Daily Current Affairs MCQ- August 23, 2023 - UPSC MCQ

The recent study revealed that the Methylotuvimicrobium buryatense 5GB1C a Methanotroph could potentially remove methane from major emission sites.

• Methane-utilizing bacteria (methanotrophs) are a diverse group of gram-negative bacteria that are related to other members of the Proteobacteria.
• Methanotrophic microorganisms oxidize methane to harness energy under oxic and anoxic conditions.
• They grow best when the methane concentration is around 5,000-10,000 parts per million (ppm).

Key facts about Methylotuvimicrobium buryatense 5GB1C

• This bacterial strain consumes methane, which is over 85 times more potent than carbon dioxide (CO2).
• This bacteria performed the best at 500 ppm. Further tests also showed that this strain grew well even at 200 ppm.
• It can grow at low methane concentrations ranging from 200-1,000 ppm. These features make this strain a promising candidate for methane removal technology.
• Bacteria produce biomass after consuming methane. This biomass can be used as feed in aquaculture.
• For every tonne of methane consumed, the bacteria can generate 0.78 tonne biomass dry-weight methane.

Hence both statements are correct.

Recently, the union Minister of Road Transport and Highways launched the Bharat New Car Assessment Programme (Bharat NCAP) in New Delhi. 

• It is a significant step forward in the government’s commitment to improve road safety by raising the safety standards of motor vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes in India.
• The programme aims to provide a tool to the car customers to make a comparative assessment of crash safety of motor vehicles available in the market.
• Under this programme, car manufacturers can voluntarily offer their cars tested as per Automotive Industry Standard (AIS) 197.
• Based on the performance of the car in the tests, car will be awarded star ratings for Adult Occupants (AOP) and Child Occupant (COP).
• To receive a 5-star rating, a vehicle needs at least 27 points in adult occupant protection and requires 41 points in child occupant protection.
• These protocols are in line with Global NCAP norms when it comes to crash testing.
• Three tests including offset deformable barrier frontal impact test, side impact test, and pole side impact test -- would determine the crashworthiness of the vehicles.
• It would also mandate the installation of six airbags, electronic stability control (ESC), three-point seatbelts for every passenger, improved emergency braking systems, etc
• For Bharat NCAP, the frontal crash test will be conducted at a speed of 64km/h. On the other hand, the side and pole-side impact tests will be done at 50km/h and 29km/h
• These norms will also be applicable for testing and rate CNG and Electric Vehicles based on their performance.
• Unlike Global NCAP, Bharat NCAP will give a unified rating for the vehicles, combining crash test results for adults and children alike.

Hence both statements are correct.

Recently, a rare black eagle has been spotted for the first time in the lush Chail wildlife sanctuary located in Himachal Pradesh’s Solan district.

• It belongs to the family Accipitridae, and is the only member of the genus Ictinaetus.
• These are large and distinctive dark eagle of forested mountains and hills.
• The distinguishing feature of the majestic bird is its striking yellow beak, a vibrant contrast to its black feathers.
• They soar over forests in the hilly regions of tropical and subtropical South and Southeast Asia, as well as southeastern China.
• Distribution: They are found in the Indian states of Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir, forests of the Eastern and Western Ghats in peninsular India.
• Conservation status
• IUCN: Least concern

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

Scientists recently discovered a 'demon particle' that could lead to superconductors that conduct electricity at room temperature.

About Demon Particle:

• The demon particle was first predicted by theoretical physicist David Pines in 1956.
• Pines theorized that electrons passing through a solid would exhibit unique behaviors, and that these behaviors could lead to the formation of a new type of particle that he called a "demon particle."
• They are massless, chargeless, and transparent to light.
• They are also able to form plasmons, which are collective units of electrons that behave like waves.
• Plasmons are important in superconductivity, and the discovery of demon particles could lead to the development of new superconducting materials that operate at room temperature.

What is Superconductivity?

• It is a phenomenon whereby a charge moves through a material without resistance.
• In theory, this allows electrical energy to be transferred between two points with perfect efficiency, losing nothing to heat.
• It was first discovered in 1911 by Dutch physicist Heike Kamerlingh Onnes when he observed the sudden drop in electrical resistance of mercury at extremely low temperatures.
• Superconductivity is generally observed at very low temperatures, often close to absolute zero (0 Kelvin or -273.15°C).
• Meissner-Ochsenfeld Effect:
• Superconductors expel magnetic fields from their interior when they enter the superconducting state.
• This effect, known as the Meissner-Ochsenfeld effect, causes the superconductor to repel magnetic fields, leading to the phenomenon of magnetic levitation.
• When a magnet is brought near a superconductor in its superconducting state, it will float above the superconductor due to this repulsion.

Hence option (c) is the correct answer.

The recent discovery of two sculptures at Basrur in Udupi district of Karnataka has proved that the ancient Mylara cult existed in the coastal region.

• Mylara is a folk deity, identified as a manifestation of Lord Shiva.
• This deity, commonly known as Mailara in Karnataka and as Khandoba in Maharashtra, has a plethora of other names as well, such as Khanderao, Khandnatha.
• This cult is prevalent in the southern part of India including Karnataka, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. 

Hence option (d) is the correct answer.

In a joint effort, the space agencies of India and Japan are embarking on the Lunar Polar Exploration Mission (LUPEX).

About Lunar Polar Exploration Mission (LUPEX):

• It is a collaborative venture between Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
• The mission is scheduled to launch in 2025.
• LUPEX will use a rover and lander to study the possibility of establishing a base on the Moon, the availability of water ice, and surface exploration technologies.
• JAXA and ISRO are developing the rover and lander, respectively. 
• The rover will carry not only the instruments of ISRO and JAXA but also those of the US space agency NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA).
• Proposed instruments onboard LUPEX:
• Ahmedabad-based Physical Research Laboratory (PRL), an autonomous unit of the Department of Space, has proposed multiple instruments in the LUPEX mission mainly to carry out measurements on the surface and subsurface near the permanently shadowed polar region of the Moon.
• The objective of one of the proposed instruments — Permittivity and Thermo-physical investigation for Moon’s Aquatic Scout (PRATHIMA) — is in-situ detection and quantification of water-ice mixed with lunar surfaceand sub-surface soil using a rover/lander platform.
• The aim of another proposed instrument — Lunar Electrostatic Dust EXperiment (LEDEX) — is to detect the presence of charged dust particles and to confirm the dust levitation process in the volatile-rich polar region, and to estimate approximate dust size and flux of charged, levitated dust particles.
• The mission will provide valuable insights into the lunar polar region and will help to pave the way for future human exploration of the Moon.

Hence option (d) is the correct answer.

Meta, the technology company formerly known as Facebook, recently unveiled an advanced multilingual multimodal AI translation and transcription model named 'SeamlessM4T.' 

About SeamlessM4T:

• SeamlessM4T, which stands for Massively Multilingual and Multimodal Machine Translation, is an advanced multilingual multimodal AI translation and transcription model.
• It was developed by Meta, the technology company formerly known as Facebook.
• SeamlessM4T is capable of performing various tasks including speech-to-text, speech-to-speech, text-to-speech, and text-to-text translations.
• SeamlessM4T supports:
• Speech recognition for nearly 100 languages;
• Speech-to-text translation for nearly 100 input and output languages;
• Speech-to-speech translation, supporting nearly 100 input languages and 36 (including English) output languages;
• Text-to-text translation for nearly 100 languages;
• Text-to-speech translation, supporting nearly 100 input languages and 35 (including English) output languages;
• Other Features:
• SeamlessM4T brings together diverse spoken data sources to provide a comprehensive multilingual and multimodal translation experience from a single model. 
• It performs the entire translation task in one go, unlike other large translation models that divide translation across different systems. 
• It has the ability to recognize when a speaker is code-switchingor when someone moves between two or more languages in one sentence. 
• It also recognizes gender bias in languages and said the model can quantify gender bias in translations. 

Hence option (a) is the correct answer.

India-Bangladesh friendship bridge, the Maitri Setu, is all set to be functional soon.

About Maitri Setu:

• It has been built over the Feni River, which flows between the Indian boundary in Tripura and Bangladesh.
• Length: It spans 1.9 kilometres joining Sabroom (in Tripura) with Ramgarh in Bangladesh.
• The name ‘Maitri Setu’ symbolises growing bilateral relations and friendly ties between India and Bangladesh.
• The construction of the bridge has been overseen by National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd. 
• It is a pre-stressed concrete bridge. It has a single-span structure that allows for the smooth flow of traffic and cargo.

Hence option (b) is the correct answer.

New criteria for detecting Alzheimer’s disease created by physicians and researchers from around the world were recently presented at the International Alzheimer’s Congress (AAIC) in Amsterdam.

About Alzheimer’s Disease:

• It is a progressive and degenerative neurological disorder that affects the brain, leading to memory loss, cognitive decline, and behavioral changes.
• It slowly destroys memory and thinking skills and, eventually, the ability to carry out the simplest tasks.
• It is the most common cause of dementia, accounting for 60-80% of all dementia cases.
• The condition primarily affects older adults, typically starting after the age of 65, though early-onset forms can occur in individuals younger than 65.
• Cause: The exact cause of Alzheimer's disease is not fully understood, but it is believed to be influenced by a combination of genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors.
• Symptoms:
• Early signs may include mild memory loss, difficulty finding words, misplacing items, and trouble with problem-solving.
• As the disease advances, individuals may experience more severe memory impairment, confusion, mood swings, changes in behavior, disorientation, and difficulty with basic tasks like dressing and eating.
• Treatment:
• There is currently no cure for Alzheimer's disease, and the available treatments mainly focus on managing symptoms and slowing down its progression.
• Medications may be prescribed to enhance cognitive function or manage behavioral and psychological symptoms.

Hence both statements are correct.

Central Government is considering resuming operations at ONGC Videsh Ltd’s exploration block in Iraq, which has been under force majeure since 2003.

About Force Majeure:

• Force majeure is a French term that literally means “greater force.”
• The concept of force majeure refers to an extraordinary event rendering the legal obligations between two or more contractually bound parties impossible to fulfill.
• It is related to the concept of an act of God, an event for which no party can be held accountable. This type of event must be entirely beyond the parties' reasonable control.
• As a precautionary measure against breach of contract, many commercial agreements contain force majeure contract clauses enumerating a list of major events that could result in non-performance of contractual duties.
• Notable events include war, riots, criminal activity, epidemics, pandemics, and other unforeseeable events.
• For force majeure to apply, these hindering circumstances must be beyond a party's reasonable control. 
• The contracting parties must also prove their reasonable efforts to mitigate the circumstances that have rendered the fulfillment of their duties impracticable.
• Such events may result in the parties delaying their obligations for a period of time, revising the contract terms, or agreeing on the contract’s cancellation.
• While force majeure has neither been defined nor specifically dealt with, in Indian statutes, some reference can be found in Section 32 of the Indian Contract Act, 1872 (the "Contract Act") envisages that if a contract is contingent on the happening of an event which event becomes impossible, then the contract becomes void.
• Force majeure conflicts with the concept of “pacta sunt servanda,” a principle in international law that agreements must be kept and not wriggled out of.

Hence both statements are correct.