Prelims Exam

Economy

1.Marrakesh Agreement

In News

• The World Trade Organization (WTO) celebrates the 30th anniversary of the Marrakesh Agreement.

Marrakesh Agreement

• Signed on April 15, 1994, during the Uruguay Round of trade negotiations.
• Marked a significant milestone in global trade cooperation.
• Established the framework for international trade relations among members.
• Formally created the World Trade Organization (WTO), replacing GATT as the primary body governing global trade.
• WTO officially began on January 1, 1995.

 

Science & Tech.

2.Microbes Found Beneath Atacama Desert

Context

• Researchers discovered microbes thriving deep below the Atacama Desert’s surface.

About

• Location: 13 feet beneath the desert’s surface in Chile.
• Dominant Microbe: Actinobacteria
• Other microbes: Firmicutes (salt-resistant, anaerobic)

Atacama Desert

• Driest non-polar desert globally.
• Receives similar sunshine levels to Venus.
• Few animals survive (e.g., Darwin’s leaf-eared mouse).
• Salty, mineral-rich soil supports some bacterial life.

Significance

• Atacama Desert resembles Mars’ harsh conditions.
• New findings may aid the search for Martian life.
• Gypsum deposits in both locations could potentially harbor life.

 

Nuclear Disaster

3.Chernobyl Disaster 

Context

• Debate continues on who/what caused the Chernobyl disaster.
  • Some blame operator error (“production discipline”).
  • Others point to the flawed reactor design.

About the Disaster

• Date: April 26, 1986
• Location: Reactor 4 of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, Ukraine
• Explosion: Released 400x more radiation than the Hiroshima bomb.
• Evacuation: Pripyat (3 km away) evacuated within 36 hours.
• Initial Casualties: 2 workers died, 28 firefighters/cleanup workers died within 3 months (Acute Radiation Sickness)

Long-Term Impact

• Uninhabitable Zone: 2,600 sq km permanently contaminated.
• Projected Deaths: UN estimates 4,000 eventual deaths from radiation exposure.

Role of IAEA

• International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) coordinated the international response.
• Provided immediate support to the Soviet Union in:
  • Environmental remediation
  • Decommissioning the plant
  • Radioactive waste management

 

 

Environment

4.Self-Bred Coral Reef 

Context

• World Coral Conservatory project successfully bred corals that were introduced to Europe’s largest coral reef at Burgers’ Zoo in the Netherlands.

What are Corals?

• Invertebrates in the Cnidaria animal group.
• Made up of many tiny polyps that secrete a calcium carbonate exoskeleton for protection.
• Coral reefs are formed by millions of polyps creating large structures.
• Colors: Range from red/purple/blue to brown/green. Colors come from algae living inside polyps.
• Types: Fringing (shorelines), Barrier (open water), Atolls (circular around sunken volcanoes).

Significance

• Provide food, shelter, breeding grounds for 25% of marine life.
• Support over 1 billion people through food, livelihoods, and recreation.