science and tech

Copernicus Programme by European Space Agency and European Union

Context: In response to Iran's request, the European Union (EU) activated its emergency satellite mapping service to assist in locating the helicopter carrying Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi, which had crashed in East Azerbaijan province. EU’s Copernicus Programme Purpose: Part of...

WHO Bacterial Priority Pathogen List (BPPL)

Context: The World Health Organization (WHO) has updated its Bacterial Pathogens Priority List (BPPL), highlighting critical priority pathogens that pose major global threats due to their high burden, resistance to treatment, and ability to spread resistance to other bacteria. WHO...

Digital Competition Bill Draft, Proposals, Need, Criticism

Context: India proposed a new law, taking inspiration from the European Union's regulatory framework, to curb anti-competitive practices by tech giants such as Google, Facebook, and Amazon. Key Proposals Of Draft Digital Competition Bill Aim: To stop these companies from...

Hepatitis A Virus, Transmission and Symptoms

Context: Kerala experienced the most severe outbreak of the Hepatitis A virus, with 1,977 confirmed cases and 12 deaths reported in the first four and a half months of this year. More In News Apart from the confirmed cases, another...

Regulatory Sandboxes for AI, Need, Benefits and Challenges

Context: Governments and regulatory bodies are increasingly using “AI regulatory sandboxes” to nurture AI innovation while ensuring responsible development. What are Regulatory Sandboxes? Regulatory sandboxes allow businesses to test innovative products, services, or business models. These tests occur under the...

What is Extra Pulmonary Tuberculosis?

Context Extrapulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB) affects organs other than the lungs, such as lymph nodes, brain, gut, and eyes, accounting for about 20% of TB infections. Unlike pulmonary TB, EPTB often doesn't show up in standard TB stain tests and may...

FLiRT – New Covid Variant, COVID-19 Status in India

Context: New COVID-19 strains KP.2 and KP1.1, referred to as FLiRT variants, are leading to an increase in cases in the U.S., U.K., South Korea, and New Zealand. FLiRT, is causing a rise in cases globally and has reached India...

AlphaFold 3, Working, Potential Impact and Challenges

Context: The emergence of AlphaFold, developed by DeepMind, marks a significant milestone in unravelling the mystery of protein folding. AlphaFold: A Game-Changer in Protein Structure Prediction In 2018, DeepMind introduced AlphaFold, a groundbreaking AI tool designed to predict the intricate...

Dying Satellites, Impact of Ageing Satellites

Context: Three key NASA satellites — Terra, Aqua, and Aura are approaching the end of their operational life, expected to cease functioning within the next few years due to ageing hardware and depleting orbits. What is Dying Satellites? When a...

Project 75I, Background, Key Features and Improvements

Context The German government is considering taking a stake in submarine manufacturer Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems (TKMS). This move aligns with TKMS's interest in increasing shareholder confidence and potentially strengthens India's position in the Project-75I submarine deal. About Project-75I Project-75I is...