Ghaggar River
Syllabus:GS1/Geography
In News
- Villages near the Ghaggar River report rising cancer cases linked to polluted water, but lack of data and poor healthcare hinder action.
Ghaggar River in northern India
- The Ghaggar River is an intermittent, monsoon-fed river in northern India.
- It originates in the village of Dagshai in the Shivalik Hills of Himachal Pradesh at about 1,927 metres elevation and flows through Punjab and Haryana into Rajasthan.
- Its main tributaries include the Kaushalya, Markanda, Sarsuti, Tangri, and Chautang rivers.
Source :TH
Andaman Sea
Syllabus: GS1/Geography
In News
- A boat carrying Rohingya refugees and Bangladeshi nationals from Bangladesh to Malaysia capsized in the Andaman Sea.
Andaman Sea
- The Andaman Sea is a marginal sea in the northeastern Indian Ocean.
- It is bordered by Myanmar to the north and east, Thailand and Malaysia to the east, Indonesia to the south, and India’s Andaman and Nicobar Islands to the west.
- It connects to the South China Sea through the Strait of Malacca and serves as an important international shipping route, especially between India and China.
- It also supports regional maritime trade through ports in Myanmar and surrounding countries.
Source : LM
AZEC Plus and Maritime Security
Syllabus: GS2/ International Relations
Context
- India, raised concerns over disruptions in maritime energy routes at the AZEC Plus meeting, amid tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global energy chokepoint.
About AZEC Plus
- The Asia Zero Emission Community (AZEC) is a Japan-led initiative launched in 2023 to promote decarbonisation, clean energy transition, and energy security in Asia.
- It provides an alternative, Asia-centric model of energy transition, recognising diverse developmental needs of Asian economies.
- AZEC focuses on:
- Facilitating technology transfer in clean energy (hydrogen, ammonia, renewables).
- Supporting carbon neutrality goals while maintaining economic growth.
- Strengthening energy supply chain resilience in the region.
- AZEC Plus is an expanded framework that includes more Asian countries and global institutions such as Asian Development Bank and International Energy Agency.
- It addresses emerging challenges like supply disruptions, critical mineral access, and maritime security.
Source: IE
Hafnium-Oxide Memristor
Syllabus: GS3/ Science and Technology
Context
- Scientists have developed a hafnium-oxide-based memristor, a brain-inspired nanodevice, capable of significantly reducing energy consumption in artificial intelligence systems.
Neuromorphic Computing
- Neuromorphic computing is a field of technology that seeks to replicate the architecture and functioning of the human brain in electronic systems.
- In the human brain, memory and processing occur simultaneously within synapses, which leads to highly energy-efficient computation.
- This approach is fundamentally different from the Von Neumann architecture, which is used by nearly all modern general-purpose computers.
- In this memory and processing units are physically separated, resulting in significant energy consumption due to constant data transfer.
What is a Memristor?
- A memristor is an electronic component that combines the properties of memory and resistance, allowing it to both store and process information within the same device.
- Unlike conventional resistors, a memristor retains its resistance state even after the power supply is switched off, thereby enabling non-volatile memory.
- In neuromorphic systems, a memristor functions as an artificial synapse, where different resistance levels represent the strength of connections between neurons.
- The memristor uses a p–n junction mechanism that allows smooth and continuous adjustment of resistance.
Synapse
- A synapse is a junction (connection point) between two nerve cells (neurons) in the brain.
- It is the place where one neuron passes signals (information) to another neuron.
- These signals are usually transmitted using electrical impulses and chemical substances (neurotransmitters).
Source: TH
Reed snake : Calamaria Garoensis
Syllabus: GS3/Species
In News
- Recently, researchers have discovered a new species of burrowing reed snake, Calamaria garoensis (Garo Hills reed snake), in the West Garo Hills of Meghalaya, India.
Calamaria garoensis (Garo Hills reed snake)
- Reed snakes (Calamaria genus) are small, burrowing, and hard to study, and their close physical similarities have often led to misidentification and incorrect grouping under common species names.
- Calamaria garoensis was discovered in Oragitok, a biodiverse forest area, and is only known from this small region, indicating it has a very limited range and may need conservation attention.
- It is closely related to Calamaria mizoramensis but shows about 6.3% genetic divergence, supporting its status as a separate species.
- The species can be identified by features such as smooth dorsal scales in 13 rows, a short blunt tail, longitudinal body striping, a faint neck ring, and a distinctive dark stripe on the underside of the tail.
Latest Study
- The study also clarifies past misclassification of reed snakes previously grouped under Calamaria pavimentata, now known to be a complex of multiple species.
- It highlights the rich but underexplored biodiversity of the Garo Hills and the need for further research and conservation.
Source :TH
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