Daily Prelims Notes 25 July 2022

Daily Prelims Notes

25 July 2022

Table Of Contents

1. Forex accumulation and valuation effect
2. Counterfeit notes and Utkarsh
3. China launches second space station module- Wentian
4. Why are Indian sports bodies under scandal and scrutiny?
5. Ahmedabad railway station to get ‘Modhera temple’ facelift: Amit Shah
6. Compensate Telangana farmers immediately for crop loss: Farm activists
7. The ICJ’s latest judgment in the case of genocide against Myanmar
8. What is behind the heatwaves affecting the United States?
9. Salim Ali’s Fruit Bat
10. SC501 to target CSC
11. Anti-ageing
12. Superconductors
13. Redshift and Blueshift

1. Forex accumulation and valuation effect

Subject: Economy

Section: External Sector

Context:

From a peak of $642.45 billion on September 3, India’s foreign exchange reserves have dipped to $572.71 billion as of July 15 i.e. a fall of $70 billion in 10 months.

How is forex accumulated?

• Through current account surplus-when a country’s earnings from export of goods and services exceed payments against imports which in turn is bought by the Central Bank to avoid a volatile exchange rate appreciation.
  • The forex reserves are accumulated as a buffer against currency volatility, external shocks and sudden stops in capital flows.
  • A higher supply of foreign currency with respect to the domestic currency leads to appreciation of domestic currency.
  • Further, the current account surpluses (excess of incomes over expenditures or retained profits)  of a country may be invested in other countries and it becomes a net exporter of ‘capital’, in addition to goods and services.
• The top 12 countries holding the highest foreign exchange reserves at the end of 2021 have large and persistent current account surpluses except for India, USA and Brazil.

Causes of Reserve Accumulation in India:

The combined merchandise trade deficit during the eight years from 2014-15 to 2021-22 was close to $1.2 trillion. This has been offset by:

• Surplus in “invisibles’-
  • The deficit was partly offset by a net surplus of $968 billion on the “invisibles” account of the balance of payments.
  • Invisibles mainly comprise receipts from export of software services, remittances by overseas Indians, and tourism.
  • In India’s case, these receipts have always exceeded payments on account of interest on loans, dividends, royalties, licence fees, foreign travel and assorted business and financial services.
• Capital inflows-
  • Capital inflows – averaging $68.4 billion respectively in the last 10 years – have led to India’s forex reserves going up in all but five out of the 32 years from 1990-91 to 2021-22.
• Valuation effect-
  • Foreign exchange reserves are held in the form of dollars as well as non-dollar currencies and gold, whose values are influenced by movements in exchange rates and gold prices.
    •  A depreciation of the US dollar or higher gold prices, then, causes valuation gains in the existing stock of reserves.
    •  An appreciation of dollar or fall in gold prices, likewise, brings down the value of the non-dollar portion of the reserves.
    • For instance– if a portion of the reserves are in euros and the euro depreciates against the dollar, this would cause a drop in the value of forex reserves.

2. Counterfeit notes and Utkarsh

Subject: Economy

Section:

Context: Counterfeit notes are on the rise along with the increasing trend of currency notes in circulation, according to the data available from the Finance Ministry, Reserve Bank of India, and National Crime Record Bureau.

Though there is a rise in digital payments, still the currency note in circulation is going up.

The demand for currency notes depends on factors such as the expansion of the economy, interest rates and inflation.

Though the use of digital means in transactions has surged, cash transaction is at a significant level, which necessitates demand for currency notes.

Cash transactions at a high level also provide some opportunity for fake notes, and this could be one reason for cases of such notes rising.

Currency in Circulation (CiC) refers to currency notes and coins issued by the central bank within a country that is physically used to conduct transactions between consumers and businesses. Thus, Currency in circulation comprises of:

• currency notes and coins with the public
• cash in hand with banks.

Monetary aggregates

In the money supply statistics, central bank money is M0 while the commercial bank money is divided up into the M1 and M3 components. M2 and M4 components also include Post-Office deposits as well.

• Reserve Money (M0):-Reserve money is also called central bank money, monetary base, base money, or high-powered money. In the most simple language, Reserve Money is Currency in Circulation plus Deposits of Commercial Banks with RBI.

Mo = Currency in circulation + Bankers’ deposits with the RBI + ‘Other’ deposits with the RBI

• M1 (Narrow Money) =Currency with the public + Deposit money of the public (Demand deposits with the banking system + ‘Other’ deposits with the RBI).
• M2=M1 + Savings deposits with Post office savings banks.
• M3 (Broad Money) = M1+ Time deposits with the banking system

Concept:

Security Features of Indian Banknotes:

• Watermark-
  • The Mahatma Gandhi Series of banknotes contain the Mahatma Gandhi watermark with a light and shade effect and multi-directional lines in the watermark window.
• Security Thread-
  • The security thread appears to the left of the Mahatma’s portrait.
  • Notes issued prior to the introduction of the Mahatma Gandhi Series have a plain, non-readable fully embedded security thread.
• Latent Image-
  • On the obverse side of Rs.1000, Rs.500, Rs.100, Rs.50 and Rs.20 notes, a vertical band on the right side of Mahatma Gandhi’s portrait contains a latent image showing the respective denominational value in numeral.
  • The latent image is visible only when the note is held horizontally at eye level.
• Micro lettering-
  • This feature appears between the vertical band and Mahatma Gandhi portrait.
  •  It contains the word ‘RBI’ in Rs.5 and Rs.10. The notes of Rs.20 and above also contain the denominational value of the notes in micro letters.
  • This feature can be seen better under a magnifying glass.
• Intaglio Printing-
  • The portrait of Mahatma Gandhi, the Reserve Bank seal, guarantee and promise clause, Ashoka Pillar Emblem on the left, RBI Governor’s signature are printed in intaglio i.e. in raised prints, which can be felt by touch, in Rs.20, Rs.50, Rs.100, Rs.500 and Rs.1000 notes.
• Identification Mark-
  • A special feature in intaglio has been introduced on the left of the watermark window on all notes except Rs.10/- note.
  • This feature is in different shapes for various denominations (Rs. 20-Vertical Rectangle, Rs.50-Square, Rs.100-Triangle, Rs.500-Circle, Rs.1000-Diamond) and helps the visually impaired to identify the denomination.
• Fluorescence–
  • Number panels of the notes are printed in fluorescent ink. 
  • It can be seen when the notes are exposed to ultraviolet lamps.
• Optically Variable Ink-
  • This is a new security feature incorporated in the Rs.1000 and Rs.500 notes with revised colour scheme introduced in November 2000.
  • The numeral 1000 and 500 on the obverse of Rs.1000 and Rs.500 notes respectively is printed in optically variable ink viz., a colour-shifting ink.
  • The colour of the numeral 1000/500 appears green when the note is held flat but would change to blue when the note is held at an angle.
• See through Register–
  • The small floral design printed both on the front (hollow) and back (filled up) of the note in the middle of the vertical band next to the Watermark has an accurate back to back registration.
  • The design will appear as one floral design when seen against the light.

Legal provisions against counterfeiting–

Printing and circulation of forged notes are offences under Sections 489A to 489E of the Indian Penal Code and are punishable in the courts of law by fine or imprisonment or both.

Utkarsh 2022

• RBI formulated “Utkarsh 2022”  in 2019  to achieve excellence in the performance of RBI’s mandates and strengthening the trust of citizens and other institutions.
• It is a medium term strategy in line with the global central banks’ plan to strengthen the regulatory and supervisory mechanism.
• To monitor the implementation of Utkarsh 2022, RBI created medium-term vision statements. 
• The Medium-term Vision Statements set out the following:
  • Excellence in performance of statutory and other functions;
  • Strengthened trust of citizens and other Institutions in the RBI;
  • Enhanced relevance and significance in national and global roles;
  • Transparent, accountable and ethics-driven internal governance;
  • Best-in-class and environment friendly digital as well as physical infrastructure; and
  • Innovative, dynamic and skilled human resources
• These statements are meant to guide the RBI during the medium-term period i.e. between 2019-2022. 
• The progress of Utkarsh 2022 RBI is maintained by a sub-committee of the Central Board.
• Objectives of Utkarsh 2022
  • To support India’s macro-economic stability and to strengthen the internal and external value of the Indian Rupee.
  • To promote consumer protection and ensure the stability of the financial system.
  • To support markets and institutions that fall within its scope.
  • To make the financial and payment systems more efficient and competent.
  • To manage currency and banking services to the Government and its banks.
  • To ensure a balanced and sustainable economic development of the country.
  • To avoid any IL&FS debt defaults.

3. China launches second space station module- Wentian

Subject : Science and Technology

Section: Space

Context:

China on Sunday launched the second of three modules to its permanent space station, in one of the final missions needed to complete the orbiting outpost by year’s end.

• The 23-tonne Wentian (“Quest for the Heavens”) laboratory module launching on the back of China’s most powerful rocket, the Long March 5B
• China began constructing the space station in April 2021 with the launch of the Tianhe module, the main living quarters, in the first of 11 crewed and uncrewed missions in the undertaking.
• The Wentian lab module, 17.9 metres (59 feet) long, will be where astronauts can carry out scientific experiments, along with the other lab module yet to be launched – Mengtian (“Dreaming of the Heavens”).
• Mengtian is expected to be launched in October and, like Wentian, is to dock with Tianhe, forming a T-shaped structure.

4. Why are Indian sports bodies under scandal and scrutiny?

Subject : Polity

Section: National Organization

• All India Football Federation (AIFF) and the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) face potential ban/suspension if elections to the executive body are not done immediately. Hockey India has also come under scrutiny by the International Hockey Federation (FIH) for the delay in conducting elections.
• The Sports Code, or National Sports Development Code of India to be precise, was introduced in 2011 by the Central government, which wanted good governance practices in the management of sports at the national level without interfering in the autonomy of the national sports bodies.

NADA – The National Anti Doping Agency

• National Anti Doping Agency is mandated for Dope free sports in India. The primary objectives are to implement anti-doping rules as per WADA code, regulate dope control programme, to promote education and research and creating awareness about doping and its ill effects.
• It is the national organisation responsible for controlling an monitoring the use of dopes in the all sports in India.
• NADA deals with adoption and implementation of anti-doping rules and policies as per the rules made by the World Anti-Doping agency (WADA).
• NADA includes representatives and scientists from the Indian Olympic Association (IOA).

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA)

• It is a foundation initiated by the International Olympic Committee based in Canada to promote, coordinate and monitor the fight against drugs in sports.
• The agency’s key activities include scientific research, education, development of anti-doping capacities, and monitoring of the World Anti-Doping Code, whose provisions are enforced by the UNESCO International Convention against Doping in Sport.
• Government of India is one of the Foundation Members of World Anti Doping Agency (WADA) (1999-2002).
• India is ranked third in doping cases, according to the latest World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) report released in 2021.

PROHIBITED LIST

• The Prohibited List is a mandatory International Standard as part of the World Anti-Doping Program.

Below are some terms used in this List of Prohibited Substances and Prohibited Methods.

• Prohibited In-Competition
  • Subject to a different period having been approved by WADA for a given sport, the In-Competition period shall in principle be the period commencing just before midnight(at 11:59 p.m.) on the day before a Competition in which the Athlete is scheduled to participate until the end of the Competition and the Sample collection process.
• Prohibited at all times
  • This means that the substance or method is prohibited In- and Out-of-Competition as defined in the Code.
• Specified and non-Specified
  • As per Article 4.2.2 of the World Anti-Doping Code, “for purposes of the application of Article 10, all Prohibited Substances shall be Specified Substances except as identified on the Prohibited List.
  • No Prohibited Method shall be a Specified Method unless it is specifically identified as a Specified Method on the Prohibited List”.
  • As per the comment to the article, “the Specified Substances and Methods identified in Article 4.2.2 should not in any way be considered less important or less dangerous than other doping substances or methods. Rather, they are simply substances and methods which are more likely to have been consumed or used by an Athlete for a purpose other than the enhancement of sport performance.”
• Substances of Abuse
  • Pursuant to Article 4.2.3 of the Code, Substances of Abuse are substances that are identified as such because they are frequently abused in society outside of the context of sport. The following are designated Substances of Abuse: cocaine, diamorphine(heroin), methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA/”ecstasy”), tetrahydrocannabinol(THC).

5. Ahmedabad railway station to get ‘Modhera temple’ facelift: Amit Shah

Subject : History

Section: Art and Culture

Context:

• The Ahmedabad Railway Station at Kalupur in Ahmedabad City will be developed on the theme of Modhera Sun Temple in the next five years, Union Home & Cooperation Minister Amit Shah announced Sunday.

Modhera Sun Temple,Gujarat

• It is located in Mehsana, neighbouring Ahmedabad district.
• It was built after 1026-27 CE during the reign of Bhima I of the Chaulukya dynasty.
• No worship is offered now and is protected monument maintained by Archaeological Survey of India.
• The temple complex has three components: Gudhamandapa, the shrine hall; Sabhamandapa, the assembly hall and Kunda, the reservoir.
• The halls have intricately carved exterior and pillars. The reservoir has steps to reach the bottom and numerous small shrines.

Konark Sun temple, Odisha

• It is a 13th-century CE sun temple at Konark about 35 kilometres (22 mi) northeast from Puri on the coastline of Odisha, India.
• The temple is attributed to king Narasingha deva I of the Eastern Ganga Dynasty about 1250 CE.
• Dedicated to the Hindu sun god Surya, what remains of the temple complex has the appearance of a 100-foot (30 m) high chariot with immense wheels and horses, all carved from stone.
• Once over 200 feet (61 m) high, much of the temple is now in ruins, in particular the large shikara tower over the sanctuary; at one time this rose much higher than the mandapa that remains.
• It is a classic illustration of the Odisha style of Architecture or Kalinga Architecture .
• This temple was called the “Black Pagoda” in European sailor accounts as early as 1676 because its great tower appeared black.
• Similarly, the Jagannath Temple in Puri was called the “White Pagoda
• Declared a UNESCO world heritage site in 1984, it remains a major pilgrimage site for Hindus, who gather here every year for the Chandrabhaga Mela around the month of February

Martand Sun temple, Kashmir

• The Martand Sun Temple is a Kashmiri Hindu temple dedicated to Surya (the chief solar deity in Hinduism) and built during the 8th century CE.
• Martand is another Sanskrit name for the Hindu Sun-god. Now in ruins, the temple is located five miles from Anantnag in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir.
• Temple was built by the third ruler of the Karkota Dynasty, LalitadityaMuktapida, in the 8th century CE
• The temple was completely destroyed on the orders of Muslim ruler Sikandar Butshikan in the early 15th century, with demolition lasting a year.

Suryanarayana Swamy temple, Arasavalli (Andhra Pradesh)

• Arasavalli Sun Temple is a 7th-century AD Sun Temple at Arasavalli in Andhra Pradesh, India
• It is believed that the temple was built by king Devendra Varma, ruler of the Kalinga Dynasty.
• This temple is considered as one of the oldest sun temples in India. The Temple was dedicated to the Hindu sun god Surya.
• Over the years the sun temple has been an important landmark for many of the festivals celebrated in the town. Including the important festival Rathasaptami. The temple is very much recognized as a resemblance of magnificence and beauty

Brahmanya Dev Temple, Unao (Madhya Pradesh)

• The Balaji, a famous and rare sun temple with its own unique architecture, is situated in a small town of Unao in Datia district of Madhya Pradesh.
• The Balaji temple was built in the pre-historic time by the king of Datia.
• The Sun God is the main deity of this temple.
• The Sun God stands on a brick platform covered with black plates. Twenty-one triangles, representing the 21 phases of the Sun are engraved in the shrin
• Here, special worship is offered on Sundays. Local belief is that worshippers find relief from skin ailments at this temple.

SuryanaarKovil, Kumbakonam (Tamil Nadu)

• SuryanarKovil (also called Suryanar Temple) is a Hindu temple dedicated to the deity Hindu Sun-God, located in SuryanarKovil, a village near the South Indian town of Kumbakonam in Tamil Nadu, India.
• The presiding deity is Suriyanar, the Sun and his consorts Ushadevi and Pratyusha Devi.
• The temple also has separate shrines for the other eight planetary deities. The temple is considered one of the nine Navagraha temples in Tamil Nadu.
• The present masonry structure was built during the reign of KulottungaCholadeva (AD 1060-1118) in the 11th century with later additions from the Vijayanagar period.
• Constructed in the Dravidian style of architecture, the temple has a five-tiered rajagopuram, the gateway tower and a granite wall enclosing all the shrines of the temple.

Dakshinaarka Temple, Gaya (Bihar)

• It is said to be built by King Prataparuda of Warangal in 13th century The deity is made in granite and the idol wears Persian attire like waist girdle, boots and a jacket. It has a Surya Kund (water reservoir) nearby.

Navalakha Temple, Ghumli (Gujarat)

• Navlakha Temple at Ghumli was built by Jethwa rulers in 11th century dedicated to Sun god, Surya and is oldest sun temple of Gujarat.
• It has the largest base (Uagati) of the temples in Gujarat, measuring 45.72 x 30.48 m. Facing East, it had a beautiful entrance arch or Kirti Toran, that is now lost.
• The Navlakha Temple built at a cost of Nine Lacs hence the name Navlakha.
• The temple is built in Solanki style of architecture and Maru-Gurjara style of architecture have the three entwining tusks of elephants as its trademark and is considered to be high noon of Solanki style of architect.

6. Compensate Telangana farmers immediately for crop loss: Farm activists

Subject : Polity

Section: Disaster

Context

• The farmers of Telangana have faced unprecedented crop losses in the wake of heavy rains and floods this month. The government should immediately compensate them, an independent farmers’ organisation based in the two Telugu states said July 23, 2022.

NDRF

• It is defined in Section 46 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005 (DM Act).
• It is placed in the “Public Account”(Article 266(2)) of Government of India under “reserve funds not bearing interest”.
• It is managed by the Central Government for meeting the expenses for emergency response, relief and rehabilitation due to any threatening disaster situation or disaster.
• It supplements the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) in case of a disaster of severe nature, provided adequate funds are not available in the SDRF.
• Financed through the levy of a cess on certain items, chargeable to excise and customs duty, and approved annually through the Finance Bill.
• Currently, a National Calamity Contingent Duty (NCCD) is levied to finance the NDRF and additional budgetary support is provided as and when necessary.
• Department of Agriculture and Cooperation under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmer Welfare monitors relief activities for calamities associated with drought, hailstorms, pest attacks and cold wave/frost while rest of the natural calamities are monitored by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
• Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) audits the accounts of NDRF.
• Centre has applied an unused provision in the Disaster Management Act, 2005 to allow any person or institution to contribute to the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) for the purpose of disaster management.

SDRF

• SDRF has been constituted under the Disaster Management Act, 2005.
• It is the primary fund available with the State governments for responses to notified disasters to meet expenditure for providing immediate relief.
• The Centre contributes 75% of the SDRF allocation for general category States and Union Territories and 90% for special category States and Union Territories (northeastern States, Sikkim, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir).
• The annual Central contribution is released in two equal installments as per the recommendation of the Finance Commission.
• Disaster (s) covered under SDRF: Cyclone, drought, earthquake, fire, flood, tsunami, hailstorm, landslide, avalanche, cloudburst, pest attack, frost and cold waves.
• A State Government may use up to 10% of the funds available under the SDRF for providing immediate relief to the victims of natural disasters that they consider to be ‘disasters’ within the local context in the State and which are not included in the notified list of disasters of the Ministry of Home Affairs.
• Assistance may be provided where crop loss is 33% and above, subject to a ceiling of 2 ha. per farmer.

7. The ICJ’s latest judgment in the case of genocide against Myanmar

Subject : International Relation

Section: International Organisation

Context: Judges at the United Nations’ highest court have dismissed preliminary objections by Myanmar to a case alleging the Southeast Asian nation is responsible for genocide against the Rohingya ethnic minority.

What is the issue?

• Myanmar’s military launched what it called a clearance campaign in Rakhine state in 2017 in the aftermath of an attack by a Rohingya insurgent group.
• More than 700,000 Rohingya fled into neighbouring Bangladesh and Myanmar security forces have been accused of mass rapes, killings and torching thousands of Rohingya homes.
• Amid international outrage at the treatment of the Rohingya, Gambia filed the case with the world court in November 2019, alleging that Myanmar is breaching the genocide convention
• The nation argued that both Gambia and Myanmar are parties to the convention and that all signatories have a duty to ensure it is enforced.

Background:

The Genocide Convention:

• The Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (Genocide Convention) is an instrument of international law that codified for the first time the crime of genocide.
• The Genocide Convention was the first human rights treaty adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on 9 December 1948 
• According to the Genocide Convention, genocide is a crime that can take place both in time of war as well as in time of peace.
• The Convention establishes on State Parties the obligation to take measures to prevent and to punish the crime of genocide, including by enacting relevant legislation and punishing perpetrators
• That obligation, in addition to the prohibition not to commit genocide, has been considered as norms of international customary law and therefore, binding on all States, whether or not they have ratified the Genocide Convention.

The International Court of Justice (ICJ)

• It is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations (UN).
• It was established in June 1945 by the Charter of the United Nations and began work in April 1946.
• The seat of the Court is at the Peace Palace in The Hague (Netherlands).
• Of the six principal organs of the United Nations, it is the only one not located in New York (United States of America).
• The Court’s role is to settle, in accordance with international law, legal disputes submitted to it by States and to give advisory opinions on legal questions referred to it by authorized United Nations organs and specialized agencies.
• The Court is composed of 15 judges, who are elected for terms of office of nine years by the United Nations General Assembly and the Security Council.
• Its official languages are English and French.

8. What is behind the heatwaves affecting the United States?

Subject : Geography

Section :Climatology

Context: Virtually all the contiguous United States experienced above normal temperatures in the past week, with more dangerously hot weather forecast

What is a Heat Wave?

The World Meteorological Organization defines it as five or more consecutive days during which the daily maximum temperature surpasses the average maximum temperature by 5 °C (9 °F) or more.

The India Meteorological Department requires that temperatures increase 5–6 °C (9–10.8 °F) or more above the normal temperature

Factors behind the heatwaves in US:

• The Arctic is warming three to four times faster than the globe as a whole, meaning there is ever less difference between northern temperatures and those closer to the equator
• That is resulting in swings in the North Atlantic jet stream, which in turn leads to extreme weather events like heatwaves and floods
• Warmer oceans contribute to heat domes, which trap heat over large geographical areas. This weekend the heat dome is stretching from the southern plains of the Oklahoma/Arkansas area all the way to the eastern seaboard
• The main cause of heat domes is a strong change in ocean temperatures from west to east in the tropical Pacific Ocean during the preceding winter
• As prevailing winds move the hot air east, the northern shifts of the jet stream trap the air and move it toward land, where it sinks, resulting in heatwaves
• Another factor is El Nino and La Nina. El Niño brings warm water from the equatorial Pacific Ocean up to the western coast of North America, and La Niña brings colder water.
• At present, La Niña is in effect. Because summer temperatures trend lower during La Niña. during the next El Niño a serious heatwave even hotter summer weather could be expected.
• Climate change caused by the burning of fossil fuels is a global phenomenon that is certainly playing a role
• Heatwaves are probably the most underestimated type of potential disaster because they routinely kill a lot of people

Concept:

What are Jet Streams?

• Jet streams are relatively narrow bands of strong wind in the upper levels of the atmosphere. The winds blow from west to east in jet streams but the flow often shifts to the north and south. Jet streams follow the boundaries between hot and cold air.
• These hot and cold air boundaries are most pronounced in winter, jet streams are thestrongest for both the northern and southern hemisphere winters.
• The earth’s rotation is responsible for the jet stream.
• The actual appearance of jet streams result from the complex interaction between many variables – such as the location of high and low pressure systems, warm and cold air, and seasonal changes.

9. Salim Ali’s Fruit Bat

Subject: Environment

Section: Biodiversity

Context: A recent study indicates that more than 50% of habitats suitable for 37 species of bats in the Southern Western Ghats lie outside protected areas.

Content:

• The study area was around 1,600 km of the Southern Western Ghats, encompassing biodiverse regions in Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
• Six major biodiversity hotspots — Agasthyamalai, Periyar Tiger Reserve, Anaimalai, the Nilgiris, the Wayanad-Mudumalai complex and Brahmagiri — were part of the study area.
• According to the researchers, the Southern Western Ghats was home to rare and endangered bat species such as Salim Ali’s fruit bat (Latidenssalimalii) and the Pomona roundleaf bat (Hipposiderospomona).
• Only two species of bats had a distribution range that was significantly located in protected areas and the distribution ranges of 35 other species lay primarily outside protected areas.
• This had potentially increased the threats faced by the animals which include poaching for their meat, habitat loss (anthropogenic pressure from the plantations), use in traditional medicine(to cure Asthma) and stigma from local communities, especially after the Nipah Virus in KE andCOVID-19 pandemice., chances of contracting zoonotic diseases increase due to the presence of bats near the houses.

About Salim Ali’s Fruit Bat (Latidenssalimalii)

• One of the three rarest bats in the world and was named after Indian ornithologist Salim Ali in 1972.
• It is an evolutionarily distinct, monotypic, crepuscular and frugivorous bat species endemic to the southern Western Ghats of India.
• It is restricted to montane tropical evergreen forests, coffee and cardamom plantations with an altitude range of 800-1,100m.
• IUCN Status: Endangered
• It is one of the two species protected under India’s Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972. (The other species being Wroughton’s Free-tailed Bat Otomopswroughtoni).
• Despite their important role as pollinators and seed dispersers in the ecosystem, fruit bats are categorized as ‘Vermin’ under Schedule V of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972, which paves way for the indiscriminate killing of bats.
• Conservation Leadership Programme (CLP) Project of the Endangered Salim Ali’s fruit bat in Western Ghats – aims to locate and protect the species in its distribution range, investigate the degree of species utilization by the local communities, and undertake conservation education and capacity building programmes to build knowledge on the importance of this species and the ecological services provided by bats in general.

Important role of BATS:

Their Significance –

• Seed dispersal – The diet of fruit-eating bats consists largely of flowers and fruits such as mangoes, bananas, guavas, custard apples, figs, tamarind and many species of forest trees.
• Pollination – Studies have found that bats play a vital role in pollination, mainly of large-flowered plants, and in crop protection.
• Production boost – Some large insectivorous bats are also reported to feed on small rodents.
• Soil fertility – Bat droppings provide organic input to soil and facilitate nutrient transfer, contributing to soil fertility and agricultural productivity.
• Health benefits – contribute to human health by reducing populations of mosquitoes and other insect vectors that spread malaria, dengue, chikungunya and other diseases

10. SC501 to target CSC

Subject: Science and Technology

Section: Biotechnology

Context: A ‘small molecule drug’ that messes with the mechanism of cancer spread has been discovered.

Content:

• Stem cells from cord blood if preserved, can be used to regenerate body parts such as a damaged organ or a broken bone.
• CSC (cancer stem cells) are similar — they help in generating cancer cells. Drugs find it hard to eliminate CSC, because they proliferate rapidly. That’s why many cancer patients get cured and then have a relapse.
• So, two medical researchers have discovered a ‘small molecule drug’, which they call SC501, to target CSC.

Concept:

Small Molecule Drugs

• ‘Small molecule drugs’ are a class of drugs that can easily enter a cell (and thus helpful in targeted therapies).
• The uniqueness of small molecule SC501, is, rather than attacking CSC, it guns down the wnt pathways to inhibit the growth of cancer cells.
• In other words, the small molecule is a ‘wnt inhibitor’; by destroying a feature specific to CSC, namely the ‘wnt pathway’, the molecule prevents the stem cells from increasing their tribe.
• In addition, the SC501 starves cancer cells of bloodby preventing angiogenesis or development of new blood vessels that supply to them. This it does by blocking a protein responsible for angiogenesis.
• It is also called as “magic molecule” because it can potentially be used in the treatment of many other diseases, such as osteoporosis, diabetes and even neuro-degenerative ailments.

To know about Stem Cells and Cord Blood, refer: https://optimizeias.com/stem-cell-therapy-2/

11. Anti-ageing

Subject: Science and Technology

Section: Biotechnology

Context: A recent paper titled ‘Nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) as an anti-ageing health product — Promises and safety concerns’, published by a group of researchers from China and New Zealand, has raised several concerns.

Content:

• Ageing occurs because of a process called ‘mitochondrial decay’.
• Mitochondria are part of our cells and responsible for producing energy, hence they are the ‘powerhouses’ of our bodies.
• Over time, mitochondria are unable to produce enough energy since there is a dip in the levels of a biochemical called nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) in them.
• This happens because the NAD+ are consumed by enzymes such as NADase and sirtuins. Depletion of NAD+ is also associated with oxidative stress, DNA damage, and cognitive impairments.
• So, the trick in anti-ageing is, therefore, to keep NAD+ levels steady.
• Presently, NAD+ is derived from another chemical called nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN), which is a bioactive nucleotide formed when a nucleoside comprising nicotinamide and ribose reacts with a phosphate group.

NMN Benefits and Concerns:

• NMN can be industrially produced as a food supplement that brings several benefits.
• In addition to anti-ageing — it helps combat obesity and associated complications, Alzheimer’s disease, cerebral and cardiac ischemia and type-2 diabetes.
• The safety of these doses cannot be assessed since there have been no clinical or toxicological studies. Besides, there is no regulatory authority for NMN products as they are often sold as a food product rather than heavily regulated therapeutic drug.

To know about Mitochondria, refer: https://optimizeias.com/how-mitochondria-adapted-to-living-within-cells/

12. Superconductors

Subject: Science and Technology

Section: Nanotechnology

Context: The Indian Institute of Science (IISc) has achieved a breakthrough what they call ‘Au-Ag Nanostructures’.

Content:

• Superconducting materials work only in ultra-cold conditions. So, an engineered material called ‘Au-Ag Nanostructures’ is being developed.
• Silver particles, a billionth of a metre in size, are embedded into lattice structures of gold atoms.
• It shows “superconductivity-like signatures” because it offers zero resistance to the flow of electrons.
• But to qualify fully as a ‘superconductor’ it would need to have a few other properties like ‘stability’. Presently, the material is “extremely unstable”, meaning it does not remain unchanged for long and it is expected that the problem can be tackled in some months.

Superconductor

• Superconductors are materials that conduct electricity with no resistance. Unlike the more familiar conductors such as copper or steel, a superconductor can carry a current indefinitely without losing any energy. They also have several other very important properties, such as the fact that no magnetic field can exist within a superconductor.
• Another property of a superconductor is that it will exclude magnetic fields, a phenomenon called the Meissner effect.

Advantage of superconductors:

• Currently, superconductivity can only be achieved at temperatures far below zero, in processes that are too expensive for wider application.
• The devices have low power dissipation, high operating speed, and extreme sensitivity.
• Devices built with room temperature superconductors tend to be extremely efficient and entail large savings in both energy and costs.

Application:

• Superconductors already have drastically changed the world of medicine with the advent of MRI machines, which have meant a reduction in exploratory surgery.
• Power utilities, electronics companies, the military, transportation, and theoretical physics have all benefited strongly from the discovery of these materials.

Meissner effect

• When a material makes the transition from the normal to the superconducting state, it actively excludes magnetic fields from its interior; this is called the Meissner effect.

Critical temperature

• The critical temperature for superconductors is the temperature at which the electrical resistivity of metal drops to

13. Redshift and Blueshift

Subject: Science and Technology

Section: Space Technology

Context:

NASA’s release of five images from the early work of the James Webb Space Telescope grist for further research and Astrophysicist Dipankar Bhattacharya glimpse the origins of life through the ‘eyes’ of the James Webb.

Content:

Significance of James Webb

• Webb is designed to sense IR, which means it can receive radiation from galaxies that have moved very far. Till now it has taken IR of5 microns (wavelength) so far,

but it is designed to go up to 28 microns.

• Unlike other telescopes, the Webb has the capability to penetrate dust clouds and look at newly forming stars. That is how the planetary nebula (catalogued NGC 3132), which is about 2,500 light years away was seen.

About Redshift and Blueshift:

• They describe the change in the frequency of a light wave depending on whether an object is moving towards or away from us.
• When an object is moving away from us, the light from the object is known as redshift, and when an object is moving towards us, the light from the object is known as
• Astronomers use redshift and blueshift to deduce how far an object is away from Earth, the concept is key to charting the universe’s expansion.
• Red shift of 1,100 means that the universe was 1,101 times smaller than now. smaller than now. Similarly, red shift of 20 means, 21 times smaller than now. Thus, the universe began emitting light from the time the red shift was around 20 and before that it was dark(i.e., the universe was just neutral gas, no luminous object).
• The terms redshift and blueshift apply to any part of the electromagnetic spectrum, including radio waves, infrared, ultraviolet, X-rays and gamma rays. So, if radio waves are shifted into the ultraviolet part of the spectrum, they are said to be blue shifted or shifted toward the higher frequencies. Gamma rays shifted to radio waves would mean a shift to a lower frequency or a redshift.
• The concept of redshift and blueshift is closely related to the Doppler effect.
• American astronomer Edwin Hubble was the first to describe the redshift phenomenon and tie it to an expanding universe.
• The redshift of an object is measured by examining the absorption or emission lines in its spectrum. These lines are unique for each element and always have the same spacing.
• At least three types of redshift occur in the universe — from the universe’s expansion, from the movement of galaxies relative to each other and from “gravitational redshift”, which happens when light is shifted due to the massive amount of matter inside of a galaxy.

Other Basic Concepts

Waves and Wavelength

• Electromagnetic waves, which are waves of energy, don’t need any medium to propagate — they originate somewhere, keep radiating through space unless halted by an object, like earth. Higher the energy, the shorter the wavelength.
• Wavelength is the distance between two successive crests of a wave.
• The number of peaks per second is called ‘frequency’.
• So, wavelength and frequency are related — the higher the wavelength, the smaller the frequency.
• Waves are classified according to their wavelength.

Electromagnetic Spectrum

• Electromagnetic waves come in a variety of wavelengths, depending upon their source.
• In the descending order of wavelengths (ascending order of frequencies), they are:
  • Radio waves
  • Microwaves
  • Infra-red or IR (further classified as far, middle and near)
  • Visible light (red, orange, yellow, blue, violet)
  • Ultra-violet
  • X-rays and
  • Gamma rays.

Doppler Effect

• This refers to an apparent shift in soundwave frequency for observers depending on whether the source is approaching or moving away from them.
• This principle applies to light as well as sound.