Current Affairs

USE OF NITROGEN BY RICE VARIETIES

Why in the News?

Biotechnologists at the Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University (GGU) have discovered a wide variation among popular varieties of rice in India in their ability to use nitrogen. This can lead to the development of newer varieties that use less nitrogen and are high-yielding, cutting costs on imported fertilizers and reducing nitrogen-linked pollution

About Nitrogen (N)

Discovered by	Daniel Rutherford in 1772
Symbol	N
Group	15
Period	2
Block	p
Atomic Number	7
Atomic Mass	14
Sta	Gas
Electron Configuration	[He] 2s22p3
Major Compounds	Nitrous Oxide (N2O), Di-Nitrogen (N2), Ammonia (NH3), Nitrate (NO3), Nitric Oxide and Nitrogen Dioxide

About Nitrogen Pollution

• It refers to the excessive presence of nitrogen compounds in the environment, primarily in water bodies like rivers and lakes.
• Sources
  • Agricultural Activities
  • Industrial Processes
  • Livestock Farming
  • Biomass Burning
• Impacts
  • Excess nitrogen acts as a nutrient fertiliser for aquatic plants leading to excessive growth of algae and other aquatic vegetation. This phenomenon is known as eutrophication which creates oxygen-depleted zones (dead zones).
  • High levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) in the air can exacerbate respiratory conditions such as asthma and increase the risk of respiratory infections.
  • Nitrate contamination of drinking water can also pose health risks, particularly to infants, by causing methemoglobinemia or "blue baby syndrome."
  • Nitrous oxide (N2O) released into the atmosphere can lead to the depletion of the stratospheric ozone layer which protects the Earth from harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation.
  • Depletion of the ozone layer can increase the risk of skin cancer, cataracts, and other health problems in humans, as well as harm marine ecosystems and agricultural crops.
  • It also leads to the creation of a tropospheric ozone layer which creates respiratory illnesses.
• Government Initiatives
  • Bharat Stage (BS VI) Emission Standards
  • Nutrient-Based Subsidy (NBS)
  • Soil Health Cards
  • Nano Urea

Nitrogen Cycle

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MEGAQUAKE ADVISORY

Why in the News?

Japan issues first-ever megaquake advisory prompted by the 7.1-magnitude earthquake at the edge of a tremulous seabed zone along the Pacific coast known as the Nankai Trough. The warning said the likelihood of strong shaking and large tsunamis is higher than normal on the Nankai Trough, a subduction zone along Japan’s southwest Pacific coast.

About Nankai Trough

• It is a subduction zone between two tectonic plates in the Pacific Ocean where massive earthquakes have hit in the past.
• This underwater subduction zone (nearly 900 km long) where the Eurasian Plate collides with the Philippine Sea Plate, pushing the latter under the former and into the Earth’s mantle.
• It runs from Shizuoka, west of Tokyo, to the southern tip of Kyushu Island.
• It has been the site of destructive quakes of magnitude eight or nine every century or two.

Subduction Zone

• It is a spot where two of the planet's tectonic plates collide and one dives, or subducts, beneath the other.
• Tectonic plates are pieces of the Earth’s rigid outer layer that slowly move across the planet's surface over millions of years.
• They occur in a horseshoe shape around the edge of the Pacific Ocean, offshore of the USA, Canada, Russia, Japan and Indonesia, and down to New Zealand and the southern edge of South America called the Ring of Fire.
• These zones comprise the most seismically and volcanically active zone in the world, responsible for more than 80% of the world's biggest earthquakes and most of the planet’s active volcanoes.

Note: A megaquake refers to an earthquake of exceptionally large magnitude and defined as a seismic event with a magnitude of 8.0 or higher on the Richter scale. These powerful earthquakes release a tremendous amount of energy and can cause widespread devastation, including severe ground shaking, tsunamis, landslides, and other secondary effects.

Note: Capital of Japan: Tokyo Currency of Japan: Japanese yen (¥) Prime minister: Fumio Kishida Map of Japan

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INTERNATIONAL YOUTH DAY 2024

• It is annually observed on 12^th August.
• The first International Youth Day was observed on 12^th August 2000.
• Proposed by: World Conference of Ministers Responsible for Youth, held in Lisbon, Portugal, in 1998.
• It is celebrated to mark the contributions of the youth in the development of society alongside understanding the challenges faced by them.
• The theme for the day 2024 is “From Clicks to Progress: Youth Digital Pathways for Sustainable Development.”

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WORLD ELEPHANT DAY 2024

• It is annually observed on 12^th August to raise awareness about the conservation of elephants and their habitats.
• The day was originated in 2012, when Canadian filmmakers Patricia Sims and Michael Clark, along with the support of various conservation organisations launched this global initiative.
• The theme for the day 2024 is “Personifying Prehistoric Beauty, Theological Relevance, and Environmental Importance”.

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General Knowledge

Eminent Personalities in News Today

Name	Designation	Image
Natwar Singh	Former External Affairs Minister
Mohamed Muizzu	President of Maldives
Sunita Williams	American Astronaut
Butch Wilmore	NASA astronaut
Madhabi Puri Buch	Chairman of Securities Regulatory Body Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI)
Abhinav Bindra	Former Indian Shooter
Hemant Soren	Chief Minister of Jharkhand