News In Short 16-02-2026

Chincha Indians

Syllabus: GS3/ Agriculture 

Context

• A recent study shows that the Chincha Indians used nitrogen-rich seabird guano to significantly boost maize production in coastal Peru and strengthened the pre-Inca Chincha Kingdom.

Chincha Indians

• The Chincha were a pre-Inca civilisation located in the Chincha Valley on the southern coast of present-day Peru.
• They flourished between 1000–1400 CE.
• At their peak, their population is estimated to have reached nearly 100,000.

Seabird guano

• Seabird guano is a natural, highly effective fertilizer composed of accumulated, nutrient-rich excrement, carcasses, and eggshells from seabirds. 
• It is exceptionally rich in nitrogen due to birds’ marine diets of fish and seafood.
• The Chincha harvested guano from the nearby Chincha Islands and transported it to mainland fields.
• The fertiliser restored soil nutrients in the dry coastal environment, where soils lose fertility quickly.

Source: DTE

Inhaled Nitric Oxide: A Potential Tool Against Drug-Resistant Pneumonia

Syllabus: GS2/ Health, GS3/ Science & Technology

Context

• A recent study by researchers has explored that the high-dose inhaled nitric oxide can significantly reduce multidrug-resistant bacteria.

About the discovery

• India faces a high burden of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and hospital-acquired infections where drug-resistant pneumonia is a serious threat in Intensive Care Units (ICUs). 
• A significant contributor is Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a bacterium responsible for nearly one-fifth of hospital-acquired pneumonias.
• The research shows that at high concentrations (around 300 ppm), inhaled nitric oxide can act as a direct antimicrobial agent.

What is Nitric Oxide?

• Nitric oxide (NO) is a colorless, gaseous free radical molecule composed of one nitrogen and one oxygen atom.
• Production: It is a gas naturally produced by the human body from the amino acid L-arginine, a process that can be boosted by dietary intake of nitrate-rich foods like leafy greens, beets, and garlic.
• Functions: It acts as a neurotransmitter, immune system regulator, and aids in angiogenesis (new blood vessel formation).
• In clinical practice, it is used at low doses (20–80 ppm) as a selective pulmonary vasodilator in patients with acute respiratory failure, particularly in neonatal care.
  • It improves oxygenation by widening blood vessels in the lungs.
• Toxicity Risks: High doses can lead to methemoglobinemia and potential lung injury.

Source: TH

First Road-cum-rail Tunnel Under Brahmaputra River

Syllabus: GS3/Economy 

In News

• Recently, the Union cabinet has approved the construction of the country’s first underwater twin tube road-cum-rail tunnel project under the Brahmaputra River in Assam  at an estimated cost of Rs 18,662 crore.

About the Project 

• It is a around  34 kilometre-long four-lane access-controlled Greenfield connectivity project.
• It will feature two parallel tunnels, designed to facilitate smooth and high-capacity movement of both road and rail traffic.
• The stretch will connect Gohpur on NH-15 and Numaligarh on NH-715 in Assam, cutting short the distance between the two Assam cities to just 34 kilometres from the current 240 kilometres.
  • The travel time will be reduced to just 20 minutes from six hours now.
• Importance:  The project will provide significant benefit to Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and other North -Eastern States.
  • This will enhance the efficiency of freight movement, reducing logistics cost and driving socio-economic growth in the region. 
  • It  will enhance connectivity, reduce logistics costs and accelerate growth across Assam and the entire Northeast.
  • It will play a pivotal role in strategic considerations, regional economic growth, strengthening connectivity between major economic centers and opening new avenues for trade and industrial development.

 Source :Air 

Startup India Fund of Funds 2.0 

Syllabus: GS3/Economy 

In News

• Recently, the Union Cabinet has approved the establishment of the Startup India Fund of Funds 2.0 (FoF 2.0) with a corpus of ₹10,000 crore to mobilise venture capital for the country’s rapidly expanding startup ecosystem.

Startup India Fund of Funds 2.0 (FoF 2.0)

• Startup India Fund of Funds 2.0 (FoF 2.0)  follows the success of the Fund of Funds for Startups (FFS 1.0), launched in 2016 to address funding gaps and catalyse domestic venture capital investments.
  • It was launched under the Startup India initiative. Under FFS 1.0, the entire ₹10,000 crore corpus was committed to 145 Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs), which have collectively invested over ₹25,500 crore in more than 1,370 startups across sectors such as artificial intelligence, robotics, clean technology, fintech, healthcare, manufacturing, biotechnology and space technology, among others.
  • The first phase played a key role in nurturing first-time founders and crowding in private capital to build a strong venture capital ecosystem.

Objectives 

• The scheme aims to expand investment beyond major metropolitan centres to ensure that innovation thrives across the country.
• It is expected to play a critical role in advancing India’s innovation-driven growth agenda by supporting startups that develop globally competitive technologies, products and solutions.
• It is aligned with the government’s vision of Viksit Bharat @ 2047 and is expected to contribute to economic resilience, enhanced manufacturing capabilities, job creation and India’s emergence as a global innovation hub.

Conclusion 

• The startup has grown from fewer than 500 startups to more than 2 lakh startups recognised by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), with 2025 recording the highest-ever annual startup registrations.
• With the approval of Startup India FoF 2.0, the government has reaffirmed its commitment to empowering entrepreneurs and unlocking the full potential of India’s startup ecosystem.
• The new fund aims to accelerate the next phase of India’s startup journey by mobilising long-term domestic capital, strengthening the venture capital landscape and supporting innovation-led entrepreneurship across sectors.

Source :PIB

LHS 1903

Syllabus: GS3/Space

In News

• Recently, astronomers found a rocky planet orbiting beyond its gaseous neighbors, challenging current planet formation theories.

About the discovered planetary system 

• The system was  observed using the European Space Agency’s Cheops space telescope.
• It consists of four planets, two rocky and two gaseous, orbiting a relatively small and dim star called a red dwarf about 117 light-years from the earth.
  • The star, named LHS 1903, is about 50% as massive and 5% as luminous as our sun.
  • LHS 1903 is a small red M-dwarf star that is cooler and shines less brightly than our Sun
• The innermost planet is rocky, the next two are gaseous and the fourth, which current planetary formation theory suggests should be gaseous, is rocky.
  • The two rocky planets are superearths, meaning rocky like the earth but two to ten times more massive. The two gas planets are categorised as mini-Neptunes: gaseous and smaller than Neptune but larger than the earth.

Source :TH

‘Anupam’ model of Waste Management

Syllabus: GS3/Waste Management

Context

• Following the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) decision to eliminate the need to transport household waste, Anupam Colonies now segregate and process waste within their own premises.

Anupam Model

• Segregation at Source: Under the Anupam model, waste is segregated at source into wet, dry and sanitary waste. 
• Further Segregation: Dry waste is further sorted into many categories, including paper, metal, glass, e-waste, and non-recyclables. 
• Compost Generation: Wet waste is composted on site, along with horticultural waste, using wire-mesh composting bins placed in parks and green belts, eliminating the need to transport the waste to NDMC plants.
  • E-waste is sent to Central Pollution Control Board-authorised recyclers, the compost generated is distributed free of cost to residents, with surplus used by NDMC’s horticulture department.
• Each Anupam Colony has dedicated sanitation inspectors and additional NDMC staff for composting work and operating mechanical sweeping machines. 
• Together, these complexes generate around 300 kg of wet waste daily.
  • Thirteen wire-mesh composters and 10 horticulture pits have been installed, producing around 800 kg of compost.

Source: TH