[Newsbits] 4.11.2023 – White hydrogen, Nilgiri Tahr, Environmental DNA (eDNA) & more

newsbits mindmap notes

White hydrogen

White hydrogen mind map with below nodes
Context: 
Discovery in northeastern France
Source: TOI
Definition
Clean-burning energy source
Found in Earth’s crust
Naturally occurring molecular hydrogen
Distinction
Unlike green hydrogen
From renewable energy and electrolysis of water
Unlike grey, brown, black hydrogen
Obtained from fossil sources
Significance
Abundant and untapped source
Cost
Estimated at $1 per kilogram
Compared to green hydrogen
Costs about $6 per kilogram
Affordable clean energy source
Global deposits
Identified worldwide
Including in
US, eastern Europe, Russia
Australia, Oman, France, Mali

Hunger Hotspots

Hunger Hotspots mind map
Context: 
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and WFP warning
Source: 
World Food Programme (WFP)
Definition
Regions with acute food insecurity
Concern level
Highest in specific countries
Examples: Afghanistan, Nigeria, Somalia
South Sudan, Yemen
Other Hotspots
Haiti, Sahel
Burkina Faso, Mali
Malawi, Guatemala, Honduras, Sudan
Pakistan, Central African Republic, Ethiopia
Kenya, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Syrian Arab Republic, Myanmar
Newly added
Lebanon, El Salvador, Nicaragua
Basis of warning
Critical acute food insecurity
Worsening conditions expected

Nilgiri Tahr

Nilgiri Tahr mind map
Context
Tamil Nadu's Project
Allotted Rs 25 crores
Launched in 2022
References
The Hindu, WWF India
Scientific name
Nilgiritragus hylocrius
Unique ungulate in India
Among 12 species in the country
Population
3,122 individuals in the wild
As per World Wildlife Fund (WWF) India 2015 report
Habitat
Sure-footed ungulate
Open montane grassland habitats
Elevations from 1200 to 2600 m
Distribution
Endemic to Western Ghats
Large populations in
Nilgiris, Anamalais
Smaller populations in
Palani hills, Srivilliputtur
Meghamalai, Agasthiyar ranges
Largest population at
Eravikulam National Park, Kerala
Threats
Habitat loss
Occasional hunting
For meat and skin
Conservation status
International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN): Endangered
Wildlife (Protection) Act of India, 1972
Schedule I
State Animal of Tamil Nadu
Celebrates October 7 as Nilgiri Tahr Day
In honor of ERC Davidar
Cultural reference
Mention in Tamil epic Silapathikaram
As 'varai aadu'

World Food India 2023

World Food India 2023 mind map
Location
Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi
Editions
2nd edition in 2023
1st edition in 2017
Objectives
Showcase India as food basket
Celebrate 2023 as International Year of Millets
Promote investments, partnerships, establishments
Participants
Over 80 countries
CEOs of prominent food processing companies
Highlights
Food Street
Featuring regional cuisines
Royal culinary heritage
Pavilions for food processing industries
Innovations showcase
Financial empowerment focus
Quality assurance
Innovations in machinery, technology
Ayush Aahar
Products by Ayush Startups
Reverse Buyer Seller Meet
1200 overseas buyers
Partner country: Netherlands
Focus country: Japan
Strengthening Self-Help Groups (SHGs)
Seed capital for over 1 lakh groups
Food processing industry status
Sunrise sector in India
7th position in exports
Over 50,000 million USD

Air Quality Index (AQI)

Air Quality Index (AQI) mind map
Context
Delhi's air quality
Plummets to 'severe' category
AQI over 400
Reference
Indian Express
Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) activation
Stage 3 initiated
AQI essentials
Colour coded index
Launched in 2014
Swachh Bharat campaign
Objective
Public and government communication
Current and future air pollution levels
Represented pollutants
6 to 8 pollutants
Including Ozone (O3), Particulate Matter (PM 10 and PM 2.5), Carbon Monoxide (CO), Sulphur Dioxide (SO2), Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2)
Impact on human health
Weight given to each pollutant
AQI transformation
Air quality data to single number
Nomenclature and colour
Categories
Good (0-50)
Satisfactory (50-100)
Moderately polluted (100-200)
Poor (200-300)
Very poor (300-400)
Severe (400-500)
Health effects correlation
Higher AQI, worse air quality
Adverse effects on larger population
GRAP specifics
Emergency anti-pollution measures
For Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR)
Notified in 2017

Environmental DNA (eDNA)

Environmental DNA (eDNA) mind map
News/Context
Scientist estimated total taxonomic diversity
Chilika lagoon in Odisha
About 1,071 families
Across the tree of life
Using environmental DNA (eDNA) method
What
eDNA
Definition
Nuclear or mitochondrial DNA
Released into the environment
During organism's lifetime or after death
Sources of eDNA
Secreted feces
Mucous
Gametes
Shed skin and hair
Carcasses
eDNA method
Non-invasive method
Assess total biodiversity
By sequencing DNA
Found in the environment
Developed by
LaCONES
Full form
Laboratory for the Conservation of Endangered Species
Part of
CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology
Headquartered in Hyderabad
Sample size
Few litres of
Water
Soil
Air
Working mechanism
Molecular approach
Filter out eDNA from samples
Read sequences
Identify eDNA source
Techniques used
PCR
Full form
Polymerase chain reaction
Purpose
Amplify DNA for sequencing
qPCR
Full form
Quantitative PCR
Purpose
Detect and quantify DNA
Why
Significance
Cheaper
Faster
Highly scalable
Applications
Monitoring ecosystems
Conserving biodiversity
Detecting various organisms
Viruses
Bacteria
Archaea
Eukaryotes
Revealing presence
Human remains
Where
Chilika lagoon in Odisha
Country's largest brackish water lagoon
Plane wreck vicinity
2nd World War
For floating eDNA
Sample collection
Seawater
When
Recent estimation
Total taxonomic diversity
Who
Scientists
Method application
eDNA to estimate diversity
LaCONES
Development of eDNA method
How
Collecting samples
From various environments
Water
Soil
Air
Using PCR and qPCR
For DNA sequencing

DISHA

DISHA mind map upsc
What
Diagnostic Services in Healthcare
Availability and Geo-mapping
Laboratory services in India
Where
India
Who
Launched by
ICMR
Indian Council of Medical Research
NIP
National Institute of Pathology
How
Portal features
Facility type
Distance
Test availability
Test cost
Turn-around time

Chanakya Defence Dialogue

Chanakya Defence Dialogue upsc mind map
What
Defence dialogue
1st edition
Where
Manekshaw Centre, New Delhi
Who
Organised by
Indian Army
Partnership with
CLAWS
Centre for Land Warfare Studies
How
Conducting analysis
Security challenges
South Asia
Indo-Pacific

If you like this post, please share your feedback in the comments section below so that we will upload more posts like this.

Subscribe
Notify of
guest
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
X
Home Courses Plans Account