S&T

Contents
Biotechnology 4
July 2021 4
1. National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS) 4
2. Stem-cell therapy 4
3. Methanogens 5
4. Human Genome Editing 5
5. MC1R Gene 6
August 2021 7
1. Protein-coding genes 7
2. Telomere-to-Telomere (T2T) Consortium 7
3. Revamped National Gene Bank 7
4. Svalbard Global Seed Vault 7
Defence 9
Joint Military Exercises 9
1. Exercise Talisman Sabre 10
2. Malabar Exercise 10
3. Shared Destiny – 21 10
July 2021 10
1. Shekatkar Committee 10
2. Akash Missile 11
3. Exercise Cutlass Express 11
August 2021 11
1. IAC-1 (INS Vikrant) 11
2. Operation Sadbhavana सद्भावना 12
3. Chaff Technology 13
4. Krivak / Talwar class - stealth frigates 13
Emerging Tech 14
July 2021 14
1. LiDAR - light detection and ranging 14
Energy 15
July 2021 15
1. Renewables Integration in India 2021 - REPORT 15
August 2021 15
1. Dye-sensitized solar cell 15
Health + Medicine 17
 July 2021 17
1. Zika Virus 17
2. Monkey B Virus 17
3. H5N1 18
4. Norovirus 18
August 2021 18
1. Tomato leaf curl New Delhi virus (ToLCNDV) – Plant Disease 18
IT + Communication + Computers 20
July 2021 20
1. Pegasus 20
2. Ransomware 20
3. Hardware Wallet 20
4. Directive on Copyright - in Digital Single Market 20
5. Doppler Radar 20
6. Spear Phishing 21
August 2021 21
1. Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) 21
2. Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) project 21
3. The Personal Information Protection Law (PIPL) 22
4. The Personal Data Protection Bill, 2019 22
5. QSim 23
Nuclear Sector 24
August 2021 24
1. Nuclear Fusion 24
Recent Advancement 24
July 2021 24
1. Indian Science Technology and Engineering facilities Map (I-STEM) 24
S&T in everyday life 25
Space 26
July 2021 26
1. New source of gravitational waves 26
2. LIGO Scientific Collaboration (LSC) 26
3. VIRGO 26
4. LISA Pathfinder 26
5. Discrete Auroras 26
6. Mars Missions 27
7. Enceladus 27
8. Suborbital Flight 28
9. Chondrites 29
 10. Moon Wobble 29
11. NEA Scout – NASA 30
12. Circumplanetary disc 30
13. James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) 31
14. Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) 31
August 2021 31
1. Crew Space Transportation-100 (CST-100) 31
2. GSLV-F10 / EOS-03 31
3. Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) 32
4. Black Holes Merger 32

1. ⏬⏫
MEITY - Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology
 Biotechnology

July 2021
1. National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS)
▪ biological research centre.
▪ A part of Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) - u/ Department of Atomic Energy.
 
2. Stem-cell therapy
▪ Stem cells is a naïve/immature/unspecialized cell that can -
i. divide to form similar cells (self-renewal) and
ii. develop into diff specialized cells that perform distinct function
Classification :
▪ Depending on their ability (potency) to develop into diff specialized cells --- Totipotent, Pluripotent
(become virtually any cell - except ones needed to develop a foetus in womb), Multipotent (e.g.
bone marrow), & Unipotent.
▪ Depending on f where they come - in the body/ stage of life - Embryonic stem cells (ESCs), Adult
stem cells /somatic SC, Induced pluripotent stem cells /iPSCs.

Stem Cell Therapy

▪ It uses a patient’s own stem cells - to repair damaged tissue and repair injuries.
▪ treat > 80 disorders --- e.g. neuromuscular & degenerative disorders. e.g. Bone-marrow transplant
in Leukaemia (blood cancer).
▪ Stem cells taken f -- bone marrow / adipose (fat) tissue in upper thigh/abdomen -- Thus AKA
“Adipose Stem Cell Therapy.
▪ Then placed in a “centrifuge machine” .
▪ Sample of concentrated stem cells is then injected directly into the patient’s affected area−
allowing cells’ growth ---> building new skin cells, connective tissue etc.
Advantages
▪ Treatment of - Parkinson’s disease, spinal cord injuries, Alzheimer’s disease, schizophrenia, cancer,
diabetes etc.
▪ A Better Knowledge of human growth.
▪ To test - potential medicines /drugs - w/o test on animals /humans.
 ▪ Reduced risk of rejection --- because cells belong to same human body.
Applications
▪ Orthopaedic injuries + musculoskeletal problems
▪ Wounds /incisions following surgeries
▪ Spinal cord injuries, brain trauma and spinal stenosis
▪ Cardiovascular diseases, including hypertension, coronary heart disease, stroke and congestive
heart failure
▪ Hair loss
▪ Vision impairment
▪ Diabetes + other pancreatic dysfunctions
▪ Neuro-degenerative diseases --- e.g. Parkinson’s, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s
India - SCT
▪ All SCT in India- experimental - except bone marrow transplants
▪ is legalized in India
▪ Umbilical cord + adult SCT - are considered permissible
▪ Embryonic SCT + research -- is restricted
 
3. Methanogens
▪ Microorganisms that produce methane as a metabolic by-product in hypoxic conditions (low O2).
✔ Most methane - biological origin.
▪ do not require oxygen to live.
▪ Found in swamps, dead organic matter, & even in human gut.
▪ Can survive in high temp + can live in Martian conditions.
▪ In marine sediments - methanogenesis, is confined to where sulphates are depleted, below top
layers.
▪ Moreover, methanogenic archaea populations - role in anaerobic wastewater treatments.
 
4. Human Genome Editing
▪ AKA gene editing - a group of technologies - to change an organism’s DNA.
▪ Allow genetic material to be added, removed, or altered at particular locations in genome.
Applications
● Can help treat genetic disorders like ---- Sickle cell disease, cystic fibrosis, congenital
blindness, hemophilia, amyloidosis, and lysosomal storage disorders.
● improving crops
● Targeted gene mutation
● Gene therapy
● Creating chromosome rearrangement
● Study gene function with stem cells
● Transgenic animals
● Endogenous gene labeling
 ● Targeted transgene addition
▪ Gene - strand of DNA - instruct cell to produce Proteins
▪ 2 types
● Ex-VIVO GENOME EDITING - target cells — e.g. blood cells — are first removed f patient. The
cells are then treated in a laboratory to edit the target gene, and return back to the patient.
● In-VIVO GENOME EDITING - occurs inside - human body & is directly delivered to target
Site — e.g. a diseased liver — where the genome editing therapy would find and enter the
target cells.
▪ Genome Editing Technologies
● Zinc finger nucleases (ZFNs);
● Transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs); and
● Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR) nucleases.
● Mega-nucleases - a 4th category - but not widely used.
▪ Gene Therapy vs Genome Editing
● Gene Therapy - introduces one or more new copies of a gene into the patient's genome -- to
restore cell function - despite the continued presence of the mutated gene.
● Genome Editing - corrects or removes a defect in a gene. Once changed, the correction will
persist throughout the lifespan of the cells.
▪ Somatic vs Germline Cells
● SOMATIC CELLS - ells whose genetic material cannot be passed on to future generations.
Majority cells in human.
● GERMLINE CELLS - (or germ cells) are cells whose genetic material may be passed on to
future generations; these include sperm, egg cells, or fertilized embryos.
▪ CRISPR-Cas9
● Cut & paste - mechanism on DNA strands.
● Targeted location is identified on DNA strand --> then, using Cas9 protein, which acts like a
pair of scissors, that location is cut off from the strand ---> the DNA strand, when broken,
naturally repair itself.
● Scientists intervene during this auto-repair process -- supplying Gene - sequence - of
Genetic codes that binds itself w broken DNA strand.
 
5. MC1R Gene
▪ Melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R), AKA melanocyte-stimulating hormone receptor (MSHR),
melanin-activating peptide receptor, or melanotropin receptor, is a G protein–coupled receptor
that binds to a class of pituitary peptide hormones known as melanocortins, which include
adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) & diff forms of MSH.
▪ MC1R is one of key proteins involved in regulating mammalian skin + hair colour.
▪ It is located on plasma membrane cells known as melanocytes (produce melanin pigment).
▪ It is involved in cancer (independent of skin coloration), developmental processes, and
susceptibility to infections and pain.
 

August 2021
1. Protein-coding genes
 ▪ DNA consists of a double-stranded molecule, each built up by 4 bases – adenine (A), cytosine (C),
guanine (G) and thymine (T).
▪ A pair only with T & C with G.
▪ Protein-coding sequences /genes are DNA sequences that get transcribed on RNA- as an
intermediate step.
▪ These in turn make the proteins responsible for various functions such as keeping the body healthy
or determining the colour of eye — proteins carry out - instructions encoded in genes.
 
2. Telomere-to-Telomere (T2T) Consortium
▪ Partially funded by National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI).
▪ Aims - to generate a - complete reference sequence - of human genome.

3. Revamped National Gene Bank

▪ News: Inauguration of a revamped state-of-the-art - National Gene Bank - at National Bureau of
Plant Genetic Resources (NBPGR)
About
▪ World’s 2nd largest gene bank located in Delhi 🡪 set up in 1996 - to preserve - seeds of plant
genetic resources for future generations.
▪ Capacity – 1 million germplasm - in the form of seeds. Presently - protecting 4.52 lakh - of which
2.7 lakh are Indian germplasm & rest - imported.
▪ NBPGR - meeting - need of in-situ + ex-situ germplasm conservation - through Delhi HQ + 10
regional stations.
▪ NGB has 4 kinds of facilities 🡪 Seed Gene bank (- 18°C), Cryo-gene bank (-170 - -196°C), In vitro
Gene bank (25°C), and Field Gene bank --- FOR - long-term + medium-term conservation.

4. Svalbard Global Seed Vault

▪ Referred to as - earth’s ‘doomsday vault’ —contains ~1.05 million seeds.

▪ In Spitsbergen island, midway bw - Norway & North Pole — opened in 2008.
▪ Aim - to preserve a vast variety of crop seeds - in case of a doomsday event, calamity, climate
change / national emergency.
▪ Vault is artificially cooled --- Temp = -18°C.
▪ Low temp + limited O2 🡪 ensure - low metabolic activity + delay seed ageing.
▪ Permafrost surrounding - will help maintain low temp --- if electricity supply fails.
Access to seeds
 ▪ Samples stored in gene banks -- be accessible in accordance with – T&C of – Int Treaty on Plant
Genetic Resources for Food and Agri, approved by 118 countries /parties.

 
 Defence
Joint Military Exercises

Sl. No. Country Exercise

1. Australia Austra Hind, AUS-INDEX, PITCH BLACK

2. Bangladesh संप्रीति, IN-BN CORPAT, IN-BN BILAT,

IN-BN SF Exercise, TABLE TOP EX, संवेदना

3. Brazil & S Africa IBSAMAR

4. China Hand In Hand

5. Egypt Cyclone

6. France शक्ति , वरुण , गरुड़

7. Indonesia गरुड़ -शक्ति , IND-INDO CORPAT

IND-INDO BILAT , समद्र
ु -शक्ति

8. Israel Ex Blue Flag

9. Japan Ex धर्मा-Guardian , Ex JIMEX

10. Kazakhstan Ex KAZIND

11. Kyrgyzstan Ex खंजर

12. Malaysia Ex हरिमौ- शक्ति, IN-RMN BILAT, HOP EX

13. Maldives Ex Ekuverin, EX एकता

14. Mongolia Nomadic Elephant

15. Myanmar Ex IMBEX, IMCOR, IN-MN BILAT, TABLE TOP EX

16. Nepal सर्य

ू -किरण

17. Oman Ex Al-Nagah, Naseem-Al-Bahr, Eastern Bridge

18. Qatar Za’ir- Al-Bahr

19. Russia इंद्रा , Avia-indra

20. Seychelles Lamitiye

21. Singapore SIMBEX, Joint Military Training

22. Sri Lanka मित्र-शक्ति , संवेदना , SLINEX, IN-SLN SF Ex

23. Thailand मैत्री , INDO-THAI CORPAT, Ex SIAM BHARAT

 24. UAE Desert Eagle

25. UK अजेय-Warrior, कोंकण (Bilateral, 2004), इंद्रधनष

ु

26. USA यद्

ु धाभ्यास , वज्र-प्रहार , Spitting Cobra , संगम
(IN-USN EOD Ex), Red Flag, Ex COPE INDIA

27. Uzbekistan Ex DUSTLIK

28. Vietnam VINBAX, IN-VPN BILAT

 29. Saudi Arabia  AL–Mohed AL–Hindi - bilateral naval exercise --off

the coast of Al Jubail.
1. Exercise Talisman Sabre
▪ News: Australia wants India to join its biggest war games ‘Exercise Talisman Sabre’ in 2023.
About
▪ It is a biennial (every 2 yrs), multinational military exercise led by - Australia + US.
▪ Talisman Sabre 2021 - was largest bilateral combined training activity - bw Australia+ U.S. ----
saw participation of 7 nations on land, air and sea. -- Canada, Japan, New Zealand, S Korea, U.K.
 
2. Malabar Exercise
▪ A multilateral naval exercise. -- incl. SIMULATED WAR GAMES.
▪ It started in 1992 as a bilateral - bw Indian + US navies. Japan - joined in 2015.
▪ Australia joined. --- hence All 4 Quad countries joined

3. Shared Destiny – 21
▪ The militaries of China + Pak + Mongolia + Thailand 🡪 multinational peacekeeping exercise - to be
organised by People’s Liberation Army - in China’s central Henan province.

 July 2021
1. Shekatkar Committee
▪ Constituted by Ministry of Defence u/ chairmanship of Lt Gen (Retd) DB Shekatkar - to recommend
measures to enhance - combat compatibility + rebalance defence expenditure of armed forces.
Measures recommended + taken up for implementation include:
▪ Optimisation of Signals Establishments - to include Radio Monitoring Companies, Corps Air
Support Signal Regiments, Air Formation Signal Regiments, Composite Signal Regiments and
merger for Corps Operating & Engineering Signal Regiments.
▪ Restructuring of repair echelons - in Army -- to include Base Workshops, Advance Base
Workshops and Static/Station Workshops - in field Army.
▪ Redeployment of Ordnance echelons -- to include Vehicle Depots, Ordnance Depots and Central
Ordnance Depots - apart f streamlining inventory control mechanisms.
▪ Better utilisation of Supply & Transportation echelons and Animal Transport Units.
▪ Closure of Military Farms and Army Postal Establishments -- in peace locations.
 ▪ Enhancement in standards for recruitment of clerical staff + drivers in the Army.
▪ Improving - efficiency of - National Cadet Corps.
 
2. Akash Missile
▪ It is a short-range - surface-to-air missile (SAM) system
▪ Dev by DRDO & produced by Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL).
▪ New variant of Akash - (Akash-NG) has better range --- can strike targets at a distance of around
25 km.
▪ To protect - f air attacks.
▪ Can simultaneously engage Multiple Targets -- in Group Mode / Autonomous Mode.
 
Integrated Guided Missile Dev Programme (IGMDP)
 
3. Exercise Cutlass Express
▪ Exercise focusses on - E Africa’s coastal regions and is designed to assess + improve combined
maritime law enforcement capacity, promote national + regional security.
▪ An annual maritime exercise -- in East Africa & Western Indian Ocean.
▪ 2021 edition - involves 12 E African countries, US, UK, India and various int org, like Int Maritime
Organisation (IMO), UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Interpol, EU Naval Force
(EUNAVFOR), Critical Maritime Routes Indian Ocean (CRIMARIO) and EUCAP Somalia.
 
SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region)
 
India’s Information Fusion Centre – Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR)
 

August 2021
1. IAC-1 (INS Vikrant)
▪ Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC) 1 - called INS Vikrant - started sea trials.
● Equipped w - network-centric - distributed data processing + control systems, and
state-of-the-art weapons (Barak LR-SAM missile ) + sensors.
● can carry - 30 assorted aircraft (incl. fighter jets + helicopters),
● capable of a top speed -- 28 knots + a cruising speed - 18 knots
● with an endurance of -- 7,500 nautical miles.
▪ 1st aircraft carrier - designed + built in India.
● Designed by - Indian Navy’s Directorate of Naval Design (DND),
● Built at - Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), a public sector shipyard u/ Ministry of Shipping.
 
▪ India’s earlier ACs - built by - British / Russians.
✔ INS Vikramaditya - currently Navy’s only AC - commissioned in 2013 - started out as -
Russian.
 ✔ India’s 2 earlier carriers, INS Vikrant + INS Viraat - originally British-built HMS Hercules + HMS
Hermes -- before commissioned into Navy - in 1961 + 1987.

 
2. Operation Sadbhavana सद्भावना
▪ humane initiative undertaken by Indian Army – in J&K - to address aspirations of people affected
by -terrorism (sponsored + abetted - by Pakistan).
▪ It’s only ‘Winning of Hearts and Minds” initiative - in world - wherein, an Army engaged in
Counter Terrorism operations is also - actively assisting civil administration - to bring back
normalcy.
▪ Focus Areas:

3. Chaff Technology
▪ News: DRDO dev - an advanced chaff technology - to safeguard fighter aircraft of IAF- from
enemy radar threats.
 About
▪ Chaff is an electronic counter-measure tech - used by militaries worldwide to protect naval ships,
aircraft or other sensitive targets - from radar + radio frequency guiding mechanisms - of enemy
missile.
▪ The chaff deployed in the air - reflect as multiple targets - for - missile guidance systems 🡪
misleading enemy radars / deflecting adversary missiles.

4. Krivak / Talwar class - stealth frigates

▪ India & Russia signed an Inter-Gov Agreement (IGA) for 4 Krivak or Talwar class stealth frigates — 2
procured directly f Russia & 2 to be built by Goa Shipyard Ltd. (GSL) — after which a $1 billion deal
was signed for the direct purchase.

▪ Frigates – are naval vessels - intermediate bw - corvettes and destroyers.

▪ Shivalik class - largest of the frigate classes presently in service.
▪ Project 17A-class frigate - follow-on of - Project 17 Shivalik-class frigate for Indian Navy.
5.
 Emerging Tech

July 2021
1. LiDAR - light detection and ranging
▪ a popular remote sensing method used for measuring - exact distance of an object f -earth's
surface.
▪ Uses a pulsed laser - to calculate.
▪ These light pulses — put together w info collected by - airborne system — generate accurate 3D
info - of earth surface + target object.
Applications
▪ In agriculture sector --- analysis of yield rates, crop scouting and seed dispersions.
▪ Used for campaign planning, mapping u/ forest canopy, and more.
▪ Terrain elevations - imp in construction of roads, large buildings, bridges.
● This tech can produce - 3D representation of elevations to ensure - can draw necessary
conclusions more easily.
▪ Locating Object at an exact depth of ocean's surface.
▪ Also used for calculating phytoplankton fluorescence + biomass in ocean surface.
 Energy
 
July 2021
1. Renewables Integration in India 2021 - REPORT
▪ jointly launched by NITI Aayog + IEA.
▪ report is based on outcome of workshops held in 3 states along w Govts of KA, MH & GJ -- to
understand energy transition challenges -- which is faced by these renewable-rich states.
▪ India’s power system can efficiently integrate renewables (175 GW by - 2022 and 450 GW by -
2030) as per report.

THINK!
▪ Market Based Economic Dispatch

August 2021
1. Dye-sensitized solar cell
▪ News: Research team at Central University of Jharkhand has used - dye extract of kamala fruit - to
create a low-cost + non-toxic sensitizer - for dye-sensitised solar cells.
About
▪ A thin film solar cell.
▪ It is based on a semiconductor - formed bw a photo-sensitized anode and an electrolyte, a
photo-electro-chemical system.
▪ For the past few years, natural extracts from produce such as jamun, pomegranate, spinach,
beetroot, hibiscus, green algae and black carrot have been utilised as solar cell dye and found
favour for both scalable and sustainable benefits.
▪ Kamala -AKA senduri / rohini / rori -- among JH tribal communities 🡪 red kamala tree is a
semi-evergreen woody spurge plant that bears fruit only in spring.
▪ can be easily extracted f an inedible source - using a very low-cost technique 🡪 best alternative to
- toxic + expensive synthetic dye used for solar cells.
 Health + Medicine
 
July 2021
1. Zika Virus
▪ viral infection - by mosquitoes. Vector is - Aedes - type mosquito (also spreads dengue +
chikungunya).
▪ Can transmit sexually.
▪ 1st case - Uganda in 1947 in monkeys.
▪ Zika can be associated with microcephaly (small + underdeveloped brains - babies born).
--mother to child.
▪ Reported a steep ↑ in Guillain-Barré syndrome — a neurological disorder -- lead to paralysis +
death.
▪ Most people infected- do not develop symptoms. When manifested, symptoms are similar to
those of flu (fever, body ache, headache etc)
▪ Zika has no treatment /vaccine.

 
6. Monkey B Virus
▪ initially isolated in 1932, is an alpha-herpes virus -- enzootic in macaques -- found in their saliva,
feces, urine, or brain /spinal cord tissue.
▪ B virus - only monkey herpesvirus -- that displays severe pathogenicity in humans.
▪ Transmission - via direct contact + exchange of bodily secretions -- of monkeys
▪ Fatality rate - 70 - 80 %.
▪ B virus can -- survive for hours on surfaces, particularly when moist.
▪ Humans can get infected - if bitten / scratched by an infected monkey; get an infected monkey’s
tissue or fluid on broken skin or in eyes, nose, or mouth; scratch or cut oneself on a contaminated
cage or other sharp-edged surface or get exposed to the brain (especially), spinal cord, or skull of
an infected monkey.
▪ Currently - no vaccine.
▪ Till date, only one case -- of person - to - person transfer.
 
7. H5N1
 ▪ Bird flu / avian influenza - caused by avian influenza Type A viruses found naturally in wild birds.
▪ can infect domestic poultry (chickens, ducks, turkeys) & Also - among pigs, cats, tigers in Thailand
zoos.
▪ These viruses - classified on 2 proteins basis – Hemagglutinin (HA) and Neuraminidase (NA).
▪ 18 HA subtypes & 11 NA subtypes. combinations of these 2 proteins are possible e.g., H5N1,
H7N2, H9N6, H17N10, etc.
▪ 1st human H5N1 infection - in 1997 & currently, 700 human cases of Highly Pathogenic Asian
Avian Influenza A (HPAI) H5N1 virus have been reported to WHO - from 16 countries. -- deadly -
mortality rate - 60%.
▪ Virus transmission
● Direct contact w infected birds (dead /alive).
● Human contact w - contaminated surfaces /air -- near infected poultry.
● Don't spread through properly cooked meat.
 
8. Norovirus
▪ a group of highly contagious viruses - cause vomiting + diarrhoea.
▪ AKA winter vomiting bug.
▪ Infected People - can shed billions of virus particles, but only a few can make people sick.
▪ Spread - contaminated food /water / touch. coming in direct contact w infected.
 
August 2021
1. Tomato leaf curl New Delhi virus (ToLCNDV) – Plant Disease
▪ It is a bipartite, whitefly-transmitted, begomovirus which – 1st described on tomatoes in India in
1995.
▪ Caused by ToLCNDV on its different host plants - generally include yellow mosaic, leaf curling,
vein swelling, and plant stunting.
▪ ToLCNDV has a wide host range - such as tomato, aubergine, capsicum, potato and cucurbits.
▪ On cucurbit fruits -- skin roughness + longitudinal cracking - observed.
▪ On fruiting crops – young plants 🡪 stunted & fruit production - affected.
▪ Cause severe symptoms and economic losses --- esp in solanaceous crops (e.g. tomato,
aubergine, chili pepper).
▪ ToLCNDV is transmitted by Bemisia tabaci in a persistent mode. It is not known - if it can be
transmitted by contact / by seeds.

 
 
 IT + Communication + Computers
 

July 2021
1.  Pegasus
▪ Spyware - can be installed on - iOS+ Android devices.
▪ Dev by Israeli cyber-arms firm NSO Group.
▪ Click link --> enables a jailbreak on device --> read text + track calls + collect passwords + trace
phone location + gather info f apps f Gmail, WhatsApp, Telegram etc.
 
9. Ransomware

Bad Rabbit, Wannacry - encrypt individual EternalBlue → dev by NSA, leaked by

files Shadow Brokers hacker group in 2017, ---
NotPetya,
used as part of WannaCry ransomware
Petya - does not
WannaCry, attack.
Locky

 
10. Hardware Wallet
▪ A cryptocurrency wallet - stores user’s private keys - used to authorise transactions on blockchain
network - in a secure hardware device.
▪ provide full isolation - bw private keys & easy-to-hack devices.
▪ Each digital asset is linked to a cryptographic password called a ‘private key’ -- to allow user
access + protect f theft & unauthorised access.
▪ Cryptocurrency keys - stored 2 kinds of wallets – software & hardware.
▪ Hardware wallets - stored in a protected microcontroller.
▪ isolation f Internet -- mitigates risk of - assets being compromised.
▪ It does not rely on - 3rd-party app.
 
11. Directive on Copyright - in Digital Single Market
▪ EU directive - came into force in 2019.
▪ to ensure “a well-functioning marketplace for copyright”.
▪ It extends existing EU copyright law and is a component of the EU’s Digital Single Market project.
 
12. Doppler Radar
▪ Radars uses radio waves.
It is emitted --> strikes an object --> energy scatters --> some reflecting back to radar --> object
detected.
▪ larger the target object --- easier to detect.
▪ Helps forecast weather -- by “seeing” raindrops in Atm + measure their distance f radar --> time
calculated.
▪ Doppler radar - tells both position of targets + their movement.
 ● by tracking ‘phase’ of transmitted radio wave pulses; phase - shape, position, and form of
pulses.
▪ Doppler radars w — S-band, C-band and X-band — used by IMD (India) - to track weather
movements + cloud bands, rainfall -- over its coverage area - 500 km.
▪ X-band radar - detect thunderstorms + lightning. C-band - cyclone.
 
13. Spear Phishing
▪ an email / electronic communications scam - towards a specific TARGET - individual / org /
business.
▪ intended to steal data for malicious purposes + to install malware on a user’s computer.
▪ Easily confused with phishing - as both are online attacks - that aim to acquire confidential info.
● Phishing is a broader term for any attempt to trick victims into sharing sensitive info - for
malicious reasons.
● But, Phishing attacks are not personalized to their victims -- usually sent to masses of
people.
 

August 2021
1. Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In)
▪ an office within MeitY.
▪ nodal agency - to deal w -- cyber security threats -- hacking /phishing. It strengthens
security-related defence of - Indian Internet domain.
▪ Formed in 2004 by GOI - u/ IT Act, 2000 -- Sec 70 B --- u/ M o Communications and IT.
Functions
▪ Collection + analysis + dissemination of - INFO on cyber incidents.
▪ Forecast + alerts - cyber security incidents
▪ Emergency measures for handling cyber security incidents
▪ Coordination of cyber incident response activities.
▪ Issue guidelines, advisories, vulnerability notes and whitepapers - wrt info security practices,
procedures, prevention, response and reporting of cyber incidents.

5. Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) project

▪ Initiative of 🡪 Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) 🡪 aimed at curbing
“digital monopolies”.
About
▪ For making e-commerce processes open source --- for all online retailers.
▪ On its implementation → all e-commerce co. will have to operate using -- same processes. This
could give a huge booster shot to smaller online retailers + new entrants.
▪ Aim - promoting open networks developed on open-sourced methodology, using open
specifications and open network protocols, independent on any specific platform. ONDC is
expected to digitise - entire value chain, standardise operations, promote inclusion of suppliers,
derive efficiency in logistics and enhance value for consumers”.
▪ Initiative - spearheaded by - Commerce & industry ministry.
▪ As UPI is to - digital payment domain, ONDC - to e-commerce in India.
 ▪ ONDC will empower - merchants + consumers - by breaking silos to form a single network - to
drive innovation and scale.
▪ In addition to ONDC (to manage Open Network) – Govt may consider establishing an Independent
Regulatory Authority for e Commerce.

14. The Personal Information Protection Law (PIPL)

▪ China passed - a major data protection law - setting out tougher rules on - how co. collect +
handle their users’ info.
▪ PIPL lays out - for the first time a comprehensive set of rules around data collection, processing
and protection, that were previously governed by piecemeal legislation.

15. The Personal Data Protection Bill, 2019

▪ India’s first attempt to domestically legislate on the issue of data protection.
▪ Bill derives its inspiration f a previous draft version prepared by Justice B N Srikrishna committee
PDP Bill
▪ B N Srikrishna committee draft - required all fiduciaries to store a copy of all - personal data in
India, which was criticised by foreign tech co.
▪ The Bill, however, trifurcates - data into 3 categories & mandates - storage within India’s
boundaries - depending upon - type of data.
Personal of identity of an individual i.e.
data name, address etc.
Stored only in India.
like as financial, health, sexual can be processed
Sensitive
orientation, biometric, abroad only u/
persona
genetic, transgender certain conditions
l data
status, caste, religious incl. approval of a
(SPD)
belief etc. Data Protection
Agency (DPA).
Anything that - Govt at any
Critical
time can deem critical. E.g.
persona stored + processed in India.
military /national security
l data
data
▪ Bill removes - requirement of data mirroring (in case of personal data). Only individual consent -
for data transfer abroad - is required.
✔ Data mirroring: act of copying data – f one location - to a storage device in real time.
▪ Bill mandates fiduciaries to provide Govt- any non-personal data when demanded.
✔ Non-personal data - anonymised data – e.g. traffic patterns /demographic data.
▪ Bill also requires social media co - to develop their own user verification mechanism.
✔ to ↓ anonymity of users & prevent trolling.
Other key provisions
▪ Bill includes exemptions for processing data - without an individual’s consent for “reasonable
purposes” 🡪 security, unlawful activity / fraud, whistleblowing, medical emergencies, credit
scoring etc.
▪ Envisages creation of - independent regulator - Data Protection Authority – for assessments +
audits + definition making.
 ▪ Each company will have a Data Protection Officer (DPO) - liaison w DPA.
▪ It also grants individuals - right to data portability + ability to access + transfer one’s own data.
▪ Finally, it legislates on the right to be forgotten – w historical roots in EU law - General Data
Protection Regulation (GDPR) - allows an individual to remove consent - for data collection +
disclosure.
Disadvantages
▪ Many contend - physical location of data is not relevant in cyber world. Even if the data is stored in
the country, encryption keys - may still be out of reach of national agencies.
▪ National security / reasonable purposes - are an open-ended 🡪 intrusion of state.

16. QSim
▪ News – MeitY - launched - country’s 1st ‘Quantum Computer Simulator (QSim) Toolkit’.
▪ indigenously developed 🡪 vital tool in learning + understanding -- practical aspects of
programming using Quantum Computers.
▪ Dev jointly by scientists of IIT Roorkee, IISc Bangalore, and C-DAC. 🡪 supported & funded by
MeitY.
▪ QSim allows - to write + debug - Quantum Code - essential for dev Quantum Algorithms.
QSim – Feature
▪ Intuitive UI.
▪ simulate Quantum circuits - with /without noise and test how well various algorithms work with
imperfect quantum components. This is essential to simulate real-life conditions.
▪ Pre-loaded Quantum algorithms + Examples - E.g. QFT, Deutsch Jozsa, Grovers and so on.
▪ Integrated with HPC resources - allowing multiple users - to submit jobs simultaneously.
QSim – Offering Models
▪ PARAM SHAVAK QSim – Standalone system with Quantum Simulator in a box
▪ PARAM QSim Cloud – Available on cloud using HPC infrastructure -PARAM SIDDHI AI (dev +
deployed u/ NSM program)
 Nuclear Sector
August 2021

1. Nuclear Fusion
▪ News: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California - experiment – on nuclear fusion.
▪ Nuclear fusion (NF)🡪 combining of several small nuclei - into one large nucleus + release of huge
amounts of energy.
▪ NF powers our sun
▪ NF Advantages - unlimited - renewable energy, inherent safety, no long-lived radioactive wastes +
no CO2 emissions.
Ignition Experiment
▪ Lasers - to heat - fuel pellets (containing deuterium + tritium) 🡪 they fuse + produced more energy.
▪ Laser apply T+P - at similar conditions – to centre of Sun 🡪 trigger - fusion reactions 🡪 release
positively charged particles (alpha particles), which - heat surrounding plasma. (At high Temp -
electrons leave atom’s nuclei & become a plasma / ionised state of matter. Plasma – 4th state of
matter)
▪ Heated plasma – release more alpha particles + a self-sustaining reaction called ignition.

Recent Advancement

July 2021
1. Indian Science Technology and Engineering facilities Map (I-STEM)
▪ an initiative of Office of - Principal Scientific Adviser to GOI (PSA, GOI) u/ aegis of PM Science,
Technology and Innovation Advisory Council (PM-STIAC) mission.
▪ Given extension for 5 years, until 2026 & enters its 2nd phase w added features.
▪ Goal of I-STEM - to strengthen R&D ecosystem - by connecting researchers with resources, in part
by promoting technologies + scientific equipment dev indigenously, and providing necessary
supplies and supports to researchers by enabling them an access to existing publicly funded R&D
facilities - through I-STEM web portal.
▪ It will also host and provide access to selected R&D software required to undertake research - by
students + scientists.
▪ I-STEM portal - designed as a dynamic digital platform - boost to research & innovation
especially for 2 tier + 3 tier cities & for emerging start-up ecosystem.
 

S&T in everyday life

 Space

July 2021
1. New source of gravitational waves
▪ G waves – produced by
▪ When star explodes asymmetrically (i.e. a supernova)
▪ Collision of - neutron star + black hole
▪ Merging of - 2 neutron Stars
▪ when 2 big stars orbit each other.
▪ when 2 black holes orbit each other + merge.
▪ Help understand --- cosmos -- star formation -- expansion rate.
▪ G- waves - creates ripples in the fabric of space-time -- can be detected on Earth.
▪ G Waves - predicted by Einstein’s theory of general relativity in 1915.
 
17. LIGO Scientific Collaboration (LSC)
▪ LSC - a group of scientists focused on - direct detection of G-waves.
▪ Project operates 3 G-wave (GW) detectors - in USA.
▪ The proposed LIGO India project - aims to move 1 LIGO detector f Hanford, USA to India.
 
18. VIRGO
▪ a giant laser interferometer -- to detect G-waves.
▪ designed and built by -- French (CNRS) + Italian (INFN).
 
19. LISA Pathfinder
▪ A European Space Agency space mission -- successfully tested - technology necessary for -- LISA
space mission.
▪ Intended for - detecting G-waves.
▪ Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) scheduled to launch in 2034 - 3 spacecraft - placed at
corners of an equilateral triangle with sides of approximately 5 million km.
 
20. Discrete Auroras
▪ News: UAE Hope Mars Mission - snapped - pictures of ‘discrete nightside auroras’ of Mars.
About
▪ UV emissions arise when solar wind runs into magnetic fields. Charged particles then collide with
oxygen in the upper atmosphere, causing it to glow.
▪ Unlike auroras on Earth (seen only near N + S poles), discrete auroras on Mars are seen all around
the planet at night time.
▪ Unlike Earth, Martian magnetic field has largely died out. This is because the molten iron at core–
has cooled.
▪ Magnetism on Mars - unevenly distributed.
 Auroras on Earth
▪ Aurora is seen f Earth’s high latitude regions (called auroral oval), and is active all year round.
▪ In N Pole- polar lights are called aurora borealis /Northern Lights.
▪ In S Pole -- Australis /southern lights - visible f - New Zealand + Australia Also.
 
21. Mars Missions
▪ Currently 11 spacecraft from 5 space agencies — USA, EU, India, China, & UAE:
▪ NASA - lander - Mars InSight; 2 rover – Curiosity + Perseverance; & 3 orbiters - Mars
Reconnaissance Orbiter, Mars Odyssey, MAVEN.
▪ India - orbiter – Mangalyaan-1
▪ EU - 2 orbiters – Mars Express + ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter
▪ China - orbiter – Tianwen-1
▪ UAE - orbiter – Hope -
● 5th country to do so.
● by UAE's space A. - Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC).
▪ What's the fascination w Mars -- 2 reasons:
▪ On Mars, life may have evolved in past. Conditions on early Mars (4 BYA) - very similar to
Earth's. Mars was once warm enough to allow water to flow through it. It had a thick
atmosphere, which enabled - stability of water. This means life could have existed there too.
▪ Despite being starkly diff, Mars has several Earth-like features– e.g. clouds, polar ice caps,
volcanoes, & seasonal weather patterns.
▪ Mars - only planet that humans can visit /inhabit in long term. Temp - 20 ˚C at Equator &
-125 ˚C at poles.
● Venus & Mercury - extreme temp
● All outer planets - made of gas + very cold.
▪ Features of Mars
● 4th planet f Sun
● 1 rotation - 23.9 Hr
● axis of rotation is tilted 25˚--> distinct seasons
● Red - due to oxidation of iron
● has largest volcano
● atmosphere - CO2, nitrogen + argon gases.
● no magnetic field
● 2 small moons - Phobos + Deimos
22. Enceladus
▪ 6th -largest moon of Saturn.
▪ Detected substantial amounts of methane - possible sign of microbial life.
Saturn’s Moons
  
23. Suborbital Flight
▪ Suborbital means - these vehicles will cross - ill-defined boundary of space - but not be going fast
enough to stay in space.
▪ When an object travels at - horizontal speed - 28,000 km/hr or more --- it goes into orbit - once
it is above atmosphere. e.g. Satellites need it.
▪ The horizontal speed is fast enough to offset gravity ---> satellite moves along a circular path.
▪ Any object travelling at < 28,000 km/hr - eventually return to Earth --> flies a suborbital trajectory.

 
  
24. Chondrites
▪ Most abundant meteorites - constituting > 85 % of meteorite falls.
▪ Origin - Asteroid belt.
▪ Diff f iron meteorites -- due to their LOW Iron + Nickel content.
▪ Other non- metallic meteorites -- achondrites (lack chondrules) - formed more recently.
 
25. Moon Wobble
▪ News: US coastlines will face increasing flooding in - mid-2030s due to a regular lunar cycle that
will magnify rising sea levels caused by climate change
About
▪ A regular “wobble” in - moon’s orbit – 1st identified in 18th C– that takes 18.6 years to complete.
▪ Moon wobble - impacts G-pull of moon---> indirectly influences - ebb + flow of tides on Earth.
each wobble cycle -- can amplify /suppress tides.
▪ Upcoming changes in lunar cycle will pose a serious threat, as amplified high tides + rising sea
levels = risk of flooding ↑.
Do You Know?
▪ Tides - higher during Full + New Moons --> Earth, Moon, & Sun - in a straight-line.
▪ Spring Tides & Neap Tides

 
26. NEA Scout – NASA
▪ Near-Earth Asteroid Scout - a small spacecraft - size of a big shoebox.
▪ Goal - fly by + collect data - f a NEA.
 ▪ Will provide info -- on asteroid’s physical properties - orbit, shape, volume, rotation, dust &
debris field surrounding it, plus its surface properties.
▪ America’s first interplanetary mission - using a special solar sail propulsion.
▪ Programme - Artemis I.
● Un-crewed test flight of - Orion spacecraft + SLS rocket.
▪ u/ Artemis programme, NASA - to land 1st woman on Moon - in 2024 + establish sustainable
lunar exploration programs by 2030.
● Artemis I, formerly Exploration Mission-1, -- 1st in a series of -- complex missions --
enable human exploration to - Moon + Mars.
 
27. Circumplanetary disc
▪ Scientists - 1st time - spotted -- a moon-forming region around a planet beyond our solar system
– a Jupiter-like world --- surrounded by a disc of gas + dust -- massive enough to form 3 moons
-- size of Earth's moon.
About
▪ A circumplanetary disk /disc - is a torus, pancake or ring-shaped accumulation of matter -
composed of gas, dust, planetesimals, asteroids or collision fragments --- in orbit around a planet.
▪ They may form moons.
▪ For planet formation --- “core accretion.” - most imp step
● Small dust grains, coated in ice, gradually grow to larger and larger sizes through successive
collisions w other grains.
● continues until - grow to size of a planetary core, at which point - gravitational pull --
accrete gas --> form its atmosphere.
 
28. James Webb Space Telescope (JWST)
▪ NASA - to launch - large infrared JWST w approx. 6.5 meter primary mirror - as “premier
observatory” this year.
▪ Successor of - Hubble Space Telescope.
▪ JWST will study various phases in history of universe, f formation of solar systems to evolution of
our Solar System.
▪ Longer wavelengths - enable Webb to look much closer - to beginning of time + to look inside
dust clouds - where stars & planetary systems are forming today.
▪ JWST - dev by NASA + ESA + Canadian Space Agency.
 
29. Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS)
▪ NASA mission - look for Exo-planets orbiting - brightest stars in Earth’s sky. It was led by MIT - w
seed funding f - Google
● will monitor at least 200,000 stars for exoplanets.
▪ help astronomers better understand - structure of solar systems outside of our Earth, & provide
insights into how our own solar system formed.
▪ will occupy orbit high above Earth. The elliptical orbit - P/2 (half of moon’s orbital period)
● Means - TESS will orbit Earth - every 13.7 days.
▪ Use TRANSIT method - to detect exoplanets. => watches distant stars - for small dips in
brightness, which indicate -- planet has passed in front of them.
  

August 2021
1. Crew Space Transportation-100 (CST-100)
▪ A Spacecraft -- part of an uncrewed test flight to Int Space Station (ISS). -- part of NASA’s
Commercial Crew Program.
▪ Objective of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program --- to make access to space easier in terms of its
cost - cargo + crew - easily transported to & from ISS, enabling greater scientific research.
▪ Through this program, NASA + commercial partners - Boeing and SpaceX.
 
30. GSLV-F10 / EOS-03
▪ EOS-03 - an Earth Observation Satellite - will be placed in - Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit - by
GSLV-F10.
▪ Subsequently - satellite will reach - final geostationary orbit - using its onboard propulsion system.
▪ A 4 metre diameter Ogive shaped payload fairing is being flown for the first time in this GSLV flight.
This is - 14 flight of GSLV.
▪ EOS-03 - capable of imaging - whole country - 4-5 times daily.
▪ EOS-03 - enable near real-time monitoring of -- natural disasters (floods + cyclones etc) + of
water bodies, crops, vegetation condition, forest cover changes.
 
▪ Applications of Earth Observation Satellite
 
31. Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN)
▪ It’s a compact region at center of a galaxy that has a much-higher-than-normal luminosity over at
least some portion of - electromagnetic spectrum --- with characteristics indicating that
luminosity is not produced by stars.
▪ Such excess non-stellar emission - observed in 🡪 radio, microwave, infrared, optical, ultra-violet,
X-ray and gamma ray wavebands.
▪ A galaxy hosting an AGN 🡪 called “active galaxy”.
▪ Reason for this non-stellar radiation 🡪 result from - accretion of matter - by a supermassive black
hole at the center of its host galaxy.
▪ It can be used – for discovering distant objects; their evolution as a function of cosmic time also
puts constraints on models of the cosmos.
32. Black Holes Merger