1. Sagaing Fault and Myanmar Earthquake

Recent Earthquake in Myanmar:
The recent earthquake in Myanmar was caused by strike-slip faulting along the Sagaing Fault, a tectonic boundary separating the Indian Plate from the Eurasian Plate.

What is the Sagaing Fault?
The Sagaing Fault is a major north-south strike-slip fault in Myanmar, extending over 1,500 km from the Andaman Sea to the Eastern Himalayas. It is among the world’s longest and most active strike-slip faults. The northward movement of the Indian Plate creates stress along this fault, triggering large earthquakes.

Types of Faults and Their Role in Earthquakes:

• Normal Fault: Hanging wall moves downward due to tension (e.g., East African Rift).

• Reverse Fault: Hanging wall moves upward under compression (e.g., Himalayas).

• Strike-Slip Fault: Horizontal movement dominates, with minimal vertical shift (e.g., Anatolian and Sagaing Faults).

• Transform Fault: A type of strike-slip fault at plate boundaries (e.g., San Andreas Fault).
  Earthquakes occur when tectonic stress overcomes friction on these faults, releasing seismic energy.

2. Fluoride Contamination in Uttar Pradesh

Excess Fluoride Levels:
The Uttar Pradesh Jal Nigam identified high fluoride levels in 120 hamlets, affecting nearly 2 lakh people. Some areas reported levels above 2 mg/L, exceeding the safe limit of 1–1.5 mg/L.

What is Fluoride?
Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral in groundwater. The national limit for drinking water is 1.5 mg/L. Excess intake can lead to dental and skeletal fluorosis, especially in children.

States with High Fluoride Contamination:

• Most affected: Rajasthan

• Others: Telangana, western Andhra Pradesh, eastern Karnataka
  Fluoride levels tend to rise during dry, pre-monsoon months, especially in arid regions.

Other Groundwater Contaminants in India:

• Arsenic: Found in West Bengal, Bihar, UP, Jharkhand (90% of cases).

• Uranium: Detected in 12 states, including Punjab.

• Iron: High levels in Rajasthan, Assam, Jharkhand.
  Other harmful elements: antimony, cadmium, copper, barium – linked to toxicity and organ damage.

Legislative & Policy Measures:

• Laws:

  • Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974

  • Environment Protection Act, 1986

  • Water Cess Act, 1977

• Schemes:

  • PM Krishi Sinchayee Yojana – Watershed Development

  • Atal Bhujal Yojana

Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA):
Formed under the Environment Protection Act, 1986.
Functions:

• Regulates groundwater usage

• Issues conservation guidelines

• Appoints enforcement officers

3. Chandrayaan-3 ChaSTE Experiment

About ChaSTE:
Chandrayaan-3’s ChaSTE (Surface Thermophysical Experiment) became the first device to measure in situ temperatures at the Moon’s south pole. It achieved what ESA’s Philae and NASA’s HP3 missions could not.

How ChaSTE Works:

• Integrated into Vikram lander (landed on Aug 23, 2023).

• Contains 10 sensors placed 1 cm apart.

• Uses a rotating mechanism (not hammering) to deploy the probe into the lunar surface.

• Reached 10 cm depth in regolith and recorded temperature changes until Sept 2, 2023.

• Data confirmed thermal properties supporting water ice presence.

Comparison with Other Missions:

• ESA Philae (2014): MUPUS instrument failed due to unstable landing.

• NASA InSight (2018): HP3 “Mole” failed to burrow into Martian soil; temperature readings were ineffective.

4. Katchatheevu Island Dispute

About Katchatheevu:
A 285-acre uninhabited island in the Palk Strait, located between India (33 km from Rameswaram) and Sri Lanka (62 km from Jaffna). It is significant for fishing and houses St. Anthony’s Church, important to both nations’ fishermen.

Historical Background:
Formed from volcanic activity, initially under the Jaffna Kingdom and later the Ramnad Zamindari. Both British India and Sri Lanka claimed it until the 1974 agreement ceded it to Sri Lanka.

Maritime Boundary – IMBL:
Defined in 1974 under the Indo-Sri Lankan agreement using the equidistance principle. Katchatheevu fell on the Sri Lankan side due to adjustments. The IMBL governs EEZs, territorial waters, and other maritime zones.

Other Maritime Disputes:

• With Pakistan: Sir Creek in Gujarat

• With Bangladesh: South Talpatti/New Moore Island (resolved in 2014 in Bangladesh’s favor)

5. Euphaea wayanadensis – New Damselfly Species

Discovery:
Euphaea wayanadensis, a new damselfly species, was discovered in the Wayanad region of Kerala’s Western Ghats. First observed in 2013, later confirmed through morphology and genetic analysis.

Key Features:

• Belongs to Euphaeidae family

• Distinct hind wing with an extended black patch

• Males show bold humeral and antehumeral stripes

• Unique male genital structure

Habitat & Distribution:

• Inhabits fast-flowing, rocky streams in evergreen and semi-evergreen forests

• Active year-round except in dry months (March-April)

• Restricted to specific locations in Kerala and Karnataka

• Faces threats from habitat destruction and climate change

6. North Sentinel Island

A U.S. citizen was recently detained in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands for allegedly entering the restricted tribal reserve of North Sentinel Island.

About North Sentinel Island:

• Part of the Andaman Islands archipelago in the Bay of Bengal, North Sentinel Island lies within the Indian Union Territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

• Situated west of the central Andaman group, the island spans about 60 square kilometers, measuring roughly 8 km in length and 7 km in width.

• It is densely forested and surrounded by shallow coral reefs.

• The island is home to the Sentinelese, among the world’s last uncontacted tribes, believed to be direct descendants of early humans who migrated from Africa around 60,000 years ago.

• The Sentinelese have lived in complete isolation for thousands of years, aggressively rejecting any outside contact.

• Protected under the Andaman and Nicobar Islands (Protection of Aboriginal Tribes) Regulation, 1956, it is illegal to go within 5 nautical miles of the island.

• According to the 2011 census and anthropological estimates, the Sentinelese population likely ranges between 80 and 150, though estimates vary between 15 and 500.

7. INS Tarkash

The Indian Navy’s warship INS Tarkash, currently deployed in the Western Indian Ocean for maritime security operations, recently intercepted and confiscated over 2,500 kg of narcotics.

About INS Tarkash:

• A modern stealth frigate and part of the Indian Navy’s Western Fleet.

• Belongs to the Talwar-class of guided missile frigates—an upgraded version of Russia’s Krivak III-class.

• Built at the Yantar Shipyard in Kaliningrad, Russia, and commissioned into the Indian Navy on November 9, 2012.

Specifications and Features:

• Measures 124.8 m in length, with a beam of 15.2 m and a draught of 4.2 m.

• Maximum speed: 32 knots (59 km/h).

• Designed with stealth technology to reduce radar detection.

• Equipped with advanced sensors and weapons to counter threats in all domains.

• Carries either a Ka-28 Helix-A anti-submarine helicopter or a Ka-31 Helix-B for airborne early warning.

• Weapon systems include:

  • Supersonic BrahMos missiles

  • Surface-to-air missile system

  • 100mm medium-range gun

  • 30mm CIWS (Close-In Weapon System)

  • Torpedoes, rocket launchers

  • State-of-the-art electronic warfare and communication systems.

8. Binturong

A rare Binturong was recently captured by a camera trap installed by the Wildlife Trust of India in Narang Wari Village Reserve Forest, located near the Balpakram National Park buffer zone in Meghalaya.

About Binturong:

• A cat-like omnivorous mammal belonging to the civet family, often called a "bearcat."

• Scientific Name: Arctictis binturong

Habitat and Distribution:

• Inhabits dense forests across Southeast Asia—from Nepal, India, and Bhutan to Sumatra, Java, and Borneo.

Key Characteristics:

• Body length: 60–95 cm; Tail length: 55–90 cm

• Weight: 9–14 kg

• Features include long shaggy fur, tufted ears, and a bushy, prehensile tail.

• Black coloration with scattered white hairs

• Primarily active during twilight and nighttime

• Arboreal and uses its tail for climbing

• Possesses scent glands under the tail used for marking territory

Conservation Status:

• IUCN: Vulnerable

• Wildlife Protection Act (1972): Schedule I

• CITES: Appendix III

About Balpakram National Park:

• Located in West Garo Hills, Meghalaya, about 134 km from Shillong

• Known as the “Land of Perpetual Winds”

• Borders Bangladesh and spans over 200 sq. km at 3,000 feet elevation

• Features rare plants like pitcher plants, orchids, and sundews

• Wildlife includes elephants, tigers, hoolock gibbons, leopards, hornbills, and wild buffalo.

9. Great Red Spot

New observations of Jupiter’s Great Red Spot have revealed dynamic and complex atmospheric activity above and around the massive storm.

About the Great Red Spot:

• A giant, persistent anticyclonic storm located in Jupiter’s Southern Hemisphere

• Characterized by high-pressure systems and red coloration—its exact cause remains unknown

• Extends high above Jupiter’s main cloud layers

• Largest storm in the Solar System, measuring approximately 15,400 miles in diameter

• Winds reach speeds of up to 270 mph

• Has existed for at least 150 years, possibly much longer

• Jupiter’s lack of a solid surface helps sustain the storm’s longevity, unlike hurricanes on Earth that dissipate over land

• Although long-lasting, the storm undergoes changes in size, shape, and color over time.

10. Aqueduct

Archaeologists have discovered a Roman-era aqueduct beneath the Rusovce Manor in Bratislava, Slovakia, highlighting ancient advancements in water engineering.

About Aqueducts:

• An aqueduct is a structure designed to transport water from a source to a distant location.

• The word originates from Latin, meaning "to lead water."

• Modern aqueducts include canals, pipelines, tunnels, and bridges used for irrigation or urban supply.

• In ancient times, aqueducts were built in regions like India, Persia, Assyria, and Egypt as early as 700 BCE.

• The Romans perfected aqueduct construction—building highly efficient systems between 312 BCE and 230 CE to supply water to Rome.

• Aqueducts were especially vital for supporting populations in areas lacking direct freshwater sources.