Yangtze Finless Porpoise Latest News

Scientists use classical poems to map the decline of Yangtze finless porpoise from the Tang Period to the People's Republic of China.

Why in the News?

• Chinese scientists have utilised classical Chinese poetry to reconstruct the historical distribution of the Yangtze finless porpoise, the only known freshwater porpoise species in the world.
• This study demonstrates the scientific use of ancient literary records to track biodiversity trends over 1,000+ years, from the Tang Dynasty (618–907 CE) to the modern People's Republic of China.

About the Yangtze Finless Porpoise

• Habitat: Found exclusively in the Yangtze River, Asia’s longest river.
• Unique traits: Known for a mischievous smile and intelligence similar to gorillas.
• Ecological role: Considered a key indicator species, reflecting the overall health of its freshwater ecosystem.
• Size & Behaviour: Small-bodied, slow-moving, and non-migratory.

Conservation Status

• IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered
• Estimated population: Only 1,000–1,800 individuals
• Extinction risk: High – parallels drawn with the Baiji dolphin, declared functionally extinct in 2006, marking the first human-driven extinction of a dolphin species.

Yangtze Finless Porpoise FAQs

Q1. What is the Yangtze finless porpoise?
Ans. It is a critically endangered freshwater cetacean species found only in the Yangtze River in China.

Q2. What is its IUCN Red List status?
Ans. The Yangtze finless porpoise is listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List.

Q3. Is it the only freshwater porpoise species?
Ans. Yes, it is the only known freshwater porpoise species in the world.

Source: DTE

IXPE (Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer) Latest News

NASA’s IXPE Unlocks X-ray Emission Mystery in Black Hole Jets

What is IXPE?

• IXPE (Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer) is a joint mission of NASA and the Italian Space Agency, launched on December 9, 2021.
• It is the first satellite capable of measuring the polarisation of X-ray light, a key feature for understanding high-energy astrophysical phenomena.

What are Blazars and Why BL Lacertae Matters?

• Blazars are a type of active galactic nuclei (AGN) where a supermassive black hole ejects a relativistic jet of particles oriented directly toward Earth.
• BL Lacertae (BL Lac) is a well-known blazar and among the first discovered. It is located in the Lacerta constellation.
• It is distinguished by its high variability and intense electromagnetic emissions, making it a suitable candidate for polarisation studies.

Scientific Discovery by IXPE – Key Findings

• The mission aimed to solve the long-standing mystery of how X-rays are generated in black hole jets.
• Two competing theories existed:
  • Proton-based models (would result in high X-ray polarization).
  • Electron-based models (would result in low X-ray polarization).
• IXPE's observations found that the X-rays emitted from BL Lac's jets were only weakly polarized (no more than 7.6%).
• Simultaneously, the optical light was highly polarised (as high as 47.5%, the highest ever recorded for a blazar).
• This clear contrast confirmed that the X-rays are not generated by protons, but rather through electron-photon interactions.

Compton Scattering

• The phenomenon responsible is Compton Scattering, where high-speed electrons scatter infrared photons, boosting them to X-ray energies.
• This interaction provides a direct link between relativistic electron activity and X-ray generation in extreme environments.

IXPE (Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer) FAQs

Q1. What is IXPE?
Ans. IXPE is a space-based X-ray telescope launched by NASA to study the polarisation of X-rays emitted by cosmic objects.

Q2. When was IXPE launched?
Ans. IXPE was launched on December 9, 2021, aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.

Source: PHY

Global Space Exploration Summit (GLEX) 2025 Latest News

India will host the 12th edition of the Global Space Exploration Conference (GLEX 2025) from 7th to 9th May 2025 in New Delhi.

About Global Space Exploration Summit (GLEX) 2025

• GLEX 2025's theme is “Reaching New Worlds: A Space Exploration Renaissance,” emphasising innovation, inclusivity, and international cooperation in space science.
• GLEX 2025 is jointly organised by:
  • International Astronautical Federation (IAF) – the world’s leading space advocacy body.
  • Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) – as the primary host.
  • Astronautical Society of India (ASI) – as the co-host.
• The conference represents a milestone in India’s expanding global space leadership, highlighting its transition from a regional space power to a key international player.

About the IAF (International Astronautical Federation)

• Founded in 1951, the IAF has over 500 members from 78 countries, including major space agencies, private firms, research institutes, and universities.
• Its motto “Connecting @ll Space People” and vision “A space-faring world cooperating for the benefit of humanity” guide its efforts to promote global space cooperation.
• The GLEX series, organised by IAF, serves as a platform to share programmatic, technical, and policy insights and facilitate collaborative space missions across nations.

Global Space Exploration Summit (GLEX) 2025 FAQs

Q1. What is the Global Space Exploration Conference (GLEX) 2025?
Ans. GLEX 2025 is an international space conference organised by the International Astronautical Federation (IAF) in collaboration with a host country to discuss the future of space exploration and cooperation.

Q2. Where is GLEX 2025 scheduled to be held?
Ans. GLEX 2025 is scheduled to be held in Delhi.

Source: PIB

Lagrangian Growth-Advection Model Latest News

Researchers from the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) and Florida State University have developed a new method to estimate oceanic carbon export using satellite data.

About Lagrangian Growth-Advection Model

• A Lagrangian Growth-Advection Model combines Lagrangian methods, which track individual fluid particles, with the concept of advection (the movement of a fluid) and growth (changes in a particle's properties).
• It maps phytoplankton succession and carbon export by following surface ocean currents, particularly in upwelling regions like the California Current.
• Key Innovations:
  • Incorporates spatial and temporal lags between carbon production and export.
  • Accounts for zooplankton activity, ocean advection (movement of plankton), and biological succession.
  • Does not rely solely on ocean color, providing a complementary alternative.
• Performance and Validation: The new model's predictions matched results from deep-sea carbon monitoring, such as those at Station M (a long-term MBARI seafloor observatory).
  • Pulses of carbon flux observed previously, unexplained by earlier models, are better captured by this approach.
• The ocean absorbs a significant portion of atmospheric CO₂, playing a key role in regulating Earth's climate. 
  • Marine organisms convert dissolved CO₂ into organic carbon, which eventually sinks to the deep ocean, a process known as carbon sequestration via the biological pump.
• Existing satellite-based models depend primarily on ocean colour data, which measures phytoplankton productivity via surface chlorophyll concentrations. However, these models fail to account for subsurface and temporal lags in carbon transfer.

Lagrangian Growth-Advection Model FAQs

Q1. What is the Lagrangian Growth-Advection Model used for?
Ans. It is used in oceanography and climate modelling to simulate the movement and growth of biological or chemical tracers in ocean currents.

Q2. What does "Lagrangian" refer to in this model?
Ans. "Lagrangian" refers to tracking the movement of individual particles or water parcels as they flow with ocean currents.

Source: PHY

Cashless Treatment of Road Accident Victims Scheme, 2025 Latest News

The Government of India recently launched a groundbreaking cashless treatment scheme for road accident victims across the country, ensuring swift and hassle-free medical care for those affected.

About Cashless Treatment of Road Accident Victims Scheme, 2025

• Under the scheme, any individual injured in a road accident involving a motor vehicle on any public road in India will be eligible for cashless medical treatment at designated hospitals. 
• The maximum benefit under the scheme is capped at Rs 1.5 lakh and is valid for up to seven days from the date of the accident.
• Treatment at hospitals that are not designated under the scheme will be limited to stabilisation measures, as further detailed in the scheme's guidelines.
• To ensure seamless execution, the National Health Authority (NHA) will serve as the coordinating agency. 
  • It will work in collaboration with the police, hospitals, and respective State Health Agencies to operationalise the scheme effectively.
• The State Road Safety Council in each state and Union Territory will act as the nodal agency responsible for the scheme's implementation within their jurisdiction.
  • This includes coordinating with the National Health Authority for the onboarding of designated hospitals, the treatment of victims, payment processes to hospitals, and other related matters through a dedicated portal. 
• A 17-member steering committee headed by the road transport secretary will monitor the implementation of the scheme.

Cashless Treatment of Road Accident Victims Scheme, 2025 FAQs

Q1. Under the Cashless Treatment of Road Accident Victims Scheme, who is eligible for cashless medical treatment?

Ans. Any individual injured in a road accident involving a motor vehicle on public roads.

Q2. What is the maximum benefit provided under the Cashless Treatment of Road Accident Victims Scheme?

Ans. Rs 1.5 lakh

Q3. How long is the cashless treatment valid after a road accident under the scheme?

Ans. 7 days

Source: MINT

Palaeofires Latest News

Recently, Scientists have traced evidence of palaeofires (ancient wildfires) from the Permian Period (~250 million years ago) in the Godavari Basin.

About Palaeofires and Key Findings

• Palaeofires refer to wildfire events preserved in geological records, which play a crucial role in understanding Earth’s past vegetation, climate evolution, and coal formation.
• The study spanned geological periods from the Late Silurian (443.8–419.2 million years ago) to the Quaternary (from 2.58 million years ago to present), highlighting how wildfires have historically shaped landscapes, vegetation patterns, and coal formation.
• The research combined advanced techniques like Palynofacies analysis, Raman Spectroscopy, Rock-Eval Pyrolysis, and FTIR Spectroscopy to examine microscopic organic matter and fossil charcoal in ancient sedimentary rocks.
• Palynofacies analysis revealed three main types of organic particles:
  • Translucent Organic Matter (TrOM) – includes pollen and plant debris.
  • Palaeofire Charcoal (PAL-CH) – direct evidence of vegetation burning.
  • Oxidised Charcoal (OX-CH) – possibly reworked or transported post-burning.
• Key discovery: The team successfully distinguished between in situ (on-site) and ex situ (transported) charcoal, helping resolve a long-standing debate in geology regarding the origin of charcoal found in coal-bearing formations.
• Stratigraphic patterns (rock layering) revealed that:
  • During regressive phases (sea-level drop), well-preserved, concentrated fire residues were found.
  • During transgressive phases (sea-level rise), charcoal was more oxidised and dispersed, indicating environmental mixing and transport.
• High atmospheric oxygen levels in the Permian Period likely made the Earth more fire-prone, intensifying wildfire frequency and scale.
• The Raniganj Coalfield was one of the earliest Indian sites where macroscopic charcoal in coal seams suggested the presence of palaeofires in ancient peat-forming environments (palaeomires).
• These findings help understand how wildfires influence carbon cycling and long-term carbon sequestration—important for modern climate change mitigation strategies.

Palaeofires FAQs

Q1. What are palaeofires?
Ans. Palaeofires are ancient wildfires that occurred naturally in Earth's geological past, identified through charcoal deposits, sediment records, and tree rings.

Q2. How are palaeofires studied?
Ans. Through palaeoecological and geological evidence, especially charcoal analysis in lake beds, peat, and ice cores.

Source: PIB

Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project Latest News

India’s national safety regulator for large dams, the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA), has found “irreparable damage” in the structure of three barrages that are part of the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project (KLIP).

About Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project 

• It is a multi-purpose irrigation project on the Godavari River in Kaleshwaram, Bhupalpally, Telangana. 
• It is designed to provide water for irrigation and drinking purposes to about 45 lakh acres in 20 of the 31 districts in Telangana, apart from Hyderabad and Secunderabad. 
• Currently the world’s largest multi-stage lift irrigation project, its farthest upstream influence is at the confluence of the Pranhita and Godavari rivers.
  • The Pranahita River is itself a confluence of various smaller tributaries, including the Wardha, Painganga, and Wainganga rivers, which combine to form the seventh-largest drainage basin on the subcontinent.
• It comprises seven links and 28 packages, stretching over a distance of approximately 500 km (310 mi) across 13 districts. 
• The extensive canal network associated with the project spans over 1,800 km (1,100 mi). 
• The project aims to produce a total of 240 TMC (Thousand Million Cubic Feet) of water, which is allocated for various purposes such as irrigation, municipal water supply to Hyderabad, industrial use, and drinking water in nearby villages.

Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project FAQs

Q1. The Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project is located on which river?

Ans. Godavari River

Q2. Which Indian state is home to the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project?

Ans. Telangana

Q3. The Pranahita River, involved in the Kaleshwaram project, is formed by the confluence of which rivers?

Ans. Wardha, Painganga, and Wainganga

Source: IE

Human Development Report 2025 Latest News

India ranked 130th on the Human Development Index, out of 193 countries and territories, according to the 2025 Human Development Report (HDR) released recently.

About Human Development Report

• It is an annual publication by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) that evaluates and compares countries based on human development rather than just economic growth.
• It analyses development progress across a range of indicators known as the Human Development Index (HDI), which encompasses achievements in health and education,along with levels of income. 
• Highlights of HDR 2025:
  • The 2025 HDR, titled “A Matter of Choice: People and Possibilities in the Age of AI”, highlights the critical role of artificial intelligence in shaping the next chapter of human development.
  • The study revealed stalled progress on the HDI in all regions across the world and warned that increasing trade tensions, a worsening debt crisis, and the rise of jobless industrialisation risked making the situation worse. 
  • Iceland, with an HDI value of 0.972, ranked at the top of the Index, followed by Norway and Switzerland.South Sudan was at the bottom at 193 with 0.388.
  • India is ranked 130th on the Human Development Index (HDI), out of 193 countries and territories.
  • India improved its HDI value from 0.676 in 2022 to 0.685 in 2023, with the country remaining in the medium human development category, although moving closer to the threshold for high human development (HDI ≥ 0.700). 
  • It also noted that India’s HDI value has increased by over 53 percent since 1990, growing faster than both the global and South Asian averages.
  • Among India’s neighbours, China (75th), Sri Lanka (78th), and Bhutan (127th) are ranked above India, while Bangladesh (130th) is ranked at par. Nepal (145th), Myanmar (149th), and Pakistan (168th) are ranked below India.
  • India’s life expectancy also rose to 72 years in 2023 from 67.7 in 2022, while expected schooling years increased to 13 from 12.6, with average schooling years increasing to 6.9 from 6.57. Meanwhile, the per capita Gross National Income (GNI) jumped from $6,951 to $9,047 (PPP 2021).
  • India was the only low- or middle-income country among the top 10 in the Global AI Index, with the highest level of self-reported AI skills penetration. 
  • The country also showed improved retention of domestic AI talent: 20 percent of Indian AI researchers reportedly remained in India in 2023, compared to almost none in 2019.

Human Development Report 2025 FAQs

Q1. Who publishes the annual Human Development Report?

Ans. United Nations Development Programme

Q2. Which country ranked first in the Human Development Index (HDI) in the 2025 HDR?

Ans. Iceland

Q3. What was India’s rank on the Human Development Index in 2025?

Ans. 130

Source: BS

Bhimgad Wildlife Sanctuary Latest News

Public trespassing into the ecologically sensitive Bhimgad Wildlife Sanctuary (BWS) in Khanapur taluk continues unchecked, raising serious concerns among conservationists.

About Bhimgad Wildlife Sanctuary

• It spans over the Western Ghats in the Belgaum district of Karnataka.
• It was declared as a wildlife sanctuary in December 2011. 
• The sanctuary has been named after the Bhimgad Fort, constructed and commanded by Shivaji in the 17th century as a defence from Portuguese troops. 
• It shares its boundary with the north of Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary, north-west of the Bhagwan Mahaveer Sanctuary and Mollem National Park, north of Netravali Wildlife Sanctuary, and east of Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary.
• It is characterized by its diverse topography, encompassing hills, valleys, and plateaus.
• BWS forms the headwaters of a number of rivers like Tillari, Malaprabha, and Mhadei and several perennial streams.
• This sanctuary is known for the Barapede caves, the only known breeding area of the Wroughton’s Free-tailed Bat, a threatened species on the verge of extinction.
• Vegetation: The dominant vegetation of the forest comprises tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests. 
• Flora: 
  • Forests are dominated by towering trees like Malabar teak, rosewood, and various species of dipterocarps
  • It also hosts a number of medicinal plants. 
• Fauna: 
  • It provides habitat for several endangered species, such as the Indian sloth bear,Indian pangolin, and the elusive black panther. 
  • Other notable residents include the Malabar giant squirrel, gaur, sambar deer, and a plethora of bird species, including the Malabar trogon and the great Indian hornbill.
  • One of the unique features of Bhimgad is the presence of large, isolated rock formations that serve as ideal breeding grounds for the King Cobra, the world’s longest venomous snake. 

Bhimgad Wildlife Sanctuary FAQs

Q1. In which Indian state is the Bhimgad Wildlife Sanctuary located?

Ans. Karnataka

Q2. What is the vegetation of Bhimgad Wildlife Sanctuary?

Ans. The dominant vegetation of the forest comprises tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests. 

Q3. The Barapede caves in Bhimgad Wildlife Sanctuary are famous for which species?

Ans. Wroughton’s Free-tailed Bat

Source: TOI

INS Tamal Latest News

In the wake of rising tensions with Pakistan following the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, the Indian Navy is set to bolster its maritime strength with the induction of its second advanced warship -- INS Tamal. 

About INS Tamal

• It is a state-of-the-art stealth guided missile frigate.
• It is an upgraded Krivak-III class frigate and is part of a significant $2.5 billion dealbetween India and Russia for four stealth frigates,two to be built in Russia and the other two to be manufactured at Goa Shipyard Limited.
  • INS Tushil, the first of this, was commissioned into the Indian Navy in December 2024.
  • INS Tamal will be the last warship to be commissioned outside India or imported. The country now designs and constructs its own warships.
  • The remaining two — Triput and Tavasya — are under construction at Goa Shipyard Limited through a technology transfer deal, estimated to cost around Rs 13,000 crore.

Key Features of INS Tamal

• It is designed for blue water operations, capable of engaging in various naval warfare dimensions, including air, surface, underwater, and electronic warfare.
• It measures 125 meters in length and has a displacement of 3,900 tonnes, blending Russian design with Indian technology.
• Approximately 26% of its components are sourced from Indian manufacturers.
• It is capable of cruising at speeds of up to 30 knots (approximately 55 km/h) and operating over a range of 3,000 kilometres per deployment. 
• Missile Systems: INS Tamal carries an array of missile systems, including BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles and vertically launched Shtil surface-to-air missiles, providing it with formidable offensive and defensive capabilities.
• For undersea warfare, it is equipped with anti-submarine torpedoes and rocket launchers. 
• The vessel can also support the operation of a multi-role helicopter, enhancing its reach and versatility during missions.
• The warship also has radar-evading stealth technology.

INS Tamal FAQs

Q1. What class of warship is INS Tamal?

Ans. Krivak-III class stealth guided missile frigate.

Q2. What is the operating range of INS Tamal?

Ans. It has an operating range of 3,000 kilometres per deployment. 

Q3. What is the significance of INS Tamal in India’s Make-in-India naval strategy?

Ans. It is the last imported major warship before India becomes self-reliant.

Source: INDIATV