1. Who was Captain James Cook?

After 250 years, the long-lost ship of Captain James Cook, HMS Endeavour, has been located off the coast of Newport Harbour in Rhode Island.

About Captain James Cook:

Captain James Cook (1728–1779) was a renowned British naval officer, explorer, and navigator. Born on October 27, 1728, in Marton, Yorkshire, he began his maritime career at 18, sailing the North Sea. While on land, he studied mathematics to advance his skills.

He joined the British Royal Navy in 1755, quickly rising through the ranks to command a ship by the age of 29. During the French and Indian War, he served in battles across present-day Canada and later mapped the Newfoundland coast.

Cook undertook three major voyages to the Pacific between 1768 and 1779, navigating regions from the Antarctic to the Bering Strait and exploring the coasts of Australia, New Zealand, and North America. In 1766, he gained recognition for a scientific paper on a solar eclipse.

His Three Voyages of Discovery:

• First Voyage (1768–1771): Commissioned by the Royal Society, Cook led a scientific expedition to the Pacific, charted New Zealand, and reached Australia's southeastern coast. He named it New South Wales and claimed it for Britain.

• Second Voyage (1772–1775): Sailing west to east, Cook sought a southern continent. Though he didn’t reach Antarctica, he was the first European to cross the Antarctic Circle and mapped several island groups.

• Third Voyage (1776–1779): Cook aimed to find a Northwest Passage from the Pacific to the Atlantic. Though unsuccessful, he became the first European to visit Hawaii. During a return visit in 1779, he was killed by Hawaiians on February 14.

2. What is Reverse Flipping?

SEBI recently introduced new measures to reduce compliance burdens, encourage Indian company listings post-reverse flipping, and increase foreign investments in government bonds.

What is Flipping?

Flipping, also called an externalised structure, occurs when an Indian startup transfers full ownership and core assets like intellectual property to a foreign-incorporated entity. While operations, founders, and markets remain in India, the Indian entity becomes a subsidiary of the foreign one.

Startups often flip for benefits such as tax advantages, better access to global capital markets, higher valuations, branding opportunities, and stronger IP protection in countries like Singapore, UAE, Cayman Islands, UK, or the US.

What is Reverse Flipping?

Reverse flipping, or internalisation, is the process of a foreign-domiciled startup relocating its base back to India.

Key motivations include:

• Aiming for IPOs on Indian stock exchanges.

• Increased investor confidence.

• Stronger economic policies.

• A growing domestic market.

Reverse flipping structures vary based on company size, location, and nature, affecting regulatory, legal, and tax matters. Commonly used methods include:

• Inbound mergers

• Share swap arrangements

3. Key Facts about Cook Islands

New Zealand has recently suspended major budgetary support to the Cook Islands due to concerns over the islands' growing engagement with China.

About the Cook Islands:

The Cook Islands consist of 15 islands scattered across 2 million sq. km in the South Pacific Ocean, located centrally within the Polynesian Triangle—roughly midway between New Zealand and Hawaii.

Named after Captain James Cook, who explored them in 1773, the islands are split into two groups:

• Northern Group: Includes coral atolls like Manihiki, Nassau, Penrhyn, Pukapuka, Rakahanga, and Suwarrow. These are low-lying, sparsely populated, and known for their white sandy beaches.

• Southern Group: Comprising larger, volcanic islands such as Rarotonga, Aitutaki, Mangaia, and others. These islands are more fertile and densely populated.

The highest elevation is Te Manga (652 m) on Rarotonga, which also hosts the capital, Avarua.

Governance and Status:

• The Cook Islands are a self-governing territory in free association with New Zealand since August 1965.

• Citizens of the Cook Islands hold New Zealand citizenship with unrestricted entry to New Zealand and Australia.

• The political system is a parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy.

• Currency: New Zealand Dollar (NZD).

4. What is Operation Sindhu?

India launched Operation Sindhu to evacuate its citizens from Iran amid rising tensions and the threat of a military conflict between Iran and Israel.

About Operation Sindhu:

This mission, initiated by the Government of India, aims to safely bring back Indian nationals from high-risk zones in Iran. With over 10,000 Indians in the country, including 6,000 students, the first phase evacuated 110 students from northern Iran to Yerevan, Armenia, with assistance from Indian missions.

The Indian Embassy in Tehran, along with the mission in Armenia, is working to relocate citizens from conflict zones to safer areas. Evacuation efforts are being coordinated through all viable routes.

A 24×7 Control Room has been set up in New Delhi to oversee operations, and an emergency helpline has been launched by the Indian Embassy in Tehran.

Further phases of Operation Sindhu will follow as the situation develops.

5. Key Facts about Bajau Tribe

Recent studies have shown that the Bajau people have uniquely adapted to life in the ocean, including naturally larger spleens that enhance their free-diving capabilities.

About the Bajau Tribe:

The Bajau, often referred to as Sea Nomads or Sea Gypsies, originate from the Sulu Islands in the southern Philippines and have since spread to parts of Malaysia, Brunei, and Indonesia.

Unique Traits and Lifestyle:

• Renowned for exceptional free-diving skills, they can dive to depths of 20–30 meters and hold their breath for 5–13 minutes—without modern equipment.

• Scientific studies show their spleens are about 50% larger than average, an evolutionary adaptation linked to a variant of the PDE10A gene that aids in deep-sea diving.

Living Patterns:

• The Bajau live primarily on wooden houseboats called Lepa-Lepa or stilt houses above water.

• Their lives revolve around the sea—fishing, travel, and daily routines take place entirely offshore.

• They come ashore mainly to trade fish for essentials they can’t produce themselves.

Fishing remains not only an economic activity but a strong cultural tradition that supports community bonds.

6. Nothopegia Discovery in Assam
Researchers have unearthed 24-million-year-old fossilized leaves resembling modern Nothopegia species from Assam’s Makum Coalfield.

About Nothopegia:

• A plant genus under the Anacardiaceae family, native to Bangladesh, India, and Sri Lanka.

• Currently found in the Western Ghats.

Key Insights:

• The fossils date back to the late Oligocene epoch (24–23 million years ago), marking the oldest known record of Nothopegia.

• Northeast India once supported Nothopegia, but tectonic uplift of the Himalayas altered the climate, making the region unsuitable for tropical flora.

• The species found refuge in the stable climate of the Western Ghats, preserving its lineage.

Techniques Used:

• Herbarium comparisons

• Cluster analysis

• Climate Leaf Analysis Multivariate Program (CLAMP)

7. Russell’s Viper: Research & Remedies
New studies using mice have shown that two existing drugs—varespladib and marimastat—are effective in neutralizing the deadly effects of Russell’s viper venom.

About Russell’s Viper (Daboia russelii):

• A venomous land snake found across Asia.

• One of India’s “big four” snakes, responsible for the majority of snakebite incidents.

Habitat:

• Prefers open grassy areas, scrublands, farmland, and plantations.

• Found in India and several Asian countries including Sri Lanka, Myanmar, and Thailand.

Features:

• Grows up to 1.5 meters with characteristic reddish-brown patterns.

• Has a wide, triangular head with vertical pupils; mainly nocturnal.

Conservation Status:

• IUCN Red List: Least Concern

Study Highlights:

• The venom contains Phospholipase A2 (PLA2) and Snake Venom Metalloproteinases (SVMPs), which disrupt blood clotting.

• Varespladib inhibits PLA2, while marimastat targets SVMPs.

• Varespladib showed strong venom-neutralizing potential across various Indian regions.

8. Sustainable Cities Integrated Pilot Approach (SCIAP) Project
Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, has adopted over 200 electric vehicles for door-to-door waste collection under the SCIAP initiative.

About SCIAP:

• Aims to support India’s sustainable urban development goals through integrated infrastructure and planning.

• Assists 28 cities across 11 countries in tackling environmental challenges holistically.

• Promotes green infrastructure to lower emissions and improve citizen well-being.

Implementation:

• Managed by UNIDO with funding from the Global Environment Facility (GEF).

• Executed in partnership with India’s Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.

• Pilot cities include: Bhopal, Guntur, Mysore, Vijayawada, and Jaipur.

UN-Habitat Facts:

• UN’s lead agency for urban development and human settlements.

• Works toward inclusive, resilient, and sustainable cities.

• Headquarters: Nairobi, Kenya.

9. Fourier Transform InfraRed (FTIR) Spectroscopy
Experts recently met in Nainital, Uttarakhand, to highlight the importance of FTIR spectroscopy in studying climate change in the Himalayas.

About FTIR Spectroscopy:

• An analytical technique used to detect chemical compounds by measuring the vibrational modes of molecular functional groups.

• Infrared light is passed through a sample to determine its composition.

Applications:

• Quality control in manufacturing

• Monitoring air, water, and soil pollution

• Identifying organic, polymeric, and some inorganic substances

• Useful for analyzing small particles (10–50 microns)

10. Idukki Wildlife Sanctuary
Tribal communities in Kannampadi, located within the Idukki Wildlife Sanctuary, are set to benefit from the opening of three new community libraries.

About the Sanctuary:

• Location: Surrounds the Idukki Arch Dam in Kerala.

• Topography: Mountainous with elevations between 450 m to 1272 m (highest peak: Vanjur Medu).

• Rivers: Periyar and Cheruthoniar flow through the area.

• Rainfall: Annual average of 3800 mm.

Vegetation Types:

• West Coast Tropical Evergreen

• Semi-Evergreen

• Moist Deciduous

• Hill Shoals and Grasslands

Flora:
Includes teak, rosewood, jackfruit, ebony, cinnamon, and bamboo species.

Fauna:

• Mammals: Elephants, bison, deer, jungle cats, wild boars, tigers

• Reptiles: Cobras, vipers, kraits

• Birds: Kingfisher, woodpecker, peafowl, jungle fowl, and more

• Notably, it hosts the endangered Nilgiri Tahr