Daily Current Affairs MCQ: 20th August 2024 - UPSC MCQ

Statement-I correctly states that the South American lungfish possesses the largest genome of any known animal on Earth. This fact is accurate. However, Statement-II is incorrect as it mentions that the lungfish primarily lives in fast-flowing waters across Brazil. South American lungfish primarily lives in slow-moving and still waters across various South American countries, not fast-flowing waters in Brazil. Hence, Statement-I is correct, but Statement-II is incorrect.

Statement-I correctly describes the features of the SSLV, which is designed with three solid fuel stages and a liquid fuel VTM as its final stage.
However, Statement-II incorrectly describes the GSLV instead of the SSLV. The GSLV, with its indigenous Cryogenic Upper Stage, is capable of launching communication satellites up to 2 tonnes.

This discrepancy makes Statement-II incorrect .

South American lungfish, scientifically known as Lepidosiren paradoxa, primarily inhabit slow-moving and still waters across regions like Brazil, Argentina, Peru, Colombia, Venezuela, French Guiana, and Paraguay. These lungfish have adapted to live in oxygen-poor, marshy areas, such as those found in the Amazon and Parana-Paraguay River basins. This unique adaptation allows them to supplement oxygen from water by also breathing in air, enabling them to thrive in specific environments within the Amazon Rainforest.

Statement 1: The SSLV is a three-part rocket designed with three solid fuel stages.**
This statement is correct. The Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) is indeed designed with three solid fuel stages.

Statement 2: The SSLV can send satellites up to 500kg into space and can carry multiple satellites at once.**
This statement is also correct. The SSLV is capable of sending satellites weighing up to 500kg into space and can carry multiple satellites in a single launch.

Therefore, the correct answer is
Option B: 1 and 2 (Both)

1. Incorrect. The CAS operates under the administrative and financial control of the International Council of Arbitration for Sport (ICAS), not the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

2. Correct. The CAS issues arbitral decisions with the same legal force as court judgments. This ensures that its decisions are binding and enforceable.

3. Incorrect. Disputes related to commercial agreements, such as sponsorship deals, can indeed be referred to the CAS. The CAS handles a wide range of disputes, including both commercial and disciplinary cases.

Hence, the correct answer is Option C: 2 Only.

The main goal of Small Satellite Launch Vehicles (SSLVs) is to create affordable rockets that can be launched quickly without needing much infrastructure. These rockets are designed to provide a cost-effective and efficient way to send smaller satellites into space, reducing the dependency on larger rockets and streamlining the launch process.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) primarily functions as a body to settle legal disputes in sports through arbitration. It plays a crucial role in resolving conflicts related to sports, offering a platform for fair judgments and decisions in sports-related disputes.

Statement-I correctly describes the establishment and operational structure of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), as mentioned in the provided content. Statement-II accurately defines the Hayflick limit and attributes it to Leonard Hayflick. Both statements are individually correct in their respective contexts but are unrelated to each other, hence not explaining one another. The CAS and the Hayflick limit are distinct topics with no direct correlation, making option (b) the correct choice.

1. The South American lungfish is the closest living relative to the first land animals.

- Correct: The South American lungfish (Lepidosiren paradoxa) is indeed considered the closest living relative to the first terrestrial vertebrates. This is due to its physiological and genetic traits that resemble those of early land animals.

2. The genome of the South American lungfish is over 50 times larger than the human genome.

- Correct: The genome of the South American lungfish is noted to be significantly larger, more than 50 times the size of the human genome. The DNA length in each cell can extend up to 60 meters compared to 2 meters in humans.

3. The majority of the South American lungfish's genome is composed of protein-coding genes.

- Incorrect: Most of the lungfish's genome is made up of repetitive elements, accounting for about 90% of its genetic material. Protein-coding genes make up only a small fraction of the genome.

Therefore, the correct answer is Option B.

1. SSLV-D3 - Successfully placed EOS-08 into orbit: Correct. The SSLV-D3 was able to place the Earth observation satellite EOS-08 into orbit as mentioned in the provided material.

2. PSLV - Known for its indigenous Cryogenic Upper Stage: Incorrect. The PSLV is known for its versatility and high success rate, but it is the GSLV that has the indigenous Cryogenic Upper Stage.

3. LVM3 - Capable of launching communication satellites up to 4 tonnes: Correct. The LVM3 is capable of launching communication satellites up to 4 tonnes and payloads up to 10 tonnes into Low Earth Orbits (LEOs).

4. HRLV - Chosen for the Gaganyaan mission: Correct. The Human-rated LVM3 (HRLV) is chosen for the Gaganyaan mission.

So, the correctly matched pairs are 1, 3, and 4. Hence, the correct answer is Option C: Only three pairs.