International Astronomical Union (IAU)

- Headquarters : Paris, France

- Established : 1919 to advance science internationally.

- Mission : Promotes and safeguards astronomy through cooperation.

- Global Governing Body : Guides worldwide astronomical activities.

- Structure : Comprises divisions, commissions, and working groups.

- Membership : Represents 92 countries, with 85 National Members.

● Includes professional astronomers globally, Ph.D. level and beyond.
● Junior Members also part of the association.

Source : The Hindu

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ChipIN Centre

- Location : At C-DAC, Bengaluru, Karnataka.

- Aim : To bridge infrastructure gap and support semiconductor startups.

- Objective :

● Bridge infrastructure gap in semiconductor industry.

● Cater specifically to semiconductor sector.

● Encourage growth of semiconductor startups.

- Focus : Dedicated to semiconductor design sector and enhancing chip design infrastructure.

- Facilities :

● Equipped with design tools and fabrication facilities.

● Virtual prototyping hardware lab available.

● Provide tools for chip design and manufacturing.

● Offer courses by industry professionals.

Source : Indian Express

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The Amazon River Dolphin (Pink Dolphin)

● The Amazon River dolphin, often referred to as the pink river dolphin or boto, is a freshwater species.

- Inhabits : Amazon and Orinoco river basins across Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, and Venezuela.

● Known for excellent hearing

● Smaller than its saltwater counterparts.

● Pink dolphins adapt to warm, shallow waters due to their minimal blubber.

- IUCN Conservation Status : Endangered

- Unique Features:

● Distinct from oceanic dolphins, they have a hump instead of a dorsal fin.

● The coloration intensifies to pink as they age, earning them the name ‘pink dolphin.’

● Utilizes echolocation for navigation and hunting to easily observe and identify nearby objects.

Source : The Hindu

The International Network for Terrestrial Research and Monitoring in the Arctic (INTERACT)

- Aim : Establish a top-notch research infrastructure across the Arctic and surrounding regions.

- Mission :

● Understand and predict environmental changes with a focus on societal impacts.

● Provide easy access to research facilities, data, and expertise for scientists and policymakers.

- Features :

● Pan-Arctic network of 77 research stations.

● Standardizes data collection and ensures high-quality science support.

● Offers physical and virtual access to research stations for international projects.

● Develops new technologies to expand research capabilities.

● Provides resources to educate future generations of scientists.

- Benefits :

● Helps societies adapt to environmental changes.

● Creates opportunities for international research collaborations.

Source : The Hindu

Indian Bison (Gaur)

- Largest wild cattle : Tall at up to 2.2 meters, the Gaur is the biggest wild bovine .

- Geographical range : Primarily found in South and Southeast Asia, with India housing around 85% of the global population (13,000-30,000 individuals).

- Habitat : Prefers evergreen or moist deciduous forests but can adapt to drier ones too.

● Avoid high altitudes in the Himalayas.

- Food : Grazing animal, feeding mostly in the early mornings and late evenings.

- Conservation status : Vulnerable (IUCN Red List) and included in Schedule I of India's Wild Life Protection Act (1972).

- The Gaur is the State Animal of Goa and Bihar.

- Threats:

● Habitat loss
● Food scarcity
● Poaching: Gaur meat is in high demand
● Human-animal conflict

Source : The Hindu

‘Statio Shiv Shakti’

- As Name for Chandrayaan-3 Landing Site

- Approving Body : International Astronomical Union (IAU) working group for Planetary System Nomenclature.

- Lander : Vikram.

- Significance : ‘Shiv Shakti’ symbolizes the duality of nature in Indian mythology, representing masculine (“Shiva”) and feminine (“Shakti”) aspects.

- Goal : To uniquely identify surface features on planets or satellites for easy location, description, and discussion.

- Maintenance : The Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature is maintained by the Astrogeology Science Centre of the U.S. Geological Survey, funded by NASA.

Source : The Hindu

Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)

● Specialized agency of the United Nations.

- Aim : To defeat hunger, improve nutrition, and enhance food security globally.

- Goal : Achieve food security for all, ensuring regular access to high-quality food for active, healthy lives.

- Headquarter : Rome, Italy.

- Membership : 195 members( 194 countries and the European Union).

- Sister Bodies : World Food Programme (WFP) and International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).

- Reports Published:

● The State of the World's Forests (SOFO).
● The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture (SOFIA).
● The State of Agricultural Commodity Markets (SOCO).
● The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI).
● Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture in 2001.

Source : The Hindu

State of the Cryosphere 2023

● The report warns of the disappearance of most glaciers and polar regions under a 2°C global temperature increase.

- Cryosphere : Earth’s frozen regions, crucial for climate regulation, face irreversible damage from melting ice sheets, glaciers, and thawing permafrost.

- Permafrost : A critical frozen ground layer, releasing significant greenhouse gases upon thawing.

- Critical Findings :

● Himalayan Glaciers : Projected to lose half of their current ice volume.

● Antarctica’s Sea Ice : Experienced unprecedented low levels, with total loss expected during summers at 2°C warming.

● Arctic Ocean : Predicted to become ice-free annually, especially from July to October, at 2°C warming, with regional water temperatures 4-6°C above normal.

● Permafrost Threat : Rapid disappearance of glaciers in the northern Andes, East Africa, and Indonesia already evident at 1.2°C warming.

Source : Down to Earth

Mukurthi National Park

- Location: Western corner of Nilgiris Plateau, Tamil Nadu.

● Part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, between Mudumalai National Park and Silent Valley National Park.

● Established to conserve the Nilgiri Tahr, a keystone species.

- Rivers : Pykara and Kundah rivers flow through the park, along with perennial streams draining into Bhavani Puzha.

- Vegetation : Landscape dominated by shrubs and mountainous grasslands.

- Flora : Shrub species include Gaultheria fragrantissima, Helichrysum, Berberis tinctoria, Rhododendrons, Cinnamon, Mahonia, Satyrium, Raspberries, etc.

- Fauna: Endangered species like Nilgiri Tahr, Indian elephants, Nilgiri Langur, Bengal tiger, and bonnet macaque inhabit the park.

Source : The Hindu

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