Daily Current Affairs MCQ: 18th May 2025 - UPSC MCQ

- Statement 1 is correct. The GRAIL mission did reveal that the moon's nearside is more volcanically active than the farside. This insight is critical in understanding the moon's geological history and evolution, as the nearside is characterized by large basaltic plains known as "mare," indicating historical volcanic activity.

- Statement 2 is incorrect. The GRAIL mission findings indicated that the nearside of the moon flexes more due to Earth's gravitational pull, leading to differences in crustal dynamics. This means that Earth's gravitational influence causes greater tidal deformation on the nearside than the farside, which contradicts the statement.

- Statement 3 is correct. The GRAIL mission consisted of two spacecraft, Ebb and Flow, which orbited the moon to create a detailed gravitational map. This mapping provided crucial data on the moon's internal structure and geological history by measuring variations in its gravitational field.

Therefore, statements 1 and 3 are correct, making Option C: 1 and 3 Only the correct answer.

1. Ebb and Flow - Mapped the moon's gravitational field: Correct. The GRAIL mission consisted of two spacecraft named Ebb and Flow, which mapped the Moon's gravitational field to provide insights into its internal structure and geological history.

2. Nearside of the Moon - Thicker crust compared to the farside: Incorrect. The nearside of the Moon actually has a thinner crust compared to the farside, which allowed for extensive volcanic activity due to easier magma flow to the surface.

3. Tidal Deformation - Caused by the Moon's gravitational pull on Earth: Incorrect. Tidal deformation in the context of the GRAIL mission refers to the Moon's nearside flexing due to Earth's gravitational influence, not the other way around.

4. Volcanic Activity - More prevalent on the farside of the Moon: Incorrect. Volcanic activity was more prevalent on the nearside of the Moon, which features large basaltic plains called "mare," due to the thinner crust facilitating magma flow.

Thus, only the first pair is correctly matched.

The World Food Prize is a prestigious international award that acknowledges individuals who have made significant contributions to improving global food quality, quantity, and availability across various fields related to agriculture, science, technology, and nutrition. Established in 1986, this award aims to honor those who have positively impacted the world's food systems through their innovative work. It is often referred to as the "Nobel Prize for Food and Agriculture" due to its esteemed status in recognizing groundbreaking efforts that enhance food security and sustainability on a global scale.

Mosura fentoni, the ancient species recently discovered, is notable for possessing three eyes, a distinctive feature that sets it apart from other species. This unique characteristic sheds light on the evolutionary history and diversity of early marine predators during the Cambrian period, providing valuable insights into the anatomical adaptations of ancient arthropods.

- Statement 1: This statement is correct. The Gyan Bharatam Mission is indeed focused on creating a National Digital Repository of Indian Knowledge Systems and aims to digitize over 10 million manuscripts, making it the largest manuscript preservation initiative in India's history.

- Statement 2: This statement is incorrect. Instead of a reduction, the budget for the Gyan Bharatam Mission has been increased from ₹3.5 crore to ₹60 crore, with a total outlay of ₹482.85 crore for the period 2024-31. This enhancement underscores the mission's importance and the government's commitment to preserving India's manuscript heritage.

- Statement 3: This statement is correct. The Bakhshali manuscript is a notable example of an ancient Indian text on mathematics, and it indeed contains the earliest known instance of the mathematical symbol 'zero', making it a manuscript of significant historical and scientific value.

Thus, the correct statements are 1 and 3, making Option C the correct answer.

- Statement 1: This statement is correct. Mosura fentoni had an elongated body with swimming flaps on its sides, which is similar to the movement observed in modern rays. This structural feature would have allowed it to navigate efficiently through the Cambrian seas.

- Statement 2: This statement is correct. The fossils of Mosura fentoni were indeed discovered in the Burgess Shale of the Canadian Rockies. The Burgess Shale is well-known for its exceptional preservation of soft-bodied organisms from the Cambrian period, providing critical insights into early marine life.

- Statement 3: This statement is incorrect. Mosura fentoni is not classified as an echinoderm. It is classified as an extinct species of radiodont, which is related to early arthropods, not echinoderms like starfish and sea urchins.

Thus, the correct answer is Option B. This aligns with the classification and discovery details provided for Mosura fentoni, and the solution confirms the accuracy and reasoning behind the correct statements.

Statement-I correctly represents the aim of the PM-POSHAN scheme, focusing on improving child nutrition and boosting school attendance in government and government-aided schools. Statement-II accurately highlights the concerns stemming from the decline in meal coverage under the scheme. Both statements are individually correct and address different aspects of the PM-POSHAN scheme without one explaining the other. Hence, option (b) is the correct answer.

Statement-I is accurate as it highlights the key details about Mosura fentoni, an ancient species with three eyes that lived around 506 million years ago during the Cambrian period. Statement-II correctly presents information about the Border Security Force (BSF) of India, established on December 1, 1965, operating as one of the seven Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs). However, these statements are unrelated in content and do not explain each other. Therefore, option (b) is the correct choice.

The Gyan Bharatam Mission, launched under the Ministry of Culture, primarily aims to survey, document, conserve, and digitize over one crore manuscripts across various institutions in India. By creating a National Digital Repository of Indian Knowledge Systems, the mission intends to make ancient wisdom accessible to researchers, students, and the general public worldwide, thereby preserving and enhancing access to India's rich historical and cultural legacy.

The primary goal of the NASA GRAIL mission was to create the most detailed gravitational map of the moon's surface to date. By measuring variations in the moon's gravitational field, the mission aimed to provide insights into its internal structure and geological history. This mapping helped reveal significant differences in crust composition between the moon's nearside and farside, enhancing our understanding of the moon's evolution and geological forces at play.