Daily Current Affairs
To The Point Notes
Environment
1.A Landmark Ruling: The ITLOS Pronouncement on Climate Change and the Oceans
Context
- The International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) issued a historic decision on climate change’s impact on marine environments.
Key Obligations for Countries
- Combat Marine Pollution: Reduce and control pollution caused by human-induced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
- Protect Marine Environment: Address threats like ocean warming, sea-level rise, and acidification.
- Due Diligence and Precautionary Approach: Take necessary measures based on best science, even in situations of scientific uncertainty.
- Compliance with UNCLOS and Climate Treaties: Ensure actions align with the Paris Agreement and other relevant treaties.
Implementation
- National Frameworks: Establish strong legal and administrative systems to enforce these obligations.
- Enhanced Measures: Implement stricter marine protection measures, consistent with international law.
Significance of the Ruling
- Climate Change Interpretation: Expands the definition of marine pollution under UNCLOS to include GHG emissions.
- Legal Framework: Integrates climate change considerations into the existing UNCLOS regime.
- Legal Precedent: Sets an example for including climate aspects in marine environmental laws.
- Enhanced Protection: Strengthens legal obligations to safeguard marine ecosystems from climate change.
- Policy Influence: Likely to shape national and international marine policies and climate actions.
Science and Technology
2.NASA’s PREFIRE Mission
Mission and Context
- Launched by NASA, PREFIRE (Polar Radiant Energy in the Far-InfraRed Experiment) aims to study far-infrared emissions from Earth’s poles.
PREFIRE Satellites
- Two 6U CubeSats (90cm x 120cm with deployed solar panels)
- Near-polar orbit at 525 km altitude
- Each carries a miniaturized infrared spectrometer (0-45 μm range)
Mission Objectives
- Quantify Far-Infrared Emission: Measure variations in energy radiated by Earth’s poles (5 μm to 45 μm), especially the uncharted far-infrared (>15 μm) range – nearly 60% of Arctic emissions.
- Anchor Climate Predictions: Improve Arctic climate predictions by providing data on far-infrared radiation, a key factor in Arctic warming, sea ice loss, ice sheet melt, and sea level rise.
- Earth’s Thermostat: The Arctic regulates Earth’s climate by venting excess heat. PREFIRE data will improve understanding of Arctic heat emissions and global climate dynamics.
Significance: Filling the Gap in Knowledge
- Understanding Earth’s energy balance (incoming solar radiation vs. outgoing heat) is vital for predicting climate change.
- Far-infrared radiation (3 μm to 1,000 μm) – a significant portion of heat escaping from the poles – remains largely unmeasured.
- PREFIRE bridges this gap by capturing spectral data (5 μm to 45 μm) over various timescales (hourly to seasonal).
Science and Technology
3.Caterpillar’s Superpower
New Discovery
- Recent study suggests caterpillars possess a unique sense – electroreception.
What is electroreception?
- Ability to sense electric fields present in the surrounding environment.
- Previously observed in aquatic animals but not in most land-based creatures.
Caterpillars and Electroreception
- Caterpillars can sense electric fields using tiny bristles (setae) on their bodies.
- This ability might help them detect approaching predators (insects) that generate electric fields.
Electroreception in Arthropods
- Found in bumblebees, hoverflies, and spiders, but not used for predator defense.
- Caterpillars, also arthropods, might be the first to utilize it for this purpose.
Science and Technology
4.Unveiling the Science Behind Colors
Our Colorful World
- Colors are a vital part of our experience, adding beauty and meaning to the world around us.
Understanding Color
- Not a property of objects themselves, but rather our perception based on light interaction.
- Objects absorb, reflect, or scatter specific light wavelengths, leading to our perception of color.
The Role of Our Eyes
- Rod cells: Detect brightness.
- Cone cells (3 types in humans – we are trichromats): Detect wavelengths interpreted by the brain as color.
- Human vision is limited to the 400 nm – 700 nm range (visible spectrum).
- Some animals (bees, mosquitoes) can see beyond this range (ultraviolet, infrared).
The Science of Color Creation
- Two main methods: additive and subtractive.
Additive Coloring:
- Mixing light of different wavelengths to create a new color.
- Used in smartphone screens, TVs, and LEDs.
- Combines light to produce a brighter result.
Subtractive Coloring:
- White light passes through a medium, which absorbs certain wavelengths and reflects others.
- Reflected wavelengths determine the perceived color.
- Used in dyes, pigments, and inks.
- Creates colors by subtracting light.
Science and Technology
5.Combating Space Debris
Context and Details
- Twelve nations and the European Space Agency (ESA) signed the Zero Debris Charter at the ESA/EU Space Council.
- Launched in November 2023, the Charter aims to ensure the long-term sustainability of space activities by minimizing space debris.
Key Objectives
- Debris Neutrality by 2030: Signatories aim to achieve “debris neutrality,” creating no new debris and actively removing existing debris.
- International Collaboration: Fosters global cooperation among spacefaring nations and organizations to tackle the space debris issue collectively.
Signatories
- Countries: Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Germany, etc. (12 total)
- Organizations: Over 100 organizations (space agencies, manufacturers, startups, etc.) have pledged support.
Significance of the Charter
- Leadership in Space Sustainability: Positions Europe at the forefront of sustainable space practices.
- Mitigation and Remediation: Encourages technologies to prevent new debris creation and remove existing debris.
- Risk Reduction: Aims to minimize hazards posed by space debris to operational satellites and astronauts.
Challenges Addressed
- Exponential Debris Growth: ESA estimates over 1 million debris objects larger than 1 cm orbit Earth, posing significant collision risks.
- Potential Hazards: Uncontrolled debris growth could render certain orbits unusable.
ESA’s Role
- Space Safety Programme: ESA is revising its internal space debris mitigation requirements.
- Facilitation and Coordination: ESA’s “Protection of Space Assets” Accelerator played a key role in developing the Charter.
History
6.Hampi’s Virupaksha Temple
Location and Context
- Hampi, Karnataka, India (UNESCO World Heritage Site)
- Recent partial collapse of a pillar holding up the pavilion due to heavy rains
Historical Significance
- 7th century CE or even earlier (predates Vijayanagara Empire)
- 14th-16th centuries: Extensive expansion and religious/cultural center under Vijayanagara rulers (founded by Harihara I of Sangama dynasty)
Architectural Marvels
- Vijayanagara Empire (1336-1646): Dravidian-style temples and palaces
- Virupaksha Temple: Towering gopurams, pillared halls, shrines
- Vitthala Temple (complex): Pinnacle of Vijayanagara architecture, grand bazaar street, stepped tank, carved mandapas
Religious Significance
- Dedicated to Lord Virupaksha (form of Lord Shiva)
- Associated with local goddess Pampadevi (linked to Tungabhadra River)
- Continuous worship for centuries despite the city’s destruction in 1565
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