- RBI is planning for tokenization of assets and Government bonds under its wholesale Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) pilot project.
- CBDC is a digital form of currency notes issued by a central bank.
- Tokenization is process of issuing a digital representation of an asset using Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) or Blockchain.
- These assets can include tangible assets like real estate, financial assets like equities or bonds, and intangible assets like intellectual property, identity, etc.
- Benefits: Increased liquidity, enhanced settlement processes, etc.
- GIB has not been spotted at Rollapadu Wildlife Sanctuary in Andhra Pradesh for years.
- About GIB
- Range: Endemic to Indian Sub-continent, found in central India, western India and eastern Pakistan.
- Major population is confined mostly to Rajasthan and Gujarat.
- Habitat: Arid and semi-arid grasslands, open country with thorn scrub, tall grass interspersed with cultivation.
- IUCN Status: Critically Endangered.
- Listed in Schedule I of Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 and in Appendix I of CITES.
- Included in Species Recovery Programme.
- A new proposed railway line passing through Bandipur National Park has evoked protests over its ecological impact.
- About Bandipur National Park
- Located in Karnataka.
- Part of Western Ghats Mountains Biogeography Zone and Nilgiri Biosphere reserve.
- Shares boundary with 3 other National park namely Nagarahole National Park, Wayanad National Park and Mudumalai National park.
- Forest Type: Scrub type to moist deciduous
- Fauna: Tigers, Indian Elephants, Leopard, Dhole, Sambar, etc.
- Major Rivers: Kabini River, Moyar, and Nugu River etc.
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- During the winter months, American alligators go into a state of brumation, a type of hibernation.
- Hibernation is a period of inactivity that allows animals to survive when food is scarce and the weather is harsh.
- About Brumation:
- Period of dormancy exhibited by reptiles and amphibians in colder months.
- Reptiles are ectothermic (their body temperature is dependent on their environment), hence require brumation.
- In it, reptiles may retreat to underground burrows or other sheltered areas.
- Other types of hibernation:
- Diapause: Dormancy of insects
- Aestivation: Summer dormancy in invertebrates and fish
- Torpor: Short-term physiological state of decreased activity
- Period of dormancy exhibited by reptiles and amphibians in colder months.
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- National Aerospace Laboratories in Bengaluru successfully completed first test of a solar-powered “pseudo satellite”.
- Pseudo satellites or HAPS are unmanned air vehicles that can fly at altitudes of 18-20 km from the ground and can hold fixed positions.
- These could be airplanes, airships, balloons, etc.
- Two types of HAPS
- Lighter-than-air (LTA) HAPS that rely on buoyancy to lift off and stay afloat.
- Heavier than air (HTA) HAPS with a more conventional take-off method
- Applications: Search and rescue missions, disaster relief, surveillance of border areas, etc.
- A new niche technological solution for Open Radio Access Network (ORAN) base stations has been developed by IIITB COMET Foundation (COMET).
- COMET is a hub under the National Mission for Interdisciplinary Cyber Physical Systems (NM-ICPS).
- About ORAN:
- Key part of a mobile network system that uses cellular radio connections to link individual devices to other parts of a network.
- It comprises antennae, which transmits and receives signals to and from our smartphones or other compatible devices.
- It uses radio waves.
- Enable operators to mix and match components from different vendors.
- Also, it is cost-effective, secure, and energy efficient.
- Ministry of Health and family welfare has launched first phase of the Bi-annual Nationwide Mass drug Administration (MDA) campaign to eliminate the Lymphatic Filariasis (LF).
- MDA is part of India’s commitment to end LF by 2027.
- About Lymphatic Filariasis (LF)
- One of the Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD).
- Impairs the lymphatic system and can lead to the abnormal enlargement of body parts.
- Caused by: Microscopic parasite nematodes (roundworms) of the family Filarioidea
- Transmission: Person-to-Person through Mosquitoes
- Symptoms: Mostly asymptomatic, showing no signs of infection.
- Principal Scientific Advisor to the Government of India launched “Science for Women-A Technology & Innovation (SWATI)” Portal.
- It aims to create a single online portal representing Indian Women and Girls in STEMM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Medicine).
- Objectives: Scale up efforts to exponentially include every Indian woman in science and enable reliable long-term research on equality, diversity, and inclusivity.
- Developed, hosted and maintained by National Institute of Plant Genome Research (NIPGR), New Delhi.
- Dr. M S Swaminathan (1925 - 2023)
- Dr. Swaminathan has been conferred with Bharat Ratna.
- Key contributions
- Architect of India’s Green Revolution during 1960s.
- Along with Norman Borlaug, developed high-yielding verities of wheat.
- Promoted knowledge, skill, and technological empowerment of women in agriculture.
- As head of National Commission on Farmers (2004-06), recommended Minimum Support Price for farmers based on Comprehensive cost of Production.
- Rewards and recognitions: First World Food Prize Laureate (1987), S.S. Bhatnagar Award (1961), etc.
- Values: Leadership, Scientism, Compassion, Dedication to Public Service, etc.
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