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Daily News Analysis.

Spike Non-Line of Sight (NLOS) Anti-Tank Guided Missiles (GS-2)

News: The Indian Air Force recently got Spike non-line of sight (NLOS) anti-tank guided missiles from Israel.

Spike Anti-tank Guided Missile (ATGM) is a fire-and-forget anti-tank and anti-personnel missile with a tandem-charge high-explosive warhead. Rafael Advanced Defence Systems, an Israeli defence technology company, created it. It is offered in three variants: man-portable, vehicle-launched, and helicopter-launched.

Spike missiles are utilized by Israel’s defence forces as well as those of 38 other countries, including India, the Netherlands, Germany, Italy, Peru, Spain, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, the United Kingdom, the Philippines, and Singapore. It can hit targets from up to 30 km away.

Unlike missiles that rely on radar or infrared guidance, it employs an electro-optical seeker that allows the launch operator to plainly view targets. The seeker is also linked to a datalink, which allows the launch operator to direct the missile in flight to attack different portions of a tank or choose another target, or to abandon the strike entirely.

It can be equipped with several types of warheads designed to destroy tanks, air defence systems, or to be used in urban fighting.

History of Indian Air Force:

The IAF was successful immediately from the start, when Pakistan invaded Kashmir in 1948. The IAF was extremely important. Air power was not deployed in the Indo-China war of 1962. So, the defeat was ours. In the 1965 Indo-Pakistan conflict, air power was utilized with less coordination, yet it was nevertheless effective.

We had perfect air superiority in 1971 because we possessed 12 to 14 F 86 Sabre’s, which made a difference. There are numerous tributaries of tiny rivers in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh). It was difficult to cross these rivers. The IAF overcame this by providing massive helicopter support.

Air power was used effectively in the 1999 Kargil battle. Weaponry was delivered from high altitudes and with pinpoint accuracy for the first time in air power history. No other air force in the world had done so before, making it a major accomplishment for the IAF.

Study In India (SII) Portal (GS-3)

News: With the goal of promoting Indian education to international students, the Education Ministry recently developed the Study in India (SII) portal.

The Study in India (SII) portal provides information about higher education institutions (HEIs) in India. The goal is to build India as a global education hub by welcoming students from diverse backgrounds.

It will highlight undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral degrees, as well as courses in the Indian Knowledge System (IKS) such as Yoga, Ayurveda, traditional arts, and more. The portal will provide information about academic facilities, research assistance, and other resources accessible at the institutes.

It will be a one-stop shop for student registration, visa applications, course selection, and getting offer letters from the institute. It will allow students to apply to more than one institute or course of their choice. It will provide overseas students pursuing higher education possibilities in India with a streamlined and well-organized application process.

Functions of Indian Knowledge System:

Facilitate and coordinate IKS-based/related inter- and transdisciplinary work carried out by various institutions in India and overseas, including universities, institutes of national importance, R&D laboratories, and various ministries, and motivate private sector organizations to participate.

Establish, guide, and monitor subject-specific interdisciplinary research groups comprised of institution, Centre, and individual researchers. Make and promote popularization plans. Facilitate the funding of diverse initiatives and the development of systems for conducting research. Make policy proposals for the promotion of IKS wherever necessary.

Einstein Cross (GS-3)

News: Astronomers have uncovered a beautiful, uncommon example of a “Einstein cross” dividing and magnifying light from the universe’s furthest reaches. Back in 1915, Einstein predicted the appearance of these crosses.

Einstein’s general theory of relativity describes how heavy things bend the fabric of the universe, known as space-time. The most recent Einstein Cross contains some intriguing information. The primary galaxy that is causing the lensing is approximately 5.998 billion light-years away. It’s lensing a galaxy that’s more than 11.179 billion light-years away. As a result, the foreground lensing galaxy provides an incredible view of a galaxy in the early Universe.

Cross of Einstein:

When a huge galaxy passes directly “in front of” a more distant background object (such as a galaxy or a quasar), the distribution of matter surrounding that galaxy and its gravitational pull can “bend” the light as it goes by. In this example, the Earth, the lensing galaxy, and the quasar have all aligned to exactly duplicate the quasar’s light, forming an Einstein ring.

It turns out that gravitational lensing occurs everywhere in the universe, usually as “weak lensing.” An Einstein Cross requires exact alignment of the lensing body and light source, which astronomers call “strong gravitational lensing.”

About Albert Einstein:

Albert Einstein (14 March 1879 – 18 April 1955) was a German-born theoretical physicist who is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential scientists of all time. He is best known for formulating the theory of relativity, but he also made significant contributions to quantum mechanics and was therefore a key role in contemporary physics’ dramatic remaking of our understanding of nature in the opening decades of the twentieth century.

His mass-energy equivalence formula E = mc2, derived from relativity theory, has been described as “the world’s most famous equation.” He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1921 “for his services to theoretical physics, particularly for his discovery of the law of the photoelectric effect,” which was a critical milestone in the development of quantum theory.

His work has also had an impact on the philosophy of science. In a poll of 130 renowned physicists from around the world conducted by the British publication Physics World in 1999, Einstein was voted the best physicist of all time. Because of his intellectual achievements and inventiveness, the name “Einstein” has become associated with “genius.”

Fossils Of Perucetus Colossus: (GS-1)

News: Perucetus colossus whale fossils have been unearthed by researchers.

Perucetus colossus on a newly described fossil of the whale Perucetus colossus, which dates back more than 38 million years. Scientists believe that it was heavier than a blue whale while being shorter in length. Researchers estimate that the species weighed between 85 and 340 tonnes.

The bones of the animal were extraordinarily big in volume and density. Pach osteosclerosis is the combination of bone thickening and densification. The trait is not found in live whales, dolphins, or porpoises. However, it is found in sirenians, a category of aquatic mammals that includes sea cows.

Deep-diving whales normally had the ability to completely empty their lungs before plunging into the depths of the ocean, but colossus most likely lived in shallow coastal habitats. This would imply that it dove with air in its lungs. However, diving with air in the lungs would make staying near the seafloor difficult—this is where the very heavy bones come in.

P. colossus’ skeleton mass would have been between five and eight tonnes, more than double that of the blue whale.

Types of Fossil Fuels in India:

Fossil fuels are non-renewable energy sources generated over millions of years from ancient plant and animal remains. Coal, oil, and natural gas are the three basic forms of fossil fuels. These earth-derived fuels are used to create energy, fuel transportation, and heat buildings.

• Coal

Coal is a sedimentary rock that is mostly made up of carbon. It is made up of the remains of ancient plants that have been buried and subjected to extreme pressure and heat over millions of years. Coal is used to power generators and heat buildings.

• Oil

Oil, commonly known as petroleum, is a liquid fossil fuel created from the remains of marine animals that have been buried and subjected to extreme heat and pressure for millions of years. It is used to power transportation and is an essential component in the manufacture of plastics, chemicals, and other goods.

• Natural Gas

Natural gas is a gaseous fossil fuel generated from the remains of ancient marine animals buried and subjected to extreme pressure and heat over millions of years. It is used to generate electricity as well as to power transportation.

Italian City of Venice: World Heritage Sites in Danger (GS-1)

News: In a recent report, United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) experts recommend that the Italian city of Venice be added to a list of endangered world heritage sites.

The list includes several UNESCO World Heritage Sites that are under threat from circumstances such as armed conflict and war, earthquakes and other natural disasters, pollution, poaching, unregulated urbanisation, and unchecked tourist development.

Under the 1972 World Heritage Convention, UNESCO also establishes particular standards and criteria to determine whether or not a property is under specific and demonstrated imminent danger or hazard.

About UNESCO:

It is an abbreviation for the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization. It is a United Nations (UN) specialized agency. The 1946 constitution called for the advancement of international partnership in education, research, and culture. The permanent headquarters of the agency are in Paris, France. United Nations Economic and Social Council is the parent organization.

UNESCO’s principal goals are to encourage international cooperation in education, research, and culture, as well as to promote sustainable development and intercultural discussion. These sectors, according to UNESCO, are critical for creating a more just, peaceful, and inclusive world.