1. Three Gorges Antarctic Eye

Overview:
China has launched the "Three Gorges Antarctic Eye," a 3.2-meter aperture radio/millimeter-wave telescope, at Zhongshan Station in Antarctica.

Key Details:

• It is a 2-meter radio/millimeter-wave telescope positioned at Zhongshan Station.

• Builds on China’s previous Antarctic telescopic efforts like the AST3 (Antarctic Survey Telescopes).

• Primary Objective: To study interstellar gases such as hydrogen and ammonia and explore star formation processes.

• Engineering Achievement: Designed to endure Antarctica’s extreme cold and harsh wind conditions.

• Developed By: China Three Gorges University and Shanghai Normal University.

2. Megaliths Discovered in Kerala

Recent Discovery:
Ancient relics dating back around 2,000 years, from the Megalithic Period, were found in Manimoola village, Bandadukka, Kerala.

What are Megaliths?

• Large stones used in prehistoric monuments, either standalone or in combination.

• Functions:

  • Sepulchral: Used for burials

  • Non-sepulchral: Used in commemorative rituals

• Timeline: Most Indian megaliths date between 1500 BCE and 500 BCE (Iron Age), though some go back as far as 2000 BCE.

Types of Megalithic Structures:

• Burial Types:

  • Dolmenoid cists: Stone box-like burial chambers

  • Cairn circles: Stone circles marking burial spots

  • Capstones: Mushroom-shaped stones, commonly found in Kerala

  • Urns/Sarcophagi: Terracotta containers for cremated remains

• Non-Burial Types:

  • Menhirs: Standing stones used for memorials

Artefacts Recovered: Unearthed during Jal Jeevan Mission pipeline work:

• A black ware pot, five four-legged jars, various pots, clay vessel lids, an iron stove stand with three supports, and iron tools resembling penknives.

Nearby Megalithic Sites:

• Local site Pathaya Kallu is believed to be a burial monument from the same era.

• Other regional sites go by traditional names like Pandava Guha, Peerangi Guha, Muniyara, Swamikundu, and Kalpatthayam.

3. POEM-4 Re-entry

Event:
ISRO’s POEM-4 (PSLV Orbital Experimental Module-4) re-entered Earth’s atmosphere and splashed down in the Indian Ocean, as monitored by IS4OM (ISRO’s space safety system).

What is POEM-4?

• A space research module using the spent PS4 stage of the PSLV rocket.

• Part of the SpaDeX (Space Docking Experiment) mission.

• Fourth in the POEM series, following POEM-3.

• Features triple the payload capacity of POEM-3.

Payloads:

• 24 in total: 14 from ISRO and 10 from startups and academic institutions.

• Key innovations include:

  • Walking Robotic Arm (RRM-TD): Inchworm-style robotic arm for space servicing.

  • Debris Capture Manipulator: From VSSC, for space debris removal.

  • Gradient Control RWA: Enhances satellite stabilization via reaction wheels.

Launch & Mission Timeline:

• Launched on Dec 30, 2024, aboard PSLV-C60, along with twin SPADEX satellites (475 km orbit).

• Post-deployment, the PS4 was repurposed as POEM-4.

• Later de-orbited to 350 km, passivated (fuel vented), ensuring safe space operations.

4. Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia (APL)

Breakthrough:
A new CRISPR-based test enables rapid detection of Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia (APL), a rare and aggressive blood cancer.

What is APL?

• A subtype of Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML), making up 10–15% of AML cases.

• Caused by a genetic fusion of PML and RARA genes, which impairs blood cell production.

• Results in drastic reductions in white blood cells and platelets, increasing infection risk and internal bleeding—especially dangerous in organs like the brain and lungs.

Urgency & Treatment:

• Fatal if untreated within days, but highly curable with early detection.

• Median diagnosis age in India: 34 years; more common in males (1.5:1 ratio).

Common Symptoms:

• Sudden gum/nose bleeding, fatigue, fever, bone pain.

• Accurate diagnosis relies on CBC and cell morphology tests

5. Topological Materials

Background:
To celebrate 100 years of quantum science, the UN has designated 2025 as the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology.

What are Topological Materials?

• Materials with contrasting behaviors: conducting electricity on the surface but insulating inside.

• Their "topological" nature refers to stable quantum-geometric properties that persist even when the material’s shape is altered.

Scientific Significance:

• Represent a new form of quantum matter discovered in the late 20th century.

• The 2016 Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded for foundational theories in this field.

How They Work:

• Exhibit metallic surface (free-moving electrons) and insulating core (localized electrons).

• Governed by quantum mechanics and effects like spin-orbit coupling.

• Their electrical and optical behaviors change with how electrons respond to electromagnetic waves.

Why Metals & Insulators Differ:

• Metals: Electrons move freely, conducting electricity and reflecting light.

• Insulators: Electrons stay bound, don’t conduct, and let light pass through.

6. Mount Kanlaon

Mount Kanlaon, one of the most active volcanoes in the Philippines, recently erupted, sending a massive ash plume 4,000 meters (2.5 miles) into the atmosphere.

Key Facts:

• Located in north-central Negros Island, Mount Kanlaon is a stratovolcano and part of the Pacific Ring of Fire.

• The volcano features multiple pyroclastic cones and craters. Its summit includes a large northern caldera with a crater lake and a historically active crater to the south.

• It is composed of layered volcanic deposits like lava flows, lahar, tephra, and pyroclastic materials.

• The area is ecologically rich and serves as the source of several major rivers on Negros Island.

• Since 1866, eruptions have mostly been phreatic, small to moderate in scale, with limited ashfall.

7. Digital Threat Report 2024

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has released the Digital Threat Report 2024, highlighting emerging cybersecurity challenges in India's BFSI sector.

About the Report:

• Jointly developed by cybersecurity firm SISA, CERT-In (MeitY), and CSIRT-Fin.

• Provides an extensive review of the cyber threat landscape affecting the Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance (BFSI) sector.

Key Insights:

• Social Engineering Attacks: Phishing and Business Email Compromise (BEC) have become more targeted and evasive.

• Supply Chain Risks: Breaches via third-party vendors and open-source components are rising.

• Regulatory Shifts: Compliance frameworks are evolving into tools for resilience and strategic growth.

• Control Weaknesses: Misconfigurations, excessive privileges, and weak access controls remain widespread.

• AI-Driven Threats: Artificial Intelligence is enabling more personalized and large-scale cyberattacks.

8. CAPTCHA

CAPTCHA remains a key cybersecurity tool for differentiating human users from bots, although it faces increasing challenges.

What is CAPTCHA?

• Stands for Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart.

• Inspired by Alan Turing’s 1950 test to determine if a machine’s behavior could mimic a human’s.

• Unlike traditional tests, CAPTCHA focuses on how “human” the responses appear, not just accuracy.

How it Works:

• Challenges are easy for humans but difficult for bots, e.g., identifying objects in images or typing distorted text.

• Modern CAPTCHAs may require users to simply check a box ("I'm not a robot") while monitoring behavior patterns to verify authenticity.

• Widely used to prevent automated access to websites.

9. INS Varsha

India is on track to operationalize INS Varsha, a strategic naval base designed to support its nuclear submarine fleet, by 2026.

Key Features:

• Located near Rambilli village, around 50 km from Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.

• Built under Project Varsha, the facility will serve as a secure base for nuclear-powered submarines (SSBNs).

• Equipped with underground pens and tunnels to ensure stealth operations in the Bay of Bengal.

• Covers an area of 20 sq km and will house up to 10 nuclear submarines.

• The deep waters of the region allow discreet entry/exit, making it comparable to China’s Hainan submarine base.

Significance:

• Enhances India’s sea-based nuclear deterrence capability by providing a safe and hidden operational environment for strategic assets.

10. Mesopotamia

Archaeologists have discovered a well-preserved network of ancient irrigation canals in the Eridu region of southern Mesopotamia, shedding new light on early agricultural innovations.

About Mesopotamia:

• Located in the modern Middle East, covering parts of Iraq, Syria, Kuwait, and Turkey.

• Known as the “Cradle of Civilization” and part of the Fertile Crescent.

• The term Mesopotamia means “land between rivers,” referring to the Tigris and Euphrates.

Historical Significance:

• Birthplace of major civilizations like Sumer, Assyria, and Babylonia.

• Among the first regions to practice settled agriculture and develop written language (cuneiform).

• Maintained cultural dominance in the Near East for over 3,000 years.

Decline:

• Conquered by Cyrus the Great in 539 BC and absorbed into the Persian Empire.

• Eventually fell under Greek and Parthian rule, and Mesopotamian civilization faded by around AD 100.