Evo 2 AI System Latest News

AI chipmakers Nvidia have unveiled a powerful AI system for genetic research created a new AI called Evo 2.

About Evo 2 AI System

• It is a powerful new foundation model that understands the genetic code for all domains of life.
• It is the largest publicly available AI model for genomic data.
• It was built on the NVIDIA DGX Cloud platform in a collaboration led by nonprofit biomedical research organization Arc Institute and Stanford University.
• The model was built using 2,000 Nvidia H100 processors on Amazon's cloud infrastructure.
• It is trained on an enormous dataset of nearly 9 trillion nucleotides pieces of genetic information taken from over 128,000 different organisms on a wide array of species across domains of life — including plants, animals and bacteria.
• In early tests, it accurately identified 90% of potentially harmful mutations in BRCA1, a gene linked to breast cancer.

Potential Applications of Evo 2 AI System

• It can be applied to biomolecular research applications including predicting the form and function of proteins based on their genetic sequence, identifying novel molecules for healthcare and industrial applications, and evaluating how gene mutations affect their function.
• The model can be applied to scientific fields such as healthcare, agricultural biotechnology and materials science.

Evo 2 AI System FAQs

Q1: What are the 4 types of artificial intelligence?

Ans: The four main types of artificial intelligence (AI) are reactive, limited memory, theory of mind, and self-aware. 

Q2: What is the cloud platform?

Ans: A cloud platform is the hardware, software, and operating system within one or more data centers that makes cloud computing possible.

Q3: What is the definition of nucleotides?

Ans: Nucleotides are organic molecules that are the building blocks of DNA and RNA. They are also essential for cell metabolism and protein production. 

Source: TH

Central Pollution Control Board Latest News

The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) recently filed a report before the National Green Tribunal's Principal Bench revealing concerning findings regarding the river water quality at Prayagraj (UP) during the ongoing Maha Kumbh Mela.

About Central Pollution Control Board, Powers, Functions

• It is a statutory organisation constituted in September, 1974, under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974. 
• Further, CPCB was entrusted with the powers and functions under the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981.
• It serves as a field formation and also provides technical services to the Ministry of Environment and Forests of the provisions of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
• Principal Functions of the CPCB:
  • To promote cleanliness of streams and wells in different areas of the States by prevention, control, and abatement of water pollution.
  • To improve the quality of air and to prevent, control or abate air pollution in the country.
• It advises the Central Government on matters related to control and abatement of air and water pollution.
• It also coordinates the affairs of other State Pollution Control Boards, assists them, furnishes guidance, and helps in conflict resolution in case of any disagreement among them. 
• CPCB has delegated its powers and functions under the Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, the Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Cess Act, 1977, and the Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, to the respective regional administration with respect to Union Territories. 
• Standard development activities of CPCB:
  • CPCB takes up the development/revision of Environmental Standards, the upgradation of Comprehensive Industrial Document (COINDS), and guidelines for environmental management in various industrial sectors.
  • In consultation with the state government concerned, CPCB laid down the standard for stream or well or quality of air and also prepared manuals, codes, and guidance relating to the treatment and disposal of sewage and trade effluents, as well as for stacks gas cleaning devices, stacks, and ducts;
• CPCB develops Standards for:
  • National ambient air quality
  • Water Quality Criteria from different sources
  • Standards for Emission or Discharge of Environmental Pollutants from various Industries (Issued under Environment Protection Rules, 1986)
  • Standards for Treatment and Disposal of Bio-Medical Waste by Incineration
  • Emission standard, Noise limits for Diesel Engines
  • Emission and Noise Limit of LPG and CNG Generator Sets
• CPCB also formulates the Minimal National Standards (MINAS) specific for various categories of industries with regards to their effluent discharge (water pollutants), emissions (air pollutants), noise levels, and solid waste.
  • These standards are required to be adopted by State Governments as minimal standards.

Central Pollution Control Board FAQs

Q1. Where is Central Pollution Control Board situated?

Ans. CPCB has its head office in New Delhi.

Q2. Is CPCB a statutory body?

Ans. Yes, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) is a statutory body.

Q3. Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) functions under which ministry?

Ans. Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change

Source: LL

National Dam Safety Authority Latest News

The Supreme Court recently directed a supervisory committee chaired by the head of the National Dam Safety Authority, to look into issues raised by Tamil Nadu against Kerala concerning the maintenance of the 125-year-old Mullaperiyar dam.

About National Dam Safety Authority 

• NDSA is a statutory body set up by the Central Government in exercise of the powers conferred by Section 8(1) of the National Dam Safety Act, 2021.
• It is headed by a chairman and assisted by five members to lead its five wings - policy and research, technical, regulation, disaster and resilience and administration and finance.
• It has its headquarters at New Delhi.

National Dam Safety Authority Functions

• It operates with a clear mandate to regulate, oversee, and inspect dams.
• This authority plays a crucial role in formulating policies and guidelines that govern the construction, maintenance, and operation of dams nationwide.
• A key function of the NDSA is to resolve any issue between the State Dam Safety Organisations of states or between a State Dam Safety Organisation and any owner of a specified dam in that state.
• The NDSA actively engages in nationwide awareness programs to educate citizens about dam safety. 
• In the face of natural calamities or unforeseen events, the NDSA ensures that comprehensive emergency response plans are in place.

National Dam Safety Authority FAQs

Q1. Is National Dam Safety Authority a statutory body?

Ans. Yes, the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) is a statutory body established under the National Dam Safety Act, 2021.

Q2. How many dams India have?

Ans. As per the National Register of Large Dams compiled by the Central Water Commission, India has 5745 nos. of dams (5334 are completed and 411 are under construction stage). 

Q3. Which is the oldest dam in India?

Ans. The Kallanai Dam, also known as the Grand Anicut, is the oldest dam in India.

Source: TH

Nuclear Fusion Latest News

A world record for nuclear fusion has been smashed after the WEST Tokamak reactor, in southern France, was able to maintain a plasma for more than 22 minutes.

About Nuclear Fusion

• Nuclear fusion is the process by which two light atomic nuclei combine to form a single heavier one while releasing massive amounts of energy.
• The process releases energy because the total mass of the resulting single nucleus is less than the mass of the two original nuclei. The leftover mass becomes energy.
• Fusion reactions take place in a state of matter called plasma — a hot, charged gas made of positive ions and free-moving electrons with unique properties distinct from solids, liquids or gases.
• The sun, along with all other stars, is powered by this reaction.

What are Tokamaks?

• The devices designated for the task of doing this here on Earth—nuclear fusion reactors — are called tokamaks.
• Tokamaks are often also called 'artificial suns' due to the fact that these doughnut-shaped machines replicate processes that occur in the sun.
• There are currently over 200 tokamaks in operation across the globe, with the scientific milestones achieved in these devices developing a roadmap for the operation of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor, or ITER, the world's largest fusion experiment under construction in the south of France.
• A commercial tokamak will aim to use the thermal energy of plasma heated by fusion to heat water, create steam, and, in turn, spin a turbine that generates electricity.
• Fusion can involve many different elements in the periodic table. However, researchers working on fusion energy applications are especially interested in deuterium-tritium (DT) fusion.
• DT fusion produces a neutron and a helium nucleus. In the process, it also releases much more energy than most fusion. 

Advantages of Nuclear Fusion

• Nuclear Fusion produces more energy than fission does. Fusion could generate four times more energy per kilogram of fuel than fission (used in nuclear power plants) and nearly four million times more energy than burning oil or coal.
• It also doesn’t produce radioactive byproducts that need to be stored or harmful carbon emissions; it simply produces inert helium and a neutron.
• Unlimited Fuel Supply: The fuel to make fusion happen is simply heavy hydrogen atoms, which can be found in something that Earth has in abundance: seawater. No mining of uranium is required.
• It is much safer than nuclear fission, since fusion can’t create runaway reactions.

Nuclear Fusion FAQs

Q1. What is the best example of nuclear fusion?

Ans. The Sun is the best example of nuclear fusion, where hydrogen nuclei fuse to form helium, releasing immense energy that powers the solar system.

Q2. Which is powerful, fusion or fission?

Ans. Nuclear fusion is more powerful than nuclear fission because it releases 4 times more energy per reaction.

Q3. Is the atomic bomb fission or fusion?

Ans. Nuclear fission produces the atomic bomb, a weapon of mass destruction that uses power released by the splitting of atomic nuclei.

Source: MSN

Bacterial Cellulose Latest News

Recently, researchers reported in a study that Bacterial cellulose can be used as a bandage to significantly improve healing and regeneration in plants.

About Bacterial Cellulose

• It is a natural polymer produced by certain bacteria.
• It has been identified as an effective material for plant wound care. Its unique properties facilitate improved healing and regeneration in plants.

Advantages of Bacterial Cellulose 

• It offers a sustainable solution to plant injuries, potentially reducing the reliance on chemical treatments.
• This method not only promotes healthier plant growth but also aligns with eco-friendly agricultural practices.
• By enhancing the natural healing processes of plants, farmers can expect improved crop yields and resilience, contributing to food security and environmental conservation.
• This advancement in plant care underscores the potential of integrating biotechnology into agriculture, paving the way for more resilient and sustainable farming systems.

Key Facts about Cellulose

• It is a molecule, consisting of hundreds – and sometimes even thousands – of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen atoms.
• Cellulose is the main substance in the walls of plant cells, helping plants to remain stiff and upright.
• Humans cannot digest cellulose, but it is important in the diet as fibre.

Bacterial Cellulose FAQs

Q1: What is the formula for bacterial cellulose?

Ans: The cellulose from plants and bacteria is the same molecular form of (C6H10O5) n;

Q2: What are the benefits of bacterial cellulose?

Ans: Bacterial cellulose (BC) has attractive features in wound healing, including its suitability as a wound-dressing material, elasticity, bacterial inhibition, vapor permeability, and low cost.

Q3: What are the advantages of bacterial cellulose?

Ans: Bacterial cellulose possesses excellent physicochemical and mechanical properties, adequate capacity to absorb a large quantity of water, non-toxicity, chemical inertness,

Source: IE

Vertical Propellant Mixer Latest News

Recently, Indian Space Research Organisation has announced the successful development of a 10-tonne ‘vertical planetary mixer’, the largest of its kind for solid propellants globally.

About Vertical Propellant Mixer

• It is the largest solid propellant mixing equipment globally.
• It is developed and designed by Satish Dhawan Space Centre in collaboration with Central Manufacturing Technology Institute, a Bengaluru-based research and development organisation under the Ministry of Heavy Industries.

Key Features of Vertical Propellant Mixer

• It has high-capacity mixing of propellant ingredients in a single batch
• It has precision and control for quality consistency & performance
• Safety and Reliability for handling highly hazardous materials
• World’s Largest: It weighs approximately 150 tonnes, and measures 5.4m (L) × 3.3m (B) × 8.7m (H).
• Advanced Technology: It is equipped with multiple agitators which are hydrostatic driven and will be remotely operated using PLC based control systems with SCADA stations.

What is a Propellant Mixer?

• A propellant mixer is a machine that mixes the ingredients of rocket propellants, specifically fuel and oxidiser, to ensure a uniform and reliable mixture for solid rocket motors.
• These mixers, such as planetary mixers, are utilised to combine the raw materials that compose rocket propellant.
• The quality of the mixed propellant directly impacts the performance and reliability of the rocket motor.

Vertical Propellant Mixer FAQs

Q1: What is the best solid propellant?

Ans: The most widely used solid rocket propellant for space applications consists of ammonium perchlorate (70%), aluminium (16%) and binder (14%).

Q2: What are the three types of propellants?

Ans: NASA and commercial launch vehicles use four types of propellants: (1) petroleum; (2) cryogenics; (3) hypergolics; and (4) solids.

Q3: What is known as an oxidizer?

Ans: Oxidizing chemicals are materials that spontaneously evolve oxygen at room temperature or with slight heating or promote combustion.

Source: TOI

Killer Whales Latest News

Recently, officials said that more than 150 false killer whales are stranded on a remote beach on Australia’s island state of Tasmania.

About Killer Whales

• It is also known as Orcas which is found across the world.
• It is the largest member of the Delphinidae family, or dolphins and are the most widely distributed of all cetaceans.
• Members of this family include all dolphin species, as well as other larger species, such as long-finned pilot whales and short-finned pilot whales, whose common names also contain "whale" instead of "dolphin”.
• Killer whales are highly social, and most live in social groups called pods (groups of maternally related individuals seen together more than half the time).
• Killer whales rely on underwater sound to feed, communicate, and navigate.
• Appearance: They are one of the most recognizable marine mammals, with their distinctive black and white bodies.
• Habitat: Globally, killer whales occur in a wide range of habitats, in both open seas and coastal waters.
• Conservation Status
  • IUCN: Data Deficient

Killer Whales FAQs

Q1: Why is it called a killer whale?

Ans: Killer whales gained their common name because some types prey on other whales.

Q2: How do killer whales sleep?

Ans: This type of sleep is known as unihemispheric sleep as only one brain hemisphere sleeps at a time. 

Q3: What is special about killer whales?

Ans: Killer whales often use a coordinated hunting strategy and work as a team to catch prey. They are considered an apex predator, eating at the top of the food web.

Source: TH

Nauru Latest News

To help meet the cost of moving about 10,000 residents from low-lying homes menaced by rising sea levels and floods, the remote Pacific Ocean nation of Nauru aims to sell citizenships for the climate-threatened island.

About Nauru

• Nauru is an island nation and a microstate in Oceania, located in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. 
• It is the smallest republic in the world with a land area of about 8 square miles and a population of 12,500.
• The island is about 1,300 km northeast of the Solomon Islands; its closest neighbour is the island of Banaba, in Kiribati, some 300 km to the east. 
• Nauru is a raised, fossilized coral atoll and is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in the Pacific Ocean. 
• The island is dominated by a central phosphate plateau which is surrounded by coral cliffs. 
• Phosphate mining has ravaged the interior of the island, leaving about four-fifths of it uninhabitable and uncultivable.
• It has no official capital city. Located on the southern coast of the island country is the district of Yaren – the de facto capital of Nauru.
• Their native language is Nauruan, but English is widely spoken as it is used for government and commercial purposes.
• Its constitution, adopted upon gaining independence in 1968, established it as a republic with a Westminster-style parliamentary system of government. 

Nauru FAQs

Q1. What language is spoken in Nauru?

Ans. The official language of Nauru is Nauruan, a distinct Micronesian language.

Q2. What is the capital of Nauru?

Ans. Nauru does not have an official capital. 

Q3. Does Nauru have a military?

Ans. No, Nauru does not have a military.

Source: ET

Mising Tribe Latest News

Assam’s largest tribal community, the Mising tribe, celebrated the Ali Ai Ligang festival recently.

About Mising Tribe

• The Mising people are an indigenous tribe from Northeast India. They are part of the Tani people, who speak Tibeto-Burmese languages. 
• They live in parts of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh in India and Tibet in China. 
  • Tibetans call them "Lhobhas," which means "southerners' ' because they live in South Tibet and areas now in Arunachal Pradesh.
• They are one of the largest tribal groups in Assam. According to the census of India 2011, the total population of Mising is 680,424 in Assam.
• They have a life closely related to rivers, and therefore they can be described as the only riparian tribe of Northeast India.
• Life and culture of Mising people revolve around agriculture and fishing. 
  • The agriculture practice of the Mising people was originally ‘Jhum’ or slash & burn method.
  • However, after settling down in the plains of Assam, they have mastered the art of wet paddy cultivation, and at present they are good settled cultivators.
• Drawing their origin in Jhum cultivation, the main festival of the Mising people is ‘Ali-Aye-Ligang’. Ali means edible root, Aye means seed, and Ligang means sowing festival.
• Religion: The Mising people practice the cult of ‘Do-nyi – Po:lo’ which literally translates into worshiping the Sun and the Moon.

Mising Tribe FAQs

Q1. What is the festival of Mising tribe?

Ans. AliAye Legang is the main festival of the Mishing tribe and is celebrated in the month of February.

Q2. What is the religion of Mising?

Ans. The Mising people practice the cult of ‘Do-nyi – Po:lo’ which literally translates into worshiping the Sun and the Moon.

Q3. What is the language of Mising?

Ans. The Mising language is a Tibeto-Burman language spoken by the Mising tribe.

Source: ANI

OPEC+ Latest News

Recently, Brazil's government approved the country’s entry into OPEC+, the alliance of major oil-exporting nations.

About OPEC+ 

• It is a group of 22 oil-exporting countries which meets regularly to decide how much crude oil to sell on the world market.
• These nations aim to work together on adjusting crude oil production to bring stability to the oil market.

Origin of OPEC+

• These nations came to an accord towards the end of 2016 “to institutionalize a framework for cooperation between OPEC and non-OPEC producing countries on a regular and sustainable basis.”
• At the core of this group are the 12 members of OPEC (the Organization of the Oil Exporting Countries), which are mainly Middle Eastern and African countries.
• Members of OPEC+: It comprises 12 OPEC countries plus Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Brunei, Kazakhstan, Russia, Mexico, Malaysia, South Sudan, Sudan, and Oman.

What is OPEC?

• It is a permanent intergovernmental organization of oil-exporting countries.
• It was established in 1960 by the five founding members Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Venezuela. 
• Currently, it has 12 members, including Algeria, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Libya, Nigeria, and the United Arab Emirates.
• Angola withdrew its membership effective 1 January 2024.
• Headquarters: Vienna, Austria.

OPEC+ FAQs

Q1: Where is the headquarter of OPEC?

Ans: Vienna, Austria.

Q2: Where is the headquarter of OPEC?

Ans: Vienna, Austria.

Q3: Why is the USA not part of OPEC?

Ans: It cannot qualify for membership since it is a net importer of oil.

Source: TOI