Current Affairs Quiz - May 2025

Notes:
The American Association of Petroleum Geologists and the United States Geological Survey (USGS) have recently launched formal hydrogen exploration initiatives. Hydrogen is seen as the fuel of the future due to its ability to help decarbonize the global economy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Natural hydrogen, or white hydrogen, is hydrogen that naturally occurs in the Earth’s crust, unlike industrially produced hydrogen. It forms through geological processes such as serpentinisation, where water reacts with iron-rich rocks, radiolysis, the breakdown of water by radioactive rocks, and the decomposition of organic matter in deep geological formations.

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The Lakkundi temples in the Gadag district of Karnataka are set to be finalized for UNESCO’s tentative listing as World Heritage Sites. Lakkundi, historically referred to as ‘Lokki Gundi’ in ancient inscriptions, was built during the reign of the Kalyana Chalukyas or Western Chalukyas. The village is home to over 50 ancient temples and 101 stepped wells, known as Kalyani. The Kasi Vishwanatha Temple is the most ornate and elaborately furnished among them. Lakkundi is also an important Jain center, with a significant Jain temple dedicated to Mahavira, which is one of the largest and oldest Jain shrines in the area.

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Recently, scientists observed repeated unrest at Campi Flegrei between 1982–1984 and 2011–2024, involving land uplift, earthquakes, and underground rumbling due to rising fluid pressure. Campi Flegrei, also called the Phlegraean Fields, is an active volcanic system located near Naples, Italy. Unlike single-cone volcanoes like Mount Vesuvius, Campi Flegrei is a large caldera, which is a sunken volcanic area formed after a huge eruption. The caldera spans about 12 to 15 kilometers and was formed by a massive eruption nearly 39,000 years ago. That eruption may have triggered climate changes that contributed to the decline of Neanderthals.

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India has recently received a new shipment of Russian Igla-S air defence missiles amid rising tensions with Pakistan after the Pahalgam terror attack. Igla-S is a Man Portable Air Defence System (MANPADS) developed by Russia. It is a hand-held system that can be used by one person or a small crew. It is designed to shoot down low-flying aircraft, cruise missiles, and drones.

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Iran recently unveiled a new solid-fuel ballistic missile named Ghassem Basir. It is a Medium-Range Ballistic Missile (MRBM) developed to strike targets over 1,200 kilometers away. The missile is about 11 meters long and weighs around 7 tons. It uses carbon fiber composite material for its body, making it lighter and harder to detect by radar. It runs on solid fuel, making it quicker to launch and easier to store than liquid-fuel missiles. It can reach speeds up to Mach 12. A thermal imaging sensor helps it track targets using heat in the final phase of flight. It has a Maneuverable Reentry Vehicle (MaRV) that detaches mid-flight to avoid radar and improve accuracy. It can be launched from mobile Transporter-Erector-Launchers (TELs), even from vehicles that look like civilian trucks.

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The Election Commission of India (ECI) will soon launch a new digital platform called ECINET to streamline electoral services. ECINET is a single-point user-friendly interface for voters, election officials, political parties, and civil society. It will integrate over 40 existing mobile and web apps of the ECI into one platform. Popular apps like Voter Helpline, Voter Turnout, cVIGIL, Suvidha 2.0, Electoral Search and Management System (ESMS), Saksham, and Know Your Candidate (KYC) will be merged into ECINET. It will offer a clean User Interface (UI) and smooth User Experience (UX), reducing the need to download multiple apps. ECINET will follow the Representation of the People Act 1950, 1951, and related rules and guidelines.

Notes:
International No Diet Day is observed annually on May 6th. International No Diet Day is a global event celebrated to promote body positivity and self-acceptance. It challenges harmful social norms that link beauty only with thinness and fights against fatphobia and weight discrimination. The day also raises awareness about the dangers of extreme dieting and encourages people to focus on overall well-being. It was started in 1992 by British feminist Mary Evans Young, who struggled with anorexia and later founded the Diet Breakers organization.

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INS Kiltan, an Indian Naval Ship, recently reached Singapore to take part in IMDEX Asia 2025 at the Changi Exhibition Centre. IMDEX stands for International Maritime Defence Exhibition, a major naval and defence event in the Asia-Pacific region. It has been held every two years in Singapore since 1997. IMDEX provides a platform for navies, coast guards, and maritime industries to showcase ships, systems, and new technologies. It includes the International Maritime Security Conference (IMSC), started in 2009. IMSC is co-organised by the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) and S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS). It promotes global maritime security and cooperation through policy discussions and shared solutions.

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The Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS) has recently revived two rare Ayurvedic texts—Dravyaratnakara Nighantu and Dravyanamakara Nighantu. The term “Nighantu” in Ayurveda refers to a collection of drug names, their synonyms, properties, and the parts used. Dravyaratnakara Nighantu, authored by Mudgala Pandita in 1480 AD, has 18 chapters with detailed information on drug actions and medicinal uses. It draws knowledge from earlier classical texts like Dhanvantari and Raja Nighantu, and adds new substances from plants, minerals, and animals. Dravyanamakara Nighantu, attributed to Bhisma Vaidya, focuses on homonyms in drug names. It acts as an important appendix to the Dhanvantari Nighantu and helps avoid confusion in Ayurvedic drug identification.

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The Centre for Joint Warfare Studies (CENJOWS), along with Aerospace Services India (ASI) and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), hosted the Medium-Range Surface-to-Air Missile (MRSAM) India Eco-System Summit 2.0 in New Delhi on May 07, 2025. The summit aimed to boost India’s air and missile defence capabilities under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Make-in-India missions. It brought together key players from the Ministry of Defence (MoD), Armed Forces, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Bharat Electronics Limited, and Bharat Dynamics Limited. The event highlighted the growing India-Israel defence cooperation and the shared goal of making India a global defence hub.