Hindu Notes from General Studies-01

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Oldest known animal drawing found in remote Indonesian cave

News

• On the wall of a cave deep in the jungles of Borneo, there is an image of a thick-bodied, spindly-legged animal, drawn in reddish ocher.
• It may be a crude image. But it also is more than 40,000 years old, scientists reported , making this the oldest figurative art in the world.

Findings

• Until now, the oldest known human-made figures were ivory sculptures found in Germany. Scientists have estimated that those figurines of horses, birds and people were at most 40,000 years old.
• Researchers have found older man-made images, but these were abstract patterns, such as crisscrossing lines. The switch to figurative art represented an important shift in how people thought about the world around them and possibly themselves.
• The finding also demonstrates that ancient humans somehow made the creative transition at roughly the same time, in places thousands of miles apart.
• On further investigation, the Lascaux paintings were shown to be 18,000 years old, making them the oldest artwork known at the time.
• The scientists discovered flowstones underneath some images, as well; these samples allowed them to determine a maximum age.
• Since the 40,000-year-old flowstone covers the banteng image, the artwork must be older than that and thus the oldest known figurative art on the planet.
• Combining the evidence from this stencil and the banteng image, it’s possible that people started making art in the Borneo caves sometime between 52,000 years ago and 40,000 years ago.

Hindu Notes from General Studies-02

Kerala HC disqualifies IUML MLA

News

• The Kerala High Court disqualified an Indian Union Muslim League MLA on a plea claiming that he used religion to win the Assembly polls in 2016.

Beyond News

• The court gave the judgement on a plea filed by LDF candidate M.V. Nikesh Kumar, who contested the election against Mr. Shaji.
• In his petition, Mr. Kumar alleged that Mr. Shaji secured a win by a margin of 2,287 votes using corrupt practices.
• He accused Mr. Shaji of having violated norms prescribed under various sections of the Representation of the People Act to win the elections.

CFTRI’s attempt to standardise temple prasadam goes in vain

News

• Mysuru-based Central Food Technological Research Institute’s (CFTRI) bid to put in place quality standards in the preparation of the sacred ‘prasadam’ at major temples across the country has gone in vain, with the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) reportedly expressing its inability to enforce such regulations.

Beyond News

• There is no regulation over the quality of prasadam distributed in various temples across the country. So, They prepared a project on processing and manufacturing, including mechanisation, for the preparation of prasadam at the major temples of the country.
• The FSSAI has, however, ruled out enforcing any regulations. They claimed they had no mechanism in place for such quality evaluation.
• Devotees of various temples, including scientists of the CFTRI and their family members, had shared their disappointment over the quality of ‘prasadam’ distributed at various temples. Most of them take only a small bite of the ‘prasadam’ as they are unsure of its quality and hygiene, though it is considered sacred.
• Meanwhile, sources involved in the efforts to put in place regulations cite strong opposition from temple authorities to external intervention in the affairs of the religious shrines. As the preparation of prasadam involves a turnover of crores of rupees, any intervention to set up quality standards is resisted.

2,714 people killed in 409 US drone attacks in Pakistan since January 2004: report

News

• The U.S. has carried out a total of 409 drone attacks in Pakistan targeting suspected militants since January 2004, killing 2,714 people and injuring 728 others, a media report said.

Beyond News

• The attacks, carried out by the CIA-operated drones, over the years have targeted the areas of Bajaur, Bannu, Hangu, Khyber, Kurram, Mohmand, North Waziristan, Nushki, Orakzai, and South Waziristan, Dawn reported.
• Majority of the drone strikes were carried out during the government of the Pakistan Peoples Party between 2008 and 2012.
• Citing sources within the National Counter Terrorism Authority (Nacta), the paper said the period saw 336 aerial attacks, in which 2,282 people lost their lives and 658 received injuries.
• The officials said that 2010 alone saw 117 attacks that killed 775 people and injured 193 others.
• In 2018, two drone attacks killed one person and injured another.
• The top leadership of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan has been killed in drone attacks. Taliban chief Mullah Akhtar Mansour was killed in one of such strikes in 2016.
• Pakistan opposes drone strikes, saying they violate its sovereignty.
• Quoting officials, the paper said that at least 19,177 civilians and officials have been killed so far and 47,869 others injured in the 18,850 terror related attacks in Pakistan since 2001.
• The attacks, mostly targeted Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs) and were carried out through different methods that included bomb explosions, hand grenade attacks, mine explosions, missiles, rockets, and suicide attacks.
• Terrorists also targeted minorities to instigate sectarian violence and employed sophisticated methods, including the usage of Improvised Explosive Devices – vehicle explosive devices as well as radio controlled improvised devices.
• In 2018, at least 405 terrorist attacks took place in the country, killing 133 officials and 233 civilians.
• In Punjab, 14 incidents of bomb blasts, suicide attacks and engagements with terrorists led to the deaths of six LEA officials and as many civilians this year.

Hindu Notes from General Studies-03

Rafale fighter made for India takes maiden flight

News

• Manufacturing of the aircraft customised as per the specifications of the Indian Air Force (IAF) is making progress.
• The first aircraft built by Dassault Aviation for the IAF, a two-seater variant, made its maiden flight on October 30 in France and is designated RB 008, according to official sources.

Beyond News

• Air Marshal was the Deputy Chief of the IAF during the contract negotiations for 36 Rafale jets and is presently the Air Officer Commanding-In-Chief of the IAF’s Training Command.
• In September 2016, India and France signed a €7.87 billion Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) for 36 Rafale multi-role fighter jets in fly-away condition.
• The surprise announcement for the 36 aircraft was made by Prime Minister during a visit to Paris in April 2015, citing “critical operational necessity” of the IAF. RB 008 will be the 36th aircraft to be delivered to the IAF in 2022, 67 months after the contract is signed, the source added.
• As per terms of the IGA, deliveries will begin 36 months after the signing of the contract and be completed in 67 months.

Novel ‘bionic mushrooms’ can produce electricity

The study has implication for next-generation bio-hybrid applications

News

• Scientists, have created a bionic device that generates green power by 3D-printing clusters of cyanobacteria on an ordinary white button mushroom.

Beyond News

• The research, is part of a broader effort to better improve our understanding of cells biological machinery and how to use them to fabricate new technologies and useful systems for defence, healthcare and the environment.
• The researchers took an ordinary white button mushroom from a grocery store and made it bionic, supercharging it with clusters of cyanobacteria that create electricity and swirls of graphene nanoribbons that can collect the current.
• Cyanobacteria’s ability to produce electricity is well known. However, researchers have been limited in using these microbes in bioengineered systems because cyanobacteria do not survive long on artificial bio-compatible surfaces.

Air pollution on normal days proves a growing concern

News

• This Deepavali, the Hydrabad city has good news in terms of cracker-related pollution levels, though embedded in ominous tidings about the pollution levels in general.

Beyond News

• When compared with the Deepavali last year, pollution has come down both in terms of particulate matter and decibel levels.
• As per the report released by the Telangana State Pollution Control Board, the particulate matter of a size less than 2.5 microns (PM2.5) in air has registered a growth of more than 10% on a normal day.
• Against 53 micrograms of PM2.5 per cubic metre registered in 2017, the city’s air now has 59 micrograms of the same. This almost touches the 60 micrograms standard of 24 hours’ average prescribed by the Central Pollution Control Board.
• Particulate matter of the size less than 10 microns (PM10) has recorded a jump of almost 20%. From 87 micrograms per cubic metre of air in 2017, it has now increased to 104 micrograms, which is more than the limit of 100 micrograms for 24 hours’ average.
• 5 refers to the pollutant particles so thin that they may enter the lungs and cause respiratory issues, while PM10 refers to the particles that can reach up to bronchi.The Deepavali day’s pollution, however, has come down from the last year.
• When compared with a normal day, there was 61% increase in the concentration of PM2.5 and 34% in that of PM10 on the festival day this year, the TSPCB informed.
• Noise levels have increased marginally in residential and sensitive areas, while in the industrial and commercial areas, they have come down.
• The night time averages of noise levels have decreased in comparison to the previous years in all areas except in sensitive areas, the report mentioned.
• The gaseous parameters are within the limits though the concentrations have moderately increased.

Army inducts new artillery guns after three decades

News:

• Getting over the shadow of the bofors scandal, the Indian Army inducted its first new pieces of artillery in three decades.
• The M777 Ultra-Light Howitzer from the US and K9 Vajra-T tracked self-propelled artillery gun from South Korea were formally inducted into service at the Deolali field firing ranges in Maharastra.

Beyond News:

• The guns were inducted in the presence of Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Army Chief. The Army will get three M777 and 10 K9s this year.
• The Army had last inducted Bofors artillery guns procured from Sweden in the early 1980s. Several attempts to procure new guns later have not made progress.
• In April 2017, the Indian engineering conglomerate Larsen & Toubro (L&T) and Hanwa Techwin of South Korea signed a contract to manufacture the K9 Vajra-T guns. The K9 was shortlisted by the Army after extensive trials and the deal is worth about ₹4,500 crore for 100 guns.
• K9 Vajra-T is a 155-mm, 52-calibre self-propelled artillery gun with a maximum range of 40 km, customised from the original K9 Thunder gun. The fire control system has been customised for desert conditions to the requirements of the Army.
• As per agreement, the first 10 guns are to be imported from South Korea and the rest manufactured by L&T in India. All the 100 guns will be delivered by November 2020. The first regiment would be in place by July 2019.
• The M777 which is the lightest in its category will be deployed by the Army for use in the mountains.
• India signed a deal for 145 M777 ULHs with the U.S. under the Foreign Military Sales programme at a cost of $737 million. Of the 145 guns, 25 will be imported while the remaining 120 will be assembled in India in partnership with Mahindra group. Deliveries are slated to be completed by mid-2021.
• The M777 is a 155-mm, 39-calibre towed artillery gun and weighs just four tonnes, making it transportable under slung from helicopters.

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