Daily Current Affairs MCQ- May 16, 2022 - UPSC MCQ

Scientists from the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) facility, a collaboration of over 300 researchers, revealed the first image of the black hole at the centre of the Milky Way in press conferences held around the world.

• This image of the black hole referred to as Sagittarius A* (SgrA*) gave further support to the idea that the compact object at the centre of our galaxy is indeed a black hole.
• A black hole is a place in space where gravitational force is so high that even light cannot get out.
• The gravity is so strong because the matter has been squeezed into a tiny space. This can happen when a star is dying.
• Because no light can get out, one can't see black holes. They are invisible.
• High configuration space telescopes can help find black holes.
• Black holes in the modern sense were first predicted as a consequence of Albert Einstein’s general Theory of relativity in 1915.

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully carried out the static test of the HS200 solid rocket booster, taking the space agency one more step closer to the keenly awaited Gaganyaan human spaceflight mission.

• The test was held at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota.
• Designed and developed by the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) in Thiruvananthapuram for over two years, the HS200 booster is the ‘human-rated’ version of the S200 rocket boosters used on the geosynchronous satellite launch vehicle Mk-III (GSLV Mk-III), also called the LVM3.
• The GSLV Mk-III rocket, which will be used for the Gaganyaan mission, will have two HS200 boosters that will supply the thrust for lift-off.
• The HS200 is a 20-metre-long booster with a diameter of 3.2 metres and is the world’s second largest operational booster using solid propellants.
• Since Gaganyaan is a manned mission, the GSLV Mk-III will have improvements to increase reliability and safety to meet the requirements of ‘human rating.’ Of the three propulsion stages of the GSLV Mk-III, the second stage uses liquid propellant while the third is a cryogenic stage.

Hence both statements are correct.

Counterterrorism teams from Russia, China, Pakistan and Central Asian countries will gather in Delhi ahead of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation’s Regional Anti-Terror Structure (SCO-RATS) meeting hosted by India from May 16 to 19.

• While both India and Pakistan have no bilateral engagement at present and have not attended other regional meets such as the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) meet, they both attended the Russia and China-led SCO meet.
• Last year, an Indian team also travelled to Pakistan to attend the SCO-RATS exercises in Pabbi.
• India is expected to host the SCO summit in 2023, which would see leaders of the eight-member grouping (China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan) travelling to New Delhi.
• In October, joint anti-terrorist exercises titled “Manesar-Antiterror-2022” will be held on the NSG training campus in Manesar, and will be followed by another joint border operation of the SCO member states called “Friendship Border-2022” in Kazakhstan later this year.
• Both exercises were decided at a meeting of SCO-RATS in Tashkent on March 25 this year, which was chaired by India.
• The Executive Committee of the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) is the permanent body of the SCO RATS based in Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan.

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi launched the Madhya Pradesh Startup Policy during the Madhya Pradesh Startup Conclave being held in Indore.

• He also launched the Madhya Pradesh Startup portal, which will facilitate and help promote the startup ecosystem. He also interacted with the startup entrepreneurs.
• He recalled that in 2014 when his Government was formed, the number of startups in the country was about 300-400. Today there are about 70000 recognized startups.
• He said about 50% of startups are from Tier II & Tier III cities and they cover many states and cities. They are associated with more than 50 industries.

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

• Recently, Council of Scientific & Industrial Research- Centre for Cellular & Molecular Biology (CSIR-CCMB) has announced the success of 'proof of principle' of the first indigenous Messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccine technology
• mRNA vaccines use mRNA to teach our cells how to make a protein or a protein that triggers an immune response inside our bodies. That immune response, which produces antibodies, is what protects us from getting infected if the real virus enters our bodies. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.
• The anti-spike antibodies generated were found to be more than 90% efficient in preventing the human ACE2 receptor binding to the coronavirus
  • Angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE-2), known as ACEH (ACE homolog), is an integral membrane protein.
  • ACE-2 serves as the receptor for the SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 viruses.
  • It provides the entry point for the coronavirus to hook into and infect a wide range of human cells. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

• Cryptocurrency, sometimes called crypto-currency or crypto, is any form of currency that exists digitally or virtually and uses cryptography to secure transactions. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• Cryptocurrencies don't have central issuing or regulating authority, instead use a decentralized system to record transactions and issue new units.
  • It is supported by a decentralized peer-to-peer network called the blockchain. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY)

• It provides a comprehensive insurance cover against failure of the crop thus helping in stabilising the income of the farmers.
• The scheme was compulsory for loanee farmers availing Crop Loan/Kisan Credit Card (KCC) account for notified crops and voluntary for others.
  • Currently, this scheme is voluntary for all the farmers. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.
• Scope: All food & oilseed crops and annual commercial/horticultural crops for which past yield data is available.
• Premium: The prescribed premium is 2% to be paid by farmers for all Kharif crops and 1.5% for all rabi crops. In the case of annual commercial and horticultural crops, the premium is 5%. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
  • Premium cost over and above the farmer share was equally subsidized by States and GoI.
  • However, GoI shared 90% of the premium subsidy for the Northeastern States to promote the uptake in the region.

Neem Coating of Urea

• The Department of Fertilisers (DoF) has made it mandatory for all the domestic producers to produce 100% urea as Neem Coated Urea (NCU). Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• The benefits of the use of NCU:
  • Improvement in soil health.
  • Reduction in usage of plant protection chemicals.
  • Reduction in pest and disease attack.
  • An increase in yield of paddy, sugarcane, maize, soybean, Tur/Red Gram.
  • Negligible diversion towards non-agricultural purposes. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
  • Due to slow release of Nitrogen, Nitrogen Use Efficiency (NUE) of Neem Coated Urea increases resulting in reduced consumption of NCU as compared to normal urea.

• Hypertension: Blood pressure is the force exerted by circulating blood against the walls of the body’s arteries, the major blood vessels in the body.
  • Hypertension is when blood pressure is too high.
  • It is defined as having systolic blood pressure level greater than or equal to 140 mmHg or diastolic blood pressure level greater than or equal to 90 mmHg or/and taking anti-hypertensive medication to lower his/her blood pressure. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.
• Prevalence: Southern States have a higher prevalence of hypertension than the national average. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
  • Kerala (32.8% men and 30.9% women) has the highest number followed by Telangana.
  • 21.3% of women and 24% of men aged above 15 have hypertension in the country.

A team of Australian researchers have identified a biochemical marker in the blood that could help identify newborn babies at risk for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

• Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is the unexplained death, usually during sleep, of a seemingly healthy baby less than a year old. SIDS is sometimes known as crib death because the infants often die in their cribs.
• In their study, babies who died of SIDS had lower levels of an enzyme called butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) shortly after birth, the researchers said.
• BChE plays a major role in the brain’s arousal pathway, and low levels would reduce a sleeping infant’s ability to wake up or respond to its environment.

Hence both statements are correct.