Diseases in India for UPSC Exam
Acute Encephalitis Syndrome Acute encephalitis syndrome is a severe case of encephalitis transmitted by mosquitoes and is characterized by high fever and inflammation of the brain. The World Health Organisation (WHO) in 2006, coined the term AES to signify a group of diseases which seem similar to one another but are difficult to differentiate in the chaotic environment of […]
Aircrafts and Military Exercise for UPSC Exam
Apache Helicopter Eight US made Apache AH-64E stealth attack helicopters, has been inducted into IAF. The IAF has signed a contract with ‘The Boeing’ and the US government for 22 Apache attack helicopters. Apache is the most advanced multi-role heavy attack helicopter in the world. It’s modern capabilities includes, fire-and-forget, anti-tank missiles, air-to-air missiles, rockets, […]
CENS’S GOLD NANOSTRUCTURE SUBSTRATE
Why in news? Scientists have developed a substrate (the surface or material on which an organism lives, grows) for optical sensing applications using a gold nanostructure. Such substrates are sensitive to change in the refractive index of the surrounding medium and can detect biologically important molecules and chemicals in the laboratory. The substrate has potential […]
ORGANIC PSEUDOCAPACITOR: LOW-COST ENERGY STORAGE SOLUTION
Why in news? Scientists have developed a stable material for pseudocapacitors or supercapacitors which store electrical energy by electron charge transfer. The material can offer a low-cost scalable energy storage solution as an alternative to batteries. Details The team has developed the pseudocapacitive material, a hybrid xerogel structure (a solid formed from a gel by […]
A SEASON OF CHANGE: METEOROLOGICAL DEPARTMENT
IMD’s Monsoon Forecast In the season of the abnormal, the IMD has announced that the monsoon this year would likely be normal. The agency follows a two-stage forecast system: indicating in April whether there are chances of drought or any other anomaly and then a second update, in late June, with a more granular look […]
THE RACE TO FIND A CURE FOR COVID-19
Why in news? While efforts to develop an anti-COVID-19 vaccine are encouraging, safety issues are paramount. The epicentre of the pandemic has shifted from Wuhan district in China to the highly developed Western world. With no specific therapy or vaccine available at present, it is imperative that we fast-forward the development of efficacious vaccines and […]
Indian Submarines and Naval Ships for UPSC Exam
Project 75 India P75I was first cleared in 2007, but lay dormant until now after undergoing numerous changes. The P75I project is part of a 30-year submarine building plan that ends in 2030. The project cost is about Rs. 45,000 crore. As part of this plan, India was to build 24 submarines — 18 conventional […]
DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD: ON SUPREME COURT’S CRYPTOCURRENCY RULING
Why in news? The Supreme Court has struck down a 2018 circular by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) that directed entities not to provide services to those trading in “virtual currencies” (cryptocurrencies), as “disproportionate”. What was done about Cryptocurrencies? Ministerial committee recommendations, and warnings by institutions such as the RBI were: The problematic nature […]
WHAT IS NEXT FOR VIRTUAL CURRENCY?
Why in news? The Supreme Court set aside a ban by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on banks and financial institutions from dealing with virtual currency holders and exchanges. Why did SC put aside ban? The court held that the ban did not pass the “proportionality” test. The test of proportionality of any action by […]
HOW TO HANDLE THE CORONAVIRUS(COVID-19) SCARE?
What test is done for coronavirus? The first test that samples of all suspected patients are sent for is the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test. If that is positive, the sample is sent to the National Institute of Virology in Pune, which is the only government laboratory currently doing genome sequencing, for final confirmation. This […]