About Egypt:

 

• Location: Egypt is a transcontinental country situated in northeastern Africa and the Sinai Peninsula in Western Asia (Middle East).
• Capital: Cairo
• Boundaries:
  • The country borders the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Gulf of Suez and the Red Sea to the east.
  • It is bordered by Libya in the west, the Palestinian territory (Gaza Strip) and Israel in the northeast, and Sudan in the south.
  • It shares maritime borders with Cyprus, Turkey and Greece in the Mediterranean Sea, and with Jordan and Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea.
• Independence: Modern Egypt became independent in 1922.
• Population: With 12 million inhabitants (2021), Egypt is the most populous country in the Arab world.
• Language: Spoken language is Modern Standard Arabic; the colloquial language is the Egyptian-Arabic dialect (Masri).
• Religion: Islam is the dominant religion in Egypt with an estimated 85-90% of the population is Sunni Muslim.
• Major rivers: The famous River Nile is the only river that flows in Egypt throughout the year. Around 98% of the country's population resides in the Nile River Valley.
• Suez Canal:
  • It is a 30 km (120 miles)-long artificial sea-level waterway located in Egypt.
  • It connects the Mediterranean Sea with the Gulf of Suez, a northern branch of the Red Sea.
  • It provides the shortest maritime route between Europe and the lands lying around the Indian and western Pacific oceans.
  • It is one of the world’s most heavily used shipping lanes.

 

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Q1) What is the Suez Canal?

 

It is a 30 km (120 miles)-long artificial sea-level waterway located in Egypt. It connects the Mediterranean Sea with the Gulf of Suez, a northern branch of the Red Sea. It provides the shortest maritime route between Europe and the lands lying around the Indian and western Pacific oceans.

 

Source: Modi arrives in Egypt on two-day state visit, first by an Indian PM in 26 years

About White-Rumped Vulture :

 

• It is a medium-sized Old World vulture.
• Scientific name: Gyps bengalensis
• It is also known as Indian White-backed Vulture or Oriental White-backed Vulture.
• Distribution: Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar (Burma), Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and southern Vietnam.
• Habitat: Found mostly in plains and less frequently in hilly regions. It can also be seen in villages and cities near to cultivation.
• Population:
  • In the 1980s, the global population was estimated at several million individuals, and it was thought to be "the most abundant large bird of prey in the world".
  • As of 2021, the global population was estimated at less than 6,000 mature individuals.
• Features:
  • It is a typical, medium-sized vulture, with an unfeathered head and neck, very broad wings, and short tail feathers.
  • Adults are 75 to 85 cm tall, their wing span is 180 to 210 cm, and their weight ranges from 3.5 to 7.5 kg.
  • The sexes are approximately equal in size.
  • Adults are darker than juveniles, with blackish plumage, a white neck-ruff, and a white patch of feathers on the lower back and upper tail, from which their common name is derived.
  • There is a pale grey patch on the upper surface of the wings, visible when the wings are folded. The undersides of the wings are a dark slate to brownish color.
• Conservation Status:
  • IUCN: Critically Endangered
  • Wildlife Protection Act 1972: Schedule-1

 

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Q1) What is an Old World vulture?

Old World vultures is the common designation for various large birds within the family Accipitridae, characterized by a head with few or no feathers, the lack of a perforate nasal septum, keen sight, good soaring ability, a poor sense of smell, and generally by scavenging behavior, feeding primarily on carrion. Old World vultures only comprise part of the family: Accipitridae also includes eagles, buzzards, kites, and hawks.

 

Source: Bhopal: 20 White-Rumped Vultures Brought From Haryana

About Kedarnath Temple:

 

• It is a Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva. 
• Location: It is located at an height of 3,584 meters on the Garhwal Himalayan range near the Mandakini river, in the Rudraprayag District of Uttarakhand.
• Kedarnath forms one of the four sites of the Chota Char Dham Pilgrimage circuit, and is one of the 12 Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva in India.
• Who build it? It is said that the Pandavas constructed the Kedarnath Temple which was later reconstructed by Adi Shankaracharya in the 8th century A.D. 
• Architecture:
  • It has exquisite architecture and is built of extremely large but evenly shaped grey stone slabs.
  • The stone slabs are interlocked with each other with the use of iron clamps.
  • No mortar has been used in the construction of the temple.
  • There is a conical rock structure inside the Kedarnath temple that is worshipped as the Sadashiva form of Shiva.
  • A “Garba Griha” for worship and a Mandap for pilgrims is placed inside the temple.

What is Chota Char Dham Yatra?

• It refers to the journey up the mountains to four sacred temples in the North Indian state of Uttarakhand.
• The four temples that comprise Chota Char Dham are Yamunotri Dham, Gangotri Dham, Badrinath Dham and Kedarnath Dham.

What are Jyotirlingas?

•  A Jyotirlinga is a shrine where Lord Shiva is worshipped in the form of a Jyotirlingam.
• There are currently 12 main Jyotirlingas in India.
• The 12 Jyotirlinga temples in India take the name of the presiding deity. Each considered a different manifestation of Lord Shiva. 
• 12 Jyotirlingas in India are:
  • Somnath Jyotirlinga in Gir, Gujarat
  • Mallikarjuna Jyotirlinga in Srisailam, Andhra Pradesh
  • Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh
  • Omkareshwar Jyotirlinga in Khandwa, Madhya Pradesh
  • Baidyanath Jyotirlinga in Deoghar, Jharkhand
  • Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga in Maharashtra
  • Ramanathaswamy Jyotirlinga in Rameshwaram, Tamil Nadu
  • Nageshwar Jyotirlinga in Dwarka, Gujarat
  • Kashi Vishwanath Jyotirlinga in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh
  • Trimbakeshwar Jyotirlinga in Nasik, Maharashtra
  • Kedarnath Jyotirlinga in Rudraprayag, Uttarakhand
  • Ghrishneshwar Jyotirlinga in Aurangabad, Maharashtra

 

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Q) What are Jyotirlingas?

A Jyotirlinga is a shrine where Lord Shiva is worshipped in the form of a Jyotirlingam. There are currently 12 main Jyotirlingas in India. The 12 Jyotirlinga temples in India take the name of the presiding deity. Each considered a different manifestation of Lord Shiva.

 

Source: High-Level Panel To Probe Alleged Scam In Gold Plating At Kedarnath Temple

About X-57 Maxwell:

 

• It is an all-electric experimental aircraft designed to demonstrate multiple leading-edge technologies.
•  It is being designed and developed by NASA.
• Goal: To demonstrate that an all-electric airplane can be more efficient, quieter and more environmentally friendly than airplanes powered by traditional gas piston engines.
•  Design:
  • It was made by modifying an Italian Texnam P2006T light aircraft to be powered by an electric propulsion system.
  • It will demonstrate the use of a high-power distributed electric propulsion system for use on an aircraft, including a 460 volt battery to power 14 motors and propellers.
  • The cruise motor controllers are critical components of the X-57’s powertrain, as they convert the energy stored in the aircraft’s lithium-ion batteries to power the motors that spin the electric propellers.
  • The wing, which is being reduced to 42% of the original size to significantly reduce drag, will feature wing-tip propellers to reduce the wing-tip vortex at cruise.

 

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Q1) What are lithium-ion batteries?

A lithium-ion battery is a type of rechargeable battery that is charged and discharged by lithium ions moving between the negative (anode) and positive (cathode) electrodes. Because lithium-ion batteries are suitable for storing high-capacity power, they are used in a wide range of applications, including consumer electronics such as smartphones and PCs, industrial robots, production equipment and automobiles.

 

Source: NASA builds all-electric aircraft to create path toward electric aviation

About Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) System:

• With the emergence of submarines, there was a problem finding satisfactory forms of propulsion underwater.
• AIP is mostly implemented as an auxiliary source, with the traditional diesel engine handling surface propulsion.
•  Most of these systems generate electricity, which in turn drives an electric motor for propulsion or recharges the boat’s batteries.
• AIP allows longer submergence than a conventionally propelled submarine. A typical conventional power plant provides 3 megawatts maximum, and an AIP source around 10 per cent of that. A nuclear submarine’s propulsion plant is much greater than 20 megawatts.

Key features of the AIP system:

• It allows the submarines to stay for longer hours in water. The submarines need to come to the surface of the water to charge their batteries. This is reduced by AIP System.
• It decreases the noise levels made by the submarines. This makes it hard to detect the submarines.
• Types of AIP: Open-cycle systems, Closed-cycle diesel engines, Closed-cycle steam turbines Stirling cycle engines and Fuel cells.

What are the types of Submarines?

• Conventional or Diesel-electric submarine: They need atmospheric oxygen to run the diesel generator which in turn charges the batteries.
• Nuclear Submarine: It is a submarine powered by a nuclear reactor, but not necessarily nuclear-armed. They have considerable performance advantages over conventional submarines.

 

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Q1) What is Submarines?

Submarines are watercraft that are designed to operate underwater. They are a type of naval vessel that is capable of independent operation beneath the surface of the water. Submarines are used for various purposes, including military, scientific research, exploration, and rescue missions.

Source: L&T, DRDO sign contract for AIP System for submarines of Indian Navy

About GE F414 Fighter Jet Engine:

 

• It is a high-performance, two-spool, axial-flow turbofan engine that is used to power a variety of military aircraft, including the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, the JAS 39 Gripen, and the Tejas Mark II. 
• It is a derivative of the GE F404 engine, which was developed in the 1970s. 
• It has been used by U.S. Navy aircraft for more than 30 years.
• The F414 powers or is on order to power jets in the U.S., Sweden, Australia, Kuwait, Brazil, South Korea, India and Indonesia.
• Features:
  • It combines the proven reliability, maintainability, and operability of its successful F404 predecessor with advanced technologies to provide up to 35 percent more thrust.
  • Its simple, modular design is reliable and easy to maintain.
  • It is the first fighter engine to use a Full Authority Digital Electronic Control (FADEC). FADEC provides precise control of the engine’s performance, which improves fuel efficiency and reduces emissions.
  • Is the first fighter engine to use an integrated electronic engine instrumentation (IEE) system. IEE provides real-time data on the engine’s performance, which helps pilots to make informed decisions about engine operation.
  • Its wide chord, high-pressure compressor (HPC) provides greater efficiency and lower emissions than previous generation engines.
  • The engine’s low-pressure turbine (LPT) is designed for high efficiency and durability.

 

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Q1) What is a turbofan engine?

A turbofan engine is the most modern variation of the basic gas turbine engine. As with other gas turbines, there is a core engine, whose parts and operation are discussed on a separate page. In the turbofan engine, the core engine is surrounded by a fan in the front and an additional turbine at the rear. The fan and fan turbine are composed of many blades, like the core compressor and core turbine, and are connected to an additional shaft.

 

Source: Why GE's plan to make fighter jet engines in India is a big deal

About Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary

• It is located between the Hirakud Dam (Mahanadi River) and the Reservoir in the state of Odisha.
• It was declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1985.
• It finds a special mention because of noted freedom fighter Veer Surendra Sai. 
• During his rebellion against the British Veer SurendraSaimade his base at ‘Barapathara” located within the sanctuary.
• Fauna: The beautiful sanctuary is known for its easy sightings of animals particularly Indian Bison, Wild Boars and Sambhar etc.
• Flora: It has a dry deciduous forest that attracts a host of birds during the winters.

What is Debrigarh 48 initiative?

• The wildlife division had launched the ‘Debrigarh 48’ initiative to prevent villagers from harming the wildlife and collect intelligence from the periphery landscape through them.

Key facts about Hirakud Dam

• It is a composite structure of earth, concrete and masonry. It is the longest major earthen dam in India.
• It is one of the first major multipurpose river valley projects started after India's independence and began operations in 1957.

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Q) What is a gravity dam?

A gravity dam is a type of dam that relies on its weight and the force of gravity to resist the pressure of water and other external forces. It is one of the oldest and most common types of dams used for water storage, hydropower generation, and flood control.

Source: Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary of Odisha records higher prey density

About Chiral Bose-Liquid State:

• Usually matter exists in solid, liquid or gas forms.
• At temperatures approaching absolute zero, or the world within the atom, things are very different.
• In these “quantum” states, matter behaves in ways quite different from the solid, liquid, and gaseous states.
• Under frustrated quantum systems, where infinite possibilities result from the interaction of particles. 

How it was formed?

• Researchers used a bi-layer semiconducting device.
• The top layer is electron-rich, and these electrons can move freely.
• The bottom layer is filled with “holes,” or places that a roving electron can occupy.
• Then the two layers are brought extremely close together. The machine is then triggered to create a local imbalance resulting in electrons not having enough holes to fill and this kicks off the novel state called the chiral bose-liquid state.
• In this state, electrons can be frozen into predictable patterns, making them resilient to changes in spin (a defining characteristic of subatomic particles) and even have electrons synchronise their movements.
• It is very difficult to create such states of matter but going ahead may be used to fashion novel digital encryption systems.

What is Chiral?

• The term chiral is from the Greek word for ‘hand’ which refers to anything which cannot be superimposed on its own mirror image.

 

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Q1) What are Electrons?

Electrons are subatomic particles that orbit the nucleus of an atom. They have a negative electrical charge and are one of the fundamental building blocks of matter. Electrons are found in all atoms, and their arrangement determines the chemical properties and behavior of different elements.

Source: Science for All | What is the chiral bose-liquid state?

About Auroras:

• How is it formed? The sun is ejecting charged particles from its corona, creating solar wind. When that wind slams into Earth's ionosphere, the aurora is born.
• In the Northern Hemisphere, the phenomenon is called the northern lights (aurora borealis), while in the Southern Hemisphere, it's called the southern lights (aurora australis). 
• The hemispheric asymmetry of the aurora is due in part to the sun's magnetic field interfering with Earth's magnetic field.
• The usually observed green and red auroras happen between 100 kilometres and 250 kilometres above the surface of the planet due to an excited state of atomic oxygen.

What is Carbon Dioxide Aurora?

• When charged particles crash into the planet’s atmosphere, they interact with many different atoms and molecules. Carbon dioxide is one of them.
• While the gas is known for acting as a greenhouse gas due to its presence in the lowest part of the atmosphere, trace parts of carbon dioxide also exist in the atmosphere at the edge of space.
• When carbon dioxide molecules about 90 kilometres above Earth become excited during an aurora, they emit infrared radiation.
• This leads to more infrared radiation than is typically observed in the planet’s atmosphere.

 

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Q1) What is Sun's corona?

The Sun's corona is the outermost layer of the Sun's atmosphere, extending millions of kilometers into space. It is visible as a halo of light during a total solar eclipse or with specialized instruments, such as coronagraphs, that block out the bright disk of the Sun. The corona is composed of extremely hot, ionized gas or plasma.

Source: Satellites capture auroras associated with carbon dioxide