Daily Current Affairs MCQ- June 6, 2024 - UPSC MCQ

In a tragic event, the iconic Maharani Temple in Gulmarg, located atop a hillock was gutted in a blaze.

About Maharani Temple:

• It is situated on a small hillock in the heart of Gulmarg town in the Baramulla district of Jammu and Kashmir.
• Also known as the Rani Temple or Mohineshwar Shivalaya, the temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and his consort, Parvati. 
• It was constructed by Mohini Bai Sisodia, wife of the former ruler of Kashmir, Maharaja Hari Singh, in 1915. 
• This temple was once a royal temple of the Dogra dynasty of the erstwhile princely state of Jammu and Kashmir. 
• It has been constructed in such a way that it can be seen from all corners of Gulmarg. 
• The temple's intricate carvings and designs reflect a beautiful blend of Indian and Persian styles.
• It is an example of religions intertwined with a Muslim priest performing rituals in the temple.
• The Indian Army collaborated with local communities in 2021 to restore this 106-year-old temple. Apart from renovating the temple structure, the Indian Army also undertook the redesigning of pathways leading to the temple.

Hence both statements are correct.

A distinctive plant named Thismia malayana, which steals nutrients from underground fungi, has been published as a new species.

About Thismia malayana:

• It is a new species of plant discovered in the tropical rainforests of Peninsular Malaysia.
• It belongs to a group of plants known as mycoheterotrophs.
• Unlike most plants, mycoheterotrophs do not perform photosynthesis.
• Instead, they act as parasites, stealing carbon resources from the fungi on their roots.
• This adaptation takes advantage of the mycorrhizal symbiosis, which is usually a mutually beneficial relationship between colonizing fungi and a plant’s root system.
• What happens in mycorrhizal symbiosis?
• The fungi help the tree absorb water and nutrients from the soil, while the tree provides the fungi with sugars produced through photosynthesis.
• This symbiotic partnership is vital for the health and growth of both organisms.
• But Thismia malayana, instead of contributing to the exchange, acts as a parasite, siphoning off carbon resources from the fungi without offering anything in return.
• By stealing nutrients from fungi, this newly discovered species thrives in the low-light conditions of dense forest understories, where its highly specialised flowers are pollinated by fungus gnats and other small insects.
• The unusual plant is around 2 cm long and is typically found hidden in leaf litter and growing near tree roots or old rotten logs.
• Despite its small size, Thismia malayana is very sensitive to environmental changes and has been classified as Vulnerable according to the IUCN Red List.

Hence option d is the correct answer.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) recently developed Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) software named PraVaHa.

About PraVaHa Software:

• Parallel RANS Solver for Aerospace Vehicle Aero-thermo-dynamic Analysis (PraVaHa) is a Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) software developed in ISRO’s Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC).
• It can simulate external and internal flows on launch vehicles, winged and non-winged re-entry vehicles.
• PraVaHa has been extensively used in the Gaganyaan program for aerodynamic analysis of human-rated launch vehicles, viz, HLVM3, Crew Escape System (CES), and Crew Module (CM).
• The software is secure and flexible enough to support collaborative development with academic institutions and government labs.
• Currently, the PraVaHa code is operational to simulate airflow for Perfect Gas and Real Gas conditions. 
• Validations of the code are underway for simulating the effects of chemical reactions that occur during air dissociation upon ‘earth re-entry’ and ‘combustion’ as in scramjet vehicles.
• PraVaHa is expected to replace most of the CFD simulations for aero characterisation, which are currently being carried out using commercial software. 
• Besides, this software is expected to help academia and other institutions, engaged in the design of missiles, aircraft, and rockets to find solutions to complex aerodynamic problems.

Importance of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD):

• Initial aerodynamic design studies for launch vehicles demand evaluation of a large number of configurations.
• Any aerospace vehicle moving through the Earth’s atmosphere during launch or re-entry is subjected to severe aerodynamic and aerothermal loads in terms of external pressure and heat flux.
• Understanding the airflow around aircraft, rocket bodies, or CM during earth re-entry is essential to design the shape, structure, and Thermal Protection System (TPS) required for these bodies.
• The unsteady part of aerodynamics contributes to serious flow issues around such rocket bodies and creates significant acoustic noise during the mission.
• CFD is one such tool to predict the aerodynamic and aerothermal loads, which solve numerically the equations of conservation of mass, momentum, and energy along with the equation of state.

Hence only statement 2 is correct.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) and the Ministry of Defence (MoD) to facilitate collaboration between the two ministries in operating a special cell of Tele MANAS.

About Tele-MANAS:

• The Tele Mental Health Assistance and Networking Across States (Tele-MANAS) initiative was launched by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in October 2022.
• It aims to provide free tele-mental health services all over the country round the clock, particularly to people in remote or underserved areas.
• Tele-MANAS will be organised in a two-tier system:
• Tier 1 comprises state Tele-MANAS cells, which include trained counsellors and mental health specialists.
• Tier 2 will comprise specialists at the District Mental Health Programme (DMHP)/Medical College resources for physical consultation and/or e-Sanjeevani for audio-visual consultation.
• Currently, there are 51 operational Tele-MANAS cells functioning across all 36 States and UTs, offering services in 20 different languages. 
• A toll-free, 24/7 helpline number (14416) is available as part of the initiative, allowing callers to select the language of choice for availing services. The service is also accessible at 1-800-891-4416.
• This call will be an Interactive Voice Response system (IVRS) based audio call only, with a timely auto-call back approach.
• Through the automated callback service, the caller will first be attended to by a trained counsellor.
• Based on the level of care required, the counsellor will either provide the care needed within their capabilities or refer the caller for specialist care.
• If the caller requires specialized care, the call will be handled by a mental health specialist (clinical psychologist, psychiatric social worker, psychiatric nurse, or psychiatrist). This level of service will contain both audio- and video-based options.
• In case the caller requires urgent in-person intervention/complex evaluations and management, they will be referred to the nearest in-person service for a physical consultation, and/or an audio-visual consultation with a specialist will be arranged through eSanjeevani.
• These centers will range from Health and Wellness Centre (HWCs) to tertiary care centers as part of the DMHP.

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

UNESCO’s ‘State of Ocean Report, 2024’ provides crucial insights into the current state of global oceans, emphasising the challenges posed by climate change and human activities.

About UNESCO State of Ocean Report:

• The UNESCO ‘State of the Ocean Report’, initiated by the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC-UNESCO) during the 2022 United Nations Ocean Conference, serves as an accessible overview of the ocean's current status.
• It supports the monitoring of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021–2030) and encourages actions towards a sustainable ocean future.
  • The inaugural 2022 edition featured insights from over 100 marine science experts across various fields including ocean acidification, pollution, and tsunami warning.
  • This report, and its subsequent annual editions released on World Oceans Day (June 8), aligns with the seven outcomes of the UN Ocean Decade.
• The key finding of the report
  • The upper 2,000 meters of the oceans have experienced significant warming, with the rate increasing from 0.32 ± 0.03 watt per square meter (W/m²) from 1960 to 2023 to 0.66 ± 0.10 W/m² in the last two decades.
  • Oceans are absorbing about 90% of the Earth's excess energy, causing increased deoxygenation and threatening marine ecosystems and human economies dependent on them.
  • Ocean acidification is on the rise globally, particularly in the open ocean, with a noted pH decline since the late 1980s; more comprehensive data from coastal areas is needed.
  • Sea levels have risen consistently since 1993, necessitating improved monitoring systems at all scales.
  • There's growing interest in marine carbon dioxide removal (mCDR) technologies, but their ecological impacts and effectiveness remain uncertain.

Hence option a is the correct answer.

The upcoming explosion of "Blaze Star" (T Coronae Borealis), a rare celestial event, will be visible to the naked eye for the first time since 1946. This event highlights the dynamic nature of the universe and the complex processes governing stellar evolution.

About Blaze Star:

• Blaze Star, officially known as T Coronae Borealis (T CrB), is a dim star located 3,000 light-years away from our solar system.
• It is found in the constellation Corona Borealis (the “Northern Crown”).
• The Blaze Star is a rare example of a recurrent nova, occurring once in every 80 years.
• Stellar components: The nova involves a binary star system comprising a white dwarf and a red giant.
  • The white dwarf draws material from the red giant, leading to periodic explosive increases in brightness.
  • The explosion occurs when the red giant’s surface temperature escalates dramatically, causing it to shed material onto the white dwarf, which then ignites a thermonuclear explosion.
• The upcoming stellar explosion is expected to be visible with the naked eye and shine as brightly as Polaris, the North Star, for about a week.
  • NASA predicts this event to occur sometime between now and September of 2024.
• Past notable eruptions of T CrB were recorded in the years 1946 and 1866, with earlier documented observations dating back to 1787 and 1217.
• Frequency and Impact: Novae like T CrB occur once every few decades to a century, differing from supernovae in scale, frequency, and consequences.
  • Unlike supernovae, novae do not destroy the star system but allow it to reset and repeat the cycle.

Hence option c is the correct answer.

The "None of the Above" (NOTA) option has emerged as the runner-up in Madhya Pradesh's Indore constituency, securing a record-breaking 2,18,674 votes, the highest-ever tally.

About NOTA (None of the Above)

• It is a voting option on the ballot that allows voters to indicate disapproval of all contesting candidates without choosing any of them.
• NOTA empowers the electors to express their negative opinions and a lack of support for the contenders.
• It gives them the right to reject while maintaining the secrecy of their decision.
• When was it first used?
  • NOTA was used for the first time in the 2013 Assembly elections in five states-Chhattisgarh, Mizoram, Rajasthan, Delhi, and Madhya Pradesh-and later in the 2014 General Elections.
  • It was introduced into the electoral process following the 2013 Supreme Court directive in the PUCL versus Union of India case.
• Does NOTA Vote Count?
  • The Election Commission clarified that votes cast as NOTA are counted, but are considered ‘invalid votes’.
  • Even if NOTA votes get the most number of votes in a constituency, the next candidate with the second-most number of votes is declared the winner.
  • Therefore, votes made to NOTA do not change the outcome of an election.
• Current Petition: The Supreme Court is considering a petition to frame guidelines for elections to be declared "null and void" if NOTA receives the highest number of votes in the constituency.

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

The US recently conducted an unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile test from the Californian Vandenberg Space Force Base. 

About Minuteman III:

• The LGM-30G Minuteman III is a solid-fueled, intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), which the United States Air Force (USAF) first deployed in the 1960s.
• It is the sole land-based component of the U.S. nuclear triad.
• It was designed and manufactured by the Boeing Corporation. 
• Originally, it was only supposed to be kept in service for about ten years, but instead, it has been modernized as its replacement, the Ground-Based Strategic Deterrent (GBSD), is due to become available for use in 2029.
• It was the first U.S. missile fitted with multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles (MIRVs).
• The United States currently has an estimated 440 Minuteman III missiles in its arsenal.
• Features:
• It is a three-stage, solid-fuel missile.
• The missile is 18.2 m long with a diameter of 1.85 m and a launch weight of 34,467 kg.
• It has a maximum range of 13,000 km and is capable of carrying a payload of three reentry vehicles.
• It now carries a single nuclear warhead pursuant to arms control agreements between the United States and Russia. 
• It has a fast launch time, nearly 100 percent testing reliability, and backup airborne launch controllers to preserve retaliatory capabilities.

Hence option c is the correct answer.

Russian missile attack on the central city of Dnipro injured seven people, including two children, and damaged civilian infrastructure recently.

About Dnipro:

• Formerly referred to as Dnipropetrovsk, Dnipro is a city of regional significance located in the Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, in the eastern portion of Ukraine. 
• It covers an area of 409,718 sq. km and is situated along both the banks of the Dnieper River, close to its meeting point with the Samara River. 
• The city center stands on the right bank, which forms a part of the Dnieper Upland, while the left bank forms a part of the Dnieper Lowland. 
• It is the country's fourth-biggest city after the cities of Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Odesa.
• As of 2021, the city of Dnipro had a population of 980,948 inhabitants.
• It is considered one of the principal industrial centers of Ukraine.
• The city hosts several facilities devoted to heavy industries producing various products, including launch vehicles, rolled metal, cast iron, machinery, agricultural equipment, different chemicals, etc. 

Hence only statement 2 is correct.

New research shows that a fork fern species, called Tmesipteris oblanceolata, has a genome that is 7% larger than that of the previous record-holder, the Japanese flowering plant Paris japonica, and more than 50 times the size of the human genome.

About Tmesipteris oblanceolate:

• It is a rare species of fern which grows primarily on the ground or atop fallen tree trunks on the island nation of New Caledonia (an overseas French territory situated in the Southwest Pacific), and on neighboring islands such as Vanuatu.
• It is a small plant, typically 10-15 centimeters (4-6 inches) in height.
• It has a record-breaking genome size of 160.45 billion base pairs (Gbp), the units that make up a strand of DNA, 11 billion more than the previous record holder, the Japanese flowering plant Paris japonica and 50 times more than the human genome.
• If stretched out like from a ball of yarn, the length of the DNA in each cell of this fern would extend nearly 350 feet (106 meters). The human genome would extend a mere 6-1/2 feet (2 meters).
• Tmesipteris is a small genus of ferns whose ancestors evolved about 350 million years ago — well before dinosaurs set foot on Earth.
• It is distinguished by its mainly epiphytic habit (it grows mainly on the trunks and branches of trees) and restricted distribution in Oceania and several Pacific Islands.

What are Ferns?

• Ferns are plants that do not have flowers.
• Similar to flowering plants, ferns have roots, stems, and leaves.
• However, unlike flowering plants, ferns do not have flowers or seeds; instead, they usually reproduce sexually by tiny spores or sometimes can reproduce vegetatively.

Hence option a is the correct answer.