Science and Technology Yearly 2023 Vision

7.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

7.1. FOURTH INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION- INDUSTRY 4.0
Why in News?
India’s first Fourth Industrial Revolution Centre on healthcare, life sciences will be set up in Hyderabad.
More about the news
• The proposed centre is to be set up in collaboration with the World Economic Forum (WEF).
• It will be established as an autonomous, non-profit organisation focusing on policy and governance for healthcare
and life sciences.
• It will be 18th centre to join the WEF’s Fourth Industrial Revolution Network.
Need for India to adopt to Industry 4.0

• To fuel the development: In order to provide the impetus for the next surge in growth after the 1990 reforms, earlier
adoption to the industry 4.0 is required.
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• To harness the potential of Big
Data: India’s huge repository of
Big Data, collected via Aadhaar,
passport, PDS, voter card etc. can
be used for creating better
policies for the people.
• To ease the Governance: The
Governance machinery marred
with delays and red-tapism could
be put to better use, for the
billion plus population with the
advent of new age technologies
into the system.
• To provide better employment
opportunities: By implementing
a Industry 4.0 specific policy,
more new jobs can be created in
future with better income and
improved standards.
• To create an Indian global giant:
Adapting to Industry 4.0 earlier can provide us that
opportunity to create a Tech-Global giant in Indian
soil, like Alphabet, Tesla, Meta.
• To achieve our Geo-political goals: For India to
have a better say in the world arena and
geopolitics, it should also turn into a net exporter
of technology to the world.
Benefits of Shifting to Industry 4.0
• Optimizes decision making and Good
Governance: The data mining and the big data can
give varied permutations and combinations of
possible outcomes and will aid in better decision
making in public policy.
• Improves Flexibility and Customization of the
products: The productivity and the product
portfolio of the industries can be improved, by
adopting the Cyber Physical System frameworks
and make them more flexible in operation.
• Increases productivity and efficiency: The usage of
real-time data and various check points will
reduce the errors in a process and also aid in
increasing the productivity and efficiency of the
particular industry.
• Enhances communication and collaboration: For
Companies that function across different divisions
and locations, the real time communication
established by Industry 4.0 can enhance teamwork
and produce optimized results.
• Increases entrepreneurship: Like Tech based start-ups in the area of education, e-commerce/m-commerce, financial
services, ITES etc.
Constrains in moving to Industry 4.0
• Fear of job loss: While the majority of Indian workforce is in the informal sector, without social security. There is a
fear that machines and technology will take jobs across many sectors.
• High Capital Cost: The creation of a new integrated Cyber Physical system, replacing the existing processes will lead
to high capital cost during the establishment.
• Lack of skilled workforce: The introduction of the Automation and Cyber Physical System in the manufacturing
process needs a better skilled workforce who understands the complexity of the process.
• Issues of Cyber and Private Data Security: The new technologies might handle huge quantities of private and sensitive
data, there is a need to improve the existing Cyber Security and Privacy data laws to safeguard consumers.
• Fuels Inequality: The advancement of technology can lead to income inequality in an economy, as people from the
specific sector may experience wage growth and others at the risk of losing jobs.
• Interoperability: Ensuring interoperability will be a challenge, as Industry 4.0 requires seamless integration between
different systems and devices especially when working with multiple vendors and technologies.
Way forward
• Enhancing regulatory framework: Governments need to review and update the regulatory frameworks to ensure
that they are appropriate for the digital age, while also protecting the rights and privacy of individuals.
• Developing ethical guidelines: Organizations need to develop ethical guidelines to ensure that the technologies are
used for the benefit of the society and the Government should have a monitoring mechanism for the same.
• Promoting digital literacy: Promoting digital literacy, particularly among those who may not have access to
technology or who may be at risk of being left behind, should be propagated by the Government.
• Emphasizing on cyber security: With the increasing use of technology, the risk of cyber-attacks is also increases.
Organizations need to invest in robust cyber security measures to protect their data and intellectual property.
• Investing in up skilling and reskilling: Adapting to the Industry 4.0 needs reskilling /up skilling of the existing work
force for the new age jobs and both Government and the industries should focus on bridging this gap.
7.2. GENERATIVE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI)

Why in News?
Recently, Tech companies around the world are harnessing Generative AI for various use cases.
More about News
• There has been increasing popularity of generative AI programs, such as OpenAI's ChatGPT, Google’s BARD AI, DALL-
E, Codex, GPT-3 etc.
• These programs are a conversational AI language based on deep learning model built on the transformer
architecture.
o It uses a deep neural network and is trained on corpus of text data from the internet, allowing it to generate
human-like text and to perform various tasks like question answering, and conversation.
o It represents a significant advancement in the field of natural language processing and has the potential to
revolutionize the way humans interact with computers.
• There are speculations that these platforms can replace Google search and more so humans in the future.
Generative artificial intelligence (AI)
• It describes algorithms that can be used to create new content like audio, code, images, text, simulations, and
videos.
• It is achieved by training machine learning models on large amounts of data using neural networks and then using
these models to generate new, synthetic data that is similar to the already existing data.
• Until 2022, the purpose of existing AI was to analyse data, spot anomalies, detect fraud and perhaps, make
recommendations such as movies to watch or best holiday destinations.
o Earlier AI models did this by analysing large chunks of data that it consumed.
o However, with generative AI, users can witness brand new content being created from scratch.
• Presently, there are 3 prominent frameworks or models of generative AI like Generative adversarial networks
(GANs), Transformer-Based Models (TBMs) and Variational AutoEncoders (VAEs).
Concerns in adopting AI
• Adverse impact on Society: The machine learning is indifferent to what is right or wrong in a society, it works on the
already existing set of data’s and there are chances of the existing biases, to be transferred to the AI as well.
• Lack of Accountability: There is no clear distinction of who is to be held accountable, in case there was an
unfavourable outcome as a result of generative AI.
• Ethical Concerns: Number of ethical issues related to equality, justice, and human dignity might pop up and the
responsibility of creators for the impact of their models should be ensured.
• Lack of Transparency: It will be difficult to explain on how a decision was made by the AI, as they can be designed
to act favourable to particular set and this can undermine the trust in the technology.
• Infringes Intellectual Property rights: Many artists have claimed that their artworks were indiscriminately recreated
by the AI, to create its own image rendering. Such acts infringe the Intellectual property rights and will curtail
creativity.
• Privacy Issues: The use of AI can raise concerns about the collection, storage, and use of personal data, as the
potential for misuse of this collected information is high.
Way forward
• Establish ethical principles and guidelines: The Government should focus on establishing ethical principles and
guidelines for the development and deployment of AI, to ensure it is used responsibly and in accordance with social
values and norms.
• Regulate AI use: Instead of open access a regulated usage could be introduced and critical information data set can
be isolated from the advent of AI to ensure that the technology is used in a responsible manner.
• Better collaboration and cooperation: Technologies cannot survive in isolation, for a technology to be successful it
should collaborate with different stakeholders, including government, industry, academia, and civil society.
• Invest in research and development: Increase in the Investment of research and development of AI technologies that
prioritize social and ethical considerations of the AI usage.
• Promote diversity and inclusiveness: AI systems should be designed and trained on diverse and inclusive data to
minimize biasness and ensure equitable outcomes.
• Foster public trust and understanding: Improve the engagement with the public and educate them about AI to foster
trust and understanding of the technology, that it would be beneficial for them.
Conclusion
AI is a rapidly advancing field with the potential to transform many aspects of our lives and economies. However, to fully
realize the benefits of AI and avoid negative consequences, it is important to approach its development and deployment
with caution and consideration for ethical and social implications.
7.3. NATIONAL GREEN HYDROGEN MISSION

Why in News?
The Union Cabinet has recently approved the
National Green Hydrogen Mission.
More about the Mission
• It is proposed to make India a global champion
in Green Hydrogen production, thereby reducing
the dependence on Fossil fuels gradually.
• The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy
(MNRE) is to formulate the guidelines for the
implementation of the mission.
Sub-Components of the Mission
• Strategic Interventions for Green Hydrogen
Transition Programme (SIGHT): Under it
incentives are to be provided for targeting
domestic manufacturing of electrolysers and for
production of Green Hydrogen.
• Pilot projects: The Mission will support pilot
projects in emerging end-use sectors, supporting
large scale production or utilization of Hydrogen
will be identified and developed as Green
Hydrogen Hubs.
• Strategic Hydrogen Innovation Partnership
(SHIP): Public-Private Partnership framework for
R&D will be facilitated under the Mission, which
will be goal-oriented and suitably scaled up for global norms.
• Skill Development: A skill development programme, for the workforce in the sector will also be undertaken under
the Mission.
Advantages of Hydrogen over traditional Fuels
• High Calorific Value: Hydrogen has almost 2.5 times the energy per tonne compared as to natural gas, shifting to
Hydrogen thereby reduces natural gas imports and also help in achieving our climate targets.

• Alternative to Coke and Coal in
Steel production: Hydrogen can
potentially replace the coal and
coke in iron and steel production,
decarbonising this sector will also
have significant impact on India’s
climate goals.
• Fuel Cells in Electric Vehicles:
Hydrogen can be effectively used
as a fuel for heavy duty vehicles
and the R&D is already at full pace
in many automobile companies to
achieve the feat
o These vehicles produce water vapour as it’s by- product and this will cut down the Green House Gas emission.
• Refuelling at faster rate: Hydrogen run fuel cell vehicles can be refuelled at same pace as the petrol/diesel run
vehicles, which is an inherent advantage over electric vehicles.
Constraints in achieving the set Goals
• Ambitious Target set: India has set an
ambitious target of 60 -100 GW of
Electrolyser Capacity, which needs more
amount of impetus from both
Government and the Private players.
• High Capital Cost: The cost of the
electrolyser technology and the capital for
setting up a green hydrogen plant is too
high.
• High price of Green Hydrogen: Current
green hydrogen production costs range
anywhere between ₹320 and ₹330 per
kilogram in India, which is too high for
many industries to utilise them at such a
price.
• Storage of Hydrogen: Hydrogen is a
lightweight substance that is difficult to
transport and store. In order to store
hydrogen, it must be transformed into a
liquid and kept at extremely low
temperatures or kept as a gas at high
pressures.
• Nascent Stage Technology: The
technology is still in its nascent stage and
it discourages many private players from actively participating in its development.
Way forward
• Infrastructure Creation: Hydrogen storage and transportation infrastructure should be created in line with the
mission implementation for better end use.
• Impetus to MSME’s: Incentives should be announced at all scales, to help MSME’s also to harness the benefits of the
adaptation of the new fuel.
• Better Coordination: Coordination between various Ministries and the Departments should be streamlined, to fast
track the mission process.
Electrolyser
• An electrolyser is a device capable of splitting water
molecules into their constituent Oxygen (O2) and
Hydrogen (H2) atoms.
• The splitting of the O2 and H2 atoms by application of
electrical energy is called electrolysis.
Working
Types of Electrolysers
• Solid oxide electrolysis cell (SOEC)
• Alkaline electrolyser
• Proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyse
7.4. TRANSFAT
Why in News? About Partially Hydrogenated Oils (PHO)
Recently, The World Health Organization (WHO) released a • Partially hydrogenated oils (PHO) are solid at room
report titled Countdown to 2023: WHO report on global temperature and prolong the shelf life of products.
• They are primarily used for deep frying and as an
trans-fat elimination 2022.
ingredient in baked goods.
More in News • PHOs were first introduced into the food supply in the
early 20th century as a replacement for butter and lard.
• This is fourth annual report which monitors global • They are not a natural part of the human diet and are
progress towards the 2023 target for global elimination fully replaceable.
of industrially produced trans-fatty acids (TFA).
• Key highlight of the report Global Initiative
o Mandatory TFA limits or bans on • REPLACE initiative: WHO has launched the REPLACE initiative, designed to
partially hydrogenated oils (PHO) support governments in ensuring elimination of industrially produced TFA
are currently in effect for 3.4 from the food supply by 2023.
billion people in 60 countries. • WHO Certification Programme for Trans Fat Elimination: to recognize
✓ Of these countries, 43 have countries that have eliminated industrially produced TFA from their national
best-practice policies in effect, food supplies.
covering 2.8 billion people
around the world, or
approximately 36% of the
world’s population.
o In 2022, three countries – India,
Oman and Uruguay –
implemented best-practice TFA
policies.
✓ This doubled the size of the
population that is protected
by best-practice TFA policies
to 2.8 billion people.
✓ More than 99% of the increase is contributed by the population in India alone.
o Five billion people globally are exposed to harmful trans-fat, increasing their heart disease and death risk.

About Transfat Best-practice TFA policy
• Trans fat, or trans-fatty acids, are unsaturated fatty acids that Legislative or regulatory measures that limit
industrially produced TFA in foods. The two best-
come from either natural or industrial sources.
practice policies for TFA elimination are
o Naturally occurring trans-fat come from ruminants (cows • Mandatory national limit of 2 g of industrially
and sheep). produced TFA per 100 g of total fat in all foods.
o Industrially produced trans-fat are formed in an industrial • Mandatory national ban on the production or
process that adds hydrogen to vegetable oil converting the use of PHO as an ingredient in all foods.
liquid into a solid, resulting in “partially hydrogenated” oil
(PHO).
• The use of trans fats in the food industry has been
popular because they are inexpensive, have a longer
shelf life, and can improve the texture and taste of
foods.
• Trans fats increase bad cholesterol, i.e., Low Density
Lipoproteins (LDL) cholesterol and decrease High Density
Lipoproteins (HDL) cholesterol, which can increase the
risk of heart attack or stroke.
• International expert groups and public health authorities
recommend limiting consumption of trans fat
(industrially produced and ruminant) to less than 1% of
total energy intake, which translates to less than 2.2
g/day for a 2,000-calorie diet.
Initiatives taken to eliminate industrially produced TFA
• Regulatory measures: Food Safety and Standards
Authority of India (FSSAI) has notified several crucial
regulations to regulate transfat in industrial products,
encouraged edible oil industry and food business operators to eliminate transfat from their products.
o FSSAI regulate the use of trans fats in the food industry.
• Best-practice policy: India became the first
lower-middle-income country to implement
a best-practice policy in 2022.
• Mass media campaign: FSSAI has launched a
mass media campaign “Heart Attack
Rewind” to create awareness about the
harmful effects of trans fat.
• Mandating Food Labeling: The FSSAI has
mandated the labeling of trans-fatty acids on
packaged foods, making it easier for
consumers to make informed choices about
the foods they consume.
Way forward
• WHO recommends that countries take the
following actions to eliminate TFA.
o Develop and implement best-practice
policies to set TFA limits or to ban PHO.
o Invest in monitoring and surveillance
mechanisms, such as laboratory capacity
to measure TFA content in foods.

o Start the discussion on healthy replacement oils and fats, and country-specific alternative techniques, and
develop a replacement roadmap.
o Advocate for regional or subregional regulations to expand the benefits of TFA policies.
• Implement trans-fat bans: FSSAI need to pursue local governments to improve surveillance, inspection of food
premises, sampling of food products, regular training of officers, upgradation of food labs, etc.
• Encourage restaurants to eliminate trans fats: Several food manufacturers have voluntarily committed to reduce or
eliminate trans-fats from their products. For example, McDonald's and KFC have both pledged to phase out the use
of trans-fats in their fried foods.
• Educate the public: The public can be educated about the dangers of trans fats and encouraged to choose healthier
alternatives.
7.5. NEGLECTED TROPICAL DISEASES

Why in News?
World Health Organization (WHO) released Global
report on neglected tropical diseases 2023.
About Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs)
• NTDs are a diverse group of 20 conditions mainly
prevalent in tropical areas, where they affect
more than 1 billion people who live in
impoverished communities.
o They are ‘neglected’ because they are almost
absent from the global health agenda.
• NTDs are caused by a variety of pathogens
including viruses, bacteria, parasites, fungi, and
toxins. Their epidemiology is complex and are
often related to environmental conditions.
• NTDs flourish mainly in rural areas, in conflict
zones and hard-to reach-regions. They thrive in
areas where access to clean water and sanitation
is scarce – worsened by climate change.
• NTDs tend to affect regions without quality
healthcare, leaving poor populations vulnerable
to these often-debilitating diseases and newly
emerging threats.
India and NTDs

• India has the world's largest absolute burden of
at least 10 major NTDs, including dengue,
lymphatic filariasis, leprosy, visceral
leishmaniasis or kala-azar and rabies.
o High-disease-burden NTDs in India are not
evenly distributed, but instead focused in
areas of urban and rural poverty.
o However, India has already eliminated
several NTDs, including guinea worm,
trachoma, and yaws.

Way Forward
• The report recommends to
o Invest in innovative operations and financing solutions that foster integration and cross-sectoral collaboration.
o Boost global support for countries with highest burdens.
o Facilitate country ownership and sustainability of NTD programmes.
• NTD interventions can be made more efficient by:
o addressing all NTDs cohesively through a whole-health-system approach.
o scaling up cross-cutting interventions outside the health sector (education, nutrition, water, sanitation and
hygiene (WASH), animal and environmental health).
o filling operational gaps, for example, through the development of better medicines and better diagnostic tools.
• Greater efforts and investments are required to reverse delays caused by COVID-19, ensure that past gains are not
lost, and to accelerate progress towards the 2030 road map target.
• A steady flow of resources is required to support NTD programmes worldwide within the wider framework of primary
health care and health system strengthening.

Initiatives Taken
Global
• WHO’s first NTD road map (2012–2020) delineated milestones and targets, the new roadmap for 2021–2030 sets out key
actions and programmatic shifts to drive progress towards a world free of NTDs by 2030.
• World NTD Day observed on January 30 every year.
• Adoption of the Abu Dhabi Declaration on Eradication of Guinea Worm Disease
• Adoption of the Kigali Declaration on Neglected Tropical Diseases.
• London Declaration on NTDs
In India
• Accelerated Plan for Elimination of Lymphatic Filariasis (APELF)
• Bangladesh, India, and Nepal jointly established a regional alliance to eliminate kala-azar, supported by WHO.
• National Vector Borne Diseases Control Programme for prevention and control of vector borne diseases namely Malaria,
Japanese Encephalitis, Dengue, Chikungunya, Kala-azar and Lymphatic Filariasis.
• Recently, Mass Drug Administration (MDA) was launched by Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to eliminate LF by
2027.
• State and central governments have also introduced wage compensation schemes for those suffering from Kala-Azar.
7.6. NEWS IN SHORTS

7.6.1. LARGE HADRON COLLIDER o It consists of 27-kilometer ring of
superconducting magnets with several
• Known for discovering ‘god particle’ in 2012, CERN has accelerating structures to boost the energy of
shortened running period of their Large Hadron particles.
Collider (LHC) to reduce its energy intake. o LHC is used to smash accelerated protons or lead
o Higgs boson or God particle is fundamental force- ions to measure energies, directions and
carrying particle of Higgs field, which is velocities of these particles at four particle
responsible for granting other particles their mass. detectors- ATLAS, CMS, ALICE and LHCb.
• LHC, first started in 2008, is world's largest and most o Purpose: To find answers to open questions left in
powerful particle accelerator ever built that pushes Standard Model of Particle Physics such as origin
protons or ions to near the speed of light. of mass evidences of supersymmetry, dark
matter, dark energy etc.
• CERN has proposed to develop a Future circular of Indian System of Plant Research
collider (FCC), a successor to current LHC. Medicine in all parts of (Medico-Ethno
o FCC is next generation of higher performance country etc. Botanical Survey,
particle colliders planned to have a 100 km Pharmacognosy and
circumference and reach 100 TeV (tera electron Tissue Culture), Drug
Volts) of collusion energy. Standardization, etc
• CERN, founded in 1954, is a Geneva-based particle • Initiatives to promote Ayurveda
physics laboratory that provide a unique range of o Central Sector Scheme for Ayush Oushadhi
particle accelerator facilities that enable research at Gunavatta evam Uttpadan Samvardhan Yojana
forefront of human knowledge. (AOGUSY).
o Currently, it has 23 member states. o 9th World Ayurveda Congress in Goa (showcase
o India is an Associate Member State of CERN along efficacy and strength of AYUSH systems of
with others while Japan, US, UNESCO and EU hold medicine at Global level).
observer status.
7.6.3. DIGITAL INDIA AWARDS (DIA)
• President conferred the Digital India Awards, 2022.
• DIA aims to encourage and honour innovative digital
solutions/ exemplary initiatives by various
government entities (startups also for 2022) at all
levels.
o DIA has been instituted by Minister for Electronics
& Information Technology, under aegis
of National Portal of India.
• Winners this year includes:
o e-NAM: Pan-India electronic trading portal to
create a unified national market for agricultural
7.6.2. SMART PROGRAM commodities.
o e-Vivechna App (MP): To help in crime
• SMART (Scope for Mainstreaming Ayurveda Research investigation.
in Teaching Professionals) program has been launched o Mine Mitra (UP): For online approval of Mining
by National Commission for Indian System of Medicine plan.
(NCISM) and Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic o DUARE SARKAR (WB): For service delivery and
Sciences (CCRAS) under Ministry of Ayush (MoA). welfare schemes at peoples’ doorsteps.
o It is aimed to boost scientific research in priority
healthcare research areas like Iron Deficiency 7.6.4. XR (EXTENDED REALITY) STARTUP
Anaemia, Obesity, etc. through Ayurveda colleges PROGRAM
and hospitals.
o It will motivate teachers for taking up projects in • MeitY Startup Hub, an initiative of Ministry of
designated areas of healthcare research and Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY), and
create a large database. Meta have announced the list of 120 startups and
innovators for XR Startup Program.
About NCISM About CCRAS • XR Startup Program includes an Accelerator and a
• Statutory body • Autonomous body of Grand Challenge.
established under MoA MoA. o Accelerator Program is supporting 40 early-stage
through NCISM Act, • Apex body for start-ups working in XR technologies.
2020 for regulating undertaking,
o Grand Challenge will encourage early-stage
medical education. coordinating,
innovators in sectors like Education, Learning and
• Works to improve formulating,
Skills, Healthcare, Gaming and Entertainment, etc.
access to quality and developing and
• XR refers to all real-and-virtual combined
affordable medical promoting research on
education, ensures scientific lines in environments generated by computer technology and
availability of adequate Ayurvedic Sciences. wearables.
and high-quality • Its research activities o It includes representative forms such as
medical professionals include Medicinal augmented reality, mixed reality, virtual reality
etc.
7.6.6. BharOS
7.6.5. QUANTUM COHERENCE
• BharOS is an AOSP (Android Open-Source Project)
• Recently an international team of scientists made a based operating system with no Google apps or
breakthrough in retaining the quantum coherence of services.
quantum dot spin qubits. o It is developed by JandK Operations Private
• Quantum coherence: Ability of a quantum state to Limited, a non-profit organization incubated at IIT
maintain its entanglement and superposition in the Madras.
face of interactions. • Major difference between BharOS and Google’s
o It deals with the idea that all objects have wave- Android OS is that BharOS does not ship with Google
like properties. services.
o If an object’s wave-like nature split in two, then • It will be a barebone operating system, which allows
two waves may coherently interfere with each users to install apps of their own interest.
other in such a way to form a single state that is a
superposition of 2 states (a qubit is a 7.6.7. SOLITARY WAVE (SW)
superposition of the 0 and 1 states).
• Spin-photon interfaces are elementary building blocks • Indian scientists reported first evidence of presence of
for quantum networks that allow converting stationary SW in Martian magnetosphere with help of data
quantum information (such as the quantum state of an recorded by MAVEN spacecraft of NASA.
ion or a solid-state spin qubit) into light (namely o SW are Distinct electric field fluctuations (bipolar
photons) that can be distributed over large distances. or monopolar) that follow constant amplitude-
o A major challenge is to find an interface that is phase relations. Their shape and size are less
both good at storing quantum information and affected during their propagation.
efficient at converting it into light. • Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN)
• Optically active semiconductor quantum dots are the explore the Mars atmosphere, ionosphere and how
most efficient spin-photon interface known to date they interact with Sun and solar wind.
but extending their storage time beyond a few
7.6.8. C/2022 E3 (ZTF) COMET
microseconds has puzzled physicists in spite of decade-
long research efforts. • Recently discovered (by Palomar Observatory, USA)
o Recent research provides a solution to the problem Comet will appear for the first time in 50,000 years.
that improves the storage of quantum • Comets are frozen leftovers from formation of solar
information beyond hundred microseconds. system (4.6 billion years ago) composed of dust, rock,
• Quantum dots (QDs) are a unique type of and ices.
nanocrystalline semiconductor whose electronic and • When a comet's orbit brings it close to Sun, it heats up
optical properties are dependent on the size and shape and spews dust and gases (forming a tail) into a giant
of the dots. glowing head larger than most planets.
o For spins in quantum dots, short coherence times • Billions of comets are orbiting our Sun in Kuiper Belt
were the biggest roadblock to applications in (called short-period comets) and even more distant
quantum technology. Oort Cloud (called long-period comets).

7.6.10. IMMUNE IMPRINTING
• Recently, Scientific studies have found that immune
7.6.9. RR LYRAE STARS imprinting can make bivalent boosters less effective.
o Bivalent boosters are variant specific booster shots
• More than 200 distant variable stars known as RR
of vaccines to develop better immunity against
Lyrae stars discovered in Milky Way's stellar halo, a
coronavirus.
spherical cloud of stars surrounding the galaxy.
• Immune imprinting is a tendency of the body to repeat
o RR Lyrae stars are known for their fluctuating
its immune response based on the memory of first
brightness, therefore helping in measuring
infection through infection or vaccination.
distances.
o Imprinting acts as a database for immune system,
• A galaxy is a huge collection of gas, dust, and billions
helping it put up a better response to repeat
of stars and their solar systems, all held together by
infections.
gravity.
o This makes the variant specific booster dose less
o Galaxies can be spiral, elliptical or irregular.
effective.
o Our galaxy, Milky Way (spiral in shape), also has
• Concept of immune imprinting came to light for the
a supermassive black hole in the middle.
first time in 1947.

7. SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
7.1. LITHIUM DEPOSITS IN INDIA Mineral exploration stages
• According to the United Nations Framework for Classification
Why in News? for Reserves and Resources of Solid Fuels and Mineral
Commodities (UNFC 1997), resources are categorized using the
Geological Survey of India has for the first-time three essential criteria affecting their recoverability:
established Lithium inferred resources (G3) of 5.9 o Economic and commercial viability (E).
million tonnes in Salal-Haimana area of Reasi o Field project status and feasibility (F).
District of Jammu & Kashmir. o Geological knowledge (G).
• Under the Geological Knowledge, the exploration for any
More on News
mineral deposit involves four stages: reconnaissance survey
• The discovery is ‘inferred’ or preliminary, the (G4), preliminary exploration (G3), general exploration (G2)
lowest of the three levels of estimations of a and detailed exploration (G1).
mineral deposit and the second of the four
stages of exploration, as per the UNFC 1997.
• This may be the seventh largest deposit of the
rare element, accounting for roughly 5.7% of all
the reserves in the world.
• Previously, in India, lithium reserves have been
reported from Karnataka’s Mandya district.
Global Distribution of Lithium

• The United States Geological Survey (USGS) said in 2022
that total lithium resources globally stand at 80 million
tonnes although the reserves from which it can be accessed
were pegged at just over 22 mn tonnes.
• Though found on each of the six inhabited continents, Chile,
Argentina, and Bolivia — together referred to as the
“Lithium Triangle”— hold more than 75% of the world’s
supply.

Significance of Lithium finding
• Reduce import dependency: Currently, India does not have its own lithium resources and is dependent on imports.
o In FY2022, India imported lithium and lithium ion worth almost ₹14,000 crore, which is likely to increase going
forward.
o India presently imports lithium from Hong Kong, China, USA, Australia and Argentina.
• Boost to manufacturing and exports: Manufacturing of rechargeable Lithium based batteries for multiple purposes
and self-reliance.
o A World Bank study suggests that the demand for critical metals such as lithium (Li) and cobalt is expected to
rise by nearly 500% by 2050.
• Transformation of Mobility: It will strengthen India’s National Mission on Transformative Mobility and Battery
Storage for transitioning towards Electric Vehicles and green mobility.
• Fulfilment of Net Zero Emission Goal by 2070: Lithium being a key component of lithium-ion batteries used in EVs,
harnessing solar power, wind energy etc.
• Strengthening of critical mineral supply chain for emerging technologies: Lithium reserves and processing is highly
concentrated and India’s find will significantly strengthen its supply chain.
o Although, China does not hold a lot of lithium reserve, it controls over half the global lithium processing and
almost 75% of cell components and battery cell production in the world.
Risks from lithium mining in the region
• High risk in ecologically sensitive Himalayas: Recent Joshimath subsidence shows fragility of the region and long-
term issues with activities like mining.
• Environmental pollution: Open-pit-mining, refining, and waste disposal from Lithium extraction processes
substantially degrades the environment, including depletion and contamination of waterways and groundwater,
biodiversity, and considerable air pollution.
• Stress on Water Resources: Extracting lithium from its ore is highly water-intensive, taking about 2.2 million litres of
water for one tonne of lithium.
• CO2 Emissions: The lithium production process involves heating the ore at a high temperature that can only be cost-
effective by burning fossil fuels. It could mean emission of 15 tonnes of CO2 for every tonne of lithium.
Way ahead
• Regulation of Lithium Mining: Lithium mining and extraction can be pursued in a regulated manner to ensure
sustainable mining.
• Diversification of supply chain: Till India utilizes its reserves, strategic agreements with international partners are
critical for ensuring unrestricted supply of lithium.
• Increasing efforts to expedite mineral exploration in India: New push and investment is needed to further push the
mineral exploration with involvement of private sector players.
• Assessment of socio-ecological impact: Socio-ecological impact of lithium extraction needs to be assessed for
ensuring sustainable and inclusive development of the region.
7.2. GAGANYAAN
Why in news?
Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), along with the Indian Navy, has conducted an important trial for the
Gaganyaan, Indian Human Spaceflight Programme (IHSP).
More about the news
• They carried out initial recovery trials of the Crew Module in the Navy’s Water Survival Test Facility (WSTF) in Kochi.
• A Crew Module Recovery Model (CMRM), that simulates the mass, center of gravity, outer dimensions, and externals
of the actual Crew Module at touchdown, was used for the trials.
• ISRO’s recent operation form the initial recovery trials of Crew Module in a closed pool.

• The crew module will be the habitable part of the
Gaganyaan spacecraft that will have pressurisation and
life support systems for the crew members.
• In contrast, the service module will be an unpressurised
structure containing the propulsion system, power
systems, and avionics to support the crew module during
the mission.
About Gaganyaan Project
• It is ISRO’s first manned space mission which envisages
demonstration of human spaceflight capability by
launching crew of 3 members to an orbit of 300-400 km
for a 3 days mission.
o It will bring them back safely to earth, by landing in
Indian sea waters.
• Mission includes three space flights: two unmanned
‘Abort missions’ to test for crew safety, followed by the
manned space journey.
o First trial (uncrewed flight) for Gaganyaan is being
planned by the end of 2023 or early 2024.
o This will be followed by sending Vyom Mitra, a
humanoid and then with the crew onboard.
• It will take off on a Launch Vehicle Mark-III (LVM 3 rocket)
previously known as GSLV Mk III which is capable of
launching four-tonne satellites in the Geosynchronous
Transfer Orbit (GTO).
• Gaganyaan National Advisory Council has been created
with members from different institutions and industries to
deliberate on various aspects of the mission.
• Mission will make India 4th country to have human
spaceflight capability after US, Russia and China.
• ISRO is developing indigenous technologies for Human
rated launch vehicle, Habitable Crew Module, Life
Support System, Crew Escape System, Ground Station
Network, Crew Training and Recovery.
o These technologies are crucial to meet the objectives
of Gaganyaan mission and to take up any further interplanetary missions
Challenges for India to carry out Manned Space Missions
• Hostile environment: Gaganyaan has to Human in Space policy
create an atmosphere like Earth inside a The Department of Space has put up for public consultation, the draft
small volume and ensure that is adequate "Humans in Space Policy for India -- 2021" and guidelines and procedures
supply of oxygen, removal of carbon- for its implementation.
dioxide and comfortable temperature and About the policy
humidity levels are maintained throughout • Applicability: The guidelines are applicable to activities presently
the mission. postulated under Indian human space program (IHSP) and for those
• Gravity field: Transitioning from one gravity activities which shall be defined and carried out in future in
conjunction with IHSP.
field to another has impact on the physical
• Aim: It envisages undertaking demonstration of human spaceflight to
bodies. It affects hand- eye and head-eye
LEO (low-earth orbit) in the short-term and lay the foundation for a
coordination. sustained exploration in the long run that will enable presence in LEO
and beyond.
• Isolation: Due to isolation, one may encounter depression, fatigue, sleep disorder and psychiatric disorders.
• Radiation: In space stations, astronauts receive over ten times the radiation than what people are subjected to on
Earth. Radiation exposure may increase the risk of cancer. It can also damage the central nervous system.
• Launch escape system: Anything may go wrong during the prelaunch, launch and post launch phase including the
explosion of rocket into a fireball. Launch escape systems safety features must be built to minimize the losses.
• Re-entry and Recovery: The spacecraft’s re-entry into the atmosphere must be very precise, even the slightest
deviation could lead into a disaster.
• Financial: These missions require exorbitantly huge investment as they are highly technology intensive.
Way Ahead
• Leveraging private sector: ISRO is leveraging the capability of private sectors for various inputs required for
developing the spacecraft.
• Expanding International collaboration: Other than Russia, the US and France had also offered training support to
astronauts for Gaganyaan. Collaborating with more countries would provide better choices.
• Doing away with the bureaucratic hassles: To overcome the challenges of human spaceflight a steady and continuous
upward progression toward greater societal, scientific and technological development is required.
• Leaving nothing to chance: Human space missions involve an amalgamation of several technologies and intense
coordination between different teams required to significantly reduce the margin of error. The history of space travel
has revealed that challenges can unexpectedly arise anytime from the lift-off to the injection stage.
Conclusion
The Gaganyaan mission could propel India to the centre of human space exploration. The manned missions will push
India further in exploration beyond Earth's orbit as countries are eager to control the next space race, which has the
potential to trigger major changes in the global order.
7.3. CHANDRAYAAN 3
Why in News?
Several critical steps that are necessary for
the successful launch of the India’s 3rd lunar
exploration expedition were successfully
conducted recently.
More about the News
• Indian Space Research Organization
(ISRO) have achieved a significant
milestone in their efforts to safely
land a spacecraft on the Moon.
o The Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft has
successfully passed the “essential
tests" that validate its ability to
endure the severe vibration and
acoustic conditions it would
experience during its launch.
• The three possible landing sites for the mission is also finalized between Manzius U and Boguslawsky M craters in
the South Polar Region of the moon.
• The proposed lander has successfully completed the crucial Electro - Magnetic Interference and compatibility test.
• The Flight acceptance hot test, for the Cryogenic engine to be used in the mission was also successfully conducted.

Previous Lunar Missions of India
Lessons from ISRO's previous Chandrayaan missions

Why the South Pole of the Moon is chosen as the preferred
• Scientific Discoveries: The Chandrayaan-1 and landing site, for most of the upcoming Lunar missions?
Chandrayaan-2 missions have contributed to our • The South pole area remains in shadow, which is much larger
understanding of the Moon's geology, mineralogy, than that at the North Pole. There is a possibility of the
presence of water in permanently shadowed areas around it.
and topography.
• The region has craters that are cold traps and contain a fossil
• Learning about navigation: In Chandrayaan 2
record of the early Solar System.
mission, Navigation control and guidance • The regolith in the region has traces of hydrogen, ammonia,
mechanism in the penultimate phase was not methane, sodium, mercury and silver- making it an uptapped
designed to handle the large spike in speed that source of essential resources.
developed in the last 3-5 minutes of its descent. The• Its elemental and positional advantages make it a suitable
problem had been corrected in the new modules of pit stop for future space exploration.
Chandrayaan-3.
• Extended lifespan of orbiter: The Chandrayaan-2 mission has demonstrated notable achievements in each of its
phases, resulting in valuable benefits.
o Additionally, Chandrayaan-3 will have a similar spacecraft configuration, landing spot on the moon, and
experiments to be conducted on the lunar surface as the previous mission.
• Technology Development: The Chandrayaan program has been instrumental in developing and demonstrating new
technologies, such as the use of high-resolution imaging, testing the technologies for deep-space missions, etc.

7.4. NASA-ISRO SYNTHETIC APERTURE RADAR (NISAR) SATELLITE
Why in News? Satellite Frequency Bands
Recently, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)
has received the NASA-ISRO SAR (NISAR) satellite
from the U.S. space agency.
About NISAR Satellite
• NASA-ISRO SAR (NISAR) is a Low Earth Orbit
(LEO) observatory being jointly developed by
NASA and ISRO.
• NISAR will map the entire globe in 12 days and
provide spatially and temporally consistent data
for understanding changes in Earth’s
ecosystems, ice mass, etc.
• The 2,800 kilograms satellite consists of both L-
band and S-band synthetic aperture radar • L band radars operate on a wavelength of 15-30 cm and a
(SAR) instruments, which makes it a dual- frequency of 1-2 GHz. L band radars are mostly used for clear air
frequency imaging radar satellite. turbulence studies.
o The SAR payloads mounted on Integrated • S band radars operate on a wavelength of 8-15 cm and a
Radar Instrument Structure (IRIS) and the frequency of 2-4 GHz.
spacecraft bus are together called an o Because of the wavelength and frequency, S band radars are
observatory. not easily attenuated.
o NASA is to provide the L-band radar, GPS, a o This makes them useful for near and far range weather
observation.
high-capacity solid-state recorder to store
o The drawback to this band of radar is that it requires a large
data, and a payload data subsystem. antenna dish and a large motor to power it.
o ISRO is to provide the S-band radar, the
GSLV launch system and spacecraft for the mission.
• NISAR is expected to be launched in January 2024 from Satish Dhawan Space Centre into a near-polar orbit.
o After the commissioning period, the mission will conduct science operations with the L-band radar to satisfy
NASA’s requirements for minimum of three years, while the S-band radar will be used by India for its specific
needs for a period of five years.
ISRO’s other International Collaboration’s
Significance of the mission Planned Missions
• TRISHNA: Joint initiative of ISRO and The National Centre for
• High Precision and Resolution: The usage of two
Space Studies- France (CNES) to launch an earth observation
microwave bandwidth regions (L-band and S- satellite mission with thermal infrared imager.
band), enables it to measure changes in earth • LUPEX (Lunar Polar exploration): Joint initiative of ISRO
surface less than a centimeter across. and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), to send
o The Synthetic Aperture Radar used can a lander and rover to the Moon’s South Pole.
penetrate clouds and darkness and enable Launched Missions
the NISAR to collect accurate data at any • Megha Tropiques(2011): Joint initiative of ISRO and The
weather and provide high-resolution National Centre for Space Studies- France (CNES) to study the
images. tropical atmosphere and climate change.
o The precision interferometric orbits of the • SARAL (Satellite for ALTIKA and ARGOS) (2013): Joint initiative
mission will enable in mapping few of ISRO and The National Centre for Space Studies- France
(CNES) to study the Ocean from space using altimetry.
millimetres of deformations in the land
surface.
• Large Imaging Area: The instrument's imaging area is greater than 240 kilometers along its orbit and it can image the
entire Earth in 12 days.
• Observing Indian Coasts and Antarctica: NISAR will acquire data over the Indian Coasts and monitor annual changes
in the bathymetry along the deltaic regions.
o The NISAR mission will observe sea ice characteristics over the seas surrounding India’s Antarctic polar stations,
which can be used to detect marine oil spills and disseminate the spill location during accidental oil seepage for
preventive measures.
• Observations for
different fields: It will
provide a means of
disentangling and
clarifying spatially and
temporally complex
phenomena, ranging
from ecosystem
disturbances to ice
sheet collapse and
natural hazards
including
earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanoes, and landslide.
7.5. WHO’S PANDEMIC TREATY

Why in News? International Health Regulations (IHR)-2005
• It is the mechanism through which the WHO has handled the
Recently, Members of the World Health
pandemics in the recent past, the outbreak of COVID-19, has
Organisation (WHO) held the first round of highlighted the flaws it contained and hence the call for a New
negotiations towards the pandemic treaty. Pandemic Treaty, became more prominent.
More about the News • These are an instrument of international law that is legally-
binding on 196 countries, including the 194 WHO Member States.
• The World Health Organization (WHO) is • They create rights and obligations for countries, including the
leading two major international initiatives to requirement to report public health events at regular interval.
address on the threat of future pandemics. • The Regulations also outlines the criteria to determine whether or
• The first initiative involves revising the not a particular event constitutes a “public health emergency of
International Health Regulations (IHRs) to international concern”.
improve global health alerts' speed and efficiency.
• The second initiative involves negotiating a new Pandemic Treaty to provide a more efficient and equitable response
to pandemics in the future.
• These initiatives aim to learn from the experiences of the Covid-19 pandemic and enhance global capabilities to
respond to new microbial threats.
About the Pandemic Treaty
• WHO published a ‘zero-draft’ of the pandemic treaty on February 1. With this, negotiations will officially begin on
what the final document, due to be presented at the World Health Assembly in 2024, will entail for global- and
national-level pandemic preparedness.
o Earlier, WHO’s World Health Assembly (WHA) established an Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB) to
draft and negotiate a WHO convention to handle pandemic better.
o It identified Article 19 of the WHO Constitution provision under which the instrument should be adopted.
• It will entail for global- and national-level pandemic preparedness.
• The draft opens the path to major multilateral negotiations and has invited inputs from member groups.
• It aims to prevent pandemics, save lives, reduce disease burden and protect livelihoods, through strengthening the
world’s capacities for preventing, preparing for and responding to, and recovery of health systems from, pandemics.
Key highlights of the Zero draft:
• Establishment of “The Network”: It aims to set up a Global Pandemic Supply Chain and Logistics Network, to deliver
the vaccines and required medicines in the event of a breakdown, to all member countries.

• Ensuring Equality: It calls for reducing the inequitable access to pandemic-related products (including but not limited
to vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics)
o Rather it should be addressed by increasing manufacturing capacity that is more equitably, geographically and
strategically distributed to all and provide certain clauses for utilization of resources during and after the
pandemic.
• Empowering Innovations: It recognises the need to build and strengthen capacities and institutions for innovative
research and development for pandemic-related products, particularly in developing countries.
• Enabling transparency: It calls for establishment of the WHO Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing System (the
“PABS System”), which is to cover all pathogens with pandemic potential, including their genomic sequences.
• Establishment of a governing body: In order to promote the effective implementation of the treaty a Governing body
is to be set up, comprising of:
o The Conference of the Parties (COP), which is to act as the sole decision-making organ and
o The Officers of the Parties, which is to act as the administrative organ of the Governing Body.
• Expansion of WHO’s authority: The draft aims to expand WHO’s authority, to declare a pandemic and, thereby,
trigger provisions in the treaty that would reallocate resources and encourage governments to waive intellectual
property rights as per requirements.
• Strengthening of the health infrastructure: It also calls for Strengthening of the health infrastructure, empowering
the Health workforce, Protection of Human rights, Encouraging Cooperation among member countries, implementing
One Health approach.
7.6. NEWS IN SHORTS

7.6.1. SMALL SATELLITE LAUNCH o Other features: Low cost, low turn-around time,
VEHICLE (SSLV) launch on demand feasibility, minimal launch
infrastructure requirements etc.
• Second developmental flight of SSLV — SSLV-D2 — o NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), under Department
placed three satellites in its precise orbit. of Space and commercial arm of ISRO, is the sole
o Earlier, first test flight of SSLV had marginally nodal agency responsible for providing end-to-
missed to place the satellites. end SSLV Launch services for customer satellites.
• SSLV-D2 carried:
o EOS-07, an Earth Observation Satellite by ISRO. 7.6.2. WORLD’S FIRST 3D-PRINTED
o Janus-1, a technology demonstrator satellite built ROCKET ENGINE
by United States-based Antaris and its Indian
• Agnikul-Cosmos, a space-tech startup incubated in IIT-
partners.
Madras, has successfully conducted the flight
o AzaadiSAT-2 satellite, a combined effort of about
acceptance test for its 3D printed rocket engine
750 girl students across India guided by Space Kidz
“Agnilet”.
India.
• Unlike other rocket engines, Agnilet was built in a
• About SSLV
single step, eliminating thousands of parts that are
o It is a 3 stage Launch Vehicle of ISRO configured
typically assembled in a conventional rocket engine.
with three Solid Propulsion Stages and liquid
o It is a semi-cryogenic engine, which uses a mixture
propulsion-based Velocity Trimming Module as a
of liquid kerosene at room temperature and super
terminal stage.
cold liquid oxygen as fuel.
o It is capable of launching Mini, Micro, or
o During the test, it generated sea level thrust of 6
Nanosatellites (10 to 500 kg mass) to a 500 km
kilo Newton.
orbit.
• Agnilet Engine will power the company’s launch
o Like Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) and
vehicle, Agnibaan, which is capable of carrying
Geosynchronous Satellite Launch vehicle (GSLV),
payloads of up to 300kg to a low-earth orbit.
SSLV can accommodate multiple satellites, albeit
o Launch of Agnibaan will be the second by a
smaller ones.
private firm -- after Hyderabad-based Skyroot
o Unlike PSLV and GSLV, SSLV can be assembled
Aerospace’s Vikram-S, which took place in
both vertically and horizontally.
November 2022.

• Earlier Agnikul also unveiled India’s first privately • Comparison with other displays
designed and operated rocket launchpad and mission
Display LCD (Liquid OLED Mled
control centre (located at Sriharikota).
Technology crystal
o It is specifically built to support liquid-stage
display)
controlled launches while also addressing ISRO’s Pixel types Back lit Self- Self-
need for monitoring key flight safety parameters display emissive emissive
during launches. display display
LED makeup Inorganic Organic LED Inorganic
7.6.3. INTERNATIONAL IP INDEX material LED LED
• India ranked 42nd on International IP Index released backlight
by US Chambers of Commerce. Brightness High Low Very high
• Annual Index evaluates protection of Intellectual Lifespan Long Short Very long
Property (IP) rights in 55 of world’s leading Response Slow (in Medium (in Fast (in
economies, together representing around 90% of time milli- micro- nano-
global GDP. seconds) seconds) seconds)
o U.S topped the index. • Benefits of mLED
• Key Findings for India o Self-emissive and have better colour reproduction
o Improved enforcement against copyright- and provide better viewing angles.
infringing content and provides a best-in-class o Limitless scalability, as they are resolution-free,
framework to promote better understanding and bezel-free, ratio-free, and even size-free.
utilisation of IP assets. o More efficient and bright, more durable and with
o Concerns: Dissolution of IP Appellate Board (2021), higher colour gamut against LCD and OLED.
under-resourced and overstretched judiciary, • Challenges: Higher manufacturing cost, market share
limited framework for the protection of for liquid crystal displays remains sizable etc.
biopharmaceutical IP rights etc.
7.6.5. DIGITAL CONNECTIVITY
7.6.4. MICROLEDS (LIGHT EMITTING INFRASTRUCTURE PROVIDER (DCIP)
DIODE) DISPLAYS
• Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) released
• Recently various electronic companies are showing consultation paper on Digital Connectivity
their interest in MicroLED (mLED or µLED) display Infrastructure Provider (DCIP) Authorization under
technology. Unified Licence (UL).
• microLED displays comprise several microscopic LEDs, • TRAI is seeking views to introduce DCIP authorization
which self-illuminate per display pixel- just like an OLED under UL regime as it underlined the importance of
(Organic LED) panel does. robust Digital Connectivity Infrastructure (DCI) in
o mLED is as small as cutting a centimetre of hair economic development.
into 200 smaller pieces. o UL offers service-wise authorizations, where
o Each of these mLEDs are semiconductors that licensees establish networks and use them to
receive electric signals. Once these mLEDs are provide services.
gathered, they form a module. Several modules • Importance of DCI
are then combined to form screens. o Increases productivity and provides amenities
that enhance quality of life. It is used for financial
services, e-governance, tele-medicine etc.
o Helps in implementation of various government
schemes under Digital India, Make in India,
Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission etc.
• Earlier, National Digital Communications Policy
(NDCP-2018) emphasized on DCI under ‘Propel India’
mission.
o NDCP-2018 envisages enabling unbundling of
different layers (e.g., infrastructure, network,
services, and applications layer) through
differential licensing. (Refer image)

• DCIP will work at infrastructure and network layer; o Crack occurred due to South-pointing magnetic
creating neutral third-party entities which can create fields weakening Earth's defenses against solar
passive and active DCI. wind.
o Currently, Infrastructure Providers Category-I (IP- • GMS is a disturbance in earth’s magnetosphere, which
I) rolls out passive infrastructure while active is the area around planet controlled by its magnetic
infrastructure creation is permitted to Telecom field.
Service Providers only. o Earth’s magnetosphere protects its inhabitants
• DCIPs can lease/rent/sell their infrastructure only to from most of the particles emitted by sun.
such entities which are licensed under Indian o It is caused by massive exchange of energy from
Telegraph Act. solar wind into space environment surrounding
• Potential Benefits Of DCIP: Increased common the Earth.
sharable DCI and network resources, cost reduction, o GMS are categorised between G1 and G5, the
attract investment, strengthen service delivery latter being the strongest.
segment, etc.
• Passive Infrastructure refers to physical space, e.g.
telecom towers, fiber distribution hub etc. while Active
infrastructure refers to active elements such as
antennas, back-haul connectivity etc.
7.6.6. LARGE LANGUAGE MODELS (LLMS)

• Meta Platforms has released Large Language Model
Meta AI (LLaMA).
o LLaMA is a foundational language model
developed to assist researchers in subfield of • Red auroras occur when solar particles react with
Artificial Intelligence (AI). Oxygen at higher altitudes, generally above 150 miles.
o It is a collection of language models. o At this height, Oxygen is less concentrated and is
• LLMs are AI systems that consume massive volumes of “excited” at a higher frequency or wavelength
digital text from internet sources such as articles, news than denser Oxygen lower down making reds
reports, and social media posts. visible.
o These digital texts are used to train software that
predicts and produces content from scratch based 7.6.9. WOLF 1069 B
on prompts and queries.
o These models can help in writing essays, • Astronomers have discovered an exoplanet Wolf
composing social media posts. 1069b which is orbiting a red dwarf star Wolf 1069.
o An exoplanet is any planet beyond our solar
7.6.7. AADHAAR MITRA system.
o Red dwarfs are stars with very low mass and are
• Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) generally referred to as coolest stars.
launched its chatbot ‘Aadhaar Mitra’. • It is orbiting in its star’s habitable zone (Goldilocks
o Chatbot is software that simulates human-like zone), making it a prime candidate for liquid water to
conversations with users via chat. potentially exist on its surface.
• Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning (AI/ML)-based • It is tidally locked to its parent star, meaning one side
chatbot can answer queries related to Aadhaar. is always in daylight and other is always in darkness.
o It can provide information about most Aadhaar
services such as Aadhaar Centers, Aadhaar 7.6.10. JUPITER MOONS
Enrolment/Update status, PVC i.e., plastic card
order status, Complaint status etc. • Jupiter, with 92 moons, beats Saturn to become planet
with most moons.
7.6.8. GEOMAGNETIC STORM • Jupiter is home to first moons discovered in our solar
system, functions like a mini solar system.
• Recently, Solar wind passed through a gap which • Jupiter's four largest moons are called Galilean
occurred due to a crack in Earth's magnetic field satellites: Lo, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto.
sparking a G1-class geomagnetic storm (GMS). o Lo is most volcanically active body in solar system.
o Europa's surface is mostly water ice.
o Ganymede is largest moon in solar system and is o Based on the cell type/tissue of origin, stem cells
only moon known to have its own internally are classified as Somatic Stem Cells (also known as
generated magnetic field. adult stem cells) and Embryonic Stem Cells (refer
o Callisto's surface is extremely heavily cratered infographic above).
and ancient.
7.6.12. LYMPHATIC FILARIASIS (LF)
7.6.11. STEM CELL TRANSPLANT (SCT) • Recently, Mass Drug Administration (MDA) was
launched by Union Ministry of Health and Family
• Third Patient has been cured of HIV (Human
Welfare to eliminate LF by 2027, three years ahead of
Immunodeficiency Virus) after Stem Cell Transplant
the global target.
(SCT).
• LF or elephantiasis, is a neglected tropical disease.
• This was achieved with a bone-marrow transplant
Infection is usually acquired in childhood causing
(also called SCT) from people carrying a specific HIV-
hidden damage to the lymphatic system.
resistant genetic mutation called CCR5-delta 32
o Symptoms: Abnormal enlargement of body parts.
genetic mutation.
o Caused by: Nematodes (roundworms) of family
• A bone marrow transplant is a procedure that infuses
Filariodidea.
healthy blood-forming stem cells into body to replace
o Transmitted by: Mosquitoes including Culex,
bone marrow that's not producing enough healthy
Anopheles and Aedes.
blood cells.
o Global initiative: Global Programme to Eliminate
o Bone marrow transplants may use cells from your
Lymphatic Filariasis by the WHO
own body (autologous transplant) or from a donor
(allogeneic transplant). 7.6.13. MALARIA
• HIV mainly attacks CD4 immune cells (type of white • A deadly malaria vector, transmitter Anopheles
blood cell) in human body, thereby reducing a person’s Stephensi, has been detected in Kenya.
ability to fight off secondary infections. o Anopheles Stephensi originated in Southeast Asia,
o CCR5 receptors on surface of CD4 immune cells act West Asia and Arabian Peninsula.
as a doorway for HIV virus.
• Malaria is an acute febrile illness caused
• However, CCR5-delta 32 mutation prevents these by Plasmodium parasites, which are spread to people
receptors used by HIV virus from forming on the
through the bites of infected female Anopheles
surface, effectively removing the doorway. mosquitoes.
o There are 5 parasite species that cause malaria in
humans, and 2 of these species – P.
falciparum and P. vivax – pose greatest threat.
o Anopheles stephensi is capable of transmitting
both Plasmodium falciparum and P. vivax.
✓ It is highly adaptive and can thrive in urban
environments.
7.6.14. LEAD POISONING
• As per study conducted by NITI Aayog and Council of
Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) in 2022, 23 states
exceed the permissible blood lead level of 5 µg/dL
margin.
o Levels in remaining states and Union Territories
cannot be determined due to lack of research and
screening mechanisms to collect data.
o Also, 2020 report by UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF)
and Pure Earth stated that 275 million children in
India record blood lead levels beyond tolerable
• About Stem cells limit of 5 µg/dL.
o Stem cells are special human cells that are able to • Lead is a naturally occurring toxic metal found in
develop into many different cell types. Earth’s crust.
o Stem cells provide new cells and replaces
specialized cells that are damaged or lost.
• Source of lead poisoning • About IHR 2005
o Occupational sources: Mining, painting, glass o It is a legally binding agreement of 196 countries
manufacturing, pottery, smelting etc. to build capability to detect and report potential
o Non occupational sources: Traditional medicine, public health emergencies worldwide.
vehicular exhaust, food, painted toys, o Under the IHR 2005, WHO has the authority to
contaminated soil, dust and water etc. declare a Public Health Emergency of
• Impact of Lead poisoning: Damage to brain and International Concern (PHEIC) when there is an
nervous system, slowed growth and development, extraordinary event that poses a public health risk
learning problems, Hearing/speech problems leads to to other countries through the international
reduced intelligence, lower educational attainment spread of disease.
etc.
7.6.18. DOPING IN SPORTS
• Tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)
signed to deal with problem of doping in sports.
• MoU was signed between Ministry of Youth Affairs &
Sports, Food Safety & Standards Authority of India
(FSSAI) and National Institute of Pharmaceutical
Education & Research, Hyderabad.
o It aims to create nutritional supplement testing
capacity in India, increase research opportunities
in anti-doping domain, provide dope-free
7.6.15. TRENDS IN MATERNAL nutritional supplements etc.
MORTALITY 2000 TO 2020 REPORT • Doping is the consumption of certain prohibited
substances by athletes to enhance performance.
• Trends in maternal mortality 2000 to 2020 report was
• Monitoring of Doping in sports
released by World Health Organisation.
o World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) monitors
• Maternal Mortality Ratio is maternal deaths per
doping in all kinds of competitive sports.
100,000 live births.
o At national level, there is National Anti-Doping
• Key highlights
Agency (NADA) that is provided statutory backing
o Maternal mortality declined by 34 % between
by National Anti-Doping Act, 2022.
2000 and 2020.
o Every day in 2020, approximately 800 women died
from preventable causes related to pregnancy and
childbirth i.e., a woman dies around every two
minutes.
o In 2020, about 70% of all maternal deaths were in
sub-Saharan Africa.
• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target 3.1 aims
to reduce maternal mortality to less than 70 maternal
deaths per 100 000 live births by 2030.
7.6.16. DAR-ES-SALAAM DECLARATION

• It is a declaration on ending AIDS in children by 2030.
• The Declaration was announced at the first ministerial 7.6.19. HYBRID-SOUNDING ROCKET
meeting of the Global Alliance to end AIDS in Children, • India’s first hybrid-sounding rocket launched by
which brings together the 12 African countries with private players from Chengalpattu, Tamil Nadu.
UNAIDS and other health agencies. • Martin Foundation, in association with Dr. APJ Abdul
7.6.17. INTERNATIONAL HEALTH Kalam International Foundation and Space Zone India,
REGULATIONS (IHR) 2005 launched the Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Satellite Launch
Vehicle Mission- 2023.
• First round of discussions regarding amendments to o Rocket can be used for research in weather,
the World Health Organization (WHO) International atmospheric conditions and radiations.
Health Regulations 2005 concluded.

• Sounding rockets are one or two stage solid propellant o Stage-III: Advanced nuclear power systems for
rockets used for probing upper atmospheric regions utilisation of thorium.
(Aeronomy) and for space research. • India successfully reached the first stage in 2013 with
o They can also be used to test or prove prototypes over 22 nuclear reactors (18 PHWRs, and 4 Light Water
of new components or subsystems intended for Reactors) in 7 nuclear power plants. (refer map)
use in launch vehicles and satellites. • India is currently on second stage of program.
o Sounding rockets take their name from the o India’s current nuclear power capacity of 6,780
nautical term "to sound," which means to take MW is expected to increase to 22,480 MW by
measurements. 2031.
o Hybrid-rocket uses different propellants, i.e., one o Nuclear energy is fifth-largest source of electricity
solid and other being either gas or liquid. for India.
• In 1963, Indian Space Programme started with first • Steps taken to increase nuclear power output
sounding rocket launch from Thumba Equatorial o Atomic Energy Amendment Act 2015 allow public-
Rocket Launching Station (TERLS), Kerala. Thumba was sector companies to form joint ventures to build
selected as it is close to magnetic equator. nuclear power plants.
• In 1967, ISRO launched its own version of sounding o Resolution of issues relating to Civil Liability for
rockets - Rohini RH-75. Nuclear Damage (CLND) Act 2010 and
o In 1975, ISRO consolidated all sounding rocket establishment of an Indian Nuclear Insurance
activities under Rohini Sounding Rocket (RSR) Pool.
Programme.
• About Rohini RH- 200
o RH-200 (meteorology purpose) is one of three
sounding rockets currently operational with ISRO,
the other two being RH-300 Mk 2 and RH-560 Mk
2 (both for Aeronomy).
✓ 200 in the name denotes Rocket’s Diameter
in millimeters (mm).
o Rh-200 Rocket Used Polyvinyl Chloride (Pvc)
Based Propellant. In 2020, First Rh-200 Used A
New Propellant Based On Hydroxyl-Terminated
Polybutadiene (Htpb).
7.6.20. NUCLEAR ENERGY PROGRAM

• Haryana’s first nuclear power plant will be set up in
Gorakhpur village.
• Upcoming Gorakhpur Haryana Anu Vidyut Pariyojana
(GHAVP) will have two units of 700 MWe capacity each
of Pressurised Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR).
• India’s 3-stage nuclear energy program, envisioned by
Homi Bhabha, is based on a closed nuclear fuel cycle.
o Stage-I: PHWRs fuelled by Natural uranium would
produce plutonium-239. Heavy water (D2O) is
used as moderator and coolant in PHWR.
o Stage-II: Fast Breeder Reactors utilising
plutonium- 239 fuel from first stage and formed
uranium-238.

7.1. BHARAT 6G MISSION
Why in news?
Recently, India released “Bharat 6G Vision” document which eyes 6G services rollout by 2030 and launched the 6G
research and development test bed.
About the Bharat 6G Vision

• Bharat 6G vision document is prepared by
the Technology Innovation Group on 6G
(TIG-6G) that was constituted in 2021 by
Department of Telecommunications (DoT)
under Ministry of Communications.
o TIG-6G has members from various
Ministries/Departments, research and
development institutions, academia,
standardization bodies, Telecom Service
Providers and industry to develop a
roadmap and action plans for 6G in
India.
• Vision document which aims to design, develop and deploy 6G network technologies that provide ubiquitous
intelligent and secure connectivity for high quality living experience for the world.
• India will launch a 6G Mission that holistically combines all associated technologies, supported by an adequate
financial backup.

• Bharat 6G mission will be divided into two phases:
o Phase 1 (2023-2025): The ideation phase to understand the inherent potential and risk associated with the
pathways ahead and test proof-of-
concept implementations.
o Phase 2 (2025-2030): Dedicated to
conceptualizing and delivering
potential technology solutions to
serve India and the global
community.
• An apex body is to be constituted to
oversee the Mission and approve the
budget for the Mission split into two
phases and lay down the Phase-wise
objectives.
o It will oversee the project, focusing on standardisation, identification of spectrum for 6G, creating an ecosystem
for devices and systems, determining finances for R&D, etc.
o Key focus will be on new technologies such as Terahertz (THz) communication, radio interfaces, tactile internet,
artificial intelligence for connected intelligence, new encoding methods and waveforms chipsets for 6G devices.
Recommendations of taskforces to enable Bharat 6G Mission
• Innovative funding mechanisms: To support industry, start-ups, academia, and national laboratories to undertake
R&D.
• Solutions through start-ups: To address key verticals such as transport, water, power grid and renewables,
healthcare, education, digital twins and smart cities.
• Shared use of spectrum: Particularly in the higher frequency bands where the propagation is more akin to that of
light.
• Rationalisation of congested spectrum bands: Adoption of captive networks for Industry 4.0 and enterprise use cases
in hitherto less used bands.
• Participation and contribution to global standards forums: To ensure interoperability and global reach of our
innovation.
• Fiber-broadband: To every home and integrated dense wireless and optical network, with wireless communications
primarily serving mobile users.
• New multi-sensor man-machine interfaces and devices: Leveraging edge cloud computing resources and AI to deliver
tactile Internet, ambience awareness and realistic 3D experiences.
• Others: Space-Terrestrial Integration for ubiquitous coverage; combined communication and sensing in (Sub-)
Terahertz bands.
Significance of 6G
technology
• Better connectivity: 6G
will play an important
role in filling the gap in
the provisioning of e-
services for urban and
rural populations.
o It will help in the
achievement of the
United Nations
(UN) Sustainable
Development
Goals (SDGs), and contribute tremendously towards improving the quality and opportunities of life.
• Economic development: 6G will significantly reduce differences in regional and social infrastructure and availability
of economic opportunities.
o It will thereby provide alternatives to rural exodus, mass urbanization, and its related problems.
• Technological Advancement: 6G will include non-terrestrial networks (NTNs), which is a key development that
enables conventional 2D network architectures to function in 3D space.
o Low Altitude Platforms (LAPs), High Altitude Platforms (HAPs), Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), and satellites
are examples NTNs.
• Fields of Applications: The diverse applications of 6G technology will benefit various sectors across industries.
• Push for industries: 6G for industries will have the biggest use cases in terms of pushing Industry 4.0 and Industry 5.0.
Challenges associated Related News
with 6G technology International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Area Office and Innovation Centre inaugurated in
Delhi
• Low investment on
• It will serve India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Afghanistan, and Iran.
R&D: According to
• India signed a Host Country Agreement in March 2022 with ITU for the establishment of Area
Economic Survey Office.
2021-22, India spent • It will enhance coordination among nations and foster mutually beneficial economic
just 0.7% of its GDP cooperation in the region.
on R&D in 2020, • World Telecommunications Standardization Assembly of ITU will be held in October 2024 in
compared to 2.4% in Delhi.
China and 2.3% in the
EU.
• Brain drain: Although
India produces 1.5
million engineering
graduates each year,
48% remain
unemployed, leading
to the highest rate of
economic migration
in the world, reports
the UN World
Migration Report
2022.
• Terahertz (THz) communication: THz signal attenuates considerably in the air, restricting the transmission range and
making it easily blocked by obstructions.
o Also, it is estimated that the terahertz in 6G era will have the same problems as the millimeter wave today:
✓ Weak capability of covering,
✓ High cost of deploying network,
✓ The premature ecosystem of terminals.
• Ensuring sustainability: While 6G promises growth, it will simultaneously have to be balanced with sustainability as
6G devices can have a significant carbon footprint.
Conclusion
Though 6G networks is still non-existent but vision document ensures that India takes its rightful place in the world as a
leading supplier of advanced telecom technologies and solutions that are affordable and contribute to the global good.
7.2. SPACE TOURISM

Why in news?
Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is planning space tourism by 2030.

More about news
• The objective of India’s maiden human spaceflight
programme Gaganyaan is demonstration of human
spaceflight capability to Low Earth Orbit, which is a
precursor to future Space Tourism Programme.
• ISRO has carried out a few feasibility studies for a
sub-orbital space tourism mission.
• After the accomplishment of the Gaganyaan mission,
activities towards space tourism shall be firmed up.
Challenges in space tourism

• High cost: Space tourism is prohibitively expensive, with prices reaching tens
of thousands of dollars per seat, limiting accessibility for most people.
• Environmental impact: The carbon footprint from space tourism flights is
significant and may contribute to climate change.
• Noise pollution: The noise generated by spacecraft can disturb people and
wildlife on Earth and interfere with radio communications and navigation
equipment in space.
• Lack of responsibility and regulation: The space tourism industry is relatively new, and there are insufficient
regulations to ensure the safety of passengers and the environment.
• Depleting ozone layer: Aircraft carrying tourists into low-Earth orbit emit large amounts of carbon dioxide, which can
damage the ozone layer and increase harmful UV radiation on Earth's surface.
• Space debris: Space tourism and satellite deployment have contributed to a significant amount of space debris
orbiting Earth, which poses risks to future space missions and the safety of spacecraft.

Future of space tourism
• Need to formulate laws and legislations that shall regulate issues of
space tourism including the regulation of private players.
• Need for habitable structure apart from international space station
• Future of space tourism has the ability to positively impact many
socioeconomic factors on Earth including creating jobs, educating
citizens about space and fostering further innovation in the space
economy.
• Need for environmental regulation to reduce the climatic damage from
this fast-growing industry.
Conclusion
It is likely that the space tourism industry will evolve during the next decade, as barriers to entry will be reduced,
competition will grow, costs will be lowered, and eventually, space travel will be affordable for everyone.
Related news
NewSpace India Ltd (NSIL), the commercial arm of ISRO, plans to increase the number of missions it handles each year using its
Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV).
• SSLV is first lightweight homegrown rocket to have successfully reached the low earth orbit (LEO) of around 700 kilometres
above the Earth’s surface.
• It has a capacity of about 500kg in terms of payload, or the satellites that it can carry to space.
• SSLV target nano- and micro-satellites, which weigh less than 10kg and 100kg respectively, and offer on-demand launch
services.
• SSLV can tap a growing demand for smaller satellite launches from private firms to undertake more missions.
7.3. ONE WORLD TUBERCULOSIS (TB) SUMMIT

Why in News?
The Prime Minister addressed the
One World TB Summit on the
occasion of World TB Day (March
24).
More on News
• It was organized by the
Ministry of Health and Family
Welfare (MoHFW) and the
Stop TB Partnership, under
India’s vision of ‘One Earth, One Health’.
• The theme of World TB Day was 'Yes! We can end TB!
• Leading the Way India TB Report 2023 by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare was also released during the event.
• India contributes the highest number of TB cases in the world and is infamously referred as the ‘’TB Capital of World’’.
Reason Behind High Burden of TB
• Delay in Diagnosis & treatment: Self-medication and less awareness delays the treatment.
o TB is also particularly difficult to diagnose in children.

• Lack of the Latest Equipment: In most parts Initiatives Launched at Summit
of India TB is diagnosed from two sputum TB-free Panchayat Shorter TB Family-centric care
smears taken at different times of the day Preventive model for TB
that are analyzed by a health worker using a Treatment (TPT)
microscope. All the elected It will use the shorter It includes easy-to-use
o It is a slow process, and there's a large public 3HP [(12 once- tools for counselling and
margin for error. representatives of weekly doses of capacity building in the
villages will isoniazid (H) and form of videos,
• Identification: Bacterium shows no
together take a rifapentine (Priftin) animations, and
symptoms in the latent stage. Percentage of
resolution that (P)] regimen across brochures in local
people with latent TB is more than 40 every patient in the country. languages offered on
percent. the village will be Internet and mobile
• Inadequate Health Infrastructure: kept healthy. phone-based platforms.
Government health care system is
overburdened and the private system isn't transparent or highly monitored.
o Small budgets, lack of trained personnel etc. act as an impediment.
• Drug Resistance: New strains of TB have Key Finding of TB Report 2023
developed resistance to the first-line medicines • TB patient registration has improved by 56%. 722 (94%)
like isoniazid and rifampicin. districts of India have expanded TPT.
• Pollution: Studies show that long-term exposure • Highest incidence of cases was in Delhi (546 per lakh
to particulate matter may cause active TB population) and the lowest in Kerala (67 per lakh population).
infections. • The treatment initiation rate among the notified cases for
• Social Taboo: Considered as a social taboo, due to 2022 was 95.5%.
which people hesitate to disclose it. • 2022 saw an increase in the Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis
(MDR-TB)/ Rifampicin resistant (RR) TB.
• Other Factors: Comorbidities like malnutrition,
Covid, diabetes, HIV, tobacco smoking, alcohol impact etc.
enhance the vulnerability.
Initiatives Taken to Eliminate TB
At National Level:
• TB National Strategic Plan (NSP) (2017 – 2025)- It has four
pillars Detect – Treat – Prevent – Build.
o In NSP, India had fixed a target of 77 incidences and six
deaths per 100,000 population due to TB by 2023.
• Ni-kshay Poshan Yojana (NPY), 2018- Direct Benefit Transfer
(DBT) of Rs 500 per month for nutritional needs.
• National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme (NTEP), 2020-
Previously known as Revised National Tuberculosis Control
Programme (RNTCP).
o It aims to eliminate TB in India by 2025, five years ahead of
the global target of 2030.
• Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan (PMTBMBA), 2022-
Also known as Ni-kshay Mitra Initiative. One can adopt TB Innovative Methods adopted By States/UT
patients and provide them with monthly nutritional support. • Chhattisgarh- Involving village health committee
So far Ni-kshay Mitras have adopted about 10 lakh TB for TPT
patients under the programme. • Tamil Nadu- Local procurement of shorter 3HP TPT
• New Diagnostic Test: CB-NAAT (cartridge-based nucleic acid drugs
amplification test), TrueNat (rapid testing for TB) etc. • Maharashtra and Rajasthan-Introduction of TPT in
• Ayushman Bharat Digital Health Mission-Under it, digital prison inmates, other risk groups and integration
during Active case-finding (ACF).
health IDs for TB patients have been created for better
monitoring and treatment.

• Other- Three-month treatment for TB prevention instead of six months course, BCG vaccine included in the
Indradhanush program etc.
At Global Level:
• End TB Strategy of World Health Organisation (WHO)- It aims for 80% reduction in the number of new cases, 90%
reduction in mortality, and zero catastrophic cost by 2030.
o In 1993 it was declared a global emergency. The directly observed treatment–short course (DOTS) was initiated
by it.
• United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)-It includes ending the TB epidemic by 2030 under Goal 3.
Way Forward
• Integrated approach: It should include a hygienic lifestyle, nutritional food uptake, and better health care services.
• Human Resource Development: Physical training at National TB Institute (NTI), Bengaluru and other institutes shall
be promoted.
• Early Diagnosis and Monitoring: By adopting the latest technologies, creating awareness etc.
• Research and Development (R&D): Incentives to the private player should be provided for R & D in drugs etc.
• Community Participation: Will support government initiatives such as Ni-kshay Mitra Initiative.
7.4. NEWS IN SHORTS

7.4.1. BIO-COMPUTERS o In traditional key-based cryptography, data and
keys are sent as classical bits (representing 1 and
• Scientists at John Hopkins University have planned 0) as a stream of electrical or optical pulses.
research on “organoid intelligence (OI)” to create • However, in a quantum communication network, data
biocomputers. is transmitted via qubits.
o Organoids are tiny, self-organized three- o Qubits are particles – usually photons of light – in
dimensional cells or tissues derived from stem a superposition state, meaning they can be in
cells. multiple states and represent numerous
o Planned research will use brain organoids, i.e., combinations of 0 and 1.
cultures of brain cells, as biological hardware. o If a hacker tries to read them in transit, super-
• Biocomputers are defined as computers that use fragile quantum state “collapses” to either 1 or 0
components of biological origin (such as molecules of and attempt to hack will also be recorded
DNA) instead of electrical components. eventually.
• This property has helped to create networks for
transmitting highly sensitive data based on a process
called quantum key distribution, or QKD.
o QKD involves transmission of encrypted data as
classical bits while decryption key is encoded and
transmitted in a quantum state using qubits.
7.4.3. SODIUM INTAKE REDUCTION

• A WHO report highlights that world is off-track to
achieve its global target of reducing sodium intake by
30% by 2025.
7.4.2. QUANTUM COMMUNICATION • Sodium, an essential nutrient, increases the risk of
heart disease, stroke and premature death when
• A highly secured link, developed by Centre for
eaten in excess.
Development of Telematics (C-DOT), under
o Main source of sodium is table salt (sodium
Department of Telecommunications, was established
chloride).
for the first time in India.
• Global average salt intake is estimated more than
• Quantum Communication refers to communication
double of WHO recommendation of less than 5 grams
channels that leverage laws of quantum physics to
of salt per day (one teaspoon).
protect data and make it more secure than traditional
transmission.
7.4.4. LAUNCH VEHICLE MARK 3 (LVM-3) o Its key missions include Chandrayaan-2,
Gaganyaan (Human Space Flight), Chandrayaan-3
• ISRO's heaviest Launch Vehicle Mark 3 (LVM-3) and Aditya L1 (mission to study sun).
successfully placed 36 OneWeb satellites in orbit. • OneWeb is a joint venture between India’s Bharti
• LVM3 in its sixth consecutive successful flight placed 36 Enterprises and U.K. government to deliver high-
satellites of OneWeb into Low Earth Orbit (LEO). speed, low-latency connectivity worldwide.
o With this, NewSpace India Limited (NSIL) has o OneWeb satellites operate in LEO at an altitude of
successfully executed its contract to launch 72 1,200 kilometers.
satellites of OneWeb to LEO, 36 of which were
placed in October, 2022. 7.4.5. CONTROLLED RE-ENTRY OF
o NSIL is under Department of Space and SATELLITE
commercial arm of Indian Space Research
• ISRO successfully carried out controlled re-entry
Organisation (ISRO).
experiment of decommissioned Megha-Tropiques-1
• Mission establishes ISRO’s growing capabilities to
(MT-1) satellite.
undertake mega missions and fill a vacant niche in
• MT-1 was launched by ISRO and French space agency
global market by launching a constellation of satellites
for carrying out tropical weather and climate studies.
(see image on competing launch vehicles).
• Controlled re-entries involve deorbiting (large
satellites/rocket bodies) to very low altitudes to
ensure impact occurs within a targeted safe zone.
• UN/IADC (Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination
Committee) space debris mitigation guidelines
recommend deorbiting a LEO (Low Earth Orbit) object
at its End Of Life:
o Through controlled re-entry to a safe impact zone.
o By bringing it to an orbit where orbital lifetime is
less than 25 years.
• Space debris encompasses both natural (meteoroid)
and artificial (man-made) particles.
o Much of the debris is in LEO, though some debris
can be found in geostationary orbit.
✓ LEO is normally at an altitude of less than 1000
km but could be as low as 160 km above Earth.
• Initiatives taken by ISRO for space debris mitigation
o ISRO System for Safe and Sustainable Space
Operations Management (IS4OM) for tracking and
monitoring space objects.
o Project NETRA: To provide first-hand information
on the status of debris.
• In a related news, ISRO has received NASA-ISRO SAR
(NISAR) satellite from NASA.
• About LVM3 (earlier called Geosynchronous Launch

Vehicle Mark III or GSLV-MK3)
o It is a 3-stage launch vehicle consisting of
Cryogenic Upper Stage, Solid Rocket Boosters and
Core Liquid Stage.
o It has a carrying capacity of 8 tonnes to LEO and 4
7.4.6. PELLET-BEAM PROPULSION
tonnes to geo transfer orbit (GTO).
o It is ISRO’s second rocket for global commercial • A newly proposed 'pellet-beam' propulsion system
market, after its Polar Satellite Launch vehicle could theoretically beam a heavy spacecraft to
(PSLV).

outside the confines of our Solar System in less than 5 7.4.8. CANDIDA AURIS (C. AURIS)
years.
• Pellet-beam concept was partly inspired by • It is a multi-drug resistant fungus that is capable of
Breakthrough Starshot initiative, which is working on a causing invasive infection in human body currently
'light-sail' propulsion system. spreading in USA.
o To work, conceptual propulsion system requires • It was first identified in Japan in 2009.
two spacecraft – one that sets off for interstellar o Its most cases have been reported in healthcare
space, and one that goes into orbit around Earth. settings, such as hospitals and nursing homes.
o Spacecraft orbiting Earth would shoot a beam of o Spread through contact with contaminated
tiny microscopic particles at interstellar surfaces or by person-to-person transmission.
spacecraft. o Symptoms: Fever and chills that don’t go away
o Those particles would be heated up by lasers, after treatment with antibiotics.
causing part of them to melt into plasma that o Mortality rate: Estimated to be between 30-60%.
accelerates the pellets further, a process is known
as laser ablation. 7.4.9. TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION
o Those pellets could reach 120 km/second. REPORT 2023
7.4.7. FOOD IRRADIATION • Report was released by United Nations Conference on

Trade and Development (UNCTD).
• Onions to be irradiated with gamma rays to curb post- • Report is built around the concept of green innovation
harvest losses. i.e., creating or introducing new or improved goods
• Perishable nature of onions, combined with lower and services that leave lighter carbon footprints and
processing penetration and sub-optimal storage open up green windows of opportunity.
infrastructure causes post-harvest losses (almost
25%).
o Irradiation prevents sprouting and thus helps in
bringing down post-harvest losses.
• Food irradiation involves controlled application of
energy from ionizing radiations such as gamma rays,
electrons and X-rays for food preservation.
o Irradiation works by disrupting the biological
processes that lead to decay.
o Gamma ray, X-ray or electrons do not induce any
radioactivity in food.
• Sources of radiation approved for use on foods:
o Gamma rays emitted from radioactive forms of
cobalt (Cobalt 60) or Caesium (Caesium 137) used
routinely to sterilize medical, dental products.
o X-rays produced by reflecting a high-energy stream
of electrons off a target substance into food.
o Electron beam (or e-beam) is like X-rays and is a
stream of high-energy electrons propelled from an
electron accelerator into food.
• Key findings of report

o Widening North-South Divide: While countries in
EU reach Research & Development expenditure of
3%, only a few developing countries reach 1%
expenditure.
o Following Paris Agreement, 2015, most countries
have increased their climate-change-related,
green official development assistance (ODA).
o UN support for Technology Transfer: Within UN
system, Global Environmental Facility (GEF) is
largest public sector funding source for 7.4.11. LEARNING SCIENCE VIA
transferring Environmentally Sound Technologies STANDARDS INITIATIVE
(ESTs).
✓ UNFCCC has UN Climate Technology Centre • It was launched by Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS)
and Network (CTCN), which provides technical for students for learning science via standards.
assistance to developing countries. o This initiative is in continuity with an earlier BIS
initiative under which ‘Standards Clubs’ are being
established in educational institutions across
India.
• Initiative focuses on series of lesson plans aimed to use
scientific concepts, principles and laws to help
students understand their practical applications in
manufacturing, functioning and testing of quality
characteristics of different products as stated in
relevant Indian Standards.
o BIS officials and resource personnel will be
responsible for delivering lesson plans to students
for an interactive learning experience.
7.4.10. VAIBHAV FELLOWSHIPS 7.4.12. SAND BATTERY
• Ministry of Science and technology launched • Recently, Finland has installed world’s first sand
‘VAIBHAV Fellowship’ for NRI researchers. battery that can store heat from renewable energy
• Vaibhav Fellowship aims at improving the research sources for months.
ecosystem of India’s Higher Educational Institutions. • Sand Battery is a high temperature thermal energy
o It facilitates academic and research collaborations storage that uses sand or sand-like materials as its
between Indian institutions and best institutions storage medium. It stores energy in sand as heat.
in world through mobility of faculty/researcher o Its main purpose is to work as a high-power and
from overseas institutions to India. high-capacity reservoir for excess wind and solar
energy.
o Energy is stored as heat, which can be used to heat
homes, or to provide hot steam and high
temperature process heat to industries that are
often fossil-fuel dependent.

7.1. INDIAN SPACE POLICY – 2023
Why in news?
Recently, Indian Space Policy-2023 was approved by the Government.
More on News
• The Space policy underlines the growing importance of Private Sector participation in Space.
• Government of India had started reforms in space domain in 2020, opening the doors for enhanced participation of
Non-Government Entities (NGEs) with an aim to provide them a level playing field.
• Subsequently, Government sought to provide regulatory certainty to space activities by various stakeholders.
• Indian Space Policy – 2023 has thus been formulated as an overarching, composite and dynamic framework to
implement this reform vision.
Strategy outlined in the policy

Stakeholder Role
Government • Encouraging advanced Research & Development.
• Stable and predictable regulatory framework to provide a level playing field to NGEs through IN-SPACe.
• Promoting and support to start-ups.
• Using space as a driver for overall technology development.
Non- • Offer national and international space-based communication services.
Governmental • Establish and operate
Entities (NGEs) o Ground facilities for space objects operations, e.g. Satellite Control Centres (SCCs).
o Remote sensing satellite systems.
• Use Orbital Resources to establish space objects for communication services over India and outside India.
• Commercialise technologies for enhancing and augmenting the satellite navigation, communication and
remote-sensing.
• Engage in the commercial recovery of an asteroid resource or a space resource.
Department of • Nodal department for implementation of the Indian Space Policy-2023.
Space (DOS) • Ensure availability of continuous & improved earth observation capability and data to fulfil the national
requirements.

• Participate in international efforts by providing critical remote sensing satellite data for disaster
management, for sustainable development goals etc.
• Establish framework to ensure safe and sustainable space operations, in compliance with relevant
international space debris mitigation guidelines.
Indian Space • Role under policy
Research o Focus primarily
Organization on research
and
development
of new space
technologies
and
applications.
o Expanding the
human
understanding
of outer space
o Share
technologies,
products,
processes and
best practices with NGEs
o Enable open data access from remote sensing satellites of ISRO.
o Demonstrate human spaceflight capability and develop a long term road-map for sustained human
presence in space.
IN-SPACe- • Act as the single window agency for the authorisation of space activities by govt entities and NGEs.
Indian National • Work with industry to establish India as a preferred service provider at global level.
Space • Ensure a level playing field for the utilization of all facilities created using public expenditure. Decisions of
Promotion & INSPACe shall be binding on the operators of such facilities.
Authorisation • Facilitate the transfer of technologies developed by ISRO.
Centre • Prescribe guidelines regarding liability of potential damages due to the space activities.
New Space • Responsible for commercialising space technologies and platforms created through public expenditure.
India Limited • The operational part of ISRO's missions will be moved to the NSIL.
(NSIL) • Service the space-based needs of users.
Significance of Private Participation in Space
• Focus on R&D: This approach allows ISRO to concentrate
on cutting-edge research and development, exploration
missions and human spaceflight programme.
• Shift from supply driven model to demand driven model:
Almost every sector, starting from agriculture to
transport, weather department and even urban
development, now wants satellite data and space
technology.
o Entry of the private sector into end-to-end space
activities enables to meet the new demands in these
areas.
• Rapidly rising space industry: The Indian space sector is
projected to increase at a ~48% CAGR over the next five
years to reach US$ 50 billion.
• Enhance share in global space economy: Currently, India
accounts for only about two per cent of the space
economy, much behind the major players - the US and
China.
• Diversify space activities to new areas: In the global space market, rocket and satellite launch services—an area in
which ISRO specialises—amount to only 5% share. Satellite-based services and ground-based systems account for the
remaining 95%.
Private sector participation in Space sector: Current status
• Innovation and Indigenisation:
• There are around 100 start-ups registered with the ISRO and are working closely
Focus on public-private in “various domains of the space sector.
partnerships, technology • India had more than 350 space tech companies in 2021.
transfer enables sharing of • In 2022, Vikram-S, India’s first privately built rocket was launched under Mission
resources, knowledge, and Prarambh’. It was developed by Hyderabad-based Skyroot Aerospace.
expertise between the public • PSLV Production: NSIL and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) exchanged the
and private sectors. MOU for producing PSLVs. L&T is partnering with HAL in the consortium.
• Promote Make in India: With Other measures private participation in space
active private participation, India Apart from NSIL and IN-SPACe, other institutions include;
can aspire to become a satellite • Indian Space Association (ISpA): Launched in 2021, it is the apex, non-profit
manufacturing hub and a industry body exclusively working towards successful exploration, collaboration,
and development of private and public Space Industry in India.
launchpad for the world ranging
o It will undertake Policy Advocacy, Engage and Operate with all Stakeholders
from the Small Satellite Launch and act as a catalyst for accelerating the exchange of knowledge, technology
Vehicle to the Geosynchronous of space-related domains.
Satellite Launch Vehicle. • Antrix Corporation Limited: Incorporated as a marketing arm of ISRO. It handles
Conclusion ISRO’s commercial deals for satellites and launch vehicles with foreign
Indian Space Policy 2023 sets the customers.
stage for a bold and ambitious • Space Entrepreneurship & Enterprise Development (SEED): Conceived as a
future for India’s space sector, competitive early-stage encouragement programme to startups and MSMEs in
opening the door to innovation, focus areas of interest to ISRO.
collaboration, and international
cooperation. However, it is essential to recognise that the global space landscape is not static but constantly evolving.
India must embrace adaptability and strategic foresight to keep pace with these rapid changes.
7.2. LIGO-INDIA PROJECT

Why in news? Current LIGO facilities
• LIGO-India will be the third observatory of its kind.
Union Cabinet has approved the Laser
• Currently, LIGO consists of two widely separated installations
Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory, or
within the United States -- one in Hanford Washington and the
LIGO, project to build an advanced gravitational- other in Livingston, Louisiana.
wave detector. • The instruments at these observatories are so sensitive that they
More on News can easily get influenced by events like earthquakes, landslides,
or even the movement of trucks, and produce a false reading.
• Components will be made in India- improving • That is why multiple observatories are needed to revalidate the
the technological expertise of Indian scientists signals.
and engineers. • Also, multiple detectors can help tap all possible sources of
• The project will have multidisciplinary benefits gravitational waves, and to improve the quality and accuracy of
on India's Astrophysics research, high end information.
technological development. LIGO sister facilities
• Virgo: Located in Italy, Virgo is gravitational wave interferometer
About the project with arms 3 km long (LIGO's are 4 km long). It is funded by the
European Gravitational Observatory (EGO), a collaboration of the
• LIGO - India is a planned advanced gravitational- Italian and French governments.
wave observatory to be located in India as part • GEO600: It is a 0.6 km (600 m) interferometer located near
of the worldwide network. Hannover, Germany, funded by both the German and British
• Genesis: The project was given “in principle” governments.
approval in 2016 to be completed by 2030. • KAGRA: Japan is currently building a 3 km interferometer inside
• Location: Hingoli district in Maharashtra. of the Kamioka mine.

• Funding: Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) and the Department of Science and Technology (DST).
• Capacity: It is a collaborative project between a consortium of Indian research institutions and the LIGO Laboratory in
USA. The US will provide key components for the lab.
• Institutions and departments involved:
o Department of Atomic Energy.
o Department of Science and Technology.
o U.S. National Science Foundation.
o Directorate of Construction, Services &
Estate Management, Mumbai.
o Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and
Astrophysics, Pune.
o Institute For Plasma Research,
Gandhinagar.
o Raja Ramanna Centre for Advanced
Technology, Indore.
What is LIGO and how it works?
• LIGO is a tool to detect gravitational waves with
the use of laser interferometers.
• LIGO detectors consist of two 4-km-long
vacuum chambers, arranged at right angles to
each other, with mirrors at the end.
• The experiment works by releasing light rays
simultaneously in both chambers.
• Normally, the light should return at the same time
in both chambers.
• However, if a gravitational wave passes through,
one chamber gets elongated while the other gets
squeezed, resulting in a phase difference in the
returning light rays.
• Detecting this phase difference confirms the
presence of a gravitational wave.
What are gravitational waves?
• Gravitational waves are 'ripples' in space-time

caused by some of the most violent and energetic
processes in the Universe.
• Gravitational waves are invisible.
• They travel at the speed of light (186,000 miles per
second).
o Gravitational waves squeeze and stretch
anything in their path as they pass by.
• Albert Einstein predicted the existence of
gravitational waves in 1916 in his general theory About Spacetime
of relativity. • In our everyday lives we think of three-dimensional space and
• One of the main conclusions of general theory of time as completely separate things.
relativity is that objects of mass warp the very • But Einstein’s theory showed that the three spacial dimensions
fabric of spacetime. plus time are actually just part of the same thing: the four
dimensions of spacetime.
• Not only are space and time part of the same thing, but they are
both warped by mass or energy, causing a curved spacetime.

• The greater the mass of an object the more extreme the warping of
space it causes, so a star warps spacetime more than a planet, and
a black hole warp it more than a star.
• Most powerful gravitational waves are created when objects
move at very high speeds. Some examples of events that could
cause a gravitational wave are:
o When a star explodes asymmetrically (called a supernova).
o When two big stars orbit each other.
o When two black holes orbit each other and merge.
o Black hole-neutron star merger
Conclusion
Detection of gravitational waves help understand black holes, neutron
stars, supernovae, even the Big Bang. Extracting the information
carried by the waves addresses the questions in both physics and
astronomy.
7.3. DARK MATTER MAP

Why in News? Big Bang Model
Astronomers have made the most • It is the only model that is able to explain the existence of the Cosmic Microwave
detailed map of dark matter Background (CMB).
• According to this model, the Universe started with a very dense and hot phase that
showing that both the ‘lumpiness’
expanded and cooled itself; for several hundreds of thousands of years the
(piece of a solid substance, usually
temperature was so high that neutral atoms could not form.
with no particular shape) of the • Matter consisted mostly of neutrons and charged particles (protons and electrons).
universe and the rate at which the • Electrons interacted closely with the light particles, and therefore light and matter
universe is growing. were tightly coupled at that time (that is, light could not travel for a long distance
More on News in a straight line).
• Light could therefore not propagate and the Universe was opaque.
• They have created a map by • It took about 300 000 years for the Universe to cool down to a temperature at which
using the microwave detector atoms can form (about 3000°C).
of the Atacama Cosmology • Matter then became neutral, and allowed the light to travel freely, then Universe
Telescope (ACT). became transparent.
• Astronomers were observing the data collected Einstein's Theory of Relativity
by the ACT to find out whether Einstein’s • It was propounded by him in 1915.
predictions in his theory are correct regarding the • In this theory, he contradicted Isaac Newton’s concept of space
expansion of the Universe. who saw space and time as fixed.
• They also observed the sanctity of the standard • But according to his theory, space is fluid and malleable.
• Gravity is not a force, but rather a distortion of time and space.
model of cosmology (SMC).
• Tiny ripples are caused by colliding black holes.
Observation Made by Astronomers
• Invisible world: Features of the invisible world (dark matter and energy) were observed which are hundreds of
millions of light-years across.
• Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) radiation: Gravitational pull of large, heavy structures including dark matter
warps the CMB radiation on its 14-billion-year journey to Earth.
o CMB or fossil radiation is the cooled remnant of the first light (or leftover of the Big Bang) that could ever travel
freely throughout the Universe.
o The CMB light gets deflected by dark matter, just like a magnifying glass deflects light that passes through it.
• Lumpiness: Measurements showed that the 'lumpiness' of the universe is of the exact right size as per SMC.
• Expansion: Rate at which it is growing is just what was expected from our SMC based on Einstein's theory.
• Gravitational lensing: It was observed while recording the movement of the CMB.

o It is a phenomenon in
Composition of the Universe
which light moving
• Unlike normal matter, dark matter does not interact with electromagnetic force.
through a region of space-
o This means it does not absorb, reflect or emit light, making it extremely hard
time warped (bend or twist to spot.
out of shape) by powerful • Researchers have been able to infer the existence of dark matter only from the
gravitational fields travels, gravitational effect it seems to have on visible matter.
in a curve until it emerges • It seems to outweigh visible matter roughly six to one, making up about 27% of
as a stretched-out arc the universe.
called an Einstein ring. • Astronomer Fritz Zwicky first used the term "dark matter" in the 1930s.
o Gravitational lensing helps • It makes up approximately 68% of the • It makes up 5% of the Universe.
in detecting dark matter. universe and appears to be associated • It includes Earth, the sun, other
with the vacuum in space. stars, and galaxies.
Einstein’s Prediction in the Theory • It is distributed evenly throughout the • It is made of protons, neutrons,
of General Relativity (GR) universe, not only in space but also in and electrons bundled together
• Motion in Space: time. into atoms.
Concentrations of mass and energy curve the structure of spacetime, affecting the motion of anything passing near,
including light.
o He expected a beam of starlight should bend when passing through the sun’s gravity.
• Expansion of Universe: He provided the mathematical framework for describing the structure and evolution of the
universe (once hotter and denser than it is today) from its beginnings 13.8 billion years ago and into the future.
o Galaxies are moving away from each other.
o Also, he predicted that the universe is lumpy.
How does the new map confirm Einstein’s Prediction?
• Crisis in Cosmology: Previous maps indicated that the lumpiness of the universe was not as dense as Einstein’s theory
had proposed, under the standard model of cosmology and led to concerns that the model may be broken.
o These findings used a different background light, one emitted from stars in galaxies rather than the CMB.
o However, the latest results from ACT were able to precisely assess that the lumpiness seen are as per Einstein’s
theory.
• Standard Model of Cosmology (SMC): Findings proved that the expansion of the universe is as per the SMC.
o It is also called the “Concordance Cosmological Model” or the “ΛCDM Model,”.
o It is based on the principle that the universe was created by the “Big Bang” from pure energy.
o Also, it believes that Universe is composed of about 5% ordinary matter (visible), 27% dark matter, and 68% dark
energy.
• Presence of CMB shows that Universe started with a very dense and hot phase that expanded and cooled itself and
later released CMB. Its movement depicts it is Universe is still expanding.
o Also, its deflection by Massive object upheld that Gravity is not a force, but rather a distortion of time and space.
Conclusion
The latest finding with the help of the ACT has upheld the SMC and solved the crisis in cosmology up to a large extent. It
will give new opportunities to astronomers and researchers for space-related research. Space agencies such as NASA,
ISRO, etc. can use these findings for their space exploration programs.
7.4. NATIONAL QUANTUM MISSION (NQM)

Why in News?
Recently, National Quantum Mission received cabinet approval at a total cost of about Rs. 6000 crores.

About the Mission
• Aim: To seed, nurture and scale up scientific and industrial
R&D and create a vibrant & innovative ecosystem in
Quantum Technology (QT).
• Implementing agency: It will be implemented by the
Department of Science & Technology (DST) under the
Ministry of Science & Technology.
• Mission duration: From 2023 to 2031.
• Targets:
o Developing intermediate-scale quantum computers
with 50-1000 physical qubits (refer image) in 8 years.
o Satellite-based secure quantum communications
between ground stations over a range of 2000
kilometres within India and with other countries.
✓ Also, inter-city quantum key distribution over
2000 km.
• Applications areas:
o Magnetometers with high sensitivity in atomic
systems;
o Atomic Clocks for precision timing, communications,
and navigation.
o Design and synthesis of quantum materials such as superconductors, novel semiconductor structures, and
topological materials for the fabrication of quantum devices.
o Single photon sources/detectors, and entangled photon sources for quantum communication, sensing, and
metrological applications.
• Themes
o It includes setting up four Thematic Hubs (T-Hubs) in top academic and National R&D institutes in the domains-
✓ Quantum Computing,
✓ Quantum Communication,
✓ Quantum Sensing & Metrology,
and
✓ Quantum Materials & Devices.
Significance of the Mission
• Technological advancement: NQM can
take the Technology Development
ecosystem in the country to a globally
competitive level.
• Help various disciplines: The Mission
would greatly benefit various sectors,
including communication, health,
finance, and energy with applications in drug design,
space, banking, security, etc. s
• Research and Development: It will help establish a
research ecosystem in and around quantum technology.
• Global leader: India can take an early advantage in
developing the technology and harnessing the benefits.
o Currently, only six other countries – the United
States, Finland, Austria, China, Canada, and France
are working in the field of developing quantum
technology on a large scale.
• National Security: It will aid national security in areas
such as optimized intelligence collection, encryption,
stealth technology, communications etc.
Way forward
National Quantum Mission is a giant stride in the future. To
realise its potential, a collaboration between businesses,
universities, and government must happen. This will help
address the financial and human resource gaps and at the same time, aid in the creation of a national quantum research
ecosystem.
7.5. JUPITER ICY MOONS EXPLORER (JUICE) MISSION

Why in News?
European Space Agency (ESA) has launched JUICE from Europe's spaceport French Guiana on an eight-year-long voyage
to Jupiter and its moons through Ariane-5.
More on News
• Spacecraft will complete fly-bys of Venus, Earth, and the Earth-Moon system to arrive at its destination in 2031.
• It is the first large-class mission in ESA's Cosmic Vision 2015-2025 programme.
• For the first time that the ESA has sent a spacecraft beyond the asteroid belt.
• It is a product of "global" cooperation between 23 countries, academic institutions, and private companies.

About JUICE Mission
• Objectives: It will make detailed observations about Jupiter and its three large ocean-bearing moons – Ganymede,
Callisto and Europa.
o It will inspect and analyse the moons' weather, magnetic field, gravitational pull and other elements.
• Time Period: It will spend at least three years studying the gas giant and its moons.
• Spacecraft: It has a record 85 square metres of solar panels, which stretch out to the size of a basketball court.
• It will collect as much energy as possible near Jupiter, where sunlight is 25 times weaker than on Earth.
• Payload: It includes GALA (GAnymede Laser Altimeter), MAJIS (Moons and Jupiter Imaging Spectrometer), UVS (UV
imaging Spectrograph) etc.
Benefits of the JUICE Mission

• Life in Solar System: It may find the evidence of life on the moons of Jupiter.
• New Scientific Knowledge: It will reveal new set of information about Jupiter.
o Also, it will help in understanding the formation of planets and moon.
• Inspiration for Other Space Agency: Using renewable source of energy (solar panels) will set an example in front of
other space agencies such as ISRO.

Challenges in JUICE Mission
• Complex: Mission is dependent on several manoeuvres which are required for the insertion of spacecraft in the orbit
of Jupiter and Ganymede.
• Extreme Atmospheric Condition: Temperature around the gas planet stands at a chilly -230°C. This contrasts starkly
with the scorching 250°C near Venus.
• Gravity-assisted flyby: Of Venus, Earth, and the Earth-Moon system may change the trajectory of the mission.
• Monitoring: Spacecraft will travel more than 1.7 billion miles in space.
• Collision: Solar panels on the spacecraft are under threat due to Space debris (also known as space junk).
Jupiter Trojan Asteroids (Related News)
• NASA’s spacecraft ‘Lucy’ has captured images of the Jupiter Trojan asteroid for the first time.
• Images will help scientists to analyze how the Trojan asteroids reflect light from certain angles.
o Trojans (also known as ancient population of asteroid fossils) orbit the Sun in two loose groups, with one group leading
ahead of Jupiter in its path, the other trailing behind.
o They are stabilized by the Sun and its largest planet in a gravitational balancing act.
• Lucy was launched in 2021 as the first space mission to study the Trojans. It is on a 12-year mission that will take close
observations of nine of Jupiter’s Trojans and two main belt asteroids along with that.

7.6. PREPAREDNESS AND RESILIENCE FOR EMERGING THREATS (PRET)
INITIATIVE
Why in news?
Recently, World Health Organisation (WHO) launched Preparedness and Resilience For Emerging Threats (PRET)
Initiative.
About Preparedness and Resilience For Emerging Threats (PRET) Initiative
• PRET is an innovative approach to improving disease pandemic preparedness.
o It recognizes that the same systems, capacities, knowledge, and tools can be leveraged and applied for groups
of pathogens based on their mode of transmission (respiratory, vector-borne, foodborne etc.).
o It incorporates the latest tools and approaches for shared learning and collective action established during the
COVID-19 pandemic and other recent public health emergencies.
o It places the principles of equity, inclusivity, and coherence at the forefront.
o PRET provides a platform for national, regional
and global stakeholders to collaborate to
strengthen preparedness.
• PRET recognizes that there are 3 tiers of systems and
capacities relevant for pandemic preparedness those
that are:
o cross-cutting for all or multi-hazards,
o relevant for groups of pathogens (respiratory,
arboviruses etc.),
o are specific to a pathogen.
• PRET operate under the aegis of the International
Health Regulations (IHR).
o IHR 2005 are a legally binding agreement of 196
States Parties, including all 194 Member States of
WHO to build the capability to detect and report potential public health emergencies worldwide.
o IHR sets out the core capacities that countries need to be able to detect and respond effectively.
o WHO plays the coordinating role in IHR implementation and, together with its partners, helps countries to build
capacities.
o IHR require that all countries have the ability to Detect; Assess; Report; and Respond.
• The technical actions in PRET are mapped to the IHR core capacities, grouped according to five subsystems for health
emergency preparedness, response and resilience (HEPR).
o HEPR under WHO is a learning channel brings together resources for WHO, national counterparts and partners
to outline the process of developing national investment plans to apply for additional resources, including
Pandemic Fund resources.
• PRET can also serve to operationalize the objectives and provisions of the Pandemic Accord, which is currently being
negotiated by WHO Member States.
7.7. NEWS IN SHORTS

7.7.1. RARE EARTH ELEMENTS o Group consists of yttrium and 15 lanthanide
elements (lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium,
• Hyderabad-based National Geophysical Research neodymium, promethium, samarium, europium,
Institute has found large deposits of 15 Rare Earth gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, holmium,
Elements (REE) in Andhra Pradesh's Anantapur erbium, thulium, ytterbium, and lutetium).
district. o REEs are all metals having many similar
• REEs (aka rare earth oxides) are a group of 17 silvery- properties, and that often causes them to be
white soft heavy metals that occur together in periodic found together in geologic deposits.
table.
• REEs are used in high end technology, defence • Project has been launched in accordance with
applications, electronic devices like cell-phones, objectives of National Strategy on Blockchain, 2021
computers, electric vehicle etc. because of their (launched by Ministry of Electronics and Information
luminescent and catalytic properties. Technology).
• In similar development, scientists from Institute of o It creates a trusted digital platform by evolving a
Minerals and Materials Technology, Bhubaneswar, national Blockchain infrastructure.
have estimated the quantity of REEs that can be • Blockchain is a distributed or decentralised ledger
recovered from Red Mud. technology that facilitates the process of recording and
• Red Mud is a toxic byproduct of aluminium extraction tracking transactions between users.
from bauxite ore using Bayer process. o Each transaction in a blockchain is recorded as a
o Red Mud contains REEs. There are two strategies “block” of data which is linked with other blocks
to recover REEs from red mud: extract only REEs or before or after it.
extract all metals (such as iron, titanium, and
sodium) including REEs.
7.7.3. SUPPORT FOR UP-GRADATION

PREVENTIVE REPAIR & MAINTENANCE
OF EQUIPMENT (SUPREME)
• SUPREME was launched by Department of Science and
Technology.
• It is a first-of-its-kind program to provide financial
support for repair/ upgradation/ maintenance/
retrofitting or acquiring additional attachments to
increase functional capabilities of existing Analytical
7.7.2. BLOCKCHAIN PROJECT Instrumentation Facilities (AIFs).
• Government launched Blockchain Project to explore o Funding pattern: 75:25 for all private and
potential of Web3 government owned institutions except for state
• Project is titled ‘Design and Development of a Unified funded institutions which will get 100% funding.
Blockchain Framework for offering National o Support under the scheme will be upto 3 years.
Blockchain Service and Creation of Blockchain • Analytical Instruments are vital for pursuing research
Ecosystem’. through sample analysis in many areas of modern
o It is a part of government's effort towards realizing science and technology.
Web3, as blockchain plays a crucial role in it.
7.7.4. PSLV ORBITAL EXPERIMENTAL
o It will facilitate the creation of Open Application
Programming Interfaces (APIs) for smooth MODULE-2 (POEM-2)
integration and provision of blockchain-as-a- • ISRO carried out scientific experiment using POEM-2
service (BaaS) over distributed infrastructure. in PSLV-C55 mission.
• BaaS refers to third-party cloud-based infrastructure • PSLV-C55 is a dedicated mission of NewSpace India
and management for companies.. Limited (NSIL), for the international satellite customer
o It allows Government Departments to leverage from Singapore.
Blockchain services to build, host and use their o PSLV is a four-stage launch vehicle (1st & 3rd
own blockchain apps, smart contracts and stage: Solid; 2nd & 4th: Liquid).
functions on blockchain.

o NSIL is the commercial arm of ISRO for enabling • About EMIC Waves
Indian industries to take up high technology o They are the discreet electromagnetic emissions
space-related activities. (transverse plasma waves) observed in the Earth's
• Main payloads launched: inner magnetosphere.
o TeLEOS-2, an earth observation satellite to ✓ Plasma is the ‘fourth state of matter’ along
support satellite imaging requirements of with solid, liquid and gas.
Singapore government agencies. ✓ Plasma is a superheated matter, i.e. a gas with
o Lumelite-4 to augment Singapore’s maritime sufficient energy that the electrons are ripped
navigation and benefit the global shipping away from the atoms to form an ionized gas.
community. o These waves are generated in the equatorial
• Mission, for the first time, will see solar panels latitudes and propagate along magnetic field lines
powering PSLV’s fourth (final) stage for conducting to its footprint in the high latitude ionosphere
month-long experiments. (atmosphere).
o Usually, fourth and final stage of a rocket remains o They can be recorded in both space as well as
in space for only a couple of days before dropping ground based magnetometers.
back into the atmosphere and burning up. o These waves play an important role in
• However, PSLV includes PSLV Orbital Experimental precipitation of killer electrons, which are
Module-2 (POEM-2) platform to perform in-orbit hazardous to our space-borne
experiments using the final stage of PSLV. technology/instruments.
o POEM has a dedicated Navigation Guidance and ✓ Killer electrons are electrons having speed
Control system which acts as platform’s brain to close to speed of light, which form the
stabilize it with specified accuracy. radiation belt of planet Earth.
o POEM will derive its power from mounted solar • Magnetosphere is the region around a planet
panels and a Li-Ion battery. dominated by the planet's magnetic field, rather than
the magnetic field of interplanetary space.
7.7.5. TROPOSPHERIC EMISSIONS o The Earth’s Magnetosphere is dominated by the
MONITORING OF POLLUTION (TEMPO) magnetic field of Earth, protecting earth’s
INSTRUMENT atmosphere from many types of radiation from
the sun.
• NASA launched device called TEMPO to monitor air
pollution from space.
• TEMPO will allow scientists to monitor air pollutants
and their emission sources and air quality across
greater North America on an hourly basis during
daytime.
o Situated in geostationary orbit 35,786 kilometers
above the equator.
o Among the pollutants tracked by TEMPO will be
nitrogen dioxide, produced from the combustion
of fossil fuels, formaldehyde and ozone.
o It will be able to measure atmospheric pollution
down to a spatial resolution of 10 square
kilometers or neighborhood level.
7.7.6. ELECTROMAGNETIC ION

CYCLOTRON (EMIC) WAVES
7.7.7. DEEP LEARNING GEOMAGNETIC
• Recently, Indian Scientists identified EMIC waves in the
Indian Antarctic station, Maitri, and studied its
PERTURBATION (DAGGER) MODEL
characteristics. • NASA researchers have developed a new computer
o Study can help understand the impact of energetic model called DAGGER, to forecast geomagnetic
particles in the radiation belts on the low orbiting disturbances and provide a warning for solar storms.
satellites. • The model integrates Artificial intelligence with
Satellite data, to predict the incoming solar winds

• It provides a lead time of 30 minutes for an impending o Uranium is a naturally occurring radioactive
solar storm anywhere on Earth, enough to protect the element.
critical systems from solar storms. o Naturally, 99.27% of Uranium exists in form of U-
• The solar wind is a stream of material that flows from 238 while rest in other isotopes as: U-235 (0.72%),
the Sun carrying the Sun’s magnetic field out into space and U-234 (0.006%) etc.
and can cause damage to existing electrical • Theoretical calculations suggest it could have a half-
infrastructure in the world. life of 40 minutes.
• New isotope was found during a process called
7.7.8. MAGNETORESISTANCE multinucleon transfer in which two isotopes
exchanged protons and neutrons.
• Recently, Nobel laureate Andre Geim discovered that
Graphene displays an anomalous giant • Benefits: refines our understanding of nuclear physics,
magnetoresistance (GMR) at room temperature. designing nuclear power plants and models of
exploding stars.
• GMR is the result of electrical resistance of a
conductor (sandwiched between two materials) being 7.7.10. STATE OF THE WORLD’S
affected by magnetic fields in adjacent materials.
CHILDREN (SOWC) 2023 REPORT
o When materials are magnetised in same direction,
electrical resistance in the conductor is low. • The State of the World’s Children (SOWC) 2023: For
o When directions are opposite each other, Every Child, Vaccination Report released by UNICEF.
resistance increases. • Building on global strategies outlined in Immunization
• Application of GMR: Hard disk drives and Agenda 2030 and Gavi Strategy 5.0 to promote equity
magnetoresistive RAM in computers, biosensors, and sustainably scale up immunization coverage,
automotive sensors, microelectromechanical systems, report presents an agenda to put childhood
and medical imagers. vaccination first.
• New study has found that a graphene-based device, • Key priorities identified
unlike conventional counterparts, wouldn’t need to be o Vaccinate every child, everywhere by
cooled to a very low temperature to sense magnetic ✓ Catching up on vaccination of children missed
fields. during the pandemic.
• About Graphene ▪ 98% of the population in India currently
o Graphene is ‘a two-dimensional single-atom-thick perceive vaccines as important for
layer of carbon atoms bonded in a hexagonal children.
honeycomb lattice structure. ✓ Identifying zero-dose (unreached or missed
o It is extracted from graphite and displays unique out) and under-vaccinated children.
physicochemical properties like: ▪ India was among top 20 countries with
✓ High surface area, good biocompatibility, the largest numbers of zero-dose
strong mechanical strength, excellent children.
thermal conductivity, and fast electron o Strengthen demand for vaccination by talking to
transportation. communities; tackling gender barriers; rethinking
o Applications include Energy (Solar cell, Fuel cell, accountability in health systems.
Super computers etc); Sensor, Bio-sensor; o Spend more on immunization and health by
Biomedical (diagnostic, drug delivery etc); investing in primary health care at national level
Environment treatment etc. and better aligning donor support.
• In 2007, Albert Fert and Peter Grünberg received the o Build resilient systems by improving data
Nobel Prize in Physics for their discovery of GMR in collection and disease surveillance; Securing
1988. vaccine and other supplies etc.
• In 2010, Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov ✓ In India, digital health platform TeCHO+
received Nobel Prize for Physics for their work on (Technology Enabled Community Health
graphene. Operations) and electronic vaccine
intelligence network (eVIN) increased
7.7.9. NEW URANIUM ISOTOPE vaccination coverage while enhancing data
entry efficiency.
• A previously unknown isotope of uranium, with atomic
number 92 and mass number 241, i.e., uranium-241
discovered.

7.7.11. THE BIG CATCH-UP o It was approved by US Food and Drug
Administration and European Commission.
• WHO, UNICEF, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance and Bill &
Melinda Gates Foundation, along with Immunization 7.7.13. KNOW YOUR MEDICINE
Agenda 2030 and other health partners, are
• National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) has developed
implementing the “The Big Catch-up”.
the Know Your Medicine web and mobile application
• It is a targeted global effort to boost vaccination
with an aim to create a clean sporting environment in
among children aiming to reverse the declines in
India
childhood vaccinations driven by COVID-19 pandemic.
• Paving the path for clean sport, the application will
o It will have a particular focus on 20 countries
enable the sports ecosystem to:
including India where three quarters of the
o Check if any prohibited substance is present in
children who missed vaccinations in 2021 live.
medicines.
o It will strengthen healthcare workforces, improve
o Make informed choices about use of medicines.
health service delivery, build demand for vaccines
and address obstacles to restoring immunization. • Available in Hindi and English, the users can search by
image and text options and search by medicines and
7.7.12. SHINGRIX VACCINE ingredient options.
• GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) Pharma has launched vaccine 7.7.14. INTERNATIONAL PRIZE IN

“Shingrix” in India to prevent shingles. STATISTICS
o Shingles is caused by the reactivation of the
varicella zoster virus (VZV), same virus that causes • Indian American C R Rao won the Nobel Prize
chickenpox. equivalent in statistics at the age of 102.
o Those suffering from diabetes, heart disease and • International Prize in Statistics was established in 2016
kidney diseases were at an increased risk of by a group of five major statistical organizations,
developing shingles because of weakened o American Statistical Association, Institute of
immunity. Mathematical Statistics, International Biometric
• Shingrix aims to prevent shingles (herpes zoster) and Society, International Statistical Institute, and
post-herpetic neuralgia in adults aged 50 years or Royal Statistical Society
more. • It is awarded once in every two years to an individual
o It is the world’s first non-live, recombinant or a team.
subunit vaccine to be given intramuscularly in two • Prize is given for major achievements using statistics
doses. to advance science, technology and human welfare.

7.1. THREE PARENT BABY Mitochondria and Mitochondrial Diseases
• Mitochondria are basically the powerhouses of the cells. They
Why in news? generate the energy, and thus are also responsible for cell function in
the human body.
Recently, a baby has been born using three
• Certain defects might occur impacting on the way the mitochondria
people's DNA in the UK with help of produce energy for the cells and thereby impacting cell function.
Mitochondrial Donation Treatment (MDT) o The diseases that arise out of such mitochondrial mutations are
procedure. called mitochondrial diseases.
o When the mitochondria are impaired and do not produce
About Mitochondrial Donation Treatment
sufficient energy, that affects how the organs function, leading to
(MDT)
a broad assortment of symptoms across the body, including brain
• MDT is a technique in which a child is damage, organ failure and muscle wastage.
conceived from IVF (in vitro fertilization) o Unlike nuclear DNA, which comes from both parents,
using the genetic material of the parents mitochondrial DNA comes only from the mother.
and the mitochondrial material of a
donor.
• It works on the principle in which the
diseased mitochondria are replaced by
healthy mitochondria in order to avoid
transfer of mitochondrial diseases from
the mother to the offspring.
o Passing on mitochondrial diseases
from parent to child can be prevented
by MDT either before or after IVF of
the egg.
• It is also known as Mitochondrial
Replacement Therapy (MRT) and Three-
parent babies Process (due to
involvement of three persons).
• Mechanism:
o Embryos combine sperm and egg from
the biological parents with tiny
battery-like structures called
mitochondria from the donor’s egg.
o Resulting baby has DNA from the
mother and father as
usual, plus a small
amount of genetic
material (about 37
genes) from the donor.
Most common techniques in the
mitochondrial donation
• There are two common
techniques i.e., MST and PNT.
o In both techniques, eggs
or embryos are created
using nuclear genetic
material and healthy
donated mitochondria.
o In both MST and PNT, the resulting embryos would contain parent’s genetic material. Both techniques work
equally well.
Maternal Spindle Nuclear genetic
Transfer (MST) material is
Technique removed from
eggs and
transferred into
donated eggs
which have had
their nuclear
genetic material
removed. The
eggs are then
fertilised with
sperm to create
embryos.
Pronuclear Eggs are

Transfer (PNT) fertilised with
technique sperm in a lab
(substitute to to create
MST) embryos. The
nuclear
genetic
material
within each
embryo is
then
transferred
into embryos
created using
donated eggs
and sperm
from the
sperm
provider.
Again, the nuclear genetic material will have been removed from the donated eggs.
Benefits of Mitochondrial Donation Treatment (MDT)
• Disease Prevention: As there are no Ethical concerns associated with MDTs
effective treatments for mitochondrial • Potential for 'Designer Babies': As MDTs involve genetic modification,
diseases that can cause severe health they could potentially open the door to the creation of "designer
babies" - embryos genetically engineered for preferred characteristics.
issues, MDT offers a chance for a healthier
o This brings up a multitude of ethical concerns related to eugenics
life for a baby.
and potential misuse of the technology.
o About one in 6,000 babies are o Eugenics refers to the selection of desired heritable
affected by mitochondrial disorder. characteristics in order to improve future generations, typically in
• Genetic Connection: MRT can assist older reference to humans.
women with poor quality eggs to have a • Issue of Mitochondrial Donor's role in child’s life: The donor play’s a
biologically related child by retaining the significant role in child’s healthy conception, but their contribution is
woman's nuclear DNA while using limited to the initial stage.
mitochondria from a younger donor. o This creates ambiguity vis-à-vis donor’s biological claim on the
child or involvement in their life.

• Reproductive Freedom: MRT can benefit same-sex female couples seeking a child genetically related to both, with
one woman providing nuclear DNA and the other providing mitochondrial DNA.
Issues with Mitochondrial Donation Treatment:
• Effectiveness Concerns: The dynamic nature of mitochondria and potential residual damaged mitochondria after
transfer could compromise MRT's effectiveness and long-term benefits.
• Incompatibility Risks: Potential incompatibility between donor's mitochondria and receiver's nuclear genome could
pose challenges.
• Lack of Data: MRT is in its experimental stages with inadequate data on potential adverse effects, making careful
application critical.
• Impact on Child: There are concerns that MRT could influence a child's personality, including potential neurological
changes, and pose risks such as developmental disability and increased cancer risk.
• Cost Barriers: MRT is a costly procedure, making it inaccessible to many sections of society.
Conclusion
If MDT technique is to be implemented in the country, there should be a regulatory body that governs its usage to avoid
any unethical practises. Proper clinical trials are the need of the hour for data to be collected on the safety and efficacy
of the technique being used.
7.2. ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE (AMR)

Why in News?
Recently, WHO in partnership
with the Global AMR R&D Hub,
has released ‘Incentivizing the
development of New
Antibacterial Treatments 2023’
Report.
More about News
• Report is for the G7
countries monitoring and
handling of AMR.
• About Global AMR R&D Hub
o It is a partnership of
countries, non-
governmental donor
organizations and
intergovernmental
organizations.
o It was launched in 2018,
to address challenges and improve coordination and collaboration in global AMR R&D using a One Health
approach.

Key highlights of Report
• Among the top 10 global public health threats facing humanity: AMR is associated with the deaths of 4.95 million
people in 2019 which is more than HIV or malaria.
• Threat to the global economy impacting: International trade, health care costs, etc. and could cost the world’s
economy USD 100 trillion by 2050.
• Insufficient R&D: R&D pipeline for new antibacterials is “insufficient” to tackle the challenge of increasing emergence
and spread of antibiotic resistance.
• Poor return for developing new antibiotic: There is no viable market for novel antibiotics, that’s why new ‘reserve’
antibiotics fails to cover the costs of their development, manufacturing and distribution.
Other factors leading to AMR Global Steps to handle AMR
• Triple planetary crises: It refers to the three • Global Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance (GAPAR) by WHO:
main interlinked issues that humanity It aims to ensure continuity of successful treatment and prevention
of infectious diseases with effective and safe medicines
currently faces: climate change, pollution and
• AWaRe (Access, Watch, Reserve) Tool: It was developed by the
biodiversity loss. WHO Essential Medicines List to contain rising resistance and make
o Climate change and AMR: A warmer antibiotic use safer and more effective.
global climate may also lead to more • Global Antimicrobial Resistance and Use Surveillance System
widespread resistance, as higher (GLASS) by WHO: Launched in 2015 to foster AMR surveillance and
temperatures can encourage the rate at inform strategies to contain AMR.
which genes are transferred from Steps Taken by India
microbe to microbe. • National Action Plan on containment of Antimicrobial Resistance
✓ In addition, the extreme weather, due (NAP-AMR) was launched on 2017: It focuses on an integrated One
to climate change, can trigger the Health approach and involves coordination among various sectors
failure of the barriers, such as sewers, at the state, national and international level.
• Delhi Declaration on AMR: It is an inter-ministerial consensus, was
between humans and virulent
signed by the ministers of the concerned ministries pledging their
microorganisms.
whole-hearted support in AMR containment.
o Biodiversity loss and AMR: The loss of • AMR Research & International Collaboration: ICMR has taken
biodiversity, even at the microbial level, initiatives to develop new drugs /medicines through international
can as well develop AMR among microbes. collaborations in order to strengthen medical research in AMR.
o Pollution and AMR: Effluent from the • Initiatives to increase awareness about antibiotics misuse:
pharmaceutical industry, hospitals, o Banned 40 fixed dose combinations (FDCs) which were found
human waste and agriculture exposes inappropriate.
germs to the drugs, giving them more o Antibiotic Stewardship program (AMSP) to control misuse and
chances to evolve resistance to them. overuse of antibiotics in hospital wards and ICUs.
✓ The pollutants such as heavy metals
like zinc can also prime the development of resistance to important antimicrobials.
• Covid 19 Pandemic: Pandemic has accelerated AMR because of the widespread consumption of antibiotics during the
various waves.
• Anti-Biotic use in Animals reared for Human Use: Eating animal meat is similar to ingestion of tablets which ultimately
leads to AMR.
Suggestions to handle AMR
• Enhance environmental governance, planning and regulatory frameworks: Specific actions should include
developing legislation, codes of good practice and policy guidance to support action to reduce and minimize
environmental releases of AMR relevant pollutants.
o Example- Sweden appointed world’s first AMR ambassador.
• Transparency and Accountable system: To have systems that allows consumers to hold producers accountable for
prudent antimicrobial use.
• Identify and target priority AMR relevant pollutants: Reduce releases of chemical and biological pollutants affecting
AMR in the environment and address their origins.

• Improve reporting, surveillance and monitoring: As part of plans to mitigate discharges of antimicrobials into the
environment, it is essential to measure the impact of antimicrobial pollution on biodiversity and integrate
environmental monitoring data.
• Prioritize financing, innovation and capacity development: Need to introduce innovative and sustainable financing
to address AMR. Such as elimination of distorting subsidies in agriculture.
• Multi-sectoral One Health response: A One Health response to AMR will not only help reduce the risk and burden of
AMR on societies but will also help address the triple planetary crisis.
Related News
Fungal diseases in plants
• According to a study published in the journal Nature, global crop growers have experienced a 10-23% loss in crops due to
fungal diseases.
o The five most important crops (rice, wheat, maize, soyabeans and potato) are vulnerable to fungal diseases such as rice
blast fungus, wheat stem rust, corn smut, soybean rust and potato late blight.
• About Fungal disease in plants:
o Fungi can be single celled or multicellular organisms.
o Fungi cause the great majority, estimated at two-thirds of infectious plant diseases.
o They include all white and true rusts, smuts, needle casts, leaf curls, mildew, sooty moulds and anthracnose.
o Sources:
✓ Sources of fungal infections are infected seed, soil, crop debris, nearby crops and weeds.
✓ Fungi are spread by wind and water splash, and through the movement of contaminated soil, animals, workers,
machinery, tools, seedlings, and other plant material.
✓ They enter plants through natural openings such as stomata and through wounds caused by pruning, harvesting,
hail, insects, other diseases, and mechanical damage.
• Concerns associated with Fungal infections
o The devastating impact of fungal diseases will worsen due to climate change.
✓ The rising temperatures are causing fungal infections to move steadily towards the poles, about seven kilometres a
year.
✓ For ex, wheat stem rust infections, usually reported in tropical countries, have been found in England and Ireland.
o Higher temperatures encourage the development of new fungal pathogen variants.
o Practising monoculture has enabled the fungus to quickly evolve and develop resistance to the fungicides.
o The spike in the use of antifungals in agriculture, is leading to more fungicide-resistant pathogens.
o Fungal diseases in crops threaten food security.
7.3. NON-COMMUNICABLE DISEASES (NCDS)

Why in News? Other Initiatives launched during event
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) • 75/25 initiative launched: 75 million people with hypertension and
released Strategic Operational Guidelines for diabetes to be put on Standard Care by 2025, through the PHCs.
o It is the largest cover of NCDs in the world for primary
National Programme for Prevention & Control of
healthcare.
Non-Communicable Diseases (NP-NCD) 2023-
• Shashakt Portal was launched for training of 40,000 Primary Health
203 for the management of non-communicable Care Medical Officers on Standard Treatment Workflow for NCDs
diseases in India. initiated to realize health care services closer to the community.
About the Guidelines
• Guidelines were released on the occasion of World Hypertension Day and as a part of a G20 co-branded event.
• Key Highlights of the Guidelines
o Focus on primary and secondary prevention clinical support for NCDs.
o The existing National Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases and
Stroke (NPCDCS) programme has been renamed National Programme for Prevention & Control of Non-
Communicable Diseases (NP-NCD).
✓ Also, widening the ambit of the programme by including Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and
Asthma, Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD), Pradhan Mantri National Dialysis Programme (PMNDP)
etc.
o Comprehensive Primary
Healthcare Non-
Communicable Disease
(CPHC NCD IT) portal
renamed as National NCD
Portal.
✓ Portal enables population
enumeration, risk
assessment, and
screening for five
common NCDs.
Challenges in handling NCDs in India
• Lack of trained human resources:
As per the Ministry of Health and
Family Welfare country had only
one doctor for every 1,457
people, although WHO
recommends a doctor patient
ratio of 1:1000.
• Low budget allocation and
utilisation: For example, Union
Budget 2023-24, budget has cut
funding for non-communicable
disease control programmes to Rs
289 crore from last year’s outlay
of Rs 500 crore.
• Poor implementation plans: Such
as lack of comprehensive
information pool and
management information system
to efficiently monitor the reach
and implementation progress of
the national NCD programme.
• Poor adherence to
medications: For
example -one in two
patients do not take
their treatments as
directed, and one-
third of patients who
take medicines stop
their treatments
earlier than directed.
• Changing Lifestyle:
Due to sedentary
lifestyle in urban
areas and it is driven
by unchallenged
aggressive marketing strategies of unhealthy foods and beverages and alcohol industry.

Initiatives taken by India to curb NCDs
• National Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases and Stroke (NPCDCS)
Programme: It was launched in 2010 by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare was launched under the National
Health Mission (NHM).
o Programme is being implemented to address Global Initiatives for NCDs
common NCDs like Cardiovascular Diseases, • Global Coordination Mechanism on Non-communicable
Diseases: By WHO, which plays an important role in
hypertension, etc.
promoting action between governments, civil society
• National Action Plan: By Ministry of Health and organizations and other players working to improve health
Family Welfare launched in response to the “WHO by preventing and controlling.
Global Action Plan for the Prevention and Control • Non-communicable Disease (NCD) Data Portal: Aims to
of NCDs 2013-2020”. raise awareness on progress in tackling NCDs and their risk
o Aimed at reducing the number of global factors and strengthen accountability for action by countries.
premature deaths from NCDs by 25% by 2025.
• Preventive Steps: This aspect of NCDs is strengthened under Comprehensive Primary Health Care through Ayushman
Bharat Health Wellness Centre scheme, by promotion of wellness activities and targeted communication at the
community level.
• Healthy Diet: Healthy eating is also promoted through Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) through
Eat Right India movement, which will help to develop healthy dietary plan and hence reduces chance of NCDs.
• Physical Activity: Fit India movement is implemented by Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports for improving physical
activity.
• Union Budget 2023-2024 Outcome based Budgeting: Government has for the first time introduced hypertension and
diabetes treatment as output indicators reflecting government's commitment to scale-up hypertension and diabetes
coverage services.
Suggestions moving forward for NCDs
• Multi stakeholder approach: For Example, Civil society can help increase awareness and educate the public on healthy
lifestyles.
• Improving access to healthcare: Improving access to quality healthcare, including affordable medications and
essential medical services, can help manage and treat NCDs effectively.
• Engaging communities: Engaging communities in the prevention and management of NCDs can be effective in raising
awareness and promoting healthy behaviors.
• Implementing policies and regulations: Policies and regulations that limit exposure to risk factors for NCDs, including
tobacco and alcohol use, can be effective in preventing these diseases. For example- increasing taxes on tobacco and
alcohol products etc.
• Private sector participation: Collaboration of public and private sectors to address the growing burden of NCDs. The
private sector can also play a remarkable role in promoting healthy products and services
• Regional collaboration: Countries in the Southeast Asia region need to create a new and effective regional roadmap
to accelerate NCD control.
• Focus should be on prevention: Greater effort should be put into prevention which includes lifestyle changes through
eating good food, exercising and other wellness practices.
7.4. GENERIC DRUGS

Why in News?
Recently, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare issued an alert to all the doctors in the Central Government Hospitals/
Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) Wellness Centres / Polyclinics to prescribe generic medicines only.
About Generic Medicine
• A generic Medicine/drug is a medication created to be the same as an already marketed brand-name drug in dosage
form, safety, strength, route of administration, quality, performance characteristics, and intended use.
• It works in the same way and provides the same clinical benefit as the brand-name medicine.
• Presently, there is no
definition of generic or
branded medicines under
the Drugs & Cosmetics Act,
1940 and Rules, 1945.
• Regulation of Generic
Medicines in India
o Indian Medical Council
(Professional Conduct,
Etiquette and Ethics)
Regulations, 2002 by
Medical Council of
India: It prescribes that
every physician should
prescribe drugs with generic names legibly and Status of Pharmaceutical in India
preferably in capital letters and he/she shall ensure • The Pharmaceutical industry in India is the 3rd
that there is a rational prescription and use of drug. largest in the world in terms of volume and 14th
o National Medical Commission Act, 2019 by Ministry of largest in terms of value.
Health and Family Welfare: Empowers the appropriate • India is the largest provider of generic medicines
State Medical Councils or Ethics and Medical globally, occupying a 20% share in global supply by
volume.
Registration Board (EMRB) of the Commission, to take
• Economic Survey 2022-23 estimated India’s
disciplinary action against a doctor for violation of the domestic pharmaceutical market to touch $130
provision of the aforesaid Regulations. billion by 2030.
o Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945 amendment by
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare: For making it mandatory to grant license for a drug formulation
containing single active ingredient in proper name only.
o Drugs Technical Advisory Board of India (DTAB): It allows pharmacies to sell generic medicines to patients even
if the prescriptions specify the branded versions.
Initiatives to promote Generic Medicines
✓ DTAB is the highest decision-making body under
• Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana
the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on (PMBJP) in 2008 by Ministry of Chemicals and
technical matters related to drugs. Fertilizers: Under which PMBJP Kendras across the
Reasons for promoting Generic Medicines country will make quality generic drugs and implants
accessible at affordable prices.
• Improve medicine affordability: Generic medicines cost • National Health Mission (NHM) in 2008 by Ministry
less than brand-name medicines and have the same of Health & Family Welfare: Support is provided for
therapeutic effect. provision of essential generic drugs free of cost in
o As per Economic Survey 2022-23, about 48.2% (2018- public health facilities.
19) of total health expenditure in India is financed by • Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme by
household out-of-pocket expenditure. Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers: PLI Scheme for
Promotion of Domestic Manufacturing of critical Key
o Medicines constitute 20% to 60% of total healthcare
Starting Materials (KSMs)/ Drug Intermediates and
expenditure. Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs).
• Creates competition: Multiple generic drugs are often
approved for the same single product; this creates competition in the marketplace, typically create more options.
• Expanding geriatric population and rising comorbidities: It helps in improving the accessibility and availability of
critical medicines.
• Developing pharmaceuticals sector: Under Make in India initiatives government promoting pharmaceuticals sector
and generic medicine provide the opportunity for the same.
• Expanding Generic medicine export market: Currently, India supplies over 50% of Africa’s requirement for generics,
~40% of generic demand in the US and ~25% of all medicine in the UK.

Challenges in promoting Generic Medicines
• Illegitimate drugs: In 2018, the Central Drug Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) identified nearly 4.5% of all
generic drugs circulated in the domestic market to be substandard.
• Lack of quality testing facilities: Drug control procedures in India suffer from the lack of fund, resources, and
manpower.
• Counterfeit medicines sellers: They operate at the retail level and procure the substandard medicines from dubious
suppliers.
• Perception of Patient: There is negative perception in the patient that the quality of the medicine directly depends
on the cost of it.
• Ever-greening of Patents: Big pharmacy companies maintain their monopoly on drug and revenue by doing minor
reformulations or other iterations of the drug, without necessarily increasing the therapeutic efficacy.
o In India (under Indian Patent Act, 1970), patents are granted for a maximum term of 20 years only.
• Import dependency for Key Starting Materials (KSMs)/Active pharmaceutical ingredients (API): India is heavily
dependent on other countries for active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) and other intermediates. Example-around
70-80% of the APIs are imported from China.
o KSMs-A raw material, intermediate or an API that is used in the production of an API and that is incorporated as
a significant structural fragment into the structure of the API.
o API-Any substance or mixture of substance intended to be used in the manufacturing of a drug(medicinal) product
and that, when used in the production of a drug, become an active ingredient of the drug product.
Way Forward
• All Stakeholder approach: Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) should work in close association with the
pharmaceutical companies and local drug control authorities to control illegitimate drugs from market.
• Clear categorization: DCGI must state clearly whether the drug is of poor quality or is it a counterfeit drug. This can
help to great extent address the issue of fake drugs.
• Use of New Technology: Anti-counterfeiting technology can assist with product authentication, tamper-resistant
packaging and track and trace technology.
• Awareness about Generic drugs: Use Information and Communication Technology for awareness generation among
the patient about the drugs and Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP) Kendras.
• Strong Regulatory Framework: India needs a strong regulatory framework that not only ensures people in the country
have access to quality generic drugs but also promises the inflow of innovative drugs and medicines from across the
world.
• Providing Compulsory licensing: Right to access of generic drugs is a human right and not granting compulsory
licensing to such drugs would lead to restricting their production and access.
o Compulsory licensing is when a government allows someone else to produce a patented product or process
without the consent of the patent owner or plans to use the patent-protected invention itself.
o It is one of the flexibilities in the field of patent protection included in the WTO’s agreement on intellectual
property — the TRIPS (Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights) Agreement.
• Realigning Production Linked Incentives (PLI) for pharmaceuticals in 2021: As the products covered under this
scheme, the import dependence is already quite low.
o Also, the cost of domestic production of these APIs becomes many times more than that of the cost of imports.
7.5. SMALL MODULAR REACTORS (SMRS)

Why in news?
A report on the ‘Role of Small Modular Reactors in the
energy transition’ was recently released by the NITI Aayog.

About SMRs
• As per the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA),
the SMRs are advanced nuclear reactors with a power
generation capacity ranging from less than 30 MWe to
300+ MWe.
o Roots of SMRs can be traced back to 1940s-1950s
when small capacity nuclear reactors of various
designs were used for military purposes.
• SMRs:
o Small- physically a fraction of the size of a
conventional nuclear power reactor.
o Modular- making it possible for systems and Current status
components to be factory-assembled and transported as a As of now, two SMR projects have reached at
unit to a location for installation. operational stage globally:
o Reactors- harnessing nuclear fission to generate heat to • Akademik Lomonosov floating power unit in
produce energy. the Russian Federation.
✓ Fission occurs when a neutron slams into a larger • HTR-PM demonstration SMR in China.
atom, forcing it to excite and split into two smaller atoms—also known as fission products.
✓ Additional neutrons are also released that can initiate a chain reaction.
Advantages of SMRs
Specification Description
Adaptable and scalable • SMRs can be scaled up or down to supply more or less power.
Longer refuelling interval • SMR-based power plants might only need to refuel every three to seven years, as opposed to
every one to two years for traditional plants.
Compact design • Land implications in the case of SMRs are less as compared to land requirements for large
reactors and renewable energy sources.
Passive safety features • Its reliance on the laws of physics to shut down and cool the reactor under abnormal
circumstances, provide inherent safety.
o In most cases, these technologies don’t need a power supply and can handle accidents
without the assistance of a person or a computer.
o A molten salt reactor with a freeze stopper is an example of a passive safety mechanism.
Economical • Low capital outlay and/ or a phased capital expenditure is needed.
o Also they have the adaptability to allow co-generation, supply heat for desalination and
manufacturing etc.
o When coupled with variable energy sources SMRs can mitigate fluctuations on a daily and
seasonal basis.
Challenges of SMRs
• Technology choice issue: More than 80 SMR designs are at different stages of development and licensing. Their
simultaneous deployment could create regulatory challenges and may also take away some degree of cost
optimization.
• Financing: According to the IEA, annual global investment required for nuclear power expansion is around USD 100
billion by 2030.
o Also, private capital only marginally gets invested in the SMR industry and not to the level of the needed
requirement.
• Licensing challenges: Newly developed SMR technologies may find it difficult to accommodate in the existing licensing
process.
• Supply chain issues: Supply chains for the SMR industry may need consolidation in order to capitalise on economies
of scale, as witnessed in the aviation industry.
• Safeguards challenges: In most countries, novel SMR technologies will require the application of international
safeguards typically in collaboration with the relevant governments and industry.
• Storage and Disposal: Even SMRs produce
radioactive waste from spent fuel and require spent
fuel storage & disposal facilities.
Way ahead for adoption of SMRs
• Updating regulatory frameworks: The nuclear
regulatory framework should be comprehensive to
allow various kinds of SMR technologies and designs.
• Updated safety assessment methodology: Define
emergency planning zone for SMRs, follow Standard
Operating Procedures (SOPs) for safe handling of
spent-fuel and reprocessing.
• Collaborative Framework: Stakeholders need to
share, best practices and regulatory insights at an
early stage of technology development.
• Standardisation of design: It will open the possibility
of repetitive manufacturing in a better quality-
controlled environment of a factory including
Industry 4.0 paradigm.
• Catalyse private investment: This could be done
through inclusion in green taxonomy and utilization
of innovative financing instruments such as blended finance,
International Nuclear Liability Conventions
green bonds, etc.
• Vienna Convention on Civil Liability for
• Human resource: Ensure availability of required skilled personnel Nuclear Damage, 1963
across the value chain of engineering, design, testing, inspection, • Convention on Supplementary Compensation
construction, etc. for Nuclear Damage, 1997
Conclusion • Paris Convention on Third Party Liability in the
Field of Nuclear Energy, 1960
SMR may complement large-size reactors in many countries to • Joint Protocol Relating to the Application of
increase the nuclear share in their energy mix and achieve Net Zero the Vienna Convention and the Paris
Emissions goals. The respective governments and local authorities Convention, 1988 Brussels Supplementary
have to play a major role in consensus building towards nuclear Convention to the Paris Convention, 1963.
energy by engaging relevant stakeholders.
7.6. FACIAL RECOGNITION TECHNOLOGY

Why in news? About Sanchar Saathi Portal
Recently, Department of • Sanchar Saathi helps citizens to know the mobile connections issued in their
Telecommunications (DoT), Ministry name; report fraudulent or unrequired connections; block mobile phones which
of Communications has developed are stolen/lost and check IMEI genuineness before buying a mobile phone.
an artificial-intelligence (AI)-based • It contains various modules like
o CEIR (Central Equipment Identity Register): For blocking stolen/lost mobiles.
facial recognition tool — called
o Telecom Analytics for Fraud Management and Consumer Protection
Artificial Intelligence and Facial (TAFCOP): It facilitates a user to check the number of mobile connections
Recognition powered Solution for taken in her/him name using paper-based documents.
Telecom SIM Subscriber Verification o ASTR: To identify fraudulent subscribers.
(ASTR). o Know your mobile connections: To know mobile connections registered in
More on news your name.
• ASTR, launched under Sanchar Saathi Initiative, is an AI powered tool to identify SIMs issued using
fraudulent/forged documents.
o ASTR has capability of running checks on subscriber databases of telecom operators to deduce whether it
contains multiple connections associated with the same person.
o ASTR identifies if more than eight SIM
connections have been obtained in one
person’s name, which is not allowed as per DoT
rules.
• In 2012, DoT had issued an order to all telecom
operators to share their subscriber database
including pictures of users with the department.
o ASTR analyses this database subscriber images
provided by telecom operators and put them
into groups of similar-looking images using
Facial Recognition Technology (FRT).
About Facial Recognition Technology (FRT)
• FRT is a way of identifying or confirming an
individual’s identity using their face. It can be used
to identify people in photos, videos, or in real-time.
o Computer algorithms map unique facial-
landmarks such as shape of cheekbones,
contours of lips etc. and convert these into a
numerical code— termed a faceprint.
✓ It relies on many of the processes and
techniques associated with AI.
o For verification or identification, system
compares faceprint generated with a large
existing database of faceprints.
Concerns associated with the use of Facial
Recognition Technology
• Privacy and Consent: Lack of control over
storage, extent, and informed consent with
respect to use of facial data by public and private
players, resulting in privacy invasion.
• Data protection law: In India, there is absence of
FRT- specific regulatory set up and legal
framework to govern data protection, storage
and use especially in context of personal
biometric data.
o Recently, the government also withdrew
Personal Data Protection Bill, 2019.
• In-accuracy: Technical errors due to occlusion (a
partial or complete obstruction of the image), bad lighting, facial expression, ageing etc. leading to inaccurate
identification.
• Under-representation: Errors in FRT occur due to lack of data pertaining to certain groups of people.
o Disparity has been observed in identification of Indian men and women and accuracy rates fall starkly based on
race, gender, skin colour etc.
• Technological challenges: FRT is prone to digital attacks or the use of physical or digital portraits, 3D-Models, such
as masks or deep-fakes etc. to bypass the system.
Way forward
• Legal framework: There is urgent need to regulate the use of FRT systems and a data protection law that would
mandate necessary safeguards in the collection and storage of user data.

o There is need for clear Other types of biometric identification technology
regulation of CCTVs by public
and private actors before a
system like the Automated
Facial Recognition System
(AFRS) is implemented.
• Accountability: Clear mechanisms
and bodies for oversight and
accountability need to be
established including requirements
for audits and transparency
reports. Biometric identification is the process of identifying individuals based on unique,
distinguishable traits. Besides facial recognition, there are many other types of
• Consent: Structures for consent
biometric identification:
that take into consideration
• Fingerprint verification: Fingerprint recognition software verifies an
passive data collection need to be individual's identity by comparing their fingerprint against one or more
defined for the use of FRT in fingerprints in a database.
criminal and non-criminal cases. • DNA matching: It identifies an individual by analysing segments from their
• Capacity building: To ensure that DNA. Technology sequences the DNA in a lab and compares it with samples in
end users of the technology are a database.
fully trained in both the technical • Eye recognition: It analyzes features in the iris or patterns of the veins in the
and ethical dimensions of FRT, it is retina to determine a match and identify an individual.
imperative that comprehensive • Hand geometry recognition: This identifies individuals through the geometric
training is provided to end users. features of their hands, such as the length of the fingers and width of the
hand. A camera captures a silhouette image of the hand and compares it
• Eliminate biasness: The FRT
against a database.
systems datasets and software
• Voice recognition: It extracts the characteristics that distinguish an
interface needs to be constantly individual's speech from others. It creates a voiceprint that is similar to a
updated to ensure equality and fingerprint or faceprint and matches it to samples in a database.
minimize potential biases based on • Signature recognition: This use technology to analyze handwriting style or
skin colour, geography, religion, compare two scanned signatures using advanced algorithms.
caste, etc.
7.7. SUPER COMPUTERS

Why in news? AIRAWAT
India's AI supercomputer AIRAWAT has been • Installed at the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-
ranked 75th in the Top 500 Global DAC) in Pune, Maharashtra
• AIRAWAT supercomputer is India's largest and fastest AI
Supercomputing List, announced at the
supercomputing system, with a remarkable speed of 13,170 teraflops.
International Supercomputing Conference
• The AI system was installed as part of the government's National
held in Germany. Program on Artificial Intelligence (AI).
What is a supercomputer? • According to C-DAC, AIRAWAT works on the operating system Ubuntu
20.04.2 LTS and was installed earlier this year at the centre.
• A supercomputer is a high-performance
computing system that delivers exceptional processing power and computational capacity compared to a general-
purpose computer.
• Performance of a supercomputer is measured in floating-point operations per second (FLOPS) instead of million
instructions per second (MIPS).
• Supercomputers contain tens of thousands of processors and can perform billions and trillions of calculations or
computations per second.
• Since information moves quickly between processors in a supercomputer (compared to distributed computing
systems) they are ideal for real-time applications.

India and Super computers Other Indian supercomputers in the Top 500 list
• Indigenous development of • There are three other supercomputers in the Top 500 list. These include:
o PARAM Siddhi-AI supercomputer ranked at No. 131. It is installed
supercomputers began in 1980, with the
at C-DAC, Pune.
involvement of organisations such as o Pratyush supercomputer ranked at No. 169: It is installed at the
BARC, C-DAC etc. Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology.
• India’s first supercomputer, PARAM o Mihir supercomputer at No. 316. It is installed at the National
8000, was set up in 1991. Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting.
• National Supercomputing Mission • Top 5 supercomputers in the Top 500 list
accelerated efforts to setup Super Super computer Country
computers in a big way. Frontier USA
Supercomputer Fugaku Japan
Applications of Supercomputers LUMI Finland
• Cutting edge research: Supercomputers Leonardo Italy
are used for data-intensive and Summit USA
computation-heavy scientific and
engineering purposes such as quantum mechanics, weather
forecasting, etc.
• Aerospace and Engineering: Supercomputer runs hugely detailed
simulations in real time, processing complex algorithms and Big Data
from sensors around the performance of aircraft and the
environments they operate in.
• AI: ChatGPT was trained on a supercomputer built exclusively for
OpenAI by Microsoft. It would take a laptop thousands of years to
create AI like ChatGPT.
• Weather forecasting: For example, 'Pratyush' Supercomputer
housed at Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune helps
in weather and
climate forecasts. National Supercomputing Mission (NSM)
• Energy Exploration: • Launched by Government of India in 2015.
Supercomputers help • Goal: to connect R&D institutions and academic institutions in the country using a
to detect and supercomputing grid with more than 70 high performance computing facilities.
accelerate deeper • National Knowledge Network (NKN): These supercomputers will be networked on the
geological insights; National Supercomputing grid over the NKN.
hence improve the • Jointly steered by: Department of Science and Technology (DST) and Department of
exploration and Electronics and Information Technology (DeitY).
production • Implemented by: Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC); Indian Institute of
processes. This yields Science (IISc), Bangalore.
o C-DAC has been entrusted the responsibility to design, development, deployment and
more productive oil
commissioning of the supercomputing systems under the Mission.
extraction.
• Objectives
• Health and medicine: o To make India one of the world leaders in Supercomputing and to enhance India’s
To help find a drug capability in solving grand challenge problems of national and global relevance.
that could work o To minimize redundancies and duplication of efforts, and optimize investments in
against the Covid-19, supercomputing
supercomputers • 3 phases.
were employed to Phase • Install 6 supercomputers with 30% value additions done in India.
look through 1 • Focus to create an ecosystem for assembly of system components within the
databases of existing country
drug compounds. Phase • Manufacturing supercomputers in the country with an indigenous software stack.
2
Phase • Focus on design and manufacturing in the country.
3 • Expected to take computing speed to 45 PF.
• Defence and military: Supercomputers have applications related to national security, including nuclear weapons
design and cryptograph. It help simulate complex weapons
systems.
Conclusion
Supercomputers have already made huge contributions to the
world in which we live. As we look to the future, applications of
artificial intelligence running at any moderate degree of scale
will depend on supercomputing to analyse huge datasets.
Thus, countries around the world, including India, have been
ramping up supercomputing capabilities over the past few
years. For India to become a knowledge-driven, multi-trillion-
dollar economy, which is able to support cutting-edge science
to benefit its economy, its society and the businesses,
investment in supercomputing is a necessity.
7.8. CRYPTO MINING

Why in news?
Recently, Bhutan and Singapore-based Bitdeer have announced plans to raise $500 million to set up crypto mining
operations in the Himalayas that is free of carbon, thus tapping into Bhutan’s abundant hydroelectric power.
More About News About Cryptocurrency
• Presently, huge amounts of electricity are needed • A cryptocurrency is a subset of virtual currencies, and is
to power the vast computer farms that mine for decentralised, and protected by cryptography.
o A virtual currency is a digital representation of value that
cryptocurrency, leading to heavy criticism of their
can be digitally traded and functions as:
impact on the climate and a search for greener ✓ a medium of exchange, and/ or
mining options. ✓ a unit of account, and/or
• The initiative announced by the Bhutan ✓ a store of value.
government's investment arm Druk and Nasdaq- • All cryptocurrency transactions are maintained via a
listed crypto-mining firm Bitdeer includes the blockchain network and added to digital ledgers.
construction of data centres and investment in • Bitcoin is the largest in the world according to market
renewable energy such as hydropower and capitalisation, followed by Ethereum.
hydrogen.
• The Partnership with
Bitdeer to launch a
carbon-free digital
asset mining data
center represents an
investment in a more
connected and
sustainable domestic
economy.
• Bhutan is carbon-
negative country and
its constitution
mandates that 60% of
the country remains forested.
About Crypto Mining
• It is the process that several cryptocurrencies use to generate new coins and verify & process new transactions.
• It involves vast, decentralized networks of computers around the world that verify and secure blockchains – the
virtual ledgers that document cryptocurrency transactions.
• Crypto mining is fundamental to proof-of-work (PoW) cryptocurrency networks like Bitcoin (BTC).
o Proof of work and proof of stake use algorithms to validate cryptocurrency on a blockchain network.
o The main difference is how they choose and qualify users to add transactions.
o PoW and PoS are protocols intended to validate transactions and keep the blockchain network decentralized and
secure.
✓ PoW is a mechanism bitcoin uses to regulate the creation of blocks and the integrity of the network through
the process of mining.
✓ PoS is an alternative consensus mechanism that delegates control of the network to the owners of a given
token.
• Different types of Crypto Mining
o Central Processing Units (CPUs) mining: CPU mining uses processors to mine cryptocurrency.
o Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) mining: GPU mining uses one or more graphics cards to mine crypto. GPU
mining of Bitcoin launched in 2010 was fairly short lived and got replaced by a new kind of hardware- ASIC.
o Application-Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs) mining: ASICs, explicitly designed for PoW computations, perform
far faster than general-purpose computing devices like GPUs or CPUs.
o Other types include
Field-Programmable
Gate Array (FPGA)
mining, Cloud Mining
etc.
• Crypto mining is not
always profitable due to
intense competition,
expensive mining
equipment and high
electricity prices.
o It requires setting-
up of Powerful
Hardware
Resources &
software to solve
the complex puzzles
efficiently.
o The explosive
growth in
cryptocurrency
mining consumes high energy grids, and increases total carbon emissions and local air pollution, raises retail
electricity rates etc.

7.9. NEWS IN SHORTS
7.9.1. NAVIC (NAVIGATION BY INDIAN Bengaluru to build the XPoSat that will be launched
CONSTELLATION) later in 2023.
• XPoSat is India’s first dedicated Polarimetry mission to
• Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) launched study various dynamics of bright astronomical X-ray
next-generation navigational satellite NVS – 01. sources in extreme conditions.
• NVS-01 is first of the India's second-generation o It is world’s second polarimetry mission (first was
satellites envisaged for NavIC (Navigation by Indian NASA’s Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE)).
Constellation) services. • XPoSat carries two scientific payloads in a low earth
• Key highlights of NVS-01 orbit:
o NVS-01, weighing 2,232 kg satellite - heaviest in o Primary payload POLIX (Polarimeter Instrument in
constellation, was launched using X-rays) will measure polarimetry parameters
Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) (degree and angle of polarisation) in energy range
rocket. of 8-30 keV (kiloelectron volt).
o It’ll have indigenously developed Rubidium ✓ This is first payload in medium X-ray energy
atomic clock to provide accurate locations. band dedicated for polarimetry
o It has a mission life of over 12 years, which in itself measurements.
is longer than 10-year life of first-generation o XSPECT (X-ray Spectroscopy and Timing) payload
(existing) satellites. will give spectroscopic information (on how light is
o It’ll send signals in a third frequency, L1, which absorbed and emitted by objects) in energy range
increases interoperability with other satellite- of 0.8-15 keV.
based navigation systems. ✓ It observes several types of sources viz, X-ray
o It would provide real-time positioning and timing pulsars, Black-hole binaries, low-magnetic
services over India and a region approximately field neutron star etc.
1,500 km around mainland. • Polarimetry is a technique to measure the polarisation
• NavIC, earlier known as Indian Regional Navigation of light.
Satellite System (IRNSS), is designed with constellation o It is a tool that allows astronomers to infer
of seven satellites. information about celestial objects, from passing
o Three satellites are placed in geostationary orbit comets to distant galaxies.
and four satellites are placed in inclined o Polarisation is seen across all wavelengths in
geosynchronous orbit. electromagnetic spectrum.
o NavIC offers two services - Standard Position • X rays have much higher energy and much shorter
Service (SPS) for civilian users and Restricted wavelengths than ultraviolet light. Wavelength is very
Service (RS) for strategic users. These two services small between 0.03 and 3 nanometers.
are provided in both L5 (1176.45 MHz) and S band
(2498.028 MHz). 7.9.3. JAPAN’S PRIVATE MOON LANDER
• Application of Regional Navigation Satellite System: • Japan's Ispace said its attempt to make the first private
Terrestrial, Aerial and Marine Navigation; Disaster moon landing had failed after losing contact with its
Management; Precise Timing; Scientific research; etc. Hakuto-R Mission 1 (M1).
• Navigation system around world • About Hakuto-R Mission 1
o There are four global satellite-based navigation o The Hakuto lander launched atop a SpaceX
systems — US’s Global Positioning System (GPS); rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida.
Russian GLONASS (GLObalnaya NAvigatsionnaya o The lander also carried a rover developed in the
Sputnikovaya Sistema), European Galileo, and United Arab Emirates.
Chinese Beidou. ✓ The Rashid rover would have explored the
o Japan has a four-satellite system that can Atlas Crater on the northeast of the Moon.
augment GPS signals over country. o The craft was aiming for a landing site at the edge
of Mare Frigoris in the moon’s northern
7.9.2. X-RAY POLARIMETER SATELLITE
hemisphere.
(XPOSAT) MISSION
• Till date, only the US, the former Soviet Union, and
• Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is China have soft-landed spacecraft on the moon.
collaborating with Raman Research Institute (RRI),
• Dusty belts are the debris from collisions of larger
bodies, analogous to asteroids and comets, and are
frequently described as ‘debris disks.’
o These disks are similar to Solar System’s Kuiper
Belt (a doughnut-shaped ring of icy objects around
the Sun, extending just beyond the orbit of
Neptune).
o Three belts of Fomalhaut are made up of
planetesimals (dust clamps, pebbles etc that are
building blocks of planets).
• JWST, NASA’s s infrared flagship observatory, is an
international collaboration between NASA, European
7.9.4. A SIGN IN SPACE PROJECT Space Agency, and Canadian Space Agency.
o It is placed in Sun-Earth Lagrange Point 2 (L2).
• European Space Agency’s ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter
o JWST is being considered as successor of Hubble
(TGO) has flashed an encoded message (developed by
Space Telescope (HST).
a team led by Daniela De Paulis) to Earth from its orbit
around Mars. 7.9.6. EXOPLANET
o ExoMars TGO is searching for methane and other
trace gases in the Martian atmosphere that could • A new Jupiter size exoplanet, called TOI 4603b or HD
be evidence of possible biological or geological 245134b, with highest density (~14 g/cm3) known till
activity. this date, and mass 13 times that of Jupiter has been
o The orbiter is the first in a series of joint missions discovered.
between the ESA and Roscosmos, the Russian o It is located 731 light years away and orbits a sub-
space agency. giant F-type star TOI4603 (Initially discovered by
• The encoded message has been sent as part of ‘A Sign MIT-Led NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey
in Space’ project, simulating a signal an advanced Satellite (TESS)).
extraterrestrial civilization could eventually send to • An exoplanet is any planet beyond our solar system.
Earth. o Most orbit other stars, but free-floating
o The purpose of ‘A Sign in Space’ project is to exoplanets, called rogue planets, orbit galactic
understand how to decode and interpret an center and are untethered to any star.
extraterrestrial message by engaging a worldwide o Compositions of exoplanets range from very rocky
community, including professionals from different (like Earth) to very gas-rich (like Jupiter and
fields and the broader public. Saturn).
o By engaging professionals from various fields and o Massive giant exoplanets have mass greater than
encouraging global collaboration, the experiment four times that of Jupiter.
aimed to explore the process of decoding and • TOI 4603b falls into transition mass range of massive
interpreting an alien message. giant planets and low-mass brown dwarfs with masses
ranging from 11 to 16 times the mass of Jupiter.
7.9.5. NEW BELTS OF ASTEROID o Brown dwarfs are objects which have a size
between that of a giant planet like Jupiter and
• James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) spots new belts
that of a small star.
of asteroid near star Fomalhaut
• Discovery is made using indigenously made PRL
• Observations from JWST revealed two additional
Advanced Radial-velocity Abu-sky Search
dusty rings or belts nearer Fomalhaut – a bright inner
spectrograph (PARAS), at Mt. Abu, by international
one and a narrow intermediate one.
team led by Indian scientist from Physical Research
o Dust around stars contains elements such as
Laboratory (PRL), Ahmedabad.
carbon and iron which can help form planetary
o Other exoplanet discovery made by India K2-236b
systems.
(2018) and TOI-1789b (2021).
• Formalhaut is the brightest star in southern
constellation of Piscis Austrinus. It is almost twice the
mass and size of sun and radiates over 16 times the
sun’s energy.
o A single belt of debris around Fomalhaut was
discovered in 1983.
architecture for Open RAN beginning with Palau
(country in western Pacific Ocean) in Pacific Region.
o This initiative will modernize Palau’s national
mobile network, establish an Open RAN
deployment in partnership with local
stakeholders, and support its sustainable
operation.
o Also, ‘Open RAN Security Report’ outlines
cybersecurity considerations associated with using
Open RAN as an approach to developing network
architecture.
• RAN provides the critical technology to connect users
to mobile network over radio waves. It also acts as a
bridge to access all key applications on web.
o Current RAN technology is provided as an
integrated platform of both hardware and
software. Therefore, it is difficult to mix vendors
for its different units.
• Idea of Open RAN is to enable operators to mix and
match components from different vendors.
7.9.7. SATURN o Open RAN will create a multi-supplier RAN
solution that allows for the separation between
• As per reports, a team of space scientists has
hardware and software with open interfaces.
discovered 62 new moons around Saturn.
• With this discovery, Saturn becomes the planet with
the greatest number of Moons (145), overtaking
Jupiter.
• Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun and the second-
largest planet in our solar system.
o Saturn is made mostly of hydrogen and helium.
o It has rings – made of chunks of ice and rock.
• Mission related to Saturn: Pioneer 11, Voyagers 1 and
2, Cassini etc.
7.9.8. TELANGANA’S ROBOTICS POLICY

FRAMEWORK
• Telangana has become the first state in the country to
launch a state robotics framework with a vision to
create a sustainable robotics ecosystem.
7.9.10. HEALTH FOR ALL REPORT
• It has been developed by the Emerging Technologies
Wing in collaboration with the All-India Robotics • WHO released “Health for All: Transforming economies
Association and inputs from academia, industry to deliver what matters” report.
experts and stakeholders. • Launched at the ongoing 76th World Health Assembly
• It focuses on leveraging robotics technology to drive (WHA), report provides roadmap for structuring
growth and development across identified four key economic activity to ensure Health for All.
domains – agriculture, healthcare, industrial o It was released by WHO Council on Economics of
automation and consumer robotics. Health for All, formed in 2020, in response to
COVID-19 pandemic to reassess how health and
7.9.9. QUAD’S OPEN RADIO ACCESS well-being are valued, produced, and distributed
NETWORK (RAN) SECURITY across the economy.
• Quad leaders at their summit in Hiroshima have made • Report provides recommendations for shifting
a significant announcement to strengthen security economic thinking to ensure Health for All across four
interrelated pillars.

Pillars Recommendations • PHEIC is defined in IHR 2005 as, “an extraordinary
Valuing Health for • Treat health and wellbeing, event which is determined to constitute a public
All health workers and health health risk to other States through international
systems as a long-term spread of disease and to potentially require a
investment. coordinated international response”.
• Enforce health as a human right. o IHR is an instrument of international law that is
• Restore and protect legally binding on 196 countries, including 194
environment through a WHO Member States.
regenerative economy. • WHO also released the 2023-2025 COVID-19 Strategic
Financing Health • Adopt a comprehensive, stable Preparedness and Response Plan (SPRP) which is
for All approach for long term funding. designed to guide countries in transitioning to long-
• Redraw the international term management of COVID-19.
financial architecture to fund o This plan outlines important actions for countries
health equitably and proactively.
to consider for 5 areas under 10 pillars (refer
Innovating for • Build symbiotic public-private
table).
Health for All alliances to maximize public
o Previous plan, released in 2022, aims to reduce
value.
circulation of SARS-CoV-2; and diagnose and treat
• Design knowledge governance,
COVID-19 to reduce mortality, morbidity and
including IP regimes, to ensure
long-term sequel.
global equitable access to vital
health innovations.
Strengthening • Whole of Government approach
Public Capacity for to recognize that Health for All is
Health for All not just for health ministries but
for all government agencies.
• Invest in the dynamic
capabilities of the state and
public sector.
• Demonstrate transparency and
meaningful public engagement
to hold governments
accountable
About World Health Assembly
• It is the decision-making body of WHO. It is held
annually in Geneva, Switzerland
• It is attended by delegations from all WHO Member
States and focuses on a specific health agenda prepared 7.9.12. MPOX (MONKEY POX)
by the Executive Board.
• The World Health Organization (WHO) has ended the
• Main functions are to determine policies of
Organization, appoint Director-General, supervise
global health emergency for Mpox.
financial policies etc. • Mpox is a Viral disease most commonly found in Africa
and has infected around 87,000 people in 2022.
7.9.11. END TO COVID-19 AS PHEIC • The virus is a member of the Poxviridae family which
is genetically similar to other poxviruses.
• WHO declared end to COVID-19 as Public Health • It spreads through close contact with an infected
Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). individual and can be transmitted from animals too.
• Declaration was based on recommendation of • Symptoms: Fever, Rashes, Swollen lymph nodes,
fifteenth meeting of International Health Regulations headaches
(IHR) 2005 Emergency Committee. • Currently there is no approved anti-viral treatment for
• Declaration of end COVID- 19 as PHEIC was made due the disease.
to
o Decreasing trend in COVID-19 deaths; Decline in
COVID-19 related hospitalizations and intensive
care unit admissions; High levels of population
immunity to SARS-CoV-2.
7.9.13. RESPIRATORY SYNCYTIAL VIRUS o Acinetobacter is a group of bacteria commonly
(RSV) found in environment, like in soil and water.
o Most common cause of infections is
• US Food and Drug Administration has approved GSK’s Acinetobacter baumannii, which accounts for
Arexvy, world’s first RSV vaccine for older adults. most Acinetobacter infections in humans.
• Human RSV is a globally prevalent cause of lower o It can cause infections in blood, urinary tract, and
respiratory tract infection in all age groups. lungs, or in wounds.
o In infants and young children, first infection may • WHO has classified it as a critical threat among its
cause severe bronchiolitis that can sometimes be “priority pathogens” – a group of bacteria families that
fatal. pose greatest threat to human health.
o RSV is increasingly being recognized as an
important pathogen in older adults.
7.9.17. HUMAN ORGANS AND TISSUE
• RSV belongs to the genus Orthopneumovirus within TRANSPORT
the family Pneumoviridae and order • Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs notified Metro
Mononegavirales. Railways (Carriage and Ticket) Amendment Rules, 2023
o Members of this genus include human RSV, to allow transportation of human organs or tissues or
bovine RSV and murine pneumonia virus. both for organ transplant through Metro rail.
• Existing rule prohibited carrying of blood dried or
7.9.14. THALASSEMIA BAL SEWA YOJANA coagulated or decomposed, whether human or
(TBSY) animal, corpses, carcasses of dead animals or of dead
• Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare birds, bones (excluding bleached or cleaned bones),
launched third phase of TBSY. human skeleton, parts of human body etc.
• Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has been • Also, portable radio devices which possess risk to radio
implementing TBSY since 2017 under National Health communication network and communication based
Mission. traffic control signaling network are prohibited in
o TBSY is a Coal India CSR-funded Hematopoietic metro rail service.
Stem Cell Transplant (HSCT) program that 7.9.18. TRANS-FAT
provides a one-time cure opportunity to
underprivileged Thalassemia patients who have a • World Health Organization’s (WHO’s) trans- fat
matched sibling donor. elimination validation programme open for country
• Thalassemia is an inherited (i.e., passed from parents applications.
to children through genes) blood disorder caused • WHO Validation Programme for Trans Fat Elimination
when body doesn’t make enough of a protein called will recognize Member States for having a normative
haemoglobin (enables red blood cells to carry oxygen). framework in place to eliminate industrially produced
o Thalassemia can cause anemia. Trans Fatty Acid (TFA) from their national food
supplies.
7.9.15. INTERNATIONAL PATHOGEN o Countries can now apply to receive WHO validation
SURVEILLANCE NETWORK (IPSN) certificate for trans-fat elimination.
o According to WHO, 44 countries including India
• IPSN, launched by WHO, is a global network to help
have best-practice policies in effect for eliminating
swiftly detect threat from infectious diseases, like TFA and can receive official certificates.
COVID-19, and share the information to prevent their
• Trans fats are unsaturated fats produced from
spread.
vegetable oils and are commonly used in preparation
• IPSN will provide a platform for connecting countries
of margarine and commercially baked or fried foods.
and regions, improving systems for collecting and
o There are two forms of trans- fat i.e.,
analysing samples.
✓ Naturally-occurring trans- fats, occurs
• IPSN will rely on pathogen genomics to analyse the naturally in some dairy and meat products.
genetic code of viruses, bacteria and other disease- ✓ Industrially produced trans-fat add hydrogen
causing organisms. to liquid vegetable oils to make them more
7.9.16. ACINETOBACTOR BAUMANNII solid. It is found in packaged foods, baked
goods, cooking oils and spreads.
• Scientists used AI to discover a new antibiotic • Trans fats are source of non-communicable disease
(abaucin) that can kill a deadly superbug- and associated with increased risk of heart attacks and
Acinetobacter baumannii. death from coronary heart disease.
• Steps taken to regulate TFA Rice Fortification in India
o WHO’s REPLACE Trans Fat-Free by 2023 strategy.
• Various technologies are available to add
(refer image)
micronutrients to regular rice, such as dusting, coating
o FSSAI made mandatory for food manufacturers to
and extrusion.
declare TFA content on nutrition label.
• In India, rice is fortified using extrusion technology in
o FSSAI’s Eat Right India Movement discouraged
which milled rice is pulverized and mixed with a
trans-fat food.
premix containing vitamins and minerals.
7.9.20. FISSION MOLYBDENUM-99

• Prime Minister dedicated the Molybdenum-99
production facility located in Trombay Campus of
Bhabha Atomic Research Centre to the Nation.
• About Molybdenum-99
○ Molybdenum-99 is the parent isotope of
technetium-99m (Tc-99m), a short-lived, gamma-
emitting isotope.
○ Tc-99m is used for the detection of disease and for
the study of organ structure and function.
○ Tc-99m is especially useful for nuclear medicine
7.9.19. RICE FORTIFICATION procedures because it can be chemically
incorporated into small molecule ligands and
• According to United Nations report, India’s pilot proteins.
project on rice fortification had led to a significant ○ Tc-99m is currently produced through a multistep
drop in prevalence of anaemia among school- children. process that begins with the neutron irradiation of
o Four large-scale pilots in different parts of country fissile U-235 contained in highly enriched uranium.
were done - three in school lunch and one in
Integrated Child Development Scheme. 7.9.21. RADIOMETRIC DATING
o After witnessing success and feasibility of pilot
A recent study has shown that Calcium-41 can be used in
project, in 2021 government announced that all radiometric dating as Carbon-14 is used in carbon dating
rice distributed through food-based social by using a technique called Atom-Trap Trace Analysis
assistance programmes would be fortified by (ATTA).
2024.
• Fortification is the practice of deliberately increasing About Calcium-41
the content of one or more micronutrients (i.e., • Half-life: Calcium-41 is a rare long-lived radioisotope of
vitamins and minerals) in food or condiments calcium with a half-life of 99,400 years.
(supplemental food) to improve nutritional quality of • Availability: It is produced through cosmic ray
food supply. interactions in the soil and is found in the Earth’s crust.
o Food fortification is regulated under Food Safety
• Occurrence: Calcium-41 occurs less frequently than
Standards (Fortification of Foods) Regulation,
carbon-14.
2018
o Under Rice fortification, micronutrients such as What is radiometric dating?
iron, Vitamin B12 and folic acid are added for Radiocarbon dating, or carbon-14 dating, is a scientific
nutritional boost. method that can accurately determine the age of organic
• Benefits of Rice Fortification materials.
o Combating malnutrition and anaemia in a cost- Working (refer image)
effective manner as Malnutrition costs India at • When an organic entity is alive, its body keeps
absorbing and losing carbon-14 atoms.
least ₹77,000 crore annually in terms of lost
• When it dies, this process stops, and the extant carbon-
productivity, illness and death.
14 starts to decay away.
o Prevent cretinism, goiter, thyrotoxicosis, brain
• Using the difference between the relative abundance of
damage and improves foetal and neonatal health.
these atoms in the body and the number that should’ve
been there, researchers can estimate when the entity
died.

Limitations with Carbon 14
• It is an unstable and weak radioactive isotope of
carbon.
• It has a half-life of 5,700 years
• It cannot determine the age of objects older than
approximately 50,000 years.

7.1. OUTER SPACE GOVERNANCE
Why in News?
The United Nations (UN) has recently released a policy brief titled "For All Humanity — The Future of Outer Space
Governance,"
More on News
• The policy brief came ahead of the upcoming UN
Summit of the Future, scheduled for September 2024,
in New York.
o The summit aims to facilitate multilateral solutions
and strengthen global governance to address
future challenges.
• The policy brief examines changes in outer space such
as space tourism, militarization, etc. and an assessment
of the sustainability, safety and security impacts of
these changes due to loophole in existing framework.
Existing governance framework
• In 1958, the United Nations General Assembly established the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UN
COPUOS) to govern the exploration and use of space for the benefit of all humanity.
• The UN COPUOS has been supported in its work by the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA).
• That work has led to the creation of five international space treaties:
o Outer Space Treaty 1967: Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of
Outer Space, Including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies.
o Rescue Agreement 1968: Agreement on the Rescue of Astronauts, the
Return of Astronauts, and the Return of Objects Launched into Outer Space.
o Liability Convention 1972: Convention on International Liability for Da
mage Caused by Space Objects.
o Registration Convention 1976: Convention on Registration of Objects
Launched into Outer Space.
o Moon Agreement 1979: Agreement Governing the Activities of States on
the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies.
• India is a signatory to all five of these treaties but has ratified only four. India
did not ratify the Moon agreement.
Need for the new mechanism
• Resource activities: There is not an agreed international framework on space resource exploration, exploitation, and
utilization, or a mechanism to support its future implementation.
o Space mining will be one of the major focus areas of commercial space activity in the coming decades.
• Space debris: It is a challenge that will be compounded by the large number of satellites being launched into low
Earth orbit.
o There is not at present an international mechanism or body to monitor space debris or facilitate its removal.
• Space traffic coordination: At present, national and regional entities coordinate space traffic with different sets of
standards, best practices, definitions, languages, and modes of interoperability.
o This relative lack of coordination widens the gap for countries with less space capacity, making it harder for them
to operate their limited space assets in an increasingly complex environment.
• Prevention of conflict in outer space: Additional normative frameworks are needed to prevent any extension of
armed conflict into outer space and to prevent the weaponization of outer space.
o A major challenge in space security is the dual-use nature of many capabilities. Any satellite capable of
maneuvering to change can destroy other satellites.
• Increase in the satellite launch: There has been an exponential increase in satellite launches over the past
decade, driven by both government and private sector participation.
Recommendations given in the policy brief
• New treaty for peace and security: The UN
recommends the negotiation and development of a
new treaty to ensure peace, security, and the
prevention of an arms race in outer space.
• Space debris removal: Develop norms and
principles for space debris removal that take into
account the legal and scientific aspects of space
debris removal.
• Space traffic management: Develop an effective
framework for the coordination of space situational
awareness, space object maneuvers, and space
objects and events.
• Space resource activities: Develop an effective
framework for sustainable exploration, exploitation,
and utilization of the Moon and other celestial
bodies.
o This framework could include binding and non-legally binding aspects and should build upon the five United
Nations treaties on outer space.
• Inclusiveness: Member States to consider how to facilitate the participation of commercial actors, civil society
representatives, and other relevant actors in the work of outer space-related intergovernmental processes.
7.2. BRAIN-COMPUTER INTERFACE (BCI)

Why in News?
US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Elon Musk’s Neuralink chip for human trials.
More on News
• It aims to build a next-generation brain implant with at least 100 times more brain connections than devices
currently approved by FDA.
About Brain–Computer Interface (BCI)
• It is a system that determines functional intent -
the desire to change, move, control, or interact with
something in our environment - directly from brain
activity.
o In other words, BCIs allow to control an
application or a device using only our mind.
• It has three main parts:
o A device to detect and record signals coming
from the brain.
o A computer to process and analyze the
recorded brain activity.
o An application/device to control.
• Another important part of a BCI is feedback: the
system must somehow let the user know what decision or intended action the computer was able to interpret.
• Different techniques to measure brain activity for BCIs
o Electroencephalography (EEG)
✓ EEG is a test that measures electrical activity in the brain using small, metal discs (electrodes) attached to
the scalp.
✓ Brain cells communicate via electrical impulses and are active all the time, even during asleep.
o Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI)
✓ It works by detecting the changes in blood oxygenation and flow that occur in response to neural activity.
✓ When a brain area is more active it consumes more oxygen and to meet this increased demand, blood flow
increases to the active area.
Applications of BCI
• Helping people with physical disabilities and ageing: BCIs can enable precise control of prosthetic limbs, giving
amputees natural motor skills. It can also help older people train their motor and cognitive abilities.
• Treatment for diseases: such as Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy and spinal cord injuries. It also shows some promise for
potential treatment of obesity, autism, depression, schizophrenia and tinnitus.
o Tinnitus is ringing or buzzing noise in one or both ears that may be constant or come and go, often associated
with hearing loss.
• Facilitate brain research: Scientists could use BCIs to improve understanding of the brain. Some researchers have
used a BCI to detect the emotions of patients in a vegetative or minimally conscious state.
• Improving human performance: BCIs can now be used as a neurofeedback training tool to improve cognitive
performance, augment human capabilities and human-computer interactions.
o BCI could be used to affect alertness and to improve subjects’ performance in a cognitively-demanding task.
Concerns related to BCI
• Technical and user challenges: Each person generates unique brain signals, which are difficult to measure clearly.
Also, Translation of brain signals to speech by a BCI could cause harm if it is not accurate.
• Data Privacy and Security: BCIs are vulnerable to cyberattacks as hackers could use malware to intercept brain-wave
data generated by the device.
• Social impact: Reported costs of wearable BCIs range from hundreds to thousands of dollars, which may result in
unequal access.
• Ethical issues: BCIs may raise questions about what constitutes consent and about potential unfair advantages
conferred by certain human enhancements.
• Medical issues: BCIs may unintentionally influence other brain functions, or cause any unwanted side effects such as
seizures, headaches, mood changes, or cognitive impairment.
Conclusion
Over the next few decades, BCI research and development is likely to continue to grow and we may see greater
widespread use of BCIs in people's daily lives. Also, there is a need to improve the accuracy, reliability and efficiency of
BCIs so as to realise its full potential.
About Neurons
• Brain is made of up millions of cells called neurons, also known as
nerve cells.
o These neurons work together in large networks to coordinate and
control processes in body, from understanding what we see, hear,
smell, taste etc., to executing movements, to regulating breathing,
heart rate etc.
• Neurons are information messengers. They use electrical and
chemical signals to send information between different areas of the
brain, as well as between the brain, the spinal cord, and the entire
body.
o Specialized projections called axons allow neurons to transmit
electrical and chemical signals to other cells.
o Neurons can also receive these signals via rootlike
extensions known as dendrites. How neurons work?
• There are three kinds of neurons: • A nerve impulse is transmitted from one neuron to another
o Sensory neurons carry information from the sense through junctions called synapses.
organs (like eyes and ears) to the brain. • There are two types of synapses, namely, electrical
o Motor neurons control voluntary muscle activity, synapses and chemical synapses.
such as walking and talking, and carry messages o At electrical synapses, the membranes of pre- and post-
from nerve cells in the brain to the muscles. synaptic neurons are in very close proximity. Electrical
o Interneurons, neural intermediaries found in our current can flow directly from one neuron into the
brain and spinal cord. They pass signals from other across these synapses.
sensory neurons and other interneurons to motor ✓ Electrical synapses are rare in our system.
neurons and other interneurons. o At a chemical synapse, the membranes of the pre- and
• Types of Neurons post-synaptic neurons are separated by a fluid-filled
o Multipolar neurons: These neurons have a single space called synaptic cleft.
axon and symmetrical dendrites that extend from • Chemicals called neurotransmitters are involved in the
it. transmission of impulses at these synapses.
o Unipolar neurons: Usually only found in • The released neurotransmitters bind to their specific
invertebrate species, these neurons have a single receptors, present on the post-synaptic membrane.
axon.
o Bipolar neurons: Have two extensions extending
from the cell body. At the end of one side is the
axon, and the dendrites are on the other side.
o Pyramidal neurons: These neurons have one axon
but several dendrites to form a pyramid type
shape.
o Purkinje neurons: Have multiple dendrites that fan
out from the cell body. These neurons are
inhibitory neurons, meaning they release
neurotransmitters that keep other neurons from
firing.
7.3. GRAVITATIONAL WAVES

Why in News?
Scientists recently unveiled evidence that gravitational
waves are permeating the universe at low frequencies -
creating a cosmic background hum.
About Gravitational Waves (GW)
• They are ripples in the fabric of spacetime caused by
the most energetic events in the cosmos, such as black
hole mergers and neutron star collisions.
o Most powerful gravitational waves are created
when objects move at very high speeds.
• Their presence was first given by Einstein in his Theory
of Relativity. Higher and lower frequency gravitational waves
• Gravitational waves were first detected in 2015 using • Higher-frequency gravitational waves come from smaller
pairs of black holes zipping around each other rapidly in
an experiment, involving Laser Interferometer
the final seconds before they collide.
Gravitational Observatory (LIGO) detectors.
• While the lower-frequency waves are thought to be
• But those waves were of high frequency, believed to generated by huge black holes at the hearts of galaxies,
be produced by the merger of two relatively small up to billions of times the mass of our sun, that lumber
black holes that took place about 1.3 billion years ago. around each other slowly and have millions of years to go
before they merge.

How scientists detected low-frequency About Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT)
gravitational waves? • GMRT is an instrument for studying astrophysical phenomena, ranging from
• For discovering low-frequency nearby Solar system to the edge of observable Universe, at low radio
gravitational waves, researchers frequencies (40 to 1450 MHz).
used six large radio telescopes o Metre wavelength part of the radio spectrum has been particularly
around the world to study objects chosen for study with GMRT because man-made radio interference is
called pulsars. considerably lower in this part of the spectrum in India.
o India’s Giant Metrewave Radio • It is operated by National Centre of Radio Astrophysics (NCRA) Pune, which
is part of Tata Institute of Fundamental Research.
Telescope (GMRT, Pune) was
o GMRT is an indigenous project. Design is based on `SMART' concept - for
among the world’s six large Stretch Mesh Attached to Rope Trusses.
telescopes that played a vital role • Major objectives of GMRT:
in providing evidence. o To detect the highly redshifted spectral line of neutral Hydrogen
o Other 5 are located in Germany, expected from protoclusters or protogalaxies.
UK, France, Italy and o To search for and study rapidly rotating Pulsars in our galaxy.
Netherlands. • Some scientific results from GMRT
• Pulsars are distant rapidly-rotating o Mapped distribution of atomic hydrogen gas from host galaxy of a fast
neutron stars that emit pulses of radio burst (FRB) for the first time.
radiation, observed from the Earth as o A new pulsar has been discovered in the Globular Cluster NGC 1851
o Solar and coronal hole related observations.
bright flashes of light.
o Radio signal originating from atomic hydrogen in an extremely distant
o These bursts take place at
galaxy
extremely precise intervals, and o Study of radio galaxies, quasars etc.
therefore scientists use pulsars
as ‘cosmic clocks’.
• After examining pulsars over a period of 15 years, it was noted that some of the signals from these neutron stars
arrived a little early while a few others were late, the discrepancies ranging in millionths of seconds.
• Scientists have proposed that the observed inconsistencies were due to deformities caused in spacetime by
gravitational waves.
o When gravitational waves travel across the cosmos, they stretch and squeeze the fabric of spacetime very
slightly.
o This stretching and squeezing can cause the distance between Earth and a given pulsar to minutely change,
which results in delays or advances to the timing of the pulsars' flashes of light.
• They described the universe's gravitational wave background as the equivalent of hearing the hum of a large group
of people talking at a party, without being able to distinguish any individual voice.
Significance of the discovery
• Provides enough data to suggest that there is a gravitational wave background, which exists in our universe.
• It will help scientists expand their knowledge about the nature and evolution of the universe.
• It will help to answer mysteries about the nature of merging supermassive black holes, such as how common they
are, what brings them together, and what other factors contribute to their coalescence
Conclusion
Researchers hope that continuing to study this kind of gravitational waves can help us learn more about the biggest
objects in our universe. It could open new doors to track the history of black holes and galaxies merging all around us.
About Gravity and Space-time
• In his theory of gravitation, Isaac Newton postulated that the force that makes an apple
fall to Earth is also the one that keeps the moon in its orbit around the Earth.
o This force, he proposed, was proportional to the masses of the two bodies and
inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them.
• However, it does not say about why two bodies are attracted to each other.
o Also, it fell short in telling how gravitational force exerted on the two bodies seemed
to be propagating instantaneously, over any large distance, without any delay at all.
• These were addressed by Einstein in his General Theory of Relativity.

o He had already shown, with Special Relativity, that space and time were not independent entities but had to be woven
together as space-time.
• Einstein proposed that gravitational attraction was a result of the bending of the fabric of space-time by the equivalent of a
heavy object.
o The greater the mass of an object the more extreme the warping of space it causes, so a star warps spacetime more
than a planet, and a black hole warp it more than a star.
o Einstein said the Sun, the Earth and all other bodies formed similar curvatures around them, and this was the reason for
smaller objects getting pulled towards them.
• But since the Earth, sun and everything else are also moving, the curvature around them moves too. This creates ripples in
space-time, just like a moving boat in water creates ripples.
• It is these ripples that Einstein called gravitational waves.
7.4. RARE HIGGS BOSON DECAY

Why in News?
Scientists at The European
Organization for Nuclear
Research (CERN) which hosts
the Large Hadron Collider, (LHC)
have discovered evidence of the
Higgs boson decaying into Z
boson and a photon.
About the discovery
• This is a very rare decay
process that tells us important things about Large Hadron Collider (LHC):
the Higgs boson as well as about our universe. • It is the world’s largest and most powerful particle accelerator, set
• The decay was reported in the ATLAS and up in 2008 at CERN near Geneva.
CMS, general-purpose detectors of the Large • The LHC consists of a 27-kilometre ring of superconducting
Hadron Collider (LHC) of CERN. magnets to boost the energy of the particles along the way.
• The particle beams travelling close to the speed of light are
• Implications of the discovery
collided inside the LHC.
o This evidence of decay can provide
indirect evidence to the existence of particles beyond those predicted by
the Standard Model of particle physics.
o The discovery can lead to a fifth fundamental force, which is yet to be
discovered.
o Physicists currently recognise four fundamental forces namely the strong
force, the weak force, the electromagnetic force and the gravitational
force.
Higgs Boson
• It is popularly known as the God particle and is a subatomic particle that was
first theorized in the 1960s by physicist Peter Higgs and others.
• Its existence was proved in 2012 through the experiments in LHC at CERN.
• It carries the force that a particle experiences when it moves through an
energy field, called the Higgs field, that is believed to be present throughout
the universe.
o For example, when an electron interacts with the Higgs field, the effects it
experiences are said to be due to its interaction with Higgs bosons.

• Properties of Higgs Boson:
o Mass: It has a mass of 125.35 giga-electron volts (GeV), which is about 133 times the mass of a proton.
o Spin: It is a scalar particle and has ‘0’ spin, and do not possess angular momentum.
o Lifetime: Very short and it rapidly decays into other particles after it is produced in high-energy collisions
o Detection: It is detected indirectly by observing the particles it decays into.
✓ It normally decays into pairs of photons or pairs of W or Z bosons (the recent discovery has found the Higgs
Boson decaying with a photon and Z boson, which is unusual)
What is the standard model of particle physics?
• The Standard Model is a theoretical framework that describes the fundamental particles of matter and their interactions.
• It also explains the three of the four fundamental forces of nature i.e except that of Gravitational force.
• It explains how two elementary particles Fermions and Bosons and their interactions make up all the matter in the universe.
o Fermions are particles that make up matter and are further divided into two groups namely Quarks and Leptons
o Bosons are particles that carry the force, they mediate the interactions between particles.
✓ Bosons in standard model are Photon, W and Z bosons, Gluons and Higgs Boson.
• The theory is silent on how particles acquire mass (the current discovery can be a clue to find the reason for the same)
7.5. FIXED DOSE COMBINATION DRUGS

Why in News?
Recently, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare prohibited the manufacture, sale or distribution of 14 fixed-dose
combination (FDC) medicines.
More about News
• Action was taken after an expert committee recommended that "there is no therapeutic justification for these FDCs
and they may involve risk to human beings".
o Banned FDC includes drugs such as Nimesulide + Paracetamol dispersible tablet, and Amoxicillin + Bromhexine,
etc.
• These FDCs are part of 344 FDCs which
government had earlier banned in 2016.
About Fixed Dose Combination (FDCs)
• It refers to products containing one or more
active ingredients used for a particular indication.
o Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) is the biologically active component of a drug product (tablet, capsule,
cream, injectable) that produces the intended effects.
• If it is combined for the first time, it would fall under
Issues in Regulation of FDCs in India
the definition of a new drug.
• To evade the drugs price control, some companies
• New Drugs require prior approval from the Drugs reformulate the individual drugs into an FDC.
Controller General of India (DCGI) before being • Compromised quality as New FDCs after 4 years gets
licensed by the State licensing authorities (SLAs). produced by other manufactures by getting license from
o DCGI heads the Central Drugs Standard Control State licensing authorities (SLAs) without checking laxity
Organisation (CDSCO) which is responsible for with regard to pharmacological studies.
ensuring quality drugs supply across the country. • Lack of coherence among stakeholders as SLAs have been
o CDSCO works under Ministry of Health & Family issuing manufacturing licenses for FDCs without prior
Welfare. clearance from DCGI.
✓ It is a statutory body and established as • Poor capacity of State Drug Control Organisations (SDCO)
Central Drug Authority for discharging such as infrastructure facilities, number and quality of drug
inspectors, etc.
functions assigned to the Central
• Adverse drug reaction reporting system is poor in India.
Government under the Drugs and Cosmetics
• Lack of Data as India does not have the exact database of
Act 1940. currently available FDCs in the market, their sales turnover
and use pattern.

Merits of FDCs Steps taken by India for regulation of FDCs
• Advantages over the single entity preparations: Such • Drugs & Cosmetics (Amendment) Act, 2008 provide
stringent penalties for manufacturer of spurious and
as:
adulterated drugs and certain offences have also been
o increased efficacy, and/or a reduced incidence of made cognizable and non-bailable.
adverse effects, • Testing capacities of Central Drugs Testing Laboratories
o reduced cost due to proportional mixing of various under CDSCO are being constantly strengthened to
drugs which reduces cost of production. expedite testing of drug samples in the country
o simpler logistics of distribution relevant to • Drugs and Cosmetics Rules 1945 amended in 2017:
situations of limited resources. Providing that applicant shall submit the result of
• Treatment of infectious diseases: FDCs have shown to bioequivalence study along with the application for grant
be particularly useful in the treatment of infectious of manufacturing License of oral dosage form of drugs.
diseases like HIV, malaria and tuberculosis
Related News
where giving multiple antimicrobial agents is
Fixed Retail prices for Essential Medicines
the norm.
• NPPA has fixed retail prices of 23 formulations, including the
o FDCs are also of use in chronic conditions medications to treat diabetes and high blood pressure.
especially when multiple disorders often o It has also revised the ceiling price of 15 scheduled
co-exist. formulations under Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013 (NLEM
• Improved patient adherence: FDCs can 2022).
reduce the ‘pill burden’ for customers and • Drug Price Control in India:
hence improve the adherence. o The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare draws up a National
List of Essential Medicines (NLEM) 2022 for price control.
Demerits of FDCs ✓ These essential medicines automatically come under the
• Pharmacodynamic (Drugs power) mismatch: Drug (Prices Control) Order (DPCO),2013.
o The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA), which
Mismatch between the two components
is an independent body in the Ministry of Chemicals and
such as one drug having Fertilisers, enforces these price controls.
additive/antagonistic effect leading to ✓ Also, monitor the availability of drugs, identify shortages;
reduced efficacy or enhanced toxicity. collect/ maintain data on production, exports and
• Decreased shell life: Drugs having non- imports, market share of individual companies, etc.
compatibility when mixed for FDCs may lead o Other legislations: Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940; Pharmacy
to decreased shelf life of FDCs. Act, 1948; Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable
• Questionable effectiveness: Diseases such as Advertisement) Act, 1954; Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic
for Tuberculosis (TB) treatment in the Substances Act, 1985.
absence of Direct Observed Therapy Short course (DOTS) and therapeutic drug monitoring questions often get raised
about FDCs effectiveness.
• Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR): The irrational FDCs with sub-standard doses of antimicrobials, fail to offer adequate
therapeutic response to successfully kill the bugs and end up rather helping them develop resistance to the FDCs.
Suggestions to improve regulation of FDCs
• Need periodic surveys: Drug manufacturers and wholesale and retail outlets periodic surveys can be conducted to
get a measure of the existing problem of sector.
• National Drug Authority (NDA): Establishing this body by an Act of Parliament as envisaged by Hathi committee and
as well as in Drug Policy of 1994.
• Strong punitive action: As suggested by Mashelkar Committee against those involved in drug-related cases of
corruption will act as deterrence for others.
o Like for manufacture or sale of spurious drug punishment should change from life imprisonment to death
penalty as recommended by Committee.
• Multistep approach: To curb the irrational use of FDC in India, multistep approach involving all stakeholders, for
example, consumers, physicians, regulatory authority, industry, and the academicians, is needed.
• Essential Commodities (Control of Unethical Practices in Marketing of Drugs) Order, 2017: Finalising and
implementing the order will help to curb unethical activities.

7.6. SICKLE CELL ANAEMIA
Why in news?
The Prime Minister of India has launched the National Sickle Cell Anaemia
Elimination Mission in Madhya Pradesh.
Sickle Cell Disease
• Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) is a type of hemoglobin disorder, inherited
blood diseases that affect how oxygen is carried in the body.
• SCD is characterized by a modification in the shape of the red blood cell
from a smooth, doughnut shape into a crescent or half-moon shape.
(refer image)
o Mis-shaped cells lack plasticity and can block small blood vessels,
impairing blood flow.
o This condition leads to shortened Red Blood Cell (RBC) survival and
subsequent anaemia, often called Sickle-Cell Anaemia (SCA).
o Common symptoms are jaundice, liver and spleen enlargement.
• Stem cell or bone marrow transplants (Hematopoietic stem cell
transplant) are the only cure for this disease, but they involve significant risks.
• India is the second-worst affected country in terms of predicted births with SCA — i.e., chances of being born with
the condition.
Sickle Cell Disease in Tribal Population
• In India, SCD is more common in tribal populations because of malnutrition.
o Tribes like Pawara, Bhil, Madia, Gond and Pardhan from Maharashtra have a
very high prevalence rate.
• Tribal areas were endemic to malaria for many years, leading to many deaths, thus,
as an evolutionary trait (refer infographic), their RBCs were becoming sickle-
shaped. This led to their high susceptibility to SCD.
o As per a screening exercise conducted by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, 20 per
cent of tribal children with SCD would die before reaching two years of age.
• Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW) Tribal Health Expert Committee
Report has listed SCD as one of the 10 special problems in tribal health that affect
the tribal people.
About National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission

• Objective: The objective of the mission is to provide affordable and accessible care to all SCD patients, ensure the
quality of care and lower the prevalence of the disease.
o The vision of the mission is to eliminate SCD as a public health problem in India before 2047.
• Strategy: It will be carried out in a mission mode and will emphasize a three-pillar strategy i.e.,
o Health promotion: Awareness generation & pre-marital genetic counselling.
o Prevention: Universal screening and early detection.
o Holistic Management & Continuum of Care.
• Beneficiaries: Covering the entire population from 0 to 18 years of age and shall incrementally include the entire
population up to 40 years as a part of the National Health Mission (NHM).
o Initially, the focus shall be on 17 states with a higher prevalence of SCD including Gujarat, Maharashtra,
Rajasthan, MP, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, etc.
o The mission aims to cover 7 crore people with screening, counselling for prevention and care for people with SCD
in three and half years.
• Convergence: The programme would be an integration with existing mechanisms and strategies (such as Pradhan
Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan) under NHM.
Other initiatives taken to control Sickle Cell Anaemia
• National Health Mission (NHM) guideline on Hemoglobinopathies (encompass all genetic diseases of haemoglobin)
identifies establishing services at the community level.
o It will be for pre-marital and pre-conception screening backed by genetic counselling services as a strategy
for addressing SCA.
• Government plans to distribute special cards across tribal areas to people below the age of 40. Cards will be divided
into different categories based on screening results. The mission will receive funding under NHM.
• Ministry of Tribal Affairs launched a portal wherein people can register themselves if they have a disease or trait to
collate all information related to SCA among tribal groups.
Concerns in controlling SCA Way forward
• Lack of screening awareness and • Timely diagnosis through cost-effective and large-scale screening camp
inadequate screening centres in tribal and along with counselling.
rural areas. • Prenatal diagnosis can play an important role in reducing the prevalence of
• Cures in the form of gene therapy and stem SCA in children.
cell transplants are both costly and still in • Resource utilisation, proper implementation of the projects, and
developmental stages. awareness generation at the grassroots level.
• Tribals generally rely on traditional • Collaboration between the government and NGOs is the key to addressing
medicine for treatment and have disbelief the SCA.
and mistrust in modern treatment • Patients Support Groups by frontline workers to improve treatment
techniques. compliance and engaging not only patients but also family members or
caregivers.
7.7. STEM CELLS

Why in News?
Recently, a team of scientists in the US and the UK have
created the first synthetic human embryo-like structures in
the world using stem cells bypassing the need for eggs and
sperm.
More on news
• These synthetic embryos resemble natural embryos in
the earliest stages of human development.
• They lack a beating heart
or the beginnings of a
brain, but they contain
cells that would give rise
to the placenta, yolk sac
and the embryo.
• These models would help
scientists understand the
impact of genetic
disorders and the
biological reasons behind
recurrent miscarriages.
o Research will help
scientists understand
the “black box of
human
development”, the
period before a pregnancy’s progress can be detected on a scan.

Relevance of stem cells in biomedical research and therapies Current status of use of SCT in medicine
• Understanding nature of disease: Information on genetic and molecular • The only stem cells now used to treat
disease are hematopoietic stem cells
signals that regulate differentiation in stem cells can help understating
found in bone marrow.
development of diseases and finding therapy.
• These cells are used in bone marrow
• Stem cell therapy (SCT): Also known as regenerative medicine, the SCT transplants to help people with
refers to introducing new stem cells into damaged tissue to treat a cancer make new blood cells.
particular type of disease. • They may also be used to treat people
o It could be either Autologous transplantation (uses the patient’s own with conditions, such as Fanconi
stem cells) or Allogeneic transplantation (uses stem cells from a anemia, a blood disorder that causes
donor). the body's bone marrow to fail.
• Toxicology (drug side effects): Testing drug candidates directly
on patients can be extremely dangerous.
o However, iPS cells can be differentiated into the requisite
cell type, and the drugs tested on them for reactions.
Challenges related to stem cell technology
• Ethical concerns: Ethical dilemma involving the destruction of
a human embryo and differentiation potential of iPSCs which
can be used in human reproductive cloning.
• Safety concerns: Due to higher deferential rates, stem cells
have a much higher probability of accumulating genetic
mutations and leading to tumor growth or cancer.
• Immune rejection: There are issues with post-transplant
rejection of embryonic stem cells (since they cannot be used
from a patient's own cells).
• Understanding stem cell mechanism: It is not yet clear whether the synthetic embryos have the potential to continue
maturing beyond the earliest stages of development. For example,
o In Israel and China efforts to develop synthetic embryos, grown from mouse and monkey, by implementing it in
the womb of the respective animals failed.
o So, it is not clear whether the barrier to more advanced development is merely technical or has a more
fundamental biological cause.
• Legal issues: The use of synthetic embryos for clinical purposes is not legally imminent in the UK and most other
countries. Implanting them into a patient's womb is currently illegal.
• Other issues: Stem cell therapies are highly expensive, and it is difficult for developing nations to keep pace with
technological advancements.
Way ahead
• Resolving ethical dilemma
o Ensure regulatory framework and mechanisms can keep up with the rapid pace of changes in stem cell research
and ground realities.
o Continuous endeavor to actively engage with all stakeholders and come up with timely and suitable reforms.
o Resolving regulatory issues to prevent unscientific or unethical stem cell therapy that poses a threat to the well-
being of patients and other vulnerable individuals.
• Tackling safety concerns: Under controlled conditions, stem cells derived cells could serve as a potentially safe new
source in regenerative medicine.
• Promoting R&D: Scientists must first learn more about how embryonic stem cells develop. This will help them
understand how to control the type of cells created from them and facilitate Informed decision making.
o Quality clinical research also demands skilled human resources besides adequate finance.
• Collaboration: Private sector funding, international collaborations, and the promotion of exchange studies.
• Awareness against the misuse: Regulatory bodies need to ensure that people are aware about the availability of stem
cell therapy and the therapies which are banned.
7.8. LAB GROWN DIAMONDS
Why in news?
Recently, the Indian Prime Minister during his state visit to the USA gifted a 7.5 carat eco-friendly lab grown diamond to
the first lady of the USA.
More on Lab Grown Diamonds
• Lab grown diamonds (LGD) are artificially manufactured diamonds through crystallisation of pure carbon with the
same physical and chemical properties as natural diamonds.
○ The first LGD was created in 1954 by scientists at a General Electric research laboratory in New York.
• They are commonly used for industrial applications due to their hardness and strength. They are ideal for use as
cutters and in other tools and machines that require these properties.
○ In electronics, pure synthetic diamonds are used as heat spreaders for high-power laser diodes, laser arrays, and
high-power transistors due to their excellent thermal conductivity.
• India produces over 3 million lab-grown diamonds (15 % of global production).
○ India is the largest producer of lab grown diamonds through the CVD technology and contributes to nearly 25%
of global LGD production.
• The government has introduced various measures to promote the growth of lab-grown diamonds, including the
elimination of the 5 percent tax on LGDs.
○ Additionally, government had announced to establish the India Centre for Lab-grown Diamond at IIT Madras.
Methods of Production of LGD LGDs Natural Diamonds
• High Temperature High Pressure (HTHP) • No dirt or impurities • Impurities and strains in crystal
Method. ingrained. structure
○ This method requires extremely • Affordable even in • Can be expensive because of their
heavy presses that can produce up better quality natural clarity and hard mining
to 730,000 psi of pressure under • Created with little to no process.
extremely high temperatures (at environmental • Mining natural diamonds causes water
damage. pollution.
least 1500 celsius).
• Guaranteed origins and • Natural diamonds can come from
○ Usually graphite is used as the
trackable source conflicted regions.
diamond seed.
• Chemical Vapour Deposition Method.
○ A chamber is filled with a mixture of gases (carbon, hydrogen etc) along with a diamond seed substrate (usually
graphite).
○ The chamber is then heated to temperatures of 800º to 900º C, using microwaves, lasers, or a hot filament which
causes carbon to precipitate into a diamond.
7.9. NEWS IN SHORTS

7.9.1. GENETIC ENGINEERING APPRAISAL o Agriculture is a state subject and their
involvement is essential for compliance
COMMITTEE (GEAC)
monitoring.
• Few states have refused to give no objection • GEAC is the statutory committee that functions in the
certificates (NOC) of biosafety research trials of Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change.
genetically engineered (GE) cotton hybrids, regulated o It is constituted under the “Rules for the
by the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee Manufacture, Use/Import/Export and Storage of
(GEAC). Hazardous Micro Organisms/Genetically
o Field trials are to be conducted in Telangana, Engineered Organisms or Cells (Rules, 1989)”
Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Haryana. framed under the Environment (Protection) Act,
o Since 2011, it has been made mandatory to obtain 1986.
'NOC' from the state governments for conducting o Its main function is to approve activities involving
field trials. large-scale use of hazardous and recombinants in
industrial production.
o It conducts experimental field trials before o Resource Constraints like availability of high
releasing any genetically engineered organism quality cells, suitable growth-medium.
into the environment. o Difficulty in replicating taste, texture, fat content
• BT (Bacillus thuringiensis) Cotton is hybrids/varieties like bovine meat.
that cotton that contain ‘cry1Ac’ and ‘cry2Ab’ genes, o Uncertainty of consumer acceptance due to lack
isolated from the soil bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis of awareness.
(Bt) and coding for proteins toxic to bollworm insect
pests.
o Bt cotton is the only GM crop that has been
approved for commercial cultivation.
7.9.3. MRNA VACCINE

• India’s first mRNA vaccine get approval Drugs
7.9.2. CELL-CULTIVATED MEAT Controller General of India (DCGI).
• US has granted approval to make and sell cell- • GEMCOVAC-OM a mRNA COVID-19 booster vaccine
cultivated chicken. produced by Gennova Biopharmaceuticals Ltd have
• Cellular agriculture is the process by which animal- received Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) by DCGI.
based products are produced directly from cell o It is a lyophilized (freeze dried) vaccine, stable at
cultures rather than from animals. 2- 8 °C, is delivered using a device called Tropis.
o It comprises two different approaches: cell ✓ Tropis use the technology that propels liquid
cultivation (cellular) and precision fermentation at high pressure to deliver vaccines through
(acellular- contain no cellular or living material in the skin without utilising needles.
final product like Milk). • Clinical trials and approval of new drugs/vaccines are
o In 2020, Singapore became the first country to governed by the New Drugs and Clinical Trial Rules
approve the sale of cell-cultivated meat. 2019 under the provisions of the Drugs and Cosmetics
• Benefits of cell-cultivated meat Act, 1940.
o Reduce GHGs emissions: FAO has estimated that o Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation
global livestock is responsible for 14.5% of all (CDSCO) headed by the DCGI is the authority to
anthropogenic GHGs emissions. grant approval of Vaccine.
o Animal Rights will be protected. o Vaccine Testing and subsequent approval involves
o Without changing dietary habits, it provides preclinical phase (without testing on humans) and
Nutritional security. three phases of human clinical trials.
o It can be customised to be healthier than their • About mRNA vaccine
animal counterpart, such as being designed to o It is type of vaccine that use messenger RNA
contain less fat. (mRNA) molecules to provide instructions to the
o Compared to conventional beef, lab-grown meat body's cells for producing a protein that triggers
requires 45% less energy use. an immune response against a pathogen.
• Challenges associated with cell-cultivated meat o Once the mRNA is injected into the body, the cells
o Cost of cell-cultivated meat is expected to remain read the instructions and produces the protein.
high in the near future.
✓ This then stimulates the immune system to
recognize and mount a response against the
targeted pathogen.
7.9.4. PHAGE THERAPY

• A study found out that the Public accepts use of
bacteria-killing viruses (Phage Therapy) as alternative
to antibiotics.
• Due to improper use of antibiotics, there has been an 7.9.5. LEPTOSPIROSIS
increase in Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR).
Therefore, an increasingly popular alternative to • With the onset of monsoon in India, threat of
antibiotics is bacteriophages to control bacterial Leptospirosis disease has increased.
diseases. • It is a potentially fatal zoonotic bacterial disease,
o By 2050, antibiotic resistance will result in death of caused by a bacterium Leptospira interrogans, or
10 million people from drug resistance diseases leptospira.
every year. • It is a contagious disease in animals (carrier includes
• Bacteriophages, or phages, are viruses that infect and rodents, cattle, pigs, and dogs) but is occasionally
replicate only in bacterial cells. Phage therapy involves transmitted to humans in certain environmental
using phages to treat bacterial infections. conditions.
o Bacteriophages were discovered by Frederick • It is prevalent in warm, humid countries and in both
Willian Twort in 1915 (Great Britain) and Felix urban and rural areas.
d'Herelle in 1917 (France). • Its symptoms mimic those of dengue, malaria, and
o In contrast to many antibiotics, which remove hepatitis.
harmful bacteria, while simultaneously
decimating the microbiota (triggering a new set of 7.9.6. CAPTAGON PILLS
problems), each phage has evolved to more
• Captagon is a highly addictive amphetamine-type
narrowly target bacterial strains or species.
• Significance of phage therapy drug, which is produced mainly in Syria.
o Phages are unlikely to damage human cells due to • Captagon pills stimulate central nervous system,
significant differences in bacterial cells and human providing a boost of energy, enhance someone’s
cells. focus, let someone stay awake for longer periods of
o Since they can replicate, initial dosage can be time, and produce a feeling of euphoria.
relatively small. o It was widely consumed by Islamic State and
o Inherently nontoxic as they are made up of nucleic Syrian fighters.
acids and proteins. • It is actually a counterfeit version of a medicine with
• Challenges in developing phage therapeutics: Lack of same brand name, first produced in 1960s and was
clinical trials, time consuming process of finding right banned in 1980s.
phages, difficulties in patenting phages as they are o Original Captagon contained fenetylline, a
natural entities etc. synthetic drug of phenethylamine family to which
amphetamine also belongs.

7.9.7. PHONONS • Advantages of FSOC technology: cost-effective and
quickly deployable, can transmit data at high speeds,
• Scientists have successfully split phonons, effective in areas that are difficult to connect using
demonstrating their quantum properties and ability to fiber cables etc.
manipulate and control quantum states. • Challenges faced: signal reliability is compromised by
o Phonons are quasiparticles that represent conditions like fog and haze, or interruptions like birds
collective vibrations of atoms or molecules in a flying in front of the signal; requires better mirror
solid material. controls and motion detection capabilities etc.
o Achievement may lead to development of sound- • Earlier Alphabet tried to deliver internet through
based versions of quantum computers or Project Loon, which aimed at utilising stratospheric
extremely sensitive measuring devices in future. balloons for internet connectivity.
• Presently, linear optical quantum computing uses
photons, particles of light, as qubits (basic units of 7.9.9. HIROSHIMA AI PROCESS (HAP)
information for quantum computers).
• At the recent G7 summit, hosted by Japan, leaders-
o Both photons and phonons are of central interest
initiated HAP to regulate Artificial Intelligence (AI).
to quantum computing research. However,
o HAP will be established through a G7 working
studying phonons is challenging due to their
group, in cooperation with OECD and Global
susceptibility to noise and issues with scalability
Partnership on AI (GPAI).
and detection.
• With the help of HAP, G7 countries could move
Photons Phonons towards a divergent regulation based on shared
• Photons are tiny • Phonons are packets of norms, principles and guiding values.
packets of energy for energy for sound waves.
light or • Phonons need a medium 7.9.10. FRAMEWORK FOR SUBMARINE
electromagnetic waves. such as air or water. CABLE LANDING IN INDIA
• Photons can travel • Phonons of different
through empty space. wavelengths can interact • Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) released
• Photons generally and mix when they bump recommendations on ‘Licensing Framework and
don’t interact at all if into each other, producing Regulatory Mechanism for Submarine Cable Landing in
they have different a different wavelength.
India’
wavelengths. • Phonons are purely wave-
• The framework will ease the rules for setting up
• Photons exhibit both like entities and do not
particle-like and wave- exhibit particle-like submarine (undersea) cable landing stations (CLS) in
like properties, known properties. India.
as wave-particle duality o In August 2022 the Department of Telecom (DoT)
sought such recommendations while highlighting
7.9.8. PROJECT TAARA various concerns related to Submarine Cables
(SMC) and Cable Landing Station (CLS).
• Alphabet, parent company of Google, under Project ✓ The SMC are laid on the ocean floor and
Taara is currently deploying their light beam internet digitally connect countries typically, connect
technology in India, Africa, and other locations around terrestrial telecom networks, and the CLS is
the world. the location where they make a landfall.
• Project Taara utilises Free Space Optical • Key highlights
Communication (FSOC) technology where free space o Essential Services’ and Critical Information
acts as a communication channel between Infrastructure (CII) status can be accorded to CLS
transceivers that are in line-of-sight. and Submarine Cables (SMC) operation and
o It uses beams of light to deliver high-speed, high- maintenance services.
capacity connectivity over long distances. o Exemption of custom duty and GST on the goods
o It can transmit data at high speeds of up to 20 and items required for CLS, and submarine
Gbps bidirectional through up to 20 km distances. operation and maintenance.
• FSOC refers to outdoor optical wireless o The clearances related to Environmental Impact
communication (OWC), whereas short-distance Assessment (EIA) and Coastal Region Zone (CRZ)
(Largely indoor) OWC is called light Fidelity (LiFi). required for SMC and CLS may also be made online
o LiFi uses light within Visible Light Spectrum to as a part of Saral Sanchar portal.
Invisible light spectrum to transmit data.

o A section should be added in the Indian 7.9.12. GEMINID METEOR SHOWER
Telecommunication Bill, 2022 to promote, protect
and prioritise ’CLS’ and ’SMC’ in India. • Parker Solar Probe reveals mysterious origin of
✓ The Bill provides a mechanism to exercise the Geminid meteor shower on Earth.
right of way (right to pass over or through real o Meteor shower happens when Earth passes
property owned by someone else) for laying through the path of a comet. When this happens,
telecom infrastructure. the bits of comet debris create streaks of light in
night sky as they burn up in Earth's atmosphere.
7.9.11. CORONAL MASS EJECTION (CME) • Geminid meteors are created by tiny bits of rocky
• Scientist spot a Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) or solar debris shed from a small asteroid named 3200
eruption that maintains constant temprature for six Phaethon, which was discovered in 1983.
years. o Phaethon is small, only about 3 miles across, and
it loops around the Sun every 1.4 years in an orbit
• Scientists from Aryabhatta Research Institute of
that approaches the Sun closer than any other
Observational Sciences (ARIES), Nainital found that
known asteroid.
core of CME that occurred in 2017 had maintained a
constant temperature. 7.9.13. QUASI-MOON
o ARIES, Nainital, is an autonomous institute under
• Astronomers have discovered a new asteroid (dubbed
Department of Science and Technology.
2023 FW13) along Earth recently.
• Highlights of finding
• It is considered a "quasi-moon" or "quasi-satellite,"
o Scientists observed that despite the core
meaning it orbits the sun in a similar time frame as
expanding, which usually leads to cooling,
Earth does, but is only slightly influenced by Earth’s
temperature remained constant.
gravitational pull.
o Density of the core decreased by about 3.6 times
o Experts believe that it has been orbiting Earth
as it moved outward.
since 100 BC.
o Expansion of the core behaved more like an
• Earlier, a quasi-satellite known as Kamo'oalewa was
isothermal process (constant temperature) rather
also discovered in 2016.
than an adiabatic process (where heat exchange
occurs). 7.9.14. IRAN’S 'FIRST HYPERSONIC
• Significance of finding: MISSILE'
o Improve the understanding of how such eruptions
• Iran presented its first domestically made hypersonic
can impact communication systems on Earth.
Missile named "Fattah" having a target range of 1,400
o India’s first solar mission, Aditya-L1, equipped
km.
with Visible Emission Line Coronagraph (VELC), will
provide more data about CMEs thermodynamic • A hypersonic missile refers to a type of weapon that
properties in inner corona. travels at speeds that exceed five times the speed of
sound typically exceeding Mach 5 or approximately
• CME is a giant cloud of solar plasma drenched with
magnetic field lines that is blown away from Sun often 6,174 km/h.
during strong, long-duration solar flares and filament o Hypersonic missiles fly at a much lower altitude
eruptions than conventional ballistic missiles.
o CME contains particle radiation (mostly protons • The two types of hypersonic weapons systems:
and electrons) and powerful magnetic fields. They o Hypersonic Glide Vehicles launched from a rocket
cause disruption of space weather and satellite before gliding to the intended target
failures, and power outages etc. o Hypersonic Cruise Missiles powered by air-
breathing high-speed engines or ‘scramjets’ after
Additional Information acquiring their target.
Betelgeuse • Advantages of Hypersonic Weapons
• Betelgeuse, seventh brightest star in sky (discounting the
o use only kinetic energy and energy derived from
Sun), is spotted in constellation Orion. It is also called as
‘Thiruvathirai’ or ‘Ardra’ in Indian astronomy.
motion to destroy unhardened targets in
• Star is in its late carbon-burning stage as it has already underground facilities.
consumed both hydrogen and helium. o could enable responsive, long-range, strike
• When it would consume all the elements of periodic options against distant, defended, and/or time-
table, the gravity would compress the core and turn it critical threats (such as road-mobile missiles).
into a neutron star or a black hole. o challenges in detection due to their speed,
maneuverability.
• The US, Russia, and China lead in hypersonic weapons
programs, while Australia, India, France, Germany, and
Japan are also developing such technology.
o As part of its Hypersonic Technology
Demonstrator Vehicle program and India
successfully tested a Mach 6 scramjet.
o Hypersonic Wind Tunnel (HWT) test facility of the
DRDO.
7.9.16. CENTRALIZED LABORATORY

NETWORK (CLN)
• Indian Council of Medical Research National Institute
of Virology (ICMR NIV) has joined CLN that works to
test vaccines which can be used during pandemic,
epidemic disease outbreak.
• CLN is a part of the Coalition for Epidemic
Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) and is largest global
group which has standardised methods and materials
7.9.15. TITANIC SUBMERSIBLE for testing.
• US Navy stated it detected sounds "consistent with an • As CLN members, each institution will support the
implosion" shortly after submersible lost contact rapid development of novel vaccines against a future
during a descent to Titanic wreck at 3,800m (12,467ft) Disease X – a newly identified pathogen with epidemic
below sea level. or pandemic potential.
o In explosion pressure builds up in a contained o In interepidemic periods, facilities will support
space until energy is released violently causing vaccine development against one or more of
debris to project outwards. CEPI’s priority diseases – Chikungunya, Lassa virus,
o Whereas in implosion, pressure builds up over a MERS, Nipah etc.
structure (For example from Water) until it
7.9.17. STRATEGIC INTERVENTIONS FOR
crushes inward causing debris to collapse inward.
• Deep-sea water pressure appears to have crushed
GREEN HYDROGEN TRANSITION (SIGHT)
submersible. PROGRAMME
o At sea level, pressure inside your lungs is the same • Guidelines for implementing the Strategic
as pressure of air around you, 1.033 kilograms on Interventions for Green Hydrogen Transition (SIGHT)
each square centimeter, or one "atmosphere" of programme
pressure. • SIGHT is a sub-component of the National Green
o Pressure increase with the depth of the sea. For Hydrogen Mission.
every 33 feet (10.06 meters) , pressure increases o SIGHT aims to establish electrolyser
by one atmosphere. manufacturing base (Component I) and green
• Experts are also suggesting potential safety problems hydrogen producing facilities (Component II).
with Titan submersible. o Hydrogen is a clean-burning fuel with water as its
o Its hull - surrounding hollow part where by-product, produced with the help of an
passengers sit - was made from carbon fibre, electrolyzer.
largely untested for deep sea vessels. ✓ Electrolysis is the process of using electricity to
o Hull of a deep-diving sub is usually spherical for split water into hydrogen and oxygen.
receiving an equal amount of pressure at every ✓ In general, the PEM (proton exchange
point, but Titan's hull was tube-shaped therefore membrane) is used for electrolysis.
pressure was not equally distributed. o They have been launched with the aim of enabling
rapid scale-up, technology development and cost
reduction.
o Total financial incentive is ₹17,490 crore.
o State-run Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) • A Li-ion battery is a family of rechargeable battery
is the implementing agency. types in which lithium ions move from the negative
electrode to positive electrode during discharge and
back when charging.
o Materials used as electrodes include: lithium
cobalt oxide (cathode), most commonly found in
portable electronic devices; lithium manganese
oxide (used in electric automobiles), and lithium
iron phosphate.
✓ Goodenough developed a lithium battery with
a cathode of cobalt oxide. This cathode gave a
higher voltage than earlier batteries.
o Li-ion batteries typically use ether (a class of
organic compounds) as an electrolyte.
• Advantages of Li-ion battery: light weight and has high
energy density, have 5000 cycles or more compared to
just 400- 500 cycles in lead acid batteries,
comparatively low maintenance, low self-discharge
rate, no memory effect etc.
o Memory effect is a process where repeated partial
discharge/charge cycles can cause a battery to
‘remember’ a lower capacity.
• Disadvantages of Li-ion battery: High-price, tendency
to overheat, can lead to thermal runaway and
combustion, require safety mechanisms to limit
voltage and internal pressures etc.
7.9.19. UTPRERAK (UNNAT TAKNIKI

PRADARSHAN KENDRA)
• National Green Hydrogen Mission was launched in • Ministry of Power established UTPRERAK, a Centre of
2022, as part of India’s decarbonization strategy. Excellence to Accelerate Adoption of Energy Efficient
o Its other component is Strategic Hydrogen Technologies in Indian Industry.
Innovation Partnership (SHIP) which promotes o It has been set up by the Bureau of Energy
Public-Private Partnership framework for Research efficiency (BEE).
& Development. • Centre would implement and support projects in areas
o It seeks to: such as training/capacity building, showcase for
✓ Production of 5 million tonnes of green energy efficient technologies, information centre and
hydrogen by 2030. knowledge repository etc.
✓ Make India a leading producer and supplier of • Centre is mandated to become the key reference and
Green Hydrogen in the world. resource institution on industrial energy-efficient
✓ Creating opportunities for employment and technologies.
economic development.
✓ Supporting R&D projects in India for further 7.9.20. CHIRAL BOSE LIQUID
development of Green Hydrogen.
• Recently, Physicists from the USA and China have
7.9.18. LI-ION BATTERY claimed the discovery of a completely new state of
matter namely “Chiral Bose Liquid State”.
• Recently, Nobel laureate and co-inventor of Lithium- • Researchers discovered the Chiral-Bose liquid state in
ion (Li-ion) batteries, John Bannister Goodenough the super-small quantum scale by bringing two layers
passed away. of a special material very close together at very low
• Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2019 was awarded jointly to temperatures (close to absolute zero).
Goodenough, M. Stanley Whittingham and Akira o Researchers created a “frustration machine,” a
Yoshino for the development of Li-ion batteries. bilayer semiconducting device designed to create
this state of matter.
o The “machine” works by incorporating an electron- • In this “quantum” states of matter, matter behaves in
rich top layer (where electrons move freely) and a ways quite different from the solid, liquid, gaseous
corresponding bottom layer with “holes” that states. Particle interactions within these states can
electrons can occupy. give rise to infinite possibilities.
o The machine creates a local imbalance resulting in • This new state could provide a pathway for finding a
electrons not having enough holes to fill and this more secure and reliable way to encode digital
kicks off the novel state called the chiral bose- information.
liquid state.

7.1. CHANDRAYAAN-3
Why in the news?
Chandrayaan-3 was successfully launched
from the Satish Dhawan Space Center (SDSC)
in Sriharikota.
About Chandrayaan-3
• Objectives:
o Demonstrate Safe and Soft Landing
on Lunar Surface
o Demonstrate Rover roving on the
moon and
o Conduct in-situ scientific
experiments.
• Launch vehicle: Geosynchronous
Satellite Launch Vehicle Mk III will place
the integrated module in an Elliptic
Parking Orbit (EPO).
• Indigenous Payloads:
o Lander module (LM),
o Propulsion module (PM): will carry
the Lander from launch vehicle
injection till final lunar 100 km
circular polar orbit
o Rover: carry out in-situ chemical
analysis of the lunar surface
• Landing site: Similar to Chandrayaan-2 i.e. near south pole of moon at around 70 degrees latitude.
o Chandrayaan-3 will reach the lunar orbit almost a month after its launch.
o Its lander (Vikram), and rover (Pragyaan), are likely to land on the Moon on August 23.
• If successful, Chandrayaan-3 will become world’s first mission to soft-land near lunar south pole and India will
become fourth country to soft land on moon, after US, Russia, and China.
Soft-landing challenges
• Difficult terrain: Unexpected and sudden terrain changes can lead to altitude sensor errors or software glitches.
• Distance: After the lander separates from the propulsion module and enters a 100 km x 30 km orbit (farthest it will
be from the moon is 100 km, and the closest is 30 km).
• Speed: Soft-landing a lunar module means going from the screaming speeds of over 6,000 km/h to zero. As moon
has no atmosphere, the parachutes cannot slow the descent.
• Lunar Dust: can obscure the camera lens and trigger faulty readings.
How Chandrayaan-3 plans to tackles this?
• Larger landing site: the area of landing has been expanded from earlier 500m x 500m to four km by 2.5 km.
• Increased landing velocity: Landing velocity has been increased from 2 m/sec to 3 2 m/sec. This means even at
3m/sec, the lander will not crash or break.
• Improved thrusters: While its predecessor had five thrusters, this mission’s lander has only four, making it easier to
maintain equilibrium.
• Rigorous testing: Tested equipment by soaking them in temperatures as cold as those in the moon and tested the
lander’s legs by running landing simulations on surfaces similar to the lunar surface.
• Other improvements: ISRO has given it larger solar panels, increased fuel-carrying capacity, added laser doppler
velocity metre, and improved soft-landing sequences.
Why South Pole of the Moon?
• Moon’s south pole has certain advantages including:
o Its craters have been untouched by sunlight for billions
of years — offering an undisturbed record of solar
system’s origins.
o Its permanently shadowed craters are estimated to
hold enough water that could potentially be used for
future missions.
o Its positional advantages make it a suitable pit stop for
future space exploration.
o It has traces of hydrogen, ammonia, methane, sodium,
mercury, and silver — making it an untapped source of essential resources.
• All previous spacecraft to have landed on Moon have landed in equatorial region.
o It is easier and safer to land near equator.
o Terrain and temperature are more hospitable and conducive for a long and sustained operation of instruments.
o Sunlight is present in abundance, at least on the side facing earth.
Previous Lunar Missions of India
Chandrayaan 1 (2009) Chandrayaan 2 (2019)
Objective • To prepare a three-dimensional atlas of • Widened the scientific objectives of Chandrayaan-1 by way of soft
both near and far side of the moon. landing on the Moon and deploying a rover to study the lunar
• To conduct chemical and mineralogical surface.
mapping of the entire lunar surface.
Modules/ • Carried 11 scientific instruments built in • Comprises of an Orbiter, Lander (Vikram) and Rover (Pragyaan).
Payloads India, USA, UK, Germany, Sweden and • Carried eight experiment payload for studying surface geology,
Bulgaria. composition and exospheric measurements of Moon.
Launcher PSLV C-11 GSLV Mk-III
Key Findings • Detected water in vapour form in trace • Detected hydroxyl radical (OH) and the water molecule (H2O)
amounts and also discovered water ice in separately and further found unique characteristics about both.
the North polar region of the Moon. • Finding water signatures at all latitudes on the surface of the
• Confirmed Ocean Magma Hypothesis. moon.
• Detected x-ray signals during weak solar • Observations related to the distribution of Argon-40 in lunar
flares thus indicating presence of exosphere.
magnesium, aluminum, silicon and • Detected minor elements – chromium and manganese on lunar
calcium on lunar surface. surface.
• Detected new spinel-rich rocks. • Collected information about Solar flares
• Note: Earlier in 2019, Chandrayaan-2 mission had partially failed after its lander and rover could not execute a soft-landing on the
Moon.
Conclusion
Success of
Chandrayaan
3 will further
strengthen
India’s place
in global
space
research. By
pushing the
boundaries of scientific knowledge, it also throws challenges at the youth of the country, spurring future research and
development.
7.2. BLACK HOLES
Why in the news? 2020 Nobel Prize in Physics
Scientists recently observed a class of black holes (quasars) • Roger Penrose was awarded for discovering that
demonstrating time dilation in the early universe. black hole formation is a robust prediction of the
General theory of relativity.
More about News • Reinhard Genzel and Andrea Ghez was awarded
for the discovery of a supermassive compact
• This time dilation showed how time then passed only about
object at the center of our galaxy. A supermassive
a fifth as quickly as it does today. black hole is the only currently known explanation.
• Quasars are tremendously active supermassive black holes o They focused on a region called Sagittarius A*
millions to billions of times more massive than our sun, at the center of our galaxy.
usually residing at centres of galaxies.
o There are no quasars near Milky Way.
About Time Dilation
• It refers to the fact that time passes at different rates for different observers, depending on their relative motion or
positions in a gravitational field.
• Einstein's Theory of Relativity: Time dilation is a consequence of Einstein’s Theory of relativity.
o The theory showed that time and space are intertwined and that the universe has been expanding outward in
all directions since the Big Bang.
• Occurrence:
o This occurs because objects
with a lot of mass create a
strong gravitational field.
o Stronger the gravity, the
more spacetime curves, and
the slower time itself
proceeds.
• Present findings on Time
Dilation:
o It was previously dated to roughly 7 billion
years ago, based on observations of
supernovas.
o Researchers now used observations from
several quasars dating to about 1.5 billion
years after the Big Bang event.
o The brightness of these quasars was
compared to that of quasars existing today,
showing certain fluctuations about a fifth
as quickly as it does today.
About Black Holes
• It is a place in space where gravity pulls so much
that even light cannot get out.
o The gravity is so strong because matter has
been squeezed into a tiny space.
• Formation:
o Most black holes form from the remnants of a large star that dies in a supernova explosion.
o Our sun will never turn into a black hole as it is not big enough to make a black hole.
• Other Features:
o Invisible and can be big or small.
o No black hole is close enough to the solar system for Earth to fall into it.
o In 2019, scientists got the first optical image of a black hole, at the centre of a galaxy named Messier 87, through
Event Horizon Telescope.
• Detection
o Cannot be directly observed because they themselves do not emit or radiate light, or any other electromagnetic
waves.
o But the area just outside the boundary of the black hole (Event Horizon), emits all kinds of radiation, including
even visible light.
✓ This area has vast amounts of gas, clouds and plasma swirling violently.
Types of Black Holes (according to their mass)
Primordial Black Holes Stellar Black Holes Intermediate Black Holes Supermassive Black Holes
• Formed in the first • Mass up to 20 times • Range from around one • Mass more than 1 million
second after the birth of more than Sun. hundred to hundreds of suns together.
the universe. • Formed when centre of a thousands of times the • Almost every large galaxy,
• Masses ranging from very big star falls upon Sun’s mass. including our Milky Way
100,000 times less than a itself or collapses. (Sagittarius A*black hole),
paperclip to 100,000 • When this happens, it has a supermassive black
times more than the causes a supernova. hole at its center.
Sun’s.
Basic Parts of Black Holes
• The Schwarzschild Radius: This is the event horizon's radius at which the escape velocity is equal to the speed of light.
• The Ergosphere: If the black hole is rotating, then as it spins, its mass causes the space time around the black hole to rotate as
well.

7.3. NEUTRINO PARTICLES
Why in the news? About IceCube Neutrino Observatory
For the first time, scientists have seen neutrinos • It is the first detector of its kind, designed to observe the
originating from the central disk of the Milky Way. cosmos from deep within the South Pole ice and searches
for neutrinos.
About the discovery o IceCube needs a large volume of transparent material,
• Data collected by the IceCube Neutrino water or ice, to capture an event.
Observatory has produced the first view of the Milky o South Pole holds such large quantities of clear, pure,
Way galaxy through the lens of neutrino particles. and stable ice.
• IceCube collaborators address several big questions in
• This view differs fundamentally from what one can
physics, like the nature of dark matter and the properties of
see with eyes or with instruments that measure
the neutrino itself.
other electromagnetic sources like radio waves, • It also observes cosmic rays that interact with the Earth’s
microwaves, infrared, ultraviolet, X-rays etc. atmosphere.
About Neutrinos • 58 institutions (none from India) in 14 countries make up
the IceCube Collaboration.
• They are fundamental particles (but not part of the • U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF)- an independent
atom), like electrons, so they can’t be broken down federal agency provides the primary funding for the
into smaller parts. IceCube Neutrino Observatory.
• Key characteristics:
o Very tiny mass, has no charge and half spin.
o Travel at almost the speed of light and in straight lines from their source.
o Rarely interact with other matter (therefore also referred to as ghost particle).
o Outnumber all the atoms in the universe.
o Only affected by gravity and the weak force.
o 3 types – electron neutrino, tau neutrino and muon neutrino.
✓ They can change from one type to another as they travel. This process is called neutrino oscillation.
• Sources of Neutrinos:
o Emitted from our galaxy when cosmic rays collide
with interstellar matter.
o Produced by stars like the Sun, exploding stars,
supernovas, gamma-ray bursts and quasars as well.
✓ Most of the neutrinos around Earth come
from the Sun (produced in Sun’s core).
o On Earth, neutrinos are produced when unstable
atoms decay, which happens in the planet’s core
and nuclear reactors.
✓ Created by particle accelerators and high-
speed particle collisions in the
atmosphere. Atmospheric neutrinos
✓ Even a banana emits neutrinos— • They are typically produced around 15 kms above Earth’s surface.
they come from the natural • They are produced from cosmic rays which consist of protons and
radioactivity of the potassium in the heavy nuclei.
• These collide with atmospheric molecules such as Nitrogen to give
fruit.
off pions and muons which further decay to produce neutrinos.
• Detection of Neutrinos
o Interact with other particles in the ice through the weak force and turn into muons, electrons, and taus.
o The new particles gain the neutrinos’ speed and travel faster than light in the ice, which produces a particular
kind of radiation (Cherenkov radiation that gives off a blue light).
o Proposed India-based Neutrino Observatory (INO) will study atmospheric neutrinos only.

About Milky Way Galaxy
• A galaxy is a huge collection of gas, dust, and billions of stars and their solar systems,
all held together by gravity.
• Galaxies can be spiral-shaped (e.g. Milky Way), elliptical (largest and most common
galaxies observed) or irregular (among the smallest galaxies) shaped.
• Earth is in the Milky Way Galaxy.
o Milky Way was formed approximately 14 billion years ago and it also has
a supermassive black hole in the middle.
• Sometimes galaxies get too close and smash into each other. Milky Way galaxy will
someday bump into Andromeda, our closest galactic neighbor.
• There are also satellite galaxies, that orbit a galaxy.
o Milky Way has a number of satellite galaxies, but the biggest one is the Large
Magellanic Cloud.
7.4. UNAIDS GLOBAL AIDS UPDATE 2023

Why in the news?
UNAIDS released ‘The
Path that Ends AIDS’
report.
Key Highlights of the
Report
• Success achieved in
HIV response
o Decrease in the number of new HIV infections and AIDS
(Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome)-related deaths
is helping to achieve SDG 3.3 of ending AIDS as a public
health threat by 2030.
✓ AIDS-related deaths: Reduced by 69% since the
peak in 2004.
o Treatment Received: Almost 76% of people living with
HIV globally receive life-saving treatment.
o Access to antiretroviral therapy has expanded
massively in sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, and the Pacific.
• Obstacles that hold back HIV response About NACP
o Adolescent girls and young women still face • NACP is considered as an extremely successful
extraordinarily high risks of HIV infection. programme highlighted by facts such as
o HIV and other health services for people from key o Annual new HIV infections in India have declined
populations (such as gay men, sex workers etc.) are by 48% (baseline year of 2010).
o Annual AIDS–related deaths have declined by
scarce, inaccessible or absent in many countries.
82% (baseline year of 2010).
o Globally, in 2022, about 9.2 million people living with o HIV prevalence in India continues to be low.
HIV were not receiving HIV treatment.
How has India responded to HIV?
• Continuation of the National AIDS and STD Control Programme (NACP), a Central Sector Scheme, for five years (from
1st April 2021 to 31st March 2026 ) by approving phase V of the programme.
o NACP was launched in 1992, and four phases have been successfully completed since.
• HIV & AIDS Prevention and Control Act 2017 provides a legal and enabling framework to safeguard the human rights
of infected and affected populations.
• National AIDS Control Organization (NACO), a Ministry of Health and Family Welfare division, provides leadership to
HIV/AIDS control programme.

• Under National AIDS Control Programme, Government provides free lifelong antiretroviral (ARV) medicines for
People Living with HIV (PLHIV).
• National Strategic Plan 2017-24 and Mission SAMPARK for tracing under ART services.
• Other initiatives: Multimedia campaigns by NACO, Red Ribbon Clubs are formed in colleges, training and sensitisation
programmes for Self-Help Groups, Anganwadi workers, ASHA etc.
• Top 3 States with the most rapid decline are Himachal Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana.
o Highest adult HIV prevalence: Northeast region States (Mizoram, Nagaland, and Manipur are top three) followed
by southern States (Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Karnataka are top three).
Recommendations for quick progress towards ending AIDS
• More funding: Some countries where HIV incidence is declining, including India, put between 3% and 16% of HIV
spending towards prevention.
• People first approach such as removal of criminalising laws, ending police harassment and violence, reducing stigma
and discrimination (such as India recognising the right of sex workers) etc.
• Affordable and accessible essential healthcare technologies.
• Integrated services: Deeper integration of HIV and other health services—including NCD and mental health services.
About HIV
• HIV is a virus that attacks the body’s immune system. If not
treated, it can lead to AIDS.
o It targets the immune system and weakens people's
defence against many infections and some types of cancer.
• May be caused by one of two retroviruses, HIV-1 or HIV-2 and
HIV-1 is more prevalent worldwide.
• HIV in infected people progress in three stages (see infographic) in the absence of effective medicine.
• Treatment: Can be managed (not cured) by treatment regimens composed of a combination of three or more antiretroviral
drugs.
• Luc Montagnier won Nobel Prize for Medicine in 2008 for discovery of the HIV that causes AIDS.
Related Information
Sixth person (Geneva patient) likely been cured of HIV
• All the patients who have achieved HIV remission so far needed stem cell transplantation (SCT) for treatment.
o In the first five cases, treatment teams specifically looked for donors with CCR5 delta 32 mutation that is associated
with lower risk of HIV.
• HIV mainly attacks CD4 immune cells (type of white blood cell) in human body, thereby reducing a person’s ability to fight
off secondary infections.
o CCR5 receptors on surface of CD4 immune cells act as a doorway for HIV virus.
Chromodomain Helicase DNA Binding Protein 1 Like (CHD1L)
• A study has revealed that CHD1L gene variant is likely to control HIV.
• A variant of CHD1L gene is specifically present in African population.
o CHD1L gene variant has been linked to reduced viral load (amount of HIV in blood) of HIV-1 (most common).
o The gene variant CHD1L is found on chromosome 1.
7.5. NON-SUGAR SWEETENERS (NSS)

Why in the news?
WHO’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified the commonly used non-sugar sweetener (NSS)
aspartame as “possibly carcinogenic to humans”.
More on News
• Citing “limited evidence” for carcinogenicity in humans, International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified
aspartame as possibly carcinogenic to humans (IARC Group 2B) and JECFA reaffirmed the acceptable daily intake of
40 mg/kg body weight.
o IARC is the cancer agency of WHO and belongs to the broader United Nations (UN) family.

✓ Its mission is to coordinate and
conduct research on the causes of
human cancer, the mechanisms of
carcinogenesis and to develop
scientific strategies for cancer
control.
o Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on
Food Additives (JECFA) is an
international scientific expert
committee administered jointly by FAO
and WHO. It helps in
✓ Evaluation of the safety of food
additives.
✓ Evaluation of contaminants,
naturally occurring toxicants and
residues of veterinary drugs in food.
✓ Providing advice to FAO, WHO and
the member countries of both
organisations, as well as to the
Codex Alimentarius Commission
(CAC).
About Non-Sugar sweeteners (NSS) (low-
calorie sweeteners (LCS), artificial sweeteners
etc.)
• Contains few to no calories but has a higher
sweetness intensity per gram than
sweeteners with calories—like table sugar,
fruit juice concentrates etc.
• Also used to enhance the flavour of foods.
• Include synthetically derived chemicals and natural extracts that may or may not be chemically modified (refer to table).
• Found in many beverages and foods like frozen desserts, yoghurt, candies, baked goods, chewing gum, breakfast cereals,
gelatins, and puddings.
• Foods and beverages containing LCS sometimes carry the label “sugar-free” or “diet.”
• Health effects of NSS
o Inconclusive, with research showing mixed findings.
o WHO’s conditional guidelines state that NSS like aspartame and stevia do not help in weight loss and can increase
the risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.
✓ The guideline does not apply to people with diabetes and for small dosages taken on prescription.
Guidelines for Usage of Artificial Sweeteners in India
• Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has laid down the standards for various artificial sweeteners in the
Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulation, 2011.
o These standards and limits have been laid down on the basis of risk assessment and Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI)
established by JECFA and are in harmonization with Codex Alimentarius Commission.
• FSSAI has approved several artificial sweeteners such as saccharin sodium, aspartame, acesulfame potassium, sucralose,
neotame for use in food in India.
Different Types of Non-Sugar Sweeteners (NSS)
Aspartame • Composed primarily of two amino acids.
• Completely hydrolysed in gastrointestinal tract to methanol, aspartic acid, and phenylalanine.
• Used in multiple food and beverage products; breakfast cereals, toothpaste, and medications such
as cough drops and chewable vitamins.

Acesulfame-K • Derived from aceto-acetic acid and used in a wide range of non-medicinal products.
• About 200 times sweeter than table sugar (sucrose) and is often combined with other
sweeteners.
Neotame • A derivate of aspartame and a general-purpose sweetener and flavor enhancer.
• It is heat stable (stays sweet even when used at high temperatures during baking).
Sucralose • A zero-calorie artificial sweetener made from sugar in a multistep chemical process.
• About 600 times sweeter than sugar.
• Heat stable.
Advantame • Approximately 20,000 times sweeter than table sugar (sucrose).
Saccharin • About 300 times as sweet as sucrose.
Sorbitol • A polyhydric alcohol and used as a sweetening agent in many oral medicinal liquids.
Monk Fruit/ luo han • A fruit extract from a plant native to Southern China.
guo/ Siraitia • It is 100-250 times sweeter than sugar.
grosvenorii
Steviol Glycosides • Natural constituents of the leaves of Stevia rebaudiana (Bertoni) Bertoni, a plant native to parts
of South America and commonly known as Stevia.
• 200 to 400 times sweeter than table sugar.
Thaumatin • Group of intensely sweet basic proteins isolated from the fruit of Thaumatococcus danielli (West
African Katemfe fruit).
• Used as a sweetener in various foods, including wine and other fermented or distilled beverages,
jams, ice cream, bakery items, potato-based and similar snacks, and breakfast cereals.
7.6. NEWS IN SHORTS

7.6.1. BHARAT 6G ALLIANCE (B6GA)
• Department of Telecommunication (DoT) launched
Bharat 6G Alliance (B6GA).
• B6GA is a collaborative platform comprising public
and private companies, academia, research
institutions, and Standards development organisations.
o It’ll forge coalitions and synergies with other 6G
Global Alliances, fostering international
collaboration and knowledge exchange.
• Other initiatives launched
o Two agreements were signed for projects under
Telecom Technology Development Fund (TTDF).
✓ TTDF scheme was launched by Universal
Service Obligation Fund (USOF) in 2022. USOF
is a body under DoT.
7.6.2. MAJORANA ZERO MODES
✓ 5% of annual collections from USOF are • Microsoft announced Majorana zero modes to
available for TTDF for funding R&D in rural- revolutionise quantum computing.
specific communication technology • Quantum computing is a multidisciplinary field that
applications and form synergies among utilises quantum mechanics to solve complex
academia, start-ups, and industry to build and problems faster than classical computers.
develop a telecom ecosystem. o It uses two fundamental principles of quantum
o Under DCIS (Digital Communication Innovation physics: superposition and entanglement.
Square), funds were allocated to Start-ups and • All particles in nature are either bosons or fermions.
MSMEs. o Bosons carry energy and forces throughout the
• 6G is the successor of 5G with ability to use higher universe.
frequencies (Sub-6 GHz and 95 GHz to 3 THz (Terahertz)) o All subatomic particles that makeup matter are
with greater speed (Up to 1,000 Gbps) and lower latency called fermions.
(1 millisecond).
o Significance: Support high-performance computing,
edge computing, Technology Convergence etc.
• In 1928, Physicist Paul Dirac predicted the existence of o SHERLOC operates day or night and uses
an antiparticle for each particle, such that if the two ultraviolet laser light to search for organics and
meet, they annihilate each other. minerals.
o Based on his prediction, scientists found the first ✓ SHERLOC uses Raman spectroscopy. It works
antiparticle, the positron (or the anti-electron). by shining light on molecules and measuring
• Later Physicist Ettore Majorana predicted particles the scattered light at different frequencies. It
that satisfied certain conditions to be their helps in determining which compounds exist in
antiparticles. a sample.
o In his honour, fermions that are their own o Organic chemicals were discovered in meteorites
antiparticles are called Majorana fermions sent from Mars and Gale Crater earlier.
(neutrinos are considered to be Majorana o Organic molecules are key blocks of life on Earth
fermions). (made primarily of carbon, hydrogen and other
• Pair, or bound states, of fermions that are their own elements like oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorus, and
antiparticles, are called Majorana zero modes. sulphur).
o Majorana zero modes could help build quantum • So far, only the Mars Phoenix lander and Curiosity
computers that are much less fragile than they are rover have been able to detect organic carbon using
today, making them computationally superior. methods like evolved gas analysis and gas
chromatography-mass spectrometry.
7.6.3. ROBOMAPPER
• RoboMapper has identified perovskite materials used
in solar cells that have more stability and efficiency. 7.6.5. EUCLID MISSION
• RoboMapper is a robot (created by Researchers US)
that conducts experiments more efficiently and • ESA’s (European Space Agency) Euclid mission lifted
sustainably. off.
• It facilitates the conduct of materials testing more • Euclid aims to investigate cosmic mysteries of dark
quickly. matter and dark energy. It will make a 3D map of the
○ It performs each step of the data collection process Universe by observing billions of galaxies.
but does so for multiple materials in parallel, o Universe composed of: 68% dark energy, ~27%
saving time and energy. dark matter, and ~5% normal matter.
○ The process also reduced greenhouse gas • Euclid has a reflecting telescope that feeds the two
emissions of the characterisation process by ten instruments: a visible-wavelength camera (VIS) and
times. Near-Infrared Spectrometer and Photometer (NISP).
o It will travel towards Sun-Earth Lagrange point 2.
7.6.4. PERSEVERANCE ROVER
7.6.6. DE-ORBITING OF SATELLITES
• NASA’s Perseverance rover found diverse organic
matter on Mars. • Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)
• Scanning Habitable Environments with Raman and successfully launched the PSLV-C56 carrying
Luminescence for Organics and Chemicals (SHERLOC) Singapore’s DS-SAR satellite and six other satellites.
instrument on rover detected organic molecules in • Launch conducted the fourth stage (PS4) de-orbiting
Jezero Crater (an ancient lake basin site on Mars). experiment
• De-orbiting of satellites is a technology to drag IALA: Established in 1957, it is a non-profit, international
satellites to the graveyard orbit, i.e., orbit 200 miles technical association.
farther away from Earth than the farthest active
satellites.). 7.6.8. SOLAR FLARE
o De-orbiting systems can be passive (use of • Recently, X-class solar flare led to a radio blackout in
integrated spacecraft) and active systems parts of the US Pacific Ocean.
(designed to move satellites in the graveyard orbit. • Classification of Solar Flares:
• De-orbiting experiment result in reduced space debris o They are classified according to their strength. The
and sustainable use of space. smallest are A-class, followed by B, C, M, and X, the
largest.
7.6.7. SAGAR SAMPARK
o Each letter represents a 10-fold increase in energy
• Indigenous Differential Global Navigation Satellite output. So an X is ten times an M and 100 times a
System (DGNSS) – “SAGAR SAMPARK” was C.
inaugurated by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and o Within each letter class, there is a finer scale from
Waterways (MoPSW). 1 to 9.
• DGNSS is a terrestrial-based enhancement system Classes of Impact on Earth
which corrects errors and inaccuracies in Global Solar Flares
Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), allowing for more X (Strongest) Can trigger planet-wide radio
blackouts and long-lasting radiation
accurate positioning information.
storms
o GNSS refers to a constellation of satellites
M Can cause brief radio blackouts that
providing signals from space that transmit affect Earth's polar regions and
positioning and timing data to GNSS receivers to minor radiation storms.
have Global coverage. C Small with few noticeable
o Major GNSS are: GPS (USA),GLONASS (Russia), consequences on Earth.
Galileo (Europe), BeiDou (China), NAVIC(India). B Too small to harm Earth.
• DGNSS involves having reference stations at precisely A (Weakest) Are hardly noticed and does not
known locations that provide real-time corrections for cause any harm
GNSS signals. • What are solar flares?
o DGNSS systems provide shore-to-ship services. o Solar flares are giant explosions on the sun that
• Significance of DGNSS send energy, light, and high-speed particles into
o Providing safe navigation and reducing the risk of space.
collisions, groundings, and accidents in port and o These flares are often associated with solar
harbour areas. magnetic storms known as coronal mass ejections
o Fulfilment of international navigation obligations (CMEs).
of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), o It happens when energy stored in ‘twisted’
Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) and International magnetic fields (usually above sunspots) is
Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and suddenly released.
Lighthouse Authorities (IALA).
o GPS error correction accuracy improved from 5 to 7.6.9. AURORAS ON MERCURY
10 meters to less than 5 meters for 100 Nautical • During a close Mercury flyby, the BepiColombo
Miles from Indian coastlines. spacecraft collected data showing how electrons
o Will enhance the capability of the Directorate raining down on the planet's surface trigger X-ray
General of Lighthouses and Lightships (DGLL) in auroras.
Radio Aids to Marine Navigation. • BepiColombo is a joint mission by the European Space
✓ DGLL, a subordinate office under MoPSW, Agency (ESA) and the Japanese Aerospace Exploration
provides General Aids to Marine Navigation Agency (JAXA) to Mercury.
along the Indian coast. o Auroras on Earth are triggered when a stream of
IMO: UN specialized agency with responsibility for safety and charged particles emitted by the Sun interact with
security of shipping and prevention of marine and atmospheric the ionosphere.
pollution by ships. o But Mercury has a very thin atmosphere (called an
SOLAS Convention in its successive forms is related the safety exosphere). Auroras on the planet are created
of merchant ships. First version was adopted in 1914, in when solar wind, the stream of particles, interacts
response to Titanic disaster.
directly with the planet’s surface.
7.6.10. 100 MICROSITES PROJECT 7.6.11. ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE
(AMR)
• National Health Authority (NHA) launched the 100
Microsites Project under Ayushman Bharat Digital • One Health Priority Research Agenda for Antimicrobial
Mission (ABDM). Resistance (AMR) was released.
• Microsites Project was launched to accelerate digital • It was released by FAO, UN Environment Programme
health adoption across the country. (UNEP), WHO and World Organisation for Animal
• Microsites aim to establish a small ecosystem within a Health (WOAH) to better advocate for increased
particular geographic area where there is complete research and investment in AMR.
ABDM adoption and the entire patient journey is o AMR occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi and
digitised. parasites change over time and no longer respond
o Microsite is a cluster of healthcare stakeholders to medicines making infections harder to treat and
(all healthcare providers, pharmacies etc.) increasing the risk of disease spread, severe illness
interconnected by common characteristics. and death.
o Microsites are implemented to counter challenges o Earlier, WHO also launched a global research
encountered in ABDM adoption and increase agenda for AMR in human health in 2023.
private sector participation in healthcare • Agenda presented a five-pillar based one health
penetration. approach to tackle the growing threat of AMR,
o NHA would provide financial resources and overall including:
guidance. o Transmission: Focuses on environment, plant,
o Earlier, ABDM implemented Microsite in Mumbai animal, and human sectors where AMR
(2022), Ahmedabad and Surat (2023). transmission, circulation and spread occur.
• NHA is the apex body responsible for implementing o Integrated surveillance: To identify cross-cutting
Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana priority research questions to improve common
and ABDM. technical understanding and information
o NHA is governed by a Governing Board chaired by exchange among One Health stakeholders.
Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare o Interventions aimed at preventing, containing, or
(MoH&FW). reducing AMR incidence, prevalence, and spread.
• ABDM aims to create a seamless online platform to o Behavioural insights and change: across various
enable interoperability within the digital healthcare groups and actors involved in the development and
ecosystem (refer image). spread of AMR at the One Health interface.
o NHA, under MoH&FW, is the nodal agency for its o Economics and policy: consider the cost-
implementation. effectiveness of an AMR investment case, financial
• Benefits of ABDM: Improve efficiency, transparency of sustainability, and long-term financial impact.
healthcare services, better access to data, enabling
evidence-based decision making, etc.
7.6.12. MALARIA VACCINE

• 18 million doses of the first-ever malaria vaccine RTS,
S/AS01, were allocated to 12 African countries for
2023-25 by WHO, GAVI and UNICEF
o RTS,S/AS01 (RTS,S) malaria vaccine can be used
for prevention of P. falciparum malaria.
oKnown by the name Mosquirix, it is a recombinant o Tranq is known for its ability to induce a "zombie"
protein vaccine (RPV). like stupor and cause flesh rot near injection sites.
• RPVs are a type of Recombinant Subunit Vaccines o When combined with opioids like fentanyl,
(RSVs) that use protein as antigen. xylazine increases the life-threatening effect of
o RSVs rely on the capacity of one or multiple respiratory depression (slowing or stopping
defined antigens (a subpart of a pathogen like breathing) caused by opioids, increasing the risk of
proteins, peptides, DNAs, etc., that causes the overdose and death.
formation of antibodies) to induce immunity o Zombie drugs can cause raw wounds on the user’s
against the pathogen. skin. It starts with ulcers, hardens to dead skin
o RPVs are considered safer as compared to called eschar, and, if left untreated, can result in
vaccines derived from live viruses as they are non- amputation.
replicating and lack any infectious components of o It is usually used as a tranquilliser on cows and
viral particles. horses.
• About Malaria
o It is a life-threatening vector-borne disease 7.4.15. GLOBAL FOOD REGULATORS
caused by Plasmodium (parasite). SUMMIT 2023
o Vector: Female Anopheles mosquito.
• Summit is an endeavour of the FSSAI to create a global
o Symptoms: High fevers, shaking chills, and flu-like
platform for food regulators to exchange perspectives
illness.
on strengthening food safety systems and regulatory
o Four kinds of malaria parasites infect humans: P.
frameworks.
Falciparum, P. vivax, P. ovale, and P. malariae.
• Key launches:
o In addition, P. knowlesi naturally infects macaques
o Release of Food-o-Copoeia, a collection of food
in Southeast Asia, also infects humans (zoonotic
category-wise monographs and a single point
malaria).
reference for all applicable standards for a specific
o Illness and death from malaria are both
product category.
preventable as well as curable.
o Common regulators platform 'SaNGRAH', a
• About Global Alliance for Vaccine and Immunization
database of Food Regulatory Authorities of 76
(GAVI)
countries worldwide, their mandate, food testing
o It was set up as a Global Health Partnership in
facilities etc.
2000
o Core partners: WHO, World Bank, UNICEF, and 7.4.16. BLUE SKY PROJECT
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
o It is critical to strengthen primary health care and • Recently, The Government has released a draft R&D
bring us closer to the Universal Health Coverage roadmap for the green hydrogen ecosystem in India,
(SDG 3). which stresses on developing fuel cells for long-range
travel, particularly for the road transport sector.
7.4.13. BPAL REGIMEN TRIAL • The roadmap has proposed three key approaches for
promoting R&D: mission mode, grand challenge
• For tuberculosis, an over 85% cure rate was seen in the
projects and blue-sky projects.
modified BPaL regimen trial.
• Blue-sky projects are projects having a long-term (0 -
• BPaL is a six-month, all-oral, three-drug regimen that is
15 years) horizon would be taken up with a focus on
used to treat people with highly drug-resistant forms of
establishing global IP and competitive advantage for
TB (i.e., XDR TB)
the Indian industry.
o It consists of the pretomanid and two other
o Blue Sky projects will aim to develop capabilities of
antibiotics: Bedaquiline and Linezolid.
the Indian R&D sector within an array of subjects
• XDR TB is a rare type of multidrug-resistant
like the development of 3rd generation
tuberculosis (MDR TB) that is resistant to isoniazid,
electrocatalysts, reversible Solid Oxide
rifampin, fluoroquinolone, and a second-line injectable
Electrolysers (SOECs) and Solid Oxide Fuel Cells
(amikacin, capreomycin, and kanamycin).
(SOFCs), thermochemical water splitting for
7.4.14. ZOMBIE DRUG hydrogen production etc.
• Mission mode projects are projects with short-term (0
• Xylazine, also known as “tranq,” “tranq dope”, and - 5 years) impact horizon. It is also known as ‘early-
“zombie drug”, has sedative-like symptoms such as stage research action’.
extreme sleepiness.
• Grand challenge projects are projects with a mid-term • DMFC is an electrochemical energy conversion device
(0 - 8 years) impact horizon. They are also known as that directly converts liquid methanol's chemical
‘Demonstration Actions’ for encouraging start-ups energy into electrical energy.
and industries to grow. • DMFCs have a high energy density, high efficiency and
low operating temperature and are safer to operate as
7.4.17. DIRECT METHANOL FUEL CELLS they deal with liquid fuel (methanol).
(DMFCS) • Application: an alternate power source for small
vehicles, such as battery chargers for mobile phones,
• An alloy of Cobalt and Platinum doped with
digital cameras, laptops, and other small electronic
Manganese has been found to be an effective catalyst
gadgets etc.
in DMFCs.

7.1. CHANDRAYAAN-3 SOFT LANDING
Why in the news?
Chandrayaan-3 lander accomplished a ‘soft landing’ on the Moon’s south pole.
More on news
• The spot where the Chandrayaan-3 Vikram lander made a soft landing would be named Shiv Shakti Point.
• The site where the Chandrayaan-2 lander crash-landed on the Moon's surface in 2019 would be known as Tiranga
Point.
• August 23, the day the
Chandrayaan-3 lander touched
down on the lunar surface,
would be celebrated as ‘National
Space Day’.
• Chandrayaan-3 had 3 objectives:
o Accomplished:
✓ Demonstration of a Safe
and Soft Landing on the
Lunar Surface
✓ Demonstration of Rover
roving on the moon.
o Underway:
✓ Conducting in-situ
scientific experiments.
(The lander and the
rover, with a mission life
of one Lunar day (14
Earth days), have
scientific payloads to conduct experiments on the lunar surface.)
• Chandrayaan-3 successfully underwent a ‘hop experiment’: On command, it fired the engines, elevated itself by
about 40 cm as expected and landed safely.
o The success of this ‘kick-start’ experiment raises hopes for future missions such as sample return missions or
human missions.
Key findings made by Chandrayaan-3
• Temperature: Chandra's Surface Thermophysical
Experiment (ChaSTE) payload onboard Vikram Lander
measured the temperature profile of the lunar topsoil to
understand the thermal behaviour of the Moon's surface.
o It was believed that the temperature could be around
20 degrees centigrade to 30 degrees centigrade on the
surface, but it is 70 degrees centigrade.
• Elements on the moon: Laser-induced breakdown
Spectroscope instrument onboard 'Pragyan' rover
‘unambiguously confirmed’ the presence of sulphur on the
lunar surface near the south pole.
o Other elements like Aluminum (Al), Calcium (Ca), Iron (Fe), Chromium (Cr), Titanium (Ti), Manganese (Mn), Silicon
(Si), and Oxygen (O) were also detected.

• Thin plasma: The ‘Langmuir probe’ (an instrument that measures the properties of plasmas) finds that there is thin
plasma on the surface of the moon.
o The discovery signifies that radio waves can easily pass through space, an important feature for communication
between lunar missions.
• Natural seismic activity: Recording from the Instrument for Lunar Seismic Activity (ILSA) payload indicates a possibility
of a quake on the moon, but its exact nature is currently under investigation.
• Crater: Chandrayaan-3 Rover identified a 4-meter diameter crater on the moon’s surface.
Conclusion
Chandrayaan-3 represents not just a mission to the Moon but a giant leap for India's space program and its contributions
to our understanding of the cosmos.
To know more about Chandrayaan-3, kindly refer to Article 7.1. Chandrayaan-3 of July 2023 edition of Monthly Current
Affairs Magazine.
7.1.1 INDIA’S RACE TO SPACE

Why in the news?
With the successful launch of Mars,
Moon and solar missions, the Indian
Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is
reinforcing India's status as a rising
power in space exploration.
Background of Space Race
• Space race: An outgrowth of the
mid-20th-century Cold War, was a
period of competition between
the Soviet Union and the United
States over who could conquer
space exploration first.
• Space research in India: Activities
were initiated In India during the
early 1960’s. Subsequently, ISRO
was established in 1969.
o A major landmark was the
development of the first
launch vehicle SLV-3 which
had its first successful flight in
1980.
o During the 1990s, the
development and
operationalisation of the Polar
Satellite Launch Vehicle
(PSLV) and the development of
the Geo-synchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) were significant achievements.
Recent successes
• Mars Orbiter Mission or the Mangalyaan 2013: India became the 1st nation to reach Martian orbit in its first attempt.
• 104 satellites in one launch: In 2017, PSLV C-37 created a world record by successfully placing 104 satellites in orbit during
a single launch.
• Chandrayaan-3: With the successful landing of Chandrayaan-3, India became the first country to land near Moon’s south
pole.

Emerging trends of the Indian space sector
• Growing commercialization: ISRO has been actively promoting Non-Governmental Entities (NGE) to carry out
independent space activities.
o For instance, IN-SPACe has been the single window agency for promoting the NGEs and receiving proposals.
• Increasing international collaborations: ISRO has signed several agreements, including the Artemis Accords, a joint
lunar mission with Japan’s space agency, launched the SAARC satellite and collaborated on an advanced radar satellite
NISAR with NASA.
• Focus on challenging exploration missions: India was
the first Asian country to reach the Martian orbit with
the Mangalyaan Mission (Mars Orbiter Mission) and
now became the first country to soft land on the lunar’s
south pole.
• Development of new technologies: ISRO has been
working on developing new technologies such as
reusable launch vehicles and Inflatable Aerodynamic
Decelerator (IAD).
• Expansion of satellite-based services: ISRO provides
satellite-based services in areas such as remote sensing,
satellite-based navigation, and satellite-based
meteorology, and is looking to expand these services in
the future.
Implication of India’s enhanced role in space exploration
• Geopolitical significance: With Russia fading away as a
space superpower, India’s rising capabilities to engage,
innovate, and support a commercial space will allow it
to become one of the world’s leading producers of space
technology.
• India as a space start-up hub: India has become home to almost 150 registered space-tech start-ups that will enable
the Indian space program to remain cost-
Some Space Start-ups in India
competitive within the global space market.
• Skyroot Aerospace: First Indian start-up to launch a private
• Leading nation for satellite launches: With a rocket (Vikram-s) from India.
success rate of almost 95%, India has the required • Agnikul Cosmos:
provisions, evolving infrastructure, and young o It has successfully conducted the flight acceptance test
talented minds to master this cusp of space for its 3D-printed rocket engine “Agnilet”.
technology and evolve into a global leader in the o Agnikul has also unveiled India’s first privately designed
sector. and operated rocket launchpad and mission control
o ISRO’s Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) centre.
will further aid in this. • Pixxels: Building a constellation of hyperspectral earth
• Outer Space use for national security: China's imaging satellites and the analytical tools to mine insights
Anti-Satellite (ASAT) capability has provided the from that data.
• Dhruva Space: It offers Satellites coupled with Earth stations
impetus for India to develop and test its own ASAT
and launch services as an integrated solution or individually as
capability. a technology solution.
Conclusion
Overall, the Indian space sector is poised for growth in the coming years, with a focus on cost-effectiveness, self-reliance,
and international collaborations.

7.2. SUPERCONDUCTIVITY
Why in the news?
Recently, the claims of material LK-99 depicting the room temperature superconductivity proved inconsistent.
More about the news
• Earlier, a group of South Korean scientists published two research papers claiming that they had discovered the
room-temperature superconductivity phenomena in a material called LK-99.
• LK-99 is a dark grey solid created due to heating mixtures of powdered compounds of lead, oxygen, sulphur and
phosphorus at very high temperatures.
Superconductivity
• Superconductivity is a phenomenon in which certain materials exhibit
zero electrical resistance and the expulsion of magnetic fields when
cooled below a critical temperature (Tc).
o Critical temperature is the temperature at which the materials
suddenly change from a normal conducting state to a
superconducting state.
o Meissner Effect is the expulsion of a magnetic field from a
superconductor during its transition to the superconducting state when it is cooled below the Tc.
• Currently, superconductivity can be achieved only at very low temperatures, more than 250 degrees Celsius below
zero.
o Materials like Mercury, Lead, Aluminum, Tin, Niobium, etc.,
become superconducting at critical temperatures (Tc).
o In some cases, materials can exhibit superconductivity at
slightly higher temperatures as well, but under increased
pressure conditions.
o Scientists are looking for a material that can display
superconductivity at room temperature.
• How is the zero resistance achieved?
o Under normal conditions, electrons encounter resistance
when moving through a crystalline solid due to interactions
with vibrating atoms in the crystal lattice.
o However, in certain materials, when the temperature is
lowered below a critical level, electrons pair up into loosely
bound pairs known as Cooper pairs.
o The individual electrons within a Cooper pair cannot be easily
scattered by the lattice vibrations, and hence, passing electrons
start to glide through the material unimpeded, leading to
superconductivity and zero resistance.
Superconductivity at Room Temperature
• A room-temperature superconductor is a material capable of
exhibiting superconductivity at operating temperatures, i.e. above
0 °C (273 K; 32 °F) - temperatures.
• Obtaining room temperature superconductivity is affected by many
aspects, like
o Difficult to achieve conditions like extreme pressure
conditions, and materials may not be able to withstand these
extreme conditions.
o Non-formation of Cooper Pairs at higher temperatures.
o At room temperature, thermal energy is relatively high, making it difficult for electrons to form Cooper pairs
and overcome this energy barrier.
Achieving a room-temperature superconductivity will lead to
• High efficiency and low-cost energy transmission through grids, thereby bringing down the cost of energy. Ex:
Superconducting Generators, Superconducting magnetic energy storage, Transmission lines, Transformers etc
• Better Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) technology, with enhanced image resolution and faster scanning, leading
to more accurate diagnoses and improved patient outcomes.

• Reduced cost for Magnetic levitation
Noble Prizes received for research in superconductivity
(Maglev) train technology as the required
• Heike Kamerlingh Onnes (1913): For his discovery of
conditions are easily achievable. superconductivity in 1911.
• Efficient and less energy-consuming • John Bardeen, Leon Cooper, and Robert Schrieffer (1972): For their
supercomputers can be manufactured, development of the Braden Cooper and Schrieffer's theory (BCS
which perform complex simulations, data theory), which explained the mechanism of superconductivity in
analysis, artificial intelligence applications, conventional superconductors.
etc. • Brian D. Josephson, Leo Esaki and Ivar Giaever (1973): For their
• Enable efficient and rapid energy storage prediction of the Josephson effect, observed in superconducting
and retrieval, addressing the intermittency materials.
issues of renewable energy sources. • Pyotr Leonidovich Kapitsa (1978): For his basic inventions and
discoveries in the area of low-temperature physics.
• Science and research: Utilised in
• K. Alexander Müller and J. Georg Bednorz (1987): for their discovery
accelerators and Nuclear Magnetic of high-temperature superconductivity in copper oxide (cuprate)
Resonance (NMR) for various experiments materials.
like the Large Hadron Collider.
7.3. NEWS IN SHORTS

7.3.1. INDIA STACK
• India signed Memorandum of Understanding
(MoU) with Trinidad and Tobago on Sharing India
Stack.
• MoU aims to facilitate adoption of customized India
Stack solutions- identity, data, and payment services
for mutual digital advancement.
o India has also signed MoUs with several other
nations including Papua New Guinea, Armenia,
Sierra Leone, Suriname etc. to share India Stack.
• India Stack is a set of open APIs (Application Program
Interface) and digital public goods that aim to unlock
economic primitives of identity, data, and payments
at a population scale.
7.3.2. RELEASE OF RADIOACTIVE WATER
o API is a set of defined rules
that enable different applications to • The 1.34 million tonnes of treated radioactive water
communicate with each other from 2011 earthquake and tsunami-hit Fukushima
• Components of India Stack are owned and maintained nuclear plant is to be released into the Pacific Ocean
by different agencies. after 12 years.
o For ex: Aadhaar products are owned by UIDAI; o As per International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA),
Digilocker by MeitY; UPI by National Payments discharges of the treated water would have a
Corporation of India; Account Aggregator negligible radiological impact to people and the
framework by RBI etc. environment.
• Significance of India Stack o Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), nuclear
o It allows governments, businesses, startups etc. plant’s operator, has been designated to execute
to move towards presence-less, paperless, and the plan.
cashless service delivery. o Fukushima plant is located on the country’s east
o Allows significant synergies across digital coast, about 220 kilometres north-east of capital
economy and expands access to digital services to Tokyo.
all citizens. • Japan claims to have used “Advanced Liquid
o Boost innovation and entrepreneurship, Processing System” to treat the water stored.
particularly in emerging techs like AI and Machine o ALPS is a pumping and filtration system removes
Learning by providing equitable access to data. most of the radioactive materials from water

except tritium - radioactive isotope of hydrogen -
which is difficult to separate from water.
• Concerns associated with release of water
o Tritiated water can damage DNA if ingested.
o Exposure to radioactive materials can health
problems like leukemia, anemia, hemorrhage etc.
and destroy nutrients in soil
o Release of wastewater could pollute the ocean,
and drive up prices of salt and seafood.
✓ China banned seafood imports from Japan
including Fukushima and Tokyo.
• IAEA, established in 1957, is an intergovernmental
organization that seeks to promote the peaceful use
of nuclear energy and to inhibit its use for any military
purpose, including nuclear weapons.
7.3.3. GREEN HYDROGEN STANDARD

• Ministry of New and Renewable Energy notifies Indian 7.3.4. GRAPHENE-AURORA PROGRAM
Green Hydrogen Standard under National Green
• The Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology
Hydrogen Mission (NGHM).
(MeitY) launched the ‘Graphene-Aurora program’.
• Notification outlines emission thresholds that must be
• Implementation: Digital University Kerala with joint
met in order to classify produced hydrogen as ‘Green’.
funding from MeitY and Kerala government and
○ Hydrogen can be produced by splitting water into
industry partner.
hydrogen and oxygen using fossil fuels or
renewable energy. • Aim: To bridge the gap between graphene research
• Key highlights and commercialization
○ Definition: Green Hydrogen (GH) is produced • About Graphene
using renewable energy including, production ○ Graphene is a single layer of carbon atoms
through electrolysis or biomass conversion. arranged in a hexagonal lattice, forming a two-
○ Emission thresholds: Well-to-gate emission (i.e., dimensional structure discovered in 2004.
water treatment, electrolysis, gas purification, etc.) ○ Properties: ultimately thin, mechanically very
of not more than 2 kg CO2 equivalent/kg H2. strong, transparent, and flexible.
○ Nodal Authority: Bureau of Energy Efficiency shall ○ Application: can be used in touch screens, light
accredit agencies for the monitoring, verification, panels, solar cells, faster DNA sequencing, drug
and certification of GH production projects. delivery, etc.
• About NGHM 7.3.5. DIGITAL INDIA RISC-V
○ Aim: To make India a Global Hub for producing,
MICROPROCESSOR (DIR-V) PROGRAM
utilizing, and exporting GH.
○ Programs • Union government launched the DIR-V program with
✓ Strategic Interventions for Green Hydrogen the objective to enable the creation of next-
Transition Programme (SIGHT) for financial generation microprocessors in India.
incentive. • It will help ensure partnership between startups,
✓ Strategic Hydrogen Innovation Partnership academia, and multinationals to make India a RISC-V
(SHIP) PPP framework for R&D. Talent Hub and supplier of RISC-V system of chips.
• Reduced Instruction Set Computer - V (RISC-V)
o It is an open-source instruction set architecture
used to develop custom processors for a variety
of applications, from embedded designs to
supercomputers.
o Applications: wearable appliances, smartphones,
the Internet of Things (IoT), High-performance
computing, data centers, etc.

7.3.6. FINGER MINUTIAE RECORD – them (such as a galaxy or a quasar), acting as cosmic
telescopes and making distant galaxies appear
FINGER IMAGE RECORD (FMR-FIR)
brighter.
MODALITY o In case of Einstein cross, curvature of space-time
• FMR-FIR is an Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning around a foreground object splits light behind it
based tool that uses a combination of both finger into four, like the points of a cross.
minutiae and finger image to check liveness of a o Another case of gravitational lensing - Einstein
fingerprint and to detect use of a cloned fingerprint. Rings - are produced when two galaxies are
• UIDAI has rolled out FMR-FIR to prevent Aadhaar- almost perfectly aligned, one behind the other.
enabled Payment System (AePS) frauds. • Einstein's theory of general relativity describes how
o AePS frauds have been undertaken using spoofed massive objects warp the fabric of universe, called
fingerprints during Aadhaar authentication. space-time.
o Greater the mass of an object the more extreme
7.3.7. LOW-PUNGENT MUSTARD the warping of space it causes, so a star warps
space-time more than a planet, and a black hole
• Indian researchers developed the first ever low- warps it more than a star.
pungent mustard using Genome Editing (GE) o Sun, Earth and all other bodies formed similar
• New mustard variety is less pungent as it has lesser curvatures around them, which was why smaller
quantity of glucosinolate at par with the Canola quality objects got pulled towards them.
limit (30 parts per million or PPM dry weight).
• Extremely massive celestial bodies also curve the path
○ Glucosinolates is a group of sulphur and nitrogen- of light passing through it and simply act as
containing compounds contributing giving gravitational lenses.
characteristic pungency to mustard products.
○ It protects plants from invading pathogens,
animals, etc.
○ However, high glucosinolates make it unpalatable,
and causes goiter and internal organ
abnormalities in livestock.
○ Indian mustard (Brassica juncea) contains 120-130
ppm of glucosinolates.
• It is produced through gene editing of ‘Varuna’, a high-
yielding Indian mustard variety, using CRISPR/Cas9
gene editing technology.
• Unlike GMOs, Gene Editing incorporates modification
of existing genetic material to improve the quality.
✓ Genetically modified organisms (GMO) have
transgene (foreign genes) for improvement in
quality. 7.3.9. SPACE DEBRIS
✓ Dhara Mustard Hybrid-11 (DMH-11), is a GM • Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) rocket
variant of mustard developed in India. debris found on Australian shore.
• GE crops require clearance only from the Institutional • Space debris encompasses both natural (meteoroid)
Bio-Safety Committee (IBSC) of concerned institution.
and artificial (man-made) particles. Meteoroids are in
○ IBSC has a nominee from Department of orbit about the sun, while most artificial debris is in
Biotechnology. orbit about the Earth.
○ GM crops require clearance from the Genetic
o Russia, followed by USA, China and France are top
Engineering Appraisal Committee of the Ministry contributor to space debris.
of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change. o In 2021, a large chunk of a 25-tonne Chinese rocket
7.3.8. EINSTEIN CROSS fell into Indian Ocean.
• Impact of Space debris
• Astronomers discovered a rare example of an Einstein o Threat to marine life, and a source of pollution.
Cross. o Thousands of discarded launch vehicles float
• Einstein Cross is a specific case of Gravitational around in space, risking collision with satellites or
Lensing. This phenomenon occurs when massive space station.
objects distort and magnify light from objects behind
• Regulations governing space debris
o Convention on International Liability for Damage
Caused by Space Objects 1972 (Liability
Convention) deals with damage caused by space
objects to other space assets, and by falling
objects on earth.
✓ Convention provides for procedures for
settlement of claims for damages.
✓ As of 1st January 2023, 98 States (including
India) have ratified it.
✓ It was adopted to reinforce the framework set
by Outer Space Treaty (OST) 1967. 7.3.11. AGNIBAAN SUBORBITAL
o OST governs activities of states in peaceful TECHNOLOGICAL DEMONSTRATOR
exploration of outer space, including moon and (SORTED)
other celestial bodies.
• Agnikul Cosmos, an Indian space-tech startup, to carry
out a sub-orbital test flight of its launch vehicle
called Agnibaan SOrTeD.
• About Agnibaan SOrTeD
o It is a single-stage launch vehicle powered by
Agnilet engine, which is an entirely 3D-printed,
single-piece, semi-cryogenic engine.
o Agnibaan can carry payloads of up to 100 kg to a
low Earth orbit (LEO) of up to 700 km.
o Unlike traditional sounding rockets that launch
from guide rails, Agnibaan SOrTeD will lift off
vertically and follow a predetermined trajectory.
7.3.12. DEMONSTRATION ROCKET FOR

7.3.10. EARTH OBSERVATION (EO) AGILE CISLUNAR OPERATIONS (DRACO)
PROGRAM
• IN-SPACe released Consultation Paper on Earth
Observation (EO) Data from Indian Satellites Missions • NASA and Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency
• EO refers to use of remote sensing technologies (DARPA) are working on DRACO program.
(including satellites, aircraft, drones, and ground-based • DRACO program aims to create a Nuclear Powered
sensors) to monitor land, marine and atmosphere. Space propulsion system that could cut down the
• Application of EO Data: travel time to Mars by half.
o Provides comprehensive understanding of Earth’s o DRACO will use a less-enriched form of uranium
climate, ocean circulation, carbon, energy and for its propulsion systems.
water cycle, albedo, cryosphere etc. o The launch of the test flight is currently scheduled
o National security as EO satellites are crucial for for 2027.
Imagery Intelligence, photo reconnaissance,
Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), and electro 7.3.13. SOLAR TERRESTRIAL RELATIONS
optical functions. OBSERVATORY (STEREO-A) SPACECRAFT
o Provide valuable insight and inform policy • NASA's STEREO-A spacecraft passes between Sun and
decisions spanning many government Earth, marking the first Earth flyby of nearly 17-year-
departments such as: agriculture, water old mission.
resources, urban planning, rural development, o STEREO-A's flyby will allow scientists to
mineral prospecting, forestry, disaster understand how coronal mass ejection's (CME)
management etc. magnetic field evolves on its way to Earth.
• IN-SPACe (Indian national Space Promotion and • Launched in 2006, STEREO traces the flow of energy
Authorisation Centre) is an independent nodal agency and matter from Sun to Earth.
under Department of Space to stimulate private
investment and innovation in space industry.
o It provides unique and revolutionary views of the • Implementation: by state Mission Directors of ABDM
sun-Earth system. Mission observed the sun in 3- while the financial resources and overall guidance
D for the first time in 2007. would be provided by NHA.
o Composed of two nearly identical observatories • Microsites will counter the challenges of ABDM
i.e. one ahead (STEREO-A) of Earth in its orbit, the adoption faced by private hospitals like:
other trailing behind (STEREO-B). o Digitisation is seen as an additional cost,
o Fear of increased regulatory scrutiny,
7.3.14. GALAXY ESO 300-16 o issue with data security,
• Hubble Space Telescope (HST) captured an image of
the irregular galaxy ESO 300-16.
o An irregular galaxy lacks the distinct spiral arms or
elliptical shape of some galaxies. It lies 28.7 million
light-years from Earth in constellation Eridanus.
o It resembles the shape of a cloud, comprised of
many tiny stars all clumped together.
• HST, launched in 1990, is collaboration between NASA
and European Space Agency. 7.3.17. PROMOTION OF RESEARCH AND
o It observes the universe in visible, near-infrared
INNOVATION IN PHARMA MEDTECH
light, and ultraviolet light.
SECTOR (PRIP)
o It orbits above Earth's atmosphere, which gives it
a better view of universe than telescopes have at • Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers notifies
ground level. Scheme for Promotion of Research and Innovation in
Pharma MedTech Sector (PRIP)
7.3.15. NEERAKSHI
• Key highlights
• India launched its first of its kind Autonomous ○ Aim: To promote industry-academia linkage for
Underwater Vehicle (AUV) named ‘Neerakshi. R&D in priority areas and to inculcate culture of
o It can be used for mine detection, mine disposal, quality research.
underwater surveys etc. ○ Duration: 5 years (2023-24 to 2027-28)
o It has an endurance of four hours and can go up to ○ Two components
300 metres deep. ✓ Strengthening research infrastructure: By
• It is a collaboration of Garden Reach Shipbuilders and setting up Centres of Excellence at the
Engineers (GRSE) Ltd and MSME entity Aerospace National Institute of Pharmaceutical
Engineering Private Ltd (AEPL). Education & Research (NIPERs).
7.3.16. AYUSHMAN BHARAT MICROSITE ▪ 7 NIPERs have been set up as institutes
of national importance for higher
PROJECT
education and highend research in
• Mizoram became the first state to operationalize pharmaceutics.
Ayushman Bharat's Microsite project ✓ Promotion of research in pharma med-tech
• Microsite is a cluster of all small and medium-scale sector in six priority areas: These include-
clinics, nursing homes, hospitals (preferably <10 beds), New chemical/ biological entities and Phyto-
labs, pharmacies, and other healthcare facilities that pharmaceuticals; complex generics and
are ABDM-enabled and offer digital health services to biosimilars; precision medicine; medical
patients. devices; orphan drugs; drug development
o National Health Authority (NHA) in 2023 launched for AMR.
100 Microsites Project under the Ayushman ○ Eligibility: Any company registered in India
Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM).
○ Project Appraisal and Approval: A Committee
• Types of facilities under a Microsite: under the chairpersonship of Secretary,
o Private facilities such as standalone clinics,
Pharmaceuticals
polyclinics, etc.
○ Monitoring and Evaluation: An Empowered
o Health Facilities and Health Professionals from all
the systems of medicine.
Committee under the chairmanship of CEO NITI
Aayog.

○ Implementation: Through a Project
Management Agency,
7.3.19. FEVR AND RISKS FROM

PANDEMICS
• On a request by G20 task force, Framework for Health,
Social, and Economic Vulnerabilities (FEVR) has been
prepared by WHO, World Bank, IMF, and European
Investment Bank.
• It will help better understanding health and economic
vulnerabilities, and their resulting risks, caused by
7.3.18. GOOD MANUFACTURING pandemics.
PRACTICES (GMP) o COVID-19 pandemic significantly altered growth
trajectories, and financial and economic
• Ministry Of Health And Family Welfare has set deadline deprivation rates, on top of the human toll and
for mandatory implementation of GMP. social impact it caused.
o GMP ensures that products are consistently • FVER comprises 2 components to help identify
produced and controlled according to set quality systemic weaknesses and guide policy decisions and
standards. investments:
o World Health Organization (WHO) has established o Key health, social and economic indicators that
detailed guidelines for GMP. are relevant to pandemics and are policy
• Now, drugmakers with an annual turnover of over Rs responsive, and therefore should be monitored to
250 crore will have to mandatorily adopt GMP within mitigate risks and shocks.
six months while those with turnover of less than Rs o Differential impact on health, social, and
250 crore will be given a year. economic outcomes of different policy and
• GMP in India investment possibilities to inform decision making.
o In India, GMP system was first incorporated in
1988 in Schedule M of Drugs and Cosmetics Rules,
1945, and GMP were revised in 2018, bringing
them on par with WHO standards.
✓ Schedule M prescribes requirements of
facilities and their maintenance, personnel,
manufacture, control and safety testing,
storage traceability, etc.
o Presently, only 2,000 of 10,500 manufacturing
units in country were found to be compliant with
WHO-GMP standards.

7.3.20. AMR AND AIR POLLUTION access in LMICs to essential antibiotics which goes
beyond access to single products.
• Increase in Antibiotic Resistance linked to rising air o It is being developed by the WHO and GARDP.
pollution, says Lancet study. • Combating Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria (Carb-X): A
• This is first in-depth global analysis which highlights global non-profit partnership to accelerate
that humans are exposed to antibiotic-resistant antibacterial innovation.
elements while inhaling PM2.5 (refer image).
• Antibiotic resistance, also known as Antimicrobial 7.3.22. G 20 PANDEMIC FUND
resistance (AMR) occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi • Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying will
and parasites change over time and no longer respond receive a 25 million USD grant under Pandemic Fund
to medicines making infections harder to treat and for strengthening Animal Health System of India.
increasing risk of disease spread, severe illness and ○ Fund will support ‘Animal Health Security
death. Strengthening in India for Pandemic
• Key findings Preparedness and Response’ initiative.
o With every one percent rise in PM 2.5 pollution, • G20 Pandemic Fund
there is an increase in antibiotic resistance ○ $1.4-billion fund was launched in 2022 under G20
between 0.5 and 1.9 percent, depending on Presidency of Indonesia
pathogen. ○ Aims to finance critical investments to tackle the
o In 2018, PM 2.5 caused loss of 18·2 million years next global pandemic.
of life, resulting in economic burden. ○ Donors: G20 and non-G20 members, philanthropic
o China and India have greatest impact on organisations. India is one of the major donors of
premature death toll due to changes in PM 2.5. the fund.
• Steps taken to curb AMR: National Action Plan on AMR
2017, Red line campaign on Antibiotics 2016, AMR 7.3.23. CHROMODOMAIN HELICASE DNA
Surveillance network 2013 etc. BINDING PROTEIN 1 LIKE (CHD1L)
• A study has revealed that CHD1L gene variant is likely
to control Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).
• A variant of CHD1L gene is specifically present in
African population.
o CHD1L gene variant has been linked to reduced
viral load (amount of HIV in blood) of HIV-1 (most
common).
o The gene variant CHD1L is found on chromosome
1.
o People carrying this variant in their body had lower
risk of spreading the virus and also had slowed
progress of their own illness.
7.3.24. RESPIRATORY SYNCYTIAL VIRUS

(RSV)
• US Food and Drug Administration approved the first
vaccine “Abrysvo (RSV Vaccine)” that protects new-
borns.
7.3.21. G20 WELCOMES GLOBAL o Vaccine is given to pregnant mothers during latter
INITIATIVES TO CURTAIL AMR stages of their pregnancies.
• Global Antibiotic Research and Development • RSV is a highly contagious virus that causes respiratory
Partnership (GARDP): It is a non-profit organization infections in individuals of all age groups especially
created by WHO and others to tackle antibiotic infants and elderly.
resistance. o It is the most frequent cause of Lower Respiratory
o It accelerates the development and access of Tract Diseases in infants worldwide.
treatments for drug-resistant infection. o RSV vaccine is also available for people at 60 and
• SECURE: the first dedicated mechanism to expand older.

7.3.25. NET ENERGY GAIN (NEG) 7.3.26. DEMON PARTICLE
• US scientists achieve Net Energy Gain (NEG) for second • Researchers claimed to have spotted Demon particle
time in nuclear fusion reaction. in the metal strontium ruthenate.
• Nuclear fusion is the process by which two light atomic • Demon particle was first predicted by physicist David
nuclei combine to form a single heavier one while Pines in 1956.
releasing massive amounts of energy. • David Pines believed that electrons would behave
o Fusion reactions occur in a state of matter called strangely when passed through a solid.
plasma- hot, charged gas made of positive ions and o If enough energy is supplied to the system,
free-moving electrons. electrons can form composite particles known as
o In fusion, two positive nuclei have to come close plasmons.
to each other. o But the energy required to produce plasmons is so
✓ However, they repel each other—this high that they cannot be produced at room
phenomenon is called the Coulomb Barrier. temperature.
✓ To overcome this barrier, massive energy is • Pines’s demon is an exception to this as it is massless,
required, which is presently more than the has no charge and does not interact with light so it
energy generated from the fusion reaction. would require no extra energy to be formed.
• NEG, critical for commercial fusion power, implies that
researchers could generate more energy than the 7.3.27. SHANTI SWAROOP BHATNAGAR
nuclear fusion process consumed. (SSB) AWARDS
o India is part of the International Thermonuclear
Experimental Reactor (ITER) project to • SSB award was not announced for 2021 and
demonstrate NEG from fusion reactors. nominations for 2023 year were also stopped.
o India has also constructed its indigenous tokamak • SSB Awards are awarded annually for outstanding
ADITYA and semi-indigenous Steady State research, applied or fundamental, in seven disciplines
Superconducting Tokamak (SST-1). i.e.,
• Significance of Nuclear Fusion: o Biological Sciences; Chemical Sciences; Earth,
o Clean and safe power as it releases no greenhouse Atmosphere, Ocean and Planetary Sciences;
gases Engineering Sciences; Mathematical Sciences;
o 1 kg fusion fuel provides as much energy as 10 Medical Sciences; and Physical Sciences.
million kilograms of fossil fuel. • Eligibility
o Hydrogen, raw material for fusion, is available in o Any Citizen of India engaged in research up to age
abundance while fission uses uranium, which is of 45 years,
not an infinite resource. o Overseas citizen of India (OCI) and Persons of
Indian Origin working in India.
• Dr Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar (Founder Director of
Council of Scientific & Industrial Research) was
awarded Padma Vibhushan in 1954.
7.3.28. LUNAR CODEX

• The Lunar Codex is a digitized (or miniaturized)
collection of contemporary art, poetry, magazines,
music, film, podcasts and books by 30,000 artists,
writers, musicians and filmmakers in 157 countries.
• It is made up of 4 different time capsules to be
launched on Moon.
o The Orion Collection (Launched & Returned to
Earth in 2022 via NASA Artemis 1, Orion spacecraft)
o The Nova Collection
o The Peregrine Collection
o The Polaris Collection
• Launched via NASA Artemis / Commercial Lunar
Payload Services (CLPS) program partners to the
Moon.
7.3.29. BHU-VISION (KRISHI-RASTAA) • It can immediately send the summary of results in a
PLATFORM soil health card to mobile devices and will help to
quickly identify the deficiencies.
• It is an Internet of Things (IoT) based automated soil • Developed by: ICAR-IIRR (Indian Council of Agricultural
testing and agronomy advisory platform, which can Research - Indian Institute of Rice Research),
conduct 12 key soil parameter tests (like pH value, Hyderabad and KrishiTantra (an Agri-tech start-up).
electrical conductivity etc).

7.1. ADITYA-L1
Why in the News?
ISRO successfully launched India’s first space-based observatory-class solar mission to study the Sun on September 2, to
study the Sun.
More on News
• On September 18, ISRO successfully performed trans-Lagrangian point 1 (L1) Insertion manoeuvre.
o This marks the beginning of the spacecraft's about 110-day trajectory to the destination around the L1 Lagrange
point.
• Also, the Supra Thermal & Energetic Particle Spectrometer (STEPS) instrument, a part of the Aditya Solar Wind
Particle EXperiment (ASPEX) payload, has begun the collection of scientific data.
o STEPS comprises six sensors, each observing in different directions and measuring supra-thermal and energetic
ions.
o The data collected during Earth’s orbits helps scientists to analyse the behaviour of particles surrounding the
Earth, especially in the presence of the magnetic field of Earth.
o STEPS measurements will continue for the rest of the life of Aditya L1 mission.
About Aditya – L1
• Launch vehicle: PSLV C57 (25th mission using PSLV XL
configuration)
• It is planned to be placed in a halo orbit around the
Lagrangian point 1 (L1) of the Sun-Earth system.
• Science objectives of the mission
o Study of Solar upper atmospheric (chromosphere
and corona) dynamics.
o Study of chromospheric and coronal heating, physics
of the partially ionized plasma, initiation of the
coronal mass ejections (CMEs), and solar flares.
o Observe the in-situ particle and plasma environment
providing data for the study of particle dynamics from
the Sun.
o Identify the sequence of processes that occur at
multiple layers (chromosphere, base and extended
corona) which eventually leads to solar eruptive events.
o Drivers for space weather (origin, composition and
dynamics of solar wind).
• Aditya – L1 carries 7 payloads (5 by ISRO and 2 by Indian
Academic institutes)
o Remote sensing payloads
✓ Visible Emission Line Coronograph (VELC)
✓ Solar Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (SUIT)
✓ Solar Low Energy X-ray Spectrometer (SoLEXS)
✓ High Energy L1 Orbiting X-ray Spectrometer
(HEL1OS)
o In-situ payloads
✓ Aditya Solar wind Particle Experiment (ASPEX)
✓ Plasma Analyser Package For Aditya (PAPA)
✓ Advanced Tri-axial High Resolution Digital Magnetometers
• Uniqueness of the mission
o It will provide for the first time spatially resolved solar disk in the near UV band.
o It will provide information in the acceleration regime of CME which is not observed consistently.
o On-board intelligence to detect CMEs and solar flares for optimised observations and data volume.
o Directional and energy anisotropy of solar wind using multi-direction observations.
About Lagrangian points
• What: For a two body gravitational system, the Lagrange Points are the positions in space where a small object
tends to stay, if put there.
o For two body gravitational systems, there are total of five Lagrange points denoted as L1, L2, L3, L4 and L5. The
Lagrange points for Sun-Earth system are shown in the figure.
o Of these five Lagrange points, three (L1, L2, L3) are unstable and two (L4, L5) are stable.
o Unstable Lagrange points lie along the line connecting the two large masses.
o Stable Lagrange Points, on the other hand, form the apex of two equilateral triangles that have the large masses
at their vertices.
• Significance: These points in space for a two body
systems such as Sun and Earth can be used by
spacecraft to remain at these positions with
reduced fuel consumption.
o Placing satellite around L1 gives advantage
of continuous observation of the Sun
without any occultation/ eclipses.
• Mechanism: At Lagrange point, the gravitational
pull of the two large bodies equals the necessary
centripetal force required for a small object to
move with them.
• Other key information: Lagrange points are
named in honor of Italian-French mathematician
Josephy-Louis Lagrange.
o Lagrange point L1 lies between Sun-Earth
line and the distance of L1 from Earth is approximately 1% of the Earth-Sun distance.
o NASA-ESA’s joint Solar and Heliospheric Observatory Satellite (SOHO) mission is placed near L1 point while
NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope is placed around L2 point.
Conclusion
As ISRO embarks on this ambitious journey, the mission embodies the nation's commitment to advancing scientific
knowledge and securing its place on the global space exploration stage.
For more details on India’s race to space and future missions planned by the ISRO, kindly refer to the Article 7.1.1 of August
2023 edition of the Monthly Current Affairs Magazine.
7.2. TIDAL LOCKING

Why in the News?
As the sun rises on the Moon, ISRO is trying to wake up rover Pragyan and lander Vikram which were put to sleep to
survive the lunar night.
More on News
• The Chandrayaan-3 mission was solar-powered, and its landing was planned to coincide with the daylight period on
the Moon.
o The diurnal temperature range on the Moon is very high, making it difficult for Chandrayaan-3 Mission’s
electronics to withstand the extremely low temperatures during the Lunar Night.
o Therefore, the lander and rover were put into Impact of Lunar night
hibernation a little before lunar sunset. • Shapes Moon missions: Extremely low temperature makes it
• Re-awakening would validate ISRO's lander-rover difficult to keep spacecraft systems alive.
technology for future space exploration. o Moon missions would need a non-solar supply of energy
to allow them to survive the lunar nights.
About Lunar Day o Nuclear power sources, reactors and radioisotope power
• A mean solar day on the Moon i.e. Lunar Day is the sources (RPS) appear as the most promising candidates.
time the moon takes to complete one rotation on • Aid in Research: Since Moon does not have atmosphere to
distribute heat, everything has its own unique amount of time
its axis with respect to the Sun.
to heat up and cool down.
• One mean solar day on the Moon is 29.5 Earth days o For example, lunar rocks take longer to heat up and cool
(one mean solar day on Earth is 24 hrs). down than lunar soil.
• Therefore, the daylight on the Moon or Lunar day o The different heating and cooling rates makes it possible
would last approximately two weeks, followed by to identify areas with large quantities of rocks.
approximately two weeks of lunar night.
• Temperature on the Moon
o Daytime temperatures near the lunar equator reach a
boiling 250 degrees Fahrenheit (120° C), while night time
temperatures get to a chilly -208 degrees Fahrenheit (-
130° C).
o This high diurnal temperature range is caused because of
the absence of an atmosphere and the tidal locking of the
Moon with the Earth.
✓ The presence of the atmosphere limits extreme
temperatures by transferring heat around the planet.
About Tidal Locking
• Tidal Locking refers to the synchronization between the
Moon’s rotation around its axis (with respect to the Sun) and
its orbit around the Earth.
• It happens due to the gravitational force exerted by both the
Moon and the Earth on each other.
• Consequences of Tidal locking
o Only one side of moon visible: One side of the Moon is
always facing the Earth while the other is cloaked in
perpetual darkness. Giving rise to two sides of the Moon:
✓ Near Side: The portion of the moon (about 60%) that is visible from Earth.
✓ Far side: The portion of the moon that is never visible from the Earth.
▪ The ‘far side’ of the moon is illuminated in sunlight during the ‘new moon’ phase (when the moon is
invisible from Earth) and continues to receive light for nearly a fortnight.
▪ Thus, it is dark only in the sense that its various topographical features were hidden until the Soviet
spacecraft Luna 3 in 1959 photographed it.
▪ Astronauts aboard the Apollo 8 mission of 1968 were the first humans to see the far side of the moon.
o Distortion of shape: The gravitation force that is exerted is always stronger on the sides facing each other. This
force causes the bodies to stretch and distort.
✓ Earth’s gravitational force deforms the Moon (slightly squashed at the poles and a bulge at its equator).
✓ The same sort of deformation manifests itself in Earth’s oceans leading to alternating high and low ocean
tides.
o Slow rotation: Tidal torque slows down the spin of the planet.
✓ When the Moon formed it rotated more quickly than it does today.
✓ The Earth is also slowing down, primarily due to tidal interactions with the Moon.
o Hospitability: High diurnal temperature range impacts the potential hospitability on the moon.

Tidal Locking in the Universe
• All the solar system’s large moons are tidally locked with their planets.
o The bigger moons synchronize early in their existence, within hundreds of thousands of orbits.
• Some binary stars are tidally locked to one another.
• Also, evidence is building that many planets beyond our solar system are tidally locked with their stars.
To know more about Chandrayaan-3, kindly refer to Article 7.1. Chandrayaan-3 of July 2023 and Article 7.1.
Chandrayaan-3 Soft Landing of August 2023 editions of Monthly Current Affairs Magazine.
7.3. BATTERY ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEM (BESS)

Why in the News?
Union Cabinet has approved a
scheme for Viability Gap Funding
(VGF) for development of Battery
Energy Storage System.
Key highlights of the scheme
• Scheme envisages development
of 4,000 MWh of BESS projects by
2030-31.
• It will provide a financial support
of up to 40% of the capital cost as
budgetary support in the form of
VGF.
o VGF is a grant, one-time or
deferred, provided to
support infrastructure
projects that are
economically justified but
fall short of financial
viability.
• Scheme targets to achieve a Levelized Cost of Storage (LCoS) ranging from ₹5.5-6.6 per kWh, to make stored
renewable energy a viable option to manage peak power demand.
o LCoS reflects the total cost of the BESS divided by the energy it is projected to provide over the course of its
useful life.
• A minimum of 85% of the BESS project capacity will be made available to Discoms to enhance the integration of
renewable energy into the electricity grid and minimize wastage.
• Selection of BESS developers for VGF grants will be carried out through a transparent competitive bidding process,
to promote level playing field for public and private sector entities.
About Battery Energy Storage System (BESS)
• It is categorized under the electrochemical storage system (refer infographics for types of Electric Energy Storages)
which uses different electrochemical reactions to store electricity.
• Energy Storage Systems (ESS) have a multitude of applications in the energy sector and can be used independent of
or as a part of, power system infrastructure at various levels in generation, transmission, and distribution.
• Types of BESS
o Standard (non-flow) batteries: It consists of pairs of plates (electrodes) immersed in electrolyte and separated
by non-conducting materials.
✓ Lead-Acid (PbA) battery
✓ Nickel-Cadmium (Ni-Cd) battery

✓ Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion) battery
✓ Sodium-Sulfur (Na-S) battery
o Flow batteries: It uses tanks of electrolyte and membrane to control the flow of electrons and pumps to control
the flow of electrolyte.
✓ Redox Flow Battery (RFB)
✓ Hybrid Flow Battery (HFB)
Need of domestic manufacturing of BESS
• Economic: Reduction of battery cell imports and prevention of outflow of forex reserves.
o Advanced cell manufacturing will enable Electric Vehicle deployment and reduce oil imports to a greater extent.
o It may also result in growth of mining sector to feed its increasing demand via domestic raw material.
• Social: Increasing opportunity for skill development, incubation centres and entrepreneurship programmes.
o With the current Advanced Chemistry Cells (ACC) battery manufacturing plans of 50 GWh, IESA estimates that the
program shall generate a minimum of 5 lakh employment opportunities.
• Environmental: Assistance in meeting Panchamrit targets (COP 26 of UNFCCC) of the government.
o It will also assist in reducing air pollution in urban centres by reducing emissions.
o It will enable RE integration with grid to ensure stable and flexible power system operation.
Challenges of battery manufacturing in India
• Raw material availability: Extremely low reserves of in-house
materials like lithium, cobalt, nickel and battery-grade graphite,
which are key constituents for manufacturing electrodes and
electrolyte.
o Absence of major partnership or a bilateral agreement
with major raw material producing countries like Australia
(Nickel, Lithium), Chile (Lithium), Brazil (Nickel), etc.
• Policies and regulations: Policy uncertainty such as discontinuation of tax holidays, reduction of accelerated
depreciation benefit, etc.
• Technology and material science: Lack of appropriate technology transfer and exchange of information due to
technology patents is also a key concern, limiting the technical expertise gained at local levels.
o Lack of high-quality R&D infrastructure for research on advanced cell and battery manufacturing.
o Absence of EV and storage policies and dedicated component to support indigenous battery manufacturing at
state level.
• Financing: Reluctance among banks/financial institutions to provide loans for a new technology due to lack of
technical expertise and a standardised financial model.
o Lack of assured offtake and a guaranteed market, further aggravates the issue of financing.
• Miscellaneous
o There are chances that a boom in the Li-ion battery manufacturing market can hamper the livelihood of players
in the supply chain of lead acid technology.
o Need to protect domestic industry against cheap and superior quality of Chinese imports.
Way Forward
• Demand creation: Implementation of a soft loan facility for Discoms/transmission companies to deploy energy
storage and battery solutions.
o Facilitate demand creation of e-buses/e-cabs/e-autos, backed with MoUs and firm-contracts with state transport
units (STUs)/cab aggregators and operators/ railways.
• Phased manufacturing programme: Incentivising advanced cell manufacturing, supported adequately by states to
encourage investors.
o There should be a minimum 50% of value addition to the cell manufacturing ecosystem in India by the
manufacturer to be eligible for subsidy.

o State governments can provide support under Initiatives undertaken for BESS in India
various categories, including infrastructure support • Legal status for Energy Storage Systems (ESS) as a
and making provisions for subsidised utilities, such Generator, Transmission or Distribution element, issued
as electricity. by Ministry of Power (MoP) on in January 2022.
• Taxation: Re-design GST rates to discourage imports • Bidding Guidelines for Battery Energy Storage Systems
and encourage domestic procurement of batteries, (BESS) notified by the MoP in March 2022.
granting tax-holiday to battery manufacturers, • National Framework for Promoting Energy Storage
incentivize in-house R&D, etc. Systems unveiled by the MoP in August 2023.
• Battery Waste Management Rules, 2022 to promote
• Recycling and sustainability: Ensure effective
circular economy in BESS sector.
implementation of Extended Producer Responsibility
(EPR) and digitize waste management to move from ‘End-of-Life’ approach to ‘circular economy’ in BESS.
7.4. VANADIUM
Why in the news?
Researchers at the Geological Survey of India (GSI) discovered vanadium, a critical mineral from the Gulf of Khambhat in
Gujarat.
More about news
• Titanomagnetite –
ore containing
vanadium has been
identified in samples
taken from the Gulf
of Khambhat.
o Titanomagnetite
is a primary
source of the
element (88% of
the world’s
vanadium is
extracted from
it) and is formed
when molten lava cools rapidly.
• According to GSI, deposits in the gulf were drained from the Decan basalt mainly through the rivers of Narmada and
Tapi
• It is the first report of vanadium occurrence in the offshore sediments of India.
About Vanadium
• It is a chemical element with the symbol "V" and the atomic
number 23 and is classified as a transition metal.
• It is an abundant element in the earth’s crust, ranking 22nd
in position in the upper continental crust.
• It is listed as one of the 30 critical minerals identified by the
Government of India.
• Occurrence: It rarely exists as a free element in nature but can be found in about 65 different minerals, including
magnetite, vanadinite, carnotite, and patronite.
• It can be detected spectroscopically in the Sun's rays and occasionally in the light of other stars.
• Physical Properties:
o Under standard conditions, it is hard, silvery-grey metal.

o It is very ductile (can be drawn into wires), malleable (can be hammered into thin sheets), and resistant to
corrosion.
o It does not react with water or oxygen at room temperature.
*To read more about Critical minerals, kindly refer to Article 3.3. Critical Mineral of June 2023 Monthly Current Affairs
Magazine
Reserves of Vanadium
Globally
• Brazil is the world’s largest exporter of vanadium (one-fourth of total exports), with Russia and South Africa as the next
exporters.
• China has the highest vanadium reserves and producer in the world as of 2022.
In India
• According to the Indian Bureau of Mines, the total estimated reserves of Vanadium in India is around 24.63 million tonnes.
• In 2021 vanadium reserves were also found in Arunachal Pradesh.
Applications of Vanadium
• Energy storage: Used in vanadium redox flow batteries, a type of rechargeable battery used for large-scale energy
storage in renewable energy systems.
• Steel manufacturing: Used as an alloying element in steel production, where it imparts increased strength, toughness,
and heat resistance to the steel.
o The addition of 0.15% vanadium strengthens cast iron by 10-25%.
• Catalysts: Vanadium compounds are used as catalysts in the production of chemicals, plastics, and other materials.
• Nuclear reactors:
Vanadium alloys
are also used to
make nuclear
reactors because
of their low-
neutron-
absorbing
properties.
• Medicine: It is
used for the
treatment of
prediabetes, and
diabetes.
• Aerospace and aviation: Used in the manufacture of aerospace and aviation components due to its high strength,
lightweight, and heat resistance properties.
• Other applications: Used in the production of pigments, ceramics, and as a reducing agent in metallurgy.
About vanadium redox flow batteries (VRFB)
They are a type of rechargeable flow battery, that employs
vanadium ions as the active materials.
Working principle
• VRFBs store their energy in two electrolyte tanks, which are
connected to a stack of cells.
• Vanadium has the unique characteristic of having four
different stages of oxidation.
• In each of the four stages, Vanadium contains a different
electrical charge and is therefore used as a catalyst to store
energy.

VRFB vs Lithium-ion batteries
VRFB Lithium-ion batteries
Energy Density • Lower energy density • Higher energy densities
(amount of energy • Suitable for large scale industrial-scale • Suitable for small devices, such as laptops
compared to its weight) operations and cellphones.
Lifespan Longer life cycle, can handle more charge- Decay and lose capacity over time
discharge cycles
Cost Initial installation cost is higher, economic in Initial cost lower
the long run
Sustainability Less waste and recyclable High disposal costs
(Vanadium electrolyte can be easily reused and (Lithium is challenging and currently
repurposed in other batteries) uneconomic to extract)
Safety Safer, uses aqueous electrolytes, which are not Less safe, contains flammable electrolytes.
flammable.
Capacity expansion Easier, by using larger electrolyte storage tanks Difficult
Conclusion
Demand for vanadium is expected to increase due to its increasing usability. VRFB’s potential as a renewable, sustainable,
and highly safe energy-storage system make it an exciting technology. R&D efforts will have to be initiated to meet the
domestic demand for vanadium.
7.5. Y–CHROMOSOME
Why in the News?
Scientists have successfully sequenced the Y-
chromosome using ‘long-read’ sequencing
techniques.
More on News
• Y is the last human chromosome to be
sequenced end-to-end or telomere-to-telomere
(T2T).
o Telomeres are structures made from DNA
sequences and proteins that cap and
protect the end of a chromosome.
• The sequencing can improve understanding of
many health conditions thought to be related to
the changes in the genes on the Y chromosome.
o Loss of the Y chromosome is associated with
increased risk of cancer, Alzheimer’s
disease, and cardiovascular disease.
About Chromosomes and their sequencing
• Chromosomes are thread-like structures made
of protein and a single molecule of DNA that
serve to carry the genomic information from cell
to cell.
• In plants and animals (including humans),
chromosomes resides in the nucleus of cells.
• Humans have 22 pairs of numbered
chromosomes (autosomes) and one pair of sex chromosomes (XX or XY), for a total of 46 (23 pairs).

Genome sequencing
• Sequencing simply means determining the exact order of the bases in a strand of DNA.
• Approaches to genome sequencing
o Short-read sequencing: In this, genome is broken into small fragments (usually 50 to 300 bases) before being
sequenced.
✓ It is more effective for applications aimed at counting the abundance of specific sequences, profiling the
expression of particular transcripts, etc.
o Long-read sequencing: In this, DNA is fragmented and tagged for sequencing to keep track of each fragment,
followed by local assembly.
✓ It provides sequences that are easier to distinguish and can, therefore, be assembled more easily, handling
the confusing repetitions and loops of the Y chromosome.
About Y-chromosome
• It is one of the two human sex chromosomes (X being the other).
o Human genome has 22 pairs of autosomes and one pair of sex chromosomes (XX in female and XY in male)
• Y chromosome is male-determining because it bears SRY genes which are responsible for certain sex characteristics,
such as testes. Comparison between X – and Y - Chromosome
o Y also has a lot of ‘junk DNA X - chromosome Y – chromosome
(sequences that don’t seem to Can be contributed by eggs or sperms Always contributed by sperms
contribute to traits)’. Longer (Contains about 900 protein Smaller (Contains just around 100
o About 66% of the Y coding genes) protein coding genes)
chromosome is composed of
Occurs paired in female and single in Normally occurs single in male only
repetitive DNA, which
male
requires specialized DNA
Represents 5% of entire human Represents 2% of entire human genome
sequencing and analysis
genome
techniques to determine their
Contains XX genotype Contains XY genotype
arrangement.
o All individuals who have a Y chromosome are related to a single Y-bearing ancestor, who likely lived around 300,000
years ago.
• Y chromosome is passed down from male parent to male offspring. So, the information on Y chromosome can more
specifically illustrate ancestry of one direct lineage of male ancestors.
Conclusion
Sequencing of the Y-chromosome has unveiled profound insights into human genetics, offering a glimpse into our
ancestral past and potential future advancements in medicine.
7.6. GENE-DRIVE TECHNOLOGY (GDT)

Why in the News?
Genetically modified mosquitoes have been used in outdoor but controlled conditions in India, Brazil, and Panama which
showed promising drops in mosquito populations, around 90% during the trials.
More on the News
• Advances in genome sequencing techniques coupled with our capacity to genetically manipulate them, offers
opportunities to systematically control population of mosquitoes by interfering with their reproduction.
About GDT
• GDT is a type of genetic engineering technique that modifies genes to alter the typical rules of Mendelian inheritance.
o Mendelian inheritance refers to certain patterns of how traits are passed from parents to offspring.
• Components: A gene drive consists of three key components:
o The gene to be spread;
o The Cas9 enzyme to
cut DNA; and
o CRISPR, a
programmable DNA
sequence that
determines where
the enzyme should
cut.
✓ CRISPR
(Clustered
Regularly
Interspaced
Short
Palindromic
Repeats) are repetitive DNA sequences developed as a method of repurposing bacterial immune system to
make breaks in DNA at precise locations.
✓ Cas9 is an enzyme that acts as a molecular scissor that cuts the DNA at a specific location in the genome.
• Outcomes: The genetic material that encodes for these three elements gets inserted into an animal’s DNA, in place
of the naturally occurring gene.
o It increases the likelihood that a particular suite of genes will be passed onto the next generation, allowing the
genes to rapidly spread through a population and override natural selection.
• Applications: GDT can be used to exterminate insects such as mosquitoes that can spread malaria, dengue, and the
Zika virus.
o Gene drives can also be used to control invasive species such as rodents.
• Concerns
o Ecological: Long-term disruption in ecosystem like disturbance in balance of food-web, potentially leading to
unintended ecological consequences.
o Legal: Gene drive could get out of control and spread uncontrollably across international borders.
o Security: It could potentially be used for bioterrorism or other malicious purposes.
o Ethical: Deciding which species to target and the irreversible nature of GDT raises complex ethical and moral
issues.
Conclusion
GDT offers unprecedented potential for addressing global challenges like vector-borne diseases and invasive species,
while also raising profound ethical and ecological concerns. Striking the right balance between innovation and ethical
responsibility will be pivotal as we navigate the uncharted territory of gene drives.
7.7. NEWS IN SHORTS

7.7.1. HYPERLOOP ✓ Tube is a large, sealed low-pressure system or
vacuum tubes (usually a long tunnel).
• Tata Steel and TuTr Hyperloop (deep-tech startup ✓ Pod is a coach pressurized at atmospheric
operating from IIT Madras) signed a Memorandum of pressure that runs substantially free of air
Agreement to jointly work on development of resistance or friction inside this tube using
hyperloop technology. magnetic propulsion.
• Hyperloop is a proposed ultra-high-speed (at over 700 ✓ Terminal handles pod arrivals and departures.
miles an hour) ground transportation system for • Benefits: Cheaper and reduce air travel between big
passenger and cargo. cities, less polluting etc.
o Hyperloop concept has been promoted by Musk
and SpaceX, and other companies.
o It has three essential elements:

7.7.2. KAKRAPAR NUCLEAR POWER 7.7.3. R&D IN TELECOM, BROADCASTING,
PLANT (KAPP 3) AND IT (ICT) SECTORS
• First largest indigenous 700 MWe Kakrapar Nuclear • TRAI released consultation paper on Encouraging R&D
Power Plant (KAPP 3) started working in Gujarat. in Telecom, Broadcasting, and IT (ICT) Sectors.
• KAPP-3 is also the biggest indigenously developed • Objective is to review existing R&D ecosystem,
variant of the Pressurised Heavy Water Reactor identify bottlenecks in promoting R&D and
(PHWR). recommend interventions to improve R&D in ICT
○ In 2020, it had achieved its first criticality (when sector.
each fission event releases a sufficient number of o As per TRAI Act 1997, TRAI has been mandated to
neutrons to sustain an ongoing series of make recommendations for development of
reactions). telecommunication technology.
○ PHWRs use natural uranium as fuel and heavy • Significance of R&D in ICT Sector
water as moderator. o For national security: Development of new
• Enhanced safety features incorporated technologies to protect critical national
○ Thin-walled pressure tubes: They can lower the infrastructure.
severity of an accidental rupture of the pressure o Supporting Industry 4.0: By innovations that
boundary enable autonomous systems, predictive analytics,
○ Passive Decay Heat Removal System: On lines of and real-time decision-making.
similar technology adopted for Generation III+ o Improve consumers’ experience and to protect
plants to negate the possibility of Fukushima type them from cyberattacks.
accidents (happened in Japan in 2011). o Economic: To achieve objectives of Digital India
○ Steel-lined containment: To reduce the Program and impetus for becoming a $5 trillion
containment pressure in case of a loss of coolant economy.
accident. • Challenges:
• India is currently on the second stage of its three-stage o Less number of organisations involved in R&D in
nuclear program. telecom and broadcasting sectors.
○ Enrichment of U-235 isotope upto 3 to 5 % is o Limited commercialization of research due to
required for electricity generation. weak interlinkages.
o No centralized governance body overseeing R&D
activities in ICT Sector.
o MNCs focus on software instead of hardware,
leading to lack of product development.
o Dormant Telecom Centres of Excellence (TCOEs).
• Initiative taken
o Indigenous 4G and 5G core technologies
developed by C-DoT
o National Digital Communications Policy, 2018
o Telecom PLI scheme
o Centre for Excellence in Wireless Technology
(CEWiT) an autonomous research society of IIT
Madras

7.7.4. MONOCLONAL ANTIBODIES • Key findings
o Globally, higher prevalence of hypertension
(MABS)
among males (34%) than females (32%).
• The Centre decided to procure doses of monoclonal o In India, 31% of the population have
antibody from Australia. hypertension.
• Monoclonal antibody, an experimental therapeutic, o Only 37% of Indians with hypertension are
was also imported for treatment of infected patients diagnosed and only 30% get treatment.
during 2018 Nipah outbreak in Kerala. ✓ 4.6 million lives in India can be saved by 2040
o Nipah virus (NiV) is a zoonotic virus and can be with better control.
transmitted through contaminated food or directly o Cardiovascular disease deaths attributable to high
between people. systolic blood pressure are higher among females
• Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are artificial antibodies (54%) than males (51%).
that mimic the activity of our immune systems. o Risk factors include higher salt intake, tobacco use,
o They are produced through a process that obesity, alcohol consumption, and physical
involves extracting specific antibodies from inactivity.
human blood and then cloning them. • Interventions in India
✓ They are clones of just one antibody, and they o India Hypertension Control Initiative (IHCI): A
bind to one antigen only. collaborative initiative between MoHFW, state
o They are made by homogeneous hybrid cells (B governments, Indian Council of Medical Research
cells) derived from the same parent cell. (ICMR), and WHO-India.
✓ Polyclonal antibodies (PAbs), on the other ✓ Aims to improve hypertension control using
hand, are a mixture of antibodies that are evidence-based treatment protocol,
secreted by different B cell lineages. uninterrupted drug supply, patient-centered
o They have been used in the treatment of cancers, care, task sharing, and digital information
Ebola, HIV etc. system.
• mAbs can effectively bind with a part of the viral
envelope that attaches to the human cells to gain entry 7.7.6. GUJARAT DECLARATION
into the body. • WHO has released the outcome document of first WHO
o This effectively neutralises the virus. Traditional Medicine Global Summit 2023 in form of
• Concerns with mAbs: Side effects such as cytokine Gujarat Declaration.
release syndrome reactions, allergic/atopic disorders, o It reaffirmed global commitments towards
impaired immune function, etc. indigenous knowledge, biodiversity and
Traditional, Complementary and Integrative
Medicine.
o It serves as a catalyst to harness the potential of
traditional medicine and focus on their integration
in national health systems.
7.7.7. SCRUB TYPHUS DISEASE

• Caused by: A bacteria called Orientia tsutsugamushi.
7.7.5. WHO HYPERTENSION REPORT
• Vector: through bites of infected chiggers (larval
• WHO has released its first-ever report on hypertension mites).
titled ‘Global Report on Hypertension: The Race • No vaccine is available to prevent scrub typhus.
against a Silent Killer.’ • Common Symptoms: Include fever, headache, body
• About Hypertension aches, and sometimes rash.
o It is a condition of higher blood pressure than • Affected regions: Rural areas of Southeast Asia,
normal, measured by diastolic and systolic blood Indonesia, China, Japan, India, and northern Australia.
pressure levels.
o Systolic pressure is the maximum blood pressure
during contraction of the ventricles and diastolic
pressure is the minimum pressure recorded just
prior to the next contraction.

7.7.8. RNA (RIBONUCLEIC ACID) STUDY o Analysing changes to cosmic microwave
OF TASMANIAN TIGER background (CMB), radiation leftover from Big
Bang event.
• In a First, researchers have sequenced RNA from any o Using gravitational waves, ripples in spacetime
extinct species. produced when massive astronomical objects –
• Tasmanian tiger (known as the thylacine) was a dog- like neutron stars or black holes – collide with each
sized striped carnivorous marsupial inhabited in other.
Australia and adjacent islands. • However, there is a discrepancy in measuring Hubble
• RNA, like Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA), carries genetic constant as all three methods estimate Hubble
information and plays a crucial role in protein constant based on information from different stages
synthesis. While DNA contains an organism's genetic of the universe.
code. o CMB is based on a much younger universe while
o RNA carries genetic information it receives from other two are based on an older universe.
the DNA, synthesizing proteins that an organism • Now researchers including from India proposed to
requires to live and regulating cell metabolism. study collection of Gravitational Lensing and their
• Benefits: time delays to determine Hubble constant.
o information on the metabolism regulation of o Gravitational lensing occurs when massive
species. objects distort and magnify light from objects
o help in understanding the causes of past behind them (such as a galaxy or a quasar),
pandemics. acting as cosmic telescopes and making distant
galaxies appear brighter.
7.7.9. DOLLY SHEEP
7.7.11. CE-20 CRYOGENIC ENGINE
• Sir Ian Wilmut, who led the team that created Dolly,
passed away recently. • ISRO has successfully tested the CE-20 Cryogenic
• Dolly was the first mammal to be cloned from an adult engine to be used in “Mission Gaganyaan”
cell. ○ Cryogenic engines use fuels at cryogenic
• Dolly was created using a cloning method called temperatures (-150 to -273 degree C) and are
Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer or SCNT. comparatively more powerful than solid and liquid
o In SCNT, nucleus of an egg cell is removed and propellant engines.
replaced with nucleus of a donor adult cell. • It is the first cryogenic engine to use a Gas-generator
o Because 99.9% of cell’s DNA is contained in cycle using Liquid Oxygen and Liquid Hydrogen
nucleus as chromosomal DNA, resulting animal propellants combination.
will share almost exactly same DNA as original • It has a capacity of 28 tonnes of fuel and will be used
donor cell. as the upper stage of Geosynchronous Satellite Launch
Vehicle Mk III (LVM3).
7.7.10. UNIVERSE EXPANSION DISPUTE
7.7.12. NASA’S OSIRIS-REX ASTEROID
• Researchers proposed a new way to settle the
SAMPLES CAPSULE
universe expansion dispute.
• Universe began nearly 13.7 billion years ago - in an • NASA’s OSIRIS-REx asteroid samples capsule from
event that astronomers called big bang- as just a single asteroid Bennu lands on Earth.
point, then expanded and stretched to grow as large as • OSIRIS-REx (Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource
it is right now—and it is still stretching. Identification, Security- Regolith Explorer), launched
o In 1929, Edwin Hubble provided first in 2016, is the NASA’s first mission to collect a sample
mathematical description of universe’s from near-Earth asteroid Bennu.
expansion. o In 2020, OSIRIS-REx spacecraft collected samples
o However finding precise rate of universe’s of dust and pebbles from asteroid Bennu.
expansion, called the Hubble constant, remains a ✓ Asteroids are rocky objects that orbit the Sun.
challenge. They are the remnants from formation of solar
• Hubble constant is calculated by: system over 4.6 billion years ago.
o Comparing observed brightness of a supernova, ✓ They are also called minor planets as they are
the largest explosion of a star that takes place in much smaller than planets.
space • Bennu is a B-type asteroid, i.e., it contains significant
amounts of carbon and various other minerals. Hence,
it reflects about 4% of the light that hits it (Earth atom from each molecule of carbon dioxide pumped
reflects about 30% and Venus reflects about 65 %). in from Mars’ thin atmosphere.
o Bennu was formed in first 10 million years of solar o It has proved to be a viable technology for
system’s creations. astronauts on Mars to produce oxygen for fuel
o It has not gone through a lot of composition- and breathing.
altering change through billions of years, which o It was developed by researchers at Massachusetts
means that below its surface lie chemicals and Institute of Technology.
rocks from the birth of the solar system.
• Significance of asteroid samples 7.7.15. JUNO MISSION
o To better understand planet formation and origin • NASA’s Juno mission completed its 53rd close flyby
of organics and water that led to life on Earth. of Jupiter.
o Benefit humanity by learning more about • About Juno mission
potentially hazardous asteroids. o Launched in 2011 for a 5-year journey.
o Aim: probe beneath Jupiter’s dense clouds and
the origin and evolution of Jupiter, solar system,
and giant planets in general across the cosmos.
✓ It will also study Jupiter’s faint rings for
scientific investigations.
o In its extended mission, it continues its
investigation of Jupiter through September 2025,
or until the spacecraft’s end of life.
7.7.16. K2-18 B EXOPLANET

• NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope discovered the
presence of carbon dioxide and methane on an
Exoplanet.
• K2-18 b exoplanet is 120 light years from Earth.
o Planets that orbit stars, other than our sun, are
7.7.13. SLIM AND XRISM called Exoplanets.
• James Webb Telescope is a space telescope specifically
• Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) launched
designed to conduct infrared astronomy.
an H-2A rocket carrying the SLIM moon lander and the
• Its high-resolution and high-sensitivity instruments
XRISM space telescope.
allow it to view objects too old, distant, or faint for the
• SLIM (Smart Lander for Investigating Moon) will
Hubble Space Telescope.
attempt to pull off Japan's first-ever soft lunar landing
at Shioli Crater in early 2024. 7.7.17. MAGNETOSPHERIC SUBSTORM
o It aims to demonstrate pinpoint-landing
technology which can enable landing anywhere on • Study of energetic ion variations during
the Moon. magnetospheric substorm intervals can help improve
• XRISM (X-Ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission) is a the accuracy of space weather forecasting.
collaboration involving JAXA, NASA and the European • Magnetospheric substorm is a short-lived process in
Space Agency (ESA). which a portion of the energy, extracted by the
o It will study the universe in high energy X-ray light interaction between solar wind and Earth's
from the Earth’s orbit. magnetosphere, is released.
o It depends on Interplanetary Magnetic Field
7.7.14. MARS OXYGEN IN-SITU RESOURCE (IMF), solar wind velocity, and on solar wind
UTILIZATION EXPERIMENT (MOXIE) dynamic pressure.
o The average duration of the substorm is about 2-4
• MOXIE, NASA’s oxygen-generating instrument on
hours.
Perseverance Mars Rover, has successfully completed
o The southward direction of IMF is a prerequisite
its Mars mission.
for substorm occurrence.
• MOXIE produces molecular oxygen through an
electrochemical process that separates one oxygen

7.7.18. SUPER BLUE MOON 7.7.19. ERRATA
• Super Blue Moon is the convergence of three lunar • In June 2023 Monthly Magazine, due to Typographical
occurrences - a full Moon, a Supermoon, and a blue Error in Article 7.1. Outer Space Governance, the
Moon. headquarters of the United Nations Office for Outer
o Blue moon refers to the second full moon within a Space Affairs (UNOOSA) and Article 7.4 Rare Higgs
single month—a rare event since full moons Boson Decay The European Organization for Nuclear
typically occur once a month. Research (CERN) were given incorrectly.
✓ When a season experiences four full moons, • Correct information is:
the third full moon is deemed the blue moon. o Headquarters of United Nations Office for
o Super moon happens when the moon is passing Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA): Vienna.
through or is close to its perigee, and is also a full o Headquarters of The European Organization
moon. for Nuclear Research (CERN): Geneva
• Full moon at perigee (super moon) is about 14% bigger
and 30% brighter than a full moon at apogee (called a
“micro moon”).

7.1. NOBEL PRIZE IN PHYSICS 2023
Prize awarded for: Experimental
methods that generate attosecond
pulses of light for the study of electron
dynamics in matter.
Awardees: Pierre Agostini, Ferenc
Krausz, and Anne L’Huillier.
About Electron Dynamics
• Electron dynamics, in simple
terms, refers to the behaviour and
movement of electrons within
atoms and molecules.
• An atom is composed of a nucleus
of protons and neutrons, and
electrons which are negatively
charged travel around this nucleus.
• Atoms’ natural time scale is
incredibly short. Atoms can move
and turn in millionths of a
billionth of a second, known as
femtoseconds (Femtosecond is
equal to 10−15 second).
• Electrons move or change
rapidly, in the magnitude of
attosecond, which makes them
difficult to study.
o For a long time, femtosecond
was seen as the shortest
achievable duration of the
light pulses. Thus, making the
study of electrons very
difficult.
How did the discovery overcome this
challenge?
Generation of attosecond pulses of
light (Anne L’Huillier)
• In 1987, Anne L’Huillier and her
colleagues transmitted an
Infrared laser beam through a noble gas and it produced multiple overtones.
o When the peak of one overtone merges with the peak of another, they undergo constructive interference and
produce a larger peak.
o Similarly when the peak of one overtone merges with the trough of another, however, they undergo destructive
interference, ‘cancelling’ themselves out.
• By combining a large number of overtones in this way, physicists fine-tune a setup to produce light pulses for a few
hundred attoseconds.
Production of pulse train (Pierre Agostini
and Ferenc Krausz)
• In 2001, Pierre Agostini and Ferenc
Krausz were able to produce verified
attosecond pulses in a ‘train’: a pulse
followed by a gap, followed by a pulse,
and so forth.
o By 2017, experts were able to
produce a pulse as short as 43
attoseconds.
Resultantly, these experiments produced
pulses of light that were measured in
attoseconds. These pulses can be used to
provide images of the processes inside
atoms and molecules (including electron
dynamics).
Applications of attosecond physics
• Medical diagnostics: To check for the
presence of certain molecules.
o For instance, study of molecular-
level changes in blood, to identify
diseases.
• Development of Ultrafast Electronics:
To develop faster electronic devices,
and better telecommunications,
imaging, and spectroscopy.
• Precision Control of Electrons: To
explore short-lived atomic and
molecular processes in fields like
materials science, electronics, and catalysis.
7.2. NOBEL PRIZE IN CHEMISTRY 2023

Prize awarded for: The discovery and development
of quantum dots.
Awardees: The prize was given to Moungi G.
Bawendi, Louis E. Brus and Aleksey Yekimov.
About Quantum dots (QDs)
• Quantum dots are man-made semiconductor
particles, whose sizes are normally not more
than 10 nanometers.
o They are composed of different types of
atoms, such as cadmium, selenium etc.
o Similar behaviour is observed in some
metals, therefore, in some cases, it may be
acceptable to speak about metal quantum dots.
o QDs are also denoted as artificial atoms or zero-dimensional electron systems.
• Properties of QDs: They exhibit quantum confinement, which leads to many unique optical and transport properties.

o Fluorescence: When excited by an external
electric or light source, QDs emit photons of
a specific wavelength.
o Tunable Emission: QDs can emit light of
different colours depending on their size.
This property is called size-tunable emission
and is widely used in display technologies
and bioimaging.
o Photostability: QDs are less prone to
photobleaching (loss of fluorescence over
time) compared to traditional organic dyes.
This makes them suitable for long-term
imaging applications.
o Material Variety: QDs can be made from
different semiconductor materials, such as
cadmium selenide (CdSe), lead sulfide
(PbS), and indium arsenide (InAs), each
with its own unique properties.
o Biocompatibility: Some quantum dots are
biocompatible, which means they can be
used in biological applications without
causing harm to living cells. This property is
advantageous in bioimaging and drug
delivery.
About Nobel Winning Research
• In the early 1980s, Alexei Ekimov succeeded in
creating size-dependent quantum
effects in coloured glass.
o He demonstrated that the
particle size affected the colour
of the glass via quantum effects.
• A few years later, Louis Brus was the
first scientist in the world to prove
size-dependent quantum effects in
particles floating freely in a fluid.
• In 1993, Moungi Bawendi developed
a technique to make quantum dots of
well-defined sizes and with high
optical quality.
Applications of Quantum Dots
The technology can be applied in a
multitude of domains, including the
following:
• Electronics: Television screens based
on QLED technology, and LED lamps.
• Advanced surgery: In cancer
treatment for targeted drug delivery,
nanomedicine, biochemists and
doctors use them to map biological tissue etc.
• Anti-counterfeit measure: Used as security markers on currency and documents.
• Other potential uses: In quantum computing, thinner solar cells, flexible electronics, tiny sensors, and encrypted
quantum communication etc.
7.3. NOBEL PRIZE IN PHYSIOLOGY OR MEDICINE 2023

Prize awarded for: Discoveries concerning nucleoside base modifications that enabled the development of effective
mRNA vaccines against COVID-19.
Awardees: The prize was given to Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman.
About Vaccination and COVID-19
• A Vaccination works by stimulating the formation of an immune response to a particular pathogen.
• Vaccines based on killed or weakened viruses have long been available such as vaccines against polio, measles, and
yellow fever.
• As technology evolved, instead of the whole virus, just a part of the viral genetic code, began to be introduced
through vaccines (DNA-based vaccines).
• However, the large-scale development of DNA vaccines requires cell culture (growing of cells under controlled
conditions) and takes time.
o When you get a DNA vaccine, your cells translate the gene particle from the virus or bacteria into a protein that
your body recognizes as a foreign element. Your immune system then creates antibodies that fight these
particular proteins.
• During the COVID-19 outbreak, time was of the essence in finding a weapon against the deadly and fast-spreading
virus. This is where mRNA technology proved crucial as it requires significantly less time.
About mRNA (messenger Ribonucleic Acid)
• DNA stores all the genetic information in our
bodies; mRNA carries that genetic information,
similar to a blueprint or set of instructions, that is
then translated into proteins.
o RNA contains 4 nucleoside bases, abbreviated
A, U, G, and C, corresponding to A, T, G, and C
in DNA, the letters of the genetic code.
Working of an mRNA vaccine
• mRNA vaccines use mRNA created in a laboratory
to teach our cells how to make a protein-or even
just a piece of a protein that triggers an immune
response inside our bodies.
o In vitro transcribed mRNA or synthetic mRNA
is the synthetic form of mRNA that is used in
mRNA-based vaccines. (It is created outside of
a living cell.)
• This immune response, which produces
antibodies, is what helps protect us from getting
sick immediately. Also, the body remembers the
associated pathogens, thus creating immunity for
the future.

The mRNA vaccines provided a promise of faster
vaccine development but posed significant
challenges. These challenges were addressed in the
work of Nobel Laurates.
Work of Nobel laureates
• Understanding the concerns with mRNA
vaccines
o Issues with In vitro transcribed mRNA
vaccines:
✓ Instability: They were considered
unstable and challenging to deliver,
requiring the development of sophisticated delivery systems.
✓ Inflammatory reactions: The cells recognize in vitro transcribed mRNA as a foreign substance, which leads
to their activation and the release of inflammatory signaling molecules.
✓ Inefficient Protein Production in Cells and Tissues.
o They questioned why this synthetic mRNA was considered to be a foreign substance while mRNA from
mammalian cells did not give rise to the same reaction.
✓ Reason for a different reaction: The mRNA from cells (mammalian mRNA) undergoes a chemical change
after entering the body, whereas the synthetic mRNA remains unchanged.
o This led them to realize some critical properties must distinguish synthetic mRNA from mammalian cells mRNA.
• Breakthrough by them
o Understanding: Karikó and Weissman knew
that nucleoside bases in RNA from
mammalian cells are frequently chemically
modified.
o Hypothesis: They hypothesised that the
absence of altered bases in the in vitro
transcribed RNA could explain the
unwanted inflammatory reaction.
o Testing: On testing, they produced different
variants of mRNA, each with unique
chemical alterations in their bases, which
they delivered to the cells.
o Result: The results were significant as the
inflammatory response was almost
abolished when base modifications were
included in the mRNA.
Applications of the discovery
• Covid-19 Vaccination: With the onset of the
Covid-19 pandemic, base-modified mRNA
vaccines encoding the SARS-CoV-2 surface
protein were developed at an unprecedented pace.
o E.g., mRNA vaccines developed by Pfizer/ BioNTech and Moderna.
• Rapid vaccine development: Impressive flexibility and speed with which mRNA vaccines can be developed pave the
way for using the new platform for vaccines against other infectious diseases.
• Broad applicability: In the future, the technology may also be used to deliver therapeutic proteins and treat some
cancer types.
• Global health impact: mRNA vaccines can play a role in improving global health by addressing a range of infectious
diseases and potentially reducing the severity and spread of epidemics and pandemics.

7.4. NET NEUTRALITY
Why in the News? Over The Top (OTT) Service and Relationship between TSPs and OTTs
• OTTs can be content, a service or an application that is provided to the end
Around 128 Start-ups have written to
user over the public Internet. They are classified into two groups
Telecom Regulatory Authority of India o OTT communications services – These services provide realtime person to
(TRAI) opposing Telecom Service person telecommunication services over the internet e.g. Whatsapp,
Providers (TSPs) push for regulating Telegram etc...
Over the Top (OTT) services. o OTT application services – include all other OTT services such as media
services, trade and commerce services, cloud services, social media e.g.
More about the News
Facebook, Amazon, Netflix etc.
• The TSPs are of the view that OTT Relationship between TSPs and OTTs
application services like Netflix, • While the TSPs seem to claim their right to ask for a fee for their investments,
Amazon Prime Video not only this is also seen as a move against net neutrality in a new form.
consume a significant bandwidth in • Capital Cost incurred by the TSPs is high as they spend millions in setting up
the necessary infrastructure for the services to the consumers of which OTTs
their network, the other OTT
are a part.
communication services like
• Impact on revenue to the TSPs as some OTTs provide the same services they
Whatsapp, facebook also causes offer like calls and messaging services over the internet they provide and act
significant revenue loss to them. as their competitors.
• Hence the Indian TSPs are • Regulatory purview over the TSPs is high and they are bound by rules of the
demanding a ‘network usage fee’ Government and TRAI, whereas the OTTs do not have such direct obligations.
from Big Tech platforms and OTT’s • The demand for the transmission capacity provided by the TSPs is boosted by
for using their infrastructure. the OTTs content leading to surge in net data consumption favouring the TSPs.
What is Net Neutrality?

• Net neutrality is the concept of an open, equal internet for everyone, regardless of device, application or platform
used and content consumed.
• Proponents of the idea believe all corporations, including internet service providers (ISPs), should treat internet
data and users equally.
o They should not restrict access, slow down access speeds or
block content for some users to serve their own interests.
• The issue began with Facebook's launch of “Free Basics” in 2013
which was designed to provide a set of websites and content freely
available only to the users and subscribers of the Reliance network
in India.
• The TRAI released a new framework called the ‘Prohibition of
Discriminatory Tariffs for Data Services Regulations, 2016’, which
barred telecom service providers from charging differential rates
and ensured net neutrality.
Implications of disregarding Net Neutrality
• Induces internet discrimination: The Internet Service Providers

(ISP) can favour and boost a specific content, application, product
to the consumers creating discrimination
• Discourages Innovation: The level playing field for start-ups and
small companies is removed discouraging them to innovate on new
ideas, strengthening the hands of Big tech companies
• Privacy Concerns: ISPs could exploit their power to collect and
monetize user data without their consent.
• Limits consumer freedom: by letting ISPs dictate what is accessible
or affordable to the consumers, their freedom to choose is hindered.
• Widens Digital Divide: It exacerbates the digital divide, with marginalized communities having even less access to
essential online resources, educational tools, and job opportunities
Way Forward
• Incorporation of A K Bhargava Committee recommendations:
o Incorporation of a clause in the license conditions of TSP/ISPs that will require the licensee to adhere to the
principles and conditions of Net Neutrality.
o Till such time as an appropriate legal framework is enacted with the principles of Net Neutrality, the interim
provisions enforceable through licensing conditions as suggested by the Committee may be the way forward
• Create a level playing field through regulatory framework, which is fair and equal for both the players without
affecting the end consumers.
• Define OTTs and their services in order to bring them under an ambit of regulation in terms of their content, service
etc.
• Protect the welfare of the customers and ensure that there is no rise in cost either directly or indirectly which is
transferred to the customers.
• Proactive Monitoring: TRAI should proactively monitor TSPs' behaviour to detect and address any violations towards
net neutrality promptly.
7.5. UNLOCKING INDIA’S SPACETECH POTENTIAL

Why in the news?
A report titled “Exploring
Opportunities for Indian
Downstream Spacetech” was
jointly launched by Indian
Space Association (ISpA),
Nasscom, Deloitte India at
Indian Space Conclave 2023.
The paradigm shift in India’s
Space journey
• The Start: Indian Space
journey started with the
formation of INCOSPAR
(Indian National
Committee for Space
Research) in 1962, ISRO
(Indian Space Research
Organization) in 1969 and
the Department of Space
(DoS) in 1972.
• Government was the only
player: Since then and up
till the 2010s, the space
sector was effectively a
domain of the Government
with negligible private
sector participation.
• Entry of Private Sector:
Space is no longer the exclusive domain of Government, and it is set to be driven by synergistic efforts between
public and private sectors due to its strategic and economic significance.

• Segmental diversification: Until now, most of the contribution of space technology has been from the upstream
segment of the value chain through satellite manufacturing, launching etc.,
o India’s new space policy 2023 has opened opportunities for space technology to serve even the downstream
segment.
Potential areas for the Indian downstream
space sector
• Remote sensing/Earth Observation
(EO): Includes services for storage of
satellite data, data analysis and
development of applications. In
sectors like :
o Agriculture: Crop identification,
soil mapping, weather monitoring,
irrigation management etc.
o Urban Planning and
Development: Master plan
development, Urban heat island
prediction and monitoring etc.
o Disaster Management: Prediction
and Post-Disaster Management.
o Blue Economy (Fisheries,
oceanography): Fish Detection &
forecasts, Potential Fishing zones
etc.
• Satellite Communications (SatCom):
Focuses on products and services that use communication satellites for services like broadcasting, communication,
and internet connectivity.
o Connectivity for bank branches in remote areas.
o Health, Education and Governance Delivery.
o Other Sectors: Tourism, Payments, Trade, Digital Commerce etc.
• Positioning, Navigation & Timing services (PNT): Includes services used for tracking of assets, navigation services on
air, land and sea etc.
o Guidance: Drones, Navigation for enterprises, Toll collection, Railways.
o Civil Aviation: Commercial Aviation, Airport Operations etc.
o Time Synchronization: Telecom, Energy, Finance etc.
• Space for Strategic Purposes: Categorised as the fourth operational domain, space has always been a dual-purpose
sector to serve national security and strategic interests.
o Secure Communication: Integrated Command and Control Centre.
o Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance: Strategic Surveillance, Asset , Marine Domain Awareness etc.
Challenges for the emerging Indian Private Space ecosystem
• International Competition: Global space industry is highly competitive, and Indian companies need to find their
niche and differentiate themselves to compete effectively.
• Access to Capital: Major funding is for the industries related to the upstream activities while the downstream
companies pull in lower amounts.
• Supply Chain Disruption: Global instability and geopolitical conflicts disrupt supply chains, leading to limited access
to key equipment for private sector.
• Other concerns:
o Indian space tech market lacks comprehensive data aggregation and analytics capabilities.
o Space sector faces challenges in justifying Return on Investment (ROI) due to the high cost of space resources.

Way ahead
• Active role of Government: With the space sector opening up, governments have a crucial role to play as enablers
and consumers of Earth observation-based services. Their involvement can nurture the growing ecosystem.
• Streamlined Regulatory Framework: Simplify and expedite regulatory processes, ensuring transparency and
predictability in approvals.
• Public-Private Partnerships: Encourage collaborations to expand satellite communication services to make space-
based services more affordable.
• Global Collaboration: Enhance and Strengthen Cooperation of International Partners with the Indian Space Industry
through initiatives like Satellite Services, NISAR (India-US) etc.
7.6. ASTEROIDS
Why in the news?
NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission brought the sample from
carbon-rich asteroid Bennu back to Earth.
About OSIRIS - REx’s mission
• OSIRIS-REx is an acronym for: Origins, Spectral
Interpretation, Resource Identification, and Security -
Regolith Explorer.
• Goal of the mission: Collect samples from asteroid
Bennu and deliver them to Earth.
• Timeline of Mission:
o 2016: Spacecraft was launched.
o 2020: Collected rocks and dust from the surface of
asteroid Bennu.
o 2021: After further study of the asteroid, the
spacecraft began its cruise back to
Earth with the sample.
o 2023: Became the first U.S. mission
to deliver a sample of an asteroid
to Earth.
• New Journey: After its sample delivery,
OSIRIS-REx continued on to a new
mission to asteroid Apophis.
o Hence renamed as OSIRIS-APEX
(OSIRIS-Apophis Explorer).
About Asteroids
• Asteroids, sometimes called minor
planets are rocky objects that orbit the
Sun, much smaller than planets.
• Asteroids are divided into 3 classes
based on their location:
o Main Asteroid Belt: Found in the
main asteroid belt between Mars
and Jupiter, which is estimated to contain somewhere between 1.1-1.9 million asteroids.
✓ Total mass of all the asteroids in the main asteroid belt combined is less than that of Earth's Moon.
o Trojans: These asteroids share an orbit with a larger planet, but do not collide with it.
✓ NASA reports the presence of Jupiter, Neptune and Mars trojans. In 2011, they reported an Earth trojan as
well.
o Near-Earth Asteroids: These have orbits that pass close to the Earth. Asteroids that cross the Earth’s orbit are
called Earth-crossers.
How does Asteroid exploration contribute to Astronomy?
• Insight on formation of Solar System: Asteroids like Bennu are considered remnants of the formation of our solar
system. Analysing these samples can help us understand the conditions and materials present at that time.
• Origin of Life: Samples can provide insights into the chemical and organic compounds that may have played a role in
the origin of life on Earth.
o For example, Initial studies of the Bennu sample show evidence of high-carbon content and water, which
together could indicate the building blocks of life on Earth.
• Planetary Defense: Understanding the composition and structure of asteroids like Bennu is crucial for creating
planetary defence efforts for the future.
o This information can help in developing strategies to mitigate the potential threat posed by near-Earth objects.
• Space Exploration Technology: The mission demonstrates advanced technology in spacecraft design, navigation, and
sample collection which can be applied to future space missions.
o JAXA (Japan) will launch its MMX (Martian Moons eXploration) mission in 2024 to study the Martian moons &
will collect surface samples from Phobos.
o NASA and the European Space Agency are designing a multi-mission campaign to retrieve samples that NASA’s
Mars 2020 Perseverance rover is collecting.
• Resource Utilization: By analysing the composition of Bennu's materials, we can assess the potential for resource
utilization,
o Such as mining asteroids for valuable minerals or water.
• International Collaboration: It highlights the significance of global collaboration in space exploration and the scientific
community's ability to work together on ambitious projects.
o This includes global missions for gathering samples from space in general and exploration of asteroids in
particular.
Missions which have gathered samples from the space Missions for Exploration of Asteroids
• NASA’s Apollo 11 (1969): Collected and returned the First • NASA's Galileo mission was the first spacecraft to fly past an
Space Samples from the Moon. asteroid Gaspara in 1991.
• NASA’s Genesis spacecraft (2004): Collect samples of the • In 2005, Japanese spacecraft Hayabusa landed on the near-
solar wind. Earth asteroid Itokawa and attempted to collect samples.
• NASA’s Stardust mission (2006): Became the first to • NASA's Dawn spacecraft was launched in 2007 to explore
collect comet samples and deliver them to Earth. asteroid Vesta.
• JAXA’s Hayabusa2 mission (2020): Delivered the sample
from asteroid Ryugu.
Conclusion
The recent success of the sample return mission is significant, making it a pivotal event in space exploration. This holds
the promise of expanding our knowledge of the universe and positively impacting our future endeavours in space.
7.7. NEWS IN SHORTS

7.7.1. TRADITIONAL MEDICINE ON Terminologies Electronic (NAMSTE) portal and
WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION’S LIST Ayush Health Information Management System
(AHIMS).
• Ministry of Ayush has sought for Ayurveda and • ICD is the international standard for systematic
related systems to be included in 11th revision of recording, reporting, analysis, interpretation, and
International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) as comparison of mortality and morbidity data.
Module-2 of a supplementary chapter on traditional o Previously, ICD-11 included Module-1 that
medicine conditions. covers traditional medicine conditions
o Development of Module-2 relies on originating in ancient China, which is now
implementation knowledge obtained from commonly used in Japan, Korea etc.
National Ayush Morbidity and Standardized
o ICD-11 came into effect from January 2022. manufactured stocked or exhibited for sale or
• Significance of ICD-11 distributed in India.
o Provides a list of diagnostics categories to ○ Pharmacopoeia refers to book/ monograph
collect and report on traditional medicine published by a government, or recognised
conditions in an internationally comparable organisation to provide standards of strength and
manner. purity for therapeutic drugs.
o Link traditional medicine practices with global ○ In IP standards for drugs are in terms of Second
Schedule to the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940
conventional medicine’s norms and standard
and Rules 1945 thereunder.
development.
• About PDG
o Enable integration of traditional medicine into
○ It was formed by the US, EU and Japan in 1989 and
insurance coverage and reimbursement
World Health Organization joined an observer in
systems, in line with WHO objectives relating to
2001.
universal health coverage. ○ It works to harmonize pharmacopeial standards in
Traditional Medicine the member countries/regions.
• Refers to sum of knowledge, skills and practices ✓ Harmonization reduces manufacturers'
indigenous and different cultures have used over time to burden of having to perform analytical
maintain health and diagnose and treat physical and procedures in different ways, using different
mental illness. acceptance criteria, to satisfy pharmacopeial
National Ayush Morbidity and Standardized Terminologies
requirements that vary across regions.
Electronic (NAMSTE) portal
• Benefits to IPC of joining PDG
• It provides standardized terminologies & morbidity codes
for Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani systems of medicine. ○ International Recognition of the standards set by
Ayush Health Information Management System (A-HIMS) the IPC.
• It is a comprehensive IT platform to effectively manage all ○ Enhanced acceptance of Indian pharmaceutical
functions of health care delivery systems and patient products in global markets.
care in Ayush facilities. ○ Better public health worldwide, as it helps to
prevent the circulation of substandard or
7.7.2. AYUSHMAN BHAV CAMPAIGN counterfeit drugs.
• Initiative of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. 7.7.4. MONOCLONAL ANTIBODY
• Objective: To extend comprehensive healthcare
coverage to every village and town. • The Union Government has decided to procure doses
• It has 3 components: of Monoclonal Antibody from Australia.
o Ayushman Apke Dwar 3.0: To provide Ayushman • Monoclonal antibody, an experimental therapeutic,
cards to remaining eligible beneficiaries enrolled was also imported for treatment of infected patients
under the PM-JAY scheme. during 2018 Nipah outbreak in Kerala.
o Ayushman Melas: To facilitate the creation of o Nipah virus (NiV) is a zoonotic virus and can be
Health IDs and issuance of Ayushman Bharat transmitted through contaminated food or
Cards. directly between people.
o Ayushman Sabhas: To raise awareness about vital • Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are artificial antibodies
health schemes and disease conditions. that mimic the activity of our immune systems.
• NGOs, SHGs, PRIs, Youth groups, Primary cooperative o They are produced through a process that
societies, Indian Medical Association and companies involves extracting specific antibodies from
using CSR funds, will be part of the campaign. human blood and then cloning them.
✓ They are clones of just one antibody, and
7.7.3. INDIAN PHARMACOPOEIA they bind to one antigen only.
COMMISSION (IPC) BECOMES A MEMBER o They are made by homogeneous hybrid cells (B
OF PHARMACOPOEIAL DISCUSSION cells) derived from the same parent cell.
GROUP (PDG) ✓ Polyclonal antibodies (PAbs), on the other
hand, are a mixture of antibodies that are
• IPC is an Autonomous Institution of the Ministry of secreted by different B cell lineages.
Health and Family Welfare formed in 2009. o They have been used in the treatment of cancers,
• It publishes the Indian Pharmacopoeia (IP) and Ebola, HIV etc.
regularly updates the standards of drugs imported,

• mAbs can effectively bind with a part of the viral o Protein binders are biological research reagents
envelope that attaches to the human cells to gain entry which bind to a specific target protein to
into the body. manufacture a wide range of new food products.
o This effectively neutralises the virus. o Protein binding can enhance or detract
• Concerns with mAbs: Side effects such as cytokine performance.
release syndrome reactions, allergic/atopic disorders, • Protein binding is known to affect the digestibility of
impaired immune function, etc. the protein-bond and thus can affect the biological
and nutritive value of milk protein.
• Milk Protein
o It is a good source for essential amino acids.
o Milk proteins are easily digestible and do not
contain any anti-nutritional factors unlike many
plant based proteins.
7.7.8. NATIONAL MISSION ON INTER-

DISCIPLINARY CYBER PHYSICAL SYSTEM
(NM-ICPS)
7.7.5. R21/MATRIX-M (MALARIA
VACCINE) • National Workshop of Technology Innovation in CPS
highlighted the importance of Technology Innovation
• World Health Organization has recommended second Hubs set up under NM-ICPS.
malaria vaccine, R21/Matrix-M, for the prevention of • CPS are collection of computing devices
malaria in children. communicating with one another and interacting with
o This follows WHO recommendation for the the physical world via sensors and actuators in a
RTS,S/AS01 vaccine in 2021. feedback loop.
• R21/Matrix-M vaccine has been licensed for use in o It includes technologies like Artificial Intelligence,
Ghana, Nigeria and Burkina Faso. Internet of Things, Machine Learning, Robotics,
o It was developed by Jenner Institute at Oxford etc.
University and Serum Institute of India. o Application areas: Healthcare, precision
o Key features: Cost effective, high efficacy, safe in agriculture, energy infrastructure etc.
clinical trials. • NM-ICPS was launched in 2018 by Department of
• Malaria is caused by Plasmodium parasites, which are Science &Technology.
spread to people through bites of infected female o Vision: Make India a leading player in CPS
Anopheles mosquitoes. technologies.
o Objective: Promote translational research in CPS
7.7.6. PACKAGING OF FOOD PRODUCTS
and associated technologies.
• Under Food Safety and Standards (Packaging)
Regulations, 2018 use of newspapers or similar 7.7.9. GRAVITY BATTERY
materials for storing and wrapping food is strictly • A gravity battery is a type of electricity storage device
prohibited. that involves lifting (charging) and lowering
• Newspapers are often subjected to various (discharging) a heavy weight.
environmental conditions during distribution, making • When there is plenty of green energy, the batteries use
them susceptible to contamination by bacteria, the power to lift a heavy weight (or blocks) either high
viruses or other pathogens into the air or to the top of a deep shaft.
• The ink used in newspaper printing may cause cancer, • When electricity demand picks up, the blocks are
liver failure, lung damages, etc. due to: lowered one by one, releasing kinetic energy that is
o components such as Lead, Naphthylamines used to rotate a motor and generate electricity.
aromatic hydrocarbon, and Agonists for AhR (aryl
hydrocarbon receptor). 7.7.10. NEANDERTHALS
✓ AhR is a protein that mediates toxicity.
• Researchers have found that humans carry DNA
7.7.7. PROTEIN BINDERS remnants of ancient Neanderthals.
• Neanderthals were humans. They were a distinct
• FSSAI has clarified addition of protein binders or any species called Homo neanderthalensis.
other additives in dairy products is not permitted.
o They lived in Europe and southwest and central • Green ammonia is made using 100% renewable and
Asia during middle to late Pleistocene Epoch, carbon-free source.
about 400 000 to 40 000 years ago. o Blue Ammonia, refers to the ammonia for which
o Physical Appearance: Long, low skull (compared to by-product CO2 has been captured and stored,
more globular skull of modern humans) with a reducing climate impact.
characteristic prominent brow ridge above their o Grey/Brown Ammonia refers to the ammonia
eyes, relatively short and stocky bodies (suited to produced using fossil fuels.
cold environments). • Ammonia (NH3) is a pungent gas widely used to make
o They were skilled toolmakers and used a fertilisers.
technology called Mousterian culture which o Produced through Haber-Bosch process in which
involved the creation of various stone tools like hydrogen and nitrogen are reacted together at
scrapers, points, and hand axes. high temperatures and pressures.
o Ministry of Power has notified Green Ammonia
7.7.11. GREEN AMMONIA Policy in 2022.
• Green Ammonia from, Egypt imported through VOC
Port, Tamil Nadu for the first time.

7.1. DEEPFAKES
Why in the news? Key Provisions of the Advisory
Recently, the Centre issued an advisory to social • Identify deepfakes: Ensure that Due diligence is exercised and
media intermediaries to identify misinformation reasonable efforts are made to identify misinformation and deep
and deepfakes. fakes.
• Quick action: Such cases are expeditiously actioned against, well
About Deepfakes within the timeframes stipulated under the IT Rules 2021.
• Deepfakes refers to a video/image that has • Caution for users: Not to host such information/content/Deepfakes.
been edited using an algorithm to replace a • Time period: Remove any such content when reported within 36
person in the original video/image with hours of such reporting.
someone else, in a way that makes the video • Expeditious action: Well within the timeframes stipulated IT Rules
2021, and disable access to the content/information.
look authentic.
o Deepfakes use a form of artificial intelligence called deep learning
to make images of fake events, events that haven't happened.
o Deep learning is a machine learning subset, using artificial neural
networks inspired by the human brain to learn from large data
sets.
• Deepfake imagery could be an imitation of a face, body, sound,
speech, environment, or any other personal information manipulated
to create an impersonation.
How does Deepfake work?
• Deepfakes uses technologies of deep learning, AI and photoshopping
to create images of events.
o The technologies namely, GANs (Generative Adversarial Networks) (a class of Machine Learning) are interplayed
to create the videos.
• Deepfakes also use Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs), which consist of generators and discriminators.
o Generators take the initial data set to create new images.
o Then, the discriminator evaluates the content for realism and does further refinement.
• Deepfakes also employ a deep-learning computer network called a
variational auto-encoder, a type of artificial neural network that is
normally used for facial recognition.
o Auto-encoders detect facial features, suppressing visual noise and
“non-face” elements in the process. They enable a versatile “face
swap” model using shared features of person/image etc.
Issues associated with Deepfake
• Misinformation and Disinformation: Deepfakes can be used to create
fake videos of politicians or public figures, leading to misinformation and potentially manipulating public opinion.
• Privacy Concerns: Deepfakes can be used to damaging content featuring individuals without their consent, leading
to privacy violations and potential harm to reputations.
o Deepfakes are, thus, a breach of personal data and a violation of the right to privacy of an individual.
• Lack of Regulation: Major issue is the lack of a clear legal definition of deepfake technology and the activities that
constitute deepfake-related offences in India.
o Thus, it becomes difficult to prosecute individuals or organisations that engage in malicious or fraudulent
activities using deepfakes.
• Challenges in Detection: Developing effective tools to detect deepfakes is an ongoing challenge, as the technology
used to create them evolves.

• Gender inequity: Women form about 90% of the victims of Opportunities with Deepfake technology
crimes like revenge porn, non-consensual porn and other • Entertainment: Voices and likenesses can be used
forms of harassment. to achieve desired creative effects.
o Deepfake adds one more to the list, thus, shrinking online • E-commerce: Retailers could let customers use
space for women. their likenesses to virtually try on clothing.
• Erosion of trust: The prevalence of deepfakes challenges the • Communication: Speech synthesis and facial
trustworthiness of media content, making it more difficult for manipulation can make it appear that a person is
people to rely on what they see and hear. authentically speaking another language.
• Research and Simulation: It can aid in training
• Ethical challenges: Balancing the need to combat the
professionals in various fields by providing realistic
negative impacts of deepfakes with the protection of free scenarios for practice, such as medical training.
speech and artistic expression poses a complex ethical
challenge.
Regulatory measures applicable to deepfakes
• Legal provisions in India: In India, there are no specific legal provisions against deepfake technology. However, some laws
indirectly address deepfake, viz.,
o Section 66E of the IT Act of 2000: An act involving capturing, publishing, or transmitting a person’s images in mass media,
violates their privacy.
o Section 66D of the IT Act of 2000: Provides a provision to prosecute individuals who use communication devices or
computer resources with malicious intent, to cheat or impersonate someone.
o Indian Copyright Act of 1957: Provides for penalties for the infringement of copyright.
• Global measures against Deepfakes:
o Bletchley Declaration: Over 25 major countries including India, United States, China, Japan, and UK called to tackle the
potential risks of AI.
o Digital Services Act of EU: Obligates social media platforms to adhere to labelling obligations, enhancing transparency
and aiding users in determining the authenticity of media.
o Google announced tools: Watermarking to identify synthetically generated content.
Way ahead
• Strengthening legal framework: Need to establish and update laws and regulations specifically addressing the
creation, distribution, and malicious use of deepfake and associated content.
• Promote Responsible AI Development: Need to encourage ethical practices in AI development, including the
responsible use of deep learning technologies.
o Asilomar AI Principles can act as a Guide to ensuring safe and beneficial AI development.
• Responsibility and Accountability of social media platforms: The need will be to create a uniform standardization
that all channels can adhere to and is common across borders.
o For example, YouTube has recently announced measures requiring creators to disclose whether the content is
created through AI tools.
• International Cooperation: Establish shared standards and protocols for combating use of deepfakes across borders.
• Invest in Research and Development: Allocate resources to support ongoing research into deep fake technologies,
detection methods, and countermeasures.
To know more about Asilomar AI Principles, kindly refer to Article 9.2. AI and Human Rights in the October 2023 edition
of VisionIAS Monthly Current Affairs Magazine.
7.2. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI):

REGULATION AND APPLICATION
Why in the news?
Recently, the World’s first-ever AI Safety Summit was held at Bletchley
Park in Buckinghamshire near London (United Kingdom).

More on the News
• 27 major countries including the
United States, China, Japan, UK,
France, and India, and the
European Union agreed to sign a
declaration, named the Bletchley
Declaration.
• The Declaration fulfils key summit
objectives in establishing shared
agreement and responsibility on
the risks, opportunities and a
forward process for international
collaboration on frontier AI safety
and research.
Refer below articles for detailed understanding of AI in Healthcare, Agriculture and empowering other technologies
What are the risks associated with AI development that necessitate its regulation?
• Control of Big Tech: Decisions about the development of AI are overwhelmingly in the hands of the big tech companies
with access to vast stores of digital data and immense computing power.
• Misuse: Substantial risks may arise from potential intentional misuse or unintended issues of control relating to
alignment with human intent.
o Frontier AI systems may amplify risks such as disinformation through the use of algorithms.
o Increasing instances of deepfakes, intentional sharing of harmful information and cyber frauds are examples of
it. E.g., instances observed in elections across the world.
To know more about application of Artificial Intelligence in elections, kindly refer to Article 1.3. Artificial Intelligence
and elections in September 2023 edition of VisionIAS Current Affairs Magazine.
• Model Collapse scenario: Over time, datasets may be poisoned by AI-generated content which changes the patterns
in the dataset, incorporating mistakes of previous AI models. E.g., issues of racial discrimination experienced in
previous AI models.
• Model adoption challenges: There are risks associated with different
models for AI development.
o Closed: An ecosystem limited to a small number of closed models
and private organizations can prevent misuse by malicious actors
but has the potential for safety failures and undetected biases to
propagate.
o Open-source: On the other hand, an open-source model can spot
biases, risks or faults but increases the risk of misuse by malicious
actors.
• Cyber risks: Global tensions and the rise in cyber capabilities have led
to escalating cyber crime or hacking incidents and consequent
disruption of public services.
• Economic risks: The effects of AI in the economy, such as labour
market displacement or the automation of financial markets, could
cause social and geopolitical instability.
What has been done to regulate AI?
• European Union: EU’s AI Act intends to be the world’s first comprehensive AI law.
o It classifies AI systems into four tiers of risk and different tiers are subject to different regulations.
o A new EU AI office would be created to monitor enforcement and penalties including fines of up to 6% of total
worldwide revenue.
• USA: Regulation to set standards on security and privacy protections and builds on voluntary commitments adopted
by more than a dozen companies.
• India: Government of India is contemplating to bring out a comprehensive Digital India Act to regulate AI.
o NITI Aayog released the National Strategy on Artificial Intelligence (NSAI) which focuses on Responsible AI for
All (RAI) principles.
• China: China’s regulations require an advanced review of algorithms by the state and should adhere to the core
socialist values.
o AI-generated content must be properly labelled and respect rules on data privacy and intellectual property.
What can be done to better regulate AI systems?
• International Cooperation: Since many challenges posed by AI regulation cannot be addressed at a purely domestic
level, international cooperation is urgently needed to establish basic global standards.
• Impact assessment: International efforts to examine and address the potential impact of AI systems is needed.
• Proportionate Governance : Countries should consider the importance of a pro-innovation and proportionate
governance and regulatory approach that maximises the benefits and takes into account the risks associated with AI.
• Private sector accountability: Increased transparency by private actors developing frontier AI capabilities,
appropriate evaluation metrics, tools for safety testing, and developing relevant public sector capability and scientific
research.
• Better Design: To reduce degree and impact of bias and harmful responses, there is a need for curated, fine-tuned
datasets with inclusion of more diverse groups and continuous feedback mechanism.
7.2.1. AI IN HEALTHCARE
Why is it important?
The emergence of AI in healthcare has been ground-breaking, reshaping the way we diagnose, treat and monitor patients.
This technology is drastically improving healthcare research and outcomes by producing more accurate diagnoses and
enabling more personalized treatments.
Application Areas
• Higher-quality patient care: AI-powered clinical decision support (CDS) tools can aid in developing accurate,
appropriate and actionable diagnostic or treatment recommendations.
o Apollo hospitals launched Apollo Clinical Intelligence Engine, a CDS, open to use by all Indian doctors.
• Clinical research and discovery: AI is improving clinical trials – supporting diversity in recruitment and innovation in
operations. Also, AI is helping to advance early disease identification and intervention.
• Healthcare supply chain resilience: Predictive models driven by data provide longitudinal visibility of supply with real
time information regarding shortages and surpluses.
• Workforce optimization: Workflows automated with AI capabilities can help extend scarce labor resources, reduce
work fatigue and burnout, and enable operational and cost efficiencies.
Potential Challenges Future prospect
Some of the roadblocks to more widespread healthcare AI in healthcare holds immense potential and promise for all of us,
adoption still include- ushering in a new era filled with-
o blind spots in data access and collection, o advancements in diagnostics and treatments,
o privacy issues, o therapeutic discovery and clinical research,
o data misuse, and o supply chain resiliency, and
o regulatory ambiguity. o a host of operational and administrative efficiencies.
7.2.2. AI IN AGRICULTURE
Why is it important?
The application of AI in agriculture has been widely considered as one of the most viable solutions to address food
inadequacy and to adapt to the need of a growing population.

Application Areas
• Intelligent crop planning: It includes AI model based planning for micro and macro cropping, credit and extension,
irrigation and sowing windows.
o AI systems are helping to improve the overall harvest quality and accuracy – known as precision agriculture.
• Smart Farming: AI frameworks help in nutrition management, promotion of one health, mechanization of farms, soil
analysis, pest and weather predictions.
o World Economic Forum is implementing AI for Agriculture Innovation (AI4AI) initiative to transform the
agriculture sector in India by promoting the use of AI. Under it, ‘Saagu-Baagu’ initiative was launched to promote
innovation in agriculture in Telangana.
• Farmgate-to-fork: Market-based intelligence, traceability and quality of logistics, supply chain optimization,
emergence of fintech, and demand and price production improves efficiency.
• Data-driven agriculture: Data driven AI can enhance agricultural productivity and help in creation of a national market
through analysis.
There are continued challenges such as- The future of AI in agriculture in India holds great promise for improving
o the need for infrastructure development, productivity, and making farming practices more sustainable with following
o access to technology in remote areas, and steps-
o the necessity for farmer education and o Continued investment,
awareness. o Research, and collaboration between the government, tech developers,
and farmers
7.2.3. MULTIMODAL AI
What is it and why is it important?
Multimodal AI combines the power of multiple inputs to solve complex tasks. In order to solve tasks, a multimodal AI
system needs to associate the same object or concept across different facets of a given media. A multimodal AI system
can piece together data from multiple data sources such as text, images, audio and video, creating applications across
sectors.
Application areas
• Business Analytics: It can make the best use of machine learning algorithms because it can recognize different types
of information and give better and more informed insights.
o By combining information from various streams, it can make predictions about a company’s financial results, and
even predict maintenance needs.
• Data processing: It can help in generating textual descriptions, transcription of videos, text-to-speech conversion,
analysis of facial expressions and development of sensors for autonomous vehicles or machines.
• Accessibility: Such systems can assist individuals with disabilities by providing environmental awareness.
There are continued challenges such as- Multimodal AI systems are versatile and continues to advance, expanding their
o privacy concerns, horizon and potential use cases by creating multi-stakeholder frameworks
o ethical considerations, and addressing privacy, security and ethical concerns.
o the need for standardized frameworks
Conclusion
Striking the right regulatory framework is crucial to harness the full potential of AI while ensuring responsible and ethical
deployment. As we navigate this evolving landscape, collaborative efforts between policymakers, industry stakeholders,
and researchers are imperative to shape a future where AI contributes positively to society.
7.3. WI-FI 7 TECHNOLOGY

Why in the news?
Recently U.S. based company Qualcomm suggested that India should adopt the newest Wi-Fi 7 technology.
About Wi-Fi 7
• Wi-Fi, Wireless Fidelity, is a wireless technology that allows devices to connect to the internet and communicate with
each other.
o It uses radio waves to provide high-speed wireless internet and network connections.
o For transmitting Wi-Fi signal there needs three medium, such as Base station, Router and Accessing devices (like
Phone, Laptop, etc.)
• Wi-Fi 7 is the next-generation Wi-Fi standard to be launched, based on IEEE 802.11be — extremely high throughput
(EHT).
o Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) is the world's largest technical professional organization
dedicated to advancing technology for the benefit of humanity.
• Key Features of Wi-Fi 7:
o Backward Compatibility: Connects with devices in 2.4GHz, 5GHz, and 6GHz bands without requiring new
hardware.
✓ It won’t be stuck to a single frequency but use a mix of available spectrum frequencies to provide a solution.
o Lower Latency: Enables faster cloud-based operations like file transfers and gaming.
o Multi-Link Operation (MLO): Combines multiple channels on different frequencies for improved network
performance.
o Speed and Capacity: Wi-Fi 7 could theoretically support a bandwidth of up to 330 Gigabits per second per access
point. Four times faster than the maximum speed of Wi-Fi 6.
Benefits of Wi-Fi 7
• Alignment with
India's Tech
Adoption: Wi-Fi 7
enables India's
rapid adoption of
cloud-based and
wireless
applications and
the government's
digital initiatives
regarding security
and privacy.
• Promising
Developments in India: Digital transformation in the enterprise sector, fixed wireless connectivity, smartphone
technology, and the potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI), especially Edge AI.
• Addressing emerging technologies demands: Wi-Fi 7 could support the growing number of Internet of Things (IoT)
devices, includes smart home devices, wearables, and industrial IoT applications.
• Medicinal Field: Tele-diagnostics and telesurgery.
• Enhancing User Experiences in Advanced Applications: Wi-Fi 7 can facilitate the streaming of higher-resolution
content, such as 8K videos.
o Also, could enhance performance in cloud gaming, AR/VR and other data-intensive activities.
7.4. CAR-T CELL THERAPY

Why in the news?
Recently, the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSO) approved the Indigenous Chimeric Antigen Receptor
T cell (CAR-T cell) therapy.
More in News
• The therapy is called NexCar19, a type of CAR-T and gene therapy developed indigenously in India by ImmunoACT,
which is a company incubated at IIT Bombay.
• It will treat lymphoma and Leukaemia (Blood Cancer).
• India is now one of the first developing countries to have its indigenous CAR-T and gene therapy platform.
Lymphocytes: T-cell vs. B-cell
Lymphocytes are a type of White Blood Cells (WBCs) that circulate in blood and are part of the immune system. There are two
main types of lymphocytes: T cells and B cells.
Characteristics T-Cell B-Cell
Function T cells are direct fighters of foreign invaders and B cells produce antibody molecules that can latch on
also produce cytokines, which are biological and destroy invading viruses or bacteria. (Attacks
substances that help activate other parts of the foreign bodies outside the cells)
immune system. (Attacks infected cells)
Origin and Originate from stem cells in the bone marrow but Originate and mature in the bone marrow.
Maturation mature in the thymus gland.
Immunity Play a central role in cell-mediated immunity. Responsible for humoral immunity.
About NexCAR19
• The therapy is designed to target cancer cells that carry the CD19
protein.
o CD-19 is a biomarker (or flag) for B lymphocytes (or B-cells) and can
be utilised as a target for leukaemia immunotherapies.
✓ A Biomarker is a measurable and assessable indicator, often a
molecule or characteristic, that provides information about a
biological process, condition, or response to a treatment.
• This therapy is for people with B-cell lymphomas (blood cancer) who
don’t respond to standard treatments like chemotherapy, leading to
relapse or recurrence of the cancer.
CAR-T Therapy vs. Chemotherapy

Aspect CAR-T Therapy Chemotherapy
Mechanism of Action Genetically modifies patient's T cells to target Uses drugs to kill rapidly dividing cells, including
cancer cancer
Precision Highly precise, targeting specific cancer cells Non-specific, affecting both cancer and healthy cells
Treatment Duration Typically, a single infusion or a few treatments Multiple cycles, often over an extended period
Personalization Individualized treatment based on patient's Standardized treatments, less personalized approach
own cells
Challenges in adoption
• Cytokine Release Syndrome (CRS): It occurs when the proliferation of CAR T-cells leads to the release of abundant
cytokines into the bloodstream, triggering an intensified immune system response.
• Neurological Toxicity: Some patients may experience neurotoxicity, leading to confusion, seizures, or other
neurological issues, often associated with CRS.
• Limited Applicability: CAR-T therapy has primarily been successful in treating certain blood cancers, like leukaemia
and lymphoma, and its effectiveness in solid tumours is an ongoing area of research.
• High Cost: The personalized and complex nature of CAR-T therapy contributes to its high cost, limiting its accessibility
to a larger population.
• Patient Eligibility: Not all patients are eligible for CAR-T therapy, and factors such as age, overall health, and the
presence of certain pre-existing conditions can impact eligibility.
Way forward
• Enhance Safety Profiles: Continuous research to improve the safety profile of CAR-T therapy, minimizing severe side
effects such as cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and neurotoxicity.
• Global Collaboration: Encourage international collaboration and data-sharing to accelerate research, share best
practices, and facilitate the global advancement of CAR-T therapy.
• Enhancing Accessibility: By developing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for its application and integrating it
into prevalent insurance packages.
• Intensive Research: Invest in research to broaden the applications of CAR-T therapy, exploring its effectiveness in
treating additional types of cancer beyond Blood cancer.
7.5. DIVERSE EPIGENETIC EPIDEMIOLOGY PARTNERSHIP (DEEP)

Why in the News?
CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) is collaborating with
research groups across the world on the Diverse Epigenetic Epidemiology
Partnership (DEEP) project.
What is Epigenetic Epidemiology?
• Epigenetics: It is the study of how your behaviours and environment can
cause changes that affect the way your genes work.
o Unlike genetic changes, epigenetic changes are reversible and do not
change the DNA sequence, but they can change how body reads a DNA sequence.
• Epidemiology: It is the scientific discipline that examines patterns and
factors related to health and disease in populations.
o It aims to understand how diseases spread, identify risk factors, and
develop strategies for prevention and control.
• As a combination of the two, epigenetic epidemiology might be defined as
‘the part of epidemiology that studies the effects of epigenetic changes on
the occurrence and distribution of diseases’.
o One common epigenetic modification is DNA methylation which
involves the addition of a methyl group to the DNA molecule (refer to
the infographics).
✓ High levels of DNA methylation at a gene promoter region can lead
to gene silencing, preventing the gene from being expressed.
✓ For example, during stress, DNA may undergo increased methylation, leading to the suppression of those
genes.
DNA (DeoxyriboNucleic Acid)
● It is a molecule that carries the genetic information for the development,
functioning, growth, and reproduction of living organisms.
● It is made of two linked strands that wind around each other to resemble a
twisted ladder — a shape known as a double helix.
● Each strand has a backbone made of alternating sugar (deoxyribose) and
phosphate groups.
● Attached to each sugar is one of four bases: Adenine (A), Cytosine (C), Guanine
(G) or Thymine (T).
● A always pairs with T, and C always pairs with G.
About DEEP Project

• It is a five-year project, led by researchers at the University of Bristol, London and the CSIR Centre for Cellular and
Molecular Biology in India.
• Rationale:
o Much of the population health
research conducted till date has
drawn heavily on data collected
from people of white European
origins leaving many global
communities under-represented in
health studies.
o Diverse genetic databases are
crucial for understanding factors
impacting gene regulation and
variations in disease risk among
different populations.
• Procedure: It will generate genomic
datasets in underrepresented
populations across African, Asian, and
North and South American continents.
o By analysing DNA methylation data and health-related measures from people around the world, the DEEP study
aims to identify the causes and mechanisms of these health outcomes.
✓ About 13,000 participants, are to be part (including from India).
• Significance for India: Through this, CCMB (Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology) is expecting to understand the
genetics behind Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) in diverse populations especially in India and other South Asian
countries.
o It helps in understanding implications for common diseases like type 1 and 2 diabetes, chronic pancreatitis, etc.
Challenges in implementing the Project
• Data Privacy and Security: Genomic data is highly sensitive and contains personal information.
• Ethical Considerations: Genome projects often involve human subjects, raising ethical questions about the informed
consent of individuals and their long-term effects on the community.
• Data Storage and Management: The vast amount of data generated in genome projects requires advanced storage
and computational resources.
• Dynamic Nature of the Genome: Understanding the dynamics of genome evolution, including factors such as
mutation rates, selection pressures, and adaptation, poses challenges in tracking changes accurately.
• Integration of Clinical and Genomic Data: Connecting genomic data with clinical information, including electronic
health records, poses integration challenges.
Way forward
• Collaboration and Data Sharing: Encourage international collaboration and open sharing of genomic data.
o Establishing standardized protocols for data collection and sharing promotes transparency and accelerates
research.
• Ethical Guidelines: Establish robust governance structures at the global level to ensure the responsible and ethical
use of genomic data, with a particular emphasis on participant consent and data privacy.
• Public Perception and Education: Public understanding of genomics, genetic testing, and the implications of genomic
research can influence its acceptance and success.
• Community Engagement: Engage with local communities to address concerns, build trust, and ensure that genomic
research considers the socio-cultural contexts of diverse populations.
7.6. ULTRA-PROCESSED FOOD

Why in the News?
The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has released ‘the State of Food and Agriculture (SOFA) 2023 Report which
raises concerns associated with hidden cost of ultra-processed foods.

More about the news
• 2023 report presents national-level True Cost
Accounting (TCA) assessments to uncover hidden
impacts of agrifood systems.
o The 2024 report will focus on in-depth targeted
assessments to identify the ways to mitigate
them.
• It states that unhealthy diets, high in ultra-processed
foods, fats and sugars drove a huge hidden cost of
over $7 trillion a year on our health and environment.
• As per WHO, India’s ultra-processed food sector grew at a compound annual growth rate of 13.37% in retail sales
value from 2011 to 2021.
• The retail value of ultra-processed food and beverages grew exponentially from US$ 0.9 billion in 2006 to over US$
37.9 billion in 2019.

What is Ultra-Processed food (UPF)?
• The Ultra-processed foods are made mostly from substances extracted from foods, such as fats, starches, added
sugars, and hydrogenated fats.
• High consumption of UPF combined with low physical activity leads to issues like obesity, diabetes and
cardiovascular diseases.
Challenges in Curtailing Ultra-Processed food
• Lack of standard definition: Like absence of a clear definition of ultra-processed food or HFSS (High in saturated Fat,
Salt and Sugar) food and their categorisation.
• Lack of a nutrition-based tax model: This model focuses on higher taxes for products which have sugar, salt or fat
beyond recommended levels and lower taxes for the healthier options.
o The goods and services tax (GST) rates are not aligned with nutrition content in the food nor are they aligned
with the product classification of the FSSAI.
• Lack of data: For certain subcategories like carbonated drinks by sugar content is not available, a detailed survey is
needed to capture such data in order to undertake policy decisions.
• Lack of Subsidies and other fiscal incentives: For manufacturers for making healthy products and to consumers to
encourage consumption.
o E.g., In South Africa,
subsidies on fruits
and vegetables are
part of private health
insurance
programmes.
• Lack of implementation:
The FSSAI proposed
Indian Nutrition Rating
as a format for Front-of-
Pack Labelling (FOPL) to
help consumers to make
informed food choices is
yet to come into effect.
o There is also an
alleged lack of
oversight on implementation of advertisement
FSSAI initiatives to curtail Ultra-Processed food
and marketing regulation for the Ultra-Processed • FSSAI has put a cap on trans-fatty acids in food products,
foods. at 2% or less from 2022.
Way Forward • The Food Safety and Standards (Advertising and Claims)
Regulations, 2018 aims to hold food businesses
• Create a clear and transparent definition of Ultra accountable for their claims/advertisements.
processed food and its subcategories, by the FSSAI in • Food Safety and Standards (Safe Food and Healthy Diets
consultation with other stakeholders. for School Children) Regulations, 2020 bans
• Introduction of Nutrition linked taxes, which advertisements of Ultra processed foods in school
encourages the consumers to procure healthier food canteens or within 50 metres of school campuses
items at a lower price. • ‘Eat Right India’ movement, which aims to reduce the
intake of salt, sugar, and saturated fats.
• Provide Fiscal incentives linked to nutrition as they
• Initiated a nation-wide social media campaign called ‘Aaj
can drive production, exports and consumption of
Se Thoda Kam’, to bring about dietary modifications,
healthier food options. reduce salt, sugar and fat consumptions.
• Mapping global best practices and implementing it in
India’s policies as per the local requirements.
o Eg. The Junk food tax levied on high calorie foods in Mexico, has reduced the consumption by around 7%

• Implement better labelling guidelines, The Draft Notifications on Food Safety and Standards (Labelling & Display)
Amendment Regulations (2022) of FSSAI should be implemented, after stakeholders’ consultation
o E.g., Australia and New Zealand had launched a Health Star Rating system, which provide relevant nutrition
information on food packs, easily understandable by the consumer.
• Efficiently use advertisement and marketing to ensure nutrition security and restrict marketing or advertisement of
unhealthy foods through proper framework.
Related News
QR code on food products
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has recommended the inclusion of Quick Response (QR) code on food
products.
● The QR codes are to provide various details about the product, including, but not limited to, ingredients, nutritional
information, manufacturing and expiry dates and contact information for customer enquiries.
● Will help the consumers in identifying unhealthy foods and make informed decisions.
● The advisory caters to two important regulations.
o The Food Safety and Standards (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020 which outlines the information to be included
on labels of food products and
o The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 which recognises the rights of individuals with disabilities and emphasises
accessibility of health for persons with disabilities.
7.7. NEWS IN SHORTS

7.7.1. 25 YEARS OF INTERNATIONAL India’s space station plan
● As per ISRO’s chairman, India’s proposed space station
SPACE STATION (ISS)
is envisaged to weigh 20 tonnes and serve as a facility
• On November 20, 1998, Zarya (translates to "sunrise") where astronauts can stay for 15-20 days, and would be
module launched aboard Russian Proton rocket from placed in an orbit 400 km above earth.
Kazakhstan to form the cornerstone of ISS. ● Prime Minister of India directed that India should now
• ISS is a large spacecraft around Earth. It serves as a aim for setting up ‘Bharatiya Antariksha Station’
(Indian Space Station) by 2035.
home where crews of astronauts and cosmonauts
live. Space station is also a unique science laboratory 7.7.2. ATMOSPHERIC WAVE EXPERIMENT
o It is a partnership between European countries
(AWE) MISSION
(represented by ESA), United States (NASA), Japan
(JAXA), Canada (CSA) and Russia (Roscosmos). • NASA is set to launch AWE mission to the International
o It orbits Earth at an average altitude of Space Station (ISS).
approximately 250 miles in every 90 minutes. • AWE is a pioneering NASA experiment designed to
o It has been continuously occupied since November explore the interplay between terrestrial and space
2000. weather.
• ISS weighs almost 400 tonnes and covers an area as big • It will examine airglow (colourful bands of light in
as a football pitch. It would have been impossible to Earth’s atmosphere) to determine what combination
build the Space Station on Earth and then launch it into of forces drives space weather in the upper
space in one go. atmosphere.
o So, ISS was taken into space piece-by-piece and • It will also measure Atmospheric Gravity Waves
gradually built-in orbit. This assembly required (AGWs) at mesopause (an atmospheric layer that
more than 40 missions. begins some 87 km in altitude).
• Significance of ISS ○ AGWs form as buoyancy lifts air upward, and
o Allow crew members to do research that could not gravity brings it back down.
be done anywhere else. ✓ The upward movement encourages cloud
o Allow for critical research in fluids, combustion, formation, while the downward movement
life support systems and radiation environment, promotes clear skies.
which is needed for future human space ○ These waves result from various processes like
exploration. airflow over mountains, convection (e.g.,
thunderstorms), and frontal systems.

○ They serve to connect different parts of the nature, “which means it changes the degree and
atmosphere, such as a surface storm causing can angle”.
causes changes in the ionosphere. • About X-ray polarimetry:
• Space Weather describes the variations in the space ○ it is a unique observational technique to identify
environment between the sun and Earth. where radiation comes from near black holes.
○ Sun is the primary source of space weather with ○ It helps in studying the origin of cosmic rays in the
the greatest disturbances usually caused by solar universe, the nature of black holes, and the
flares and subsequent geomagnetic storms. interaction of matter with the highest physically
○ Space weather can affect power grids, radio or possible magnetic fields.
satellitebased communication, operations of
navigation and Global Positioning Systems (GPS). 7.7.4. PLASMA WAVES DETECTED ON
MERCURY
Significance of studying AGWs: A better understanding of
how gravity waves in the upper atmosphere interact with • Recently, astronomers has detected mysterious
the jet stream, polar vortex and other phenomena could be "singing" plasma waves around Mercury.
key to improved weather predictions and climate models. • In regions laced with magnetic fields, such as the space
environment, particles are continually tossed to and fro
by the motion of various electromagnetic waves known
as plasma waves.
• About Discovery
o This is the first time that 'whistling' sound waves
were found emitting from Mercury’s magnetic
field.
✓ Chorus waves have been recorded on Earth,
Jupiter, and Saturn, and observed
at Uranus and Neptune.
o Other planets where such musical waves were
found have thick atmospheres and radiation belts
wherein solar particles become trapped.
✓ Mercury lacks thick atmosphere that could
contain oxygen or a radiation belt where solar
7.7.3. X-RAY POLARIZATION particles get trapped by the planet's magnetic
field.
• Indian researchers detect X-ray polarization for the o Mercury, which was once believed to have a weak
first time from a black hole outside the Milky Way. magnetic field, is now believed to have a strong
• Radiations are emitted from the vicinity of a black hole one, as indicated by these "whistling" sounds.
located in the Large Magellanic Cloud-X-3 (LMC X3)
and located 200,000 light years away from the Earth. Mercury's Characteristics
○ The Magellanic Clouds are two irregular dwarf • Structure and Surface: It is the smallest and terrestrial
satellite galaxies orbiting our Milky Way galaxy in planet in our solar system and doesn't really have an
the southern celestial hemisphere. atmosphere.
○ The two galaxies are large magellanic clouds and • Mercury’s Neighbours: does not have any moons. It is
small magellanic clouds. the closest planet to the sun. Venus is Mercury’s
• Researchers studied LMC X-3 using the Imaging X-ray neighbouring planet.
Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE), the Neutron Star Interior • Mercury has been known since ancient times because
Composition Explorer (NICER) Mission, and Nuclear it can be seen without advanced telescopes.
Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR).
○ IXPE was the first mission of NASA to study the Mission Agency Discovery
polarization of X-rays from celestial objects. Mariner 10 NASA discovered the fact
○ ISRO’s upcoming X-ray Polarimeter Satellite (1973) that it has a magnetic
(XPoSat) mission will be the second satellite with field
this capability. Messenger NASA The first ever to orbit,
(2004) it mapped the entire
• Researchers used X-ray polarimetry to reveal that X-ray
planet, discovered
emissions from this black hole were polarised in

abundant water ice in 7.7.7. LUCY MISSION
shadows at the poles.
Mercury A joint It is a helped scientists • NASA's Lucy mission has discovered that the asteroid
BepiColombo mission by discover that electrons Dinkinesh is actually a binary system of two asteroids.
mission (2018) the raining down on the • Launched in 2021, Lucy is the first space mission to
with MIO European planet’s surface can explore Jupiter Trojan asteroids.
instrument (to Space cause high-energy o Trojans are a group of small bodies (remnants of
study Mercury’s Agency auroras. early solar system) that orbit the Sun in two
Magnetosphere) (ESA) and Although the MIO “swarms” along the orbit of Jupiter.
the Japanese instrument is not yet in
o Trojan asteroids are most likely made of same
Aerospace orbit, it has already
primordial material that led to formation of outer
Exploration collected valuable data
planets (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune).
Agency between 2021 and
• Over its 12 year mission (2021-2023), Lucy will fly past
(JAXA) 2022.
various asteroids like Eurybates, DonaldJohanson,
7.7.5. WASP-107B Polymele, Leucus, etc.
• NASA's James Webb Telescope discovered a new 7.7.8. SUBSURFACE WATER ICE MAPPING
Exoplanet (any planet beyond solar system) named (SWIM) PROJECT
Wasp-107b, which consist water vapour, sulfur
dioxide, and silicate sand clouds. • NASA funded SWIM project (led by University of
Arizona) has released its fourth set of maps, providing
• About Wasp-107b (discovered in 2017)
detailed view of Mars' subsurface ice.
o Situated 200 light-years away in Virgo
o These maps are crucial for future Mars missions as
constellation.
they identify most likely locations to find Martian
o Almost the size of Jupiter but similar in mass to
ice.
Neptune.
o This ice will provide drinking water and a key
o About 30 times bigger than Earth, though it’s one
ingredient for rocket fuel.
of the lowest density planets known. Hence,
o Mars has both water ice and carbon dioxide ice
called Fluffy Planet.
(dry ice).
o Exhibits water cycle akin to Earth's but instead of
• SWIM project combines data from several NASA
water droplets, planet experiences sand rain.
missions, including Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, 2001
• Significance of discovery: Helps in tracing our own
Mars Odyssey, and Mars Global Surveyor.
evolution, shedding light on how weather cycles
impact planetary geography and how atmospheres 7.7.9. EUCLID SPACE TELESCOPE
influence weather patterns.
• First images from Euclid space telescope were
7.7.6. SOFIA (STRATOSPHERIC released recently.
OBSERVATORY FOR INFRARED • Euclid is a European Space Agency mission designed to
ASTRONOMY) unlock the secrets of dark matter and dark energy.
○ Universe is composed of normal matter (Visible
• Scientists have detected atomic oxygen in the constitute about 5%) Dark matter (about 25%) and
atmosphere of Venus through SOFIA airborne Dark energy (about 70%).
observatory. ✓ Unlike normal matter, dark matter does not
• Venus (aka Earth’s twin) is the second planet from Sun interact with the electromagnetic force.
and Earth’s nearest planetary neighbour. ▪ Dark matter does not absorb, reflect or
o Unlike Earth, it rotates clockwise (east to west) i.e emit light, making it extremely hard to
backward. spot.
o It has no moons/rings and is the hottest planet ✓ Dark energy is the name given to the unknown
due to “runaway greenhouse effect”. energy source that is causing our Universe's
• SOFIA is the world's largest airborne astronomical expansion to accelerate.
observatory (joint program of NASA and German
Aerospace Center). 7.7.10. EJECTA HALO
o It flies in the stratosphere, above 99% of Earth’s
infrared-blocking atmosphere to observe the • When the Vikram lander of the Chandrayaan-3 mission
infrared universe. made a soft landing on the moon it raised a lot of dust.

• This led to creation of a bright patch, called as the o Independent Private Network: Enterprise may
ejecta halo (a reflectance anomaly), around the request telecom service providers (TSPs) to
spacecraft. establish it at enterprise’s premises using the
o About 2.06 tonnes of lunar epi regolith were TSP’s spectrum.
ejected and displaced over an area of 108.4 m² o Direct Spectrum Acquisition: Enterprise may
around the landing site. obtain the spectrum directly from the government
• The ejecta halo phenomenon has been documented in and establish their own isolated captive wireless
the case of almost all lunar landings. private network.
7.7.11. AERONAUTICAL SOCIETY OF 7.7.13. EV-TO-GRID CHARGING

INDIA (AESI) • Central Electricity Authority (CEA) proposed battery
• International Conference-cum-Exhibition on standardization to boost EV-to-grid charging
‘Aerospace & Aviation in 2047’ is being organised to • The report provides a brief overview of the services
commemorate 75 years of excellence of the AeSI. that Electric Vehicles (EV’s) can provide to the power
• AeSI is the principal Society in India serving the system through smart charging.
professions in areas of aeronautics, aerospace and o The main form of smart charging include
aviation. bidirectional (sometimes referred to as reverse
• It provides interaction between professionals from all charging) vehicle-to-grid (V2G).
facets of civil and military aviation as well as the • Benefits of V2G:
manufacturing/training/maintenance agencies. o Flexibility in the Power System Operations: Each
• It was inaugurated by Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru in 1948 and EV could effectively become a microgrid-
he was also the first Patron-in-Chief of the Society. connected storage unit with the potential to
• It has affiliations with AICTE (All India Council For provide a broad range of services to the system.
Technical Education ); IITs etc. o Better integration of renewable energy through
peak shaving: It involves flattening the peak
7.7.12. PRIVATE 5G demand and filling the valley of demand by
• Global mobile Suppliers Association (GSA) pegs India at incentivizing late morning/ afternoon charging in
the 16th position in terms of private 5G network systems with large penetration of solar.
adoption by enterprises o Other: Optimized Grid Infrastructure
• Private 5G is also known as captive non-public Requirements, etc.
network (CNPN), essentially is a network that is set up • Recommendations:
solely for a firm’s own use. o Centralised monitoring system for providing
o It is a closed user group not connected to any synergies between grid and mobility.
external public network. o Complement grid charging with storage at
o It is essentially a local area network that uses charging points.
3GPP-based network spectrum, to create unified o Facilitate advanced metering infrastructure
connectivity and a secure means of establishments.
communication within a specific area. o Need to be supported by policy measures such as
o A private 5G network enables enterprises to the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid
dedicate bandwidth for high-frequency, low- and Electric Vehicles (FAME) scheme, etc.
wavelength airwaves. • CEA is established under the Electricity (Supply) Act,
• Benefits of private 5G: 1948. It discharges functions under Electricity Act,
o Improved speeds for software flashing - a 2003, which replaced 1948 Act.
critical operation for all vehicular dispatches.
o Full control over the enterprise’s operating
processes.
o Enhanced data security: as data is segregated
and processed locally.
o Controlled latency: enables near real-time
communication.
o Customization: Network can be optimised for
specific user groups, devices or applications.
• TRAI recommendations for Private 5G Networks:
7.7.14. WHO’S GONE INITIATIVE 7.7.15. FOOD FORTIFICATION
• Senegal hosted first meeting of World Health • FSSAI operationalised provisions of Draft Food Safety
Organisation’s (WHO) initiative Global Onchocerciasis and Standards (Food Product Standards and Food
Network for Elimination (GONE). Additives) amendment regulations.
• GONE, launched in January 2023, empower countries • Draft amendment was notified by Food Safety and
to accelerate progress towards onchocerciasis targets Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) under Food Safety
set in 2030 Neglected Tropical Disease (NTD) roadmap and Standards Act 2006.
of WHO. • Now provisions of draft related to limits of
• Onchocerciasis, commonly known as “river blindness”, micronutrients in vitamin and mineral premix for
is caused by parasitic worm Onchocerca volvulus that manufacturing of fortified rice kernels (FRKs) have
spreads by the bites of infected black flies that breed been operationalised (refer to the table).
in rapidly flowing rivers. ○ This will strengthen the national fortification
o It is the second leading infectious cause of programme.
blindness after trachoma. • Fortification is addition of key vitamins and minerals
o Symptoms: Intense itching, rashes, skin to staple foods such as rice, wheat, oil, milk and salt to
discoloration, visual impairment and permanent improve their nutritional content.
blindness. ○ Rice fortification refers to adding FRK-containing
o Africa is home to 99% of people at risk of FSSAI-prescribed micronutrients (Iron, Folic Acid,
onchocerciasis; the remaining 1% lives on border Vitamin B12) to normal Rice (Custom Milled Rice)
between Brazil and Venezuela. in the ratio of 1:100.
o Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala and Mexico have ○ coating, extrusion and dusting are key
been verified by WHO for eliminating technologies for rice fortification.
transmission of disease. ○ In India, extrusion technology is employed, where
• NTDs are a diverse group of 20 conditions that are milled rice is pulverized and mixed with a premix
mainly prevalent in tropical areas, where they affect containing vitamins and minerals.
more than 1 billion people who live in impoverished • Benefits: Fortification is a cost-effective method for
communities. combating malnutrition.
o Caused by a variety of pathogens including • Key initiatives
viruses, bacteria, parasites, fungi and toxins. ○ Distribution of fortified rice under
o NTDs include: Dengue and chikungunya, Rabies, ✓ Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0
leishmaniasis; leprosy; lymphatic filariasis etc. ✓ Centrally sponsored pilot scheme on
o India has successfully eliminated certain NTDs like “Fortification of Rice & its Distribution under
guinea worm, trachoma, and yaws. Public Distribution System.
○ ‘+F’ logo by the FSSAI to identify fortified foods.
• Key issues: Fortified rice could be harmful to people
suffering from thalassemia and sickle cell anaemia.

7.7.16. AMYLOIDOSIS o It works under the Ministry of AYUSH.
• Scientists have fabricated 2D protein monolayer that

can help to study diseases like Amyloidosis
• Amyloidosis is a rare disease characterised by a
buildup of abnormal amyloid deposits in the body
o Amyloid refers to the abnormal fibrous,
extracellular, and proteinaceous deposits that can
be found in the heart, brain, kidneys, spleen and
other parts.
• Symptoms: Tiredness, weight loss, numbness,
increased tongue size etc.
• As per WHO, a Rare disease is a debilitating lifelong
disease or disorder with a prevalence of 1 or less per
1000 population
7.7.17. AYURVEDA GYAN NAIPUNYA

INITIATIVE (AGNI)
• Central Council for Research in Ayurveda Sciences
(CCRAS) launched Ayurveda Gyan Naipunya Initiative
(AGNI).
• AGNI aims to promote research for mainstreaming the
pragmatic Ayurveda practices through scientific
validation and evidence-based appraisal.
o Ayurveda is part of the AYUSH.
o AYUSH include Indian systems of medicine and
Homoeopathy.
✓ Indian systems of medicine also include Yoga
& Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Sowa
Rigpa.
• It will provide a platform to Ayurveda practitioners for
reporting their innovative practices and experiences in
various disease conditions. 7.7.18. GLOBAL TUBERCULOSIS (TB)
o These practices and experiences will be REPORT
documented and published by CCRAS for
education and academic purposes. • World Health Organisation released Global
✓ For this, it will cooperate with NCISM Tuberculosis (TB) Report, 2023.
(National Commission for Indian System of • Key findings: Global
Medicine). o Reported global number of people newly
✓ NCISM is a statutory body, constituted under diagnosed with TB was 7.5 million in 2022.
NCISM Act, 2020. o TB remained the world’s second leading cause of
• Need of AGNI: death in 2022 after COVID-19.
o Ayurveda practice requires a rigorous evidence- o Net reduction of TB incidence from 2015- 2022
based appraisal. was 8.7% far from WHO End TB Strategy
✓ Scientific validation and the documentation milestone of 50% reduction by 2025.
are essential for global acceptance. o Only about 2 in 5 people with drug resistant TB
✓ It can be leveraged as a soft power. accessed treatment in 2022.
o Dissemination of innovative ayurvedic practices • India’s findings
for disease management. o India, Indonesia and Philippines collectively
• CCRAS is an apex research organization and it is account for nearly 60% of reduction in number of
committed for undertaking, coordinating, formulating, people newly diagnosed with TB in 2020- 2021.
development and promotion of research on scientific o India has 27% of world’s TB cases.
lines in Ayurveda. • TB is caused by bacillus Mycobacterium tuberculosis
which most often affects lungs (pulmonary TB).
o Most common medications to treat TB include 7.7.21. E PRIME LAYER
isoniazid, rifampin, ethambutol, pyrazinamide
etc. • As per new study, a new layer called “E prime layer” at
o Currently, Bacillle Calmette-Guerin is only the outermost part of Earth's core is a result of surface
licensed vaccine available for TB prevention. water penetrating deep into the planet
o Spreads from person to person through air. o This alters the composition of the metallic liquid
o TB Risk factors: Diabetes, HIV infection, core's outermost region proposes.
Undernutrition, tobacco use. • This latest research suggests that tectonic plates
• Steps taken to prevent Tuberculosis carrying surface water have transported it deep into
o National Strategic Plan for Tuberculosis the Earth over billions of years.
Elimination 2017-2025. o This led to the formation of a hydrogen-rich,
o TB Mukt Panchayat Abhiyan Initiative. silicon-depleted layer at the outer core.
o Nikshay Poshan Yojana for nutritional support to • Discovery enhances our comprehension of Earth's
TB patients. internal mechanisms.
Drug-Resistant TB
• Multidrug Resistance TB (MDR): Resistant to at least
isoniazid and rifampicin.
• Extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB):
Resistant to isoniazid and rifampin, plus any
fluoroquinolone and at least one of three injectable
second-line drugs.
• Totally drug-resistant tuberculosis (TDR-TB): Resistant
to all first- and second-line TB drugs.
7.7.19. CHIKUNGUNYA
• US. has approved world's first vaccine for chikungunya
named Ixchiq. It contains live, weakened version of
the chikungunya virus.
• Chikungunya
o It is a viral disease transmitted by Aedes
mosquitoes.
o Fever, arthralgia and rash are common symptoms. 7.7.22. WHITE HYDROGEN
o First identified in Tanzania in 1952, and generally • Scientists have discovered a large reservoir of white
seen in Africa, southeast Asia and parts of hydrogen in France.
Americas. • White hydrogen, also referred to as “natural,” “gold”
o It can be passed from a pregnant mother to an or “geologic” hydrogen.
unborn child and can be fatal to newborns.
• It is naturally generated within the Earth’s crust
o So far there is no treatment.
through water-rock reactions.
o It is included in India’s National Vector Borne
○ Process involves interactions between water
Diseases Control Programme.
molecules and iron-rich minerals, such as olivine,
7.7.20. CERVAVAC VACCINE at high temperatures and pressures.
• Potential Applications: in industries like aviation,
• A study in Lancet Oncology reveals that the Cervavac shipping, and steel production.
vaccine by the Serum Institute of India elicits a
comparable immune response to Merck’s Gardasil 7.7.23. NITROGEN-9
vaccine.
• Scientists have recently discovered nitrogen-9 nuclei
o Cervavac is India’s first indigenous quadrivalent
which contains 7 protons and 2 neutrons.
HPV vaccine for the prevention of cervical cancer
• It is an unusually high proton-to-neutron ratio.
and other HPV-associated cancers.
o This disparity has a critical effect on the isotope’s
o HPV is a major cause of cervical cancer.
stability, influencing its decay processes as well as
• Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer
overall behaviour.
among women in India, accounting for about a fifth of
• It only exists for one billionth of a nanosecond.
the global burden of cervical cancer.
• Nitrogen -9 is an isotope of nitrogen. strength at low temperatures and reshaping
o Atoms with the same number of protons but under heat.
different numbers of neutrons are called isotopes. ○ However, they tend to be very brittle.
• Scientists are hopeful of expanding our current ✓ To overcome this, researchers added
understanding of nuclear theory and quantum polyrotaxane to the plastic-making process
mechanics by this study. which resulted in VPR.
• About VPR:
7.7.24. VITRIMER INCORPORATED WITH ○ Stronger and stretcher than the traditional
POLYROTAXANE (VPR) version.
○ Partially biodegradable.
• Scientists in Japan have developed a new version of
○ It can remember complex shapes which can be
plastic called VPR which is based on an epoxy resin
restored once it is heated.
vitrimer.
○ Vitrimers are recent category of plastics known for

7.1. SPACE TECH START-UPS IN INDIA
Why in the News?
Under Seed fund scheme, In-Space will provide support to start-ups
for developing and scaling up solutions in urban development and
disaster management sector using space technology.
About Seed fund scheme
• Background: Seed fund scheme aimed at promoting space
technology was announced by the IN-Space in March 2023.
• Purpose: To support space-start-ups to develop innovative
space products and services that can improve the quality of life
of common people in India and around the world.
• Support to start-ups: Access to funding, Mentorship, Training
and Network opportunities.
• Sectors covered: In-SPACE to announces sector opportunities periodically.
• Ideal Applicants: They Should have a clear business plan, a well-defined target market, and a detailed implementing
strategy.

• Eligibility for start-ups:
o Start-ups should be registered with DPIIT and should be using technology as the core in its product or services.
o Shareholding in start-ups by Indian should be 80% and company should not have gone through a funding round.
✓ However, investment from venture capitalist is permitted.
o Promoters and Angel investors investment in the start-up at the time of application must at least match the
granted request.
o Should not have received more than 50 lakh support under any other central/state schemes.
✓ This does not include prize money from competition, subsidised working space, access to labs, or access to
prototype facility.
• Funding to the start-Ups
o Grant of up to 1 crore in three or more instalments, upto 40% may be given in first instalment.
o Grant should be utilised fully within a period of three years.
o IPR generated under the program shall be owned by start up
Need for promoting Space-tech start-ups in India
• Global Competitiveness: Foreign private companies like SpaceX, Blue Origin, Arianespace, etc. have transformed the
global space industry by cutting costs and turnaround time.
o However, India’s private space players have mainly served as vendors or suppliers to the government's space
program.
o Therefor to provide them a level playing field, Centre allowed them to carrying out end-to-end activities in the
space domain.
• Harnessing opportunities in space economy: At present India’s share in this is only 2% which needs to be enhanced.
o Innovative Start-ups could Complementing government’s resources to enhance our space economy.
• Reducing import dependency: According to the Government data, India’s import costs in the space technology sector
are twelve times higher than the earnings from exports.
o The major imported items include electronic and electrical engineering components, high-strength carbon
fibres, space-qualified solar cells, detectors, optics and power amplifiers among others
• Freeing up the ISRO from ancillary activities: Start-ups participation could free up ISRO to focus in the core areas of
research and development, interplanetary exploration, and strategic launches.
• Spinoff soci0-economic benefits: By finding innovative solutions to pressing challenges in areas such as agriculture,
disaster management, or communication, the private sector can bring significant improvement to people’s lives.
o Additionally, boost to local manufacturing in space technology will generate employment
• Geopolitical leverage: Collaboration between space-tech private players of India and partner countries, such as the
US, will empower India as a counterbalance to China.
o Indian space-tech start-ups could enable India to strategically offset the influence of China in the space arena.
India’s Initiatives to promote space-tech start-ups
• Key organisations
o Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe): It is an autonomous agency under the
Department of Space (DoS).
✓ Its role includes regulating, promoting, guiding, monitoring, and supervising the space activities of Non-
Governmental Private Entities (NGPEs) in India.
✓ It can also allow a NGPEs to use the facilities of DoS.
o Antrix Corporation Limited (ACL): ACL, a commercial arm of ISRO, was setup in 1992 and is a wholly owned Government
of India Company. It is engaged in providing space products and services to international customers.
o New Space India Limited (NSIL): NSIL is a Schedule 'A' Category Company under DoS. It was set up in 2019, to handle the
commercial activities of ISRO.
✓ It enabling Indian industries to take up high technology -tech space activities and also promotes the commercial use
of products and services from the Indian space program.
o Indian Space Association (ISpA): Established in 2020, ISpA is an apex non-profit industry body, setup for development
of the private space industry in India.
✓ Represented by leading domestic and global corporations, it aims to build global linkages, bringing critical
technology and investments to the country.

• Other Initiatives
o Indian Space Policy 2023: Enables end-to-end participation of Non-Government Entities (NGEs) in all domain of space
activities.
o Foreign Direct Investment: FDI in space sector is allowed under Government route for satellite establishment and
operations. The Dos and DPIIT is in the process of reviewing the FDI policy guidelines of space sector to attract more
resources.
o Tax benefits: Satellite launches are exempted from GST.
o Atal Innovation Mission (AIM)
✓ ATL Space Challenge: AIM in collaboration with the ISRO and CBSE launched the Atal Tinkering Lab (ATL) Space
Challenge.
▪ It was open to all school students across the country and was presented with four broad challenge themes -
Explore Space, Reach Space, Inhabit Space and Leverage Space.
✓ Atal Incubation Centre (AIC) Scheme: AIM has supported more than 15 startups working in Space Tech and related
industry across India. The focus areas for these startups are in UAV, Drone and Surveillance Equipment, Aero tech,
Air Taxi, Space debris tracking and monitoring service, space education among others.
✓ ANIC-ARISE program: It is a national initiative to promote research & innovation and increase competitiveness of
Indian startups and MSMEs. Support is also being offered to space-tech stratups.
o Mentoring: List of retired ISRO subject experts is published on IN-SPACe Digital Platform (IDP). NGEs can approach these
mentors directly for expert advice etc.
Challenges in promotion of space-tech start-ups in India
• Risky Nature of Industry: Absence of assured market and long incubation periods lead to a cautious approach by
private organizations.
• Funding Constraints: Inadequate funding, especially in later stages, poses a significant challenge. Lack of indigenous
materials and high reliance on imports increase costs and cause production delays.
• Unsustainable business models: Lowest cost wins mentality of start-ups overlooks hidden expenses and future
impacts, leading to unsustainable business models.
• Limited Talent Pool: Scarcity of skilled professionals adds to existing challenges.
Way ahead for promoting space-tech startups in India
• Enact Space Activities Bill: The Space Activities Bill will further provide clarity, focus, and propulsion for the industry.
• Enhance Financial Viability: Establish soft funds and additional incentives (like more tax incentives, exemption), to
address funding challenges.
• Secure Market Access: Conduct a dedicated study to define the Indian space economy using consistent methodology.
o Facilitate government contracts for private start-ups to foster market demand.
o Ensure partnerships between start-ups, ISRO, and foreign companies to access expertise and markets
• Global Best Practices: Study global initiatives to develop and enhance the Indian space ecosystem.
• Capacity building: Emphasize academic programs on system development. Invest in training programs to enhance
skills in systems engineering.
o Also, integrate the space segment as a unified system, bridging gaps in interdependence.
Conclusion
Moving forward, aligning government policies with the dynamic needs of the space industry and nurturing innovation
among Space-tech start-ups will be crucial for India to realize its ambitions in the rapidly evolving space domain.
7.2. E-CIGARETTES
Why in the News?
As per World Health Organization (WHO), urgent action is needed to protect children and prevent the uptake of e-
cigarettes.
More about News
• Key findings of WHO
o Children 13–15 years old are using e-cigarettes at rates higher than adults in all WHO regions.
o Between 2017–2022, rates of e-cigarette use among 16–
19-year-olds in Canada have doubled.
About e-cigarettes
• The Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes (Production,
Manufacture, Import, Export, Transport, Sale, Distribution,
Storage and Advertisement) Act, (PECA) 2019 banned e-
cigarette in India.
• The act defines electronic cigarette or e-cigarette (under
Section 3) as-
o An electronic device that heats a substance, which may or
may not contain nicotine and flavors, to create an aerosol
for inhalation.
o It includes all forms of Electronic Nicotine Delivery
Systems, Heat Not Burn Products, e-Hookah, etc.
o However, it does not include any product licensed under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940.
• They are sometimes called “mods,” “vape pens,” “vapes,” “tank systems,” and “electronic nicotine delivery systems
(ENDS).”
• Working: They produce an aerosol that is inhaled
by the user, by heating a liquid that usually contains
nicotine, flavorings, and other chemicals.
Issues with e-cigarettes
• Health Risks: E-cigarette emissions typically
contain nicotine and other toxic substances that are
harmful to both users and non-users who are
exposed to the aerosols second-hand.
o Their use can increase the risk of heart disease
and lung disorders.
o Nicotine exposure in pregnant women can limit
the brain development of the fetus.
• Enforcement issues: Despite a ban on electronic
cigarettes by the government of India in 2019, they
are easily available in tobacco shops and online.
• Promote addiction among youth: E-cigarettes have
attractive flavoring and sleek designs that hook the younger generation to nicotine addiction.
• Less Regulated: Around 88 countries have no minimum age at which e-cigarettes can be bought and 74 countries
have no regulations in place for these harmful products.
• Aggressively marketed: E-cigarettes target children through social media and influencers.
• Use as cessation aid: They are presented as devices to help quit smoking, however, the evidence on their use as a
cessation aid is inconclusive.
Suggested Measures
• By WHO:
o Not to be sold as consumer Products: Governments should not permit sale of e-cigarettes as consumer products.
o Control Access: Any government pursuing a smoking cessation strategy using e-cigarettes must control the
condition of e-cigarette access.
• Other Measures
o Strict implementation of the ban by authorities and taking punitive action against local vendors and online sellers
to prevent the illicit selling of e-cigarettes.

o Raising Awareness: E.g., India’s recent public notice focuses on raising awareness about the banned product, as
well as explaining the details of PECA 2019 provisions, etc.
Conclusion
Given the tobacco industry’s harmful influence and deceptive marketing, it’s imperative to take firm action to prevent e-
cigarette use, particularly among children and adolescents, to protect public health.
7.3. ORGAN AND TISSUE TRANSPLANTATION

Why in the News?
The National Organ and Tissue Transplantation Organisation
(NOTTO) ordered an inquiry into ‘cash-for-kidney racket’
allegations against Indraprastha Medical Corporation Ltd.
About Organ and Tissue Transplantation
• Transplantation is a surgical procedure in which an
organ/s, tissue or group of cells are removed from the
donor and transplanted into the recipient, or moved from
one site to another in the same person.
• Organ Transplantation: It includes kidney, liver, heart,
lung, pancreas, and intestine etc.
• Tissue Transplantation: It involves corneas (eye), skin,
bone, heart valves, and blood vessels etc.
o Transplants of tissues within the same person are
referred to as autografts, e.g., Skin graft.
• Compatibility: Determined by the degree of
immunological similarity between the donor and recipient,
for e.g., Human Leukocyte Antigens (HLAs), blood group
match etc.
• Legal Framework: It is permitted by law, and covered
under the "Transplantation of Human Organs Act 1994",
which has allowed organ donation by live & Brain-stem
Dead donors.
o In 2011, amendment of the Act also brought in
donation of human tissues, there by calling the
Amended Act as "Transplantation of Human Organs &
Tissues Act (THOTA) 2011.
• National Organ Transplant Programme: To organize a
system of organ and Tissue procurement & distribution for
transplantation.
o The scheme is currently extended for the period 2021-
22 to 2025-26.
o It establishes and maintains a national registry of
organ and tissue donation and transplantation.
Challenges in Organ Transplantation in India
• Low Donation: India has a Deceased Organ Donation rate of 0.52 donors per million population, which is very less
as comparison to other countries like Spain (49.61 per million).
• Slow progress: According to the Health Ministry’s data, the number of donors (including deceased) only grew from
6,916 in 2014 to about 16,041 in 2022.

• Supply-demand Mismatch: only 8,000 out of 1.5-2 lakh people
obtain a kidney transplant, 1,800 out of 80,000 receive a liver
transplant, and 200 out of 10,000 are given a heart transplant.
• Organ trafficking: It means that human organs are illegally
acquired by fraud, force or any other illegal means for money
exchange with third parties.
• Lack of male donor participation: 70%-75% of donors are
female. Wives, mothers, and sisters have emerged as most
prevalent sources of donation.
• Brain stem death declaration: As brain death has been defined
only in connection with organ donation in the THOTA,1994 and
not in Indian Penal Code, Registration of Births and Deaths
Act, 1969.
o This make doctors reluctant to give certificates due to
litigation fear and ethical concerns.
• Low awareness: People hesitate in pledging their
organs/agreeing to donate organs of their loved ones largely
due to a lack of awareness and superstition.
Way forward
• Emphasis on Opt-Out model: Can Adopt an opt-out model of
organ donation system like England, Austria, Singapore,
o Under this model, the deceased patient is presumed to
have consented to organ removal unless proved otherwise.
• Sensitizing police personnel and forensic experts: It has to be
taken up on a war footing to make all medico-legal cases
smooth.
• Emulate Kerala model in other states: Kerala has become the
first State to formulate well-defined clinical protocols for brain
death certification in the country.
• Transparency in Organ Allocation: Creation of digital registry on organ transplantation to enhance transparency.
• Streamline transportation process: For e.g., In air mode ,Consistent use of flight notes to indicate organs on board,
so that air traffic control can ensure priority take-off and landing of aircraft.
7.4. NEWS IN SHORTS

7.4.1. DECENTRALISED AUTONOMOUS (participants in DAO) have a direct say, resulting in
a more equitable distribution of influence.
ORGANISATIONS (DAO)
o Transparent: Smart contracts ensures that
• A DAO is a type of organisation that operates according operations are transparent and immutable,
to a set of rules encoded as computer programmes fostering trust among participants.
known as smart contracts (automatically execute o Inclusive: It transcends geographical and socio-
predefined rules). economic barriers, enabling global participation.
o It is designed to be self-governing and self- • Key Applications:
sustaining. o Finance: platforms like MakerDAO have
• It is powered by blockchain technology. introduced lending and borrowing services,
o Blockchain is a shared, immutable ledger that enabling users to participate in the global financial
facilitates the process of recording transactions ecosystem without relying on banks.
and tracking assets in a business network. o Digital Art: Artists can manage Non-fungible
• Key Features of DAO: tokens (NFTs).
o Decentralised: Decision-making in it is done ✓ These are assets that have been tokenized via
through democratic process. Token holders a blockchain.

o Other: Supply chain management (transparency 7.4.4. ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL AND
and traceability in global supply chains), etc. LIFE SUPPORT SYSTEM (ECLSS)
• Challenges associated with DAO: Prone to cyber-
attacks, accountability and dispute resolution (legal • ISRO will indigenously develop Environmental Control
recourse and liability), regulation, etc. and Life Support System (ECLSS) for Gaganyaan
mission, according to the ISRO Chairman.
7.4.2. GPAI SUMMIT ADOPTS NEW DELHI
• ECLSS is a subsystem of a crewed space vehicle which
DECLARATION provides all necessary conditions to make life in space
• Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI) possible.
summit adopted New Delhi Declaration. o ECLSS Tasks primarily include atmosphere
• The declaration aims to mitigate risks (unemployment, management, water management, food supply
lack of transparency etc.) arising from development and waste management.
and deployment of Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems. • ECLSS consists of three key components
o Earlier, Bletchley Declaration signed at UK AI o Water Recovery System provides clean water by
Safety Summit focused on AI related safety risks. reclaiming wastewater, cabin humidity
• Key highlights of New Delhi Declaration condensate, and water from the hydration system
o Supports AI innovation in agriculture sector as a inside crew members’ Extravehicular activity suits.
new thematic priority, adding to previous GPAI o Air Revitalization System dedicated to cleaning
themes including healthcare, climate action and circulating cabin air.
building a resilient society. o Oxygen Generation System consists of oxygen
o Focuses on collaboration, inclusion and creating a generation assembly and carbon dioxide reduction
governance framework on AI. assembly.
o Global framework for use of AI should be rooted • Gaganyaan Mission envisages demonstration of human
in democratic values and human rights, personal spaceflight capability to Low Earth Orbit.
data protection, promoting responsible, o It aims to launch crew of 3 members to an orbit
sustainable, and human-centred use of AI etc. of 400 km for 3 days and bringing them back safely
o Promote equitable access to critical resources for to Earth.
AI innovation, including computing and high- o LVM3 (Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle
quality diverse datasets. Mk III) is identified as its launch vehicle. It consists
o Foster inclusivity so that countries outside of the of solid stage, liquid stage and cryogenic stage.
GPAI’s purview, especially those in global south,
can also reap AI benefits.
• About GPAI
o Established in June 2020 with 15 member countries
(including India), GPAI is a multi-stakeholder
initiative of global experts bridging AI theory and
practice.
o Currently, it is an alliance of 29 members.
o India is the lead chair of GPAI in 2024.
7.4.3. DARK FIBRE
• Securities Appellate Tribunal (SAT) has quashed SEBI's
order of imposing a fine on the National Stock
Exchange in the dark-fibre case.
• About Dark Fibre:
o A dark fibre (unlit fibre) is an unused optical fibre
which is not connected to any active equipment or
has no traffic or service running on it.
o They are named dark because no light pulse is
transmitted through these cables.
o Even after these fibres are used, they are referred
as dark fibre, as they are independent of other
network cables.
• Benefits: Low latency, high security etc.
7.4.5. CHANDRAYAAN-3 PROPULSION • Comet P12/Pons-Brooks:
MODULE ○ A celestial object that has been playfully
nicknamed the 'Devil Comet' or likened to the
• ISRO has successfully returned the Chandrayaan-3's 'Millennium Falcon' for its distinctive appearance.
Propulsion Module from lunar orbit to Earth's orbit. ○ This comet, first discovered in the year 1812,
○ It is a milestone in ISRO’s goal to bring back completes an orbit around the Sun in around 71
manned missions in the future. years.
• It marks the first instance of bringing an object back • Himalayan Chandra telescope
from lunar orbit.It is also ISRO's first demonstration of ○ It is a 2-meter optical-infrared telescope.
a gravity assist flyby around another celestial body. ○ It is at an altitude of 4500m and operated by
○ It is a technique of using a planet's or celestial Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Bangalore.
body's gravity to redirect and accelerate a
spacecraft toward Earth. 7.4.9. WHO GLOBAL CLINICAL TRIALS
• Payload SHAPE onboard the module will continue to FORUM
conduct a spectroscopic study of Earth's atmosphere
• First WHO Global Clinical Trials Forum was held.
from Earth’s orbit.
o It endorsed a global vision for sustainable clinical
7.4.6. SELAM CONTACT-BINARY research infrastructure.
• Objectives of the forum:
SATELLITE
o Develop a joint vision on strengthening clinical
• International Astronomical Union has named the research capabilities.
satellite of asteroid Dinkinesh as “Selam (meaning o Provide an update on clinical research
peace)”. capabilities.
○ Discovered by NASA’s Lucy mission, Selam is the • Priority actions for strengthening the clinical trials
first contact-binary satellite ever observed. ecosystem:
✓ Contact binary system is where two space o Improving coordination and streamlining of
bodies gently rest against each other. regulatory and ethics review and approval
• Launched in 2021, Lucy is the first space mission to processes.
explore Jupiter Trojan asteroids. o Addressing barriers to clinical trials in
○ The Trojans are a group of small bodies (remnants underrepresented populations such as children
of early solar system) that orbit the Sun in two and pregnant women.
swarms along the orbit of Jupiter. o Enabling clinical trials with digital and information
technologies, etc.
7.4.7. SUB-NEPTUNES
7.4.10. CODEX ALIMENTARIUS
• Six sub-Neptune planets were discovered and found in COMMISSION (CAC)
a rare condition called Orbital resonance.
o Orbital resonance is when orbiting objects have • CAC approved India's proposal for global standards on
orbits in a simple numerical ratio, creating a millets, covering Finger millet, Barnyard millet, Kodo
regular, repeating pattern. millet, Proso millet, and Little millet as group
• About Sub-Neptunes standards.
o Planets with radii between that of Earth and ○ FSSAI has set group standards which specify 8
Neptune are referred to as ‘Sub-Neptunes. quality parameters like limits for moisture
o They are found in close-in orbits around more than content, uric acid content, etc. for 15 types of
half of all Sun-like stars. millets.
o They are in multiple combinations of rock, water, • This endorsement coincided with celebration of
and atmospheric composition that can reproduce International Year of Millets which was also proposed
- the mass, and density - of the planets. by India to raise awareness about nutritional and
health benefits of millets.
7.4.8. COMET P12/PONS-BROOKS ○ Millets are small-grained, annual, warm-weather
• Astronomers have photographed the enigmatic Comet cereals belonging to grass family.
P12/Pons-Brooks from the Indian Astronomical ○ They are Known as nutri-cereals as they provide
Observatory in Hanle, Ladakh using the Himalayan most of nutrients essential for human body's
Chandra Telescope. functioning.

• About CAC • Casgevy and Lyfgenia, first cell-based gene therapies,
○ Established in 1963, CAC is an international food is approved for treatment of SCD (inherited blood
standards body established jointly by WHO and disorder that can be debilitating and lead to premature
FAO. death) in patients 12 years of age and older.
○ It is headquartered in Rome and has 189 members o Casgevy is also approved by UK to treat both SCD
(including India). and beta thalassemia (inherited blood disorder
○ Its objective is to protect consumer’s health and that reduces production of hemoglobin).
ensure fair practices in food trade. o Casgevy therapy is utilizing Clustered Regularly
○ Codex Alimentarius, or "Food Code" is a collection Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats
of standards, guidelines and codes of practice Associated protein 9 (CRISPR-Cas9), a type of
adopted by the CAC. genome editing technology.
○ Codex standards are voluntary. • CRISPR-Cas9 is used to modify gene function, to
○ Agreement on Application of Sanitary and change genetic code or edit DNA at particular locations.
Phytosanitary Measures (SPS) of WTO recognizes o Earlier, Nobel Prize for Chemistry, 2020 was
Codex standards, guidelines and awarded to Emmanuelle Charpentier and Jennifer
recommendations for international trade and A Doudna for development of CRISPR-cas9
trade dispute settlement, technique.
• How CRISPR-Cas9 works?
o It works as cut and paste mechanism on DNA
Strands. Genetic codes that need to be changed
are identified.
o Cas9 protein is used as a pair of molecular scissors
to cut off a part from strand.
o Strand when broken has self-repairing tendency.
This way a damaged DNA strands can be removed
and help human body to restore to healthy state.
• Applications of CRISPR: Edit genes in human embryo;
Change genetic codes of crops to improve crop
resilience; Creating new therapies for Cancer
treatment etc.
7.4.11. BIOTECHNOLOGY RESEARCH AND

INNOVATION COUNCIL (BRIC)
• Recently, the Union Minister of State for Science &
Technology addressed the first-ever meeting of the
BRIC Society.
• BRIC is an apex autonomous Society formed after the
rationalization of key autonomous institutions of the
Department of Biotechnology.
• It aims to achieve centralized and unified governance
to maximize the impact of biotech research across the
country.
7.4.12. U.S. APPROVES FIRST CRISPR

BASED GENE THERAPIES
• U.S. approved First CRISPR based Gene Therapies to
Treat Patients with Sickle Cell Disease (SCD).
7.4.13. AYUSHMAN AROGYA MANDIR 7.4.16. POMPE DISEASE
(AAM)
• Recently, India’s first patient diagnosed with Pompe
• Centre has decided to rename Ayushman Bharat disease died.
Health and Wellness Centres (AB-HWCs) as ‘AAM’ • About disease
with the tagline ‘Arogyam Parmam Dhanam’. o A rare inherited disorder that affects one child per
• Launched under the Ayushman Bharat Program in million.
2018, there are over 1.6 Lakh centers in the country. o Caused by a deficiency of the enzyme acid alpha-
• They are envisaged to deliver an expanded range of glucosidase (GAA) which breaks down complex
services that go beyond Maternal and child health sugars in the body.
care services. o It results in the accumulation of glycogen in cells,
• They provide care for non-communicable diseases, particularly in muscles.
palliative and rehabilitative care, Oral, Eye, and ENT o It is the first recognized lysosomal storage
care, mental health, and first-level care for disorder.
emergencies and trauma. • Symptoms: Muscle weakness, respiratory issues, heart
• They also provide free essential drugs and diagnostic problems etc.
services. • Treatments: Mostly to manage the symptoms and
improve the patient’s quality of life.
7.4.14. AAROGYA MAITRI AID CUBE
7.4.17. GREEN LEAF VOLATILES (GLVS)
• World's first portable hospital 'Aarogya Maitri Aid
Cube' was unveiled in Gurugram (Haryana). • For the first time, scientists were able to visualise
• It is a modular trauma management and aid system plants sensing compounds called GLVs, released by
designed for rapid deployment in Mass Casualty damaged plants to let other plants know that danger
Incidents, whether in times of peace or war. is near.
o It is made up of 72 detachable mini-cubes. Each o This allows other plants to make themselves less
being a specialized station for emergency palatable or even indigestible to insect attackers.
response and humanitarian efforts. • GLVs are a short chain (six carbon atoms) group of
o These cubes are light and portable, and can be alcohols, acetates, and aldehydes. They are derived
rapidly deployed anywhere, from airdrops to from fatty acids.
ground transportation. o GLVs are common constituents of herbivore-
o It can treat 200 patients. infested plant volatiles.
o It is designed indigenously under Project 'BHISHM o GLVs play an important role in plant defense.
(Bharat Health Initiative for Sahyog, Hita and 7.4.18. JT-60SA: EXPERIMENTAL
Maitri)’.
NUCLEAR FUSION REACTOR
7.4.15. AKTOCYTE • World's biggest experimental nuclear fusion reactor JT-
• AKTOCYTE (nutraceutical tablets) has shown 60SA inaugurated in Japan
remarkable results in enhancing the quality of life for • JT-60SA is a joint initiative between European Union
cancer patients. and Japan and is a forerunner for under-construction
o Nutraceutical refers to a food products that International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor
provides medical or health benefits, including the (ITER).
prevention and treatment of disease. • Nuclear fusion is a process in which two or more light
• It minimizes side effects of radiotherapy. atomic nuclei fuse to produce a heavier nucleus and
o Radiotherapy is a cancer treatment that uses high release a tremendous amount of energy.
doses of radiation to kill cancer cells and shrink ○ In nuclear fission, atoms are split apart into lighter
tumors. elements releasing energy. All nuclear power
• Developed by: Department of Atomic Energy along plants use nuclear fission.
with private pharma company. • Advantages of fusion:
• It is approved by Food Safety and Standards Authority ○ Release of abundant energy and fuel is nearly
of India (FSSAI). inexhaustible.
○ Neither produces CO2 and other greenhouse gases
nor radioactive waste.

o This development represents a significant
advancement in regenerative medicine.
✓ Regenerative medicine is the process of
replacing or regenerating human cells, tissues
or organs to restore or establish normal
function.
o Anthrobots are different from xenobots, which are
derived from embryonic stem cells of frog.
7.4.20. HYDROGEN FOR HERITAGE

SCHEME
• India proposed to invite global firms to manufacture
Hydrogen trains for implementing the Hydrogen for
heritage scheme.
• About Scheme:
o It was announced in the Union Budget 2023-24.
o Under it, Indian Railways (IR) has envisaged to run
35 Hydrogen trains.
o Also, IR will retro fitment of Hydrogen Fuel cell on
existing Diesel Electric Multiple Unit (DEMU).
✓ Hydrogen fuel cells use the chemical energy of
hydrogen to produce electricity.
o Benefits: It will promote green transportation
technology that will support zero carbon emission
goals.
7.4.21. KRUTRIM
• Ola has recently launched the Krutrim, which is a large
language model (LLM) trained specifically for Indian
languages
7.4.19. ANTHROBOTS
○ Krutrim can understand 22 Indian languages and
• Scientists have developed anthrobots. generate content in about 10.
• About Anthrobots: These are tiny robots made of • About LLM: They are deep learning algorithms that can
human cells that are able to repair damaged neural recognize, summarize, translate, predict, and generate
tissue. content using very large datasets.
o They can be created from adult human cells ○ They are also referred to as neural networks
without genetic modifications. (NNs), which are computing systems inspired by
o They can be fused together to form a superbot. the human brain.
○ Some of the famous LLMs are Open AI’s ChatGPT,
Google’s Gemini, etc.

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7.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Need for India to adopt to Industry 4.0

7.2. GENERATIVE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI)

7.3. NATIONAL GREEN HYDROGEN MISSION

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7.5. NEGLECTED TROPICAL DISEASES

India and NTDs

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7.6. NEWS IN SHORTS

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Global Distribution of Lithium

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Lessons from ISRO's previous Chandrayaan missions

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7.5. WHO’S PANDEMIC TREATY

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7.6. NEWS IN SHORTS

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7.6.6. LARGE LANGUAGE MODELS (LLMS)

7.6.16. DAR-ES-SALAAM DECLARATION

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7.6.20. NUCLEAR ENERGY PROGRAM

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About the Bharat 6G Vision

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7.2. SPACE TOURISM

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Challenges in space tourism

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7.3. ONE WORLD TUBERCULOSIS (TB) SUMMIT

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7.4. NEWS IN SHORTS

7.4.3. SODIUM INTAKE REDUCTION

• About LVM3 (earlier called Geosynchronous Launch

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7.4.7. FOOD IRRADIATION • Report was released by United Nations Conference on

• Key findings of report

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Strategy outlined in the policy

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7.2. LIGO-INDIA PROJECT

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• Gravitational waves are 'ripples' in space-time

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7.3. DARK MATTER MAP

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7.4. NATIONAL QUANTUM MISSION (NQM)

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7.5. JUPITER ICY MOONS EXPLORER (JUICE) MISSION

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Benefits of the JUICE Mission

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7.7. NEWS IN SHORTS

7.7.3. SUPPORT FOR UP-GRADATION