Overview:
The Prime Minister recently inaugurated the Vikramaditya Vedic Clock, which is mounted on an 85-foot tower within Jantar Mantar in Ujjain.
About Vikramaditya Vedic Clock:
It is the world’s first 'Vedic Clock', designed to display time according to the ancient Indian traditional Panchang (time calculation system).
It has been positioned on an 85-foot tower within Jantar Mantar in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh.
It also provides information on planetary positions, Muhurat, astrological calculations, and predictions.
In addition to this, it also indicates Indian Standard Time (IST) and Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).
The clock will calculate time from one sunrise to another.
The period between the two sunrises will be divided into 30 parts, whose one hour consists of 48 minutes, according to ISD.
The reading will start from 0:00 with the sunrise functions for 30 hours (an hour of 48 minutes).
It has been developed by Lucknow-based Sanstha Arohan, using digital interventions, enabling it to be connected to the internet and provide a wide range of features through a mobile app named after the clock.
Why Ujjain?
Ujjain's rich heritage in timekeeping dates back centuries, with the city playing a pivotal role in determining India's time zones and time difference.
Ujjain is located at the precise point of interaction with zero meridian and Tropic of Cancer.
Before 82.5E longitude was adopted for IST, Ujjain (75.78E) was considered as Bharat’s time meridian.
The Vikrami Panchang and Vikram Samvat calendars are also released from Ujjain, which makes Ujjain the ideal location to have the Vaidik Clock.
Overview:
Researchers of the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) recently discovered a new species of head-shield sea slug from Odisha and the West Bengal coast named ‘Melanochlamys Droupadi’.
About Melanochlamys Droupadi
It is a new marine species of head-shield sea slug with ruby red spot.
This species belonging to Melanochlamys genus was discovered from Digha of West Bengal coast and Udaipur of Odisha coast.
Features:
It is a small invertebrate with a maximum length of up to 7 mm. Habitat: It inhabits wet and soft sandy beaches.
It is brownish black in colour with a ruby red spot in the hind end.
This particular species of sea slug is hermaphrodite (having both male and female reproductive parts); however, they need another sea slug for reproduction.
It has a shell inside the body. It has a posterior, accounting for 61 percent of its body length.
It continuously secretes transparent mucus to form a sheath that prevents sand grains from entering parapodial space.
It crawls beneath smooth sand to form a moving capsule where the body is rarely visible, leaving behind a trail like a turtle.
What are Sea Slugs?
Sea slugs are a group of molluscs that live primarily in marine habitats and are slug- like.
They can be found from the shallow intertidal to the deep sea and from the polar regions to the tropics.
The sea slugs are rapid hunters and feed upon mobile prey such as other shelled and unshelled sea slugs, roundworms, marine worms, and small fishes.
So far, 18 species have been discovered across the globe.
They are distributed in temperate regions of the Indo-Pacific Oceanic realm, but three species are truly tropically distributed, Melanochlamys papillata from the Gulf of Thailand, Melanochlamys bengalensis from West Bengal and Odisha coast and the present species.
Overview:
In a coordinated operation at sea, the Indian Navy and the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) recently apprehended a suspicious vessel carrying almost 3300 Kgs of contraband.
About Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB):
The NCB was created in March 1986 in terms of Section 4(3) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985, which envisages a Central Authority for the purpose of effectively preventing and combating abuse of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances and their illicit trade.
The NCB works to identify, investigate, and prosecute drug trade offenders and implement preventive measures to reduce the demand and supply of drugs.
The Bureau, subject to the supervision and control of the Central Government, is to exercise the powers and functions of the Central Government in taking measures with respect to:
Co-ordination of actions by various offices, State Governments and other authorities under the N.D.P.S. Act, Customs Act, Drugs and Cosmetics Act, and any other law for the time being in force in connection with the enforcement provisions of the NDPS Act, 1985.
Implementation of the obligation in respect of counter measures against illicit traffic under the various international conventions and protocols.
Assistance to concerned authorities in foreign countries and concerned international organisations to facilitate coordination and universal action for prevention and suppression of illicit traffic in these drugs and substances.
Coordination of actions taken by the other concerned Ministries, Departments and Organizations in respect of matters relating to drug abuse.
Other Functions:
It is the apex coordinating agency. It also functions as an enforcement agency through its zones and sub-zones.
The zones and sub-zones collect and analyse data related to seizures of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substance, study trends, modus operandi, collect and disseminate intelligence, and work in close cooperation with the Customs, State Police and other law enforcement agencies.
In addition to its enforcement activities, the NCB also works to improve awareness, educate the public on the dangers of drugs and drug abuse, and provide support to those affected by the illegal drug trade.
NCB is responsible for maintaining and updating the National Data Bank on Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, and related matters.
NCB maintains and updates the National Register of Treatment Providers and Narcotic Drug Dependents.
NCB provides expert advice to the Central Government on narcotics, psychotropic substances, and related matters.
The NCB directly reports to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
The Government of India provides all administrative and financial support to NCB for its smooth functioning and strengthening, as required from time to time.
Overview:
Unveiling new details about Antarctica's "Doomsday Glacier", scientists have revealed that the Thwaites Glacier has been losing ice since the 1940s.
About Doomsday Glacier:
Thwaites Glacier, also known as the “Doomsday Glacier,” is located in the remote Amundsen Sea in West Antarctica.
It’s a wide and fast-flowing glacier, roughly the size of Florida or Great Britain, and it has been a significant focus of scientific study due to its sensitivity to climate change.
It is one of the most vulnerable and important glaciers in the world in terms of future global sea-level rise.
Satellite measurements have shown that the glacier is losing an enormous amount of ice each year, nearly 50 billion tons annually, contributing to rising global sea levels. The glacier already contributes 4% of global sea level rise.
If the entire Thwaites Glacier were to melt, it could raise the world’s oceans by about 65 centimeters (over 2 feet).
It also acts as a buffer, holding back neighboring glaciers that contain around three meters of potential sea level rise.
A critical concern is that much of Thwaites sits on land that is below sea level, in a configuration known as “marine-based.”
This situation means that as the glacier’s grounding line – the point where the glacier’s ice lifts off the land and starts floating on the sea – retreats inland, it can pass over deeper and deeper valleys.
This process allows more and more ice to discharge into the sea, which might accelerate the glacier’s melt in a phenomenon known as “marine ice sheet instability.”
Overview:
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully conducted two flight tests of the Very Short-Range Air Defence System (VSHORADS) missile.
About Very Short-Range Air Defence System (VSHORADS)
VSHORADS is a fourth-generation Man Portable Air Defence System (MANPAD) specially designed to counter low-altitude aerial threats over short distances.
These are short-range, lightweight, and portable surface-to-air missiles that can be fired by individuals or small groups.
It has been designed and developed indigenously by DRDO's Research Centre Imarat (RCI), Hyderabad, in collaboration with other DRDO laboratories and Indian industry partners.
Features:
It is designed to provide short-range air defence capabilities to protect ground forces and critical assets from aerial threats, including helicopters and low-flying aircraft.
It has a range of up to 6-km.
The missile incorporates many novel technologies, including a Dual-band IIR Seeker, a miniaturised Reaction Control System, and integrated avionics.
It is propelled by a dual-thrust solid motor.
The missile and its launcher were designed by the DRDO to be portable, which enables their quick deployment over difficult terrain.
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We provide offline, online and recorded lectures in the same amount.
Every aspirant is unique and the mentoring is customised according to the strengths and weaknesses of the aspirant.
In every Lecture. Director Sir will provide conceptual understanding with around 800 Mindmaps.
We provide you the best and Comprehensive content which comes directly or indirectly in UPSC Exam.
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