Context:
The 2023 winners of the Breakthrough Prizes were announced recently.
About Breakthrough Prizes:
- Dubbed as the Oscars of Science.
- It recognizes the world’s top scientists working in the fundamental sciences.
- Created by – Group of Silicon Valley entrepreneurs in 2010.
- Fields – Life Sciences, Fundamental Physics and Mathematics
- In addition, the New Horizons in Physics and Mathematics Prizes and the Maryam Mirzakhani New Frontiers Prize are awarded to early-career researchers.
2023 Prizes:
- Mathematics – Awarded for multiple discoveries in theoretical computer science and mathematics.
- Fundamental physics – For work in quantum information.
- Life sciences prize –
- For discovering a new mechanism of cellular organization.
- For developing AlphaFold.
AlphaFold is an AI-based protein structure prediction tool which is based on a computer system called deep neural network.
- For discovering the causes of narcolepsy.
Narcolepsy is a chronic neurological disorder that affects the brain’s ability to control sleep-wake cycles.
Source: The Hindu
Previous Year Question
Consider the following statements in respect of Bharat Ratna and Padma Awards:
1. Bharat Ratna and Padma Awards are titled under Article 18(1) of ‘the Constitution of India.
2. Padma Awards, which were instituted in the year 1954, were suspended only once.
3. The number of Bharat Ratna Awards is restricted to a maximum of five in a particular year.
Which of the above statements are not correct?
[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2021 Prelims]
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (d)
Explanation:
In 1996, the Supreme Court upheld the constitutional validity of the National Awards — Bharat Ratna, Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Sri. It ruled that these awards do not amount to ‘titles’ within the meaning of Article 18 which prohibits only hereditary titles of nobility. Therefore, they are not violative of Article 18 as the theory of equality does not mandate that merit should not be recognized. Hence, Statement 1 is incorrect.
The award was started by former President Dr. Rajendra Prasad on January 2nd, 1954, are announced every year on the occasion of Republic Day except for brief interruption(s) during the years 1978 and 1979,1993 to 1997, 2020, and 2021. it is suspended many times. Hence, Statement 2 is incorrect.
The number of Bharat Ratna Awards is restricted to a maximum of three in a particular year. It was awarded to four people in the same year only once — in 1999. Hence, Statement 3 is incorrect.
