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Critical Topics and Their Significance for the UPSC CSE Examination on August 16, 2024
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Extremophile bacteria have learnt to survive microwaves
For Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international Importance
For Mains Examination: GS III - Biology, General Science
Context:
Scientists have isolated microbes from volcanoes, permafrost, acid mines, deep-sea hydrothermal vents, and dark lakes kilometres under polar ice. They have also been found thriving on the exteriors of spacecraft and around nuclear waste storage sites. Such microbes are called extremophiles
Read about:
What is a Microbe?
What is a Microbiome?
Key takeaways:
- Microorganisms have become experts at surviving on Earth, inhabiting nearly every environment where life is possible. Through millions of years of evolution, they have developed strategies to adapt to a wide range of habitats.
- Their adaptability allows them to thrive in extreme conditions, where more complex organisms cannot survive.
- Researchers have discovered microbes in a variety of harsh environments, such as volcanic vents, permafrost, acidic mines, deep-sea hydrothermal vents, and dark lakes buried deep beneath polar ice caps.
- Microbes have even been found on spacecraft exteriors and around nuclear waste storage sites. These microbes, known as extremophiles, live in extreme natural conditions. Many scientists believe that life on Earth may have originated in an extreme environment, in the form of an extremophile, before evolving and adapting to more temperate ecosystems.
- To survive in extreme environments, microbes utilize unique biological and biochemical processes. Unlike more complex organisms like humans, which rely on a single set of proteins to function, extremophiles have multiple sets of proteins tailored to different environmental conditions.
- These microbes can "activate" the appropriate set of proteins based on the surrounding conditions and their survival needs, such as one set for the intense heat of a volcanic eruption, another for extreme dehydration during a drought, and yet another for the highly acidic environment of a volcanic crater lake
- Our rapidly advancing ability to decode the genomes of organisms—enabled by the increasing efficiency and decreasing costs of sequencing technologies, as well as our capacity to synthesize DNA nucleotides in laboratories—has ushered in a new era of leveraging biological processes to address human challenges.
- By understanding the biological mechanisms that govern extremophiles, researchers could potentially engineer organisms with new capabilities, such as enhancing disease resistance in poultry or creating synthetic biological systems that could bolster the immune system.
- This knowledge could also help scientists establish the boundaries of habitability on other planets. For instance, in 2011, Japanese scientists successfully cultivated microbes in a centrifuge subjected to a g-force over 400,000 times that of Earth’s gravity (1 g).
- Remarkably, some of these microbes didn’t just survive; they thrived, which was a crucial discovery as it showed that microbes are not hindered by the extreme gravitational forces found on massive planets and stars.
- In a 2020 study, scientists demonstrated that Deinococcus radiodurans, a bacteria native to Earth, could survive in outer space for more than three years, clinging to the exterior of the International Space Station while being exposed to intense ultraviolet radiation.
- These studies offer significant implications not only for the potential existence of life beyond Earth but also for the possibility of microbes colonizing extreme environments that humans might hesitate to enter.
- On Earth, researchers have discovered bacteria thriving in everyday objects like elevator buttons, grooming devices, household cleaning machines, and kitchen appliances. These devices create their own microscopic ecosystems, each subjected to specific selective pressures and resulting in well-defined microbiomes.
- For example, researchers have identified distinct microbial communities in coffee machines and dishwashers.
- The microbial community found in coffee machines is particularly interesting because caffeine, an alkaloid with known antibacterial properties, would typically inhibit bacterial growth. Yet, researchers found a thriving microbiome composed of coffee-adapted bacteria within these machines.
- These caffeine-degrading microbes could provide valuable insights into developing decaffeination techniques and bioremediation strategies.
- Similarly, the microbial communities in dishwashers include both bacterial and fungal species, some of which are opportunistic pathogens that could pose a medical risk to individuals with weakened immune systems
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Answer (C)
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- UN General Assembly officially introduced a new data-driven “vulnerability” index designed to assist small island states and developing nations in accessing low-interest financing.
- The “Multidimensional Vulnerability Index” (MVI) is intended to complement traditional metrics like GDP by providing additional insights into vulnerability.
- Since the 1990s, small island developing states (SIDS) that do not qualify for low-interest development financing based on GDP per capita but are still susceptible to external shocks such as climate change have advocated for such a measure.
- After extensive discussions to finalize the framework of the new tool, the General Assembly adopted a resolution by consensus on Tuesday, which mandates that the UN and an independent expert committee regularly update the index.
- The MVI, based on recommendations from a UN high-level panel, includes indicators related to a state's structural vulnerabilities and its economic, environmental, and social resilience.
- These indicators cover factors such as reliance on imports, exposure to severe weather events and pandemics, effects of regional conflicts, refugee inflows, demographic pressures, availability of water and arable land, and child mortality rates.
- Initially proposed by small island states, the MVI is designed to assess vulnerabilities and resilience to external shocks across all developing countries, ensuring its credibility and comparability.
- Although the use of the index is voluntary, the resolution encourages UN bodies and multilateral development banks to consider integrating it with existing policies. The Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) has expressed support for the resolution
- Human Development Report (UNDP)
- World Economic Situation and Prospects (UN DESA)
- World Investment Report (UNCTAD)
- Global Education Monitoring Report (UNESCO)
- State of the World's Children Report (UNICEF)
- World Health Statistics (WHO)
- Global Environment Outlook (UNEP)
- World Population Prospects (UN DESA)
- World Migration Report (IOM)
- Global Sustainable Development Report
1.Which of the following reports is NOT published by a United Nations agency?
a) Human Development Report
b) World Economic Outlook
c) Global Education Monitoring Report
d) World Happiness Report
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Answer (b)
While the IMF works closely with the UN and is part of the broader UN system, it is technically an independent international organization and not a UN agency. The IMF was created alongside the World Bank at the Bretton Woods Conference in 1944, separate from the United Nations structure. |
- The ₹34,000-crore PM-KUSUM programme, designed to enhance solar energy infrastructure in agriculture, has faced delays, prompting States to explore alternative methods to increase adoption.
- The Pradhan Mantri-Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (PM-KUSUM) aims to establish 100 GW of solar power on farmer-owned land, install 14 lakh solar pumps, and solarize 35 lakh grid-connected agricultural pumps.
- As of June, only 256 MW of power plants, 3.97 lakh solar pumps, and 13,500 solarized pumps have been installed, leading the government to extend the scheme's deadline to 2026.
- Major challenges include the lack of suitable land; while solar power in India has expanded with utility-scale projects in Gujarat and Rajasthan, finding adequate agricultural land for solar installations remains difficult.
- Saurabh Kumar, Vice President of Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP), notes that pooling agricultural land for power projects is a significant hurdle.
- GEAPP, a collaboration between the IKEA Foundation, the Rockefeller Foundation, and the Bezos Earth Fund, is working with the Rajasthan government to develop a digital platform utilizing drone technology for land mapping.
- This digital platform allows real-time tracking of the scheme's progress and facilitates prompt corrective actions, providing essential oversight for large-scale solar projects.
- The platform has already resulted in 12.3 MW of solar power installation in Rajasthan, with plans to reach 100 MW by 2024 and expand to Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh.
- Farmers who agree to host solar modules on their land receive rent from power project developers, with GEAPP ensuring fair compensation based on market rates and inflation.
- GEAPP’s solutions and support have helped Rajasthan significantly advance its renewable energy targets, with nearly 200 MW of the national 256 MW solar capacity installed in the state, according to the Ministry for New and Renewable Energy (MNRE)
- To facilitate the generation of solar power on rooftops of buildings, thus supporting the national goal of increasing renewable energy capacity and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
- The scheme is applicable to residential, commercial, industrial, and institutional buildings. Both owners of these properties and tenants (in some cases) can participate.
Incentives and Subsidies:
- Financial Assistance: The government provides subsidies to reduce the cost of solar rooftop installations. This financial assistance varies based on the capacity of the system and the type of user.
- Tax Benefits: Some schemes offer tax incentives or benefits for the installation of rooftop solar systems
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Answer (A)
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Dengue control: the unrealised promise of Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes
For Preliminary Examination: Virus, Bacteria, Fungi
For Mains Examination: GS III - General Science, Science & technology
Context:
Reducing mosquito-borne illnesses through proven interventions has an immense potential to reduce the burden on our health systems and productivity. We must resurrect and fund innovative vector control programmes across India to combat the Aedes-borne triple epidemic of dengue, chikungunya and Zika
Read about:
What is Dengue Virus?
What is Zika Virus?
Key takeaways:
- Dengue remains a significant issue in India, placing a substantial economic burden estimated at approximately ₹28,300 crore annually, along with causing the loss of 5.68 lakh years of young life each year. Current vector control strategies, such as the use of insecticides and public education, have yielded limited success.
- The safety and efficacy of India’s two dengue vaccine candidates are still under investigation, and effective antiviral treatments have not yet been identified. Since dengue, chikungunya, and Zika are transmitted by female Aedes mosquitoes, biological vector control methods seem promising but have shown mixed results, which restricts their application.
- Since 2009, innovative vector control techniques have been explored worldwide. One such method involves using the bacterium Wolbachia, which naturally occurs in fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster) but is absent in Aedes mosquitoes. Wolbachia interacts with its host through both mutualistic and parasitic relationships.
- It provides resistance to viral infections in fruit flies (mutualism) while also potentially reducing their lifespan and altering sex ratios (parasitism). This bacterial resistance to viruses may arise from direct competition for the host cell’s resources.
- This led to research at the University of Queensland, where in 2009, McMeniman used the wMelPop strain to shorten the lifespan of Aedes mosquitoes by 50%. In 2011, Walker and Johnson employed the wMel strain, which increased viral resistance without affecting the mosquito’s lifespan.
- The longer lifespan of wMel mosquitoes facilitated more mating opportunities, allowing the bacterium to spread quickly and making it a promising candidate for blocking dengue transmission. This approach was tested through field trials and clinical studies first in Australia, and later across Oceania, Latin America, and Southeast Asia, under the World Mosquito Program
More Information
- India currently lacks an active program for releasing wMel mosquitoes. On July 5, 2022, the Indian Council of Medical Research — Vector Control Research Center (ICMR-VCRC) announced progress in developing two colonies of Puducherry wMel Aedes strains, noting successful research since 2018 and awaiting government approvals.
- However, there have been no significant updates from ICMR-VCRC since then. Recently, ICMR reported the natural presence of Wolbachia in Aedes mosquitoes in Northeast India.
- The results from field trials and studies in Indonesia underscore the potential benefits of the wMel strategy for India.
- This approach could be highly cost-effective and help alleviate the burden of other emerging infections such as Zika, Japanese encephalitis, and chikungunya. The wMel strategy becomes increasingly relevant as we need alternatives to insecticides due to resistance issues, safety concerns, and their limited effectiveness.
- It is crucial to ensure clear public communication regarding mosquito release plans. Valuable insights can be gained from mosquito release programs conducted in 14 different countries. During the monsoon season, the increase in similar febrile illnesses puts a strain on healthcare systems.
- Reducing mosquito-borne diseases through proven interventions can significantly lessen the strain on health systems and improve productivity.
- It is essential to explore all available interventions to maintain a healthy and productive young population and achieve our demographic potential. Revitalizing and funding innovative vector control programs across India is vital to tackling the triple epidemic of dengue, chikungunya, and Zika
Which of the following statements about the Dengue virus is/are correct?
- Dengue fever is caused by a virus transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes.
- There are four different serotypes of the Dengue virus, each causing the same severity of disease.
- The primary method of controlling dengue is the use of vaccines, which are currently fully effective against all serotypes of the virus.
- Dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) and dengue shock syndrome (DSS) are severe forms of dengue that can occur following infection with more than one serotype.
B. 1 and 4 only
C. 2 and 3 only
D. 1, 3, and 4 only
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Answer (B)
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Recent reports indicate that India houses 83 of the world's 100 most polluted cities. According to the British Medical Journal, air pollution is responsible for 2.1 million deaths in India, the highest number after China. Over 99% of the Indian population breathes air that fails to meet the World Health Organization's standards.
Severity of Air Pollution:
The International Energy Associates reports that road transport accounts for 12% of India's CO2 emissions, with a significant portion of Particulate Matter (PM) 2.5 emissions stemming from heavy vehicles. PM2.5 consists of tiny pollutants that can penetrate deeply into the lungs and enter the bloodstream, causing various respiratory and cardiovascular issues. Heavy vehicles are also major contributors to Nitrogen Oxide (NOx) emissions, which similarly impact health. NOx contributes to ground-level ozone formation, worsening air quality and heat, which intensifies urban air pollution. Studies suggest that heavy vehicles account for 60-70% of vehicular PM emissions and 40-50% of NOx emissions in cities.
Measures Taken to Combat Air Pollution:
With the transport sector growing at 9.1% annually, the Bureau of Energy Efficiency’s (BEE) development of draft Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards for cars in India is timely and commendable. The planned implementation of CAFE III from 2027-2032 and CAFE IV from 2032-2037 is practical. The transition from the Modified India Driving Cycle (MIDC) to the World Light Duty Vehicle Testing Procedure (WLTP) starting March 31, 2027, is notable, as the WLTP provides a more accurate and globally harmonized measure of fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. The proposed emissions targets for CAFE III (91.7g CO2/km) and CAFE IV (70g CO2/km) are attainable. These stringent CO2 targets are crucial for driving innovation and adopting cleaner technologies. However, it is important to note that the CAFE norms do not cover emissions from heavy vehicles such as trucks and lorries.
Further Actions Required:
In 2022, the government introduced a vehicle scrappage policy aimed at retiring old and polluting vehicles, including heavy ones. This policy requires passenger vehicles older than 20 years and commercial vehicles older than 15 years to pass a "fitness and emissions test." Vehicles failing these tests are classified as end-of-life, lose their registration certificates, and are recommended for scrapping. However, the policy has yet to be effectively implemented in Karnataka due to the limited number of scrapyards and its voluntary nature. In Bangalore, many older vehicles are not four-wheelers but include BMTC buses, private vans, and heavy vehicles. Maharashtra, among 21 states, has introduced incentives like road tax discounts or new vehicle purchase reductions to promote scrapping, but these measures have not yet significantly impacted air pollution. Policymakers must ensure that guidelines are not just on paper but actively enforced.
Existing government measures—such as regular vehicle emissions testing, banning open garbage burning, and monitoring industrial emissions—must be rigorously applied. While the government's efforts to reduce air pollution are commendable, expanding mass transit remains crucial for a sustainable solution to air pollution in India
Follow Up Question
- Carbon dioxide
- Carbon monoxide
- Nitrogen dioxide
- Sulfur dioxide
- Methane
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
A. 1, 2 and 3 only
B. 2, 3 and 4 only
C. 1, 4 and 5 only
D. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5
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Answer (B)
The Air Quality Index (AQI) typically considers the following atmospheric gases:
Carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) are not usually included in AQI calculations because they are not direct pollutants affecting air quality in the same way as CO, NO2, and SO2. The AQI focuses on pollutants that have immediate health impacts, such as those that contribute to smog and respiratory issues |
| Subject | Topic | Description |
| History | Modern Indian History | National Movements between 1919 to 1939 |
| History | Modern Indian History | Governor generals of India |
| History | Modern Indian History | Doctrine of Lapse |
| History | Modern Indian History | Religious reform Movements |
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