Hayat Ashraf

Using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), astronomers recently discovered a new supernova, designated SN 2023adsy, the most distant Type Ia supernova so far detected.  About Supernova:  It is the name given to the cataclysmic explosion of a massive star. Supernovas are the largest explosions that take place in space. A star can go supernova in one of two ways:  Type I supernova: A star accumulates matter from a nearby neighbour until a runaway nuclear reaction ignites. They're typically called Type Ia supernovae.   Type II supernova: A star runs out of nuclear fuel and collapses under its own gravity. Supernovas can briefly outshine entire galaxiesand radiate more energy than our sun will in its entire lifetime. They're also the primary source of heavy elements in the universe. On average, a supernova will occur once every 50 years in a galaxy the size of the Milky Way. The oldest recorded supernova is RCW 86,...

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is forecasting an above-average summer “dead zone” in the Gulf of Mexico covering approximately 5,827 square miles.  About Dead Zone: The term “dead zone” or “hypoxia” refers to low-oxygen areas in the world’s lakes and oceans. Because most organisms need oxygen to live, few organisms can survive in hypoxic conditions. That is why these areas are called dead zones. Hypoxic zones can occur naturally, but human activities can also lead to the creation of new dead zones or the enhancement of existing ones. How are Dead Zones formed?  A dead zone occurs as a result of eutrophication, which happens when a body of water is inundated with too many nutrients, such as phosphorus and nitrogen. At normal levels, an organism called cyanobacteria – or blue-green algae – feeds on these nutrients. With too many nutrients, it can cause an overgrowth of algae in a short period of time, also called algae blooms. Dead zones form when th...

While ruling in favor of the Delhi government and its entities in a batch of land acquisition cases, the Supreme Court recently observed that the principle of res judicata may not strictly apply in situations where public interest is at stake.  About Principle of Res Judicata: The concept of res judicata has evolved from the English Common Law System. Res judicata literally means ‘the thing has been judged”. It is also known as claim preclusion.  The principle of res judicata applies when a litigant attempts to file a subsequent lawsuit on the same matter after having received a judgment in a previous case involving the same parties. It is a judicial concept, which means that the issue before the court has already been decided by another court, between the same parties, and the courts do not allow a petition to be filed in the same court or in another court.  Therefore, the court will dismiss the case before it a...

A recent report by the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) analysed data on snow persistence from 2003 to 2024 and found it to be significantly lower than normal in the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) this year.  About Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH): The HKH region stretches 3,500 kilometres and spans eight countries: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal and Pakistan. The range has numerous high snow-capped peaks, with the highest point being Tirich Mir or Terichmir at 7,708 meters (25,289 ft) in Chitral, Pakistan. It is considered the Third Pole(after the North and South Poles) and has significant implications for climate. It contains the largest volume of ice and snow outside of the Arctic and Antarctica. The HKH region is the source of ten large Asian river systems: the Amu Darya, Indus, Ganges, Brahmaputra, Irrawaddy, Salween, Mekong, Yangtse, Yellow River, and Tarim.  The basins of these rivers provide water to 1.9 bil...

The World Health Organization (WHO) has designated the National Institute of Indian Medical Heritage as WHO-Collaborating Centre (CC) for "Fundamental and Literary Research in Traditional Medicine".  About National Institute of Indian Medical Heritage (NIIMH): The NIIMH, formerly known as the National Center of Indian Medical Heritage (NCIMH), provides resource materials for historians, scientists and other workers who are interested in studying and documenting the historical aspects of Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Homoeopathy, and Sowa Rigpa (AYUSH), along with Modern Medicine. It came into existence as the Upgraded Department of History of Medicine from 26-09-1956 under the Govt. of Andhra Pradesh and was handed over to Govt. of India on 14-02-1969 due to its national and international importance. The institute is functioning under the administrative control of the Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS), Ministry of AYUSH, Government ...

Recently, the Empowered Programme Committee (EPC) of National Technical Textiles Mission (NTTM) has approved 7 startup proposals under the GREAT scheme.  About GREAT Scheme: Grant for Research and Entrepreneurship across Aspiring Innovators in Technical Textiles (GREAT) encourages young innovators, scientists/technologists, and startup ventures in the field of Technical Textiles to translate their ideas into commercial technologies/products and make India self-reliant.  It supports individual entrepreneurs or start-ups for functional prototypes or commercialization of their technologies for Technical Textile Funding:  A grant-in-aid of up to Rs 50 lakhfor up to a period of 18 months will be provided. Key facts about National Technical Textiles Mission It was launched to increase the penetration level of technical textiles in India while leveraging the extraordinary growth rate of the sector. The mission aims to position India as a global leader in Tech...

Recently, researchers have discovered a rare species of bioluminescent mushrooms in the forests of Kasaragod which are scientifically known as Filoboletus manipularis.  About Filoboletus manipularis: It is a fascinating species of bioluminescent mushroom.  These mushrooms glow a bright green at night due to a chemical reaction in their cells.  Habitat: They thrive in tropical, humid environments, typically found in dense forests where there’s plenty of decaying organic matter, like fallen trees and leaves.  This rich, moist environment provides the nutrients and conditions necessary for their growth and their unique glowing property. Biochemical process: The chemical reaction involving luciferin (a pigment) and luciferase (an enzyme) with oxygen plays a critical role in these mushrooms. This reaction produces light, a trait shared with other bioluminescent organisms like fireflies and certain marine creatures.  Advantage: In fungi, this glowing mechanism is...

An amount of $736.4 million will be allocated towards environment protection at the Global Environment Facility (GEF) council meeting being convened in Washington, DC, starting June 17, 2024.  About Global Environment Facility: It was established on the eve of the 1992 Rio Earth Summit of UNFCC to help tackle our planet’s most pressing environmental problems.  It is a family of funds dedicated to confronting biodiversity loss, climate change, pollution and strains on land and ocean health. It provides financial assistance for five major international environmental conventions:  Minamata Conventionon Mercury. Stockholm Conventionon Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs). United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (UNCBD) United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification(UNCCD). United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). It has 184 member countries, including India. The governing council is the ma...

Recently, the Ministry of External Affairs and the SBI have signed an MoU to provide an additional digital payment service of the bank through its payment gateway SBIePay to users of the eMigrate portal.  About eMigrate Portal: It was launched in 2014 and it has been instrumental in making the emigration process online and transparent for Indian workers heading to countries where emigration checks are required.  The portal connects foreign employers, registered recruiting agents, and insurance companies issuing the Pravasi Bhartiya Bima Yojna, facilitating seamless, safe, and legal migration. The portal also has a mechanism for voluntary registration of emigrants holding ECNR (Emigration Check Not Required) category passports proceeding for overseas employment. It is integrated with the external affairs ministry’s Passport Seva Project to validate the passport details of ECR category workers. This integration helps detect fake passport cases and check for data entry error...

The Indian Air Force will host an air exercise, Tarang Shakti-2024 in August.  About Exercise Tarang Shakti: It is a first multinational air exercise to be hosted by the Indian Air force. Objective: The plan is to invite friendly foreign countries with whom the IAF interacts regularly and has a certain degree of interoperability. The exercise is now scheduled to be held in two phases.  The first will be held in southern India in the first two weeks of August and the second will be in the western sector from the end of August to mid-September. Participating countries: Australia, France, Germany, Japan, Spain, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Germany will deploy fighter jets and also an A-400M transport aircraft. The exercise aims to foster professional interactions, enrich the employment philosophy of the participating forces, and facilitate the exchange of valuable insights.  It represents a unique opportunity for these nations to colla...