Hindu Notes from General Studies-01

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Exploding stars could be affecting Earth’s climate

News:

• Cosmic rays raining down from exploded stars and variations in the Sun’s magnetic activity can affect climate on Earth, claims a study.

Findings of the Study:

• These high-energy particles can influence the formation and growth of cloud condensation nuclei – the seeds necessary for forming clouds in the atmosphere.
• Since clouds are essential for the amount of solar energy reaching the surface of Earth, the implications of the study can be significant for our understanding of why climate has varied in the past and also for future climate changes.
• For the study, the researchers looked into the effects of cosmic rays on a simulation of Earth’s atmosphere, which was recreated inside a cloud chamber – a sealed lab which mirrors the pressure and moisture of the upper atmosphere.
• Data was taken over a period of two years.
• The researchers said that the Medieval Warm Period around year 1000 AD and the cold period in the Little Ice Age between 1300 AD – 1900 AD both fit with changes in solar activity.

The implications of the study suggests that cosmic rays coupled with activities of the Sun may have affected the climate changes observed during the 20th century as well.

Hindu Notes from General Studies-02

• Clear exit exam to get licence for practising Ayurveda: Draft bill

  

  News:

  • Medical graduates willing to procure a license to practice Indian medicine systems, including Ayurveda, may soon have to clear an exit exam, according to a proposed legislation on the lines of the health ministry’s National Medical Commission Bill.

  Beyond News:

  • This is a part of a draft bill which seeks to create a new regulator, National Commission for Indian Systems of Medicine and Homoeopathy, to replace the two statutory bodies governing higher education in homoeopathy and Indian systems of medicine.
  • The AYUSH Ministry, in consultation with NITI Aayog, has formulated the inclusion of integrative medicine in the proposed bill which will enable AYUSH practitioners to practise modern medicines and vice versa after undergoing a “bridge course”.
  • Proposed by the NITI Aayog-led panel, the draft bill known as National Commission for Indian Systems of Medicine and Homoeopathy, which seeks to replace Central Council of Indian Medicine (CCIM) and Central Council of Homoeopathy (CCH), also calls for AYUSH National Teachers Eligibility Test to bring in quality teachers in the traditional systems of medicine.

Hindu Notes from General Studies-03

Interceptor missile successfully tested

News:

• India successfully test-fired an Advanced Air Defence (AAD) interceptor missile, capable of destroying enemy ballistic missiles at low altitude, from a test range in Odisha.

Beyond News

• The missile is being developed as part the Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) system and it was the third successful test this year.
• The endo-atmospheric interceptor made a direct hit with the incoming missile at an altitude of 15 km, completely destroying it.
• The official stated that shooting down an incoming missile at lower altitudes is more complicated than shooting at higher altitudes due to the higher velocity of the missile.
• The BMD consists of two interceptor missiles, the Prithvi Defence Vehicle (PDV) for exo-atmospheric ranges and the Advanced Area Defence (AAD) missile for endo-atmosphere or lower altitudes.

‘India leads in global milk production’

News

• Union Agriculture Minister said that, during the past three years, India has outpaced the global milk production with an annual growth rate of 5.53% compared with the 2.09% achieved globally.

Beyond News

• India has been the largest producer of milk in the world for the past 15 years.
• Milk production, which was around 17-22 million tonnes in the 1960s, has increased to 163.7 million tonnes in 2016-17.
• Particularly, it has increased by 19% during 2016-17 in comparison to the year 2013-14.
• The income of dairy farmers increased by 23.77% in 2014-17 compared to 2011-14.

Indian economic growth slowed down in 2016-17, says Government

News:

• Government said that,the Indian economy slowed down in 2016-17, with the gross domestic product declining drastically from 8 per cent in 2015-16 to 7.1 per cent the next year.

Beyond News:

• Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said that the slower economic growth reflected lower growth in the industry and the services sectors, due to a number of factors including structural, external, fiscal and monetary factors.
• Slower growth in 2016-17 reflects lower growth in industry and services sector.
• Economic growth of a country depends on a number of factors including structural, external, fiscal and monetary factors.
• As per the latest estimates from Central Statistics Office, the growth rate of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) at constant prices was 7.5 per cent, 8.0 per cent and 7.1 per cent respectively in 2014-15, 2015-16 and 2016-17.

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