Percolation Wells
An NGO has embarked on an ambitious project to build 10,000 percolation wells across Bengaluru by 2026.
- Earthen dams padded with concrete rings inside and filled with gravel.
- Mechanism – Rain falls into percolation well, water leaks into soil in multiple layers and it goes down to the ground and natural aquifers get activated.
- Aquifer – A body of rock and/or sediment that holds groundwater.
- Other Water Harvesting Structures – Kund or Tanka (Rajasthan); Pat (Madhya Pradesh); Eri (Tamilnadu), etc.
Sri Madhava Perumal Temple
Inscriptions found at Sri Madhava Perumal Temple, which has largely remained submerged by Bhavanisagar dam, revealed a 1000 years old trade route.
- Constructed by – Veera Siddha Keththaya Dhandanayaka
- Dedicated to – Thondreeshwaramudiayar (Lord Shiva).
- The area came under the Hoysala rulers.
Batillipes Chandrayaani
A new species of marine tardigrade discovered from the southeast coast of Tamil Nadu
- 3rd marine tardigrade species to have been scientifically described from the Indian waters.
- Tardigrade – Near-microscopic aquatic animals with plump, segmented bodies and flattened heads.
- Also known as – ‘Water bears’, they are among the hardiest animals.
- Marine Tardigrade account for 17% of all known tardigrade species.
P notes
Registered Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) domiciled at the GIFT International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) have been allowed to issue participatory notes (p-notes).
- Issued by registered foreign FPIs to overseas investors to invest in the Indian stock market without registering themselves directly.
- It act like a substitute for underlying Indian company shares.
- Benefits – Avoids the hassle of registering with SEBI and offers anonymity and offers more choices for investors for investing in Indian stocks.
- Challenge – Lack of transparency, uncontrolled money in Indian stock, etc
Chang’e – 6
Recently, China announced successfully launching of more than 8 metric ton Chang’e-6 lunar probe.
- Aims to bring back 2 kilograms of samples from the far side of the moon, which humans have never done before.
- China brought samples from the near side of the moon in 2020 with the Chang’e-5 mission.
- Expected to make a soft landing in the South Pole of the moon i.e Aitken Basin.
- Included the ICUBE-Q orbiter, a cubesat developed by Pakistan.
- CubeSats – Miniature satellites typically characterized by their small size and standardized design.