Current Affairs Quiz - February 2022

Notes:
Researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Jodhpur have developed an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based chest X-ray diagnosis technique using X-Ray that can detect COVID-19.
The AI-based solution can be an alternative to the regular RT PCR tests conducted across the world. The Researchers from the institute proposed a deep learning-based algorithm, COMiT-Net, which can differentiate between a COVID-19 affected lung and a non-COVID affected lung.

Notes:
HERMES stands for Heliophysics Environmental and Radiation Measurement Experiment Suite. It is a critical part of NASA’s Artemis mission
HERMES is a four-instrument suite to be mounted outside NASA’s Moon-orbiting Gateway, and has recently passed a critical mission review. HERMES will monitor the space weather and the fluctuating conditions in space driven by the Sun.

Notes:
Moderna’s Covid-19 vaccine named ‘Spikevax’ has received full approval from the US Food and Drug Administration, for use in people ages 18 and older.
This is the second Covid-19 vaccine to receive full approval from the FDA after Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccine, Comirnaty, which was approved in August. This is also the first product of Moderna to receive licensure in the U.S.

Notes:
‘World Neglected Tropical Diseases Day’ is observed on January 30 every year, to raise awareness on neglected tropical diseases.
This year’s World NTD Day was commemorated under the theme ‘Achieving health equity to end the neglect of poverty-related diseases’. Some examples of NTDs are Chagas disease, Chikungunya, Dengue, Leprosy, Rabies and Trachoma among others. They affect 1 billion people globally.

Notes:
A study was conducted jointly by 100 scientists across the world and it found out that the total number of tree species on Earth is 73,000.
It also highlights that 9,200 tree species have remained mysterious and undiscovered. South America has likely more undiscovered tree species than others at about 40%. As per the estimates, 43 percent of all Earth’s tree species occur in South America, followed by Eurasia (22 percent), Africa (16 percent).

Notes:
The Union Budget announced that 2,000 km of the rail network will be brought under ‘Kavach’ technology in 2022-23.
Kavach is an indigenously developed anti-collision device (ACD) network. It is SIL4 certified which means there is a probability of a single error in 10,000 years. 400 new Vande Bharat trains will be introduced, and 100 PM Gati Shakti cargo terminals will be built in the next three years.

Notes:
As per a recent study by UK researchers, it has been found that Climate change is driving plants to flower earlier and earlier.
The average first flowering date of UK plants is a month earlier than it was before 1986. As per the research team, Plants flowering too early could be disastrous for hibernating and migrating animals, and for crops.

Notes:
The marine version of the French-made Rafale fighter jet has been successfully flight-tested at a shore-based facility in Goa.
The Rafale-M competes against the US-made Super Hornet, as both of which are being evaluated for a purchase by the Indian Navy for deployment on INS Vikrant. It is a 44,000-tonne indigenously developed aircraft carrier, that is undergoing trials for commissioning in August.

Notes:
Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma recently inaugurated the ‘Shillong Technology Park’. Several companies have submitted their assent to open their branches.
At present, Meghalaya has 70% population below the age of 35 years. The first phase building of the Technology Park will create employment for more than 1,500 people directly, will generate more jobs indirectly.

Notes:
The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and the DMK Chief announced the launch of ‘All India Federation for Social Justice’. This federation will be represented by leaders of the depressed classes from all the states.
The Chief Minister invited as many as 37 leaders across the country to join the federation. Tamil Nadu played a significant role in the legal battle, which ended in the apex court upholding the 27 per cent OBC quota in the all-India pool seats at state medical colleges.