10/7/2016

Mrunal Current Affairs: Sept-2016: Environment,Space,Science-Tech,Public Health

- Mrunal - http://mrunal.org -

[Current] Sept-2016: Environment, Agriculture, Space, Public Healthcare, ICT:

Scramjet, SCATSAT, 3DR; Kibali Summit & More
Posted ByMrunalOn 04/10/2016 @ 10:20 am In Environment | 21 Comments

Prologue
Environment & Agriculture: Sept-2016
Ratification of Paris Summit
Kigali summit and HFCs
Env: Disasters and Typhoons
Env: Pollution & Energy
Env: Flora-Fauna
Agriculture
Public Healthcare: Sept-2016
Mosquito & Fever related
Genetics related
Innovation and Research
Yearbook type
Space-Tech: Sept-2016
Mobile & IT: Sept-2016

Prologue
September 2016: Current affairs development in environment, medicine, IT and space tech. (Defense Ill combine with diplomacy).

Environment: 2016/Sept
You should update my old PowerPoints with following two new developments on treaties/summits.

Treaty#1: Ratification of Paris Summit

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UNFCCC- Conference of parties (COP21) was held @Paris, France.

COP22 will be held @Marrakesh (Morocco) on 7th November 2016.
In G20 summit @Hangzhou (China), India stalled any ratification, but later on made haste because
USA and China already ratified Paris deal in 2016, Sept.
if EU/Japan/Russia ratified before India, theyll dominate over the nitty-gritty and implementation of the Paris Deal.
So, India became 62nd country to ratify @2nd Oct, 2016.
For more details on Paris summit & Ratification process: see this lecture.

Treaty#2: Kigali summit and HFCs

1989: Montreal (Canada) protocol banned CFCs to prevent ozone depletion; hence companies started using HFCs in refrigerators
and air-conditioning.
Although Hydroflurocarbons (HFCs) dont deplete ozone, they still contribute to greenhouse gas effect and global warming.
2016, Oct: Summit at Rwanadas Kigali to phase out HFCs.
More theory on Kyoto, Montreal and GHG gases: see this lecture

Env: Disasters and Typhoons

Holocene Epoch: 12000BC till 1950: human civilization developed during this phase.
Geological

Anthropocene: 1950AD onwards: human centric geological time when flora-fauna began vanishing at faster rate, and

epoc

heading towards an ecological disaster.

In news, because Expert Group of Intl. Geologists say were living in Anthropocene.

Italy

Earthquake in Accumoli killed 120.

Myanmar

Earthquake in Bagan damaged ancient Buddhist pagodas.

Typhoon
Lionrock
Typhoon
Meranti
Typhoon
Malakas
Typhoon
Megi

Affected Japans northern coast. It is the first typhoon to make landfall in this region since 1951.
Taiwan and Chinas Fujian affected. Meranti is worlds strongest typhoon this year.
Japan.
China.

Env: Pollution & Energy

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Env: Pollution & Energy

No more Diesel cars from Renault

After Volkswagon emission mischief, EU tightening pollution-norms on Diesel vehicles. Renault decides to stop Diesel car sales,
because its too expensive for Renault to comply with these norms.
Whats the difference?
Petrol
5-12 carbon atoms

Diesel
12 or more carbon atoms.

Mixture of alkane and cyclo-alkane Heavier chain means it can give more power to internal combustion engine.
Boiling point: 40 to 205 Celsius

250-350

less

Emits more sulfur, nitrogen oxide, soot particles.

Pollution: other developments

Aviation

India says no to proposal by ICAO to cut emission post-2020. Because Indian economy is growing, so obviously by 2020

Emission the air-traffic will increase, compared to US/UK where it has peaked. (Recall Kuznets Curve.)
Vehicle

Voluntary Vehicle fleet modernization program policy (V-VMP)- it aims to scrap 15 years old vehicles to check on

scrapping pollution. Government planning to start with heavy vehicles first.

Due to large scale deployment of renewable energy sources and their grid-connectivity, coal plants will have to cut down
CERC

their energy production / tweak them according to sunlight / wind-speed / monsoon.

CERC has issued guidelines and compensation mechanism in this regard- for the coal power plants and grid-managers.

Env: Flora-Fauna

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Four apes in critically endangered species

Western Gorilla
Eastern Gorilla
Apes

Sumatran Orangutan
Bornean Orangutan
Two apes in endangered list
Chimpanzee

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Bonobo
ICUN reduced the danger level of Panda from endangered to vulnerable because their population has substantially

Panda

increased.
IUCN report says from Assams Kanziranga an other national parks, rhino-poachers smuggling horns to China via

Kaziranga

Myanmar route, because now Nepal has tightened the anti-poaching campaign.

Park

Assam government begins evicting (Bangladeshi) people whove encroached in this area to build Jhopad-patti.
Jholachhap NGOs dont like it. Not one bit.
After genetic analysis, Scientists concluded Giraffe is not one species but four species viz 1) Southern 2) Northern 3)

Giraffe

Reticulated 4) Masai.
Zhangjiajie park- UNESCO world heritage site located in Hunan province of China.

Longest

Famous for cloud-weathered mountains that inspired Avatar movie scenes.

glass bridge Worlds longest glass bridge installed here but closed down within 2 weeks of opening because far too many visitors to
handle the rush.

Agriculture
Mustard flower is self-pollinating, it contains both male and female organs. Hence difficult to hybrid. But GM- variety fixes
Gmmustard

this by making the male organ sterile.

GM variety Developed by Deepak Pental, Ex-VC of DU, Approved by GEAC.
Contains two types of soil bacterium- none of them have Bacillus thuringiensis though.
Will increase mustard production, and thereby self-reliance in edible oil production.

BayerMonsato

Bayer (worlds 2nd largest agro-chem company) acquired Monsato (worlds largest seeds-genomics company)
Jholachhaap NGOs worried such consolidation among MNCs will lead to cartelization/monopolgy and thereby exploitation of
farmers.
El Nino = drought in 2014-15.

Monsoon La Nina = good monsoon for India. IMD hoped this year 106% monsoon (than normal expectation) but La Nina was not
that intense, hence only 96% monsoon (than normal expectation.)

Public Healthcare: Sept-2016

Mosquito & Fever related
Malaria-free

Sri Lanka becomes the 2nd country after Maldives to be declared Malaria-free by WHO.

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Researchers prepare Malaria map: the Malaria parasite has travelled with humans to continents. From India to

Malaria Map

Europe (4-5 Cent), then from Europe to America (when Columbus arrived).
Sanofi-Pasteurs Dengue vaccine named Dengvaxia- already introduced in Mexico, Brazil etc.

Dengue vaccine

But India not to introduce it this year, because

A college in London raised doubts about efficacy of this vaccine.
ICMR looking at other strategies including a bacteria wolbachia to control vectors.
Symptoms like viral fever but actually caused by a parasite Orientia tsutsugamushi (originated from Japan-russia

Scrub Typhus or

region).

Bush Typush

Vector: mites living in small shrubs.

Deaths reported in Himachal during grass-cutting seasons.
Chikungunya- originated from southern Tanzania in 1952; the name is derived from the local Kimakonde

Chikungunya

language- means to become contorted

Two species of mosquitoes can spread: Aedes aegypti (Day biters) and Aedes albopictus (not dominant in India)

Genetics related
Three parent
baby

USA researchers breed three parent baby in Mexico- for a Jordanian couple.
Baby has nuclear DNA from both parents but mitochondrial DNA from third donor woman- to ensure no genetic
defects due to mitochondria.

Wilsons

Genetic disorder wherein body cant get rid of extra copper. This excessive copper then harms liver, kidney etc.

disease

Lifesaving drug D-Penicillamine : but shortage in Indian market, so CDSCO orders inquiry.

Innovation and Research

Glucometer
for GS3

The present glucometers cost about Rs.2-3k and per strip costs about Rs.15-20 each.
BITS Pilani came up with new low-cost model to help poor diabetic patients. ICMR gave contract to a private firm but
unable to launch product in market yet, hence blame games.
London researchers says the TB patients in India are double than the official estimates given. Many patients go for

TB

private healthcare, but private doctors dont forward data to government , hence discrepancy in data.
Young India are most vulnerable to skeletal TB- especially TB affecting Spine. Says another study. As such ~2% of all
Indian TB patients have skeletal TB.

Baracktrema New parasite discovered by Obamas 5th cousin in USA.

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Obamai

Yearbook type
Open

Gujarat and Andhra become first states to declare their urban areas free from open defecation (declared on Gandhi-

Defecation Jayanti 2nd October 2016)

Alcoholic beverage standards 2016:
FSSAI

It must have min. 0.5% ethyl alcohol

It must be made from agriculture.
Yes, FSSAI/Food-labelling has become sacred cow for UPSC preparation since 2016s Prelim.

LOreal
Paris

Their beauty products test positive for mercury.

Mercury salts inhibit melanin pigment formation in skin- thus giving whiter look.
But side effects: kidney damage, skin rash, depression.
Cancer ridden Chinese Actress Xu Ting chose traditional Chinese medicines, acupuncture, cupping instead of

Chinese

chemotherapy. Situation got worst, she dies because immunity already low to when she tried to revert back to

Medicine

Chemotherapy at later stage.

Moral of the story: AYUSH/traditional medicinal system is not panacea for everything.

Space-Tech: Sept-2016

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and by launching these things UPSC aspirants ko pareshaan korbe chaalo, said ISRO Chairman
ISRO-related
Space transportation vehicle that can return back to earth for reuse.
ISROs

Full name: supersonic combustion ramjet.

US, Russia, European space agency already have it. (yes UPSC asks like that- whether India is the only country to

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Scramjet

Mrunal Current Affairs: Sept-2016: Environment,Space,Science-Tech,Public Health

have xyz technology!)

Fuel: Hydrogen + atmospheric oxygen. (other use and throw type rockets use chemical fuel and on-board oxygen.)
Speed: above 3 mach. (1 mach = speed of sound in the air = 332m/s or 1234 kmph)
Launched with help of PSLV-C35.

ISRO-

Weight- 371 kg (yes spacecraft weight also importance since aforementioned prelims.

SCATSAT-1

Purpose: weather forecasting, cyclone detection and tracking.

Same PSLV flight also carried seven other satellites as well- including USAs Pathfinder-1.
Heaviest satellite so far launched from India (2211 kg)

INSAT-3DR

Vehicle: GSLV-F05; with desi Cryogenic upper stage engine.

Purpose: weather satellite, monitor sea-surface temperature.

Non-ISRO
Rosetta

Built by European Space agency (ESA) to monitor an icy comet-67P for nearly 12 years since 2004 launch.

Spacecraft Finally it has crash landed on the said comet.

Proxima-B
Space-X
rocket
Osiris-Rex
GAIA

Earth like planet, orbiting 4.2 light years away.

Planets outside our milky way galaxy are called exo-planets
Exploded in Florida. No person died.
This NASA spacecraft will lend on asteroid Bennu to collect samples and brings them back to earth. (yes such obscure
spacecraft have also become important for UPSC, since 2016s Prelim trend.)
This ESA space telescope mapped 1 billion stars.

Mobile & IT: Sept-2016

Whatsapp
NCCC

Will share user data with facebook, unless user opts out within a selected deadline. Matter challenged in Delhi HC.
HC ordered company to delete user data until September 25, when it changes the privacy policy.
National cyber security coordination centre will be setup by IT ministry, for real time threat assessment.
Reliance 4G to launch from September. Free voicecalls, internet data at Rs.50 per GB.
Point of Interconnection: Its a physical linking between the network of one operator to the equipment of another.

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This enables subscribers to make calls to each other.

4G

Since Reliance offering free voice call, it demands other operators like Airtel,Vodafone to give it more Points of
interconnection, otherwise this will lead to call failures.
Meanwhile Anil Ambanis Rcom merges with Aircel.
This gossip blog / media company declared bankruptcy, after court order it to cough up millions of dollars as

Gawker.com compensation to Hulk Hogan for breaching his privacy by showing sex-tape.
Lesson for GS4: limits of journalistic freedom.
IIT
Kharagpur
Google

Starts courses on happiness.

(!?)
Google station: public-wifi platform. Inspired from Railway platform wifi at India.
Youtube Go: works on low-bandwidth situation and allows sharing among family members.

Mobile phone battery: Theory

Samsung Galaxy Note 7: Incidents of device catching fire. US and DGCA banned it on aircrafts.
Mobile batteries use lithium Cobalt oxide in their lithium ion batteries because its more stable than lithium.
Lithium atomic number 3; lightest metal, highest electro-chemical potential (ECP), violently reacts with oxygen hence stored in
vegetable oil jars.
Mobile Battery consists of
Anode

Lithium +positive charge

Cathode Graphite negative charge

In mobile battery- Lithium ions (Li+) move from anode to cathode, and electrons also travel through the wire from anode to cathode
because they are at a higher energy in the anode than in the cathode.
During battery recharging- the process is reversed: ions and electrons move from lithium cathode to graphite anode.
Upcoming: Polity, Diplomacy, Economy, Sports and States in News during 2016, September.

Article printed from Mrunal: http://mrunal.org

URL to article: http://mrunal.org/2016/10/current-affairs-space-scramjet-scatsat-rosetta.html
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Copyright 2014 Mrunal. All rights reserved.

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