{"id":12126,"date":"2021-07-19T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-07-19T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/current_affairs\/uncategorized\/19-07-2021\/facts-in-news-22\/"},"modified":"2021-07-19T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2021-07-19T00:00:00","slug":"facts-in-news-22","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/19-07-2021\/facts-in-news-22","title":{"rendered":"Facts in News"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
\n

Facts in News<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

Mercury\u2019s Iron Heart<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Recently, a study by the University of Maryland has disputed the prevailing hypothesis on <\/span><\/span><\/span>why Mercury has a big-sized core relative to its mantle<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> (the layer between its core and crust).<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  • Earlier, scientists had argued that <\/span><\/span><\/span>hit-and-run collisions<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> with other bodies during the formation of the solar system <\/span><\/span><\/span>resulted in much of Mercury\u2019s rocky mantle being removed<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>, leaving behind the big, dense, metal core inside.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
  • However, the new research reveals that the <\/span><\/span><\/span>Sun’s magnetism<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> is the reason for this and not the collisions.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
  • The researchers developed a <\/span><\/span><\/span>model<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> showing that the <\/span><\/span><\/span>density, mass and iron content<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> of a rocky planet\u2019s core are<\/span><\/span><\/span> influenced by its distance from the Sun\u2019s magnetic field<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
  • There is a <\/span><\/span><\/span>gradient<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> in which the <\/span><\/span><\/span>metal content in the core drops off <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>as the four inner planets of the solar system get further from the Sun.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
  • The current work explains this by showing that the distribution of raw materials in the <\/span><\/span><\/span>early forming solar system was controlled by the Sun\u2019s magnetic field<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
  • The new model shows that during the early formation of the solar system, when the young Sun was surrounded by a swirling cloud of dust and gas,<\/span><\/span><\/span> grains of iron were drawn toward the centre<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> by the Sun’s magnetic field.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
  • When the planets began to form from clumps of that dust and gas, <\/span><\/span><\/span>planets closer to the sun incorporated more iron <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>into their cores than those further away.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

    (Image Courtesy: <\/span><\/span><\/span>NB<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a>)<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

Project Loon<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Recently, Florida has requested the USA to greenlight a plan to transmit the <\/span><\/span><\/span>Internet<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> to people in Cuba <\/span><\/span><\/span>via high-altitude balloons<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  • For years, <\/span><\/span><\/span>Alphabet<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> (Google\u2019s parent company) worked to perfect an<\/span><\/span><\/span> Internet-balloon division service<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> called <\/span><\/span><\/span>Loon<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
  • The Loon balloons are<\/span><\/span><\/span> effectively cell towers<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> the size of a tennis court. They float <\/span><\/span><\/span>60,000 to 75,000 feet<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> (18,000- 23,000 meters) <\/span><\/span><\/span>above the Earth<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>, well above commercial jetliner routes.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
  • These are <\/span><\/span><\/span>made of the commonplace plastic polyethylene<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> and use <\/span><\/span><\/span>solar panels<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> for electricity.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
  • These can deliver service to smartphones in partnership with a local telecom and each balloon can serve thousands of people.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
  • However, they have to be <\/span><\/span><\/span>replaced every five months or so <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>because of the <\/span><\/span><\/span>harsh conditions in the stratosphere<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
  • Also, the balloons can be <\/span><\/span><\/span>difficult to control <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>as navigating them through the stratosphere has always been hard.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
  • Related Requirements<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
      \n
    • Balloons need network integration with a telecom to provide service and some equipment on the ground in the region.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
    • It also needs permission from local regulators. Also, the network can be set up from afar. Loon uses multiple balloons to extend connections beyond the necessary ground link.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
    • Balloon- or drone-powered networks are <\/span><\/span><\/span>not likely to be economical over the long term<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>.<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
        \n
      • While they are suitable for bridging communications amid disasters or in war zones, the <\/span><\/span><\/span>transmission capabilities of such networks is not large<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> and certainly not enough to serve the entire population of a nation.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

        <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

        (Image Courtesy: <\/span><\/span><\/span>MN<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a>)<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

Pegasus<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Recently, over 300 mobile phone numbers in India have been targeted by <\/span><\/span><\/span>Pegasus<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  • Pegasus<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> is spyware that can be installed on devices running some versions of iOS (Apple’s mobile operating system) and on devices running on Android.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
  • It was developed by the <\/span><\/span><\/span>Israeli cyberarms firm NSO Group<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>.<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
      \n
    • NSO is a highly-regulated enterprise that provides government agencies an essential tool to monitor terrorists and criminals.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
    • Functioning<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
        \n
      • It mainly uses <\/span><\/span><\/span>Exploit Links<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> for its working. <\/span><\/span><\/span>Clicking<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> on such links <\/span><\/span><\/span>automatically installs Pegasus<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> on the user’s phone. The method of <\/span><\/span><\/span>Social Engineering<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> is used.<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
          \n
        • In the context of information security, social engineering is the <\/span><\/span><\/span>psychological manipulation<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> of people into performing actions or divulging confidential information.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
        • This differs from social engineering within the social sciences, which does not concern the divulging of confidential information.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
        • Once the spyware is installed, Pegasus can <\/span><\/span><\/span>potentially harvest most of the data<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> on the device including SMS, emails, WhatsApp chats, call logs, GPS data, contact lists and transmit it back to the attacker.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
        • It can <\/span><\/span><\/span>also activate functionalities<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> such as camera, microphone, call recording, etc. to provide <\/span><\/span><\/span>surveillance capabilities<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> to the client.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

          <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

          (Image Courtesy: <\/span><\/span><\/span>TW<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a>)<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

NBDriver<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Researchers at IIT Madras have developed an <\/span><\/span><\/span>AI tool called NBDriver (neighbourhood driver)<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

About<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  • It is used in analysing cancer-causing mutations in cells.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
  • The algorithm of NBDriver <\/span><\/span><\/span>studies the DNA structures<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> and<\/span><\/span><\/span> characterizes the genetic changes<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> which are responsible for causing cancer.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
  • By looking at the neighbourhood, or context, of a mutation in the genome, it can look at<\/span><\/span><\/span> harmful \u201cdriver\u201d mutations<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> and distinguish them from <\/span><\/span><\/span>neutral \u201cpassenger\u201d mutations.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Mutation<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

      \n
    • A mutation is a <\/span><\/span><\/span>change in a DNA sequence<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
    • Mutations can result from DNA copying mistakes made during cell division, exposure to ionizing radiation, exposure to chemicals called mutagens, or infection by viruses.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      Cancer<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

        \n
      • Cancer is caused due to the uncontrolled growth of cells driven mainly by genetic alterations.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
      • In recent years, high-throughput DNA Sequencing has revolutionized the area of cancer research by enabling the measurement of these alterations.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n

Kadambini Ganguly (1861 \u2013 1923)<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<\/td>\n

\n

On 18 July 2021, Google celebrated Kadambini Ganguly\u2019s 160th birthday with a doodle on its homepage in India.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

About<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n