Current Affairs Quiz - February, 2024

Notes:
Eravikulam National Park (ENP), in Kerala’s Idukki district, closing for the Nilgiri tahr’s calving season, hosts diverse flora and fauna. Declared a National Park in 1978, it spans 97 sq.km, featuring Anamudi, the highest peak south of the Himalayas. Famous for the “Neelakurinji” flower blooming every twelve years, the park experiences heavy monsoons. Rich in biodiversity, it houses species like Nilgiri Tahr, Gaur, Sloth Bear, and hosts rare butterflies and the world’s largest moth, the Atlas moth.

Notes:
The National Conference on Promotion of Seaweed Cultivation, chaired by the Union Minister of Fisheries in Koteshwar, Kutch, Gujarat, showcased diverse seaweed cultivation methods (Monoline, tube-net, and rafts). CMFRI, CSMCRI, and NFDB demonstrated these techniques. Seaweeds, macroscopic algae lacking true roots and leaves, thrive in marine and coastal waters. They are classified into four groups based on pigments that absorb specific wavelengths of light. The event aimed at fostering seaweed development and enhancing awareness about its potential in India.

Notes:
Tamil Nadu’s Republic Day Parade 2024 featured the Kudavolai System, an ancient electoral method dating back to the 10th century Chola era. Documented in Uthiramerur inscriptions, it was employed to elect village administration representatives. The system involved dividing villages into wards, with residents choosing their representatives through a unique process: contestants’ names on palm leaf tickets (volai) placed in a pot (kuda), and a boy selecting tickets to declare elected leaders. Tamil Nadu’s tableau showcasing this historical system earned the third-best award.

Notes:
Maharashtra topped the medal tally at the 2023 Khelo India Youth Games with 158 medals. The host state, Tamil Nadu, finished second with 98 medals. Haryana came in third. Maharashtra’s medal count included 57 gold, 48 silver, and 53 bronze medals. Tamil Nadu’s medal count included 38 gold, 21 silver, and 39 bronze medals.

Notes:
The German eROSITA consortium has released data from the first all-sky survey conducted by the eROSITA X-ray telescope on the Russian-German SRG observatory. eROSITA stands for extended ROentgen Survey with an Imaging Telescope Array and is the main instrument on the Russian spacecraft Spektrum-Roentgen-Gamma (SRG). Launched in July 2019, it maps the entire celestial sphere every six months, with eight surveys planned until December 2023. The survey aims to provide insights into various astrophysical phenomena, including supermassive black hole evolution and X-ray-emitting solar system bodies.

Notes:
Researchers have discovered a new frog species, Sphaerotheca varshaabhu, thriving in Bengaluru’s urban landscape. Named for its rain-loving behavior, the amphibian emerges from burrows during early showers. With unique characteristics, it adapts to urban challenges, displaying behaviors and physical attributes that set it apart. The team employed genetic analysis, morphological studies, and bioacoustics to confirm its distinctiveness from known frog species.

Notes:
An international team of astronomers recently observed AT 2023clx, the nearest Tidal Disruption Event (TDE) to Earth. TDEs happen when a star comes too close to a supermassive black hole, torn apart by tidal forces. The resulting debris falls onto the black hole, emitting radiation that indicates a TDE’s occurrence. This international team’s multi-wavelength observations enhance our understanding of these celestial events.

Notes:
Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan inaugurated the ‘Ministry of Education – AICTE Investor Network,’ a collaborative effort by AICTE and the Ministry of Education’s Innovation Cell. The initiative aims to boost innovation and entrepreneurship in education by offering financial support, mentoring, and strategic guidance to early-stage student or faculty-led startups. Aligned with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision, the network seeks to encourage private investment, empower educational institutions as innovation hubs, and foster a better environment for startup development.

Notes:
Researchers modeling future wheat blast spread predict a 13% global wheat production reduction by 2050 due to the fast-acting fungal disease caused by Magnaporthe oryzae. Wheat blast affects various grasses, especially wheat, barley, lolium, and rice. It spreads through infected seeds and spores, thriving in warm, humid conditions. Resistant to fungicides, it induces bleaching, lower yields, and poor seed quality, leading to crop burning as a preventive measure. The severity necessitates constant vigilance in regions with susceptible climates.

Notes:
Vice Admiral Lochan Singh Pathania is the Chief Hydrographer of the Indian government. Pathania is a Hydrography Specialist who has a naval career spanning over four decades. He joined the Indian Navy in 1990 in the Executive branch. He has commanded the ships Darshak and Sandhayak, and has carried out hydrographic surveys across India and the Indian Ocean Region.