Current Affairs Quiz - May 2025

Notes:
Finalists from 11 cities were selected through regional contests to compete in the WAM! (WAVES Anime & Manga Contest) national finale at WAVES 2025. The World Audio-Visual & Entertainment Summit (WAVES) 2025 is held from May 1 to 4, 2025, at the Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai, India. WAVES (World Audio-Visual & Entertainment Summit) 2025 promotes India’s talent in Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, Comics, and Extended Reality (AVGC-XR). The summit is themed “Create in India, Create for the World” to position India as a global creative powerhouse.

Notes:
The National Archives of India (NAI) has added the private papers of former President Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam to its rich collection, making a major contribution to India’s historical records. It works under the Ministry of Culture and stores old government records that are no longer active but important for research and administration. It is the largest archival repository in South Asia and protects records of lasting value to the Government of India. NAI was started as the Imperial Record Department on 11 March 1891 in Kolkata and moved to New Delhi in 1911. The full transfer of records to Delhi was completed in 1937. NAI also enforces the Public Records Act, 1993 and Public Record Rules, 1997. It preserves over 34 crore pages, including official files, maps, censuses, treaties, debates, rare manuscripts, and government documents.

Notes:
The Maharashtra government has launched the Tourism Security Force, also known as Paryatan Mitra, to improve tourist safety and boost tourism. The pilot launch will be held during the Mahabaleshwar festival from 1st to 4th May 2025 in Satara district. The Tourism Department will appoint tourism police on a contract basis to make tourists feel secure while visiting the state. The Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation will fund the project with help from the Maharashtra State Security Corporation and Satara police. These tourism police will also guide tourists by sharing information on cultural sites, laws, and sustainable tourism.

Notes:
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.

Notes:
Researchers at the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST) have developed a 3D computational model to study thermoregulation in space. It shows that microgravity consistently increases human core body temperature, which is important for long-duration space missions. Microgravity is a condition of near-weightlessness experienced when objects are in free fall around Earth, not the absence of gravity. In microgravity, normal body functions like heat regulation are altered due to changes in blood flow and metabolism. The IIST model includes sweating, shivering, clothing, and organ heat to simulate real human conditions in space.

Notes:
Coal Miners Day 2025 is observed on May 4 to recognise the vital role of coal miners in powering industries and energy systems. It honours their hard work in dangerous conditions and reminds us of their rights, health, and safety needs. The day also highlights past mining disasters and the need for better support, especially during the shift to clean energy. The Mines Act, 1952 was passed to provide medical care, safety rules, and rescue services for miners. The Coal Mines Act, 1974 aimed to conserve co

Notes:
All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Bhopal has ranked second nationwide for its paperless and queue-less Outpatient Department (OPD) registration under the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM). The ranking was announced by the National Health Authority (NHA), Government of India. AIIMS Bhopal generated over 1.45 million OPD tokens using the ‘Scan and Share’ service. AIIMS New Delhi holds the first position in the ranking. The ‘Scan and Share’ system allows patients to scan a QR code with their smartphones to get OPD tokens instantly.

Notes:
Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has successfully conducted the first flight trial of the Stratospheric Airship Platform in Sheopur, Madhya Pradesh. The platform was developed by DRDO’s Aerial Delivery Research and Development Establishment (ADRDE) based in Agra. The airship carried an instrumental payload and reached a high altitude of about 17 kilometres. The total flight lasted 62 minutes and helped gather important data through onboard sensors. This data will help in building accurate simulation models for future high-altitude missions. The test also checked the envelope pressure control and emergency deflation systems, and the airship was safely recovered.

Notes:
The Maharashtra government launched the “One State, One Registration” scheme to make property registration easy and citizen-friendly. It allows people to register property documents at any sub-registrar office in Maharashtra, regardless of where the property is located. Earlier, buyers had to register documents only at the local sub-registrar office of the property, which caused delays and overcrowding. The new policy saves time, reduces paperwork, and helps senior citizens and Non-Resident Indians (NRIs). Legal steps and documents like sale deed, Aadhaar, and PAN remain unchanged. It does not affect stamp duty or registration fees. The National Informatics Centre (NIC) is using technology like Geographic Information System (GIS), drone mapping, and blockchain for better accuracy. This move is expected to boost real estate activity and investor confidence in the state.

Notes:
Scientists from the University of Oxford have suggested a new way to monitor volcanic eruptions using a method called shear-wave splitting. Shear-wave splitting happens when seismic waves travel at different speeds depending on their direction, especially through rocks with tiny cracks. This technique was studied at Mount Ontake in Japan, which is an active stratovolcano located on Honshū Island, near Tokyo. Mount Ontake is Japan’s second-highest volcano and lies in the Pacific Ring of Fire.