Current Affairs Quiz - April, 2023

Notes:
The European Space Agency has successfully launched its mission to Jupiter’s moons. The Ariane 5 rocket was launched from the ESA’s spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana.
The Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE) project aims to send a satellite on an eight-year journey to reach the icy moons of the planet, gas giant.

Notes:
The National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Ashraya Hastha Trust (a charitable trust in Karnataka) to implement a model comprehensive rural mental health programme in Munisiyari taluk – Pithorgarh district of Uttarakhand and in Belur taluk – Hassan district in Karnataka.
The programme would be subsequently expanded to the entire country, if proved successful.

Notes:
The Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs has launched a new Central Sector Scheme “Marketing and Logistics Development for Promotion of Tribal Products from North -Eastern Region (PTP-NER)”.
The scheme with a substantial outlay of Rs.143 crore is intended to benefit Scheduled Tribes of North-eastern India. programme has been designed to strengthen the opportunities for tribal craftsmen to support their livelihoods.

Notes:
World Heritage Day is observed every year on April 18. It is also known as the International Day for Monuments and Sites.
International Day for Monuments and Sites (IDMS) is being celebrated with the theme of ‘Heritage Changes’. It aims to preserve human heritage and to recognize all the efforts of relevant organisations.

Notes:
In 2018, Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud read down the law that criminalized homosexuality, citing the idea of indirect discrimination where seemingly neutral laws could disproportionately disadvantage a group.
This marked the first time that indirect discrimination was recognized in the equality jurisprudence by the Supreme Court.

Notes:
The Coalition of Coastal Cities to Combat Marine Litter was launched recently by Delhi-based non-profit Centre for Science and Environment (CSE).
It is a coalition of coastal cities that will combat marine litter pollution across India. Of the 460 million tonnes (MT) of global plastic production, nearly 353 MT comes back as plastic waste; 8 MT (2.26 per cent) of which is leaked into the marine ecosystem.

Notes:
Recently, a group of researchers from Tel Aviv University in Israel have reported that their team pick up distress noises – very distinct, high-pitched sounds in the ultrasonic range made by plants when they faced stress.
This phenomenon was stated a century ago by Indian scientist Jagadish Chandra Bose, who demonstrated that plants feel pain and have sensations just like animals.

Notes:
Scientists from the Houston Methodist Academic Institute have recently developed a tiny nanofluidic device named Nanofluidic Drug-Eluting Seed (NDES) that delivers cancer drugs directly to pancreatic tumors.
The Nanofluidic drug-eluting seed (NDES) delivers low-dose immunotherapy via CD40 monoclonal antibodies (mAb) — which encourage the immune system to fight tumor cells — directly to pancreatic tumors to treat the aggressive form of pancreatic cancer.

Notes:
A team of researchers from Hong Kong have discovered a new species of box jellyfish in Mai Po Nature Reserve. This is said to be first discovery of the venomous species in China’s waters.
The jelly fist is named Tripedalia maipoensis. It has a cube-shaped, colourless body with 24 eyes, three tentacles up to 10 cm long which resemble boat paddles. It is said to swim faster than other kinds of jellyfish.

Notes:
The National Quantum Mission was approved recently by the Union Cabinet. Its aim is to seed, nurture and scale scientific and industrial research and development and create an innovative ecosystem in quantum technology.
The Centre has approved Rs 6,003 crore for the National Quantum Mission, to fund scientific and industrial research development in quantum technology.