Long-term monitoring of Himalayan glaciers essential to assess their health Subject:  Geo Sec: Geomorphology Context: Of the estimated 200,000 glaciers in the world, the Himalaya-Karakoram range is home to 39,660. Of these, only 24 have been consistently monitored for their glacier mass balance which indicates whether a glacier is growing or shrinking. Monitor […]

    Luxury Yacht Sinks Off Sicily: Investigating Causes and Responsibilities Sub: Geo Sec: Climatology Why This is in the News: The sinking of the luxury yacht Bayesian off the coast of Sicily has captured global attention due to the tragic loss of life and the high-profile individuals involved, including British billionaire Michael Lynch. Investigations […]

    Environmental Impact of Lithium Mining in Chile’s Atacama Salt Flat Sub: Geo Sec: Eco geo Why This is in News: A recent study by researchers at the University of Chile, published in the journal IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing, has revealed that the Atacama salt flat is sinking due to lithium […]

    Community nurseries or ‘Nursery Langars’ saved Punjab from massive crop losses caused by floods in 2023: PAU study Sub: Geo Sec: Eco Geo Context: Punjab was saved from incurring losses of Rs 2,800 crore due to community nurseries, known as “nursery langars”. Despite an additional expenditure of Rs 245 crore by farmers, the […]

    Frequent mass wasting in Tibet a cause for worry in India Sub: Geo Sec: Indian Physical geo Context: Mass wasting has increased in the Sedongpu Gully, Tibetan Plateau, since 2017 due to rapid warming. A geological event, mass wasting is the gravity-influenced movement of rock and soil down a slope. A gully is […]

    The Siang River Dams: A Conflict Between Development and Indigenous Rights Sub: Geo Sec: Indian Physical geo Why is This in News? Controversy Over Dam Projects: The Adi community in Arunachal Pradesh, particularly the Minyong subgroup, has been protesting against proposed large dam projects on the Siang River, fearing they will disrupt their […]

    World’s second-largest diamond found in Botswana Sub: Geo Sec: Eco geo  Context: A 2,492-carat rough diamond, the second-largest ever found, was unearthed in Botswana at the Karowe mine, owned by Canadian firm Lucara Diamond. It is the largest find since the 3,106-carat Cullinan diamond, discovered in South Africa in 1905, parts of which […]