1. Hampi

Recent News: A mandapa at the Virupaksha Temple in Hampi collapsed due to heavy rain, raising concerns about neglect and conservation.

About Hampi:

• Hampi, once the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire, was founded in 1336 CE by Harihara I and Bukka Raya I of the Sangama Dynasty.

• Located in central Karnataka on the banks of the Tungabhadra River, it was historically known as Pampakshetra of Kishkindha.

• Foreign traveller Domingo Paes compared Vijayanagara to Rome, praising its architectural beauty and prosperity.

• The empire fell in 1565 CE after the Battle of Talikota, when the Deccan Sultanates defeated Rama Raya. The city was ransacked and reportedly burned for six months.

• Rediscovered by British officer Colin Mackenzie in 1799, Hampi’s ruins were later documented and photographed by Alexander Greenlaw and others.

• The Hampi National Project, launched in 1976, was the first major conservation effort.

• Excavations unearthed key sites like the Vitthala Temple bazaar, Pushkarini (stepped tank), and Paan-supari bazaar.

• Major landmarks include Virupaksha Temple, Lotus Mahal, Queen's Bath, and the Elephant Stables.

• Recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986, Hampi spans 250 sq. km with over 1,600 monuments.

2. Tuti Island

Recent News: Since the civil war erupted in Sudan on April 15, 2023, Tuti Island has suffered extensive damage due to violence and military occupation.

About Tuti Island:

• Situated at the confluence of the Blue and White Nile in Khartoum, Sudan, Tuti Island is one of the city’s oldest inhabited areas.

• Covering 8 sq. km, it is known for its fertile land, agriculture, and traditional livelihoods like farming and fishing, earning the name “Khartoum’s garden.”

• It holds cultural significance for the Mahas community, who settled there in the 15th century.

• According to the UN, the conflict has displaced 13 million people and led to severe food shortages, famine, and death in Khartoum.

• Climate change has worsened the island’s condition by disrupting the Nile’s natural flood cycles, causing both flooding and drought.

• The HEART Project (Heritage Empowered Action for Risk in Tuti) was launched to preserve the island’s traditional irrigation system (Taya) and indigenous knowledge.

3. AI Basics: CPU, GPU, and TPU

Understanding TPU vs CPU & GPU

What is a CPU (Central Processing Unit)?

• Developed in the 1950s, the CPU is a general-purpose processor that coordinates the computer’s various components.

• It consists of cores, with each core able to handle one task at a time. Modern CPUs have 2 to 16 cores.

• CPUs execute tasks sequentially, but are highly efficient for everyday operations.

What is a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit)?

• GPUs are built for parallel processing, making them ideal for handling multiple operations simultaneously.

• Initially created for rendering graphics, GPUs now power machine learning and AI applications.

• They contain thousands of cores, enabling fast processing of large data sets.

What is a TPU (Tensor Processing Unit)?

• Introduced by Google in 2015, TPUs are custom-built chips optimized for AI workloads, especially neural networks.

• Unlike CPUs and GPUs, TPUs are designed specifically for tensor computations in machine learning.

• They significantly accelerate AI training and execution, and are integral to Google’s AI infrastructure in Search, YouTube, and DeepMind.

4. Miniature Laser on Silicon Chip

Recent Breakthrough:
Scientists from the US and Europe have successfully grown miniature lasers directly on silicon wafers — a landmark achievement in silicon photonics.

About the Advancement:

• Traditionally, lasers were manufactured separately and attached to silicon chips, causing inefficiencies.

• This new technique integrates lasers directly onto chips using CMOS-compatible processes, which are widely used in semiconductor manufacturing.

• The use of photons instead of electrons allows for faster data transmission with lower energy loss, vital for applications like data centers, sensors, and quantum computing.

Key Components of a Photonic Chip:

1. Light Source (Laser)

2. Waveguides (for directing photons)

3. Modulators (encode/decode data)

4. Photodetectors (convert light to electrical signals)

Laser Physics:

• Lasers operate on the principle of stimulated emission.

• Since silicon emits light inefficiently, materials like gallium arsenide (with a direct bandgap) are used for the lasers.

• A protective indium gallium phosphide layer and electrical contacts complete the device setup.

5. Leptobrachium aryatium

Why in News:
A new frog species, Leptobrachium aryatium, has been discovered in Assam after 21 years of research.

About the Discovery:

• Initially misidentified as Leptobrachium smithi, the species was found in Garbhanga Reserve Forest, bordering Meghalaya and near the Deepor Beel Ramsar site.

• This region forms part of the vital Garbhanga-Rani-Deepar Beel elephant corridor.

• The frog is named after Arya Vidyapeeth College in Guwahati, recognizing its local impact and transformation of the surrounding area.

Biological Characteristics:

• Belongs to the Leptobrachium genus — robust frogs with short limbs and broad heads.

• Known for its vivid orange-black eyes, reticulated throat markings, and rhythmic calls at dusk.

• Identification was confirmed through morphology, DNA sequencing, and acoustic analysis.

6. Etalin Hydroelectric Project
The government of Arunachal Pradesh has recently sanctioned ₹269.97 crore for the construction of the Etalin Hydroelectric Project in Dibang Valley.

Key Details:

• The Etalin Hydroelectric Project (EHEP) is a proposed 3,097 MW hydropower venture located in Arunachal Pradesh's Dibang Valley, making it one of India’s largest in terms of installed capacity.

• The project entails two run-of-the-river schemes, involving the construction of two concrete gravity dams—101.5 m and 80 m in height—on the Dri and Tangon rivers (tributaries of the Dibang River).

• Situated within a region recognised as a “mega biodiversity hotspot,” the project area falls under one of the richest biogeographical zones of the Himalayas and is predominantly inhabited by the Idu-Mishmi tribe.

• The execution is being handled by Etalin Hydro Electric Power Company Limited, a joint venture between Jindal Power Ltd (74% stake) and the Hydro Power Development Corporation of Arunachal Pradesh Ltd (26%).

7. PM Vidyalaxmi Scheme
Public Sector Banks have recently raised concerns over the implementation challenges of the PM Vidyalaxmi Scheme, which has seen limited adoption.

About the Scheme:

• PM Vidyalaxmi is a Central Sector Scheme designed to offer financial assistance for higher education to deserving students.

• Eligibility: Students admitted to any of the top 860 Quality Higher Education Institutions (QHEIs), as ranked by NIRF, can apply. Students availing other government scholarships or interest subsidy schemes are excluded.

• Loan Amount: There’s no fixed cap on the education loan; the amount depends on tuition fees and related academic expenses, including hostel, mess, laptop, and reasonable living costs.

• Interest Subvention: Students from families earning up to ₹8 lakh annually are eligible for a 3% interest subsidy on loans up to ₹10 lakh. If the loan exceeds ₹10 lakh, the subsidy is limited to the first ₹10 lakh.

• Credit Guarantee: For loans up to ₹7.5 lakh, a government-backed credit guarantee covers 75% of the outstanding default, regardless of income.

8. Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD)
Two recent deaths in the U.S. have been attributed to Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD), a rare and fatal brain condition.

Overview:

• CJD is a rare neurodegenerative disorder that causes dementia and belongs to the family of prion diseases, also known as transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs).

• Its symptoms mimic those of Alzheimer’s but progress much more rapidly and are invariably fatal.

• It primarily affects older adults, with an occurrence rate of 1–2 cases per million people globally per year.

• Cause: Abnormal proteins known as prions cause healthy prion proteins to misfold, leading to brain damage. These misfolded proteins accumulate, resulting in neural degeneration.

• Symptoms: Include rapid cognitive decline, involuntary muscle jerks (myoclonus), and impaired motor coordination.

• Prognosis and Treatment: Most patients die within a year of symptom onset. There is no cure; treatment is palliative, focusing on symptom relief with medications like antidepressants and pain relievers.

9. Thangjing Hills
Recent tensions erupted near the buffer zone of Thangjing Hills in Manipur, located between Kuki and Meitei communities in Churachandpur district.

About Thangjing Hills:

• Also referred to as Thangching or Thangting Hill, this peak lies west of Moirang in Manipur’s Churachandpur district.

• The hill range, running north to south, forms part of the western boundary of the Imphal Valley.

• It is revered by the Meitei community as the abode of Thangching, the ancestral deity of Moirang, and is considered a sacred pilgrimage site during the month of Sajibu (April).

• In Meitei cosmology, Thangjing Hill symbolizes the “right leg” of Manipur’s geographical body.

10. Clinidium lalitae
Researchers from the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) have identified a new beetle species named Clinidium lalitae in Northeast India.

Highlights:

• Discovered in Arunachal Pradesh’s Talle Valley Wildlife Sanctuary, this beetle has been named in honour of the late Dr. Lalita Ray Chaudhury, a noted coleopterologist and former ZSI scientist.

• Clinidium lalitae belongs to a rare group of ground beetles that inhabit forest floors and contribute significantly to soil health and nutrient cycling.

About Talle Valley Wildlife Sanctuary:

• Located in the Lower Subansiri district, the sanctuary spans 337 sq.km and ranges from 1,200 to 3,000 meters in elevation.

• Home to the Apatani tribe, the sanctuary boasts rich biodiversity, housing 20% of India’s floral and faunal species.

• Rivers like Pange, Sipu, Karing, and Subansiri run through it.

• The area features diverse ecosystems, including subtropical to alpine forests, with unique species like Pleioblastus simone bamboo and various medicinal plants.

• Its fauna includes elephants, clouded leopards, barking deer, porcupines, wild boars, and more.