A recent study, "Liquid water in the Martian mid-crust," suggests Mars may contain oceans’ worth of liquid water deep in the rocky outer crust of Mars.

•  The liquid layer is located at 10 to 20 km in the Martian crust.
• Data from NASA’s Mars Insight Lander was used 

Significance

• This is the first time scientists have discovered liquid water on the planet.
• Better understand the water cycle of Mars, which in turn could unlock questions related to the evolution of the planet’s climate, surface, and interior. 

The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) facilitated the export of India's first ready-to-drink fig juice, made from Purandar Figs, to Poland.

About Purandar Figs

• It was awarded the GI Tag in 2016.
• The fig is cultivated in many villages of Purandar Taluka in Pune district. 
  • Maharashtra has the highest area 2242 hectares under fig plantation.
• It is bell-shaped, larger in size than other varieties, and has a distinctive violet skin colour that differentiates itself from other varieties.

Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has handed over the Authority Holding Sealed Particulars (AHSP) of ‘Nipun’ munition to DGQA.

• NIPUN is a Soft Target Munition designed and developed by the Armament Research & Development Establishment.

About DGQA

• It’s an Inter-Service Organisation functioning under the Department of Defence Production in the Ministry of Defence. 
• It's responsible for second party Quality Assurance of all defence stores and equipment, both imported as well as indigenous.
• It does quality checks for the Army, Navy (excluding Naval Armaments) and common user items for the Air Force procured from Private Sector, Public Sector Undertakings and Ordnance Factories.

Atal Innovation Mission, in collaboration with CSIRO,Australia is inviting applications from start-ups and MSMEs for the Climate Smart Agritech cohort of the India-Australia RISE Accelerator.

About RISE Accelerator

• Launched in 2023
• The program is designed to aid businesses aiming for international expansion between India and Australia.
• The platform has been instrumental in aiding start-ups and MSMEs in validating, adapting, and piloting their technologies for new markets.
• Focus themes: Climate Smart Agriculture, Clean Energy, Circular Economy and Waste Management, Climate Smart Mobility.

Media reports have raised concerns around lack of guardrails in recently launched two AI models, Grok-2 and Grok-2 mini by Elon Musk's xAI.

About AI Guard Rails

• These are frameworks and mechanisms designed to ensure ethical, legal, and technical compliance with AI systems.
• They prevent AI from causing harm, making biased decisions, or being misused.
• AI guardrails are a critical component of AI governance and the development, deployment and use of responsible AI.

Recently scientist highlighted a case of Zoopharmacognosy in  Sumatran orangutan.

• Orangutan treated a wound on his body by using local plant Fibraurea tinctoria. 

About Zoopharmacognosy

• Process by which wild animals use medicinal plants for treatment of diseases and protection from parasites.

Examples of Zoopharmacognosy

• Dogs: Chew grass and vomit it to get rid of infections in the stomach. 
• Pregnant lemurs: Nibble on tamarind leaves to aid milk production.
• Pregnant elephants: Eat leaves of plants of Boraginaceae family to induce delivery. 

Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying recently reviewed measures taken towards achieving goal of FMD-Mukt Bharat by 2030.

About FMD

• It is a highly contagious viral vesicular disease of cloven-hoofed animals such as cattle, buffaloes, sheep, goats and pigs etc.
  • It does not affect horses, dogs, or cats.
• FMD is caused by an Aphthovirus of the family Picornaviridae.
• Symptoms: Fever and blisters on tongue and lips, in and around mouth, on mammary glands, and around hooves
• Impact: Reduced milk yield, reduced growth rate, infertility, trade restrictions on animal products etc. 
• Steps taken: 
  • National Animal Disease Control Programme: For eradicating FMD and Brucellosis.

Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) launched an innovative project to tackle growing concern of microplastic contamination in food.

About Project:

• Project is named “Micro-and Nano-Plastics as Emerging Food Contaminants: Establishing Validated Methodologies and Understanding Prevalence in Different Food Matrices.
• Objectives:  Developing standard protocols for micro-plastic analysis, conducting intra- and inter-laboratory comparisons, and generating critical data on microplastic exposure levels among consumers.

About Microplastic & Nanoplastic:

• Small plastic pieces less than five millimeters long are called microplastic while particles less than 100 nm (1 μm) are considered nanoplastics.
• Can cause health issues such as endocrine disruption, weight gain, insulin resistance, decreased reproductive health, and cancer.