Daily Quiz 18 October 2024

Answer: D

Explanation:

• Statements 1 and 2 are incorrect: Nobel Prize is an international award that recognizes people and organisations for their achievements in 6 fields: physics, chemistry, physiology or medicine, literature, peace and economic sciences (Added in 1968). It was established in 1901 by the will of Alfred Nobel, a Swedish inventor, scientist and philanthropist. The Norwegian Nobel Committee is responsible for the selection of eligible candidates and the choice of the Nobel Peace Prize laureates. The Committee is composed of 5 members appointed by the Storting (Norwegian parliament). The Nobel Prize is sometimes awarded decades after the research is conducted because the importance of the work is not realized immediately. It is not restricted to the one decade immediately preceding the award year.
• Statement 3 is correct: The 2024 Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded to John Hopfield and Geoffrey Hinton for their foundational contributions to machine learning through Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs). Hopfield and Hinton’s research primarily took place in the 1980s, but its impact is being felt today as AI tools become ubiquitous in everyday life. Their work has transformed how machines learn, allowing them to perform tasks that were previously thought to be uniquely human, such as recognizing patterns, learning from data, and making intelligent decisions. ANNs are computational models inspired by the human brain’s structure and function.

Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2024 was awarded to David Baker, Demis Hassabis, and John M. Jumper for their groundbreaking contributions to protein science.

Answer: B

Explanation: The Union Cabinet approved the development of the National Maritime Heritage complex at Lothat (Gujarat).

• Statement 1 is incorrect:Lothal, a site of the Indus Valley Civilization, is believed to have been built around 2200 BC. It is located along the Bhogava river, a tributary of Sabarmati, in the Gulf of Khambhat (Gujarat). Kuwari is a tributary of the Chambal River, flowing in Madhyapradesh. Lothal’s name comes from two Gujarati words, “Loth” and “thal,” which mean “the mound of the dead.”

Statements 2 and 3 are correct: It is the only port-town of the Indus Valley Civilisation. It was known for its harbour, cotton and rice-growing, and bead-making industry. It was part of a coastal trade route, linking sites such as Dholavira and Sutkagen Dor on the Makran coast. Dockyard, Persian Gulf Seals, Shops for shell ornaments and beads etc have been found here. An ivory scale from Lothal has the smallest-known decimal divisions in Indus civilization. The people of Lothal worshipped a fire god, speculated to be the horned deity depicted on seals named Arka.

Answer: D

Explanation:

• Option (d) is correct: The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) released its biennial Living Planet Report. It is a measure of global biodiversity that tracks population trends of vertebrate species across terrestrial, freshwater, and marine ecosystems. The Institute of Zoology (Zoological Society of London) manages the Living Planet Index in a collaborative partnership with WWF. Globally wildlife populations have decreased by 73% over the last 50 years. Decline in Ecosystems:
• Freshwater populations: Highest decline at 85%.
• Terrestrial populations: Declined by 69%.
• Marine populations: Declined by 56%..

In India, decline was seen primarily in three vulture species – white-rumped vulture, Indian vulture, and slender-billed vulture.

Answer: A

Explanation:

• Pair 1 is incorrectly matched: Wad Madani, Wad Medani or Madani is the capital of the Al Jazirah state in east-central Sudan. Wad Madani lies on the west bank of the Blue Nile, nearly 85 miles southeast of Khartoum. Sudan has been undergoing a civil war between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) for the past 18 months. Recently, a major offensive was launched by the Sudanese Armed Forces against the RSF in Khartoum and Bahri.
• Pair 2 is incorrectly matched: Lebanese Culture Minister Mohammad Mortada has called for international action after an Israeli airstrike hit perilously close to Baalbek, a triad of Imperial Roman temples and UNESCO World HeritageSite in northern Lebanon. Local media reported that the strike landed only 500 meters away from the ruins, in the city of Baalbek. Baalbek is a city located east of the Litani River in Lebanon’s Beqaa Valley, about 67 km northeast of Beirut.

Pair 3 is correctly matched: At least one person was killed, and 10 others were injured as a terrorist opened indiscriminate fire at Beersheba’s central bus station in Israel. Beersheba, officially Be’er-Sheva, is the largest city in the Negev desert of southern Israel. It is often referred to as the “Capital of the Negev

Answer: C

Explanation:

Option (c) is correct: Slag is a composite material containing metal oxides (such as iron oxide, calcium oxide, and magnesium oxide) and silicon dioxide (SiO₂) and is a by-product of the steelmaking process in the iron and steel industries. Slag is often used in road construction, concrete production, and as an aggregate for cement. Certain types of slag can capture and store carbon dioxide (CO₂) through a process called mineral carbonation. Slag can be used to improve soil and increase crop yield. Slag is suitable as an adsorbent because of its porosity, water holding capacity, and bulk density. Slag can be used for insulation in residential and commercial buildings, pipes, processes, ships, mobile homes, and cooking appliances. Slag can be used in water treatment. Slag is alkaline, not acidic Slag is chemically stable and has the ability to neutralise acidity. Hence, some slags are used to neutralise acidic soils or water bodies due to their ability to absorb and stabilise contaminants.