Researchers have coined a new term to describe extended periods of atmospheric thirst called Thirswaves.
About Thirstwave
- A thirst wave has at least three consecutive days when daily evaporative demand is greater than its historical 90th percentile value for that period.
- Evaporative demand is a measure of how thirsty the atmosphere is.
- A combination of factors drives evaporative demand, including temperature, wind speed, humidity, and sunshine.
- Studying these ‘thirstwaves’ can help farmers better manage their water resources and improve crop yields.
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World Meteorological Organization releases State of the Climate in Asia 2024 Report
- WMO is a specialized agency of the United Nations.
Key Findings
- Hottest Year: 2024 was Asia’s warmest or second warmest year on record, with temperatures 1.04°C above the 1991–2020 average.
- Rapid Warming: Asia is warming twice as fast as the global average.
- Glacial Loss: Reduced snowfall and extreme heat drove glacier melt in the Central Himalayas and Tian Shan.
- Record Sea Temperatures: Highest sea-surface temperatures recorded. Decadal warming rate is almost double the global average.
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1 sourceThe National Institute of Immunohaematology (NIIH), under the India Council of Medical Research (ICMR), has created India’s first National Rare Blood Donor Registry.
About National Rare Blood Donor Registry
- Objective: To help patients with rare blood types who require frequent transfusions.
- Rare blood donors are generally defined as being negative for a high prevalence antigen with a frequency of less than 1 in 1,000 or can be rare by being negative for multiple common antigens that are rarely found together in a donor.
- Examples of rare blood types that are negative for antigens of high prevalence include Rhnull, Bombay (Oh), Jr(a-) among others.
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1 sourceA new study has raised serious concerns about the the health risks posed by recycled plastic.
About the study
- A single recycled plastic pellet contains over 80 different chemicals.
- These chemicals can leach into water and disrupt hormone systems and metabolism.
Recycled plastic
- It involves collecting used plastic materials, breaking them down through various mechanical or chemical processes, and converting them into raw materials that can be used to manufacture new plastic products.
- This reduces the need for virgin plastic production, conserves energy, and decreases pollution.
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1 sourceONGC deploys global experts to contain the natural gas leak due to blowout in an oil well in Assam.
About Blowout
- A blowout is an oil/gas well accident where underground pressure forces gas or oil to the surface uncontrollably.
- On its way out, the gas becomes mixed with drilling fluid, sand, and sometimes even oil and shoots out at the surface in an uncontrolled jet.
- Caused by valve failure or underestimating pressure, leading to a sudden release of flammable materials.
- Impact: Massive Fires, Explosions, air pollution, casualties etc.
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1 sourceThousands of devotees have arrived in Assam for the Kamakhya Temple’s annual Ambubachi Mela.
About Ambubachi Mela
- It is an annual Hindu fair held during Monsoon at the Kamakhya Temple in Assam.
- Kamakhya Temple is situated on the Nilachal Hills near Guwahati.
- Temple is one of the major centers for Tantric worship and is one of the biggest Shakti shrines.
- The festival symbolizes fertility, the arrival of the monsoon, and the traditional belief of the Earth as a fertile woman across cultures.
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India rejected references to India at the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) meeting as unwarranted and factually incorrect.
About OIC
- Genesis: Established in 1969 in a summit held at Rabat, Morocco.
- Headquarters: Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
- Membership: Second largest intergovernmental organization after the UN with a membership of 57 states spread over four continents.
- Role: The Organization is the collective voice of the Muslim world.
