Eleven More Wetlands of India Added to Ramsar List
Just before the 75th year of India’s independence, India added 11 more wetlands (4 in Tamil Nadu, 3 in Odisha, 2 in J&K, 1 in Madhya Pradesh, and 1 in Maharashtra) to the list of Ramsar sites. Presently, there are 75 wetlands in India that are part of Ramsar...
India Becomes World’s Fifth Largest Economy
Context India has become the fifth largest economy in the world, overtaking the United Kingdom (UK), in the last quarter ending March (January-March, i.e., Q4) of the financial year (FY) 2021–22, according to a report of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) released...
Demand for Climate Reparation and Inaction of Developed Countries
In 2022, Pakistan has been one of the top 10 worst affected countries hit by climate change. Between August and September 2022, the country witnessed severe monsoon flooding that affected more than 33 million people. With 110 out of the 150 districts affected by the...
Studying Nuclear Matrix of Fruit Fly: New Method
A group of researchers from the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), New Delhi, Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), Hyderabad, and the Tata Institute for Genetics and Society (TIGS), Bengaluru, have established a novel method of studying...
Indian Researchers Design Flood-Proof Amphibious House
Two Kerala-based researchers, M.V. Varkey and Philbin M. Philip, have designed a mechanism to prevent houses from being submerged in floodwaters. The researchers belong to the A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Technological University in Thiruvananthapuram who have published their...
India’s First Dark Sky Reserve to be Set up in Ladakh
The Department of Science and Technology (DST) and experts from the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) have undertaken a first-of-its kind project to set up a dark sky reserve (DSR) in Changthang Wildlife Sanctuary, Hanle, in Ladakh, by the beginning of 2023. In...
Cervavac, India’s First Indigenous Vaccine, Launched
On September 1, 2022, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology, Dr Jitendra Singh, announced India's first indigenously developed Quadrivalent Human Papilloma Virus (qHPV) vaccine 'Cervavac' for the prevention of cervical cancer. This...
Lumpy Skin Disease in India: Causes and Treatment
Lumpy skin disease (LSD) in cattle has been spreading in many Indian states including Gujarat, Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh. The current outbreak of this disease started in April 2022, in Kutch, Gujarat, and by August 2022, about 57,000 cattle had...
Synthetic Biology: Promises and Concerns
The term ‘synthetic biology’ refers to the science of using genetic sequencing, editing, and modification of genes to create unnatural organisms or organic molecules, which could function in living systems. Synthetic biology could also mean ‘re-programming’ natural...
Soft Landing: Meaning and Significance
The term ‘soft landing’ is derived from the aviation industry where it is applied to the landings of an aircraft, hot-air balloon, gliders, or even spacecraft. This term was widely used during the tenure of former chair of the Federal Reserve, Alan Greenspan. The...
India’s First HTS Broadband Internet Service
On September 12, 2022, Hughes Communications India, a joint venture of US-based Hughes Network Systems and Indian telecom operator Bharti Airtel, in collaboration with ISRO, announced the launch of its first high throughput satellite (HTS) broadband internet service...
Haridwar Declared as the Best Aspirational District
The holy city of Haridwar, Uttarakhand, has been declared as the best aspirational district of India by the NITI Aayog. Haridwar has secured first rank in basic infrastructure theme, and has become entitled to receive an additional allocation of Rs 3 crore from the...
Bond Yield Curve Inversion
A yield curve is a line that is obtained by plotting term to maturity on the x-axis and the yield on the bonds having equal credit quality on the y-axis. The slope of the yield curve gives an idea of future interest rate changes and economic activity. Thus, a yield...
Jobs-Recession Paradox in the US
There has been a consecutive decline in the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the US, in the last two quarters. In the first quarter of 2022, the GDP fell to 1.6 per cent, and further declined to 0.9 per cent in the second quarter. These two consecutive quarters of...
Tomato Flu: Some Aspects
Since May 2022, the southern state of Kerala has witnessed an outbreak of a new viral infection known as ‘tomato flu’. The infection has spread to other states including Tamil Nadu, Haryana, and Odisha. According to the health ministry, till August 2022, there were...
Preliminary Method to break down Forever Chemicals Found
In August 2022, researchers from the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), led by William Dichtel and Brittany Trang, submitted a report in the journal Science stating that they have found a breakthrough method to degrade the polluting compounds called...
Committee on MSP, Natural Farming, and Crop Diversification Formed
The government of India constituted a committee on minimum support price (MSP), natural farming, and crop diversification, in July 2022, to make MSP more transparent and effective, and to propose measures to promote zero-budget natural farming and crop diversification...
Photographs of President and Prime Minister a Must in Govt. Advt.—SC
In July 2022, the Madurai bench of Madras High Court directed the Tamil Nadu Government to ensure that the photographs of Indian president and prime minister are published in all the advertisements, both in print and electronic media, for the 44th Chess Olympiad. The...
India’s Current Account Deficit Surges
India’s trade deficit has risen to a record US$ 31.02 billion in July 2022. This is mainly because of decrease in merchandise exports and sharp rise in India’s imports. There is a three-fold increase in the trade deficit from US$ 10.63 billion trade deficit, reported...
India Keen to Join Minerals Security Partnership Alliance
China accounts for 58 per cent of global rare earth elements (REEs) production. Additionally, China produces 85 per cent of rare earth finished products, and 85 per cent of rare earth oxides (REOs) and controls 95 per cent of rare earth manufacturing. China dominates...