About Exercise NOMADIC ELEPHANT: 

• It is the 16th edition of India-Mongolia Joint Military Exercise.
• An Indian contingent of 45 personnel is being represented by a Battalion of SIKKIM SCOUTS along with personnel from other arms and services.
• It is an annual training event conducted alternatively in India and Mongolia. Last edition was conducted in Mongolia in July 2023.
• Aim: To enhance joint military capability of both sides to undertake counter insurgency operations in a Sub Conventional scenario under Chapter VII of the United Nations Mandate.
• The exercise will focus on operations in the semi-urban and mountainous terrain.
• Tactical drills during the Exercise include Response to a Terrorist Action, Establishment of a Joint Command Post, establishment of an Intelligence & Surveillance Centre, Securing of a Helipad/ Landing Site etc.
• This exercise will enable both sides to share their best practices in Tactics, Techniques and Procedures of conducting joint operations.
• The exercise will also facilitate developing inter-operability, bonhomie and camaraderie between the two armies. This will also enhance the level of defence cooperation, further augmenting bilateral relations between the two friendly nations.

Q1: What is United Nations?

The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization that was established with the purpose of promoting international cooperation and maintaining peace and security among its member states.

Source: INDIA-MONGOLIA JOINT MILITARY EXERCISE NOMADIC ELEPHANT COMMENCES IN MEGHALAYA

About Indian Gaur:

• The Indian Bison of Gaur is the largest and tallest in the family of wild cattle.
• Scientific Name: Bos gaurus
• Distribution: Gaurs are indigenous to the South and Southeast parts of Asia.
• Habitat:
  • Gaurs are primarily the denizens of evergreen and semi-evergreen forests along with moist deciduous forests with open grasslands.
  • They prefer hilly-terrains below an altitude of 1,500-1,800 m with large and undisturbed forest tracts and abundant water.
• Features:
  • The Indian Bison is about 240 cm to 340 cm in length, with a sole tail length of about 70 cm to 105 cm. Their height is about 170 cm to 230 cm. 
  • The adult male weighs around 600 kg to 1500 kg. and the adult female weighs about 400 kg to 1000 kg.
  • They have a convex shape on the forehead.
  • The limbs are very strong and sturdy.
  • Both males and females possess horns. The horns are pale green or yellowish brown in color and are not pointed upward but possess a slightly inward curvature.
  • They have a typically short tail.
  • The Gaur is a social animal. They generally live in group size of about 30 to 40. 
• Conservation Status:
  • IUCN Red List: Vulnerable
  • Wild Life Protection Act, 1972: Schedule I 
  • It is listed in CITES Appendix I.

Key Facts about Nagarjunasagar Srisailam Tiger Reserve (NSTR):

• Location: It is located in the Nallamala hill ranges (an offshoot of the Eastern Ghats) of Andhra Pradesh and spreads across the undivided districts of Guntur, Prakasam and Kurnool.
• It attained the status of a Tiger Reserve in 1983. 
• This is the largest tiger reserve in the country, spreading over an area of 5937 Sq. Km.
• It is named after two major dams in the area, Nagarjuna Sagar Dam and Srisailam Dam.
• Two wildlife Sanctuaries, namely Rajiv Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary and Gundla Brahmeswaram Wildlife Sanctuary (GBM), constitute the Tiger Reserve.
• The river Krishna traverses through this Reserve for a linear distance of around 270 Kilometers.
• Topography: It consists of plateau, ridges, gorges and deep valleys.
• Vegetation: Tropical dry deciduous forests having an undergrowth of bamboo and grass.
• Flora: The habitat has several endemics like Andrographis nallamalayana, Eriolaena lushingtonii, Crotalaria madurensis Var, Dicliptera beddomei and Premna hamiltonii.
• Fauna:
  • Top faunal species include Tiger, Leopard, Wolf, Wild Dog and Jackal.
  • The prey species are represented by Sambar, Chital, Chowsingha, Chinkara, Mouse Deer, Wild boar and Porcupine.
  • The river Krishna has Muggers, Otters and Turtles.

Q1: What is a Tiger Reserve?

Tiger Reserve is a legally declared protected area dedicated to the conservation of striped big cats. A tiger reserve, on the other hand, could be a national park or wildlife sanctuary. The Sariska Tiger Reserve, for example, is also a national park.

Source: Gaur sighted in NSTR after decades

About Money Mule:

• A money mule is someone who transfers or moves illegally acquired money on behalf of someone else.
• Criminals recruit money mules to help launder proceeds derived from online scams and frauds or crimes like human trafficking and drug trafficking. 
• Money mules add layers of distance between crime victims and criminals, which makes it harder for law enforcement to accurately trace money trails.
• Money mules can move funds in various ways, including through bank accounts, cashier’s checks, virtual currency, prepaid debit cards, or money service businesses.
• Criminals will often use fake job adverts, or create social media posts about opportunities to make money quickly, in order to recruit potential money mules.
• Some money mules know they are supporting criminal enterprises; others are unaware that they are helping criminals’ profit.
• Money mules often receive a commission for their service, or they might provide assistance because they believe they have a trusting relationship with the individual who is asking for help.
• When such frauds are reported, the money mule becomes the target of police investigations.

Even if money mules are not directly involved in the crimes that generate the money, they are accomplices, as they launder the proceeds of such crimes.

Q1: What is a Current Account?

A current account is an account meant for business. Unlike savings accounts that cater to individuals who want to save money, current accounts are mainly used to service the needs of the businesses. Also, current accounts provide a higher number of transaction limits on monthly cash deposit / withdrawal (within city or outside city) compared to savings accounts.

Source: Banks scanning proprietor A/Cs to spot 'money mules'

About Humid Heat:

• Humid heat results from high temperatures and high levels of moisture in the air.
• This means sweat does not evaporate as easily, making it harder for the body to cool off. 
• As a result, it can “feel” hotter than the same temperature in a dry environment.
• This perceived temperature is known as the heat index, which describes what the temperature feels like to the body when air temperature is combined with relative humidity. 
• Humid heat tends to be more dangerous as the moisture does not evaporate as efficiently, so more heat remains in the body.
• Effects:
  • It’s common to feel damp and sticky in hot and humid heat, and you might get covered in sweat after a short period of time outside. 
  • It can contribute to feelings of low energy and lethargy.
  • It can cause hyperthermia—overheating as a result of your body’s inability to effectively let out heat. Hyperthermia can cause:
• Dehydration
• Fatigue
• Muscle cramps
• Heat exhaustion
• Fainting
• Heat stroke

What is Dry Heat?

• Dry heat occurs when there is low humidity.
• It generally occurs in hot desert climates that receive little precipitation.
• The absence of moisture in the air allows water to evaporate more quickly, and temperatures may seem cooler than they would in a humid environment. 
• Dry heat can feel more tolerable initially, as sweat evaporates quickly, providing some relief.
• On the other hand, dry heat can cause dehydration faster.
• In dry air, not only does the sweat evaporate quickly off the skin, taking extra heat with it, but the moisture from your saliva and breath will also quickly evaporate, resulting in the unpleasant “dry mouth.”

Q1: What is Humidity?

Humidity is the amount of water vapor in the air. If there is a lot of water vapor in the air, the humidity will be high. The higher the humidity, the wetter it feels outside.

Source: People in India exposed to humid heat extremes from 1951-2020 increased by 67 crore: Study

About Junk DNA:

• In genetics, the term junk DNA refers to regions of DNA that are noncoding.
• DNA contains instructions (coding) that are used to create proteins in the cell.
• However, the amount of DNA contained inside each cell is vast, and not all of the genetic sequences present within a DNA molecule actually code for a protein.
• Some of this noncoding DNA is used to produce non-coding RNA components such as transfer RNA, regulatory RNA and ribosomal RNA. 
• However, other DNA regions are not transcribed into proteins, nor are they used to produce RNA molecules, and their function is unknown. These are known as junk regions of DNA.
• The proportion of coding versus noncoding DNA varies significantly between species.
  • In the human genome, for example, almost all (98%) of the DNA is noncoding, while in bacteria, only 2% of the genetic material does not code for anything.
• However, over the years, researchers have found evidence to suggest that junk DNA may provide some form of functional activity.
• Some lines of evidence suggest that fragments of what were originally non-functional DNA have undergone the process of exaptation throughout evolution.
  • Exaptation refers to the acquisition of a function through means other than natural selection.

Q1: What is DNA?

DNA, or deoxyribonucleic acid, is the hereditary material in humans and almost all other organisms. Nearly every cell in a person’s body has the same DNA. Most DNA is located in the cell nucleus (where it is called nuclear DNA), but a small amount of DNA can also be found in the mitochondria (where it is called mitochondrial DNA or mtDNA). Mitochondria are structures within cells that convert the energy from food into a form that cells can use.

Source: New class of cancer mutations discovered in so-called 'junk' DNA

About Nightjars:

• They are medium-sized nocturnal insectivorous birds in the family Caprimulgidae and the order Caprimulgiformes.
• These birds are found all around the world, with the exception of Antarctica, and certain island groups, such as the Seychelles.
• Features:
  • They are characterized by long wings,short legs, and very short bills.
  • They feed on flying insects that they catch on the wing at night.
  • Their grey-brown, mottled, streaked, and stripey plumage provides ideal camouflage in the daytime. 
  • During the day, they sleep on the ground or perched, usually lengthwise, on a branch.
• They are among the most difficult bird species to study due to their unobtrusive and nocturnal behavior and cryptic plumage.

Key Facts about Lesser Sunda Islands:

• The Lesser Sunda Islands are an archipelago in maritime Southeast Asia.
• It is located to the immediate east of Java and to the north of Western Australia. 
• Major islands in the group include Bali, Lombok, Sumbawa, Flores, Sumba, and Timor. 
• Together with the Greater Sunda Islands to the west, they make up the Sunda Islands. 

The islands are part of a volcanic arc, the Sunda Arc, formed by subduction along the Sunda Trench in the Java Sea.

Q1: What is a volcanic arc?

A volcanic arc is a chain of volcanoes, hundreds to thousands of miles long, that forms above a subduction zone. An island volcanic arc forms in an ocean basin via ocean-ocean subduction.

Source: New Species of Bird Discovered on Lesser Sunda Islands

About Megafauna: 

• This term is generally used to describe animals weighing more than 50 kg.
• The term was first used by the English naturalist and explorer Alfred Russel Wallace in his 1876 book, The Geographical Distribution of Animals.
• Megafauna may be classified based on their dietary type as megaherbivores (plant-eaters), megacarnivores (meat-eaters), and megaomnivores (who eat both plants and meat).
  • Ostriches are megaomnivores, with an adult ostrich weighing anywhere between 90 and 140 kg, with height between seven and nine feet.
• Historical evidence of Megafauna
  • The earliest documented evidence of the species in the subcontinent was presented by Richard Lydekker in 1884 in the Dhok Pathan deposits in Upper Siwalik (Sivalik) Hills in present-day Pakistan.
  • Archaeologist S A Sali in 1989 reported the discovery of ostrich eggshell beads and engraved pieces (dating back to roughly 50,000–40,000 years ago) in an Upper Palaeolithic open-air camping site at Patne, Maharashtra.
  • In 2017, researchers at the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) in Hyderabad assessed the ages of a batch of fossilised egg shells from Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat, and established the presence of ostriches 25,000 years ago. 

Q1: What is the Shiwalik Range?

Shivalik Hills are a sub-Himalayan Mountain Range running 1,600 km long from the Teesta River, Sikkim, through Nepal and India, into northern Pakistan.

Source: What discovery of prehistoric ostrich shells in Andhra means

About Meta 3D Gen AI System:

• It is a combined AI system that can generate high-quality 3D assets, with both high-resolution textures and material maps, all within one minute.
• It uses two AI-powered sub-systems called Meta 3D AssetGen and Meta 3D TextureGen.
• The system can take text prompts from the user and produce a final output of AI generated 3D content such as characters, props or scenes.
• Additionally, the user can also provide the system with an already created 3D mesh, which is essentially the structure of a 3D model, and ask it to add texture to it.
• How does it works?
  • This system uses Physically-Based Rendering (PBR) techniques to build up 3D content from scratch.
  • The system first takes an input from the user which contains instructions for creating a 3D structure and its design elements including the texture.
  • In the first step, the Meta 3D AssetGen system creates an initial “3D asset” based on the user prompt. This step produces a 3D mesh with texture and PBR material maps. The inference time for this step is approximately 30 seconds.
  • In stage two, a higher-quality texture and PBR maps are generated for the 3D asset generated in stage one. This step utilises the Meta 3D TextureGen system that takes approximately 20 seconds, according to the company.
  • Additionally, the Meta 3D TextureGen system can be used individually by the user as a text-to-texture generator. If the user provides the system with an already generated 3D mesh along with a text prompt detailing the texture they want on the 3D content, the system automatically initiates step two.

Q1: What is Generative Artificial Intelligence?

It refers to deep-learning models that can take raw data and “learn” to generate statistically probable outputs when prompted. It is powered by foundation models (large AI models) that can multi-task and perform out-of-the-box tasks, including summarization, Q&A, classification, and more.

Source: Meta launches new AI text-to-3D generator

About Rudram-1 Missile: 

• It is an Air – to surface missile developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation.
• It is integrated with the IAF's Sukhoi-30MKI fighter jets which serves as the launch platform. 
• Features
  • It is India’s first indigenous anti-radiation missile.
  • It features Inertial Navigation Systems (INS)-GPS navigation and a Passive Homing Head for final attack, allowing it to accurately hit radiation-emitting targets.
  • INS-GPS navigation provides a technological edge, enabling accurate targeting over a wide range of frequencies.
  • Range: The missile can be launched from varying altitudes, ranging from 500 meters to 15 kilometers, and has a range of up to 250 kilometers depending on the launch conditions.
  • Speed: Up to Mach 2
  • This flexibility allows the IAF to adapt to different operational scenarios, enhancing its combat effectiveness.
  • This precision is crucial for Suppression of Enemy Air Defence (SEAD) operations, enabling the destruction of enemy radars and communication sites from long standoff ranges.

Q1: What is the inertial navigation system (INS)?

It is a self-contained navigation technique in which measurements provided by accelerometers and gyroscopes are used to track the position and orientation of an object relative to a known starting point, orientation and velocity.

Source: India successfully test-fires new generation anti-radiation missile ‘Rudram-1’