1. South Island Earthquake

A 6.7 magnitude earthquake recently struck off the coast of New Zealand's South Island.

About South Island

• It is the larger and southernmost of New Zealand's two main islands, situated in the southwestern Pacific Ocean.

• Cook Strait separates it from North Island, while Foveaux Strait lies between it and Stewart Island to the south.

• Nearly three-quarters of the island is mountainous, dominated by the Southern Alps, which extend from southwest to northeast, culminating at Mount Cook (3,754 meters).

• The Southern Alps divide the Westland Plain (west) from the Canterbury Plains (east).

• Fiordland National Park in the southwest features numerous coastal fjords and high-altitude lakes.

• It is part of Te Wāhipounamu, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1990.

• Major lakes include Lake Tekapo, Lake Wakatipu, and Lake Pukaki.

• Key urban centers include Christchurch, Dunedin, and Invercargill.

2. Euclid Space Telescope

The European Space Agency (ESA) has released the first batch of survey data from its Euclid mission, featuring a preview of its deep fields.

About the Euclid Space Telescope

• Named after Euclid of Alexandria, an ancient Greek mathematician known for his work in geometry.

• Part of ESA’s Cosmic Vision Programme, aimed at understanding the universe's origins, composition, and fundamental laws.

• Launched via: SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.

• Mission lifespan: Minimum of 6 years.

• Orbit: Positioned 5 million km from Earth at Lagrange Point 2 (L2).

• Size: 7 meters in height, 3.7 meters in diameter.

• Image quality: Four times sharper than ground-based telescopes.

Scientific Objectives

• Investigate the accelerating expansion of the universe, linked to dark energy.

• Analyze the distribution of dark matter by studying the evolution of galaxies.

• Map the large-scale structure of the universe in 3D, providing insights into gravity and cosmic expansion.

Scientific Instruments

• VISible Instrument (VIS): Captures high-resolution galaxy images and detects distortions caused by gravitational lensing.

• Near-Infrared Spectrometer and Photometer (NISP): Measures galaxy movement to study dark energy’s influence over time.

• Developed with NASA's contribution, including sensor-chip electronics and detectors.

Key Observations & Data Release

• The Deep Field South region, observed for one week, contains 26 million galaxies, some over 5 billion light-years away.

• Over its six-year mission, the telescope will survey 5 billion galaxies, covering one-third of the sky.

• The first cosmology data release is scheduled for October 2026.

3. Boilers Bill, 2024

The Lok Sabha has passed the Boilers Bill, 2024, replacing the Boilers Act of 1923. The new legislation aims to decriminalize seven offences and promote ease of doing business.

Background

• The Boilers Act of 1923 regulated manufacturing, installation, operation, alteration, and repair of steam boilers for safety.

• The last amendment in 2007 allowed third-party inspections, but further reforms were needed.

• The Boilers Bill, 2024, aligns with the Jan Vishwas Act, 2023, focusing on decriminalization and business-friendly regulations.

Key Features

• Repeals the Boilers Act, 1923, modernizing regulations for enhanced safety and efficiency.

• Promotes Ease of Doing Business (EoDB): Decriminalizes 3 out of 7 offences, reducing legal barriers.

• Categorizes Offences:

  • 4 major offences (life/property risk) retain criminal penalties.

  • Other offences are converted into fiscal penalties, handled administratively.

• Simplified structure: Organized into six chapters for better clarity.

• Enhanced safety provisions: Ensures worker safety and mandates repairs by certified personnel.

• Eliminates outdated provisions and introduces modern definitions.

• Clearly defines roles of Central & State Governments and the Central Boilers Board.

About Boilers

• Boilers generate steam under pressure and are widely used in power, manufacturing, and chemical industries.

• India has approximately 4 million steam boilers as of 2024.

• Boilers are under the Concurrent List, meaning both Central & State Governments can regulate them.

4. Parker Solar Probe

On March 22, 2025, NASA's Parker Solar Probe made another record-breaking approach, reaching just 6 million km from the Sun.

About the Parker Solar Probe

• Launched: August 12, 2018, from Cape Canaveral, Florida.

• Mission: Study the Sun’s corona, solar wind, and magnetic fields to understand space weather.

• Trajectory: Uses Venus’ gravity assist to spiral closer to the Sun.

• Speed: The fastest spacecraft ever, reaching 692,000 km/h.

• Closest approach: It will reach 6.16 million km from the Sun, seven times closer than any previous probe.

Key Discoveries

• Magnetic Switchbacks: Found sudden reversals in the solar wind’s magnetic field, shedding light on its acceleration.

• Dust-Free Zones: Detected pockets near the Sun devoid of dust, challenging previous assumptions.

• First ‘Touch’ of the Sun (2021): Crossed the Alfvén surface, officially entering the solar corona.

5. Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary (Bhadra Tiger Reserve)

The Karnataka Forest Department is planning a "soft release" of captured elephants into Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary to address human-elephant conflict.

About Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary

• Location: Spread across Chikkamagaluru and Shivamogga districts, Karnataka.

• Named after: The Bhadra River, which flows through it.

• Declared a Wildlife Sanctuary: 1951.

• Recognized as a Tiger Reserve: 1998.

• First Indian tiger reserve to complete a village relocation program (2002).

Biodiversity

• Flora: Includes moist deciduous forests, dry deciduous forests, and Shola forests.

• Fauna: Home to tigers, leopards, wild dogs, elephants, and over 250 bird species.

Soft-Release Process

• Elephants will be kept in a 20 sq. km enclosure with railway barricades.

• Monitored without human interaction to help them reintegrate into the wild.

• Once adapted, they will be released into Bhadra’s forests.

6. Gold Monetisation Scheme Update

The Indian government has discontinued Medium-Term and Long-Term Government Deposits (MLTGD) under the Gold Monetisation Scheme (GMS), effective March 26, 2025.

About GMS

• Launched: November 2015, replacing older Gold Deposit and Gold Metal Loan Schemes.

• Allows individuals and institutions to deposit idle gold in banks and earn interest.

• Depositors receive cash, bars, or coins upon maturity (not in their original form).

Objective

• Mobilize idle gold and integrate it into the formal economy.

• Reduce gold imports, helping lower the Current Account Deficit (CAD).

7. Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (CGRFA)

The 20th meeting of the Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (CGRFA-20) was recently held in Rome.

About the Commission:

• Established in 1983 by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to focus on plant genetic resources (PGR).

• Serves as a key international forum for governments to discuss, negotiate, and make decisions on genetic resources for food and agriculture (GRFA).

• Over time, its mandate expanded to include plant, animal, forest, aquatic, microbial, and invertebrate genetic resources, covering biodiversity essential for food and agriculture.

• Addresses cross-cutting issues such as food security, nutrition, climate change adaptation and mitigation, access to genetic resources, benefit sharing (ABS), and digital sequence information (DSI).

• Membership: Consists of 179 countries, including India.

• Key Achievements:

  • The Commission on Animal Genetic Resources (AnGR), initiated in 1997, led to the first Report on the State of the World’s AnGR (2007) and the adoption of the Global Plan of Action for AnGR.

  • The International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA), adopted in 2001, aims to:

    • Recognize farmers' contributions to crop diversity.

    • Establish a global system for farmers, breeders, and scientists to access plant genetic materials.

    • Ensure fair benefit-sharing from the use of these genetic resources.

8. National e-Vidhan Application (NeVA)

Delhi has become the 28th legislature to adopt the National e-Vidhan Application (NeVA).

About NeVA:

• A digital platform designed to modernize legislative processes across state and union territory assemblies.

• A device-neutral and member-centric application that provides access to legislative documents, including:

  • Member contact details, rules of procedure, list of business, notices, bills, committee reports, and question-answer sessions.

• Enables legislators to manage parliamentary tasks via smartphones and tablets.

• Supports government departments in streamlining operations and facilitates seamless house proceedings.

• Hosted on Meghraj National Cloud, ensuring secure, reliable, and disaster-proof functionality.

• Key Users:

  • Legislators across the country.

  • Ministers and government officials.

  • Assembly staff and media personnel.

  • Citizens for public access to legislative information.

• Services Offered:

  • Bills (Introduction, Consideration, and Passing).

  • List of Business, Notices, and Committee Reports.

  • Digital Library and Members’ Directory.

  • House Bulletins, Papers Laid, and Proceedings Synopsis.

9. Water Hyacinth

A dense layer of water hyacinth has spread across the Mula River near Holkar Bridge, raising concerns about water quality and ecosystem health.

About Water Hyacinth:

• Scientific Name: Eichhornia crassipes.

• A free-floating aquatic plant belonging to the pickerelweed family.

• Native to: Tropical regions of South America; now found worldwide except Antarctica.

• Ecological Impact:

  • One of the most invasive water weeds due to its rapid growth.

  • Forms thick mats that reduce water quality, disrupt natural water flow, and increase sedimentation.

  • Displaces native aquatic plants and animals, degrades habitats, and obstructs irrigation systems.

• Physical Features:

  • Glossy green leaves.

  • Lavender to violet flowers with a distinct yellow spot.

• Introduction to India: Brought during British colonial rule as an ornamental aquatic plant.

• Uses:

  • Functions as a biofertilizer in organic farming.

  • Has aesthetic value due to its attractive flowers.

  • The fibrous stems are used for making handbags, baskets, and home décor products.

  • Exhibits potential for phytoremediation, helping remove heavy metals and toxins from water.

10. Lyme Disease

Scientists have identified the enzyme BbLDH as essential for the survival and infectivity of Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacterium responsible for Lyme disease.

About Lyme Disease:

• Caused by: Borrelia burgdorferi, a type of bacteria.

• Health Impact: Can affect the skin, heart, brain, and joints if untreated.

• Mode of Transmission:

  • Spread through bites from infected deer ticks (black-legged ticks).

  • Not transmitted from person to person, through food, water, pets, or insect bites (e.g., mosquitoes, fleas, or lice).

• Common Regions:

  • Found in wooded and grassy areas worldwide.

  • Prevalent in North America, Europe, and parts of Asia, particularly in warmer months.

• Symptoms:

  • Fever, headache, and fatigue.

  • A characteristic skin rash called erythema migrans.

  • If untreated, can lead to neurological, cardiac, and joint complications.

• Treatment:

  • Antibiotic therapy is effective, especially if initiated early.