Current Affairs One liners: 6 October 2016

report of UNESCO, new frog species and Sangeet Natak Akademi awards among the others. • Oil India Limited recently signed MoU with which University to augment its reserves base and maximise recovery from its aging oilfields- University of Houston • As per the recent report of UNESCO, what number of new teachers are needed to provide quality universal primary and secondary education by 2030- 69 million • The Union Cabinet recently approved setting up of a Medical Devices Manufacturing Park (Medipark) in- Tamil Nadu • New frog species recently discovered in Australia’s largest virgin forest in Queensland- Cape York graceful tree frog or Litoria Bella • Person appointed as Brand Ambassador of Kerala’s Haritha Keralam project- K J Yesudas • India’s the communication satellite that was launched by a heavy duty rocket of Arianespace from the spaceport of Kourou in French Guiana is - GSAT-18 • To streamline government borrowings and better cash management with the overall objective of deepening bond markets, the Union Finance Ministry has set up - Public Debt Management Cell (PDMC) • Professional Indian mountaineer who scaled the world's sixth highest mountain Cho Oyu is- Arjun Vajpai • He was conferred with the Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellow (Akademi Ratna) by President Pranab Mukherjee - C V Chandrasekhar, an eminent personality in the field of performing arts • The system that was launched to make sure that the bridges across India remains safe by Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways and Shipping Nitin Gadkari - Indian Bridge Management System (IBMS) • The Union Government on appointed Indian Revenue Service officer Sushil Chandra as the Chairman of - the Central Board of Direct Taxes • The former Portuguese Prime Minister recently selected by the UN Security Council as the next UN Secretary-General is - Antonio Guterres • M. Venkaiah Naidu recently released the book titled Modi’s Midas Touch in Foreign Policy, which is authored by - Surendra Kumar • The winner of the 2016 Shinhan Donghae Open is- Gaganjeet Bhullar • Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, who will be the chief guest at the 2017 Republic Day parade of India- Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan

India announces major initiative for R&D into Next Generation

India announces major initiative for R&D into Next Generation HFC refrigerant alternatives The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) on 15 September 2016 announced an ambitious collaborative R&D programme to develop next generation, sustainable refrigerant technologies as alternatives to HFCs. This R&D initiative brings together Government, research institutes, industry and civil society to develop long term technology solutions to mitigate impact of currently used refrigerant gases on the ozone layer and climate. With this initiative, India reaffirms its commitment to working with all other nations to safeguard the Earth’s natural ecosystem. Some of the key players of the initiative include • The Council of Scientific & Industrial Research and its allied institutions • Department of Science and Technology • Centre for Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences as well as key industry players in the sector Members of this initiative have already had multiple rounds of consultation to reach a consensus on the contours and decide on the roadmap for this initiative. India has a small carbon footprint at citizen level and its sustainable lifestyle results in low contribution of the country to overall emissions of greenhouse gases and ozone depleting substances, as compared with other developed countries. However, there is an urgent need for developing new technologies indigenously as alternatives available today are patented apart from being expensive. A research based programme to look for cost effective alternatives to the currently used refrigerant gases is, therefore essential. The initiative is a significant step forward in line with India’s national focus on research, innovation and technology development and Mission Innovation. The research initiative of the Ministry will be led by the CSIR’s Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Hyderabad. The MoEF&CC, along with the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) has also decided to create a corpus fund for this research programme, with Industry also committing to contribute to the effort. The collaboration of research institutes as well as industry will create larger ecosystem for developing sustainable solutions, and eventually deploying low global warming potential - GWP HFCs on a national scale. By establishing an effective collaboration between all important stakeholders, the initiative is focused on prioritising areas of research in new refrigerant technologies and natural refrigerants. This shall help the country leapfrog from the current technology high GWP HydroFluoroCarbons or HFCs to technologies with lower climate impact. The proposed initiative is an important step in the direction of enabling the country achieves national development goals, while continuing to maintain a sustainable environmental footprint.

Invasive Giant African Land Snails sighted at Goa University

Invasive Giant African Land Snails sighted at Goa University The Giant African Land Snail (GALS) was spotted in the campus of the Goa University at Taleigao. GALS (Achatina fulica) is listed as one of the world’s 100 most invasive species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources. This snail was spotted by Nandakumar Kamat, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Botany at the university. About Giant African Land Snail • The species is a threat to agro-horticulture • It is a threat to the public health as they act as a vector of human diseases like Eosinophilic meningitis, caused by Angiostrongylus cantonensis, a parasite that nematode commonly, resides in the pulmonary arteries of rats. • They range from 7 cm to 20 cm in length and in case of specimens in Goa they were of 11 cm in length. • They are known to be dangerous, as they can reproduce faster and take over entire ecosystems and become a menace to crops. Invasive species are plants, animals, or pathogens that are non-native (alien) to the ecosystem under consideration and whose introduction causes or is likely to cause harm. They can harm the environment, the economy or even, human health.

National Board for Wildlife approves first phase of Ken-Betwa project

National Board for Wildlife approves first phase of Ken-Betwa project The National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) on 20 September 2016 approved 10000 crore rupees Ken-Betwa project, India’s first inter-State river interlinking project. With this, India will have a river project will be located within a tiger reserve for the first time. About Ken-Betwa project • It will irrigate the drought-prone Bundelkhand region but will also submerge about 10 percent of the Panna Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh. • The main feature of the project is a 230-km long canal and a series of barrages and dams connecting the Ken and Betwa rivers. • It will irrigate 3.5 lakh hectares in Madhya Pradesh and 14000 hectares of Uttar Pradesh in Bundelkhand. • The key areas are the Makodia and Dhaudhan dams, the latter expected to be 77 m high and responsible for submerging 5803 hectares of tiger habitat in the Panna tiger reserve. • Chhatarpur, Panna, Tikamgarh, Raisen, and Vidisha districts of Madhya Pradesh and Mahoba, Jhansi and Banda districts of Uttar Pradesh will benefit from assured irrigation supply, water supply and power. • On the other hand, about 6388 people in 10 villages will be affected due to the submergence by Daudhan reservoir. • Around 13499 people living in the 28 villages will be affected due to the submergence by Makodia reservoir and will have to be resettled. • Seventeen lakh residents of nearby towns and villages in both States will benefit from improved drinking water and irrigation facilities.

New species of ground-dwelling lizard discovered in Mumbai

New species of ground-dwelling lizard discovered in Mumbai A new species of a ground-dwelling lizard has been discovered in Goregaon's Aarey Colony and Thane's Badlapur forested belts. The species has been named after a Bengaluru-based scientist Varad Giri. The species is discovered 130 years after the last such gecko was discovered. The findings on the new species were published in the third week of September 2016 in the international scientific journal Zootaxa.  About the new lizard species • The new species is named as Cyrtodactylus Varadgirii or Giri's Geckoella. • The species, of the genus Cyrtodactylus known in Southeast Asia, India and Sri Lanka, is a member of the subgenus Geckoella. • Earlier, this new species was considered as Geckoella Collegalensis. However, based on morphological characters and DNA data, it has been described as a new species. • This uncommon species is mostly seen moving among the leaf litter on the forest floor. • They are active during night and take refuge under rocks and logs during the day. It grows the length of around 6 centimeters. • They are found in localities like Sanjay Gandhi National Park in north Mumbai, the Aarey Colony, a few localities in Nanded, Chandrapur and Amaravati districts and a few localities in Gujarat. • The new species is also known to live around human-dominated landscapes and is a widely distributed species in this genus in India.

Indira Gandhi International Airport becomes first in Asia-Pacific region

Indira Gandhi International Airport becomes first in Asia-Pacific region to achieve carbon neutral status The Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) on 27 September 2016 announced that the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) has become the first airport in the Asia-Pacific region to achieve carbon neutral status. DIAL is a GMR Group-led consortium which manages and operates IGI airport. The announcement on the carbon neutral status was made by Airports Council International (ACI) during the Airport Carbon Accreditation certificate presentation ceremony held in Montreal, Canada. The Airport Carbon Accreditation has upgraded Delhi Airport to ‘Level 3+, Neutrality’, which is the highest level of achievement available to airports across the world. What is carbon neutrality? • Carbon neutrality, or a net zero carbon footprint, occurs when the net carbon emissions over an entire year is zero. This means the airport absorbs or offsets the same amount of emission that was generated. • It is used in the context of carbon dioxide releasing processes associated with transportation, energy production, and industrial processes such as production of carbon neutral fuel.

92 percent of world’s population is breathing unhealthy air: WHO

92 percent of world’s population is breathing unhealthy air: WHO World Health Organization (WHO) on 27 September 2016 released its report on pollution, which is extremely worrying. The report claims that 92 percent of the world’s population lives in places where air quality levels exceed WHO limits. This mean, 9 out of 10 people globally are breathing poor quality air. Maria Neira, head of the WHO's department of public health and environment, termed the report as a 'public health emergency'. She also urged governments to take up measures like cutting the number of vehicles on the road, improving waste management and promotion of clean cooking fuel. The WHO report is based on data collected from more than 3000 sites across the globe. According to the report, poorer countries have much dirtier air than the developed world. Green Peace India released report on National Air Quality Index of 17 cities How the report was made? The report is based on WHO’s new air quality model that is based on data derived from satellite measurements, air transport models and ground station monitors. The model was developed by WHO in collaboration with the University of Bath, United Kingdom. Air pollution’s toll on human health Some 3 million deaths a year are linked to exposure to outdoor air pollution. Indoor air pollution can be just as deadly. In 2012, an estimated 6.5 million deaths (11.6% of all global deaths) were associated with indoor and outdoor air pollution together. Nearly 90 percent of air-pollution-related deaths occur in low and middle-income countries, with nearly 2 out of 3 occurring in WHO’s South-East Asia and Western Pacific regions. WHO says that 94 percent are due to non-communicable diseases – notably cardiovascular diseases, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and lung cancer. Air pollution also increases the risks for acute respiratory infections. Sources of air pollution Major sources of air pollution include inefficient modes of transport, household fuel and waste burning, coal-fired power plants, and industrial activities. However, not all air pollution originates from human activity. For example, air quality can also be influenced by dust storms, particularly in regions close to deserts.

Tamil Nadu tops list of endemic flowering plants Botanical Survey of India

Tamil Nadu tops list of endemic flowering plants Botanical Survey of India (BSI) in the last week of September 2016 announced that almost one of every four species of flowering plants found in India is endemic to the country. Of these, Tamil Nadu garners the highest number of species with 410. Tamil Nadu is followed by Kerala with 357 and Maharashtra with 278. Key highlights • As per scientific data in a recently released book, Endemic Vascular Plants of India, of the 18259 flowering plants reported in the country, 4303 are found only in India. • When it comes to the geographical distribution of endemic plants, the Western Ghats tops the list with about 2116 species, followed by the Eastern Himalayas with 466 species. • At least 37 species of Black plum Syzyguim (Jamun), 10 varieties of Musa (banana), along with 274 species of orchids are found only in India. • Four different varieties of roses, two herbs and two climbers and 12 species of jasmines are exclusively found in India. • When it comes to spices, 45 species belong to the common black pepper family, 19 species of ginger and 13 different kinds of large cardamom. • There are also 40 species of bamboos, which are endemic to India. • Further some of these endemic species are restricted to only certain areas of the country, like Nepenthes khasiana, an insectivorous plant only found in the Khasi hills of Meghalaya. • A total of 58 generea of flowering plants have been found to be endemic to India. • As far as endemism regarding vascular plants in India is concerned, the publication reveals that of the 19635 vascular plants found in the country, 4381 are endemic. This includes 4303 angiosperms or flowering plants, 12 gymnosperms and 66 ferns and fern allies which come under the group Pteridophytes. • Among the most widely exploited endemic plants in country is Pterocarpus santalinus, commonly known as red sandal wood, which is found only in the southern parts of the Eastern Ghats. This plant is classified as critically endangered under International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) category. About Botanical Survey of India • The Botanical Survey of India is an institution set up by the Government of India in 1890 to survey the plant resources of the Indian empire. • The Botanical Survey was formally instituted on 13 February 1890 under the direction of Sir George King, who had been superintendent of Royal Botanic Garden, Calcutta since 1871. • King was the first ex-officio Director of BSI.

New species of Pika discovered in the Sikkim Himalayas

New species of Pika discovered in the Sikkim Himalayas Researchers at the National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS), Bengaluru have recently identified a new species of Pika named Ochotona sikimaria high up in the Sikkim Himalayas. The Findings were published in the journal Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution as a paper titled Genetics, morphology and ecology reveal a cryptic Pika lineage in the Sikkim Himalaya on 15 September 2016. The team of researchers including Dr Uma Ramakrishnan and her collaborators probed the genetic origins of the little mammal Pika to discover an entirely new lineage, with a unique evolutionary past. Highlights of the Study • Researchers used genetic tools in order to understand the origin and evolution of the Pika species commonly found in the Sikkim Himalayas and worked with Pika droppings to obtain DNA samples. • By comparing DNA sequences from these samples with those of commonly known Pika sequences from across the world, they concluded that there were clear differences. • Gaining a deeper understanding of the evolutionary history of this species, the researchers chose to compare the Sikkim Pika to its close relatives in China. • This analysis confirmed the fact that the new species is indeed distinct and not merely a subspecies of the Moupin Pika, as was previously believed. • Multiple lines of evidence, including genetics, ecology and morphometrics, were used clarify the origins of the Sikkim Pika and to establish that it is indeed a distinct species. About Pikas • Pikas are members of the rabbit family and live either high up in the mountains or in cold (temperate) places as they are highly cold-adapted. • This feature of their biology makes them sensitive to habitat loss from increasing global temperature. • The majority of Pika species described to date are of Asian origin. • Pikas are particularly important because they are considered indicators of climate change based on studies in North America. • Unlike other mammalian species inhabiting such harsh environments, Pikas do not hibernate. • They prepare for winter by collecting and storing hay piles for their winter food.

India ratifies historic Paris Climate Agreement India

India ratifies historic Paris Climate Agreement India on 2 October 2016 ratified historic Paris Agreement on climate change, giving a significant push for the deal to enter into force by the end 2016. The agreement is expected to give momentum to implementation of measures at international level to control global warming. India, the world's fourth largest emitter of greenhouse gases, accounts for 4.1 per cent of the emissions. China and the US is the biggest carbon emitter and are jointly responsible for around 40 per cent of the global carbon emissions. COP 21 under UNFCCC adopted Paris Agreement on Climate Change With India's move, a total of 62 countries accounting for almost 52 per cent of emissions, have ratified the accord. The pact will come into force after it has been ratified by at least 55 countries which account for 55 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions.  Permanent Representative to the United Nations Syed Akbaruddin handed over the Instrument of Ratification signed by President Pranab Mukherjee, to Santiago Villalpando, the Head of the Treaties Division at the UN in a special ceremony in New York. The ceremony was attended by top UN officials and senior diplomats to commemorate the 147th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. Gandhi’s birth anniversary is observed as an International Day of Non-violence. Union Cabinet approves ratification of Paris Agreement In total, the 62 countries that have ratified the Paris Agreement account for about 51.89 per cent of the global gas emissions. This means for adoption, the agreement needs slightly more than 3 percent to reach the 55 per cent threshold. UN says that at least 14 other countries that together contribute about 12 per cent of global emissions have committed to ratify the pact before end of 2016. Earlier in September 2016, the US and China had formally ratified the Paris agreement, which was adopted by 195 parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change last December in Paris. On the other hand, it is expected that the European Union and Russia, the other two among the top five emitters, will ratify the agreement soon. Paris Agreement • It was adopted by more than 190 countries at the 21st Conference of Parties of UNFCCC (UN Framework Convention on Climate Change) held in Paris in December 2015. • It seeks to encourage global action to reduce greenhouse gases from the atmosphere. This would help in preventing catastrophic effects of climate change. • It seeks to give a momentum to actions being taken to adapt to the impacts of climate change, and raise financial and technological resources to do so. • Initially, the Paris Agreement supposed to come into operation by 2020, the year when the existing Kyoto Protocol, the international arrangement to deal with climate change, expires. But later, the deadline was dropped and it will come into force after 30-days after the minimum ratifications are over. • For few years, the Paris Agreement as well as the Kyoto Protocol would exist side by side.

New frog species named Litoria Bella discovered in Australia

New frog species named Litoria Bella discovered in Australia A new frog species named Cape York graceful tree frog, scientifically known as Litoria Bella, was discovered recently in Australia’s largest virgin forest in Queensland. The study was published in the journal Zootaxa on 27 September 2016.The newly discovered species closely resembles the Graceful tree frog (Litoria Gracilenta). The research and discovery was done by Dr Jodi Rowley, a curator of amphibian and reptile conservation biology at the Australian Museum, along with scientists Keith McDonald, Stephen Richards and Greta Frankham. Highlights of the Cape York graceful tree frog or Litoria Bella • The Cape York Graceful Treefrog is known from between Moa Island in the Torres Strait in the north, to about 20 km south of Coen on the Cape York Peninsula in the south. • The southern-most location of the new species is separated by 220 km from the most northern record of the Graceful Treefrog in the Endeavour Valley near Cooktown. • The Cape York Graceful frogs have a near-immaculate green dorsum, bright orange digits, bluish purple thighs and white bones. • They also measure about four centimetres long, which is considered big for the species. • They spend most of their time in the tree canopy and come down to ponds when it rains or during breeding season. • The species was thought to occur all the way from north-eastern New South Wales to northern Cape York Peninsula in Queensland. The Study • One of the researchers from the team Keith McDonald from the Queensland museum had first laid eyes on this Cape York tree frog in 2000 during one of his field-work outings. • However, the frog was determined to be a new species on 27 September 2016 after undergoing rigorous tests for a year. • By looking at differences in its appearance, as well as its advertisement call and DNA, it was concluded that the Cape York Graceful Tree frog is a distinct species, bringing the number of known frog species in Australia to 239.

Scientists use stem cells to successfully grow human lungs in a dish

Scientists use stem cells to successfully grow human lungs in a dish A team of researchers from University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) created a three-dimensional lung, called as organoids, to study diseases, including idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. The organoids resemble sections of human lungs instead of just cells. The study was published in the journal Stem Cells Translational Medicine.  How the researchers grew lungs? • The researchers used stem cells taken from actual adult human lungs to coat tiny sticky hydrogel beads. • The beads eventually grew and self-assembled to envelope the hydrogel beads, which were all placed inside linked wells. • The resulting structure produced evenly distributed three-dimensional patterns consistent with actual air sacs like those in human lungs. • Inside each well, the lung cells grew around the beads, which linked them and formed an evenly distributed three-dimensional pattern. • To show that these tiny organoids mimicked the structure of actual lungs, the researchers compared the lab-grown tissues with real sections of human lung. • Moreover, when the researchers added certain molecular factors to the 3D cultures, the lungs developed scars similar to those seen in the lungs of people who have idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. • The scientists were not able build a fully functional lung. However, they have been able to take lung cells and place them in the correct geometrical spacing and pattern to mimic a human lung. What is Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis? • Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is a chronic lung disease characterised by scarring of the lungs. • The scarring makes the lungs thick and stiff, which over time results in progressively worsening shortness of breath and lack of oxygen to the brain and vital organs. • The term 'idiopathic' is used because the cause of pulmonary fibrosis is still unknown. • To study the effect of genetic mutations or drugs on lung cells, researchers have previously relied on two-dimensional cultures of the cells. But when they take cells from people with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and grow them on these flat cultures, the cells appear healthy.

NASA spots possible Water Plumes Erupting on Jupiter's Moon

NASA spots possible Water Plumes Erupting on Jupiter's Moon Europa The latest finding has given scientists fresh hope that a robotic spacecraft could one day fly past these potential plumes and learn about their contents without having to drill miles deep into the moon's icy shell. Using ultraviolet images taken by Hubble, a space telescope that was launched in 1990, the potential plumes were seen around the southern edge of Europa and appear as dark fingers or patches of possible absorption.  They were spotted over the course of 15 months in 2014 when scientists observed Europa passing in front of Jupiter. This was observed by a team of astronomers led by William Sparks of the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) in Baltimore. They observed these finger-like projections while viewing Europa's limb as the moon passed in front of Jupiter. If confirmed, Europa would be the second moon in the solar system known to have water vapor plumes. In 2005, NASA's Cassini orbiter detected jets of water vapor and dust spewing off the surface of Saturn's moon Enceladus. About the Plumes on Europa The plumes are estimated to rise about 125 miles (200 kilometers) before, presumably, raining material back down onto Europa's surface. Europa has a huge global ocean that contains twice water than Earth’s oceans, which is protected by a layer of extremely cold and hard ice of unknown thickness. The plumes provide a tantalizing opportunity to gather samples originating from under the surface without having to land or drill through the ice. Previous Finding Earlier in 2012, a team led by Lorenz Roth of the Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio, detected evidence of water vapor erupting from the frigid south polar region of Europa and reaching more than 100 miles (160 kilometers) into space. Although both teams used Hubble's Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph instrument, each used a totally independent method to arrive at the same conclusion. Next step to confirm presence of water vapor plumes on Europa It is expected that scientists will use the infrared vision of NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, which is scheduled to launch in 2018, to confirm venting or plume activity on Europa. Besides, NASA is also formulating a mission to Europa with a payload that could confirm the presence of plumes and study them from close range during multiple flybys. The work by Sparks and his colleagues will be published in the 29 September 2016 issue of the Astrophysical Journal. Hubble Space Telescope It is a project of international cooperation between NASA and ESA (the European Space Agency.) NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, manages the telescope. STScI, which is operated for NASA by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy in Washington, conducts Hubble science operations.

World's first baby born from new procedure using DNA of three people

World's first baby born from new procedure using DNA of three people The world’s first baby was born from a new procedure that combines the DNA of three people. The baby was born in Mexico. The baby was born on 6 April 2016 after his Jordanian parents travelled to Mexico where they were cared for by US fertility specialists. The baby was born using the new and controversial technology, called mitochondrial donation, which incorporates DNA from three persons. The five-month-old boy has the usual DNA from his parents, and a small amount of genetic code from a donor. How the treatment was done? • The baby’s mother carried genes for the fatal Leigh Syndrome, which harms the developing nervous system. • The faults affect the DNA in mitochondria, the tiny battery-like structures that provide cells with energy, and are passed down from mother to child. • A team of doctors, led by John Zhang, decided to attempt the controversial procedure of mitochondrial transfer in the hope that it would give the couple a healthy child. • The doctors took the nucleus from one of the woman’s eggs and inserted it into a healthy donor’s egg that had had its own nucleus removed. Then, the egg was fertilised with the husband’s sperm. • The team created five embryos but only one developed normally. This was implanted into the mother and the baby was born nine months later. What is Mitochondrial Donation? • Mitochondrial donation is a special form of in vitro fertilization in which the future baby's mitochondrial DNA comes from a third party. • The two most common techniques in mitochondrial donation are pronuclear transfer and maternal spindle transfer. • Due to the uncharted nature of producing a child with 3 sources of DNA, this subject is currently quite contentious in the field of bioethics, as is the case with many other gene therapies. • The treatment was legalised in the UK in 2015 but so far no other country has introduced laws to permit the technique. • In February 2016, a report was issued by the U.S. Food and Drug administration declaring that further research into mitochondrial donation is ethically permissible.