UPSC Prelims Facts – 31 January 2024

UPSC Prelims Facts

Recently NASA’s rover Perseverance have confirmed that there is evidence of ancient lake sediments deposited by water in this site.

  • Jerezo – A crater on Mars that is about 45 kilometers in diameter.
  • Located in – Syrtis Major quadrangle
  • Feature – Once covered in water and may have harboured microbial life.
  • Recent Findings -Revealed sedimentary-like features resembling river deltas on Earth.

Recently a couple in Karnataka have documented 840 paddy varieties including Rakthashali and Rajamudi for preservation of rare native varieties.

  • Rakthashali – Is a rare and precious variety of rice.
  • Features – Dark red in colour and medium in quality, Small and slender-grained rice
  • Usage – Used in Ayurveda to treat imbalances in the body.
  • Rajamudi – A rice variety cultivated in Karnataka
  • Features – Variety of red rice that was earlier grown exclusively for the Wodeyars of Mysore

Astronaut Captures Stunning Alpenglow Phenomenon near Hindu Kush from ISS.

  • Aplenglow – Indirect sunlight reflected or diffracted by the atmosphere before sunrise or after sunset
  • Significance – Give a horizontal reddish glow near the horizon opposite the Sun.
  • Appears in – Range of colors between red, pink, and orange.
  • Occurs during – Twilight hours before sunrise or after sunset. 

Centre has prepared a framework to promote Voluntary Carbon Market (VCM) in the agricultural sector

  • Carbon markets – A tool for putting a price on carbon emissions
  • Establish trading systems where carbon credits or allowances can be bought and sold.
  • Regulated by – Ministry of Power and Ministry of Environment 
  • Two types of Carbon Markets – Compliance Market (officially regulated) and Voluntary Market

New research shows that in reciprocal photonic crystals, backscattering is unavoidable.

  • Photonic crystals – Optical nanostructures in which the refractive index changes periodically.
  • Refractive index – Measure of the bending of a ray of light when passing from one medium into another.
  • Formation – Occur in nature in the form of structural coloration and animal reflectors.
  • Examples found in nature – Opal, butterfly wings, peacock feathers, etc., exhibiting distinct iridescent colours.

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