A study has confirmed that since around 2010, Earth's inner core has slowed down significantly.

Impact of Slowing down of Inner core:

• Usually when core spins slowly, mantle speeds up. 
  • This shift causes Earth to move faster and shortens length of a day.
• Can affect Earth’s Magnetic field.

Earth’s Inner Core (Composed of Iron & Nickel):

• Core (Innermost layer of earth) is divided into outer (liquid state) and Inner core (solid state).
• Spin of inner core is influenced by magnetic field generated in outer core and gravitational effects within Earth’s mantle.

Weather agencies has sent an alert in coastal areas of Kerala and Tamil Nadu about possibility of ‘Kallakkadal’ phenomenon.

About Kallakadal:

• It is essentially coastal flooding usually in pre-monsoon (April-May) or post - monson season by swell waves on southwest coast of India.
• Swell waves are a series of mechanical or surface gravity waves generated by distant weather storms E.g. Hurricane that propagate thousands of miles across oceans and seas.
• Swell waves can propagate in directions that differ from direction of the wind.

Indian Navy's P-8I aircraft joined Rim of the Pacific Exercise (RIMPAC) 2024 in Hawaii (USA).

About RIMPAC

• RIMPAC is the world's largest multinational naval exercise held biennially. 
• Aim of RIMPAC 2024: bolster multilateral relationships and enhance operational preparedness across the Indo-Pacific region, reinforcing stability and security.

The President of India recently visited Udayagiri Caves in Bhubaneswar.

About Udayagiri and Khandagiri Caves

• They are built on the Kumari mountain range and are the earliest examples of rock-cut cave tradition in Odisha.
• They were built around 2nd century BC by King Kharavela of the Meghavahana dynasty for Jain monks.
• Udayagiri caves are famous for the Hathigumpha inscription which is carved out in Brahmi script highlighting military campaigns undertaken by Kharavela.

There are other sets of Vaishnavite caves built during Gupta period in Udayagiri near Vidisha in Madhya Pradesh.

Scientists have discovered the world’s oldest-known cave painting inside Leang Karampuang cave in Sulawesi, Indonesia, dating back at least 51,200 years. 

• Previously, the oldest known painting was in Sulawesi’s Leang Tedongnge cave, dating to at least 45,500 years ago. 
• However, some believe that the painting in Spain’s Maltravieso cave attributed to Neanderthals is the oldest and dates back to around 64,000 years ago. 

About Karampuang cave painting 

• Its age was determined using uranium-based dating technology.
• Features a standing pig and three smaller human-like figures in dark red pigment. 
• Demonstrates the mental capacity of ancient people. 

Recently shutting down of Koo (India’s Twitter-like app) has raised debate around Zombie startups.

About Zombie Startups

• It refers to startups that have raised enough funds(during the boom cycle) to operate but are currently not generating significant revenue. 
• It can be considered to be stuck in a situation of consuming resources without growing into a successful enterprise.
  • In the long term, such startups may vanish. 
• Lack of market-suitable products, high cost of acquiring customers, funding winter, etc. can make a startup Zombie. 

Regenerative braking,  a feature of EVs, is being widely used among those developing next-gen cars.

Regenerative Braking

• Braking slows down a vehicle by removing kinetic energy.  
• Regenerative braking works on the principle of conversion of combined kinetic energy and potential energy of the braking system directly into electrical energy using a generator.
  • This electric energy is used for recharging the battery (hence, braking in EVs increases the mileage slightly)
• Benefits: Better efficiency and less maintenance (wear and tear on brake systems is reduced).

Government has invited applications PLIWG  Scheme for White Goods(ACs and LED Lights).

• White Goods are large electrical goods and home appliances like refrigerators, washing machines, and ACs. 
  • Brown goods generally refer to Consumer Electronics like televisions, DVD players, stereos, and computers. 

About PLIWG 

• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Commerce & Industry
• Type: Central Sector Scheme
• Background: Launched in 2021 in pursuance of ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat.
• Financial incentives to applicants: An incentive of 4% to 6% on incremental sales (net of taxes) over the base year 2019-20.
• Tenure: FY 2021-22 to FY 2028-29