1. Mount Erebus

Hidden beneath Antarctica’s Mount Erebus lies a network of volcanic ice caves teeming with microbial life, offering insights into extraterrestrial habitability.

About Mount Erebus:

• Southernmost active volcano on Earth.
• Located on Ross Island in Antarctica’s Ross Sea.
• A glaciated stratovolcano, part of the Pacific Ring of Fire.
• Discovered in 1841 by Sir James Clark Ross, named after his ship Erebus.
• Stands at 12,448 feet (3,794 meters), the second tallest volcano in Antarctica after Mount Sidley.
• One of the few volcanoes with a persistent lava lake, containing alkalic lava.
• Continuously active since 1972, with mainly Strombolian eruptions.
• McMurdo Station, the largest Antarctic settlement, is about 40 km away.

2. What is a Civet?

A rare civet, typically found in the Seshachalam forests, was recently spotted near Tadepalli, Andhra Pradesh.

About Civet:

• Belongs to the Viverridae family, which includes civets, genets, oyans, and linsangs.
• 15-20 species exist, distributed across Africa, southern Europe, and Asia.
• India hosts 8 species, including the Common Palm Civet and Small Indian Civet.
• The Malabar Large-Spotted Civet, endemic to the Western Ghats, is critically endangered (IUCN).

Features:

• Cat-like appearance with a furred tail, small ears, and a pointed snout.
• Color varies, often buff or grayish with black spots/stripes.
• Length: 40-85 cm (tail: 13-66 cm), Weight: 1.5-11 kg.
• Solitary, nocturnal, and inhabits tree hollows and rocky areas.
• Diet includes fruits, insects, and small animals.

3. Majuli Island

A recent survey highlights increasing human-wildlife conflict in Assam’s Majuli River Island district.

About Majuli Island:

• World’s largest river island, covering 421 sq. km.
• Formed by the Brahmaputra River and its tributaries.
• Became India’s first island district in 2016.
• Known for lush greenery, water bodies, and paddy fields.
• A hub of Assamese neo-Vaishnavite culture since the 16th century, founded by Srimanta Sankardeva.
• Home to Vaishnavite monasteries (Satras), preserving traditional dance, literature, and arts.
• Predominantly inhabited by Mishing, Deori, and Sonowal Kachari tribes.
• Famous for mask-making, pottery, and rice varieties like Komal Saul and Bao Dhan.

4. Gond Tribes

The Gujarat High Court is addressing a petition by the Rajgond tribe seeking electricity for their homes.

About the Gond Tribe:

• One of India’s largest tribal groups, with a population of ~11 million (2001 Census).
• Majorly found in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, and Odisha, with smaller communities in several other states.
• Divided into Raj Gonds, Madia Gonds, Dhurve Gonds, and Khatulwar Gonds.

History:

• Settled in the Gondwana region between the 9th and 13th centuries.
• Ruled central India during the 14th-16th centuries, building forts, temples, and reservoirs.
• Controlled Malwa after the Mughal decline, later resisting British rule.

Culture & Economy:

• Speak Gondi, a Dravidian language, though some use Hindi, Marathi, or Telugu.
• Primarily engaged in agriculture and animal husbandry.
• Religion centers on clan/village gods and ancestor worship.
• Celebrate festivals like Keslapur Jathra, Madai, and Dussehra.

5. Taurus KEPD-350

Sweden has chosen the Taurus KEPD-350 cruise missile to enhance its Gripen fighter jets’ long-range strike capability.

About Taurus KEPD-350:

• A modular, air-launched precision-guided cruise missile.
• Developed by Taurus Systems GmbH, a German-Swedish joint venture.
• Designed to bypass dense air defenses and strike heavily fortified ground targets.
• Operational since 2005, used by Germany, Spain, South Korea, and others.

Features:

• Length: 5 meters, Wingspan: 2.1 meters, Weight: ~1,400 kg.
• Range: Over 500 km.
• Powered by a turbofan engine, cruising at Mach 0.6-0.95 at low altitudes.
• Modular construction allows mission-specific configurations.
• Functions in all weather, day and night.
• Uses Tri-Tec navigation: INS, GPS, terrain reference, and infrared-based image navigation.

6. World Food Programme

The UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) is shutting down its southern Africa office due to aid reductions imposed by the Trump administration.

About the World Food Programme:

• A United Nations agency dedicated to eradicating hunger and ensuring global food security.
• Operates in over 120 countries, providing food assistance during crises and working with communities to enhance nutrition and build resilience.
• Has been active in India since 1963.
• A member of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
• Funded through voluntary contributions from governments, corporations, and private donors.
• The world’s largest humanitarian organization, responding to emergencies and helping communities achieve self-sufficiency.
• Publishes the Global Report on Food Crises, which analyzes the severity and causes of acute hunger worldwide.
• This report is produced by the Global Network against Food Crises, an international alliance focused on addressing the root causes of hunger.

7. Ruellia elegans

A recent study has highlighted the threat posed by the invasive Brazilian plant Ruellia elegans to native biodiversity.

About Ruellia elegans:

• Named for its attractive and elegant appearance.
• Native to Brazil, primarily flourishing in wet tropical environments.
• Commonly referred to as the Brazilian petunia, Christmas pride, elegant Ruellia, red Ruellia, and wild petunia.
• One of four invasive species from the Acanthoideae subfamily found in India, along with Ruellia ciliatiflora, Ruellia simplex, and Ruellia tuberosa.
• First introduced in the Andaman Islands and later recorded in Odisha nearly a decade ago.

Impact of Invasive Species:

• They spread rapidly, outcompeting native plants for essential resources like sunlight, water, and nutrients.
• They disrupt ecosystems by altering biodiversity, damaging wildlife habitats, and contributing to the decline or extinction of native species.
• Can lead to significant ecological and economic consequences.

8. Seagrass

A recent study indicates that seagrass meadows have been declining at a rate of 1–2% annually for the past century, with nearly 5% of species now endangered.

About Seagrass:

• A flowering marine plant that grows submerged in shallow coastal waters such as bays and lagoons.
• Named for its long, green, grass-like leaves.

Characteristics:

• Possesses roots, stems, and leaves, and produces flowers and seeds.
• Like terrestrial plants, it photosynthesizes, generates its own food, and releases oxygen.
• Originated around 100 million years ago and includes approximately 72 species, grouped into four major families.

Distribution:

• Found on every continent except Antarctica.
• The Indo-Pacific region hosts the highest diversity of seagrass species.
• India has 16 species concentrated in the Gulf of Mannar, Palk Bay, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep Islands, and the Gulf of Kutch.

Benefits of Seagrass:

• Superior to trees in carbon capture and provides food for millions of people.
• Supports marine biodiversity while also acting as a natural coastal barrier, protecting communities from storms and erosion.
• Can sequester carbon up to 35 times faster than tropical rainforests, storing it for thousands of years.

Threats:

• Pollution from urban areas, industries, and agriculture degrades seagrass habitats.
• Coastal development and tourism place additional pressure on fragile ecosystems.

9. Dragon Copilot

Microsoft has recently launched Dragon Copilot, a voice-activated AI assistant designed for the healthcare sector.

About Dragon Copilot:

• A new AI-powered tool integrated into Microsoft Cloud for Healthcare.
• Aims to assist doctors and medical professionals in transcribing clinical notes, drafting paperwork, and quickly retrieving medical information.

Features:

• Utilizes natural language voice dictation and ambient listening technology developed by AI voice company Nuance.
• Enhanced with generative AI and healthcare-specific safeguards.
• Built on existing tools such as Dragon Medical One (DMO) and DAX from Nuance Communications.
• Enables voice-to-text transcription, customized note-taking, and AI-generated document creation using templates.
• Allows medical professionals to search for verified medical information from trusted sources.
• Can automate key tasks like conversational orders, clinical evidence summaries, referral letters, and after-visit summaries.
• Accessible via mobile app, browser, and desktop, with direct integration into multiple electronic health records (EHRs).

10. Bollgard-3

As Punjab prepares for the upcoming cotton sowing season, farmers are demanding access to Bollgard-3, a genetically modified (GM) cotton variety with enhanced pest resistance.

About Bollgard-3:

• A genetically engineered cotton strain designed to resist pests.
• Developed by Monsanto over a decade ago, offering significant protection against insect infestations.
• Contains three Bt proteins—Cry1Ac, Cry2Ab, and Vip3A—which disrupt the digestive system of targeted pests, ensuring healthier cotton crops and higher yields.
• Particularly effective against lepidopteran pests like pink bollworm.

Evolution of Bt Cotton in India:

• Bollgard-1 (introduced in 2002) was the first Bt cotton variant in India.
• Bollgard-2 (introduced in 2006) became more widespread due to its improved pest resistance.
• However, Bollgard-2 remains ineffective against whiteflies and pink bollworms, which have plagued Punjab’s cotton fields since 2015–16 and 2018–19, respectively.

About Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt):

• A soil-dwelling bacterium known for its insecticidal properties.
• Scientists have inserted Bt genes into various crops, including cotton, to provide built-in pest resistance.