Current Affairs 12 June 2024

Contents:

1. New Drug to Treat Alzheimer’s
2. IISc develops new remediation process for removing heavy metal contaminants from ground water
3. Ceasefire resolution by UNSC to end Gaza war
4. New portable atomic clocks for accurate timekeeping at sea
5. The year 2025 declared the Year of Quantum Science
6. MP’s ambitious cheetah reintroduction project

New Drug to Treat Alzheimer’s

Context:

Researchers develop new drug to treat Alzheimer’s disease

Relevance:

GS III: Science and Technology

Dimensions of the Article:

1. About new Alzheimer’s drug – Donanemab:
2. What is Donanemab?
3. Alzheimer’s Disease
4. How can Alzheimer’s be prevented?

About new Alzheimer’s drug – Donanemab:

• Recently, a committee of independent advisers to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) voted unanimously for the drug Donanemab, noting that its benefits outweigh the risks.
• The drug was made by Eli Lilly, has been found to be effective in slowing down the pace of cognitive decline in patients in the early stages of the disease.
• However, the FDA withheld its approval to the drug previously owing to the risks such as swelling and bleeding in the brain. It consequently referred to undergo scrutiny of an independent advisory committee.
• That panel has now concluded that when it comes to Alzheimer’s, even a modest benefit is significant breakthrough.

What is Donanemab?

• It is a monoclonal antibody that targets amyloid beta protein plaques in the brain, one of the defining features of Alzheimer’s disease that can be seen on imaging.
• Similarly, Leqembi and Biogen were few amyloid-fighting drugs approved by FDA last year.

Alzheimer’s Disease

• Alzheimer’s disease is a chronic neurodegenerative disease that usually starts slowly and gradually worsens over time.
• It is the cause of 60–70% of cases of dementia.
• The most common early symptom is difficulty in remembering recent events.
• The cause of Alzheimer’s disease is poorly understood, about 70% of the risk is believed to be inherited from a person’s parents, with many genes usually involved.
• Other risk factors include a history of head injuries, depression, and hypertension.
• No treatments stop or reverse its progression, though some may temporarily improve symptoms.

How can Alzheimer’s be prevented?

• Lifestyle modifications that are known to reduce risks of other non-communicable diseases, like diabetes and hypertension, are also associated with a lower risk of Alzheimer’s.
• Doctors prescribe a healthy diet, exercising regularly, sleeping well, and reducing the risk of diabetes and heart disease. They also suggest stopping smoking and reducing drinking.
• Other than that, doctors suggest that people, especially the elderly and those with family history, should keep their brains active and engaged.
• Solving puzzles, learning new languages or new skills, and going out and making friends can all help.

-Source; The Indian Express       

IISc develops new remediation process for removing heavy metal contaminants from ground water

Context:

Recently, Researchers from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) have developed a novel remediation process for removing heavy metal contaminants such as arsenic from groundwater.

Relevance:

GS Paper-3: Conservation, Environmental Pollution, and Degradation, Environmental Impact Assessment

Dimensions of the Article:

1. Key Points
2. Groundwater Extraction and Contamination in India
3. About Arsenic: An Overview
4. Recent government initiatives to tackle ground water contamination

Key Points:

• According to IISc, it is a three-step method, ensures that the removed heavy metals are disposed of in an environment-friendly and sustainable manner,
• This process prevents sending untreated heavy metal-rich sludge to landfills from where they can potentially re-enter groundwater.
• As per IISc reports, 113 districts in 21 States in India have arsenic levels above 0.01 mg per litre while 223 districts in 23 States have fluoride levels above 1.5 mg per litre
  • These levels are beyond the permissible limits set by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) and the World Health Organisation.
• These contaminants can significantly affect human and animal health, necessitating their efficient removal and safe disposal.

Groundwater Extraction and Contamination in India:

• According to reports, groundwater is used for domestic and drinking needs in 85% of India’s rural areas. In cities with a population of more than 10 lakh, 40% of monitored wells have seen their water levels either remain stable or decrease.
• With the exception of nitrate contamination, which is a result of the use of nitrogenous fertilisers, groundwater contamination in India is primarily “geogenic” (natural) and hasn’t changed significantly over time.
• Parts of 209 districts have been noted to have arsenic contamination, and sections of nearly 409 districts have been confirmed to have fluoride contamination.
• The new initiative will provide ongoing information on groundwater levels, which will be useful in predicting future levels, estimating extraction potential, and figuring out recharge potential.

About Arsenic: An Overview

• Origin: Arsenic is a naturally occurring semimetallic element found in the Earth’s crust.
• Environmental Presence: It can be found in various environmental sources including air, water, and land.
• Chemical Classification: Arsenic belongs to Group 15 of the periodic table, also known as the nitrogen group. It is found in both gray and yellow crystalline forms.

Toxicity:

• Toxic Form: In its inorganic form, arsenic is highly toxic.
• Exposure Sources: Elevated levels of inorganic arsenic exposure can occur through:
  • Drinking contaminated water.
  • Using contaminated water for food preparation and irrigation.
  • Industrial processes.
  • Consumption of contaminated food.
  • Smoking tobacco.

Health Implications:

• Chronic Exposure: Long-term exposure to inorganic arsenic, primarily via drinking water and food, can result in chronic arsenic poisoning.
• Symptoms: Skin lesions and skin cancer are among the most commonly observed health effects of arsenic poisoning.

Arsenic Contamination in India:

• Affected States:
  • West Bengal
  • Jharkhand
  • Bihar
  • Uttar Pradesh
  • Assam
  • Manipur
  • Chhattisgarh
• Concern: These states report arsenic contamination levels in groundwater that exceed permissible limits, posing significant health risks to the population.

Recent government initiatives to tackle ground water contamination:

Groundwater Sensor Network:

• Continuous Monitoring of Groundwater Levels.
• Better groundwater management strategies: o Decision-makers can make more informed decisions about groundwater management strategies when there is constant and current information available on groundwater levels and quality.
  • The Jal Shakti Ministry can offer updated advisories that may affect state policies regarding groundwater extraction.
  • The Jal Shakti Ministry aims to provide farmers with groundwater forecasts that would be helpful for sowing and updated advisories that can influence groundwater extraction policies by States.
• The majority of this information will be available to the general public, with the exception of water flow data that is governed by international treaties.
  • Farmers would gain from continuous monitoring of groundwater quality, which would also help policymakers make choices that can help preserve and replenish groundwater resources.
• A better comprehension of groundwater dynamics: o Ongoing groundwater level monitoring can aid in our understanding of the intricate dynamics of groundwater and the variables that affect it, including changes in land use, climate, and potential for recharge.
• Public access to groundwater data: o Just like air quality and meteorological variables, groundwater can become visible if it is available in a centralised network like the National Water Informatics Centre (NWIC).
• The majority of this information will be available to the general public, with the exception of water flow data that is governed by international treaties.
• Determining areas that are contaminated: Constantly checking the quality of the groundwater can help locate contamination sources, evaluate the success of pollution mitigation efforts, and monitor the development of remediation programmes.
  • States will monitor those areas and States more closely for potential groundwater contamination, such as coastal salinity or excessive depletion.
  • Regularly checking the quality of the groundwater can assist in taking the corrective measures.

-Source: The Hindu

Ceasefire resolution by UNSC to end Gaza war

Context:

The UN Security Council recently approved its first resolution endorsing a ceasefire plan aimed at ending the eight-month war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza Strip.

Relevance:

GS2-Bilateral Groupings and Agreements, Regional Groupings, Groupings & Agreements Involving India and/or Affecting India’s Interests

Dimensions of the Article:

1. The Israel-Palestine Conflict: An Overview
2. Territorial Disputes
3. Present Conflict – Hamas Attack (2023)
4. Recent Developments

The Israel-Palestine Conflict: An Overview:

Balfour Declaration (1917): The conflict’s roots trace back to 1917 when British Foreign Secretary Arthur James Balfour expressed Britain’s support for a Jewish “national home” in Palestine through the Balfour Declaration.

Creation of Palestine: In 1948, Britain, unable to manage the escalating Arab and Jewish violence, withdrew its forces from Palestine, leaving the issue to the newly established United Nations. The UN proposed a partition plan to create separate Jewish and Arab states, but most Arab nations rejected it.

Arab-Israel War (1948): Following Israel’s declaration of independence in 1948, neighboring Arab states attacked. By the end of the conflict, Israel had gained control of approximately 50% more territory than initially allocated by the UN partition plan.

UN Partition Plan: The plan resulted in Jordan controlling the West Bank and Jerusalem’s holy sites, and Egypt controlling the Gaza Strip. However, this did not resolve the Palestinian crisis, leading to the creation of the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) in 1964.

Palestinian Liberation Organisation (PLO): Founded to liberate Palestine from Israeli control and establish Muslim Brotherhood dominance in the Arab world, the PLO gained UN observer status in 1975 and recognition of Palestinians’ right to self-determination.

Six-Day War (1967): Israeli forces captured the Golan Heights from Syria, the West Bank and East Jerusalem from Jordan, and the Sinai Peninsula and Gaza Strip from Egypt.

Camp David Accords (1978): The U.S.-brokered “Framework for Peace in the Middle East” aimed to initiate peace talks between Israel and its neighbors and address the “Palestinian problem,” but the goal remained unmet.

Emergence of Hamas (1987): Hamas, a militant offshoot of Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood, was founded to pursue its objectives through violent jihad. The U.S. government classifies Hamas as a terrorist organization. In 2006, Hamas won the Palestinian Authority’s legislative elections and expelled Fatah from Gaza in 2007, creating a geographical split in the Palestinian movement. The same year saw the First Intifada, an uprising in the West Bank and Gaza against Israeli occupation.

Oslo Accords (1993): These accords led to mutual recognition between Israel and the PLO and the renunciation of violence. They also established the Palestinian Authority, granting it limited autonomy in Gaza and parts of the West Bank.

2005: Israel unilaterally withdrew Jewish settlements from Gaza but maintained control over its border crossings.

2012: The UN upgraded Palestine’s status to a “non-member observer state.”

Territorial Disputes:

West Bank: Situated between Israel and Jordan, with Ramallah as its administrative capital, the West Bank has been under Israeli control since the 1967 war, with Israeli settlements established over time.

Gaza: Positioned between Israel and Egypt, Gaza was occupied by Israel after 1967 but was later relinquished during the Oslo peace process. In 2005, Israel withdrew settlements but still controls international access.

Golan Heights: A strategic plateau captured from Syria in the 1967 war and effectively annexed by Israel in 1981. The U.S. recently recognized both Jerusalem and the Golan Heights as part of Israel.

Present Conflict – Hamas Attack (2023):

• The current conflict began with an attack by Hamas militants on Israeli forces and civilians, resulting in the capture of many civilians and causing a national emergency in Israel.
• Hamas described the attack as retaliation for Israeli military operations in the West Bank and incidents at the al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem.
• Over 5,000 missiles were launched from Gaza, controlled by Hamas, leading to casualties on both sides of the border.
• In response to the surprise assault, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) launched Operation ‘Iron Swords’ to strike Hamas targets in Gaza. The Israeli government plans ground incursions into Gaza to dismantle Hamas and transfer control to international authorities.

Recent Developments:

• Recently, 143 countries, including India, supported a UN General Assembly resolution urging the UN Security Council to recognize Palestine, although the U.S. has vetoed such efforts.
• Additionally, this week saw the International Criminal Court Prosecutor seeking arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant over actions in Gaza post-October 7, and for Hamas leaders for the attack that killed 1,200 in Israel, labeling these as “war crimes.”
• Furthermore, the International Court of Justice is set to deliver a verdict on a petition by South Africa calling for further measures against Israel for “genocide.”

-Source: The Hindu, The Indian Express       

New portable atomic clocks for accurate timekeeping at sea

Context:

Scientists have built a new portable atomic clock that can be used onboard ships for accurate and robust timekeeping.

Relevance:

GS III: Science and Technology

Dimensions of the Article:

1. What are Atomic Clocks?

What are Atomic Clocks?

• Atomic clocks are highly accurate timekeeping devices that rely on the resonance frequencies of atoms, commonly cesium or rubidium, to measure time.
• Atomic clocks were invented in 1955 by Louise Essen.
• These clocks are incredibly precise, losing approximately one second every 100 million years.
• Atomic clocks are currently operational in Ahmedabad and Faridabad.

Types of Atomic Clocks:

• Cesium Atomic Beam Clock:
  • Accuracy: Offers high accuracy and good long-term stability.
• Hydrogen Maser Clock:
  • Stability: Provides the best stability for short periods, up to a few hours.
• Rubidium Gas Cell Clock:
  • Functionality: Utilizes rubidium atoms for timekeeping, offering a balance between accuracy and stability.

Working Principle of Atomic Clocks:

Electromagnetic Radiation Control:

• Regulation: The electronic components of atomic clocks are controlled by microwave electromagnetic radiation (EM), maintaining precise frequency levels crucial for inducing quantum transitions in atoms.

Quantum Transitions:

• Frequency Dependence: Quantum transitions (energy changes) in cesium or rubidium atoms occur only at specific radiation frequencies.

Time Measurement:

• Feedback Loop: Atomic clocks observe and maintain these quantum transitions in a feedback loop.
• Second Calculation: The waves generated during these quantum transitions are counted to determine the value of one second.

-Source: The Hindu

The year 2025 declared the Year of Quantum Science

Context:

The United Nations has said 2025 will be designated the ‘International Year of Quantum Science and Technology’.

Relevance:

GS-3: Science and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life.

Dimensions of the Article:

1. Quantum technology:
2. The underlying principles of quantum technology are as follows:
3. Applications

Quantum technology:

• Two objects cannot occupy the same space at the same time, according to classical physics (based on Newtonian mechanics)
• It was thought until the early twentieth century that this was a fundamental physics law that was followed by everything in nature
• However, scientists began to look into particles like atoms, electrons, and light waves that did not appear to follow these laws.
• The subject of quantum mechanics was founded by Max Planck, Neils Bohr, and Albert Einstein in an attempt to investigate the “quirky” principles that did bind such particles.

About:

• It is a type of technology (developed in the early twentieth century) that operates on the principles of quantum mechanics – the physics of subatomic particles, such as quantum entanglement and quantum superposition.
• As a result, it is based on phenomena exhibited by microscopic particles (such as photons, electrons, atoms, and so on) that differ significantly from how normal macroscopic objects behave.

There are Four domains of Quantum Technology:

• Quantum communication
• Quantum simulation
• Quantum computation
• Quantum sensing and metrology

The underlying principles of quantum technology are as follows:

• Quantum entanglement (QE):
  • Quantum entanglement occurs when two atoms are connected or entangled despite their separation
  • If one atom’s properties change, the other changes instantly, and quantum mechanics observe these changes in properties.
  • It improves communication security by using quantum-protected encrypted keys, and entangled atoms can be used to detect whether data transmission has been compromised.
• Quantum entanglement:
  • Quantum superposition is the theory that subatomic particles can exist in multiple states at the same time.
  • Quantum computers are a practical application of this principle.
  • Whereas digital computers store data as bits (binary of 0 and 1), quantum computers use qubits, which can be either a 1 or a 0 at the same time.
  • This superposition generates a nearly infinite set of options, allowing for extremely fast calculations.

Applications:

• Quantum technology promises to improve a wide range of everyday devices, including:
  • Improved navigation and timing systems.
  • Improved communication security.
  • Improved healthcare imaging through quantum sensing (using quantum phenomenon to perform a measurement of a physical quantity).
  • Quantum computers provide more powerful computing.
• Improved disaster management through better prediction, computing, and so on.
• To comprehend biological phenomena such as smell and consciousness, as well as the spread of pandemics such as Covid-19, etc.

-Source: The Hindu

MP’s ambitious cheetah reintroduction project

Context:

The Madhya Pradesh government has completed preparations for its ambitious cheetah reintroduction project at Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary.

• Cheetals have been reintroduced from Kanha and other places to increase their population in the region.

Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary is slated to be the second home for cheetahs in India after Kuno National Park.

Relevance:

GS III- Environment

Dimensions of the Article:

1. About Reintroduction Action Plan::
2. Reasons for the Extinction:
3. About the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA)
4. About Cheetah

About Reintroduction Action Plan:

• ‘Reintroduction’ of a species means releasing it in an area where it is capable of surviving.
• Reintroductions of large carnivores have increasingly been recognised as a strategy to conserve threatened species and restore ecosystem functions.
• The cheetah is the only large carnivore that has been eliminated, mainly by over-hunting in India in historical times.
• the ministry will be translocating around 8-12 cheetahs from South Africa, Namibia and Botswana with help from the Wildlife Institute of India and the Wildlife Trust of India, .
• The big cats will live at Kuno Palpur National Park (Madhya Pradesh) owing to its suitable habitat and adequate prey base.

Reasons for the Extinction:

• Hunting
• Diminishing habitat and non-availability of enough prey
• Climate change 
• growing human populations have only made these problems worse.

About the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA)

• The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) was established in December 2005 following a recommendation of the Tiger Task Force, constituted by the Prime Minister of India for reorganised management of Project Tiger and the many Tiger Reserves in India.
• The Wildlife Protection Act of 1972 was amended in 2006 to provide for constituting the National Tiger Conservation Authority responsible for implementation of the Project Tiger plan to protect endangered tigers.
• The National Tiger Conservation Authority is set up under the Chairmanship of the Minister for Environment and Forests.
• The Authority will have eight experts or professionals having qualifications and experience in wildlife conservation and welfare of people including tribals, apart from three Members of Parliament of whom two will be elected by the House of the People and one by the Council of States.
• The Authority, interalia, would lay down normative standards, guidelines for tiger conservation in the Tiger Reserves, apart from National Parks and Sanctuaries.
• It would provide information on protection measures including future conservation plan, tiger estimation, disease surveillance, mortality survey, patrolling, report on untoward happenings and such other management aspects as it may deem fit, including future plan for conservation.
• The Authority would also facilitate and support tiger reserve management in the States through eco-development and people’s participation as per approved management plans, and support similar initiatives in adjoining areas consistent with the Central and state laws.
• The Tiger Conservation Authority would be required to prepare an Annual Report, which would be laid in the Parliament along with the Audit Report.
• Every 4 years the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) conducts a tiger census across India.

About Cheetah:

• The cheetah is one of the oldest of the big cat species, with ancestors that can be traced back more than five million years to the Miocene era.
• The cheetah is also the world’s fastest land mammal that lives in Africa and Asia.

African Cheetah

• IUCN status – Vulnerable
• CITES status – Appendix-I of the List. This List comprises of migratory species that have been assessed as being in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of their range.
• Habitat – Around 6,500-7,000 African cheetahs present in the wild.
• Physical Characteristics – Bigger in size as compared to Asiatic Cheetah.

Asian Cheetah

• IUCN Status – Critically Endangered.
• CITES – Appendix 1 of the list
• Habitat – 40-50 found only in Iran.
• Physical Characteristics – Smaller and paler than the African cheetah. Has more fur, a smaller head and a longer neck. Usually have red eyes and they have a more cat-like appearance.

-Source: The Hindu, Down to Earth