Context: A proposal to revise the criteria for defining the “creamy layer” among OBCs has been pending for years, and MPs have raised the issue during the ongoing Monsoon Session of Parliament in July 2021. About Creamy layer: It is a concept that sets a threshold within which OBC reservation benefits are applicable. While there is a 2... .Read more
Updated on 31 July, 2021 GS3 Science and Technology
Context: India recently participated in the 3rd Arctic Science Ministerial (ASM3) meeting, jointly organised by Iceland and Japan and virtually hosted by Japan. More in the news: Launching of NISER (NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar) satellite mission, in collaboration with the USA, which is underway. NISER will conduct global measurements ... .Read more
Updated on 31 July, 2021 GS3 Science and Technology
Context: Recently, Indian scientists discover materials that self-repair mechanical damages. Impact of Mechanical Damages: Devices that we use daily often break down due to mechanical damage, forcing us either to repair or replace them. This decreases the life of the equipment and increases maintenance costs. In many cases, like in s... .Read more
Updated on 29 July, 2021 GS3 Science and Technology
Context: A new study has suggested that the responses to the SARS-CoV-2 virus in the nose and throat might help determine who will develop severe disease. Key Finding of the study: SARS-CoV-2, like other respiratory coronaviruses, enters through the mouth or nose. Initially replicates within the epithelial cells of the human nasopharynx regi... .Read more
Updated on 26 July, 2021 GS2 GS3 Science and Technology Health and Family wellfare
Context: In an exploratory study, the repurposed drug, an anthelmintic originally used to treat tapeworm infection, was found to show promising results in treating COVID-19. Key Points: The study was undertaken by Bengaluru-based National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS-TIFR) and Institute for Stem Cell Science and Regenerative Medicine (InSTEM... .Read more
Updated on 26 July, 2021 GS3 Science and Technology
Context: Recently, the first recorded death due to the bird flu (H5N1 avian influenza) was in Delhi, India in 2021. Background: Recently China has confirmed the first instance of human infection from H10N3, a rare strain of a virus that normally infects poultry. As always the National Health Commission of Beijing provides no details on how the vir... .Read more
Updated on 22 July, 2021 GS2 GS3 Science and Technology Health and Family wellfare
