Current Affairs 3rd Oct 2024 for UPSC Prelims Exam

Psychedelics Drugs

Context: A recent study has unveiled how psychedelics can reduce anxiety by targeting specific brain cells.

What are Psychedelic Drugs ?

• They are a category of psychoactive substances that alter an individual’s perception, mood, and cognitive functions.
• These substances often lead to experiences such as hallucinations, changes in consciousness and heightened sensory perception.
• g. – LSD (Lysergic Acid Diethylamide), DMT (Dimethyltryptamine) etc.

How do they work ?

• Psychedelics influence the brain by interacting with the serotonin system, which is crucial for regulating mood, perception and cognition.
• These substances enhance communication between different brain regions, disrupting normal patterns of activity.
• This can result in increased creativity, altered sensory experiences, and a feeling of interconnectedness.

Fluorescent Nanodiamonds

Context: Researchers at Purdue University have successfully levitated and spun fluorescent nanodiamonds (FNDs). This has unlocked new possibilities for their applications in sensing and quantum computing.

What are Fluorescent Nanodiamonds (FND’s) ?

• They are tiny carbon-based nanoparticles that are non-toxic and stable.
• Key Properties of FNDs
  • Size: They are generally very small, ranging from 10 nanometers to 1 micrometre in diameter.
  • Fluorescence: They emit light when excited, showing stable fluorescence without blinking.
  • Photostability: FNDs are highly photostable e. they do not degrade or lose their ability to fluoresce under light exposure.
  • Biocompatibility: They are generally non-toxic and compatible with biological systems, making them suitable for use in living organisms.
  • Mechanical Strength: As diamonds, they possess excellent mechanical properties, making them robust and durable.

Applications of FNDs

• Medical Imaging: For high-resolution imaging of cells and tissues.
• Temperature Sensing: To Measure temperature changes at a microscale, which is useful in various scientific experiments and applications.
• Correlative Microscopy: They can be combined with other imaging techniques to provide more comprehensive data about biological samples.
• Sensor Technologies: Due to their sensitivity to electric fields and acceleration, FNDs can be utilised in sensors for industrial applications and gyroscopes for rotation sensing.
• Quantum Computing: FNDs doped with nitrogen have potential applications in quantum computing due to their unique electronic properties.

New SEBI rules for Futures and Options trading

Context: SEBI (Securities & Exchange Board of India) has released a set of new rules to regulate Futures and Options trading.

About Futures & Options:

• Futures:
  • Definition: They are legal agreements to buy or sell a specific commodity, asset or security at a predetermined price on a specified future date.
  • Obligation: In a futures contract, the buyer is obligated to purchase and the seller is obligated to sell the underlying asset at the agreed price, regardless of the market price at the expiration date.
  • Purpose: Commonly used for hedging (protecting against price fluctuations) or for speculative purposes (betting on future price movements) in financial markets.
  • Underlying Assets: Futures contracts can be based on physical commodities (such as oil, gold, or wheat) or financial instruments (including stocks, currencies, and bonds).
• Option Contracts:
  • Definition: It is a contract that gives the investor the right, but not the obligation, to buy or sell an asset (commodity, stock, etc.) at a specified price on or before a specified future date (expiration date).
  • They carry limited risk and can reap either unlimited profit or loss.
  • Advance is paid in the form of premiums in option contracts.

Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan

Context: Recently PM Narendra launched the Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan, a package for basic scheme saturation in tribal-majority villages from Jharkhand’s Hazaribagh district.

About Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan (DAJGUA)

• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MOTA)
• Objective: It focuses on addressing critical gaps in social infrastructure, health, education, and livelihood through 25 targeted interventions.
• Key Features of the Scheme
  • Comprehensive Coverage: The program will span across 549 districts and 2,911 blocks, impacting tribal-majority villages within 30 States and Union Territories.
  • Multi-Ministerial Convergence: Implementation will involve collaboration among 17 different ministries, ensuring a coordinated approach to address various developmental needs.
  • Infrastructure Development Initiatives: The scheme includes the inauguration of 40 Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) and laying of foundations for 25 more, with a target to make 728 schools functional by March 2026 which will serve 3.5 lakh tribal students.

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