1. Churdhar Wildlife Sanctuary is located in which state?
[A] Uttarakhand
[B] Himachal Pradesh
[C] Sikkim
[D] Maharashtra
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Himachal Pradesh]
Notes:
The Forest Department of Himachal Pradesh recently put on hold its order that imposed a user charge on visitors to the Churdhar Wildlife Sanctuary in Sirmaur district. Churdhar Wildlife Sanctuary is located in the Sirmaur district of Himachal Pradesh. It lies in the Shivalik range of the Himalayas and was established in 1985. The sanctuary covers an area of 56 square kilometres and surrounds the Churdhar Peak, also known as Choordhar. Churdhar Peak is the highest peak in the outer Himalayas. From the peak, one can view the wild Gangetic plains and Satluj River in the south and Badrinath in the north. A temple dedicated to Lord Shiva at the peak gives the sanctuary spiritual importance.
2. Who has become the youngest Indian to complete the Seven Summits Challenge?
[A] Arya Singh
[B] Swastik Sinha
[C] Vishwanath Karthikey Padakanti
[D] Suresh Advani
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Correct Answer: C [Vishwanath Karthikey Padakanti]
Notes:
Hyderabad teenager Vishwanath Karthikey Padakanti recently became the youngest Indian and the second youngest person in the world to complete the Seven Summits Challenge. The Seven Summits Challenge involves climbing the highest mountain on each of the seven continents. It was first proposed and completed by Richard Bass in 1985. The peaks include Mount Everest in Asia, Aconcagua in South America, Denali in North America, Kilimanjaro in Africa, Elbrus in Europe, Mount Vinson in Antarctica, and either Kosciuszko in Australia or Puncak Jaya in Oceania.
3. The plant species “Pedicularis rajeshiana” was recently discovered in which region of India?
[A] Western Himalayas
[B] Nilgiri Hills
[C] Eastern Ghats
[D] Aravalli Range
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Western Himalayas]
Notes:
Recently, researchers discovered a new plant species named Pedicularis rajeshiana in the high-altitude region of Rohtang Pass in the western Himalayas. It belongs to a group of plants called “Louseworts,” which are hemiparasitic and take some nutrients from other plants while also doing photosynthesis. The plant has unique floral traits and a distinct pollen structure that sets it apart from other species. Compared to its close relatives Pedicularis porrecta and Pedicularis heydei, this new species is smaller in size with fewer flowers and leaflets.
4. Which district in India has become the first to meet its entire power demand with solar energy?
[A] Leh
[B] Diu
[C] Cochin
[D] Surat
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Diu]
Notes:
Recently, Diu became the first district in India to meet its entire power demand using solar energy, achieving a capacity of 11.88 megawatts (MW). Minister for New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) Pralhad Joshi praised Diu as a national model for adopting clean energy. Diu now meets all its daytime electricity needs through solar power, showing strong progress in renewable energy use.
5. Where were the 600-million-year-old stromatolites recently discovered?
[A] Aravalli Hills, Rajasthan
[B] Chambaghat, Himachal Pradesh
[C] Shillong Plateau, Meghalaya
[D] Western Ghats, Kerala
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Chambaghat, Himachal Pradesh]
Notes:
Recently, scientists unearthed large stromatolites dating back 600 million years in the pine-covered ridges of Chambaghat in Solan district of Himachal Pradesh. Stromatolites are organo-sedimentary structures formed by algae and cyanobacteria trapping calcium carbonate in shallow marine environments. These structures show thin layers that are flat, dome-shaped, or hummocky in form. They were especially common during the Precambrian period, which is over 542 million years ago. While most stromatolites formed in marine seas, some from the Proterozoic era, over 2.5 billion years ago, lived in intertidal zones and freshwater bodies.
