Daily Current Affairs MCQ- August 12, 2023 - UPSC MCQ

Recently, in a step towards financial literacy, Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority (IEPFA)  launched two Investor Awareness Vans titled “Niveshak Sarathi as part of the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav celebrations.

• It was established in 2016 under the Companies Act, of 2013.
• The Authority is entrusted with
• The responsibility of administration of the Investor Education Protection Fund (IEPF).
• Make refunds of shares, unclaimed dividends, matured deposits/debentures etc. to investors and promote awareness among investors.
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Corporate Affairs

Hence only statements 1 and 3 are correct.

Recently, scientists at the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA, Bangalore) under the Department of Science & Technology (DST), Govt. of India, have discovered a unique star named HE 1005-1439 classified as a Carbon-Enhanced Metal-Poor (CEMP) star.

• The researchers used high-resolution spectroscopic data acquired using High Dispersion Spectrograph (HDS) attached to SUBARU telescope (Japan) to analyze the star's surface chemical composition.
• The team found that the iron content of the star is thousand times less than that of the sun and it is heavily enriched with neutron-capture elements.
• The star which defies previous classifications and challenges previous understanding of star formation processes shows signs of having been formed through the combination of two different neutron-capture processes - the slow (s-) and intermediate (i-) neutron-capture processes.
• It can help understand how different star formation processes influence the elemental composition of stars.
• Elements beyond iron are created due to reactions in nuclear astrophysics called neutron capture processes.
• The slow (s-) process is believed to occur in low-mass stars during the asymptotic giant branch (AGB) phase and the rapid (r-) process is believed to occur in Supernovae and Neutron Star mergers.
• One of the proposed sites for intermediate (i-) process is low-metallicity low-mass AGB stars.
• Understanding the relative contributions of these processes to the elemental composition of stars is important for understanding the chemical evolution of galaxies and the origins of the elements in the universe.

Key facts Carbon-enhanced metal-poor (CEMP) star:

• These stars are characterized by diverse heavy elements abundance patterns and are primarily classified into four groups, based on which groups of heavy elements are more abundant.
• These are mostly dwarf stars, sub-giant stars, or giant stars, and stars that belong to these evolutionary stages cannot produce elements heavier than iron.

Hence only statement 2 is correct.

Rural Electrification Corporation Limited under the Ministry of Power, has secured a coveted place in the esteemed Morgan Stanley Capital International (MSCI) Global Standard Index, effective from 1st September 2023.

• It is owned by the multinational investment management and financial services company Morgan Stanley.
• It is an investment research firm that provides stock indexes, portfolio risk and performance analytics, and governance tools to institutional investors and hedge funds.
• It is a leading provider of critical decision support tools, including stock indexes, and services for the global investment community.
• MSCI indices facilitate the construction and monitoring of portfolios in a cohesive and complete manner, avoiding benchmark misfit. It has over 160,000 indices in its portfolio.
• MSCI has indexes for countries, regions, emerging markets, developed markets, small cap, all cap and even Islamic indexes.
• It selects stocks for its equity indexes that are easily traded and have high liquidity, with companies having high free float getting more weightage.
• It prefers stocks that have active investor participation, and are without owner restrictions.

Hence both statements are correct.

Recently, Mushkbudji Rice received the Geographical Indication (GI) tag.

• It is short bold aromatic rice grown in higher reaches of Kashmir valley.
• The cooked rice is unique and possesses a harmonious blend of taste, aroma and rich organoleptic properties.
• It is mainly is grown in areas of Sagam, Panzgam and Soaf Shali of district Anantnag and Beerwah belt of district Budgam.
• The consumption of aromatic rice in Kashmir has now been limited to special occasions, marriages, and festivals.

Hence, option d is the correct answer.

Recently, researchers have developed devices called Placenta-On-a-Chip (POC). 

• A bunch of devices mimicking the placenta at various stages of pregnancy can help in drug discovery, study of toxicity of chemicals like caffeine, and understanding the effects of conditions such as preeclampsia and diabetes mellitus during pregnancy.
• In pregnancy, the placenta shields the baby from harmful drugs and chemicals. But some can still cross this barrier and cause harm to the baby in the womb.
• Thus, pregnant women are not given most medications and they continue to suffer. Determining which medicines can be given during pregnancy that would not cross the placenta is a daunting task.
• Researchers have used microfluidic technology which can integrate processes, to create an environment that represents basic organ structure and functions of the placenta.
• The placenta in a lab dish developed by the team allows different cells to interact with each other, incorporate mechanical properties and mimic the blood flow, which closely resembles the in-vivo condition.
• Among various available POC models, these devices are more suitable for probing placental development as well as diseases caused due to defects in the placenta. Also, patient-specific sample screening will be possible for personalised medicine.

Advantage of placenta-on-chip

• It will enable early detection of adverse conditions and allows researchers and healthcare professionals to observe, study, and identify potential issues that may arise during pregnancy.
• It enables the study of placental function, detection of complications, personalized medicine, and the development of new therapies.

Hence both statements are correct.

NASA’s Parker Solar Probe recently executed a short maneuver that kept the spacecraft on track to reach the aim point for the mission’s sixth Venus flyby.

About Parker Solar Probe:

• It is a NASA spacecraft designed to study the Sun and its atmosphere.
• It was launched on August 12, 2018, from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, and is currently orbiting the Sun in a highly elliptical orbit that takes it closer to the Sun than any previous spacecraft.
• The mission objectives of the Parker Solar Probe are to study the structure and dynamics of the Sun's corona, the Sun's magnetic field, and the solar wind. 
• To achieve this, the probe will make a total of 24 close approaches to the Sun over the course of its mission, getting as close as 3.83 million miles from the Sun's surface, which is about 7 times closer than any previous spacecraft.
• In December 2021, the Parker Probe reached the atmosphere of the sun. Since then, it’s been looping around the sun, drawing closer each time, and sending back tons of data about everything it encounters.  
• Features:
• Mass: 685 kilograms at launch.
• Scientific Instruments: Fields Experiment (FIELDS), Integrated Science Investigation of the Sun (ISIS), Wide Field Imager for Solar Probe (WISPR), Solar Wind Electrons Alphas and Protons (SWEAP).
• Parker Solar Probe and its instruments are protected from the Sun by a 4.5-inch-thick (11.43 cm) carbon-composite shield, which can withstand temperatures reaching nearly 2,500 degrees Fahrenheit (1,377 Celsius).

Hence both statements are correct.

NASA's Curiosity Mars rover recently spotted distinctive hexagonal mud cracks on Mars that scientists speculate may offer the first evidence of wet-dry cycles on the planet.

About Mars Curiosity Rover:

• It is a U.S. robotic vehicle designed to explore the surface of Mars.
• It was launched aboard an Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida on Nov. 26, 2011, and landed on Aug. 5, 2012, after taking eight months and 10 days to reach the Red Planet. 
• The rover is currently roaming Mars' landscapelooking for signs of life and learning about the Red Planet's unique environment.
• The rover is part of NASA's Mars Science Laboratory mission which tested a novel landing method that saw the spacecraft descend on a parachute before its landing system fired up its rockets and hovered as the rover was lowered down onto the surface. 
• Features:
• It is about 3 metres long and weighs about 900 kg.
• It does not rely on solar cells for its energy needs but rather draws its electric power from a thermoelectric power generator, with the heat source being the radioactive decay of plutonium and the heat sink being Mars’s atmosphere.
• According to NASA, Curiosity has fourmain science goals in support of the agency's Mars exploration program:
  • Determine whether life ever arose on Mars.
  • Characterize the climate of Mars.
  • Characterize the geology of Mars.
  • Prepare for human exploration.

What is NASA’s Perseverance rover?

• It is a robotic explorer to land on Mars as part of NASA’s ongoing Mars 2020 Mission.
• Main Job:Seek signs of ancient life and collect samplesof rock and regolith (broken rock and soil) for possible return to Earth.
• The rover will collect samples of rock and soil, encase them in tubes, and leave them on the planet's surface to be returned to Earth at a future date.
• Launch: It was launched on July 30, 2020 from Cape Canaveral, Florida.
• Landing: Successfully landedon the surface of Mar's Jezero Crater on Feb. 18, 2021.
• Features:
• It is about 3 metres long, 2.7 metres wide, and 2.2 metres tall.
• It is about the size of a car, but weighs only about 1,025 kilograms with all instruments on board.
• Power source:Multi-Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (MMRTG). Converts heat from the radioactive decay of plutonium into electricity.

Hence option d is the correct answer.

India’s Index of Industrial Production in India declined to a three-month low of 3.7 per cent in June, mainly due to poor showing by the manufacturing sector.

About Index of Industrial Production:

• It is one of the Prime indicators of economic development for the measurement of trends in the behavior of Industrial Production over a period of time with reference to a chosen base year.
• It indicates the relative change of physical production in the field of industries during a specified year as compared to the previous year.
• It is computed and published by the Central Statistical Organisation (CSO) on a monthly basis.
• Base Year:
• The base year is always given a value of 100.
• The current base year for the IIP series in India is 2011-12.
• So, if the current IIP reads as 116,it means that there has been 16% growth compared to the base year.

Index of Eight Core Industries (ICI):

• ICI measures the collective and individual performance of production in selected eight core industries viz. Coal, Crude Oil, Natural Gas, Petroleum Refinery Products, Fertilizers, Steel, Cement and Electricity. 
• The objective of the ICI is to provide an advance indication of production performance of industries of ‘core’ nature before the release of  IIPby the Central Statistics Office. 
• These industries are likely to impact general economic activities as well as industrial activities.
• The Index is compiled and released by the Office of the Economic Adviser (OEA), Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion (DIPP), Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India.

Key Facts about Controller of Certifying Authorities (CCA):

• The Information Technology Act 2000 (IT Act) providesforthe CCA.
• Function: To license and regulate the working of Certifying Authorities (CAs). 
• The CAsissue digital signature certificates for electronic authentication of users.
• The CCA also maintains the National Repository of Digital Certificates (NRDC), which contains all the certificates issued by all the CAs in the country.
• Its aim is to promote the growth of e-Commerce and e-Governancethrough a wide use of digital signatures.
• The Controller of Certifying Authorities (CCA) is appointed by the Central Government under section 17 of the IT Act.

Hence only statement 2 is correct.

India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) recently urged Indian nationals to leave Niger, following a military coup that deposed the democratically elected President.

About Niger:

• Niger, officially the Republic of Niger, is a landlocked sub-Saharan country in western Africa.
• Bordering Countries:  It is bounded on the northwest by Algeria, on the northeast by Libya, on the east by Chad, on the south by Nigeria and Benin, and on the west by Burkina Faso and Mali. 
• The country takes its name from the Niger River, which flows through the southwestern part of its territory.
• Capital:  Niamey
• Languages:
• The official language of Niger is French, due to its colonial history.
• The main national languages are Arabic, Djerma-Sonhraï, Gourmantchéma, Hausa, Kanouri, Fulfuldé, Tamacheq and Toubou.
• Relief: It tends to monotony in its features, is intersected by numerous depressions, and is dominated by arid highlands in the north.
• Independence:
• Niger gained independencefrom French colonial rule on August 3, 1960.
• Prior to independence, it was a part of French West Africa.
• Political System:
• It is a semi-presidential republic with a multi-party system.
• The President is the head of state and holds significant executive powers.
• The Prime Ministeris the head of government and is appointed by the president.

Hence only statements 2 and 3 are correct.

A seven-month-old female tiger cub was found dead under suspicious circumstances at Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve.

About Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve:

• Location:
• It is located in the Umaria district of Madhya Pradesh.
• It is spread over the Vindhya hills.
• Bandhavgarh was declared a national park in 1968 and then became Tiger Reserve in 1993.
• It derives its name from the most prominent hillock in the area, which was said to be given by Hindu Lord Rama to his brother Lakshmana to keep a watch on Lanka. Hence the name Bandhavgarh (Sanskrit: Brother's Fort).
• It is known for the Royal Bengal Tigers. The density of the tiger population at Bandhavgarh is the highest known in India as well as in the world. 
• Topography: Varies between steep ridges, undulating forests and open meadows. 
• Flora:
• The vegetation of Bandhavgarh is specially filled with Sal forest in the valleys, and Bamboo stretches on the lower slopes of the region.
• Some of the most famous floral species include Saj (Terminaliatomentosa), Dhaora (Anogeissus latifolia), Tendu, Arjun (Terminalia arjuna), Amla (Emblica officinalis), Palas (Butea monosperma) etc.
• Fauna:
• The important prey species consists of chital, sambhar, barking deer, nilgai, chinkara, wild pig, chowsingha, langur and rhesus macaque.
• Dependent upon them are the major predators like tiger, leopard, wild dog, wolf and jackal.

Hence option c is the correct answer.