Current Affairs Quiz - February, 2023

Notes:
Quasicrystal is a substance that has atoms orderly arranged like a crystal but its atomic structure is more complex and does not repeat periodically in all directions. This unique complex pattern makes it different from a normal crystal.
Recently, a new type of quasicrystal was discovered in the north central Nebraska’s Sand Hills in the USA.  It had 12-fold symmetry. It may have been created during an accidental electrical discharge because of a downed power line or a lightning strike.

Notes:
The TARKASH exercise is a joint bilateral exercise between India’s National Security Guard (NSG) and US Special Operations Forces (SOF).
The sixth edition of this exercise is being held in Chennai from January 16 to February 14. This is the first time that the ‘Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) terror response’ is included in TARKASH.

Notes:
The Tanimbar corella, which is also referred to as Goffin’s cockatoo, is a type of cockatoo that is found exclusively in the forests of Yamdena, Larat, and Selaru islands in the Tanimbar Islands archipelago in Indonesia.
It was later introduced to the Kai Islands, Singapore, and Puerto Rico. A new study found that Goffin’s cockatoos are capable of combining multiple tools to achieve a complex task that is only been recorded in humans and chimpanzees.

Notes:
Snapdragon Satellite, which was launched recently, is the world’s first ‘satellite-based, two-way capable messaging solution’.
The solution works for smart-phones developed by Qualcomm in partnership with Iridium Inc. The technology was initially introduced at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2023. On a Snapdragon Satellite, emergency messaging will be activated on the next-gen smart-phones.

Notes:
IMF has again called for comprehensive reforms of China’s growth model saying that China’s potential growth has started falling.
This is IMF’s second warning in a week when it called for reforms to sustain growth highlighting the diminishing returns of China’s investment-led growth.

Notes:
Samsung Semiconductor India Research (SSIR) and the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) have recently announced a partnership.
The partnership aims to promote research and development in an on-chip electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection.

Notes:
Periyar Tiger Reserve is a protected area in Kerala. It was declared as a national park in 1982. A 4-day bird survey, which was conducted recently by the state forest department, has identified 231 bird species in the Periyar Tiger Reserve
Among these birds, 14 were endangered and 20 were endemic to the Western Ghats. It also found the presence of 11 bird species that were not recorded during the previous surveys.

Notes:
Lumpy skin disease (LSD) is a viral illness that affects cattle, caused by the lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV) of the Capripoxvirus genus.
This disease is characterized by the formation of nodules or lumps on the skin, accompanied by fever and other symptoms. It causes reduced milk production, weight loss, damage to hides and welfare issues.

Notes:
The Global Tourism Resilience Day (GTRD) is observed on February 17 each year. It was adopted by the United Nations in the year 2023 and this year marks the inaugural edition.
Its objective is to highlight the importance of tourism resilience at the international level. In 2019, tourism sector accounted for 7 percent of global trade and 10 percent of global GDP. It is the third largest export industry in the world.

Notes:
India’s first ring metro corridor is expected to be operationalized in 2024 in Delhi. The Majlis Park-Maujpur corridor will be the first and only ring metro corridor in India.
The total length of this ring metro corridor is 71.15 km and it will have a total of 8 stations. This ring metro corridor is expected to ease travel for passengers from Faridabad, Noida, Ghaziabad, and Bahadurgarh.