Tropicalisation
- A study indicates that rising sea temperatures due to climate change are causing tropical marine species to move from equator towards poles and retraction of temperate species.
- This mass movement of marine life has been termed tropicalisation.
- Mediterranean Sea – Tropicalisation hotspot due an increase in tropical species.
- Tropicalisation together with Borealisation and Desertification contribute to global redistribution of biota and rearrangement of ecological communities.
- Borealisation is expansion of temperate species (terrestrial and marine) into Arctic polar- regions.
Parthenon Sculptures or Elgin Marbles
The British Prime Minister cancelled a meeting with his Greek counterpart over the status of the Parthenon Sculptures housed at the British Museum.
- A collection of different types of marble architectural decoration from the Parthenon temple.
- Location of Parthenon temple – Acropolis, Athens (Greece).
- Made between – 447 BC and 432 BC.
Comet P12/Pons-Brooks
Astronomers have photographed the enigmatic Comet P12/PonsBrooks from the Indian Astronomical Observatory in Hanle, Ladakh using the Himalayan Chandra Telescope.
- Comet P12/Pons-Brooks –
- A celestial object that has been playfully nicknamed the ‘Devil Comet’ or likened to the ‘Millennium Falcon’ for its distinctive appearance.
- Completes an orbit around the Sun in around 71 years.
- Himalayan Chandra telescope –
- A 2-meter optical-infrared telescope.
- Operated by – Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Bengaluru.
Press mud
Sugarcane by product press mud can help generate 460,000 tonnes of Compressed Bio-Gas (CBG) valued at ₹2,484 crore.
- Press mud – The residual solid product obtained from sugarcane juice before crystallisation of sugar.
- Major wastes products obtained from sugar industry – Bagasse, molasses and press-mud
- Benefit – As feedstock for biogas production through anaerobic digestion and subsequent purification to create CBG.