Astronaut Captures Image Of Mysterious "Red Sprite" High Above The Earth

Red sprite

• A red sprite represents an extraordinary meteorological phenomenon categorized as a Transient Luminous Event (TLE).
• Sprite is also an acronym for Stratospheric/mesospheric Perturbations resulting from Intense Thunderstorm Electrification.
• Occasionally dubbed red lightning, it occurs above thunderclouds at **altitudes between 40 and 80 kilometres (**25 - 50 miles) above the Earth''s surface.
• Lightning flashes normally go downward from the clouds to the ground.
• However, a sprite goes in the other direction, going into the atmosphere, a bit like backwards lightning.
• It happens incredibly quickly - in about a millisecond - which can make it tricky for scientists to capture and observe them.
• Also, as the red sprites form above thunder clouds, they are not easily studied from Earth and are mostly seen from space.

Other Transient Luminous Event

• Blue jets: These are quite faint and blue in colour and so this can make them tricky to spot. It is similar to red sprite.
• Elves: These are a type of TLE which form expanding ring shaped glows. They take place around 100 km (about 62 miles) above the ground over thunderstorms and happen so quickly they can''t be seen with the naked eye.

Indian Armed Forces contingent comprising 45 personnel reached Hanoi, Vietnam to take part in the Joint Military Exercise VINBAX-2023.

Exercise VINBAX-2023

• It was instituted in 2018 and the first edition was conducted at Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh.
• It is an annual training event conducted alternatively in India and Vietnam.
• Last edition was conducted at Chandimandir Military Station in August 2022.
• This year’s exercise will be conducted at Hanoi, Vietnam.
• The Indian contingent comprises 39 personnel from an Engineer Regiment of Bengal Engineer Group and six personnel of Army Medical Corps are participating.
• Aim of the exercise is to foster collaborative partnership, promote inter- operability and share best practices between the two sides under Chapter VII of United Nations Charter on Peacekeeping Operations.
• The exercise will be conducted as a Command Post Exercise cum Field Training Exercise with focus on deployment and employment of an Engineer Company and a Medical Team.
• Both sides will conduct technical military operations in accordance with scenarios akin to worldwide deployment of United Nations’ contingents

What stones inside fish ears are telling us about climate change

Otolith rings

• The otolith is a stony lump in the fish ear.
• These are much like tree rings which reveal fish''s age.
• Different forms or isotopes of oxygen in the otolith indicate the temperature the fish experienced when it was alive. Carbon isotopes reveal how quickly food was converted into energy.
• Fish carry their fitness trackers in their ears. They are commonly known as "earstones," are hard, calcium carbonate structures located directly behind the brain of bony fishes.
• There are three types of otoliths, all of which aid fish in balance and hearing:
  • Sagitta: The largest of the 3 pairs of otoliths, sagitta is involved in the detection of sound and the process of hearing, or converting sound waves into electrical signals.
  • Asteriscus: This type of otolith is involved in the detection of sound and the process of hearing.
  • Lapillus: This type of otolith is involved in the detection of gravitational force and sound.
• Different species have otoliths of different shapes and sizes; and cartilaginous fishes, such as sharks, skates, and rays, have none.
• Significance:
  • Features of otoliths can be used to identify the species, size, age, growth rate, and season of death of an individual fish.
  • Analysis of the oxygen isotope values of fish otoliths can provide information on the temperature of the water in which the fish lived.
  • While studying concentrations of trace elements such as barium can indicate the salinity levels of the water.

Earliest ''true'' saddle in east Asia discovered

Archaeologists have used radiocarbon dating to analyze the oldest true wooden frame saddle in East Asia, revealing how the rise of Mongolian steppe cultures was likely aided by advances in equestrian technology.

Radiocarbon Dating:

• Radiocarbon dating, or carbon-14 dating, is a scientific method that can accurately determine the age of organic materials as old as approximately 60,000 years.
• First developed in the late 1940s at the University of Chicago by Willard Libby, the technique is based on the decay of the carbon-14 isotope (Carbon-14 is a radioactive isotope of carbon).
• It has been used for historical studies and atmospheric science.
• It can be used on any object that used to be alive. That includes pieces of animals, people, and plants, but also paper that was made from reeds, leather made from animal hides, logs that were used to build houses, and so forth.
• How does it work?
  • Carbon 14 is continually being formed in the upper atmosphere by the effect of cosmic ray neutrons on nitrogen 14 atoms. It is rapidly oxidized in air to form carbon dioxide and enters the global carbon cycle.
  • Plants and animals assimilate carbon 14from carbon dioxide throughout their lifetimes into their tissues.
  • When they die, the carbon-14 starts to change into other atoms over time.
  • Scientists can estimate how long the organism has been dead by counting the remaining carbon-14 atoms.
  • Carbon-14 has a half-life of about 5,730 years. That means half the atoms in a sample will change into other atoms, a process known as “decay,” in that amount of time.

A first-of-its-kind Eastern Ghats Nature Interpretation Centre in Visakhapatnam

Kambalakonda Wildlife Sanctuary

• It is located in the state of Andhra Pradesh.
• It is named after the local hillock "Kambalakonda" acting as a green lung for citizens of Vizianagaram, is this large and sprawling sanctuary.
• Topography: It is considerably hilly with steep slopes.
• Vegetation: It hosts dry evergreen forests, a highly-threatened and unique forest type seen only in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh in India.
• Flora:
  • It has wonderful plants like Tectona grandis, Randia dumetorum, Grewaia tiliaefolia, Abrus precatorius, etc.
  • One of the most stunning flowers found in the region includes the Indian screw tree. Other flowers and fruits like flowers of the Bush plum tree, Jungle berry bunches can be found all across the landscape.
• Fauna: Mammals like Leopard, Barking Deer, Jackal and Avifauna include Paradise flycatcher, Tree pie, Quails, Partridges, etc.

How do web browsers work?

Web browsers

• The browser is an application that people use to send and receive messages via the internet.
• It is a program that runs on your device, with its purpose being to fetch information in different formats from the internet and show it on the device.
• It also does the reverse, receiving your input (say, a click), translating it to code, and transmitting it to some other machine across the internet.
• In 1990, the English computer scientist Tim Berners-Lee introduced the concept of the World Wide Web also named ‘WorldWideWeb’.
• Modern web browsers have multiple core components
  • Request and response– When we enter a website’s address (in the form of the Uniform Resource Locator, or URL) into your browser’s address bar. The browser sends a request to a server, asking for the contents of the specific web page you’re interested in.
  • This request travels through a network of servers, upon reaching the server, the request is received and processed. The server then formulates a response containing the information (or data) required to construct the web page.
  • Deconstructing the response– The response from the server is not a singular entity. Instead, it is an amalgam of various files. Typically, these files have information encoded in three languages: HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
  • Hypertext Markup Language (HTML): It provides the architectural blueprint of a webpage.
  • Cascading Style Sheets (CSS): This information imparts style and aesthetics to the HTML structure by controlling attributes like colour schemes, fonts, spacing, and positioning. CSS ensures that the webpage comes into its unique visual identity.
  • JavaScript: It is the dynamic engine, making web pages interactive and responsive. It allows interactive elements like pop-ups, forms, animations, and real-time updates, creating an engaging user experience.
  • Rendering–This involves deciphering the HTML to understand the structural arrangement, applying CSS for stylistic finesse, and executing JavaScript to infuse interactivity.
  • Managing data– Browsers serve as adept custodians of your digital footprint, so they also implement instruments like cookies and cache to enhance your online experience.
  • Cookies are small snippets of data stored on your computer by websites you visit.

Visakhapatnam zoo gets new species from Warangal zoo as part of animal exchange programme

Indian Mouse Deer

• The Indian Mouse Deer or Spotted Chevrotain is the smallest deer in India and is highly nocturnal.
• Scientific Name: Moschiola indica
• Distribution:
  • It is endemic to the Indian Subcontinent.
  • It is mainly found in peninsular India, with some old records from Nepal.
  • Sri Lanka has a separate species called the spotted chevrotain (Moschiola meminna).
  • Within India, it is commonly encountered in a number of forest areas along the Western Ghats, in the Eastern Ghats up to Orissa, and in the forests of central India.
• Features:
  • It is small, 25-30 cm at shoulder height, and weighs from two to four kg.
  • The fur colour of the Indian spotted chevrotain is dark brown with white underparts.
  • There are four or five light rows of white spots on the back. Males of this species have tusk-like upper canines.
  • A unique feature of this group is that instead of a four-chambered stomach like in other ruminants, they have a three-chambered stomach.
  • It forages on the forest floor for fruits, roots, leaves, and herbs.
  • It has occasionally been observed eating insects, crustaceans, and even small mammals.
• Conservation Status:
  • IUCN: Least Concern

Chousingha:

• The four-horned antelope, or chousingha, is a small antelope found in India and Nepal.
• Scientific Name: Tetracerus quadricornis
• Distribution:
  • It is endemic to the Indian subcontinent.
  • They are found in woodland areas throughout India.
• Features:
  • They are the smallest antelopes found in Asia.
  • As the name suggests, Chousingha can be identified by the four horns, as against other bovids, which have two horns.
  • They are usually diurnal and solitary by nature; however, they can be spotted in loose groups of three to four.
  • Animals are sedentary, inhabiting more-or-less the same region throughout their lives.
  • They have a yellowish-brown to reddish coat and are slender, with small legs and a short tail.
• Conservation Status:
  • IUCN Red List: Vulnerable

Declaration of State emergency under Article 356 and subsequent actions of President should have reasonable nexus: SC

Article 356

• Article 356 of the Constitution of India is based on Section 93 of the Government of India Act, 1935.
• According to Article 356, President''s Rule can be imposed on any state of India on the grounds of the failure of the constitutional machinery.
• This is of two types:
  • If the President receives a report from the state''s Governor or is otherwise convinced or satisfied that the state''s situation is such that the state government cannot carry on the governance according to the provisions of the Constitution.
  • Article 365: As per this Article, President''s Rule can be imposed if any state fails to comply with all directions given by the Union on matters it is empowered to.
• In simple words, the President''s Rule is when the state government is suspended and the central government directly administers the state through the office of the Governor (centrally appointed).
• Parliamentary approval is necessary for the imposition of the President''s Rule in any state.
  • The proclamation of President''s Rule should be approved in both Houses of Parliament within two months of its issue. The approval is by a simple majority.
• The President''s Rule is initially for a period of six months. Later, it can be extended for a period of three years with parliamentary approval, every six months.
• The 44th Amendment to the Constitution (1978) brought in some constraints on the imposition of the President''s Rule beyond a period of one year. It says that President''s Rule cannot be extended beyond one year unless:
  • There is a national emergency in India.
  • The Election Commission of India certifies that it is necessary to continue the President''s Rule in the state because of difficulties in conducting assembly elections in the state.
• What happens after the President''s Rule is imposed?
  • The governor carries on with the administration of the state on behalf of the President. He or she takes the help of the state''s Chief Secretary and other advisors/administrators whom he or she can appoint.
  • The President has the power to declare that the state legislature''s powers would be exercised by the Parliament.
  • The state legislative assembly would be either suspended or dissolved by the President.
  • When the Parliament is not in session, the President can promulgate ordinances with respect to the state''s administration.
• Revocation of the President''s Rule:
  • President''s Rule can be revoked any time after such a proclamation has been made by a subsequent proclamation by the President.
  • A proclamation of revocation does not require approval by Parliament.

SEBI proposes slashing NCD face value from Rs one lakh to Rs 10,000

Preference Shares

• Preference shares, more commonly referred to as preferred stock, are shares of a company’s stock with dividends that are paid out to shareholders before common stock dividends are issued.
• If the company enters bankruptcy, preferred stockholders are entitled to be paid from company assets before common stockholders.
• Non-Convertible v/s Convertible Preference Shares:
  • Preference shares that can be easily converted into equity shares are known as convertible preference shares.
  • Non-Convertible preference shares are those shares that cannot be converted into equity shares.
• Redeemable v/s Non-Redeemable Preference Shares:
  • Redeemable preference shares are those shares that can be repurchased or redeemed by the issuing company at a fixed rate and date. These types of shares help the company by providing a cushion during times of inflation.
  • Non-redeemable preference shares are those shares that cannot be redeemed or repurchased by the issuing company at a fixed date. Non-redeemable preference shares help companies by acting as a lifesaver during times of inflation.
• Other Types:
  • Cumulative preference shares: Some preference shares also receive arrears of dividends, which are called cumulative preference shares.
  • Participating preference shares: These help shareholders demand a part in the company’s surplus profit at the time of the company’s liquidation after the dividends have been paid to other shareholders. However, these shareholders receive fixed dividends and get part of the surplus profit of the company along with equity shareholders.
  • Non-Participating preference shares: These do not benefit the shareholders the additional option of earning dividends from the surplus profits earned by the company, but they receive fixed dividends offered by the company.
  • Adjustable Preference Shares: In the case of adjustable preference shares, the dividend rate is not fixed and is influenced by current market rates.

Debentures

• A debenture is a type of bond or other debt instrument that is unsecured by collateral.
• Since debentures have no collateral backing, they must rely on the creditworthiness and reputation of the issuer for support.
• Both corporations and governments frequently issue debentures to raise capital or funds.
• Similar to most bonds, debentures may pay periodic interest payments called coupon payments.
• Convertible vs. Nonconvertible:
  • Convertible debentures are bonds that can be converted into equity shares of the issuing corporation after a specific period.
  • They are attractive to investors that want to convert to equity if they believe the company''s stock will rise in the long term.
  • However, the ability to convert to equity comes at a price since convertible debentures pay a lower interest rate compared to other fixed-rate investments.
  • Nonconvertible debentures are traditional debentures that cannot be converted into equity of the issuing corporation. To compensate for the lack of convertibility investors are rewarded with a higher interest rate when compared to convertible debentures.

Investment by EPFO in ETFs crosses Rs 2.5 trillion

Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs)

• An ETF is a collection of marketable securities that tracks an index, a commodity, bonds, or a basket of assets.
• In simple terms, ETFs are funds that track indexes such as CNX Nifty, or BSE Sensex, etc.
• An ETF can be structured to track anything from the price of an individual commodity to a large and diverse collection of securities. ETFs can even be structured to track specific investment strategies.
• ETF funds are somewhat similar to mutual funds in terms of their structure, regulation, and management. Additionally, just like mutual funds, they are a pooled investment vehicle that offers diversified investment into various asset classes like stocks, commodities, bonds, currencies, options, or a blend of these.
• Unlike mutual funds, ETFs can be purchased or sold on a stock exchange in the same way that regular stocks can.
• The traded price of an ETF changes throughout the day like any other stock, as it is bought and sold on the stock exchange.
• The trading value of an ETF is based on the net asset value of the underlying stocks that it represents.
• ETFs typically have higher daily liquidity and lower fees than mutual fund schemes, making them an attractive alternative for individual investors.

Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO)

• It is a statutory body under the Employees'' Provident Funds and Miscellaneous Act, 1952.
• It is under the administrative control of the Union Ministry of Labor and Employment.
• Structure of EPFO:
  • The Act and all its schemes are administered by a tripartite board called the Central Board of Trustees.
  • The board comprises representatives of the Government (both Central and State), employers, and employees.
  • The board is chaired by the Union Minister of Labour and Employment, Government of India.
• The Central Board of Trustees operates three schemes:
  • The Employees’ Provident Funds Scheme, 1952 (EPF)
  • The Employees’ Pension Scheme, 1995 (EPS)
  • The Employees’ Deposit Linked Insurance Scheme, 1976 (EDLI)
• EPFO is also the nodal agency for implementing Bilateral Social Security Agreements with other countries on a reciprocal basis.
• Coverage: The schemes offered by EPFO cover Indian workers and international workers (from countries with whom the EPFO has signed bilateral agreements).