Q. Which of the following groups does the National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI) fall under?
- CSIR
- Geological Survey of India
- Ministry of Earth Sciences
- Ministry of Environment, Forestry, and Climate Change
A – Explanation
- The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, India’s largest organisation for research and development, established the National Geophysical Research Institute in 1961 as a geoscientific research institution.
- The goal of NGRI’s research is to advance public-good science so that decision-makers in the public, private, and government sectors can use geo-resources sustainably while also increasing preparedness and resilience to natural disasters. It is our goal to build a knowledge base of Earth system processes and use it to develop strategies to reduce loss of life and property from natural disasters as well as manage water, energy, and mineral resources for improving the quality of life. This is because only a thorough understanding of Earth processes and their intersections with the growth and development of human society can secure the future.
- Three general themes can be found in the research activities:
- Earthquake hazards include features on the surface and subsurface of the crust that may potentially endanger lives and property through disasters like earthquakes and landslides, as well as deterioration in the pollution levels of groundwater and soil, changes in climatic conditions, and associated environmental issues. Geodynamics centres on investigating and modelling fundamental aspects of the Earth system and processes.
- The implementation of techniques to identify key geo-resources, such as groundwater, hydrocarbons, as well as alternative energy sources and minerals, which are the foundations of human civilization and the source of economic growth, is part of the theme “Natural Resources.”
Q. Which of the following nations participated in the joint drill known as Air Exercise Garuda-VII with India?
- Indonesia
- France
- USA
- Bangladesh
B – Explanation
- Garuda VII is the seventh iteration of the two-year-interval bilateral air exercise between India and France.
- At the Air Force Stations at Gwalior, Kalaikunda, and Jodhpur, respectively, the first, third, and fifth editions were held in India in 2003, 2006, and 2014, respectively. In France, the second, fourth, and sixth editions took place in 2005, 2010, and 2019.
- The light combat aircraft (LCA) Tejas and the light combat helicopter (LCH) Prachand are taking part in Ex Garuda-VII for the first time ever.
- Four Rafale fighters and one A-330 multi-role tanker transport aircraft from the French side are participating in the exercise, which is scheduled to conclude on November 12. The IAF contingent also includes Mi-17 helicopters, Su-30 MK-I, Rafale, and Jaguar fighter aircraft in addition to the LCA and LCH.
Q. Which of the following best sums up “greenwashing”?
- It alludes to the procedure of planting trees in order to improve the amount of greenery.
- It is the act of giving the appearance that a company’s products are more environmentally friendly or giving false information to that effect.
- It is the process of substituting green renewable energy for conventional energy sources.
- None of the above
B – Explanation
- Making an unsupported claim in order to lead consumers to believe that a company’s products are ecologically friendly or have a bigger positive environmental impact than they actually do is known as “greenwashing.”
- Additionally, greenwashing can happen when a business tries to highlight ecologically friendly features of a product in order to hide its participation in harmful business practises.
- Greenwashing is a play on the term “whitewashing,” which refers to using false information to intentionally hide wrongdoing, error, or an unpleasant situation in an effort to make it seem less bad than it is. It is carried out through the use of environmental imagery, misleading labels, and hiding tradeoffs.
Q. Which of the following is made with the chemical glyphosate?
- Antacids
- Herbicide
- Fertilizers
- Cosmetics
Explanation
- When used ixas limited the use of glyphosate.
Q. Take into account the following statements about Mangrove Alliance for Climate (MAC):
- At the COP27 Summit, it was introduced by India and Indonesia in cooperation.
- Environments in mangroves are associated to initiative.
Which of the aforementioned statements is true?
- 1 only
- 2 only
- Both 1 and 2
- Neither 1 nor 2
Explanation:
- The first claim is untrue.
- To scale up and speed up the conservation and restoration of the mangrove forests, MAC was introduced at the COP27 Summit in Egypt, spearheaded by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in collaboration with Indonesia.
- The second claim is true.
- “The MAC aspires to scale up and expedite conservation, restoration, and increasing plantation initiatives of mangrove ecosystems for the benefit of communities around the world and recognise the importance of these ecosystems for reducing and adapting to climate change,”
- Mangrove forests have a ten-fold higher carbon storage capacity per hectare than terrestrial forests, according to MAC. Additionally, they can store carbon up to 400% faster than tropical rainforests on land.
- Global Mangrove Alliance (GMA) claims that when mangroves are cut down, the carbon that has been stored in those plants is released into the atmosphere. Therefore, it is essential to preserve them in order to reduce carbon emissions.
Q. Take into account the following statements about the SAMUDRAYAAN programme:
- First manned ocean mission for India.
- It intends to deploy three people aboard the MATSYA 6000 manned submersible to a depth of 6000 metres in the ocean for extensive underwater research.
- The Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways launched it.
Which of the aforementioned statements is true?
- 1 and 2 only
- 1 only
- 2 and 3 only
- 1, 2, and 3
Explanation
- The first and second claims are true.
- The Deep Ocean Mission is an Indian attempt to investigate the deep ocean. It is also known as the Samudra yaan programme, which means “Sea Craft” in Sanskrit.
- The mission, which intends to transport people into the deep sea in a submersible vehicle for deep-ocean exploration and the mining of rare minerals, is the first of its kind to be undertaken by India.
- It will transport three people in the MATSYA 6000 manned submersible to a depth of 6000 metres in the ocean for extensive underwater research.
- The third statement is untrue.
- The Ministry of Earth Sciences launched it (MoES).
Q. Which of the following species is Pseudohelice annamalai, which was recently featured in the news?
- Fish
- Crab
- Buttefly
- Banana
Explanation
- The Parangipettai mangroves near the Vellar river in the Cuddalore district are the site of the discovery of a new species of estuary crab by scientists.
- The species has been given the name Pseudohelice annamalai in honour of the university’s 100 years of contributions to research and education.
- This is the genus Pseudohelice’s first ever record, and it was found in high intertidal areas in front of the CAS. There are currently just two known species in this genus, Pseudohelice subquadrata and Pseudohelice latreillii.
Q. Take into account the following claims on the Vikram-S rocket:
- It is a small lift launch vehicle made by ISRO having a 500 kg payload capacity.
- A single-stage sub-orbital launch vehicle is the Vikram-S rocket.
Which of the aforementioned statements is true?
- 1 only
- 2 only
- Both 1 and 2
- Neither 1 nor 2
Explanation
- The first claim is untrue.
- India’s first privately developed launch vehicle is called Vikram-S.
- It was created by Skyroot Aerospace Pvt Ltd, a company based in Hyderabad.
- The second claim is true.
- The Vikram-S rocket is a single-stage sub-orbital launch vehicle that will be used to launch three client payloads and test and certify several technological components for the Vikram series of space launch vehicles.
- Like the flights performed by Jeff Bezos and Richard Branson, sub-orbital flight involves using a vehicle that moves slower than the orbital velocity, which means it is fast enough to reach space but not fast enough to maintain an orbit around the Earth.
- In the first private sector launch, Vikram-S will carry three customer satellites in a suborbital flight on the “Prarambh” mission.
Q. Take into account the following statements regarding the ministerial conference, “No Money For Terror”:
- The Financial Action Task Force is in charge of planning the conference (FATF).
- The “No Money For Terror” Conference, 2022, will be held in India.
Which of the aforementioned statements is true?
- 1 only
- 2 only
- Both 1 and 2
- Neither 1 nor 2
Explanation
- The first claim is untrue.
- Financial Intelligence Units (FIUs) from over 100 different nations, collectively known as The Egmont Group, organised the conference.
- The Egmont Group was established to give FIUs from all over the world a place for private information exchange in order to fight against money laundering, financing of terrorism, and other primary offences.
- The second claim is true.
- The third “No Money for Terror” (NMFT) conference, which will address potential new means of financing terrorism, will take place in New Delhi.
- The first such gathering took place in 2018 in Paris.
- A similar conference’s second iteration took place in 2019 in Melbourne, Australia.
Q. Take into account the following statements about Neelakurinji:
- It is a plant that can only be found in the Western Ghats’ shola woods.
- Due to the prolonged time required for floral pollination, flower bloom only occurs once every 12 years.
Which of the aforementioned statements is true?
- 1 only
- 2 only
- Both 1 and 2
- Neither 1 nor 2
Explanation
- Kurinji or Neelakurinji is a shrub that grows in the shola forests of the Western Ghats in South India. Its scientific name is Strobilanthus kunthianus.
- The plant is named after the renowned Kunthi River, which flows through the Silent Valley National Park in Kerala and is home to a large population of the species.
- The Kurinji plant first recognised in the 19th century and is a member of the genus Strobilanthus and family Acanthaceae. There are 250 species in the genus. About 46 of such species may be found in India. Kurinji can reach heights of 30 to 60 cm and can be found between 1,300 and 2,400 metres above sea level.
- The first claim is untrue.
- It is a shrub that can be found in Kerala, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu’s shola woods of the Western Ghats.
- Neelakurinji can also be found in the Sanduru hills in the Bellary district of Karnataka’s Eastern Ghats, in addition to the Western Ghats.
- The second claim is true.
- Due to the prolonged time required for floral pollination, flower bloom only occurs once every 12 years.
