News In Short-19-04-2025

Sterkfontein Caves

Syllabus: GS1/ History and Culture

Context

• South Africa’s Sterkfontein Caves, part of the Cradle of Humankind, have reopened to the public after three years.

About

• Location: Approximately 50 km northwest of Johannesburg, South Africa.
• Geological Formation: Composed mainly of dolomitic limestone, with striking rock formations such as stalactites and stalagmites formed over millions of years.
• Palaeoanthropological Significance:
  • Known as one of the richest sources of hominid fossils in the world.
  • Key discoveries include “Mrs Ples”,Australopithecus africanus skull and “Little Foot”, a nearly complete Australopithecus skeleton.
  • These findings suggest that early human ancestors lived in the region as far back as 3.5 million years ago.
• It was designated as Part of UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999.

Source: TH

Karnataka set to be the first State to finish village-level antiquities survey

Syllabus: GS2/Governance

Context

• Karnataka has embarked upon a village-level survey for documentation of antiquities, an initiative to be the first-of-its-kind in the country.

About

• It was announced by the Department of Archaeology, Museums and Heritage, during World Heritage Day celebrations.
• The survey is seen as a foundational step in safeguarding Karnataka’s archaeological heritage.
• The model is expected to be exemplary for other States.
• It includes documentation of inscriptions, sculptures, and monuments.
• Each antiquity will be geo-tagged, making Karnataka the first state with such a detailed inventory.

State-Protected Sites:

• Over 800 monuments are protected by the State government.
• More than 600 monuments are protected by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).
• A proposal has been submitted to protect an additional 110 monuments.

Conservation Efforts:

• Karnataka follows a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model since 2001.
  • Dharmasthala Manjunatheshwara Dharmothana Trust partners with the Department.
• Under this model:
  • Trust contributes 40% of conservation funds.
  • Department contributes 40%.
  • Local community contributes 20%.
  • Over 200 monuments and temples are conserved under this initiative.

Source: TH

Rashtriya Karmayogi Jan Seva Programme

Syllabus: GS2/ Health

Context

• The Ministry of Ayush conducted a session of the Rashtriya Karmayogi Jan Seva Programme.

About

• The objective of the Programme is to enhance the service orientation and professional skills of the employees of the  Ministry of Ayush.
• The initiative was held in collaboration with the Capacity Building Commission under the Mission Karmayogi framework.
• The programme included four focused sessions covering themes such as self-awareness, motivation, and leadership. 
  • Case studies from ongoing initiatives in Ayurveda, Yoga, and other traditional medicine systems were shared to provide practical context.

Capacity Building Commission (CBC) – CBC monitors and reviews the implementation of capacity-building programs, aligning them with the objectives of Mission Karmayogi. – The CBC was established in April 2021 and is uniquely staffed with representation from the private sector and the civil society.

Source: AIR

India’s Fight Against Anemia

Syllabus :GS2/Health

In News

• India is leading a major public health campaign against anemia.

Anemia

• Anemia is a condition where there are fewer red blood cells or lower hemoglobin levels than normal, primarily affecting women and children.
  • It occurs when there isn’t enough hemoglobin to transport oxygen to the body’s organs and tissues.
• Anemia affects around 500 million women aged 15 to 49 and 269 million children under 5 years (6-59 months) worldwide.

Causes 

• Anaemia can be caused by poor nutrition, infections, chronic diseases, heavy menstruation, pregnancy issues and family history.
  •  It is often caused by a lack of iron in the blood.

Symptoms

• Anemia commonly presents with symptoms like fatigue, dizziness, shortness of breath, cold hands and feet, and headaches, especially during physical activity.
  • It often signals poor nutrition or underlying health issues.

Impacts

• Iron deficiency anemia can severely impact cognitive and motor development in children, reduce work capacity in adults, and in pregnancy, increase the risk of perinatal loss, premature birth, and low birth weight babies.

Treatment

• Anemia treatment and prevention depend on its underlying cause but are often managed through dietary changes, such as consuming iron, folate, vitamin B12, and vitamin A-rich foods.
  • A balanced diet and supplements, as recommended by a healthcare provider, can also help manage the condition.

Related Steps 

• The Government of India is committed to eradicating anemia, providing financial and technical support to states and UTs through the National Health Mission (NHM).
• In 2018, the Anemia Mukt Bharat (AMB) initiative was launched with a 6x6x6 strategy, targeting six interventions to reduce anemia across six age groups:
  • Preschool children, children, adolescents, pregnant women, lactating women, and women of reproductive age. 
  • The strategy follows a life cycle approach and is implemented nationwide through existing platforms like the National Iron Plus Initiative (NIPI) and the Weekly Iron Folic Acid Supplementation (WIFS) program.
  • It provides Iron-Folic Acid supplementation, deworming, fortified nutrition, and awareness campaigns. 
• AMB Program integrates with POSHAN Abhiyaan and School Health Program.

Source :PIB 

ISRO-NASA Mission (NISAR) 

Syllabus :GS3/Space

In News

• The NISAR (NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Satellite) mission will be  launched in June 2025.

NISAR (NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar) 

• NASA-ISRO SAR (NISAR) is a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) observatory being jointly developed by NASA and ISRO. 
• NISAR will map the entire globe in 12 days and provide spatially and temporally consistent data for understanding changes in Earth’s ecosystems, ice mass, vegetation biomass, sea level rise, ground water and natural hazards including earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanoes and landslides. 
•  It carries L and S dual band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), which operates with Sweep SAR technique to achieve large swaths with high resolution data.

Source :IE

Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla set for space travel in May

Syllabus: GS3/Science and Technology

Context

• Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla is set to travel to the International Space Station next month as part of an Axiom-4 mission.

About Shubhanshu Shukla

• He will be the first Indian astronaut to reach the International Space Station (ISS) on a private mission.
• He became only the second Indian to go to space after Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma in 1984.
• He is elected as an astronaut-designate for India’s Gaganyaan mission (tentatively scheduled for 2026).

Axiom Mission 4

• Axiom Mission 4 (or Ax-4) is a private spaceflight to the International Space Station to be launched in 2025.
• Countries: USA, India, Poland, and Hungary.
  • It is the first government-sponsored spaceflight in over 40 years for Poland & Hungary.
• Objectives: The astronauts will execute a mission that includes outreach, scientific, and commercial operations during their 14-day stay in orbit.
• Significance: 
  • Each participating country can build on this experience for future missions.
  • It will create new pathways for low-Earth orbit missions.
  • Strengthens global partnerships in space research and exploration.
  • It is a valuable experience for Gaganyaan.
  • Strengthens ISRO’s collaboration with NASA and private space entities.

Source: TH

Partnerships for Accelerated Innovation and Research (PAIR) Program

Syllabus: GS3/ Science & Technology

Context

• Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) has announced the selection of PAIR Networks under the Partnerships for Accelerated Innovation and Research (PAIR) Program.

About

• The PAIR program aims to strengthen India’s higher education and research ecosystem by nurturing innovation, building research capacity and promoting excellence across regions.
• The PAIR Networks comprises 18 Hub institutions and 106 partnering Spokes and have been categorized into two strategic modes to foster deeper research engagement and inclusive growth:
  • Category A: 7 Hub institutions with 45 Spokes
  • Category B: 11 Hub institutions with 61 Spokes
• The network connects universities and colleges with leading research institutions through structured mentorship and collaboration. 

Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) – Background: ANRF has been established with the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) 2023 Act.  – The ANRF aims to seed, grow and promote research and development (R&D) and foster a culture of research and innovation throughout India’s universities, colleges, research institutions, and R&D laboratories.  – ANRF will act as an apex body to provide high-level strategic direction of scientific research in the country as per recommendations of the National Education Policy (NEP).  1. The Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB) established by an act of Parliament in 2008 has been subsumed into ANRF.   – The Department of Science and Technology (DST) is the administrative Department of NRF. – Governance: NRF is governed by a Governing Board consisting of eminent researchers and professionals across disciplines. 1. Ex-officio President of the Board: Prime Minister 2. Ex-officio Vice-Presidents: Union Minister of Science & Technology & Union Minister of Education.

Source: PIB

Breakthrough Prize 2025

Syllabus: GS3/Science and Technology

Context

• The Experimental High Energy Physics (HEP) group of Bose Institute (BI), has been awarded the Breakthrough Prize 2025 in Fundamental Physics as a part of ALICE at CERN.

About

• The $3 million Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics for 2025 is awarded to thousands of researchers from more than 70 countries representing four experimental collaborations at CERN’s Large Hadron Collider (LHC) – ATLAS, CMS, ALICE and LHCb.
• Prize money will support PhD studentships to enable selected students to spend up to two years at CERN.
• Bose Institute is an autonomous body under the Department of Science and Technology,
  • They have been honoured for their contributions to ALICE (A Large Ion Collider Experiment), one of the key experiments at CERN’s Large Hadron Collider.
  • They have played a crucial role in detector hardware development, simulation, physics analysis, and even data-taking operations.

The Breakthrough Prize

• It was founded in 2012 by a group of prominent Silicon Valley figures, including Yuri Milner, Mark Zuckerberg, Priscilla Chan, and Sergey Brin Yuri Milner.
• It honours pathbreaking discoveries in physics, life sciences, and mathematics, aiming to inspire the next generation of scientists.

Source: PIB

Wet-Bulb Impact

Syllabus: GS3/ Environment and Climate Change

Context

• Urban regions today are facing a dual climate threat—the intensifying Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect and the increasingly lethal Wet-Bulb Impact.

What is Wet Bulb Impact?

• Wet-bulb impact refers to the dangerous combination of high heat and humidity that significantly reduces the human body’s ability to cool itself through sweating. 
• The Wet-Bulb Temperature (WBT) is the lowest temperature to which the human body can cool itself through the evaporation of sweat.
  • This is a measure of how hot air feels, taking into account both air temperature and humidity.

WBT and Health Effects

Wet-Bulb Temperature	Effects on Human Body
28°C – 30°C	Heat exhaustion: heavy sweating, dizziness, nausea, fatigue
30°C – 32°C	Severe heat stress: rapid heart rate, confusion, shortness of breath
32°C – 35°C	Heat stroke: cessation of sweating, core body temperature > 40°C
≥ 35°C	Thermoregulatory failure: organ failure, seizures, death within hours

Urban Heat Island (UHI) Effect

• The Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect refers to the phenomenon where urban areas experience significantly higher temperatures than surrounding rural areas. 
• This temperature difference is caused by human activities and urban development patterns that absorb and retain heat.

Causes of UHI

• Concrete and Asphalt: Materials used in buildings and roads absorb more solar radiation and release it slowly at night.
• Lack of Vegetation: Reduced tree cover and green spaces mean less natural cooling via evapotranspiration.
• Waste Heat from Human Activities: Vehicles, air conditioners, industries, and power plants emit heat directly into the environment.

Source: IE

Similipal Biosphere Reserve

Syllabus: GS3/ Environment

Context

• A strong objection has been raised against the proposed hotel project inside the Similipal Biosphere Reserve in Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district.

Similipal Biosphere Reserve

• Similipal derives its name from ‘Simul’ (Silk Cotton) tree.
• Location: It is located in Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district adjoining Jharkhand and West Bengal.
• Fauna: It hosts endangered species like the Royal Bengal Tiger, Asian Elephant, Chausingha and Indian Bison.
  • It is Asia’s second largest biosphere reserve, and the country’s only wild habitat for melanistic royal Bengal tigers.
• Flora: Tropical moist broadleaf forest, Tropical moist deciduous forest, Dry deciduous hill forest, Sal forests.
• Tribes: Inhabited by indigenous communities such as the Santhal and Ho tribes.
• Rivers like Budhabalanga, Salandi and many tributaries of Baitarani river pass from the Reserve.
• It was declared a biosphere reserve by the Government of India in 1994.
  • UNESCO added it to its list of Biosphere Reserves in 2009. 

Source: IE