WHO has called the latest mpox outbreak an ‘emergency of international concern’ Subject: Science and Tech Sec: Health Context: The World Health Organisation, sounding its highest level of alarm, declared mpox as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). This is the second time the infection has received the designation in as many years […]
Dengue control: the unrealised promise of Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes Sub: Sci Sec: Health Dengue Burden in India: Dengue poses a significant threat to India’s economy, with direct costs amounting to approximately ₹28,300 crore annually and the loss of 5.68 lakh years of young life each year. Existing vector control measures, including the use of […]
Huge reservoir of water under Mars, seismic data indicates Sub: Science and Tech Sec: Space Context: An immense reservoir of liquid water may reside deep under the surface of Mars within fractured igneous rocks, holding enough to fill an ocean that would cover the entire surface of Mars, according to seismic data […]
What is the drug Captagon and how is it linked to Germany? Subject: Sci Sec: Health Context: Following the record discovery of hundreds of kilos of Captagon tablets in Germany in December 2023, the trial against four men began in Aachen on Wednesday. They are alleged to have sold tablets worth more than […]
First-ever phase-three clinical trial for dengue vaccine initiated in India Sub: Sci Sec: Health Context: The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and Panacea Biotec Limited announced the start of India’s first-ever phase 3 clinical trial for a dengue vaccine on August 14, 2024. Details: The trial, conducted in collaboration with ICMR, will […]
Oven no bar: extremophile bacteria have learnt to survive microwaves Sub: Sci Sec: Health Survival and Adaptation of Microorganisms: Microorganisms are extremely adept at surviving in a wide range of environments, including extreme conditions that are inhospitable to more complex life forms. These organisms, known as extremophiles, have been isolated from environments such […]
The container that cools just right Sub: Science and Tech Sec: Msc Evaporation of water The molecules of any liquid are in constant motion but all of them don’t move with the same speed. Their energies vary over a small range and the temperature we measure represents only the average kinetic energy of […]
Sperm or egg donor has no parental right on child: Bombay HC Sub: Science and Tech Sec: Health Context: The Bombay High court in the case of in Shailaja Nitin Mishra v. Nitin Kumar Mishra ruled that an egg or sperm donor does not have parental rights or duties in relation to the […]
Tech that keeps vehicles from bumping into each other Sub: Sci Sec: Msc Context: As many as 15 people have been killed and dozens injured after a freight train collided with a passenger train in India’s West Bengal state. What is a collision avoidance system? A collision avoidance system (CAS) is a collection […]
Mpox: WHO calls for vaccine candidates as dangerous clade targeting children spreads widely Sub: Science and Tech Sec: Health Context: Ahead of an emergency meeting to discuss the spread of mpox (earlier called monkeypox) within and outside the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the WHO has called for vaccine candidates for fast approval […]