Summer Solstice in the Northern Hemisphere
Key Points:
✅ June 21 marks the summer solstice in the Northern Hemisphere.
✅ Solstices occur twice a year, indicating the shortest and longest daylight hours.
✅ The length of day and night differ significantly on solstice days.
✅ The Northern Hemisphere experiences the longest day and shortest night of the year on June 21.
✅ The Southern Hemisphere experiences summer in December.

What is Claude 3.5 Sonnet and how is it better than GPT-4o, Gemini-1.5 Pro? 🔗
#explained_sci_tech #express_explained

👉 New Law to Curb Malpractices in Competitive Examinations
Key Points:
✅ The Centre has enacted a new law to prevent unfair means in competitive examinations.
✅ The law provides for a maximum jail term of 10 years and a fine of up to ₹1 crore for offenders.
✅ The law will come into force from 22 June,2024
✅ The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Bill, 2024, was passed by Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha on February 6 and 9, respectively.
✅ President Droupadi Murmu gave approval to the bill on February 12, turning it into a law.
✅ The Act aims to prevent unfair means in public examinations conducted by various bodies, including UPSC, SSC, NTA, Railway Recruitment Board, and banking recruitment examination bodies.
👉Provisions of the law include:
• Minimum of 3-5 years of imprisonment for cheating.
• 5-10 years of imprisonment and a minimum fine of ₹1 crore for those involved in organized crimes of cheating.

#UPSC #mains #GS2 #mains2024

✅ India Ranked 3rd globally in the growth rate of women researchers over the last decade (2% annual growth), behind Egypt and The Netherlands, according to report by Elsevier.
👉 Women now make up 33% of active researchers in India, compared to 22% in Japan and 30% in Egypt.
👉 Gender parity has been achieved in health sciences and life sciences in India, with women representing 41% and 43% of active researchers, respectively.
👉 Globally, women researchers represent 41% of active researchers, with a strong representation in health sciences.
👉 However, gender equality in research remains "unacceptably far away", with parity not expected until 2052.
👉 Women file "vastly fewer" patent applications than men, with only 3% of patent applications filed by teams consisting only of women.

#upsc #mains2024 #GS3

Can we stop invasive species by eating them? 🔗
#explained_sci_tech #express_explained #the_united_states

Two biogeographic hotspots in India yield two new plant discoveries

An aerial stem-parasitic flowering plant species Dendrophthoe longensis was from Long Islands of middle Andamans, whereas a small herb Petrocosmea arunachalense was discovered from a cave from West Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh

via Science News | Latest Updates on Scientific Discoveries | The Hindu

✅ In Ladakh, as a tribute to the heroes of the Kargil War, the Indian Army has opened the Khalubar War Memorial to tourists.
✅ This opening ceremony was part of the ‘Forever in Operations’ Division’s Pre-Kargil Vijay Diwas celebrations as this year, the country will celebrate the 25th anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas on 26 July.
✅ Located in the renowned Aryan Valley this memorial commemorates the bravery and sacrifices of soldiers who fought to reclaim the valley during the war.
✅ Khalubar, a serene valley near the border, became a focal point during the Kargil War when enemy forces captured it.
✅ The Pre-Kargil Vijay Diwas celebrations also featured a ‘Trek to Battle Site’ led by Brig OP Yadav, YSM (Retd).

What is Dodol, the Goan sweet vying for a GI tag? 🔗
#explained_culture #express_explained #geographical_indication_tag #goa

👉 The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully conducts the 3rd and final landing experiment of its Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) ‘Pushpak’.

✅ The landing experiment was conducted at the Aeronautical Test Range in Chitradurga, Karnataka.
✅ The ISRO says RLV LEX-03 (Reusable Launch Vehicle Landing Experiment 3), re-demonstrated the autonomous landing capability under more severe wind conditions.
✅ The Chinook helicopter released the Reusable Launch Vehicle Pushpak at an altitude of 4.5 kms from the runway.
✅ Pushpak approached the runway with a speed of 320 kmph as against 280 kmph of a typical fighter aircraft.
✅ After the touchdown, Pushpak’s velocity was reduced to nearly 100 kmph using its brake parachute. After which the landing gear brakes were employed for deceleration and stop on the runway.
✅ Pushpak utilised its rudder and nose wheel steering system to autonomously maintain a stable and precise ground roll along the runway.

#upsc #GS3 #mains2025 #sciencetechnology

India, Russia prepare to sign military logistics pact soon
https://m.economictimes.com/news/defence/india-russia-prepare-to-sign-military-logistics-pact-soon/articleshow/111194981.cms