AGM-88 HARM Missile
Context: United States confirmed that Washington has supplied some “anti-radiation missiles” to Ukraine, which could be fired from some Ukrainian Air Force aircraft. The statement has put meat on Russian allegations that an American anti-radar missile, AGM-88 HARM, which is part of NATO’s inventory, has been used in the theatre of conflict. Relevance: GS III- […]
SSLV-D1/EOS-2 Mission
Context: The SSLV D1/EOS-2 mission was carrying two satellites — the Earth Observation Satellite-2 (EOS-2 and AzadiSAT. However, the mission failed to place the satellites in their required orbits, and the satellites, as they were already detached from the launch vehicle, were lost. Relevance: GS III- Science and Technology Dimensions of the Article: What was […]
Enhancing Genomic Surveillance
Context According to a recent study, the rate of genetic changes in the monkeypox virus was higher than expected. Relevance GS paper: 3 Science and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life. Mains Question What exactly is genome sequencing, and what are the advantages? Also, list the steps that India has taken in […]
Live-Fire Exercises
Context: In a massive show of strength, China began its live-fire exercise near Taiwan, launching at least 11 ballistic missiles into the country’s coast, a day after US House speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan. Relevance: GS III: Science and Technology Dimensions of the Article: What are live-fire exercises? Have they been done in the region […]
Laser-Guided Anti-Tank Guided Missiles
Focus: GS III- Science and Technology (developments and their applications and effects in everyday life) Why in News? Indigenously developed Laser-Guided Anti-Tank Guided Missiles (ATGM) were successfully test-fired from Main Battle Tank (MBT) Arjun by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Indian Army. The all-indigenous Laser Guided ATGM employs a tandem High Explosive Anti-Tank […]
5G Spectrum Auction Concludes
Context: India’s biggest ever spectrum auction ended with bids upwards of Rs 1.5 lakh crore coming in after seven days of bidding spread over 40 rounds. Reliance Jio emerged as the largest spender in the 5G spectrum auction, acquiring almost half of all the airwaves sold for more than Rs 88,000 crore, and was also […]
Hellfire R9X Missile – Killing of Al Qaeda Chief
Context: The US military used its ‘secret weapon’ — the Hellfire R9X missile – to kill Al Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri on the balcony of a safehouse in Kabul on July 31. Al-Zawahiri, an Egyptian surgeon who had a $25 million bounty on his head, had helped coordinate the September 11, 2001, attacks that had […]
African Swine Fever
Context: Barely a week after about 500 pigs were culled in Kerala’s Wayanad district to prevent the spread of African swine fever detected there, new cases of the disease have been reported from there and Kannur. Relevance: Focus: GS-III Science and Technology Dimensions of this Article: What is African Swine Fever? What are the symptoms […]
What Is AlphaFold?
Context: DeepMind, a company based in London and owned by Google, announced this week that it had predicted the three-dimensional structures of more than 200 million proteins using AlphaFold. Relevance: GS III- Science and Technology Dimensions of the Article: What is AlphaFold? How does AlphaFold work? What are the implications of this development? Is AlphaFold […]
Space Junk And Its Uncontrolled Descent
Context The debris from a large Chinese rocket, the Long March 5B, crashed to earth over the Pacific and Indian oceans, capping off a week of global anxiety and concern. There were fears that the rocket’s 22-tonne core stage would collide with a populated area as it hurtled back to earth. Despite widespread criticism for […]