Daily Current Affairs for UPSC – 8 May 2023

Daily Current Affairs for UPSC 2023

Q) Which one of the following statements is not correct about Atmospheric Dust?

1. It is a type of aerosol that consists of small soil particles.
2. It can originate from volcanic eruptions.
3. It can also influence biogeochemical cycles.
4. It can only absorb incoming solar radiation.

Daily Current Affairs for UPSC – 6 May April 2023

Explanation:

• Option (1) and (2) are correct: Atmospheric dust, also known as mineral dust, is a type of aerosol consisting of small particles of dust and other matter, such as soil, pollen, volcanic ash etc. that can be suspended in the air. It can originate from both natural sources such as deserts, wildfires, and volcanic eruptions, as well as human activities such as agriculture, construction, and industry. Dust particles can act as condensation nuclei for water vapour, leading to cloud formation and affecting precipitation patterns. Dust can also have a direct impact on human health, particularly for those with respiratory conditions and can have negative impacts on agriculture and air quality.
• Option (3) is correct: Atmospheric dust plays a role in the Earth’s radiation budget, both by scattering and absorbing incoming solar radiation, and by reflecting outgoing terrestrial radiation back to the surface. Atmospheric dust can also influence biogeochemical cycles, such as the cycling of carbon and nutrients through ecosystems.
• Option (4) is incorrect: Atmospheric dust can reflect and absorb incoming solar radiation, which can lead to cooling or warming of the atmosphere depending on its composition and location. A new research has found that nutrients derived from atmospheric dust deposited on an ocean’s surface play a key role in mediating global phytoplankton biomass distributions.

Q) Consider the following statements about Forest fires in India:

1. According to the Council on Energy, Environment, and Water, there has been a tenfold increase in forest fire incidents over the past two decades.
2. Among all Indian states, Uttarakhand has had the highest incidence of forest fires over the last two decades.
3. Friction between trees or rocks is one of the potential causes of forest fires.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. 1 and 2 only
2. 1 and 3 only
3. 2 and 3 only
4. 1, 2 and 3

Explanation:

• Statement 1 is correct: According to Council of Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) think tank, there is a tenfold increase in forest fire incidents over the past two decades. More than 62% of Indian states are vulnerable to high-intensity forest fires. These include Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand, Telangana, and the Northeastern states.
• Statement 2 is incorrect: Among all states, Mizoram has witnessed the highest incidence of forest fires over the last two decades. About 95% of its districts are forest fire hotspots.  More than 36% of India’s forest cover is vulnerable to frequent forest fires, 6% is ‘very highly’ fire-prone, and almost 4% is ‘extremely’ prone (2021 report).
• Statement 3 is correct: Forest fires, also known as bush fires or wildfires, are an unplanned, uncontrolled and unpredictable fire in an area of combustible vegetation. Forest fires are both natural and man-made. They are sometimes a way of regulating native vegetation, animals, and ecosystems. Rubbing of trees with each other may generate sparks that can easily ignite dry grasses. Similarly, falling of rocks may trigger sparks to cause forest fires. Lightning strikes on trees can trigger forest fires. Studies have found that such incidence of lightning strikes have increased due to climate change.

Q) With reference to ‘Black Sea Grain Initiative’, consider the following statements:

1. The initiative aims to create a safe passage for food grains exported from Ukraine.
2. It was an agreement between the European Union and Russia to increase the availability of food grains throughout the world.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2

Explanation:

• Statement 1 is correct but statement 2 is incorrect: United Nation is working toward the extension of the Black Sea Grain Initiative, and asks all parties concerned to engage constructively. The Initiative on the Safe Transportation of Grain and Foodstuffs from Ukrainian ports, also called the Black Sea Grain Initiative, was an agreement between Russia and Ukraine with Turkey and the United Nations (UN) made during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. It was signed separately by Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul with Turkey and the United Nations on July 22, 2022. It sought to create a safe passage of food grains exported from Ukraine. Under this agreement, export of grain, food and fertilizers will be allowed to resume from Ukraine via a “safe maritime humanitarian corridor” from three key Ukrainian ports i.e., Chornomorsk, Odesa, and Yuzhny/Pivdennyi. A Joint Coordination Centre (JCC) having representatives from signatories of the Black Sea Grain Initiative was set up to implement this deal. The JCC is tasked with registering and monitoring the departure of commercial ships via satellite, internet, and other communication means. Its primary responsibility is to check for the absence of unauthorized cargo and personnel on board of the vessels. The JCC is located on the campus of the National Defense University, near Istanbul. The center is headed by a Turkish admiral.

Q) Consider the following statements about Diabetes mellitus:

1. It is a disorder in which the body produces higher than usual insulin levels in the blood.
2. The sense of touch may be affected due to this disease.
3. It can damage blood vessels and increase the risk of chronic kidney disease.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. 1 and 2 only
2. 1 and 3 only
3. 2 and 3 only
4. 1, 2 and 3

Explanation:

• Statement 1 is incorrect: Diabetes mellitus is a disorder in which the body does not produce enough or respond normally to insulin, causing blood sugar (glucose) levels to be abnormally high. According to recently published study, early diagnosis and treatment of gestational diabetes mellitus results in additional protection for babies and mothers from pregnancy complications.
• Statements 2 and 3 are correct: Diabetes mellitus causes increased Urination and thirst and people may lose weight even if they are not trying to. It damages the nerves and causes problems with the sense of touch. It damages blood vessels and increases the risk of heart attack, stroke, chronic kidney disease, and vision loss. Diabetes insipidus is a relatively rare disorder that does not affect blood glucose levels but, just like diabetes mellitus, causes increased urination.

Q) With reference to ‘Molecular Motors’, consider the following statements:

1. They are proteins that help in intracellular trafficking of energy.
2. They carry mitochondria to their appropriate location in the cell.
3. They use the energy of ATP hydrolysis to move along microtubule.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. 1 only
2. 1 and 2 only
3. 2 and 3 only
4. 1, 2 and 3

Explanation:

• Statement 1 is correct: An international team of researchers, including from the National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS), Bengaluru, has reported a new kind of molecular motor. Molecular motors are a class of proteins that drive intracellular trafficking by converting chemical energy to mechanical work along cytoskeletal filaments. They are directed movement along cytoskeletal filaments.
• Statement 2 is correct: Eukaryotic cells contain motors that help to transport organelles to their correct cellular locations and to establish and alter cellular morphology during cell locomotion and division. Many motor proteins carry membrane-enclosed organelles, such as mitochondria, Golgi stacks, or secretory vesicles (eg hormones or neurotransmitters), to their appropriate locations in the cell.
• Statement 3 is correct: Motor proteins use the energy of ATP hydrolysis to move along microtubules or actin filaments. They mediate the sliding of filaments relative to one another and the transport of membrane-enclosed organelles along filament tracks. The study provides a general mechanism that is applicable to many mechanochemical proteins or assemblies that harness chemical energy for mechanical work in cells.

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