17 Jan | UPSC Current Affairs: Mud Volcano, Kokborok Language, EKM, Blood Money, and More

UPSC GS 1

Mud Volcano

  • News:ย Aย mud volcano eruptionย in theย Caspian Sea createdย aย temporaryย ‘ghost island’ inย early 2023,ย onlyย for it toย erode awayย by theย endย ofย 2024.
  • Definition and Characteristics:
    • A mud volcano is a small cone-shaped structure made of mud and clay, typically less than a few meters high, though some may be just a few decimeters tall.
    • The craters are generally shallow and intermittently eject mud, which helps rebuild the cones. However, these cones are prone to erosion.

Mud Volcano

  • Formation and Types:
    • Hot Spring Activity: Some mud volcanoes form due to hot spring activity, where large quantities of gas and small amounts of water chemically react with surrounding rocks, producing boiling mud.
    • Variations include:
    • Porridge Pot: A boiling mud basin that erodes chunks of the surrounding rock.
    • Paint Pot: A boiling mud basin tinted yellow, green, or blue due to minerals in the surrounding rocks.
  • Non-Igneous Origin in Oil Fields:
    • Found in young oil-field regions with soft, unconsolidated formations.
    • Under compactional stress, methane and other hydrocarbons mixed with mud rise to the surface, creating a cone-shaped structure.
    • The mud, often hot due to the depth and pressure, may release steam clouds during eruptions.
  • Hazards:
    • While not actual volcanoes, mud volcanoes typically do not pose significant danger since they emit only warm mud, affecting areas within a few hundred meters.
    • However, large mud volcanoes can flood surrounding areas with mud, displacing populations and damaging infrastructure and agricultural land.
  • Global Distribution: Around 1,000 mud volcanoes have been identified worldwide, on land and in shallow waters.
  • Regional Presence:
    • Europe and Asia: Found in southeastern Ukraine, Italy, Romania, Azerbaijan, Iran, Pakistan, Indonesia, and China.
    • Americas: Documented in Alaska, California, Trinidad Island, Venezuela, and Colombia.

Read also: UGC Guidelines 2025 for UPSC | Key Updates

Kokborok Language

  • News:ย  Tripura Chief Minister recently said that the state government has taken various important steps for the development of the Kokborok language.
  • Language of the Borok People: Kokborok is the native language of the Borok community, also known as Tripuris, residing in the state of Tripura.
  • Official Status: It was officially recognized as one of the state languages of Tripura on January 19, 1979.

Kokborok Language

  • Linguistic Roots:
    • Kokborok is part of the Sino-Tibetan language family.
    • Its origins date back to at least the 1st century AD, as documented in the Raj Ratnakar, the historical chronicle of Tripuri kings.
  • Historical Mentions:
    • The term “Kokborok” first appeared as Kok-boro in an early primer on the language written by Daulat Ahmed in 1897-98.
    • By 1900, Thakur Radhamohan Debbarma had spelled it as Kokborok in a published grammar of the language.
  • British Records: During colonial times, British officers and linguists referred to the language as Tipperh, Tipura, or Tipra Language.
  • Etymology of Kokborok: The word “Kokborok” is derived from two components:
    • Kok: Meaning “verbal” or “speech.”
    • Borok: Referring to “people” or “humans.”
  • Demographics:
    • Population: According to the 2011 Census, 8,80,537 people speak Kokborok, accounting for 23.97% of Tripura’s total population.

Hydroclimate Whiplash

  • News: Hydroclimate whiplash has fuelled the Los Angeles wildfires.ย 
  • Definition: Hydroclimate whiplash refers to a rare meteorological phenomenon where a period of extremely wet conditions is followed by an equally extreme dry spell.
  • How it Occurs:
  • Atmospheric Paradox: As the atmosphere warms, it has the capacity to hold more water vapor.
    • This increase in water vapor can lead to both a greater surplus and a greater deficit, causing a paradox where the atmosphere holds water longer before releasing it as precipitation.
    • Consequently, this leads to longer dry spells and more intense rainfall events.

Hydroclimate Whiplash

  • Impacts of Hydroclimate Whiplash:
    • Increased Droughts and Floods: The phenomenon results in more frequent occurrences of droughts and floods.
    • Wildfires and Health Issues: Dry conditions foster the creation of fires, which further aggravate respiratory and cardiovascular conditions due to the smoke they produce.
    • Human Health Risks: Flooding fosters conditions that promote waterborne diseases such as cholera and leptospirosis.
  • Rising Frequency: Since the mid-20th century, instances of hydroclimate whiplash have increased by 31-66% over three-month periods (sub-seasonal) and by 8-31% over 12-month periods (inter-annual) across the globe.

Electrokinetic Mining (EKM)

  • News:ย  A research team developed electrokinetic mining (EKM), an eco-friendly method for extracting rare earth elements.
  • Definition: Electrokinetic mining is an innovative method that uses an electric field, either direct or alternating, to accelerate the movement of materials like metals, water, and particles, facilitating the extraction process.

Electrokinetic Mining (EKM)

  • Issues with Existing Techniques:
    • Current Mining Practices: Heavy rare earth elements (HREEs) are predominantly extracted from ion-adsorption rare earth deposits (IADs), primarily found in South China. This mining technique accounts for 95% of the global HREE supply.
    • Environmental Concerns: The traditional process relies heavily on ammonium-salt-based leaching agents for extraction. It is associated with low efficiency and significant environmental damage, severely impacting local ecosystems.
  • Advantages of Electrokinetic Mining:
    • Lowers the use of leaching agents by 80%.
    • Decreases energy consumption by 60%.
    • High Recovery Efficiency:
    • Achieves a recovery rate of over 95%, setting a new benchmark in sustainable mining practices.
    • Minimizes ecological harm while simultaneously improving the recovery rate of rare earth elements (REEs).

UPSC GS 2

Blood Money

  • News: Nimisha Priya, an Indian-origin nurse, has been sentenced to death in Yemen for allegedly killing a Yemeni national but there is still an option that could get her off the death sentence โ€“ blood money, also called โ€˜diyyaโ€™ in Islamic Sharia law.
  • Definition and Origin:
    • Blood money, known as โ€˜diya,โ€™ is rooted in Islamic Sharia law and is implemented in countries that integrate these laws into their legal framework.
    • It involves the payment of a specified amount, often monetary, by the offender to the victim or the victimโ€™s family in cases of unintentional murder or culpable homicide.

Blood Money

  • Application:
    • The practice is primarily invoked in instances of unintentional murder and culpable homicide.
    • In cases of murder, it applies when the victimโ€™s family opts against retribution through โ€˜qisas,โ€™ a form of retaliation under Sharia.
    • The objective is not to assign a monetary value to life but to ease the familyโ€™s suffering and mitigate their financial loss.
  • Additional Punishments:
    • Even if โ€˜blood moneyโ€™ is paid and reconciliation occurs, the community and state may impose additional penalties or deterrent measures on the offender.
  • Contemporary Use:
    • Several Islamic nations uphold the concept of blood money, with factors such as gender, religion, and nationality influencing its application.
    • In Saudi Arabia, for instance, traffic laws mandate the payment of blood money to the heirs of road accident victims, in addition to potential imprisonment for the perpetrator.
  • Indiaโ€™s Stance on Blood Money:
    • Legal Framework:
    • Indiaโ€™s formal legal system does not recognize or provide for the practice of โ€˜diya.โ€™
    • However, a comparable provision exists in the form of โ€˜plea bargaining,โ€™ introduced through the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2005.
    • Plea Bargaining:
    • This mechanism allows the accused to negotiate with the prosecution by pleading guilty to an offence in exchange for concessions from the prosecutor.
    • While not identical to blood money, plea bargaining may enable victims to receive compensation.
  • Limitations of Plea Bargaining:
    • Applicable only to offences punishable by imprisonment of less than seven years.
    • Excludes individuals previously convicted for a similar crime.
    • Does not cover crimes against women, children below 14, heinous crimes like murder or rape, or socio-economic offences involving civil rights.
    • Participation in plea bargaining must be voluntary and free from coercion.

Mission Mausam

  • News: PM Modi launched Mission Mausam, marking India Meteorological Departmentโ€™s 150th anniversary, enhancing India’s weather preparedness and climate resilience amid climate crisis challenges.
  • Mission Mausam:
    • Mission Mausam is an initiative by the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) aimed at establishing India as a global leader in weather and climate science.
  • Overseeing Institutions: The mission will be implemented by three MoES-funded organizations:
    • India Meteorological Department (IMD)
    • Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune
    • National Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasting (NCMRWF), Noida
  • Objective:
    • Position India as โ€œweather-readyโ€ and โ€œclimate-smartโ€ by enhancing meteorological services essential for disaster risk management.
    • Improve Indiaโ€™s capabilities in weather forecasting, modeling, and dissemination.
  • Key Focus Areas:
    • Forecasting and Modeling: Upgrading weather surveillance systems and advancing prediction models.
    • Weather Management: Developing tools to manage and modulate weather phenomena such as rainfall, hailstorms, fog, and lightning.
    • Cloud Physics Research: Focusing on enhancing research in cloud physics to understand and model Indian monsoon behavior.
  • About Cloud Chambers:
    • First-of-its-kind Development: IITM Pune is constructing an advanced cloud chamber designed to replicate the environmental conditions necessary for cloud formation.
    • Design Features: A sealed cylindrical or tubular chamber where water vapor, aerosols, and other substances are introduced. Controlled humidity and temperature within the chamber lead to cloud formation.
    • Purpose: To study particles involved in the formation of cloud droplets or ice particles, especially those associated with monsoon clouds. The chamber will include convection properties to simulate the dynamic conditions unique to Indian monsoon systems, making it more advanced than traditional global models.

UPSC GS 3

Online Suspect Registry

  • News:ย  In almost three months since the launch of the online โ€˜suspect registryโ€™, the Centre has declined six lakh fraudulent transactions and saved Rs 1,800 crore.
  • About Central Suspect Registry:
    • The Central Suspect Registry is designed to strengthen fraud risk management by creating a centralized repository of identifiers.
    • It has been built on the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (NCRP) to consolidate information on cybercrime suspects.
    • The registry contains data on 1.4 million individuals associated with financial fraud and various cybercrimes.
    • It was developed by the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) and is accessible to law enforcement agencies in states and union territories, as well as central investigation and intelligence agencies.
    • The creation of the registry involved collaboration with banks and financial institutions, establishing it as a central-level database for tackling cybercrimes.

Online Suspect Registry

  • About the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C):
    • The Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) was established under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to address cybercrime in a comprehensive and coordinated manner.
    • It is located in New Delhi and serves as a national hub for managing cybercrime-related issues.
    • The centre focuses on improving coordination between law enforcement agencies and stakeholders to combat cybercrime effectively.
    • One of its primary functions is to act as a nodal point in the fight against cybercrime by providing strategic guidance and support.
    • It identifies research challenges faced by law enforcement agencies and collaborates with academic and research institutions within India and abroad to develop advanced technologies and forensic tools.
    • The I4C also works to prevent the misuse of cyberspace by extremist and terrorist groups, thereby contributing to national security.

See more: A List of Major Freedom Fighters of India (1857-1947)

Funnel Web Spider

  • News: Australian scientists have discovered a bigger, more venomous species of the Sydney funnel-web spider, one of the world’s deadliest.
  • About Sydney Funnel-Web Spider:
    • The species has been officially named Atrax christenseni by scientists.
    • Nicknamed “Big Boy,” this newly identified funnel-web spider measures approximately 9 centimeters (3.54 inches) in length.
    • The species was initially discovered in the early 2000s near Newcastle, located 170 km (105 miles) north of Sydney.

Funnel Web Spider

  • Characteristics:
    • The spider has a shiny, dark brown to black appearance, with finger-like spinnerets (silk-spinning organs) located at the end of its abdomen.
    • It features notably larger venom glands and longer fangs compared to other spiders.
    • Among funnel-web spiders, only the male Sydney funnel-web carries a highly potent venom responsible for human fatalities.
  • Habitat:
    • The spider inhabits bushy suburban regions, open and closed sclerophyll forests, and woodlands.
    • It is commonly found on south or east-facing slopes or in shady gullies, preferring cooler and protected areas.
  • What is a Funnel-Web Spider?
    • Funnel-web spiders are considered some of the most dangerous arachnids globally.
    • There are 36 identified species of Australian funnel-web spiders, classified into three genera: Hadronyche, Atrax, and Illawarra.
    • Their venom contains 40 distinct toxic proteins, making it highly potent.
    • Raw venom from these spiders is essential for producing life-saving antivenom.

SpaDeX Docking Experiment

  • News: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully demonstrated space docking โ€” or the joining of two fast-moving satellites in space.
  • What is Space Docking?
    • Space docking refers to the procedure by which two fast-moving spacecraft are synchronized to the same orbit, brought closer together either manually or autonomously, and then joined securely.
  • Purpose:
    • Enables missions involving large spacecraft that exceed the payload capacity of a single launch vehicle.
    • Facilitates the assembly of space stations by joining separate modules in orbit.
    • Allows for the transportation of crew and supplies to space stations.

SpaDeX Docking Experiment

  • SpaDeX Mission:
    • Launch Details: The PSLV-C60 mission was launched on December 30, 2024. The mission deployed two satellites, Chaser (SDX01) and Target (SDX02), each weighing 220 kilograms.
    • Successful Space Docking by ISRO: The two satellites were maneuvered to within a distance of 3 meters from each other in orbit. Their extended docking rings were successfully joined, retracted, and securely locked in space. ISRO demonstrated the ability to command the two docked satellites as a unified composite object.
  • Significance of the Achievement:
    • With this successful docking, India became the fourth country globallyโ€”after the United States, Russia, and Chinaโ€”to achieve this technological milestone.
    • This breakthrough lays the groundwork for ambitious future missions, including:
  • Bharatiya Antriksha Station: India’s proposed space station.
  • Chandrayaan 4: A potential lunar exploration mission.
  • Gaganyaan: Indiaโ€™s human spaceflight mission.
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