 17 districts of Bihar and
Jharkhand.
 Further, a little-known skin condition called Post Kala Azar Dermal Leishmaniasis (PKDL) has also been
growing steadily over the past few years.
21. Rotavac
 Bharat Biotech‟s diarrhea vaccine ROTAVAC gets WHO pre-qualification
 The WHO pre-qualification paves the way for health and humanitarian organizations such as UNICEF to
procure it for public health vaccination programs across the world.
 Rotavirus is the most common cause of severe diarrhea and kills more than 200,000 children every year.
 ROTAVC is also included in the Universal Immunization Program

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22. Human Papilloma Virus (HPV)
 The National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (NTAGI) has recommended the introduction of
HPV vaccine in the UIP.
 NTAGI is an advisory body that recommends vaccines for India‟s Universal Immunization Programmed
(UIP).
 Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) is a group of more than 150 viruses. It is usually harmless and goes away by
itself.
 However, some types cause papilloma or warts in parts of the body.
 HPV spreads by skin-to-skin contact and is the most common sexually transmitted infection.
 HPV is commonly associated with cervical cancer.
 India has one of the world‟s highest burdens of HPV-related cancer and around 67,000 women die from
this disease each year.
 HPV vaccines offered by private firms face clinical trial issues in India on concerns of side-effects; Supreme
Court is yet to decide.
23. Pulse Polio Immunisation (PPI)
 As part of the National Immunization Day observed on 28 January, PPI programmed for 2018 was
launched.
 More than 17 crore children of less than 5 years across the country will be given polio drops.
 The polio virus causes paralysis, known as an acute flaccid paralysis (AFP).
 This is characterized by sudden muscle weakness, and fever in one or more limbs.
 India reported its last polio case in 2011 and is also declared polio-free by WHO in 2014.
 However, the immunization drive continues as polio virus is still circulating in other parts of the world.
 The injectable Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV) has also been introduced recently into the Universal
ImmunizationProgrammed.
 IPV is an injectable form of polio vaccine administered alone or in combination with other vaccines
including the OPV (oral polio vaccine).
TECHNOLOGY
24. More security to LiFi
Why in news?
A recent research has led to an added layer of security to the Li-Fi technology.
What is Li-Fi?
 Light Fidelity or Li-Fi is a Visible Light Communications (VLC) system.
 It uses both visible and near-visible light for free-space communication.
 It can have speeds of up to 224 gigabits per second.

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How does it work?
 Much like Wi-Fi, the Li-Fi also transmits data electromagnetically.
 Li-Fi uses common household LED (light emitting diodes) light bulbs to enable data transfer, facilitating
wireless communications.
 An LED light bulb is a semi-conductor light source.
 The constant current of electricity supplied to an LED light bulb can be dipped and dimmed, up and down
at extremely high speeds.
 Data is fed into an LED light bulb embedded with a signal processing element to convert the data into
'stream-able' content.
 It can then send data that is embedded in its beam at rapid speeds to the photo-detector (photodiode)
which receives light signals.
 The tiny changes in the rapid dimming of LED bulbs are then converted by the 'receiver' into electrical
signal.
 The signal is then converted back into a binary data stream.
 This is recognized as the web, video and audio applications that run on internet enabled devices.
What are the advantages of Li-Fi?
 Microwaves are used in WiFi
technology to transmit signals and so
this can pass through walls.
 Li-Fi, on the other hand, uses visible
and near-visible light that carry the
LiFi signal.
 Hence it cannot pass through walls,
thus making the network more secure.
 However, wall boundaries can be used
effectively for reflecting signals.
 This is because detectors can receive
both direct and reflected signals.
 This facilitates communication even
without direct line-of-sight
communication between the signal
source and receiver.
 There is no distortion when light
bounces of walls but the signal can get weakened.
 This can however be reduced to some extent by using more light bulbs, keeping the walls reflective and
having large receivers.
 Disadvantages - Li-Fi signals cannot pass through walls.
 So to enjoy full connectivity, capable LED bulbs will need to be placed throughout the area.
 Li-Fi's exclusive use of visible light could be a limitation to its mass uptake.
 The Li-Fi technology requires that light bulb is on at all times to provide uninterrupted connectivity.
What is present the research on?
 Objective - Regulating the usage of Li-Fi was a challenge to ensuring security.
 The research aimed at jamming the signals to selectively create a disturbance or prevent the usage.
 Paint - As mentioned, when the light bounces of walls, it weakens (attenuates) the signals received.

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  The effect of walls painted with fluorescent and phosphorescent paints was thus studied.
 Both fluorescent and phosphorescent paints absorb and then emit light with marginal loss.
 The research was to regulate this, to control the usage.
How was it achieved?
 White LED is obtained by combining blue LED with phosphors.
 The present research purposely added phosphors.
 The time taken to emit a photon back is longer in the case of phosphorescent paint.
 The phosphorescent paint randomly emits photons.
 This ultimately scrambles the signal by superimposing a larger noise component to the signal.
 In this process, the phosphorescent paint reduces the signal-bandwidth, resulting in slower speeds.
 Bandwidth could be understood here as the amount of data that can be transmitted in a fixed amount of
time.
 By painting a part of the wall with phosphorescent paint, LiFi usage can be selectively restricted in an area
where distortion is needed.
What was the other outcome?
 On absorbing light, phosphorescent paint remains in an excited state.
 It continues to emit light even several hours after the original source of light has been switched off.
 Light emitted by the phosphorescent paint can now be used as a source of signal by using an appropriate
modulator.
 This would mean that signal transmission can continue for hours even when light source has been turned
off.
25. Pratyush
Why in news?
India‟s fastest and first multi-petaflops (PF) supercomputer named Pratyush was recently unveiled.
What are the features of Pratyush?
 Pratyush is the fourth fastest supercomputer in the world which is dedicated for weather and climate
research.
 It follows machines in Japan,
USA and the United Kingdom.
 It has 6.8 PF computational
power and is installed at two
MoES (Ministry of Earth
Sciences) Institutes.
 One petaflop is a million billion
floating point operations per
second and is a reflection of the
computing capacity of a system.
 It will help India with better
forecasts in terms of monsoon,
extreme events, cyclones,
tsunamis, earthquakes, air
quality, lightning, fishing, hot
and cold waves, flood and drought among others.
 It would also be possible to map regions in India at a resolution of 3 km and the globe at 12 km.

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  It will also move an Indian supercomputer from the 300s to the 30s in the Top500 list, a respected
international tracker of the world‟s fastest supercomputers.
26. Tribolelectric Nanogenerators - Wireless Transmission of Electrical Energy
Why in news?
 For the first time wireless transmission of electrical energy has been achieved using tribolelectric
nanogenerator.
 Also, for the first, a triboelectric nanogenrator has been directly 3D printed from biodegradable materials.
What is a nanogenerator?
 A nanogenerator in simple terms is a small electronic chip that harvests mechanical energy and converts it
into electrical energy.
 The key components inside a nanogenerator are nanowires.
 Notably, hundreds of nanowires can be packed side by side in a space less than the width of a human hair.
 Given this scale and the flexibility of the nanogenerator's components, even the slightest movement can
generate current.
What is a triboelectric nanogenerator?
 Triboelectric nanogenerator is one of the 3 types of nanogenerators.
 The other two are piezoelectric and pyroelectric.
 Piezoelectric and triboelectric nanogenerators convert mechanical energy into electricity.
 On the other hand, pyroelectric nanogenerators harvest thermal energy from a time-
dependent temperature fluctuation.
 The triboelectric effect is a type of contact electrification.
 It is where certain materials become electrically charged after coming into frictional contact with another
different material.
How does it work?
 The recent research created Wireless triboelectric nanogenerator, called the W-TENG.
 COMPONENTS - W-TENG used a multipart fiber made of graphene (a single layer of graphite, or
pencil lead).
 Along with this, a biodegradable polymer known as polylactic acid (PLA) was used.
 PLA is for separating positive and negative charges.
 And graphene is for electrical conductivity, as PLA is not so favorable at conducting electricity.
 Graphene-PLA is highly electropositive.
 This is juxtaposed with Teflon having a lot of fluorine groups that are highly electronegative.

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  PRINCIPLE - W-TENG generates a voltage by bringing in contact, materials that are so opposite in their
affinity for electrons.
 The nanogenerator was 3-D printed out of a graphene-PLA nanofiber, creating the bottom electrode.
 And a Teflon sheet that was then added as the top electrode.
 When these two materials with very different electro negativity come into contact, they produce large
voltages.
 The end result is a device that generates a maximum of 3,000 volts.
 STORAGE - As the voltage is so high, the W-TENG generates an electric field around itself.
 This can be sensed wirelessly.
 Its electrical energy can thus be stored wirelessly in capacitors and batteries.
What are the applications?
 Nanogenerators can be used to light up homes, control doors and even set burglar alarms.
 It can be installed at airports, sidewalks and battery can be placed on the nearby walls to store the energy.
 The electric field can also be made use as an actuated remote.
 E.g. Tapping the W-TENG and using its electric field as a „button‟ to open a door or activate a security
system, all without a battery.
 There are no wires involved and thus there is no need of power outlets.
 The wireless feature extends its application into resource-limited settings such as in outer space, in middle
of the ocean, etc.
27. Speed Breeding Technique - Wheat Production
Why in news?
 Recent NASA experiments used continuous light on wheat, triggering early reproduction to grow wheat in
space.
 Inspired by this, Australian scientists have developed the new „DS Faraday‟ wheat variety with „speed
breeding‟ technique.
What is speed breeding?
 Speed breeding is an artificial method to produce healthy crops at a faster pace.
 It uses enhanced LED lights in simulated conditions to boost crop production.
What is the need?
 Conventional field-based production revolved around growing one or two crops every year in appropriate
weather conditions.
 The best seeds are then selected from those plants.
 However, rapidly-changing climate and a limited amount of arable land make this unsuitable for feeding the
rising populations.
 Notably, the world has to produce 60-80% more food by
2050 to feed its 9 billion people.
What is the mechanism?
 Speed breeding offers a reliable and cost-effective
solution.
 It is inspired by NASA's method of producing food during
space missions with accelerated crop production.
 The plants are placed in a simulated growth environment,
a specially modified glasshouse.

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  Here, LED lights are optimised for photosynthesis.
 The light induces growth in them 22 hours a day.
 Plants are thus grown under controlled climate and extended daylight conditions.
What is the outcome?
 The Australian team has achieved wheat generation from seed to seed in just 8 weeks.
 It was thus possible to grow as many as 6 generations of wheat every year.
 This is a threefold increase from the current two or three generations grown in a regular glasshouse or a
single generation in the field.
 The quality and yield of the plants grown in modified glasshouses was as good, or sometimes better, than
those grown in regular glasshouses.
 The new technology could also have some applications in future vertical farming systems, and some
horticultural crops.
28. 5G technology
 Union telecom ministry had announced 5G technology will be rolled out from 2020.
 5G promises ultra-reliable, very fast speeds and high bandwidth mobile connectivity and supports massive
interconnected devices spread across wide areas like Internet of things (IoT).
 5G provides peak speeds of 20 times, compared with 4G.
 This would entail accelerating the BharatNet programme for deploying connectivity infrastructures.
29. Largest Prime Number
 A very big number over 23 million digits long has discovered to be the “largest known prime number”.
 This number was discovered using a software called GIMPS.
 A prime number is a number that can only be divided by itself and by 1. For example: 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, and so
on.
 Prime number are used in Cryptography (the study of secret messaging, involves sharing information via
secret codes), credit cards, cell phones, all depend on cryptography.
30. International termination charges (ITC)
 The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) cut termination charges for international incoming calls
to Land line and wireless connections.
 International termination charges (ITC) are payable by an international long-distance operator (ILDO),
which carries calls from outside the country, to an access provider in the country in whose network the call
terminates.
 ITC is one of the source of foreign earnings for the country.
ENVIRONMENT
31. Prolonged Heat-Wave
 New research estimates find outs a summer may last up to eight months by the 2070s for the Gangetic
plains.
 This condition will prevail if greenhouse-gas emissions are not cut to limit the global temperature increase
to 2°C.
 Combined scientific measure of heat and humidity is termed as “wet-bulb temperature”, the study claims
that fluctuations in wet-bulb temperature is the reason for the heat waves.
 The population with outdoor jobs, cardiovascular and respiratory conditions are likely to be the most
vulnerable and this could even give rise to new disease and threaten agriculture.

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32. Urban Heat Islands
 Rapid urbanization combined with changes in land use pattern leads warming of urban spaces compared
with surrounding non-urban areas this is called the urban heat island effect.
 Urban migration, concrete jungles, decrease in dense vegetation and cultivable land area, encroachments in
water bodies will influence urban heat islands.
 For instance, Delhi is 4-12°C warmer due to the urban heat island effect.
33. Funaria Hygrometrica
 Scientists have identified a type of moss that can efficiently absorb a large amount of lead, providing a
green alternative for decontaminating polluted water and soil.
 Funaria hygrometrica is the moss which uses phytoremediation, it is known to grow well in sites
contaminated with metals like copper, zinc, and lead.
 Phytoremediation is a method that uses photosynthesising organisms to clean up soil or water
contamination.
 The Moss cells can absorbed lead up to 74 per cent of their dry weight.
34. Mihir
 Mihir‟ (meaning „Sun‟) a High Performance Computer (HPC) System has been installed at the National
Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting (NCMRWF).
 This HPC facility will be India‟s largest HPC facility in terms of peak capacity and performance.
 The new HPC facility is expected to improve the following services:
1. Weather forecasts for predicting extreme weather events.
2. High resolution seasonal/extended range forecasts of active/break spells of Monsoon.
3. Very high resolution prediction of cyclones with more accuracy and lead time.
4. Ocean state forecasts like marine water quality forecasts and Tsunami forecasts.
5. Air quality forecasts for various cities.
35. Heat-Tolerant Genes in Algae - Addressing Coral Bleaching
Why in news?
Scientists have identified a gene that improves the heat tolerance of the algae that lives symbiotically with coral
species.
How are corals and algae related?
 Symbiodinium is a unicellular algae.
 It is a type of symbiotic zooxanthellae.
 Algae provide its coral host with
photosynthetic products in return for
nutrients and shelter that it gets.
 However, high sea temperatures can
cause the breakdown of this symbiotic
relationship.
 This can lead to the widespread expulsion
of Symbiodinium from host tissues.
 This is known as coral beaching.
 It leads to a condition where only the
coral's white, calcium-carbonate
exoskeleton remain.
 If bleached corals do not recover, they starve to death.

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What is the newly identified gene?
 Special genes, called retrotransposons, have been identified in Symbiodinium.
 Retrotransposons are small genetic sequences that have the ability to replicate.
 Retrotransposons are Transposable elements (TEs), otherwise known as "jumping genes".
 Jumping genes are DNA sequences that move from one location on the genome to another.
 Retrotransposons can thus position themselves in new locations in their host‟s genome.
 They can copy themselves and integrate these new copies into the host genome.
 This ability of retrotransposons makes them genetic parasites.
How does it help in heat stress?
 Every integration event in a new location is basically a new mutation in the host genome.
 Very often these new copies, like most mutations, disable or disrupt host genes.
 However, sometimes they can also change how certain genes behave, which may have some
advantageous effects as well.
 The activation and replication of Symbiodinium‟s retrotransposons in response to heat stress
could lead to a faster evolutionary response.
 Producing more mutations increases the chance of generating a beneficial one for the species.
 This allows the symbionts to cope better with this specific stress.
 Thus, the new finding can help algae adapt more rapidly to heat stress due to climate change.
 This comes as a beneficial research for protecting the declining coral species in the global warming
scenario.
36. Winter 'Bomb Cyclone'
Why in news?
A giant winter “bomb cyclone” hit the United States' east coast recently.
What are bomb cyclones?
 "Bomb cyclones" or "weather bombs" are a kind of winter storms.
 It is a storm (generally a non-tropical one) that intensifies very rapidly.
 The intensity is severe that they are stronger than the hurricanes.
 It is characterized by heavy snow and freezing cold.
 Bomb cyclones are created by a process called 'bombogenesis'.
What is a bombogenesis?
 The word bombogenesis comes from combining
"bomb" and "cyclogenesis".
 Bombogenesis is a phenomenon in which the
weather system experiences a sharp drop in
atmospheric pressure and intensifies rapidly.
 A storm undergoes bombogenesis when its central
low pressure drops at least 24 millibars in 24
hours.
 It unleashes hurricane-force winds.
 The storm could be accompanied by giant waves.
 This could sometimes lead to flooding, inundating the coastal areas.
Where does it occur?
 Bombogenesis tends to occur more often in winter in mid-latitude (or extra-tropical) cyclones.
 These storms are driven by the collision of warm and cold air masses.

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  The western North Atlantic is one of the prime areas for bombogenesis.
 The cold air over North America collides with warm air over the warmer ocean water.
 This is because ocean holds onto heat for longer period than land does, in the colder months, giving rise to
nor'easters.
 A Nor'easter is a storm along the East Coast of North America; so called as the winds are typically from the
northeast.
 Bombogenesis is also common in the northwest and southwest Pacific and the South Atlantic.
 However, it is more common in the Northern Hemisphere than in the Southern Hemisphere.
37. Polar Vortex
 The polar vortex is a large area of low pressure and cold air surrounding both of the Earth‟s poles.
 It always exists near the poles, but weakens in
summer and strengthens in winter.
 The term "vortex" refers to the counter-
clockwise flow of air that helps keep the colder
air near the Poles.
 Many times during winter in the northern
hemisphere, the polar vortex will expand,
sending cold air southward with the jet stream.
 This occurs fairly regularly during wintertime
and is often associated with large outbreaks of
Arctic air in the United States.
 Polar vortex is not a feature that exists at the
Earth‟s surface and it is not confined to the U.S.
 Portions of Europe and Asia also experience
cold surges connected to the polar vortex.
38. Cryosphere
 Cryosphere refers to the frozen part of the earth surface.
 It might be comprised of snow, river and lake ice, sea ice, glaciers, ice shelves and ice sheets, and frozen
grounds.
 This region plays a major role in the Earth‟s climate system through its impact on the surface energy
budget, the water cycle, and sea level.
 It is a fundamental control on the physical, biological and social environment over a large part of the
Earth‟s surface.
 Cryosphere is a natural integrator of climate variability and provides one of the most visible signatures of
climate change.
39. Ionosphere
 The ionosphere is defined as the layer of the Earth's atmosphere that is ionized by solar and cosmic
radiation.
 It lies 75-1000 km (46-621 miles) above the Earth, the thickness of the ionosphere is quite tiny compared
with the size of Earth.
 Due to high energy from the Sun and from cosmic rays, the atoms in this area are “ionized,” and are
therefore positively charged.
 These are the layers of near-Earth space and are home to radio signals used to guide airplanes, ships and
Global Positioning System satellites.

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