Prelims Exam

Short Notes or Revision Notes 

History

Panhala Fort

Context: Celebrated World Heritage Day by ASI, Mumbai Circle

Location: Panhala, Kolhapur, Maharashtra (Strategically near trade routes)

History:

• Built between 1178-1209 CE by Shilahara ruler Bhoja II.
• Reflects rule changes – Yadavas, Bahamanis, Adil Shahis, Marathas, Mughals.

Architecture:

• 3 Double-Walled Gates: Chaar Darwaja, Teen Darwaja, Wagh Darwaja
• Water Bodies: Someshwar Tank, Sadhoba Tank, Khokad Tank, Idgah Tank
• Nayikinicha Sajja (3-story dancing girl’s tower) – Built under Ibrahim Adil Shah II
• Sajja Kothi (Double-storied structure with upper gallery – Highest point on the hill)

Significance:

• Declared a Monument of National Importance in 1954.
• Nominated by ASI for UNESCO World Heritage List under “Maratha Military Landscapes” title.

 

Economy

IRDAI Celebrates 25th Anniversary (Silver Jubilee)

Background:

• Established in 1999 (as per Malhotra Committee recommendations).
• Incorporated as a statutory body under Ministry of Finance in 2000.
• Objective: Regulate & develop insurance industry, protecting policyholders.

Recent Initiatives:

• Age Limit Removed for Health Insurance (April 1, 2024):Individuals can now buy health insurance policies beyond age 65.
• Bima Sugam:A one-stop platform connecting all insurance stakeholders (companies, policyholders, intermediaries etc.) using advanced technology.
• Regulatory Consolidation:Replaced 34 regulations with 6 for better clarity and coherence.
• Mandatory E-Insurance:Digitization of insurance policies for streamlined processes and improved accessibility.
• Reduced Health Insurance Waiting Period:From 48 months to 36 months (pre-existing conditions).

Concluding Remarks:

• IRDAI has played a key role in:
  • Fostering innovation.
  • Safeguarding consumer interests.
  • Propelling industry advancement.
• It has revolutionized the sector by prioritizing policyholder well-being.

 

Geography

Mount Ruang Eruption and Ring of Fire

Indonesia Eruption:

• Mount Ruang volcano erupted in Indonesia, triggering a tsunami alert.
• Indonesia faces frequent volcanic activity due to its location on the Ring of Fire (120 active volcanoes).

Volcanic Eruptions:

• Volcano: Vent or fissure in Earth’s crust where lava, ash, rocks, and gases erupt.
• Types: Active, dormant, extinct.
• Magma: Lighter than rock, rises through vents and becomes lava on eruption.

Ring of Fire:

• Also called Circum-Pacific Belt.
• Path along Pacific Ocean with frequent volcanic and earthquake activity.
• Borders tectonic plates (Pacific, Cocos, etc.)
• 75% of world’s volcanoes and 90% of earthquakes.

Formation:

• Subduction of oceanic plates under continental plates.
• Subduction zone: Area where plates meet, causing lower plate to melt and become magma.

 

 

Health

Bird Flu (H5N1) Outbreak in Kerala

Recent Event: Alappuzha district, Kerala, hit by bird flu outbreak (April 2024).

Bird Flu (Avian Influenza):

• First detected in India (Maharashtra) in 2006.
• Caused by H5N1 virus (Orthomyxoviridae family).
• Primarily affects birds.

Transmission:

• Rare human transmission (person-to-person even rarer).
• Safe to consume properly cooked poultry and eggs.

Symptoms in Birds:

• Nervousness
• Lack of coordination
• Tremors
• Difficulty breathing
• Swelling and redness around head/eyes

Symptoms in Humans (Rare):

• Cough
• Muscle aches
• Runny nose
• Sore throat

Treatment:

• Antiviral medication (Oseltamivir) can lessen symptom severity and duration.

 

Rodenticide Poisoning & Yellow Phosphorus

In the News:

• Multiple states facing deaths due to ingesting yellow phosphorus-based rat poison.
• Tamil Nadu (2019 survey):
  • 450 cases of liver toxicity from rat poison ingestion.
  • TN government using plasma exchange for treatment.

About Yellow Phosphorus:

• One of three forms of phosphorus (white, red, black).
• Discolored white phosphorus (red phosphorus mixed in).
• General protoplasmic toxin.
• Used in fireworks, rodenticides, fertilizers.

 

Defence

DURGA-2 Laser Defense System (DRDO)

In News: DRDO testing prototype of DURGA-2 laser defense system.

Function: Destroys targets with focused energy (lasers, microwaves, particle beams).

Global Context:

• Russia, France, Germany, UK, Israel, China have similar systems.
• Laser beams not affected by gravity or atmosphere.

Advantages:

• Neutralizes drones, missiles at launch or in flight (speed of light).
• Deflects missiles, destroys fighter aircraft.
• 100% kill probability (compared to current systems).

 

 

Environment 

Olive Ridley Sea Turtles

Delayed Nesting:

• Annual mass nesting near Rushikulya river (Odisha) delayed by over a month.

Habitat: Warm waters of Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Oceans.

Unique Nesting:

• Arribada: Thousands of females gather on beaches to lay eggs.
• Hatch in 45-60 days.
• Gender determined by egg temperature:
  • Below 29°C = Male
  • Above 29°C = Female

Features:

• Smallest sea turtles.
• Olive green shell.
• Up to 2.5 ft long, 30-45 kg weight.

Diet: Shrimp, crab, molluscs, fish.

Nesting Sites (India):

• Rushikulya rookery coast (Odisha)
• Gahirmatha beach (Bhitarkanika National Park)
• Mouth of Devi River

Threats:

• Increased flooding and cyclones.
• Skewed sex ratio due to global warming.
• Hunting for meat and shell.
• Fishing trawlers.

Conservation Status:

• Vulnerable (IUCN Red List)
• Schedule I (Wildlife Protection Act, 1972)
• Appendix I (CITES)░

 

 

Science & Tech.

Meta Unveils Powerful LLM: Llama 3

Context: Meta introduces its most advanced Large Language Model (LLM), Llama 3.

Key Feature: Image generation that updates in real-time based on user input.

What is Llama 3?

• Family of LLMs developed by Meta AI (introduced in 2023).
• Latest version (Llama 3) comes in two sizes: 8B and 70B parameters.
• More parameters indicate a more complex and powerful AI model.

Large Language Models (LLMs):

• AI algorithms using deep learning to process massive data sets.
• Analyze unstructured data (text, code, etc.) to understand and generate content.
• Deep learning helps identify patterns and relationships within data.

In essence, Llama 3 is a powerful AI tool that can understand, summarize, and create new content based on vast amounts of data.