Kanchuria Tripuraensis and Kanchuria Priyasankari

Kanchuria Tripuraensis and Kanchuria Priyasankari

Kanchuria Tripuraensis and Kanchuria Priyasankari Latest News

Conservation activists have expressed concern over tourism promotion through wildlife safari in the Kali Tiger Reserve.

About Kanchuria Tripuraensis and Kanchuria Priyasankari

  • These are two new species of earthworms discovered in Tripura.
  • Kanchuria tripuraensis has been named after Tripura, where it was found thriving in rubber and pineapple plantations — highlighting the ecological diversity of even agriculturally modified landscapes.
  • Kanchuria priyasankari is a tribute to Prof. Priyasankar Chaudhuri, whose four-decade-long dedication to earthworm taxonomy has placed Tripura on the national and international map for soil biodiversity studies.
  • K. tripuraensis is unique within its genus for having single ventromedian spermathecae in segments 7 and 8—a distinguishing morphological feature. 
  • K. priyasankari, a member of the turaensis species group, is characterised by its comparatively smaller size and a distinctive spermathecal structure that sets it apart from its close relative, K. turaensis.
  • With these additions, the genus Kanchuria—which is endemic to Northeast India—the genus count reaches 10. 
  • This discovery also raises the number of documented megadrile earthworm species in Tripura to 38, cementing the Eastern Himalaya–Northeastern Hills as the second-richest region in India in terms of earthworm diversity.

Source: IT

Kanchuria tripuraensis and Kanchuria priyasankari FAQs

Q1: Kanchuria tripuraensis was discovered in which Indian state?

Ans: Tripura

Q2: Kanchuria priyasankari is named in honour of which scientist?

Ans: Prof. Priyasankar Chaudhuri

Q3: Which species group does Kanchuria priyasankari belong to?

Ans: Turaensis group

Q4: What characterizes Kanchuria priyasankari in comparison to Kanchuria turaensis?

Ans: Smaller size and distinctive spermathecal structure

Portulaca Bharat

Portulaca Bharat

Portulaca Bharat Latest News

A new flowering plant species with unusual morphological characteristics named Portulaca bharat has been recently discovered in the rocky and semi-arid landscape of Aravali hills near Jaipur.

About Portulaca Bharat

  • It is a new species of flowering plant.
  • It was discovered in the rocky and semi-arid landscape of the Aravali hills near Jaipur, Rajasthan.
  • With no other populations currently known, Portulaca bharat has been provisionally assessed as “data deficient” under the IUCN Red List guidelines.
  • It adds to the list of Indian endemics.
  • The plant’s narrow endemism and specific habitat requirements make it highly vulnerable to habitat degradation and climate change.
  • The genus Portulaca currently comprises about 153 species worldwide, primarily found in tropical and subtropical regions.
    • These succulent plants are known for their toughness, water-storing tissues, and adaptation to extreme environments. 
    • In India, 11 species are currently known, including four endemics, mostly distributed in dry and semi-arid habitats.

Source: TH

Portulaca bharat FAQs

Q1: Portulaca bharat, a newly discovered species, was found in which region of India?

Ans: Aravali Hills near Jaipur, Rajasthan

Q2: What is the conservation status of Portulaca bharat under the IUCN Red List guidelines?

Ans: Data Deficient

Q3: Which of the following is a key characteristic of Portulaca species?

Ans: Water-storing tissues for surviving extreme environments

Q4: In what type of habitat was Portulaca bharat discovered?

Ans: Rocky and semi-arid landscape

Kali Tiger Reserve

Kali Tiger Reserve

Kali Tiger Reserve Latest News

Conservation activists have expressed concern over tourism promotion through wildlife safari in the Kali Tiger Reserve.

About Kali Tiger Reserve

  • Kali Tiger Reserve, earlier known as Dandeli-Anshi Tiger Reserve, is located in the central portion of the Uttara Kannada (North Canara) district of Karnataka state.
  • It covers an area of 834.16 sq.km.
  • It comprises two important protected areas of the region, viz., Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary and Anshi National Park.
  • These two protected areas are contiguous to each other and form a single tract of the protected area located in the biologically sensitive Western Ghats. 
  • Kali Tiger Reserve shares a border with Bhimgad Wildlife Sanctuary (Karnataka) in the north, which is further connected to Radhanagari and Koyna wildlife sanctuaries in Maharashtra.
  • River: The Kali River, which forms the major source of water for Uttara Kannada, flows through the tiger reserve, and hence the name.
  • Vegetation: Forests are primarily moist deciduous and semi-evergreen, with excellent patches of evergreen forests in the westernmost parts as well as in deep valleys. 
  • Flora: The complex floral tapestry comprises hardwood trees like teak, silver oak, Malabar tamarind, jamba, lantana, bamboo, shrubbery, and dense vegetative undergrowth on the floor.
  • Fauna
    • Animals found in the Tiger Reserve include Tiger, Leopard, Elephant, Bison, Wild dog, Sambar, Spotted deer, Sloth bear, Wild boar, Hanuman langur, Bonnet macaque, varieties of reptiles and birds including all four species of hornbills as its residents., etc.
    • The area holds one of the highest populations of Great Indian Hornbills in the Western Ghats.
    • It is home to rare black panthers.

Source: TH

Kali Tiger Reserve FAQ's

Q1: In which state is the Kali Tiger Reserve?

Ans: Karnataka

Q2: What was the former name of the Kali Tiger Reserve?

Ans: Dandeli-Anshi Tiger Reserve

Q3: The Kali Tiger Reserve is located in which ecological hotspot of India?

Ans: Western Ghats

Valley Fever

Valley Fever

Valley Fever Latest News

A new study suggests dogs could play a surprising role in public health by helping detect the early spread of Valley fever.

About Valley Fever

  • Valley fever, also known as acute coccidioidomycosis, is a fungal infection caused by coccidioides organisms. 
  • Two coccidioides fungi species cause valley fever. These fungi are commonly found in soil in specific regions. 
  • They are found in the Pacific Northwest and southwestern United States, and parts of Mexico, Central America, and South America.

Valley Fever Transmission

  • The fungi's spores can be stirred into the air by anything that disrupts the soil, such as farming, construction, and wind.
  • People can then breathe the fungi into their lungs. 
  • Pets can also become infected. 
  • Valley fever does not spread from person to person or between people and animals.
  • The infection starts in the lungs. It commonly affects people over 60 years of age.

Valley Fever Symptoms

  • Most people with an infection by this fungus never have symptoms. 
  • Others may have cold- or flu-like symptoms or symptoms of pneumonia. 
  • If symptoms occur, they typically start 5 to 21 days after exposure to the fungus.
  • Rarely, the infection spreads from the lungs through the bloodstream to involve the skin, bones, joints, lymph nodes, and central nervous system or other organs. This spread is called disseminated coccidioidomycosis.

Valley Fever Treatment

  • Mild cases of valley fever usually resolve on their own. 
  • In more-severe cases, doctors treat the infection with antifungal medications.
  • Sometimes surgery is needed to remove the infected part of the lung (for chronic or severe disease).

Source: TOI

Valley Fever FAQs

Q1: What is Valley fever caused by?

Ans: It is a fungal infection caused by coccidioides organisms.

Q2: Can you fully recover from Valley fever?

Ans: Most people who have Valley fever fully recover. A small percentage of people develop long-term lung infections.

Q3: Can Valley fever spread?

Ans: Valley fever is not contagious and cannot spread from one person or animal to another.

Achal Fast Patrol Vessel

Achal Fast Patrol Vessel

Achal Fast Patrol Vessel Latest News

Recently, the Achal Fast Patrol Vessel was ceremoniously launched in Goa.

About Achal Fast Patrol Vessel

  • It is the fifth Fast Patrol Vessel (FPV) in a series of eight being constructed by Goa Shipyard Ltd (GSL) for the Indian Coast Guard (ICG).
  • Designed and constructed under stringent dual-class certification from the American Bureau of Shipping and Indian Register of Shipping,

Features of Fast Patrol Vessel

  • The FPV features over 60% indigenous content.
  • The vessel measures 52 meters in length and 8 meters in breadth, with a displacement of 320 tons.
  • It is powered by a CPP-based propulsion system, the vessel can reach a top speed of 27 knots.
  • With its primary roles of protection, monitoring, control, and surveillance, ‘Achal’ is equipped to safeguard offshore assets and island territories.
  • Its launch marks another milestone in the long-standing partnership between the Indian Coast Guard and GSL, further reinforcing the collective march towards Aatmanirbharta in defence manufacturing.
  • It is built at a total cost of Rs 473 crore, the project has also provided a significant boost to local industry by generating substantial employment and supporting MSMEs engaged in production activities at various factories and within GSL.

Source: PIB

Achal Fast Patrol Vessel FAQs

Q1: What is the role of fast patrol vessel?

Ans: Fast Patrol Vessels for Indian Coast Guard are designed to offer high speed and enhanced maritime security. The primary role of the vessel is to perform Fisheries Protection, monitor foreign-chartered trawlers, EEZ and Coastal Patrol, Anti-Smuggling and Search and Rescue Operations.

Q2: What is Indian Coast Guard?

Ans: It is an armed force that protects India’s maritime interests and enforces maritime law, with jurisdiction over the territorial waters of India, including its contiguous zone and exclusive economic zone.

Extended Trajectory-Long Duration Hypersonic Cruise Missile (ET-LDHCM)

Extended Trajectory-Long Duration Hypersonic Cruise Missile (ET-LDHCM)

Extended Trajectory-Long Duration Hypersonic Cruise Missile Latest News

India is preparing to test its most advanced indigenously developed hypersonic missile—the Extended Trajectory-Long Duration Hypersonic Cruise Missile (ET-LDHCM).

About Extended Trajectory-Long Duration Hypersonic Cruise Missile

  • It is a long-range hypersonic cruise missile.
  • It is indigenously developed by India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) under a classified initiative known as ‘Project Vishnu’.
  • Designed for launch from land, sea, or air, the missile enhances India’s flexibility across strike platforms and mission types.
  • Once operational, it will place India among the handful of nations, including the US, China, and Russia, to field hypersonic weapon systems.

Extended Trajectory-Long Duration Hypersonic Cruise Missile Features

  • The ET-LDHCM system reportedly reaches speeds up to Mach 8, or about 11,000 kmph.
  • Designed for both conventional and nuclear missions, the missile can carry warheads weighing between 1,000 and 2,000 kg over a range of approximately 1,500 km.
  • Unlike ballistic missiles, the ET-LDHCM flies at low altitudes and is capable of course correction mid-flight.
  • Its speed, altitude-hugging flight profile, and mid-air manoeuvrability are designed to evade modern radar and air defence systems, enabling deep strikes into adversary territory.
  • Powered by a scramjet engine that uses atmospheric oxygen to sustain high speeds, the missile marks a major propulsion breakthrough.
  • Built with heat- and oxidation-resistant materials, it can withstand extreme temperatures exceeding 2,000 degree celsius.

Source: INDIA

Extended Trajectory-Long Duration Hypersonic Cruise Missile FAQs

Q1: The Extended Trajectory–Long Duration Hypersonic Cruise Missile (ET-LDHCM) is being developed by which Indian organization?

Ans: DRDO

Q2: ET-LDHCM is being developed under which classified initiative?

Ans: Project Vishnu

Q3: What is the maximum speed that ET-LDHCM is expected to reach?

Ans: Mach 8

Q4: Which type of engine powers the ET-LDHCM?

Ans: Scramjet engine

Q5: What is a key distinguishing feature of ET-LDHCM compared to ballistic missiles?

Ans: It flies at low altitudes and can correct course mid-flight

What is Synthetic Aperture Radar?

Synthetic Aperture Radar

Synthetic Aperture Radar Latest News

Recently, NASA said the NASA-ISRO SAR mission had arrived at ISRO’s spaceport in Sriharikota.

About Synthetic Aperture Radar

  • It is a type of active data collection where an instrument sends out a pulse of energy and then records the amount of that energy reflected back after it interacts with Earth.
  • SAR imagery is created from the reaction of an emitted pulse of energy with physical structures (like mountains, forests, and sea ice) and conditions like soil moisture. 
  • It is a way to make sharp pictures even when it’s dark or cloudy.

Working of Synthetic Aperture Radar

  • SAR systems send out microwave pulses and record the echoes that bounce back from the ground, ocean, ice or buildings.
  • Then, clever signal processing turns those echoes into detailed images.
  • The key element is the antenna that receives the echoes. Usually, the longer a physical antenna, the better the resolution — but a large antenna is hard to build and maintain.
  • On a SAR, a small antenna is carried on a moving platform like a satellite. As a result each echo is recorded at a slightly different position.
  • By stitching them together with precise timing and phase information, software can help mimic a single antenna hundreds of metres long.
  • Since microwaves penetrate clouds, smoke, and even light rainfall, SAR can collect data 24/7. If a SAR unit is mounted on an orbiting satellite, it can map swaths of land hundreds of kilometres wide in a single overpass.
  • Different materials like soil, vegetation, water, and metals reflect microwaves differently, allowing SAR to detect changes invisible to optical sensors.

Source: TH

Synthetic Aperture Radar FAQs

Q1: What is the use of SAR image?

Ans: Synthetic-aperture radar (SAR) is a form of radar that is used to create two-dimensional images or three-dimensional reconstructions of objects, such as landscapes.

Q2: What is LiDAR full form?

Ans: Light Detection and Ranging

What is Rinderpest?

Rinderpest

Rinderpest Latest News

India has secured a prestigious position in global animal health with the designation of the ICAR-National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases (NIHSAD) in Bhopal as a Category A Rinderpest Holding Facility (RHF).

About Rinderpest

  • It is also known as cattle plague, is a contagious viral disease affecting clovenhoofed animals (mainly cattle and buffalo).
  • It is caused by a virus of the Paramyxoviridae family, genus Morbillivirus.
  • Many species of wild and domestic cloven-hoofed animals (including sheep and goats) show only mild symptoms of the disease when infected, but for cattle and buffalo, mortality rates can reach up to 100 per cent in highly susceptible herds.
  • Other than cattle and buffalo, rinderpest can infect zebus, water buffaloes, African buffaloes, eland, kudu, wildebeest, various antelopes, bushpigs, warthogs, giraffes.

Transmission of Rinderpest

  • It is spread by effective contact between animals carrying the virus and susceptible animals. The virus is found in nasal secretions a few days before any clinical signs appear.
  • As the disease progresses the virus is found in most body fluids and either death ensues, or the animal recovers, develops immunity and clears the virus from the body.

Symptoms of Rinderpest

  • In cattle, signs of the disease include fever, erosive lesions in the mouth, discharge from the nose and eyes, profuse diarrhoea and dehydration, often leading to death within 10 to 15 days.
  • In other species rinderpest may show milder clinical signs.
  • There is no public health risk, since rinderpest does not affect people.
  • It historically occurred in Europe, Africa and Asia.
  • In 2011 this disease was officially eradicated.

Designation of Rinderpest Holding Facility

  • It is given by the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) and the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).  
  • To prevent its re-emergence, WOAH and FAO restrict the storage of Rinderpest Virus-Containing Material (RVCM) to a select few high-security laboratories worldwide.
  • ICAR-NIHSAD, a Biosafety Level-3 (BSL-3) facility and WOAH reference laboratory for avian influenza, was designated as India’s RVCM repository in 2012.
  • Following a rigorous evaluation the institute earned Category A RHF status for one year.
  • This recognition places India among a distinguished group of only six facilities worldwide entrusted with the critical responsibility of securely holding rinderpest virus material.

Source: PIB

Rinderpest

Q1: What is the disease blue tongue?

Ans: Bluetongue is an insect-borne, viral disease that affects sheep, cattle, and other ruminants.

Q2: What does World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) do?

Ans: The WOAH 's objectives are to: ensure transparency in the global animal disease and zoonosis situation. collect, analyse and disseminate scientific veterinary information. provide expertise and encourage international solidarity in the control of animal

Grand Cross of the Order of Makarios III

Grand Cross of the Order of Makarios III

Grand Cross of the Order of Makarios III Latest News

Recently, Prime Minister of India was conferred with the Grand Cross of the Order of Makarios III of Cyprus.

About Grand Cross of the Order of Makarios III

  • It is the highest civilian honour of Cyprus.
  • It was named after the country’s first president, Archbishop Makarios III.
  • It recognises outstanding contributions and achievements.
  • History: The Order of Makarios III, established in 1991, acknowledges exceptional service and contributions to Cyprus or the international community.
  • The honour symbolises Cyprus’s appreciation for exceptional service, leadership, or contributions that have positively impacted the country or the world.
  • The Order of Makarios III comprises multiple grades, with the Grand Cross being one of the highest honours, possibly second only to the Grand Collar.
  • The President of Cyprus typically bestows this award, highlighting the recipient’s achievements and contributions.

Key Facts about Cyprus

  • It is a Eurasian island country located in the extreme northeastern corner of the Mediterranean Sea, south of the Anatolian peninsula (Asia Minor) or modern-day Turkey.
  • It is the third largest Mediterranean island after Sicily and Sardinia.
  • Major Cities: Limassol, Larnaca, Famagusta, and Paphos.
  • Highest Point: Mount Olympus (1,952 m)
  • Capital: Nicosia  

Source:TH

Grand Cross of the Order of Makarios III FAQs

Q1: Which country gives Grand Cross of the Order of Makarios III award?

Ans: Cyprus

Q2: What currency is spent in Cyprus?

Ans: Euro

Samarth Incubation Programme

Samarth Incubation Programme

Samarth Incubation Program Latest News

Recently, the Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT), an autonomous telecom R&D institution under the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), Government of India, launched the ‘Samarth’ Program.

About Samarth Incubation Program

  • It is a cutting edge Incubation Program for startups in Telecom & ICT Sector.
  • It is an initiative of the Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT), an autonomous telecom R&D institution.
  • This initiative is aimed at nurturing sustainable and scalable business models by providing startups with financial grant, advanced resources and guidance for transition from ideation to commercialization.
  • In the first phase 18 startups have been selected in cohort 1 through a competitive process. 

Features of Samarth Incubation Program 

  • Each selected startup receives a grant of up to ₹5 lakh, fully furnished office space for six months at C-DOT campuses in Delhi and Bengaluru.
  • It also provides access to C-DOT’s lab facilities, and mentorship from C-DOT technologists and external experts.
  • It offers holistic support to startups and innovators working in telecom applications, cybersecurity, 5G/6G technologies, artificial intelligence, IoT, and quantum technologies.
  • The program is structured in two cohorts of six months each, accommodating up to 18 startups per cohort—thus supporting a maximum of 36 startups under the initiative.
  • Delivered in a hybrid format, “Samarth” leverages state-of-the-art infrastructure, expert mentorship, and access to a strong network of investors and industry leaders to empower emerging entrepreneurs.
  • Progressing startups will also be eligible for potential collaboration and further financial grants under the C-DOT Collaborative Research Program (CCRP).
  • Implementing Partners: Software Technology Parks of India (STPI) and TiE  (The Indus Entrepreneurs  have been selected as the implementation partner for the program. 

Source: PIB

Samarth Incubation Program FAQs

Q1: What is an incubation program?

Ans: Incubation programs provide you with management and mentoring, access to market resources, networking opportunities and business skills training.

Q2: What is the primary objective of the Samarth Incubation Programme?

Ans: To support startups in telecom, cybersecurity, AI, and quantum technologies.

Enquire Now