WriCraft

■  Biomethanation/Methanogenesis upsc :  Methanogenesis/    biomethanation  is the formation of methane  by microbes  known as Methanogenesis . Organisms capable of producing methane have been identified only from the domain Archaea , a group phylogenetically  distinct from both eukaryotes  and bacteria , although many live in close association with anaerobic bacteria. • The production of methane is an important and widespread form of microbial metabolism . In anoxic  environments, it is the final step in the decomposition of biomass . Methanogenesis is responsible for significant amounts of natural gas accumulations, the remainder being thermogenic. • In an all India coordinated project, efforts are on to produce bio-gas for kitchen use and quality manure for fields using bio-methanation of rice straw. • Six domestic level paddy straw-based bio-gas plants have been installed in Punjab. •Organic material is microbiologically ...

■ Helicopter Money :  •  HELICOPTER MONEY : It is an unconventional monetary policy tool. To inject cash into the economy.  Through printing large sums of money.  Distributing it among the general public to stimulate the economic growth. ■ how it works :  •Direct transfers to peoples account. •Cutting down taxes. •Government Spending. ● THE TERM ‘HELICOPTER MONEY’?   Well known economist, Milton Freidman introduced the concept of helicopter money in his paper.The Optimum Quantity of Money in 1960. The basic principle behind this is that the central banks want to increase inflation and output. Therefore, this assumption implied that the influx of money in the economy will be used to purchase goods and services. ■ NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES •May lead to hyper inflation.    •Rapid Depreciation of Rupee.                 •People may keep this money in their savings accounts. ...

■ SOLAR storm,solar flare,geomagnetic storm,coronal cloud,coronal mass ejection:-- • According to a research, sudden releases of high-energy particles from the sun, called solar storms, can mess with the navigational ability of gray whales, causing them to strand on land. • Solar storms have the potential to modify geomagnetic field and disrupt magnetic orientation. • They disrupt earth’s magnetic field — and the whales’ navigational sense. • The radio frequency noise created by the solar outburst affects the whales’ senses in a way that prevents them from navigating at all. • Solar storms are violent events on the sun which can temporarily distort the earth’s magnetosphere – the region around the earth which is influenced by its magnetic field. • Solar storms include:----  • Solar flare, a large explosion in the Sun's atmosphere.  • Coronal mass ejection (CME) , a massive burst of solar wind, sometimes associated with solar flares  • Coronal cloud, the...

■ Biofortification in India & Madhuvan carrot :--- Fortification is the practice of deliberately increasing the content of an essential micronutrient , i.e. vitamins and minerals (including trace elements) in a food, so as to improve the nutritional quality of the food supply and provide a public health benefit with minimal risk to health. Biofortification is the process by which the nutritional quality of food crops is improved through agronomic practices,   conventional plant breeding, or modern biotechnology. Biofortification differs from conventional fortification in that biofortification aims to increase nutrient levels in crops during plant growth rather than through manual means during processing of the crops. Biofortification may therefore present a way to reach populations where supplementation and conventional fortification activities may be difficult to implement and/or limited. Examples of biofortification projects include: ▪ iron-biofo...

■ Who can call army in India /  Who has the authority to call in army for controlling a riot ? Public order and police are under the state list. Section 129 & 130 of CrPC give the Executive Magistrate certain powers relating to “unlawful assembly”. If a group is found in unlawful assembly under Section 129 CrPC, the Executive Magistrate can issue orders to these persons to disperse.  Section 130 CrPC (Criminal Procedure Code) empowers the Executive Magistrate to requisition the aid of the Army . The state government may request the Union government to make available armed forces to help restore public order. In states when there is a breakdown of law and order, for example in case of a riot or natural calamity, then the district magistrate can approach the military commander of the area. The army in such cases has Limited purpose of dispersing an “unlawful assembly” and arresting its members.  ■ The Peculiar case of Delhi:----Article 239 AA ...

■ M.I.K.E. :--- The CITES Monitoring the Illegal Killing of Elephants (MIKE) Programme is a site-based system designed to monitor trends in the illegal killing of elephants, build management capacity and provide information to help range States make appropriate management and enforcement decisions. ● The prime objectives of the MIKE are to measure levels and trends in the illegal poaching of elephants. ● MIKE Programme was established by the CITES by Resolution 10.10 adopted at the 10TH Conference of the Parties in 1997. ■ Cites :----The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. It is an international agreement between governments. Its aim is to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival. Because the trade in wild animals and plants crosses borders between countries, the effort to regulate it requires international cooperation to safeguard certain species from over-explo...

■ Genes & Genetic Engineering :  ● What are Genes ? ------) Genes are the functional units of DNA . • They represents various traits of an organism represented by base pair sequences in DNA. • Every aspect of that human being is represented by genes. For eg- Skin colour, Hair colour are represented by particular sequence of base pairs in any organism. ■ Genetic Engineering-----)   Term coined by Jack Williamson in his science fiction novel Dragon's Island, published in 1951. • Is the core technique of Biotechnology . • It involves the process of alteration of genes or to alter chemistry of genetic material to produce a desired trait.  Father of Genetic Engineering Paul Berg . • Herbert Boyer and Stanley Cohen (both American Scientists)were pioneers of recombinant DNA (r DNA) technology which made basis for the Biotechnology. ■ Recombinant DNA Technology: Recombinant DNA or r DNA is a unique DNA strand which is created artificially by joining...