#science26 Sodium-ion batteries have lower specific energy than lithium-ion due to higher atomic mass of sodium, but layered oxide cathodes significantly narrow this gap and are approaching LFP batteries. They offer higher safety, with lower thermal runaway risk. Unlike lithium-ion batteries that use copper anodes, sodium-ion batteries use aluminium current collectors on both electrodes, allowing safe zero-volt storage and transport.

Source: The Hindu

#science26 Sodium-ion batteries use Na⁺ ions with a larger ionic radius, leading to slower diffusion and slightly lower rate capability. Graphite is unsuitable as an anode; hard carbon or biomass-derived carbon is used instead. They show better low-temperature performance and no lithium-type plating issues. Recycling is easier due to the absence of copper current collectors. Sodium-ion batteries are best suited for grid-scale storage, renewable integration, and short-range or low-cost EV applications, not long-range, high-energy vehicles.

Source: The Hindu

#global26 The Third REAIM Summit on Responsible AI in the Military Domain was held on 4–5 February 2026 at PALEXCO, A Coruña, Spain. About 35 of 85 countries adopted a non-binding declaration with ~20 principles for responsible military AI, emphasizing human oversight, clear command structures, risk assessment, testing, and training. Major powers like the US and China opted out, reflecting divergent governance priorities. At two prior military AI summits in The Hague ⁠and Seoul in 2023 and 2024 respectively, around 60 nations, excluding China but including the United States, endorsed ​a modest “blueprint for action” without legal commitment.

Source: The Hindu

#security26 The agreement provides, inter-alia, for mini-Secretariat for FNTA, headed by Additional Chief Secretary/Principal Secretary, Sharing of development Outlay for the Eastern Nagaland region proportional to population and area. However, this agreement does not affect in any manner whatsoever, the provisions of Article 371(A) of Constitution of India. Agreement paves way for the formation of the Frontier Nagaland Territorial Authority (FNTA) for six districts of Nagaland

Source: PiB

#global26 The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow waterway between Iran and Oman, which connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. The US Energy Information Administration (EIA) calls it the “world’s most important oil transit chokepoints”, with around one-fifth of global liquid petroleum fuel consumption and global liquefied natural gas (LNG) trade transiting the Strait.

Context: Iran tensions.

Source: The Indian Express

#social26 The country’s largest lender, the State Bank of India (SBI), Saturday launched CHAKRA — Centre of Excellence (CoE) for financing eight sunrise sectors, including renewable energy, advanced cell chemistry and battery storage.
Other sunrise domains are data centre infrastructure, smart infrastructure, electric mobility, green hydrogen, semiconductors and decarbonisation.
These sectors, emerging as key drivers of the coun­try’s economic future, entail capital investment of Rs 100 lakh crore over five years.

Source: The Indian Express

#science26 Athena consists of 1,024 computing nodes, with each node equipped with two 128-core AMD EPYC ‘Turin’ processors. That’s a total of 256 physical cores per node and over 2,64,000 total cores in the system. At peak performance, Athena is capable of delivering over 20 petaflops, which means it can perform more than 20 quadrillion calculations per second. The new supercomputer is named after a figure from Greek mythology, and the name was chosen through an internal Nasa contest that took place last year.

Source: The Indian Express

#culture26 Rakhigarhi specifically has seven identified mounds (RGR-1 to RGR-7), making it larger than Mohenjodaro in area. Excavations yielded distinct cemetery (RGR-7) with extended burials, circular fire altars, mudbrick architecture (early phase) transitioning to baked bricks, bead-making furnaces, copper celts, terracotta figurines, and the RGR-1 female skeleton DNA sample. Evidence suggests a regional urban centre on the Ghaggar–Drishadvati system with strong local continuity rather than Mesopotamian dependency.

Source: The Hindu

#global26 Blue Line: A UN demarcated line of withdrawal between Israel and Lebanon + Stretches for about 120 kilometres along southern Lebanon + Established in 2000 to confirm Israel’s withdrawal from southern Lebanon. Not an international border but a technical reference line monitored by UNIFIL.

Source: UN

#security26 Ramjet missile technology, developed by DRDO is an air-breathing propulsion system that uses atmospheric oxygen as oxidiser, eliminating onboard oxidiser and increasing specific impulse. It becomes efficient only at supersonic speeds (≈Mach 2–4), hence requires a booster rocket for launch. Key components include supersonic air intake, diffuser, combustor, and nozzle. Ramjets enable long-range, sustained high-speed cruise, mid-course manoeuvrability, higher payload fraction, and lower interception probability, making them ideal for cruise missiles and BVRAAMs, not ballistic missiles.

Source: ET

#security26 A ramjet uses air-breathing propulsion with atmospheric oxygen and usually liquid fuel, producing near-constant thrust once ignited, with limited end-game control. In contrast, SFDR (Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet) uses a solid fuel gas generator, allowing throttleable thrust and speed modulation. Both require a booster for supersonic ignition (Mach 2–4). SFDR offers greater manoeuvrability, longer range, and a larger no-escape zone, making it superior for BVRAAMs, while conventional ramjets suit cruise missiles.

Source: FP

#global26 Project Vault

Source: The Hindu

#science26 The foundation stone of a new “Quantum Valley” project was laid in the Uddandarayunipalem village of the Amaravati capital region, on Saturday (February 7). The state government plans to complete the Quantum Valley complex by August and install India’s first 133-qubit quantum computer by December. Just as Silicon Valley led the global IT revolution, Amaravati Quantum Valley is envisioned to stand on par with global quantum centres such as Boston, Singapore, and Shanghai, Naidu said.

Source: The Indian Express

#science26 The glacier sits on land that slopes downward as you go further inland, dipping below sea level. This is important: warm ocean water is known to flow under the glacier’s floating edge, i.e. its ice shelf, and melt it from below. As a result, the ice shelf acts like a brace, like a doorstop, that slows the glacier’s flow into the ocean. As the ice shelf becomes thinner or breaks in places, the glacier speeds up and loses more ice.

Source: The Hindu

#global26 BCIC.

Source: The Indian Express

#global26 The two governments cooperated against rebels from Ethiopia's Tigray region during the 2020-2022 conflict but fell out over the peace accord, from which Eritrea was excluded.The Tigray civil war killed at least 600,000 people and the resulting peace deal, known as the Pretoria Agreement, has never fully resolved the tensions.

Source: The Hindu

#environment26 Gujarat Forest Department and the zoology department of the Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda (MSU) concluded a two-day crocodile census, conducted on a 17.5 km stretch of the Vishwamitri river in Vadodara. The census was aimed at getting an insight into five important aspects of crocodiles inhabiting the Vishwamitri, making Vadodara a unique city to have marsh crocodiles or muggers (Crocodylus palustris) in their natural habitat among human population.

Source: The Indian Express

#global26 Angola, Botswana, Canada, Congo, Namibia
and Russia alone account for more than 85% of
the production of rough diamonds, in quantity and value terms. Though India is not a producer, is a major importer of rough diamonds, importing roughly 40% of the total global imports, both in quantity and value. As the world’s leading cutting and polishing hub, centered in Surat and Mumbai, India re-exports polished diamonds to major markets which include China, Hong Kong, Israel, the United Arab Emirates and the United States.

Source: The Hindu

#agri26 Cashews thrive in well-drained laterite soils and tropical climates (20-30 degrees). Though native to Brazil, India is now the world’s largest processor. Maharashtra leads domestic production, followed by Andhra Pradesh. Economically, India remains a net importer of raw nuts to fuel its processing industry. Under the 2026 India-US trade deal, Indian cashews enjoy zero-tariff export status. Key by-product CNSL (Cashew Nut Shell Liquid) is vital for industrial resins.

Source: The Hindu