Science and Tech Notes PDF

All-Inclusive Current Affairs for Prelims 2021
Science & Tech Class-1

Genome: complete set of DNA
Genome / DNA / RNA Genome sequencing: studying it
Genome mapping: less detailed
Book = Genome
23 sheets = 23 Chromosome pairs
46 pages = 46 Chromosomes
Text on a page = DNA
30k Sentences = 30k Genes
3 billion Words = 3 billion Base pairs
4 Alphabets = ATGC molecules
Alphabets 4 Words 3 billion Sentences 30k

(Molecules 4) (Base pairs 3 billion) (Genes 30k)
A-T G-C
Book 1
(Genome 1)
Sheets 23 Pages 46
(Chromosome pairs 23) (DNA 46)
(Chromosome 46)
❑ DNA is packaged into chromosome.

❑ A chromosome contains a single, long DNA molecule.
❑ Chromosomes are found in the nucleus of the cell.
❑ Different organisms have different numbers of chromosomes.
❑ Humans have 23 pairs of chromosomes.
❑ Human Genome is made up of 23 chromosome pairs, 46 DNA
molecules, made of 30,000 Genes, with a total of about 3
billion DNA base pairs.
I read I forget, I see I remember See explanation of this PDF on www.youtube.com/c/allinclusiveias

Prelims 2021 Current Affairs Science & Tech Page-1 © All Inclusive IAS
Prelims 2011: Prelims 2017:
At present, scientists can determine the With reference to agriculture in India, how can the
arrangement or relative position of genes technique of `Genome Sequencing’, often seen in
or DNA sequence on a chromosome. How news, be used in immediate future?
does this knowledge benefit us? 1. Genome sequencing can be used to identify
1. It is possible to know the pedigree of genetic markers for disease resistance and
livestock. drought tolerance in various crop plants
2. It is possible to understand the causes 2. This technique helps in reducing the time
of all human diseases. required to develop new varieties of crop plants.
3. It is possible to develop disease 3. It can be used to decipher the host-pathogen
resistant animal breeds. relationships in crops.
Which of the statements given above Select the correct answer using the code given
is/are correct? below:
(a) 1 and 2 only (b) 2 only (a) 1 only (b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3 (c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3
Note: Health & disease outcomes are determined by interactions between genome & environment.
Human Genome Project: IndiGen Project: ❑ identified 5.6 crore Genome India Project:
❑ 1990-2003 Genome sequencing nucleotide variants Genome sequencing
❑ Genome sequencing ❑ 1,029 Indians ❑ 32% of them are ❑ 10,000 Indians
❑ US/UK/China etc ❑ Lead by CSIR unique to Indians ❑ Lead by IISc etc
Earth Biogenome Project: Indian Initiative on Earth Biogenome Sequencing:
✓ Since 2018 Part of Earth Biogenome project
✓ Target is all eukaryotic ✓ National Institute of Plant Genome Research
biodiversity in 10 years ✓ Target is 1,000 species in 5 years
Some DBT programs on Genetics:

❑ Unique Methods of Management of Inherited Disorders (UMMID)
Identify genetic disease in pregnant women and new born babies;
Establishes NIDAN Kendras for this purpose.
❑ Genome India:
Genome sequencing of 10,000 Indians
❑ Human Microbiome Initiative of select endogamous populations
Influence of lifestyle on microbiome using genomics in tribals
❑ Programme on Monogenic disorders
Disorders due to mutations in a single gene; for specific regions
❑ National Genomics Core
Database & Computing facility for academia and industry
Use/benefits of DNA tech: National SARS-CoV-2 Genome

❑ Forensic investigation Consortium
❑ Faster justice delivery ❑ by DBT, MoHFW, CSIR, ICMR
❑ Chemicals for industries ❑ To assess corona virus variants
❑ Prevent genetic defects
National Biomedical Resource
❑ Accurate diagnosis
❑ Treating diseases
Indigenization Consortium
❑ Pharmacogenomics ❑ PPP; by DBT
(Role of genome in drug ❑ For innovations against Covid
response)
Biotechnology Industry Research
❑ Personalized medicine
❑ Crops: high yield, disease
Assistance Council (BIRAC)
❑ PSU under DBT
resistant, drought resistant,
❑ wide role
high nutrition, etc.
A pleiotropic gene is a single gene
Genome editing that controls more than one trait.
Gene editing:
❑ Changing an organism's DNA
❑ Genes can be added/removed/altered
❑ Many technologies to do so.
❑ One such technology is CRISPR-Cas9
❑ CRISPR guides Cas9 to particular gene,
Cas9 does the cutting.
CRISPR: Clustered Regularly Interspaced
Short Palindromic Repeats
Genome of Species ‘A’ Genome of Species ‘B’ CAS9: Crispr-ASsociated protein 9
Lulu and Nana: (2018)
❑ Gene edited twin girls Prelims 2019:
❑ Chinese scientist 'He What is Cas9 protein that is often seen in news?
Jiankui’ used Crispr-Cas9 (a) A molecular scissors used in targeted gene editing
❑ Edit CCR5 genes in (b) A biosensor used in accurate detection of pathogens in patients
embryo to give genetic (c) A gene that makes plants pest-resistant
resistance to HIV. (d) A herbicidal substance synthesized in genetically modified crops
❑ Fined and jailed.
Prelims 2020:
Consider the following
statements:
1. Genetic changes can be
introduced in the cells that
produce eggs or sperms of a
prospective parent.
2. A person's genome can be
edited before birth at the
early embryonic stage.
3. Human induced pluripotent
stem cells can be injected
Mains 2017. Stem cell therapy is gaining popularity in India to into the embryo of a pig.
treat a wide variety of medical conditions including Leukaemia, Which of the statements given
Thalassemia, damaged cornea and several burns. Describe above is/are correct?
briefly what stem cell therapy is and what advantages it has (a) 1 only (b) 2, 3 only
over other treatments? (c) 2 only (d) 1, 2, 3
CELL POTENCY: CLONED ANIMAL:

❑ ability to differentiate into other cell types. ❑ animal with identical DNA
❑ Decreasing order of cell potency: ❑ Natural: bacteria, fungi, plants, etc.
Totipotent > Pluri p. > Multi p. > Oligo p. > Uni p. ❑ Artificial: sheep, goat, rat, etc.
❑ Induced Pluripotent stem cells: ❑ Dolly Sheep (1996-2003) was the
Genetic editing of adult cells to behave like embryonic first mammal cloned from an adult
pluripotent cell; can be used to treat diseases somatic cell
STEM CELLS: ❑ Samrupa first buffalo cloned using
❑ Cells that can develop into different type of cells “Hand guided cloning technique” in
❑ They are unspecialised, but can become specialised 2009 at National Dairy Research
❑ Two main types: embryonic and adult Institute (NDRI), Karnal (Haryana)

GM crops
Problem: none of the varieties is

resistant to pest#2, say pink bollworm
Solution: a soil bacteria has some gene
that is resistant to pink bollworm
Regulation of GM crops:
❑ EPA 1986 classifies GM crops as “Hazardous Substances”
❑ Cultivation needs approval from Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (MoEFCC, EPA 1986)
❑ Import needs approval under EPA 1986 and FSSAI Act 2006 (1% adventitious presence allowed)
Benefits: Less labour; less pesticides; more tolerant; more yield
Issues: Consequences; monoculture; gene flow; monopoly (sterile plants i.e. seeds don’t germinate)
Cartagena Protocol on Golden Rice:

Biosafety applies to Bt Brinjal ❑ GM rice; German Sc. 1990s
GM crops? ❑ 2009 allowed ❑ Genes from Maize/Bacteria
Yes, if it can transfer ❑ 2010 stopped ❑ Vitamin A
genes ❑ By Mahyco, TNAU, ICAR ❑ ✓ Philippines; X India
Rht14 and Rht18:
Flavr Savr Janak, BSS-793, Event-142 ❑ dwarfing genes in wheat
❑ GM Tomato; ❑ Janak & BSS-793: Bt Brinjal varieties ❑ better seedling vigour
❑ 1994; USA ❑ Event 142: Cry1Fa1 gene ❑ longer coleoptiles
❑ 1st GM food for ❑ By Nat. Inst. for Plant Biotech (ICAR) ❑ deeper sowing
consumption ❑ GEAC has allowed field trials ❑ less paddy stubble burning
Bt Cotton: DMH-11 (2017-18): Dhara Mustard Hybrid-11
▪ 2002: commercial cultivation allowed ❑ By Delhi University
❑ More yield; Herbicide tolerant
▪ Today: 95% of cotton is Bt. Cotton
❑ Used Bar, Barnase, Bastar gene system
Ht-Bt cotton: ❑ Allows cross-pollination & hybridization
▪ Bt-cotton has two alien genes from ❑ Allegations: 40% less nectar formation, etc.
Bacillus Thuringiensis: Cry1Ac & Cry2Ab
Codex Alimentarius: (food code)
▪ These alien genes protect plant against
❑ Standards to ensure food is safe and can be traded
many pests, like pink bollworm. ❑ Also used as reference in WTO trade disputes.
▪ Ht-Bt cotton = Bt. cotton + cp4-Epsps ❑ C.A. Commission est. by FAO & WHO in 1963
(brings glyphosate tolerance) ❑ India member? Yes, since 1964
DNA vs RNA
Transcription Translation
process by which DNA info is copied to RNA process by which RNA is used to produce proteins
Genome:
complete set of DNA
Proteome:
complete set of protein
DNA is Book RNA is Transcript Prelims 2016:

Transcriptome is set of all Transcripts In the context of the developments in Bioinformatics, the
term ‘transcriptome’, sometimes seen in news, refers to
Transcription is process DNA → RNA (a) a range of enzymes used in genome editing
RNA Polymerase is enzyme that does the process (b) full range of mRNA molecules expressed by an organism
Transcriptase is enzyme that catalyses the process (c) description of the mechanism of gene expression
(d) a mechanism of genetic mutations taking place in cells
Reverse Transcription is process RNA → DNA Polymerase: enzyme that makes long chain of nucleic acids
DNA Polymerase is enzyme that does process RNA Polymerase: enzyme that makes RNA
Reverse Transcriptase is enzyme that catalyses RT DNA Polymerase: enzyme that makes DNA
Reverse Transcription - Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR Test):
❑ Reverse Transcription RNA fragment
converted to DNA fragment.
❑ ‘Polymerase Chain reaction’ creates
billions of copies of DNA fragment.
❑ PCR test invented in 1983; Inventor got
1993 Nobel Prize in Chemistry.
Next Generation Sequencing (NGS tests):

✓ Uses modified NGS machines (for genome sequencing)
✓ RT-PCR analyses only small section of virus.
✓ NGS analyses entire genome of virus. RNA Billions of copies for
DNA
✓ It can even track mutations in the virus. fragment fragment easy detection
GISAID Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data

▪ Launched in 2008; HQ: Munich, Germany; Managed by Germany; EpiFlu is name of its database
▪ It provides open-access to genomic data of influenza viruses and SARS-CoV-2
What is the broad area in which ‘RNA interference (RNAi)’ technology has gained popularity in the last few
Nobel Prize winners for 2006 in years. Why?
Physiology/Medicine, worked 1. It is used in developing gene silencing therapies.
to get the Prize?
2. It can be used in developing therapies for the treatment of cancer.
(a) Prevention of weakening
due to ageing 3. It can be used to develop hormone replacement therapies.
(b) Flow of genetic info 4. It can be used to produce crop plants that are resistant to viral pathogens
(c) Immunology and disease Select the correct answer using the code given below.
resistance (a) 1, 2 and 4 (b) 2 and 3
(d) Adult stem cell research (c) 1 and 3 (d) 1 and 4 only
3-Parent baby
Prelims 2001:
Which organelle in the cell, other
than nucleus contains DNA?
(a) Centriole
(b) Golgi apparatus
(c) Lysosome
(d) Mitochondria
Mitochondrial DNA
circular, inherited from mother
Spinal Muscular Atrophy: loss of motor neurons; progressive muscle wasting;

due to mutation in SMN1 gene; treated by Zolgensma
Which of the following statements Antigen is a substance which
is/are correct? Virus can infect: (a) Lowers body temperatures
Virus 1. Bacteria 2. Fungi 3. Plants (b) Destroys harmful bacteria
Select the correct answer. (c) Triggers immune system
(a) 1, 2 (b) 3 (c) 1, 3 (d) 1,2,3 (d) Is used as antidote to poison
SARS-CoV-2
➢ Shape: spherical
➢ Size: 50-200 nm (not mm)
➢ Genetic material: RNA
➢ RBD is on spike of virus
➢ ACE-2 is on host cell
RBD: Receptor Binding Domain
Diagnostic test: Antibody tests:

✓ Tells if person is currently infected. ✓ Tells if person was infected in past.
✓ Rapid Antigen, RT-PCR, NGS ✓ Rapid Antibody, ELISA, IgM, IgG, Sero-survey
Rapid Antigen Tests: ✓ IgM, IgG are antibodies.

Antibody ✓ IgM forms first,
✓ detects virus in minutes. Test
✓ Misses many positive cases. does not stay for long.
✓ Negative cases need confirmation ✓ IgG forms later,
by RT-PCR or NGS test remains longer.
Blood:
IMMUNITY: ❑ RBC carry oxygen
Immunity is of two types: ❑ WBC fight infection
1. Innate immunity: → Macrophages: eat
❑ non-specific type of defence, present at time of birth → B-cells: make antibodies
❑ skin, acid in stomach, saliva, tears, interferons → T-cells: kill, help, regulate
2. Acquired immunity:
❑ pathogen specific, characterised by memory.
❑ Low intensity primary response, then high intensity secondary response.
❑ By two special types of lymphocytes present in our blood, B-cells and T-cells
Active immunity: Passive immunity:

✓ Your body produces antibodies. ✓ you get antibodies from someone.
✓ Vaccine or actual disease ✓ Mother to child, Plasma therapy, etc.
✓ Long lasting ✓ Short lived
Cytokine storm, Septic shock, sepsis: body’s over-reaction to infection. Can cause organ failure / death
Types of Vaccines
Virus Too few:

Live Attenuated vaccine Measles
Virus kills us ❑ Inserts weakened virus into our body
Too many: ❑ Strong and long-lasting response
Army kills us ❑ Shouldn’t be given to people with weak
Cytokine storm
immunity
Covaxin, Sinovac Inactivated vaccine Hepatitis A, Polio Covishield, Sputnik Viral vector vaccine Ebola, Covid
❑ Inserts killed virus into our body ❑ Inserts a different harmless modified virus
❑ Not very strong response from body ❑ Has genetic instructions to create specific antigen
❑ Needs several booster shots ❑ Cannot give us Covid
RNA: freezer
DNA: fridge
Novavax Subunit vaccine Hepatitis B Pfizer, Moderna Nucleic Acid vaccine Covid
❑ Inserts antigens, instead of the whole virus ❑ Inserts genetic instructions to create antigens
❑ May use protein, sugar, capsid ❑ Doesn’t enter Nucleus; doesn’t affect our DNA
❑ May need booster shots ❑ Cell kills mRNA after use
❑ Cannot give us Covid
❑ Faster than traditional methods
Toxoid vaccine Tetanus, Diphtheria Antibodies

❑ Inserts Toxins created by the virus ❑ Plasma therapy
❑ Monoclonal antibodies
3G / 4G / 5G / VoLTE
❑ 5G test bed to test 5G techs by universities and companies

❑ 5G hackathon by DoT to develop various 5G applications
❑ D-10 club UK initiative; 10 democracies; G7 + India/Australia/S.K.
❑ MIMO Multiple Input Multiple Output; more capacity in 3G/4G/5G
❑ vRAN Virtualized Radio Access Network; some hardware functions
done by software on Cloud
Prelims 2019:
With reference to communications technologies, what is/are the difference/differences between
LTE (Long-Term Evolution) and VoLTE (Voice over Long-Term Evolution)?
1. LTE is commonly marketed as 3G and VoLTE is commonly marketed as advanced 3G.
2. LTE is data-only technology and VoLTE is voice-only technology.
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
(a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2
Internet of Things Note: In IoT, connection to “Internet” is not necessary

Narrow band IoT:
❑ Low Power WAN tech developed by 3GPP
❑ Can use existing telecom networks or work
independently; needs just 200 kHz
❑ Competing technologies: SigFox, LoRaWAN
Features:
✓ Wide area; ✓ Underground;
✓ low processing power;
✓ low battery consumption;
✓ low data speed (200kbps)
It will bring broadband to rural areas? No
Cyber Physical Systems
Cyber + Physical = Cyber Physical System
[computer, network] [machines] [integration of cyber & physical elements]
❑ Computer based system that does work
in real world.
❑ e.g. self-driving cars; autonomous
weapons; smart lighting; robots; traffic
control systems; smart health sensors.
National Mission on Interdisciplinary

Cyber-Physical Systems:
❑ 5-year mission launched in 2019
❑ by Department of Science & Tech
▪ Earlier by few GEO satellites, now with thousands in LEO

Space Based Internet
▪ Example: Starlink of SpaceX; Kuiper of Amazon
Problem:
❑ Kessler syndrome:
domino effect of
satellite collisions
❑ Astronomy:
obstruct sight of
land based space
observatories
Project Loon: White Space Internet: (Microsoft/Google)

Related info: ❑ balloons in Stratosphere (20km) ❑ Uses gaps in existing (TV) spectrum
❑ Earlier under Google; now shut ❑ For internet connectivity to rural areas
PM-WANI PCO : Public Call Office

PDO : Public Data Office
❑ By DoT (Ministry of Communication) (not Meity)
❑ To increase access to high speed internet
❑ PDOA will provide WiFi hotspots through PDO
❑ PDO can be anyone (shop, tea stall, etc.)
❑ There will be no Licence fee
❑ Other initiatives for public WiFi:
Google Station; Express WiFi by FB
Li-Fi vs Wi-Fi

With reference to ‘LiFi’, which of the With reference to Visible Light Communication (VLC) technology,
following statements is/are correct? which of the following statements are correct?
1. It uses light as the medium for 1. VLC uses electromagnetic spectrum wavelengths 375 to 780 nm
high-speed data transmission. 2. VLC is known as long-range optical wireless communication
2. It is a wireless technology and is 3. VLC can transmit large amounts of data faster than Bluetooth
several times faster than ‘WiFi’. 4. VLC has no electromagnetic interference
Select the correct answer Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a) 1 only (b) 2 only (a) 1, 2 and 3 only (b) 1, 2 and 4 only
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2 (c) 1, 3 and 4 only (d) 2, 3 and 4 only
NFC / Bluetooth / RFID
Prelims 2015:
With reference to ‘Near Field Communication’, which of the following statements are correct?
1. It is a contactless communication technology that uses electromagnetic radio fields.
2. NFC is designed for use by devices which can be at a distance of even a metre from each other.
3. NFC can use encryption when sending sensitive information.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a) 1 and 2 only (b) 3 only (c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3
Surface web:
Dark Web ❑ Open for all, only 5%
Deep web:
❑ Needs login
❑ Email, net banking
Dark web:
❑ Totally anonymous
❑ By special software like
DuckDuckGo, TOR, Freenet
Supercomputer
❑ 1987: India requested Cray X-MP; USA denied; India started our own mission; CDAC formed
❑ 1991: PARAM 8000 (PARAllel Machine; also Supreme); 28 times faster than Cray; Exported
❑ What are Pratyush, Mihir and Param (8000… Shivay, Shakti, Brahma…)? Supercomputers
❑ Fastest: PARAM Siddhi-AI (210 AI PetaFlops / 5.3 Pflops / 4.5 Pflops) (completely indigenous? No)
FLOPS = Floating Operations Per Second (K:1000; M:million ; G:billion ; T:trillion ; P: 1000T)
National Supercomputing Mission: C-DAC: NKN: (2010)
❑ 2015; MoS&T / Meity; implemented by CDAC ❑ 1987 / MEITY inter-connect all
❑ Create a network of 70 high performance ❑ Centre for research institutions
computing facilities (Supercomputing grid) Development of in India through a high
❑ Link to National Knowledge Network Advanced Computing bandwidth network
Quantum Computer

Classical Computers Quantum Computers
Based on Classical physics Quantum physics
(physics at atomic/subatomic level)
Uses Transistors Photons and electrons
Basic unit Bit Qubit
of info State of transistor at any instant State of photon/electron at any instant
At a time, Bit can take single value At a time, Qubit can take multiple values,
Basic
from either of the two values: i.e. at a time a qubit can be both 0 and 1
principle
either 0 or 1 (like a tube light). (like a fan with regulator) (Superposition)
Classical Quantum
(Binary) (Superposition)
3 billion
transistors
Entanglement
Moore's law: observation that every two years Einstein: spooky
transistors on chip doubles but cost becomes half
action at a distance
Quantum Metrology: Using Quantum theory Quantum supremacy:

to take highly sensitive measurements. ❑ QC solving a problem that Classical Computer
cannot in feasible amount of time.
Quantum Cryptography: Using Quantum ❑ Google's Sycamore solved a problem in 200
theory for secure communication. seconds that fastest SC will take 10,000 years.
Traditional Quantum
Cryptography
Cryptography
“MUMBAI” Based on Mathematics
Quantum physics
Quantum state of
Secured by Code
particle
“LSJXVC” Code can be if one attempts to
Safety deciphered by read the encoded
powerful data, the quantum
computers state will be changed
National Mission on Quantum QUESS (China)

❑ Quantum Experiments at Space scale
Technologies and Applications:
❑ Made ‘Micius’ world’s 1st quantum
❑ Launched in 2020
comm. satellite.
❑ Budget: ₹ 8,000 crore for five years
❑ Uses Quantum Key Distribution
❑ Dept. of Science & Technology
2DEG: Two-Dimensional Electron Gas

❑ Ultra-high mobility 2-D electron gas
❑ Produced at INST, Mohali, Punjab (D.o.S&T)
INST = Institute of Nano Science & Technology
❑ Use in Quantum devices (speed, storage, etc.)
Spintronics: (spin-electronics)
❑ Application in modern electronic devices
❑ Manipulating spin degree of freedom of electron
❑ Uses Rashba effect (splitting of spin-bands)
3D Printing
What it is?
❑ Manufacturing by adding successive layers
(just like buildings are made!!!)
Benefits?
❑ Direct CAD model to manufacturing
❑ Totally automated
❑ Negligible material wastage
❑ High customization possible
Applications?
❑ Almost anything that's made in factories
❑ Also, biological organs, tissues, implants
(knee, hip), etc
Data Protection
Prelims 2019: Osaka declaration on digital economy:
The Reserve Bank of India’s recent directives ❑ Signed in 2019 at G-20 meet in Japan
relating to ‘Storage of Payment System Data’, ❑ For free flow of data across borders
popularly known as data diktat, command the ❑ India did not sign
payment system providers that
1. they shall ensure that entire data relating to Prelims 2019:
payment systems operated by them are Which of the following adopted a law on data
stored in a system only in India. protection and privacy for its citizens known as
2. they shall ensure that the systems are owned ‘General Data Protection Regulation’ in April 2016 and
and operated by public sector enterprises. started implementation of its from 25th May, 2018?
3. they shall submit consolidated system audit (a) Australia (b) Canada
report to CAG by the end of the calendar year (c) European Union (d) USA
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
(a) 1 only (b) 1 and 2 only GDPR : Europe
(c) 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3 CLOUD : USA

Nanotech
Centre has released guidelines for evaluation of Nano-based Agri-input and food products in India
Guidelines? Not for exam. Use of all nanoparticles is controlled by the govt.? No
Applications and concerns? All correct Are all nanoparticles manmade? No
Do nanoparticles also occur naturally? Yes, for example,
Nanometre? one-billionth of a metre ➢ Coronavirus has average diameter of 120 nm.
milli > micro > nano > pico ➢ Fly ash has nano-particles of several heavy metals.
10-3 > 10-6 > 10-9 > 10-12
❑ National Nano mission: since 2007; Dept. of S&T
Nanomaterial? ❑ ICONSAT? biennial conference by DST (International
at least one dimension is 1-100 nm Conference on Nano Science and Tech)
❑ ICONSAT should not be confused with ICON satellite
Phytotoxic: toxic to plant
of NASA launched in 2019 to study Ionosphere.
Cytotoxic: toxic to living cells
Genotoxic: toxic to genetic material
Prelims 2015:
With reference to the use of nano technology in health sector,
which of the following statements is/are correct ?
1. Targeted drug delivery is made possible by nanotechnology.
2. Nanotechnology can largely contribute to gene therapy.
Select the correct answer using the codes given below.
(a) 1 only (b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2
Nanomicelles: type of nanoparticles

❑ Have hydrophilic outer shell and hydrophobic interior
❑ Effective in targeted drug delivery, cancer treatment, etc. Water hating surface Water loving surface
Gold Nano Particles:

❑ They have genotoxic effect on sulphate reducing bacteria
❑ They melt at less temperature (300 °C) than gold (1064 °C)
❑ They change colour in different settings.
❑ They are stable, non-toxic and have various applications.
NOMFET: Nanoparticle Organic Memory Field-Effect Transistor
❑ Can mimic human synapse (neural junction)

10 years
20 years
IPR
60 years
15 years
10 years
Intellect : mental powers KAPILA program: Ministry of Education.

Intellectual Property : creation of mind, e.g. artistic work ❑ Kalam Program for IP Literacy & Awareness
Intellectual Property Rights : right of creator on own creations ❑ FOR IPR awareness in college students
Office of Controller General of Patents, Compulsory licensing and Patent Pool:

❑ Economy class-3 page 38 on YouTube
Designs & Trademarks:
❑ Hindi video from 41:35
❑ also known as Indian Patent Office.
❑ English video from 35:11
❑ It administers laws on patent, design,
trademark & geographical indication. Evergreening of Patent:
❑ Comes under DPIIT under MoC&I ❑ Renewing patent by making minor changes
❑ Its HQ is in Mumbai. ❑ Prohibited by Section 3(d) of Patent Act 1970
Patent Law Treaty, 2000 Singapore Treaty on Law of Trademarks, 2006
❑ Simplifies patent application procedures. → Like Patent law Treaty, but for Trademarks
❑ Does not interfere with domestic patent laws Q. Berne Convention 1886 is related to?
❑ Signed and ratified by around 40 countries → Copyright protection
(USA? Yes. India? No) Q. WIPO Copyright Treaty 1996 is related to?
❑ It is administered by WIPO. → Copyright in digital environment
Traditional Knowledge Digital Library

❑ Database of traditional knowledge about Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha, Yoga
❑ Created in 2001 by CSIR and Min. of Ayush; Inspiration: Turmeric, Basmati patents in USA
❑ access is available to 13 foreign Patent Offices, but only for search purpose, not to be shared.
Bioprospecting: exploring biodiversity Biopiracy: commercial use of
for commercially valuable properties. biodiversity with monopoly control.

C. V. Raman
Raman Effect:
❑ When light passes through a transparent medium, some of the deflected
light changes wavelength.
❑ Change in wavelength varies with the molecules.
❑ So it can be used in spectroscopic analysis.
❑ It forms the basis of Raman Spectroscopy.
❑ It helps non-destructive chemical analysis of most materials.
❑ It gave further proof of 'quantum nature of light'.
❑ It explains the color of sky. Sunlight passing through atmosphere scatters
blue light the most, giving sky its color.
❑ National Science Day on 28 February of every year to commemorate the
discovery of the Raman effect in 1928.
Awards:
❑ Nobel Prize in Physics 1930 for Raman effect
❑ Bharat Ratna in 1954
Institutes founded:
❑ Indian Academy of Sciences in 1933
❑ Raman Institute of Research at Bangalore in 1948
Vikram Sarabhai
❑ Father of India's space program.
❑ 1962: est. INCOSPAR, later renamed ISRO
❑ 1966: Succeeded Homi Jehangir Bhabha as chairman of
Atomic Energy Commission of India
Founder of:
❑ 1947: Ahmedabad Textile Industry's Research Association
❑ 1949: Darpana Academy of Performing Arts
❑ 1961: Operations Research Group, 1st market research org in India
❑ 1965: Nehru Foundation for Development
Srinivasa Ramanujan
❑ 1987: Born in Madras; poverty; lacked formal education
❑ 1913: famous British mathematician GH Hardy recognized
his talent and invited him to England.
❑ 1918: elected Fellow of Royal Society
❑ 1920: died in India, age 32
Contributed more than 3,900 identities and equations
e.g. Ramanujan prime, Ramanujan theta function.
Ramanujan machine: made in 2019 by Israeli scientists

Lithium ❑ Lightest metal ; doesn’t sink in water
(Lithium, Sodium, Potassium)
❑ Highly flammable (so stored in mineral oil)
Lithium uses:
❑ Electronics; batteries, etc.
❑ Li-Ion battery better than most other types; but are expensive
❑ Makers got 2019 Nobel Prize in Chemistry
Lithium reserves:
❑ Largest reserves: Chile; Largest producer: Australia
❑ India currently imports all its lithium needs.
❑ In 2020, some lithium reserves were found in Mandya in Karnataka
Lithium Triangle:
❑ Region in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile; has 2/3rd of global reserves
❑ It has Lithium brine deposits with high concentration, making
its exploitation extremely profitable.
❑ KABIL signed agreement with Argentina for Lithium.
KABIL Khanij Bidesh India Ltd:
❑ JV of three PSUs of Ministry of Mines.
National Aluminium Company Ltd. (NALCO),
Hindustan Copper Ltd.(HCL)
Mineral Exploration Company Ltd. (MECL).
❑ Purpose is to ensure supply of strategic minerals from overseas
to Indian domestic market.
Graphene Vanadium
❑ 2-D carbon allotrope ❑ silvery grey metal;
❑ One atom thick layer of Graphite ❑ Used in medicines, batteries, etc.
❑ 2010 Nobel Prize in Physics ❑ Used as alloying element in steel, aluminium
❑ High electrical conductivity ❑ Applications in nuclear reactors, aerospace, etc.
❑ Applications: many ❑ Found in Karnataka, Maharashtra, Odisha, Arunachal, etc.
❑ Can be used for touchscreen
Graphite Prelims 2012:

Allotrope: Graphene is frequently in news. What is its importance?
❑ Atoms bonded 1. It is a two-dimensional material and has good
in different electrical conductivity.
manner 2. It is one of the thinnest but strongest materials tested
so far.
Diamond Fullerene 3. It is entirely made of silicon & has high optical
transparency.
4. It can be used as ‘conducting electrodes’ required for
touch screens, LCD’s, organic LED’s
Which of the statements given above are correct?
a) 1, 2 b) 3, 4 c) 1, 2, 4 d) 1, 2, 3, 4

Superconductivity
Meissner effect:
❑ expulsion of a magnetic field from a superconductor
during its transition to the superconducting state
when it is cooled below the critical temperature.
❑ This expulsion will repel a nearby magnet.
Hyperloop like a short maglev train in vacuum tube
Nuclear Fission vs Fusion

Nuclear Fusion - ITER
International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor:
✓ for nuclear Fusion (not fission)
✓ World’s largest tokamak, under construction in France
✓ Members: USA, Russia, EU, India, China, Japan, Korea
ITER-India:
✓ Project under Institute of Plasma research, Gandhinagar
✓ It is to deliver India’s in-kind contribution to ITER.
✓ India became full member of ITER in December 2005
Isotope: Tokamak:
❖ Same number of protons, ✓ Doughnut shaped device that
but different no. of neutrons uses powerful magnetic field
❖ Remember: Elements are to confine hot plasma
identified by number of ✓ It is one way to achieve make
protons a fusion reactor.

In which of the following India is an important member of the ITER. If this experiment
locations is the ITER succeeds, what is the immediate advantage for India?
project to be built? (a) It can use thorium in place of uranium for power generation
(a) Northern Spain (b) It attain a global role in satellite-navigation
(b) Southern France (c) It can drastically improve efficiency of its fission reactors in
(c) Eastern Germany power generation
(d) Southern Italy (d) It can build fusion reactors for power generation
Nuclear Fission Reactor
❑ Moderator: slows down fast neutrons (Water, heavy water, D2O Graphite)
❑ Control rods: absorbs neutrons, controls reaction rate, made of Cadmium
❑ Coolant: transfers heat from reactor to boiler
Manhattan Project:
Uses of Depleted Uranium: ❑ US project for nuclear weapons
✓ Nuclear weapons; ❑ 16 July 1945 Trinity test:
✓ Radiation shield in medical equipment. 1st detonation of a nuclear weapon
✓ Tank armour; Armour piercing ammunition ❑ 06 August 1945 Little Boy in Hiroshima
✓ Counter-weights in aircrafts, etc. ❑ 09 August 1945 Fat Man in Nagasaki
❑ Haryana: Gorakhpur
❑ UP: Narora
❑ Rajasthan: Rawatbhata, Banswara
❑ MP: Chutka
❑ Gujarat: Kakrapar
❑ Maharashtra: Tarapur (1st), Mumbai, Jaitapur
❑ Karnataka: Kaiga
❑ TN: Kudamkulam, Kalpakkam
❑ Andhra: Kovvada
1969 Tarapur Atomic Power Station was first
commercial nuclear power station built in India.
❑ Breeder reactor: generates more fissile

India's three-stage nuclear power programme:
material than it consumes
❑ Formulated by Homi Jehangir Bhabha in 1950s.
❑ Fast Breeder Reactor: Breeder reactor
❑ Need? India has just 1-2% of global uranium
that uses fast neutrons (no moderator)
reserves, but 25% of thorium reserves (Monazite
❑ India: 500 MW prototype under
sands, most in Andhra)
construction at Kalpakkam (TN); uses
❑ But reactor with Thorium alone is not possible.
Sodium as coolant. (Earlier 13 MW Test
❑ It has to be converted into U-233; so 3-stages.
reactor made in 1985)
Prelims 2012:
To meet its rapidly growing energy demand, some
opine that India should pursue R&D on Thorium as
the future fuel of nuclear energy. In this context,
what advantage does Thorium hold over uranium?
1. Thorium is far more abundant in nature than
Uranium
2. On the basis of per unit mass of mined mineral,
Thorium can generate more energy compared
to natural Uranium.
3. Thorium produces less harmful waste in
comparison to Uranium.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
(a) 1 only (b) 2 & 3 only
(c) 1 & 3 only (d) 1,2 & 3

In the Indian context, what is the implication of In India, why are some nuclear reactors kept
ratifying the 'Additional Protocol' with the under "IAEA Safeguards" while others are
'International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)’? not?
(a) The civilian nuclear reactors come under (a) Some use uranium and others use
IAEA safeguards. thorium
(b) The military nuclear installations come under (b) Some use imported uranium and others
the inspection of IAEA. use domestic supplies.
(c) The country will have the privilege to buy (c) Some are operated by foreign enterprises
uranium from the Nuclear Suppliers Group and others are operated by domestic
(NSG). enterprises
(d) The country automatically becomes a (d) Some are State-owned and others are
member of the NSG. privately-owned
➢ 2005: India-US agree on civil nuclear deal

➢ 2005-2008:
▪ US amended its Atomic Energy Act 1954
▪ India separated civil and military nuclear facilities
▪ US convinced NSG to make exception for India.
➢ 2008: finally deal was signed (aka 123 agreement) (UPA govt. was about to fall, still we signed)
➢ Significance? India became the only non-NPT nuclear state that can do nuclear commerce.
➢ Later, in next few years, India signed deals for fuel, reactors, etc. with multiple countries.

Moon
Lunar Polar Exploration Mission (Lupex):

Lunar South pole: ❑ By ISRO (India) and JAXA (Japan)
❑ Mountains permanently sunlit (energy)
❑ Craters permanently shaded (water) ❑ To explore lunar south pole.
❑ Rich in minerals ❑ After 2023, not much finalised yet.
Moon landings: ❑ Total 12 men have landed on moon.

❑ First: 1959, Russia, Luna 2 First - Neil Armstrong; Last - Gene Cernan.
❑ Soft: USA, Russia, China ❑ 1st mission - Apollo 11: 20 July 1969 (Tranquility base)
❑ Far side: only Chang'e 4 ❑ Last mission - Apollo 17: 14 December 1972
❑ Humans: only USA ❑ Apollo 11: Neil Armstrong & Buzz Aldrin walked.
Michael Collins in orbit.

Planets
Revolution and Rotation: Time to orbit around Sun?
All 8 planets revolve around Sun in direction of Sun's rotation? Yes (in earth days)
All 8 planets rotate in same direction? No. On Venus Sun rises in West. Mercury → Neptune
Why are inner planets rocky? (NCERT) Density:
✓ Too hot for gases to condense Size. ❑ Max Earth
✓ Intense Solar wind blew off gases ❑ Min Saturn
✓ Low gravity could not hold gases
Rings:
Rocks/metals Hydrogen/Helium
-Terrestrial- ---Jovian--- X Terrestrial
✓ Jovian
1 AU Interstellar
30 AU space Prelims 2003:
123 AU Among following, which planet takes maximum
Heliosphere Heliopause time for one revolution around Sun?
(a) Earth (b) Jupiter (c) Mars (d) Venus
Astronomical Unit 15 crore or 150 million km
Opposition event:
Great conjunction: ❑ Sun, Earth, some outer planet in same line
Jupiter & Saturn appear closest together in sky ❑ Planet appears bigger as its closest to Earth
Mars Martian blueberries: ❑ Needs water/oxygen to form

❑ Made of hematite (iron oxide) ❑ Similar to Jhurans in Gujarat
Mangalyaan: Mars 2020: NASA mission. July 2020. Jezero crater.
❑ Launched using PSLV-C25? Yes! Perseverance rover. Ingenuity helicopter drone.
❑ Unmanned; No lander/rover MOXIE will make oxygen from CO2 (95% of Mars).
❑ Travel: November 2013 - Sept. 2014.
❑ India's 1st interplanetary mission; Some NASA missions:
❑ India became 4th country to reach Mars; Viking (1975), Spirit (2003), Opportunity (2003),
1st from Asia; 1st in maiden attempt Pathfinder (1997), Curiosity (2011), InSight (2018)
❑ Note with Mangalyaan’s pic? Rs 2,000
Some other Mars missions:
❑ Stickney, Shklovsky, Roche, Grildrig ? Mars Express: Europe
Craters on Phobos ExoMars: Europe + Russia; search for life on Mars
❑ Phobos & Deimos? Tianwen-1: China’s mission to Mars
Moons of Mars Emirates Mars Mission: by UAE; Hope orbiter (first
❑ Moons: Mercury & Venus zero. Saturn most. Mars mission by any Arab country)

Which one of the following
Assertion (A): To orbit around the Sun, Mars takes lesser time
conditions is most relevant for
than the time taken by earth.
the presence of life on Mars?
Reason (R): The diameter of Mars is less than that of earth.
(a) Atmospheric composition
(a) Both A & R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
(b) Thermal conditions
(b) Both A & R are true but R is NOT a correct explanation of A
(c) Occurrence of ice caps and
(c) A is true but R is false
frozen water
(d) A is false but R is true
(d) Occurrence of ozone
Venus ❑ Brightest object in night, after moon.
❑ Atmosphere:
Prelims 2005: → Highly reflective Sulphuric acid clouds;
Assertion (A): Existence of human life on Venus → 96% CO2 in air; Hottest planet (500OC)
is highly improbable. → Rotates 60 times faster than land
Reason (R): Venus has extremely high level of ❑ On Venus, a day is longer than a year.
carbon dioxide in its atmosphere.
❑ The only planet on which Sun rises in West.
(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct
explanation of A ❑ First planet to be explored by a spacecraft
(b) Both A and R are true but R is NOT a correct (1962, NASA, Mariner 2)
explanation of A ❑ First planet to be landed on by a spacecraft
(c) A is true but R is false (1970, USSR, Venera 7)
(d) A is false but R is true ❑ Shukrayaan-1: ISRO’s proposed mission
❑ Tilted 26.7O (Earth is 23.5O)

Saturn ❑ It is 2nd biggest planet
Pioneer 11: (1973-1995) ❑ Has 2nd biggest moon (Titan)
First to reach Saturn (1979) ❑ Ganymede of Jupiter is biggest
Voyager program: (1977, NASA) Cassini–Huygens (1997 – 2017):
❑ To study Jupiter and Saturn; but continued ❑ Saturn Mission of NASA, ESA, Italy
❑ Entered interstellar space: 2012 V1 ; 2018 V2 ❑ Cassini orbited Saturn
❑ Found increase in density outside solar system ❑ Huygens landed on its largest moon Titan
Ceres: Dwarf planet

❑ Largest asteroid (940 km).
❑ By International Astronomical Union (1919, Paris, NGO)
❑ Salty water discovered,
hence called Ocean World. ❑ How many? Five (Pluto, Eris, Makemake, Haumea, Ceres).
❑ Hygiea, an asteroid, may soon be labelled as Dwarf planet.
❑ Criteria used by IAU to identify Dwarf planets:
→ It orbits Sun, but is not a moon (natural satellite)
→ It has not cleared the neighborhood around its orbit.
→ It is roughly spherical due to its strong gravity.
Note: Not to be confused with Planetesimals (dust particles came together, developed into planets)
❑ Comet: made of ice, rock, dust; leaves a tail of gas and
Comet / Asteroid / etc ice as it travels near the Sun.
❑ Asteroid: rocky body, larger than 10 meters, orbiting
the Sun. Mostly between Mars & Jupiter.
❑ Meteoroid: rocky body, smaller than 10 meters.
❑ Meteor: a meteoroid that enters earth’s atmosphere
and vaporizes.
❑ Meteorite: A meteor that hits earth’s surface.
Note:
❑ Asteroid belt: between Mars Jupiter
❑ Kuiper belt: beyond Neptune
❑ Hailey’s comet: seen every 76 years
❑ Comet Shoemaker–Levy 9 crashed into Jupiter in 1994
Consider the following statements What is difference between asteroids and comets?
regarding asteroids: 1. Asteroids are small rocky planetoids, while
1. Asteroids are rocky debris of varying comets are formed of frozen gases held
size orbiting the sun together by rocky and metallic material.
2. Most of the asteroids are small but 2. Asteroids are found mostly between the orbits
some have diameter as large and 1000 of Jupiter and Mars, while comets are found
km mostly between Venus and Mercury.
3. The orbit of asteroids lies between the 3. Comets show a perceptible glowing tail, while
orbits of Jupiter and Saturn asteroids do not.
Which of the above statements are correct: Which of the above statements are correct:
(a) 1, 2, 3 (b) 2 and 3 (a) 1 and 2 only (b) 1 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 2 (d) 1 and 3 (c) 3 only (d) 1,2 and 3
Meteor Shower
❑ number of meteors observed in night.
❑ when earth passes through path of a comet.
❑ due to debris of comet from its tail.
❑ size no more than grain of sand.
Osiris -Rex
16 Psyche: Asteroid Impact and Deflection Assessment (AIDA) mission:

To test if we can deflect asteroids. Two components:
❑ metal asteroid; iron & nickel
❑ DART: NASA; impact in 2022
❑ NASA Psyche mission 2022-26
❑ HERA: Europe; reach in 2027
Arrokoth
❑ New name of ‘Ultima Thule’.

❑ It is a Kuiper belt object.
❑ It is a contact-binary.
❑ It was discovered by NASA’s
Hubble Space Telescope in 2014.
Interstellar
1i / Oumuamua First interstellar

object found passing through our
solar system
2i / Borisov Second interstellar
object found passing through our
solar system
❑ Planets beyond our solar system

Exoplanets ❑ e.g. SuperEarth, Kepler1649c,
K2-18b, Wasp-76b, etc.
❑ Missions: TESS by NASA;
Ariel by Europe
Transiting Exoplanet Survey satellite:

❑ Space observatory of NASA
❑ 3.6 lakh km from earth
(High earth orbit)
Prelims 2015:
The term 'Goldilocks Zone' is often seen
in the news in the context of
(a) limits of habitable zone above the
surface of the Earth
(b) regions inside the Earth where shale
gas is available
(c) search for the Earth-like planets in
outer space
(d) search for meteorites containing
precious metals
Orbits
Sun-synchronous polar orbit

❑ 600–800 km in altitude
❑ Passes through poles
❑ satellite passes over any
given point of the planet's
surface at the same local
mean solar time
❑ Rotates approximately one
degree eastward each day to
keep pace with the Earth's
movement around the Sun.
Geosynchronous orbit
❑ It’s Geosynchronous Geosynchronous

orbit over equator Transfer Orbit:
❑ Satellite seems fixed Elliptical orbit
in sky used to transfer
between
different orbits
❑ 36,000 km altitude
❑ Orbital period matches
Earth’s rotation

Satellites
EOS-1 Satellite Year RISAT

EOS-01: RISAT-2 2009
→ not 1st earth observation satellite
RISAT-1 2012 ❑ All-weather earth observation satellites.
CMS-01:
→ not 1st communication satellite
RISAT-2B 2019 ❑ Launched in LEO, by PSLV.
RISAT-2BR1 2019 ❑ 2008 Mumbai attacks → 2 before 1
EOS-1 2020 ❑ Uses Synthetic Aperture Radar.
Q. Earth Observation Satellites need clear view of earth.

They cannot work under cloudy conditions. True/False?
A. Radar can penetrate clouds. That is the whole purpose
of making RISAT satellites!

Japan : QZSS Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System
Europe : Galileo IRNSS / NavIC Navigation with Indian Constellation
Russia : GLONASS
China : BeiDou Orbit: 4 Geosynchronous; 3 Geostationary
Launch: 9 launches (7 Sats) in 2013-2018
Recognized by: Range: up to 1,500 km beyond borders
IMO for World Wide Radio Navigation System Variants: Standard (Civil) and Restricted (Military)
USA as Allied navigational satellite system Accuracy: 20 metre

In which of the following areas With reference to the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite
can GPS technology be used? System (IRNSS), consider the following statements:
1. Mobile phone operations 1. IRNSS has three satellites in geostationary and four
2. Banking operations satellites in geosynchronous orbits.
3. Controlling the power grids 2. IRNSS covers entire India & 5500 sq. km beyond its borders.
Select the correct answer using 3. India will have its own satellite navigation system with full
the code given below: global coverage by the middle of 2019.
(a) 1 only (b) 2, 3 only Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(c) 1, 3 only (d) 1, 2, 3 (a) 1 only (b) 1 and 2 only (c) 2 and 3 only (d) None

GAGAN
GPS Aided GEO Augmented Navigation
Satellite Based Augmentation System:
Uses ground stations to improve
accuracy of GPS signals.
GAGAN:
❑ Made by ISRO and AAI.
❑ Covers Africa to Australia.
❑ Inter-operable with other
international SBAS systems.
❑ First SBAS system in the world to
serve the equatorial region.
❑ Primarily meant for aviation, but has
other applications also, like railways.
❑ Other SBAS:
❑ US - WAAS
❑ Europe - EGNOS
❑ Japan - MSAS
GEMINI

NewSpace vs In-Space
❑ 1992 ANTRIX focusses on selling ISRO's products and
services like satellite launch. Department of Space
❑ 2019 NEWSPACE also focusses on increasing private
industry participation in space programmes.
❑ 2020 INSPACe is currently stated to promote private
industry in space program, but in future, it will become ISRO IN-SPACe
regulator of space activities in India.
❑ INSPACe is not a commercial arm of ISRO.
Antrix NewSpace
❑ Antrix & NewSpace are both commercial arms of ISRO.
Space Debris Space Law

❑ Kessler syndrome: domino effect of satellite Outer Space Treaty, 1967
collisions in LEO
❑ 110 members; India ratified it in 1982
❑ Law: no explicit on space debris removal
❑ Launching country liable for damage
❑ ISRO’s NETRA: NEtwork for space object
❑ Bans WMDs, not other weapons
TRacking and Analysis
❑ no nation can lay claim on any celestial body
❑ Digantara: Private company to track debris.
❑ Administered by a UN committee
❑ Some other initiatives:
→ COPUS: Committee on Peaceful Uses of
→ Europe’s Clearspace-1; Outer Space (1959; HQ Austria)
→ China’s Neo-01; Japan’s Elsa-d
Astrosat (2015)
❑ India’s first dedicated multi wavelength space

observatory.
❑ It enables the simultaneous multi-wavelength
(optical, UV, X-Ray) observations of various
astronomical objects with a single satellite.
Prelims 2016:
With reference to 'Astrosat',' the astronomical
observatory launched by India, which of the
following statements is/are correct?
1. Other than USA and Russia, India is the only
country to have launched a similar
observatory into space.
2. Astrosat is a 2000 kg satellite placed in an
orbit at 1650 km above the surface of Earth.
Select the correct answer using the code given
below.

Sun
You were trying to go to core of the sun:
1. You encounter CORONAvirus
2. You search on CHROME how to tackle corona
3. You find that calling PCR is the best way
4. PCR transports you to the CORE
Star life Cycle
Nebula
Protostar
Main Sequence star
Red Giant Red Supergiant
Planetary Nebula Supernova

Temperature: Core 15 million K; Neutron star
White dwarf or Black hole
Photosphere 6,000 K; Corona 1 million K
Stellar nucleosynthesis: Chandrasekhar limit is the maximum mass of a stable

❑ Universe is made of matter & energy. white dwarf star. It is about 1.4 times solar mass.
❑ Hydrogen is the most abundant Sun is in main-sequence stage; will become white dwarf.
element in the universe.
❑ In stars, fusion causes hydrogen to Helium Flash
combine to form Helium. ❑ nuclear fusion of Helium into carbon in Red Giants
❑ Fusion continues to form other ❑ Like a chain reaction; lasts only few minutes
❑ Also produces Lithium; so some stars have more
elements also, mainly till iron.
lithium than their planets
❑ They are dark spots on Sun

Sunspots
❑ They have less temperature
❑ They are caused by strong magnetic field
❑ They usually follow 11 year solar cycle
Solar maxima:
❑ period of greatest sun activity
❑ Large number of sunspots appear.
❑ Large solar flares appear.
Solar maxima → more sunspots → more solar flares in surroundings → more heat on earth
Solar minima → less sunspots → less solar flares in surroundings → less heat on earth
Note:
❑ Solar flares are sometimes accompanied by Coronal Mass Ejections
❑ Solar wind / Solar flares/ Coronal Mass Ejections all contain plasma/charged particles, and
can disturb electronic equipment on earth.
Geotail
Magnetosphere:
❑ Region where earth’s magnetic field dominates
❑ Its shape is influenced by Solar wind
❑ 6-10 times of earth's radius on sun side Geotail
❑ 1000 times of earth's radius on night side
❑ Magnetopause: outer boundary of earth's
magnetosphere
Auroras:
Formed at poles due to disturbances in
earth's magnetosphere caused by solar wind.
Polar lights (aurora polaris)
Northern lights (aurora borealis)
Southern lights (aurora australis)
❑ NASA: Parker; EZIE
Alfven waves:
❑ Europe: Solar Orbiter
Some Solar missions: ❑ occur in plasma, need magnetic field to exist
❑ ISRO: Aditya L-1
❑ Japan: Solar-C_EUVST ❑ travel in direction of magnetic field
Aditya L-1
❑ 1,500 kg; 2022 launch
❑ First Indian mission to study the Sun.
❑ It will be inserted in a halo orbit around the L-1, at
15 lakh km from Earth.
❑ Reason: L-1 gives continuous view of the Sun,
without any obstruction or eclipse.
What are Lagrangian points? Chinese satellite in Halo

❑ These are positions in space where a orbit around L-2 of Earth
small object will maintain its position Moon system
relative to the large orbiting bodies.
❑ For a two body system, there are five
Lagrangian points.
❑ Although a Lagrange point is just a point
in empty space, its peculiar characteristic
is that it can be orbited.
Solar / Lunar Eclipse
A point source of light produces a A bigger source of light produces

single well-defined shadow. shadows like umbra and penumbra.
Diamond Ring Bailey’s beads

Prelims 1996:
Diamond ring is a phenomenon observed:
(a) at the start of a total solar eclipse
(b) at the end of a total solar eclipse
(c) only along the peripheral regions of the totality trail
(d) only in the central regions of the totality trail
Moon’s orbit is inclined, else every

month two eclipses would occur:
❑ Solar eclipse (new moon)
❑ Lunar eclipse (full moon)
Trans fats
Assertion (A): Unsaturated fats are more A company marketing food products advertises that
reactive compared to saturated fats. its items do not contain trans-fats. What does this
Reason (R): Unsaturated fats have only campaign signify to the customers?
single bonds in their structure. 1. The food products are not made out of
hydrogenated oils.
(a) Both A & R are individually true and
2. The food products are not made out of animal fats
R is the correct explanation of A
/ oils.
(b) Both A & R are individually true but 3. The oils used are not likely to damage the
R is not the correct explanation of A cardiovascular health of the consumers.
(c) A is true but R is false Which of the above statements are correct?
(d) A is false but R is true (a) 1 only (b) 2 & 3 only (c) 1 & 3 only (d) 1, 2, 3

Assertion (A): Fatty acids should be a part of Assertion (A): In human body, liver has
the balanced human diet. important role in fat digestion.
Reason (R): The cells of the human body Reason (R): Liver produces two important fat-
cannot synthesize any fatty acids. digesting enzymes.
(a) Both A and R are individually true and R is (a) Both A and R are individually true and R is
the correct explanation of A the correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and Rare individually true but R is (b) Both A and Rare individually true but R is
not the correct explanation of A not the correct explanation of A
(c) A is true but R is false (c) A is true but R is false
(d) A is false but R is true (d) A is false but R is true
❑ Mono Unsaturated Fatty Acids (One double bond)

Unsaturated fats Found in olive oil, canola oil, avocados, nuts, etc.
Liquid Lowers bad cholesterol (LDL); raises good cholesterol (HDL)
❑ Poly Unsaturated Fatty Acids (2 or more double bonds)
Plants cis Found in Sunflower oil, soybean oil, fish (Omega-3), walnut, etc.
Lowers both good and bad cholestrol
Trans fats ❑ Natural: cow, sheep, dairy

Semi-solid ❑ Artificial: by hydrogenation (heat vegetable oil in presence of hydrogen)
→ aka Partially hydrogenated oils; most common Vanaspati
→ Longer shelf life, more stable to withstand repeated heating
Fried food trans
→ Lowers good (HDL) cholesterol; Raises bad (LDL) cholesterol
→ Humans don’t need Transfats
Saturated fats
Solid ❑ Mainly in animal foods like meat, cheese, etc. B
❑ But also in some plant foods like coconut oil & palm oil
Meat

Limit on Trans fats in food: Heart-attack rewind:
FSSAI ❑ 3% of total oil/fats (2% from 2022) Educate people about
❑ Excludes natural (dairy, meat, fish) dangers of Transfats If TFA < 0.2g/100g
❑ Transfats must be < 1% of daily energy intake
WHO
❑ REPLACE initiative to eliminate transfats by 2023
Food safety
FSSAI: Eat-right movement: Repurpose Used Cooking Oil:
❑ est in 2011 ❑ Educate people about healthy eating, ❑ In cooking oil, Total Polar
❑ under FSS Act 2006 reduce intake of oil, salt, sugar, etc. Compounds must be < 25%
❑ under MoH&FW ❑ Encourage Places of Worship to ❑ Else, stop re-using cooking oil
maintain hygiene ❑ Use it to make bio-diesel
State Food Safety Index: Food Hygiene Rating Scheme: Quality Council of India:
❑ by FSSAI ❑ by QCI and FSSAI ❑ 1997; Delhi
❑ ranks states on food safety ❑ Voluntary, not compulsory. ❑ Set up by MoC&I and
❑ Based on testing facilities, ❑ For Food Business Owners industry associations
consumer empowerment, etc. ❑ Public can see the ratings (Assocham, FICCI, CII)

Consider the following statements With reference to pre-packaged items in India, it is
1. The Food Safety and Standards Act, mandatory to the manufacturer to put which of the
2006 replaced the Prevention of Food following information on the main label, as per the
Adulteration Act, 1954. Food Safety and Standards (Packaging and Labelling)
2. The Food Safety and Standards Regulations, 2011?
Authority of India (FSSAI) is under the 1. List of ingredients including additives
charge of Director General of Health 2. Nutrition information
Services in the Union Ministry of Health 3. Recommendation, if any, made by the medical
and Family Welfare. profession about possibility of any allergic reaction
Which of the above statements are correct? 4. Vegetarian/non-vegetarian
(a) 1 only (b) 2 only Select the correct answer using the code given below.
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2 (a) 1, 2, 3 (b) 2, 3, 4 (c) 1, 2, 4 (d) 1, 4
Honey Adulteration
Prelims 2017:
Consider the following pairs:
Commonly used materials and the unwanted
chemicals likely to be found in them:
1. Lipstick – Lead
2. Soft drinks – Brominated vegetable oils
3. Chinese fast food – Monosodium glutamate
Which of the above pairs are correctly matched?
(a) 1 only (b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3
Honey: Prelims 1997:
❑ 82% carbohydrates; 17% water The major component of honey is
❑ Fructose (40-50%) > Glucose (30-40%) (a) glucose (30%) (b) sucrose
❑ Adulterants: (c) maltose (d) fructose (40%)
▪ sugar, golden syrup, rice syrup, water
❑ Crystals in honey don’t indicate adulteration
❑ Purity Tests:
▪ NMR test; Trace Marker for Rice test
▪ C3-C4 tests; Oligosaccharides sugar test
NMR spectroscopy:
❑ Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopy
❑ observes local magnetic fields around nuclei
❑ NMR test is compulsory for honey exports,
but not for sale in India.
Apiculture:
❑ rearing honeybees for honey, wax
National Beekeeping & Honey Mission:
❑ Launched in 2020, for 3 years
❑ Central sector scheme; MoA&FW
❑ To promote beekeeping, Sweet Revolution
Fortification
Deliberate addition of micronutrients to food
Helps fight hidden hunger (micronutrient deficiency)
Some FF in India (https://ffrc.fssai.gov.in/)

Wheat flour
Iron, Folic acid, Vitamin B12
Rice
Milk
Vitamins A and D
Edible Oil
Salt Iron, Iodine
FSSAI plans to make some food fortification

mandatory:
❑ Will help address micronutrient deficiency
❑ Small food processors will close down
❑ Side effects like gut inflammation
❑ Its no solution to monotonous cereal diet,
➔ by FSSAI, for fortified foods less veggies, less protein
Bacteria → Tetanus, Leprosy, TB
Virus → Influenza, Smallpox, Rabies, AIDS, Polio
Disease Fungi → Athlete's foot, Yeast infections, Mucormycosis
Protozoa → Malaria, Kala Azar
❑ 1 crore cases in 2019; 24 lakh from India
Tuberculosis ❑ Elimination target: Global 2030, India 2025
Mycobacterium tuberculosis;
Bacteria web portal to monitor TB cases
Spreads by cough, sneeze, spit Nikshay
Ni=End, Kshay=TB क्षय रोग
Lungs: Pulmonary TB
Impacts TB sample
Other organs: Extra-Pulmonary TB by India Post, for sample
transport
transport to lab
Sputum smear microscopy, Chest X -ray, network
Tests
CB-NAAT, Truenat, Ziehl–Neelsen
END TB Strategy By WHO
Vaccine: BCG vaccine, given to infants
Medicine Treatment: at 4.5 lakh DOTS centres Stop TB 2001; Geneva
Directly Observed Treatment Short course Partnership Govt, NGOs, private sector
Multi Drug Does not respond to rifampicin

and isoniazid (1st line drugs) Prelims 1995:
Resistant TB
Which one of the following antimicrobial
EXtensively Drug Also resistant to fluroquinolones drugs, is suitable for treatment of both
Resistant TB and some 2nd line drugs tuberculosis and leprosy?
(a) Isoniazid (b) P-aminosalicylic acid
Totally Drug Resistant to all 1st and 2nd line
(c) Streptomycin (d) Rifampicin
Resistant TB drugs
Vaccine derived:
Polio ❑ Still occurs in some countries in
children with low immunity
Wild:
❑ Type-1: only in Pak and Afghan
❑ Type-2: declared eliminated in 2015
❑ Type-3: declared eliminated in 2019
❑ Oral Polio Vaccine ❑ Inactivate Polio Vaccine
❑ Weakened virus ❑ Killed virus
❑ Cannot spread virus Remember:
❑ Can spread virus
❑ 2014: India declared polio free
There is no cure for polio, it can only be prevented. ❑ Now endemic only to Pakistan, Afghanistan
Prelims 2014: Acute flaccid myelitis:

Consider the following diseases: ❑ Like Polio it is a neurological disease that
1. Diphtheria Yaws; Guinea worm; weakens the limbs.
2. Chickenpox Polio; Smallpox; ❑ 1.5 lakh people in India are affected by it.
3. Smallpox Maternal & neonatal tetanus
Which of the above diseases Two viral diseases eradicated globally:
have been eradicated in India? ❑ 1980: Small pox → in Humans
(a) 1, 2 (b) 3 ❑ 2011: Rinderpest → in cattle, buffalo, etc.
(c) 1, 2, 3 (d) None
Influenza Some past pandemics:
H1N1 : 1918 : Spanish flu
H2N2 : 1958 : Asian flu
Types of Influenza viruses: H3N2 : 1968 : Hong Kong flu
❑ Only A have caused Pandemics H1N1 : 2009 : Swine flu
❑ A, B causes seasonal epidemics Current pandemics:
❑ C causes only mild illness HIV/AIDS: since 1981
❑ D mainly affects cattle Covid-19: since 2019
Influenza viruses: G4 virus: H1N1 like virus, found in pigs in China
❑ segmented RNA (single-stranded)
❑ Vaccines: inactivated & live attenuated
Prelims 2015:
❑ Mutates frequently; so does vaccine H1N1 virus is sometimes mentioned in news with
reference to which one of the following diseases?
(a) AIDS (b) Bird flu (c) Dengue (d) Swine flu
❑ Mark H1, H2, H3 as swine flu

❑ Mark H5, H7, H9, H10 as bird/avian flu
❑ All of these are “Influenza-A” virus
If still you get confused in exam hall,
Then just recall: Swine is NOT nine.
HIV / AIDS ❑ HIV spreads through body fluids.

❑ HIV attacks body's immune system.
HIV: Human Immunodeficiency Virus ❑ If untreated, HIV can lead to AIDS
AIDS: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome ❑ Cure? No
❑ Medicine? Yes. AntiRetroviral Therapy
Corona: HIV: It reduces the amount of HIV in body
❑ virus identified in 2019 ❑ virus identified in 1983 It does not prevent transmission.
❑ causes a disease Covid ❑ causes a disease AIDS ❑ Tests: ELISA, Western blot, CD4 count…
Prelims 1996: Q. Does our body create anti-bodies to fight HIV? Yes
Consider the following statements
AIDS is transmitted by
ELISA test:
❑ Enzyme Linked ImmunoSorbent Assay
1. By sexual intercourse
❑ Test to detect anti-bodies in blood.
2. By blood transfusion
❑ For many diseases: HIV, rotavirus, etc.
3. By mosquitoes & other blood
sucking insects 90–90–90:
4. Across the placenta ❑ UN target for countries to control AIDS. By 2020,
Which of the above statements are 90% PLHIV will know their status
correct? 90% detected cases will receive ART
(a) 1, 2, 3 (b) 1, 2, 4 90% of those getting ART will have viral suppression
(c) 1, 3, 4 (d) 1, 3 ❑ Status: progress made, but targets not achieved
India’s and SDG target: by 2030 Global HIV Prevention Coalition: (2017, by UNAIDS)
25 highest HIV burden countries, NGOs, donors, etc.
National AIDS Control Organisation: reduce new infections by 75% by 2020, end by 2030
1992; under MoH&FW; NACP also in 1992
Red Ribbon Express 2007: train for AIDS awareness
Project Ahana: by Plan India (NGO) Project Sunrise 2016: focus on North-east
to stop mother-to-child HIV transmission Mission Sampark 2017: for PLHIV who left treatment

Malaria, Dengue, etc
Prelims 2010:
Widespread resistance of malarial parasite to drugs like chloroquine has prompted attempts to
develop vaccine to combat malaria. Why is it difficult to develop an effective malaria vaccine?
(a) Malaria is caused by several species of Plasmodium True & correct reason
(b) Man doesn’t develop immunity to malaria during natural infection. Immunity develops, but it
(c) Vaccines can be developed only against bacteria. Wrong is partial and short lived
(d) Man is only an intermediate host and not the definitive host. True but not the reason
Malaria: National Framework for WHO:
❑ by plasmodium parasite
Malaria Elimination: ❑ E-2025; Reaching Zero;
❑ > 90% cases in Africa
❑ Vaccines: RTS,S R21/Matrix-M ❑ 2016-2030 High Burden to High Impact
❑ Medicine: yes ❑ Eliminate by 2030 ❑ 38 countries malaria-free

Consider the following statements: Consider the following statements:
1. Dengue is a protozoan disease transmitted 1. In tropical regions, Zika virus disease is
by mosquitoes. transmitted by the same mosquito that
2. Retro-orbital pain is not a symptom of transmits dengue.
dengue. 2. Sexual transmission of Zika virus disease is
3. Skin rash and bleeding from nose and gums possible.
are some of the symptoms of dengue. Which of the above statements are correct?
Which of the above statements are correct? (a) 1 only (b) 2 only
(a) 1 & 2 (b) 3 only (c) 2 only (d) 1 & 3 (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2
Zika Dengue Chikungunya Yellow fever

virus virus virus virus
Aedes aegypti Aedes aegypti Aedes aegypti Aedes aegypti
Vaccine: no Vaccine: Dengvaxia Vaccine: no Vaccine: yes
Medicine: no Medicine: no Medicine: no Medicine: no
❑ 1947 Uganda, monkeys ❑ Serotypes 1,2,3,4 (5) Fever and ❑ Africa & S.
❑ 1952 Uganda, humans ❑ Lifelong immunity Joint pain America
❑ 2015 infection during against that serotype ❑ It was the 1st
pregnancy can cause ❑ But can get infected human virus
microcephaly in infants by other serotypes to be isolated
❑ 2017 India (Gujarat) (1927)
Kala Azar ❑ aka visceral leishmaniasis, Black fever or Dum Dum Fever.
❑ 2nd biggest parasitic killer in the world after Malaria.
❑ Caused by protozoa parasite Leishmania
❑ Transmitted by female sand-fly
❑ 95% fatality if not treated
❑ Some recovered patients can transmit it for years
❑ Half the global cases are in India
❑ Endemic to UP, Bihar, Jharkhand, WB
UP, WB achieved elimination target in 2020, need to
maintain this status for three years (<1 in 10,000)
Lymphatic filariasis
❑ aka elephantiasis or Hathi Paon
❑ abnormal enlargement of body parts.
❑ Due to filarial parasites transmitted by mosquitoes.
❑ These worms only live in the human lymph system.
(maintains body's fluid balance & fights infections)
❑ Hathipaon Mukt Bharat: launched by govt in 2015
❑ 2nd most common long-term disability after mental illness.
Neglected Tropical Diseases

National Vector Borne
❑ Mostly in poor countries of tropical areas Disease Control Programme:
❑ Don't receive much research and funding attention. ❑ under DGHS (MoH&FW)
❑ Due to various virus, bacteria, protozoa, worms. ❑ for six vector borne diseases
❑ e.g. Dengue, Chikungunya, Kala azar, Leprosy, ❑ Malaria, Dengue, Filaria,
Lymphatic filariasis, rabies, etc. Chikungunya, Kala Azar,
❑ END7: international campaign launched in 2012 to Japanese Encephalitis
eliminate seven NTDs by 2020. Not by UN etc.
Hepatitis Virus Main source Vaccine

A Contaminated food, water Yes
Hepatitis is inflammation of the liver. B Body fluids Yes
Causes: Genetic, alcohol, virus, etc. C Body fluids No
D Only if B Same as B
Prelims 2019: E Contaminated food, water Yes
Which of the following statements is not correct?
(a) Hepatitis B virus is transmitted much like HIV.
(b) Hepatitis B, unlike Hepatitis C, does not have a Prelims 2010:
vaccine. Consider the following statements:
(c) Globally, the number of people infected with 1. Hepatitis B is several times more
Hepatitis B and C viruses are several times infectious than HIV/ AIDS
more than those infected with HIV. 2. Hepatitis B can cause liver cancer
(d) Some of those infected with Hepatitis B and C Which of the above statements are correct?
viruses do not show the symptoms for many (a) 1 only (b) 2 only
years. (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2
Anti Microbial Resistance
Antimicrobials: Antimicrobial Resistance: Superbugs:

medicines for infections e.g. Bacteria, viruses, fungi, multi- and pan-resistant
antibiotics, antivirals, parasites change over time and bacteria that are not treatable
antifungals and antiparasitics no longer respond to medicines with existing medicines.
Twin challenge before India? New Delhi metallo-beta-lactamase 1 (NDM-1)

❑ Antibiotics are cheap & effective. They help poor ❑ A superbug, first found in New Delhi in
people quickly overcome illness at low cost. 2009 in a Swedish national
❑ But, more use of antibiotics means more AMR. ❑ Origin: unknown (it may not be Delhi)
Prelims 2019:
Reasons: (as per WHO website)
Which of the following are reasons for occurrence of
❑ Misuse/overuse of antimicrobials
multi-drug resistance in microbial pathogens in India?
1. Genetic predisposition of some people ❑ Lack of clean water and hygiene
2. Taking incorrect doses of antibiotics to cure diseases ❑ Poor disease prevention
3. Using antibiotics in livestock farming ❑ Poor access to quality, affordable
4. Multiple chronic diseases in some people medicines, vaccines and diagnostics
Select the correct answer using codes given below ❑ Lack of awareness and knowledge
(a) 1, 2 (b) 2, 3 (c) 1, 3, 4 (d) 2, 3, 4 ❑ Lack of enforcement of legislation
Also, waste water from pharma factories and hospitals
H & H1 are schedules of Drugs & Cosmetics Rules, 1945
Schedule H Drugs?
❑ Sold only on doctor’s prescription
Schedule H1 drugs?
❑ Chemist needs to record in a separate register:
doctor, patient, drug, quantity.
❑ Since 2013; to control AMR due to antibiotics overuse
Awareness campaign: don’t use medicines ❑ These are 3rd & 4th generation antibiotics, anti-
marked with red line, without a doctor’s tuberculosis drugs and certain habit-forming drugs
prescription. like psychotropic drugs.
AWaRe tool:
Fixed Dose Combination: Global AMR R&D Hub:
❑ Access, Watch, Reserve
Medicines with two or ❑ 2018; Berlin, Germany
❑ portal by WHO to guide
more drugs in single dose ❑ India recently joined it
govts & doctors on AMR
Interagency Coordination World Organisation for Animal
Global Leaders Group on AMR:
group on AMR: Health: 1924; Paris
❑ formed by WHO, FAO, WOAH
❑ By UN in 2017 ❑ Inter-govt org; not UN body
❑ on recomm. of ICG on AMR
❑ for coordination ❑ 182 members (India also)
One Health: One Health
❑ Health of humans, Animals,
Environment are interdependent.
❑ Manhattan principles 2004 and Berlin
principles 2019 are related to it.
Zoonotic diseases:
❑ caused by pathogen that jumped from animals to humans.
❑ e.g. Plague, Rabies, Ebola, Corona viruses (SARS, MERS, SARS-Cov-2)
❑ Can be bacteria, virus, parasite, fungus, etc.
❑ Reason: many (natural also)
Alternate System of Medicine ❑ 1995: Department of Indian System of

Medicine & Homoeopathy under MoH&FW
Ayurveda, Yoga, Naturopathy, Unani, ❑ 2003: renamed to Department of AYUSH
Siddha, Sowa-Rigpa, Homoeopathy ❑ 2014: upgraded into Ministry
National Commission for Indian National Commission for Institute of Teaching and Research
System of Medicine Act, 2020 Homoeopathy Act, 2020: in Ayurveda (ITRA) Act, 2020:
Repeals Indian Medicine Central Repeals Homoeopathy Central Est. ITRA by merging four ayurvedic
Council Act, 1970 Council Act, 1973 institutes
NCISM; Advisory Council; Uniform NCH; Advisory Council; Uniform Made Institution of National
entrance/exit exam for UG/PG entrance/exit exam for UG/PG Importance, first in AYUSH Sector
Ayurveda:
Institution of National Importance:
❑ Jaipur: National Institute of Ayurveda
❑ by an act of Parliament;
❑ Delhi: All India Institute of Ayurveda
❑ Jamnagar: ITRA ❑ more autonomy, funding
WHO to est. centre for traditional medicine in India ❑ IITs, IIMs, etc. Currently 159
Prelims 2007:
Assisted Reproductive Technology In human beings, in which of the following parts,
does the sperm fertilize the ovum?
techniques that obtain pregnancy by (a) Cervix (b) Fallopian tube
handling sperm or egg outside human body (c) Lower part of uterus (d) Upper part of uterus
IVF: egg fertilized with sperm in lab. Embryo planted in uterus.

Artificial insemination: sperm inserted into uterus
Gamete intrafallopian transfer: Eggs are removed from ovaries,
and placed in one of the Fallopian tubes, along with sperm.

Defence
Integrated Guided Missile Development Plan (1982-2008) Prelims 2014:
With reference to Agni-IV missile, which
Purpose Range Fuel Nuclear of the following statements are correct?
1,2 Liquid 3 is Dhanush 1. It is surface-to surface missile.
Prithvi Surface-to-surface 100, 350 ✓
3 solid (Navy) 2. It is fuelled by liquid propellant only
Akash Surface-to-Air 30, 70 Solid X 3. It can deliver one-tonne nuclear
Trishul Surface-to-Air 9 Solid X warheads about 7500 km away.
Namika, Helina, Select the correct answer
Nag Anti-Tank 20 Solid X
Sant, Dhruvastra (a) 1 only (b) 2 and 3 only
Agni Surface-to-surface700-5000 Solid ✓ (c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3
Agni-1: 700 km
Agni-2: 2000 km
Agni-3: 3000 km
Agni-4: 4000 km
Agni-5: 5000 km
Agni-P: advanced
version of Agni-1
Indian Ballistic Missile Defence Programme:

❑ Two tiered defence.
❑ For endo-atmospheric defence- Ashwin (Advanced Air defence)
❑ For exo-atmospheric defence- Pradyumna (Prithvi Air Defence)
❑ They were first tested in 2007 and improved continuously.
❑ Latest version can shoot down targets moving at 10 km/s in orbits as high as 1200 km.
❑ Used in 27 March, 2019 Mission Shakti.

❖ Pinaka: Indigenous multi barrel rocket
launch system; range 40 km
❖ Ulka, Fluffy, Abhyas: aerial targets for
practicing anti-missile systems
❖ Saras: indigenous passenger aircraft
❖ Apache: fighter helicopter of USA,
purchased by India
❖ Chinook: helicopter of USA; has two
horizontal rotors; purchased by India
❖ C-17, C-130, C-295: military transport
aircrafts
❖ Derby and Python-5: Air-to-Air Missiles SAAW
❖ Netra: Airborne Early Warning And
Control made by ISRO. Radar on airplane
❖ Smart Anti-Airfield Weapon: glide bomb;
for ground targets; range 100 km
❖ Arjun: Main Battle Tank Fighter jets:
Arjun France: Rafale, Mirage 2000
❖ Dhanush: artillery gun Russia : Sukhoi-30, MiG-29
❖ Supersonic Missile Assisted Release of India : Tejas
Torpedo: for anti-submarine ops; range None is 5th generation
600 km
SMART
Iron dome:
anti-missile/rocket
system of Israel
Aircraft carriers:
❑ 1961-1997: INS Vikrant (from UK)
❑ 1987-2017: INS Viraat (from UK)
❑ 2013- : INS Vikramaditya (from Russia)
❑ 2022- : INS Vikrant (IAC-1)

BrahMos: ❑ Supersonic: > Mach 1
Rudram: (Range 200 km)
❑ by India and Russia ❑ Hypersonic: > Mach 5
❑ 1st indigenous anti-radiation missile
❑ against electronic surveillance ❑ 300-500 km; Mach 3
❑ Can be launched from fighter jets ❑ world's fastest cruise missile
❑ DRDO; started in 2012; 2016 first flight ❑ Fuel: 1st stage Solid, 2nd stage Liquid
❑ Many tests; induction in IAF by 2022 ❑ can be launched from any platform
❑ Hypersonic version being developed
QRSAM: Barak 8: S-400: Shaurya missile:

❑ by DRDO ❑ LRSAM, MRSAM ❑ Russian SAM ❑ by DRDO
❑ 30 km; Mach 4 ❑ by India and Israel ❑ 400 km; Mach 6 ❑ Surface-to-Surface
❑ For moving army ❑ SAM; 150 km; Mach 3 ❑ China, India, etc. ❑ 2000 km; Mach 7
❑ Nuclear capable

Which one of the following is the best What is “Terminal High Altitude Area Defence”
description of ‘INS Astradharini’, that (THAAD), sometimes seen in the news?
was in the news recently? (a) An Israeli radar system
(a) Amphibious warfare ship (b) India's indigenous anti-missile Programme
(b) Nuclear-powered submarine (c) An American anti missile system
(c) Torpedo launch and recovery vessel (d) A defence collaboration between Japan and
(d) Nuclear-powered aircraft carrier South Korea
Nuclear submarines: Varunastra:

❑ (Russian) INS Chakra-I : 1987-1990 ❑ indigenous anti-submarine torpedo
like underwater cruise missile; 40 km
❑ (Russian) INS Chakra-II : 2012-2021
❑ (Russian) INS Chakra-III : 2025 (expected) Nuclear triad:
❑ (Indian) INS Arihant : 2009 ❑ ability to launch nuclear missile by land,
❑ (Indian) INS Arighat : under trials air, submarine.
❑ Advanced Technology Vessel Project: ❑ India has nuclear triad?
launched in 1984; to build nuclear submarines Yes (2016 Arihant commissioned)
Nanosniffer: Coastal Radar Stations:

❑ Sri Lanka, Mauritius, Seychelles; plan for more
❑ Indigenous; by IITs (not DRDO)
❑ Gives result in seconds.
Navy's centres to monitor traffic in IOR:
❑ Can detect nano-gram quantity of explosives
❑ Info Management & Analysis Centre (after 26/11)
❑ world’s first Explosive Trace Detector using
❑ Info Fusion Centre for Indian Ocean Region
microsensor technology
❑ Both in Gurugram
Project-75:
❑ Six scorpene submarines built in India with French help.
❑ Kalvari (2015), Khanderi (2017), Karanj (2018), Vela (2019), Vagir (2020), Vagsheer.
❑ Diesel powered, not nuclear. Air Independent Propulsion enables 21 days underwater stay.
Project-75i: Innovations For Defence Excellence (iDEX)

Project-17A, 18, 28: ❑ Promote innovation, involve private
❑ similar to Project-75
❑ frigates ❑ initiative launched in 2018
❑ Subs may be bigger

Science & Tech Class-5 Update (Feb-June)
GM Crops Already covered on page-6.
Remember:
Bt cotton is the only GM crop allowed
for commercial cultivation in India
Genome mapping
see page-1.
National Institute of Oceanography:

Under MoS&T (CSIR)
TraceBioMe project:
❑ Do genome & proteome mapping of
microbes in IOR; use NGS (page-6)
and Sanger sequencing (single DNA
fragment at a time)
❑ Study impact of metals and minerals
❑ Help in medicines, industry, etc.
Gene editing Already covered on page-3.
Engineered Nuclease:
❑ Enzyme used in gene editing. Types:
→ RNA based: uses RNA
e.g. Crispr-Cas9
→ Protein based: uses protein
e.g. TALENS, Zinc Finger Nuclease
❑ Has two parts: guide and scissors
e.g. Crispr is guide, Cas9 is scissor

CAR T-cell Therapy
CAR T-cell therapy:

Chimeric Antigen Receptor
❑ Type of immunotherapy
❑ Take T-cells from patient
(or donor)
❑ Genetically modify in lab
❑ Multiply to millions
❑ Insert into patient
❑ Will attack cancer cells
❑ Its like a Living Drug
❑ Examples: Yescarta,
Kymriah, Tecartus, etc.
RNA interference PYQs explained on page-6.
RNA interference pathway:

❑ dsRNA → siRNA → two ssRNA
❑ Dicer enzyme splits dsRNA to siRNA
❑ Through RISC, ssRNA binds to mRNA
❑ A portion of mRNA get silenced
dsRNA: double stranded RNA
siRNA: small interfering RNA
ssRNA: single stranded RNA
RISC: RNA-induced silencing complex NCERT class-12
RNA interference: RNAi pesticides:
❑ It is a natural process for gene silencing.
❑ Identify protein necessary for pest
❑ It is part of immune response to foreign
genetic material (e.g. by virus) ❑ Create dsRNA to interfere in is formation
❑ It prevents manufacture of specific proteins. ❑ Deliver it to pest through crops.
Blockchain
Everyone is Multiple parties

dependent on the hold the ledger.
central party. Tampering data
Central party could in one ledger
tamper data will be of no
without anyone use.
knowing about it.
Digital Ledger Digital Ledger

Bankchain Distributed Ledger Distributed Ledger
Editable Non-Editable
Google Docs SMS chat
❑ By SBI in 2017, includes many private banks

❑ KYC, consortium lending, asset hypothecation, etc.
Cryptocurrency
❑ Usually not issued by Central bank of country
❑ Anyone with computer can mine.
❑ Same value across the world
❑ Problems: anonymity, electricity, volatile value, money supply
❑ Examples: Bitcoin, Ethereum, Ripple, Litecoin, Tether
With reference to ‘Bitcoins’, sometimes seen in With reference to “Blockchain Technology”
the news, which of the following statements consider the following statements:
is/are correct? 1. It is a public ledger that everyone can
1. Bitcoins are tracked by the Central Banks of inspect, but which no single user controls.
the countries. 2. The structure and design of blockchain is
2. Anyone with a Bitcoin address can send and such that all the data in it are about
receive Bitcoins from anyone else with a cryptocurrency only
Bitcoin address. 3. Applications that depend on basic features
3. Online payments can be sent without of blockchain can be developed without
either side knowing identity of the other. anybody’s permission.
Select the correct answer: Which of the above statements are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 only (b) 2 and 3 only (a) 1 only (b) 1 and 2 only
(c) 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3 (c) 2 only (d) 1 and 3 only
Smart Contracts.
Contract is written Contract is part of Parties involved in Contract executes Regulators use
as code into a public blockchain the contact are itself when the Blockchain to keep
blockchain anonymous conditions are met an eye on contracts
Non-Fungible Token.
Problem: how to differentiate between real and fake. Fungible:

Solution: give a certificate of authenticity to the real one. → replaceable by another identical item
Problem: someone can create fake certificates. Non-fungible:
Solution: use blockchain technology to certify authenticity. → not replaceable by another identical item
NFT: unit of data that certifies a digital asset to be unique. Non-fungible token:
→ proof that the digital product is original

Artificial Intelligence Artificial intelligence:
Machine mimics human intelligence
Machine learning:
Machine improves with experience, by itself
Deep Learning:
Machine learns from vast amount of data
Neural network:
create code that mimics human brain
Turing Test:
Test of a machine's ability to exhibit behaviour
indistinguishable from that of a human.
Microsoft Tay:
❑ AI chatbot released on Twitter by Microsoft in 2016
❑ Quickly learnt hate existing on Twitter. Example:
Justified fascism; said minorities must be put in camps.
❑ Removed by Microsoft within 16 hours.
INDIAai: AIRAWAT:
❑ national AI portal ❑ AI Research, Analytics and knoWledge Assimilation PlaTform
❑ all about AI in India ❑ a platform to assist in R&D of new technologies
❑ by Meity & Nasscom ❑ proposed by NITI Aayog
IP address
14:A7:2B:3E:42:6F Mr Sharma MAC

192.168.1.200 2nd Floor Local IP
14:A3:4B:3E:42:5F Mr Verma MAC

192.168.1.100 1st Floor Local IP
House no. 21
23.24.35.63 ABC lane, XYZ vihar
IP address
Indian Registry for Internet Names & Numbers:

❑ aka National Internet Registry
❑ Coordinates IP address allocation
❑ Part of NIXI:
→ National Internet Exchange of India
→ 2003; not for profit company
→ connects ISPs; manages .in registry

Malware: malicious software,
❑ Software made to harm devices
Cyber Security ❑ spyware, trojans, virus, etc.
❑ Virus needs host file, worms don’t.
RANSOMware:
❑ It will lock your files; ask for money
❑ Payment by cryptocurrencies Trojan horse
❑ e.g. DearCry, WannaCry, etc. ❑ misleads you of its true intent
❑ Greeks used it to enter Troy
SPYware:
you won't know Phishing:
its there, it will Attacker will trick you
spy on you to reveal sensitive info
e.g. Pegasus

In India, it is legally mandatory for which of the The terms 'Wanna Cry, Petya and
following to report on cyber security incidents? Eternal Blue' sometimes mentioned
1. Service providers in the news recently are related to
2. Data centres (a) Exo-planets
3. Body corporate (b) Crypto-currency
Select the correct answer using the code given below: (c) Cyber attacks
(a) 1 only (b) 1 & 2 only (c) 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3 (d) Mini satellites
Prelims 2020:
In India, under cyber insurance for individuals, which of the following benefits are generally
covered, in addition to payment for the loss of funds and other benefits?
1. Cost of restoration of computer system in case of malware disrupting access to one’s computer
2. Cost of a new computer if some miscreant wilfully damages it, if proved so
3. Cost of hiring a specialized consultant to minimize the loss in case of cyber extortion
4. Cost of defence in court of law if any third party files a suit
(a) 1, 2 and 4 only (b) 1, 3 and 4 only (c) 2 and 3 only (d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Prelims 2011:
What is “Virtual Private Network”?
(a) It is a private computer network of an organization
where the remote users can transmit encrypted
information through the server of the organization.
(b) It is a computer network across a public internet
that provides users access to their organization’s
network while maintaining the security of the
information transmitted.
(c) It is a computer network in which users can access
a shared pool of computing resources through a
service provider
(d) None of the statements (a), (b) and (c) given above
is a correct description of Virtual Private Network
Organization Ministry
Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-IN) Meity
National Cyber Coordination Centre MHA
Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C) MHA
National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre NTRO* < NSA < PMO
*National Technical Research Organization
Content Delivery Network

(CDN):
Geographically distributed
servers to speed up delivery of
web content by bringing it closer
to users.
Clean Network: Sandes:

→ US initiative for safe web (against China) ❑ Government Instant Messaging System
Global Initiative on Data Security: ❑ owned by GoI (NIC under Meity made it)
→ Chinese initiative for safe web (against US) ❑ earlier it was only for govt employees
Supercomputers: Frontier technologies:

❑ Worlds fastest SC? Fugaku of Japan ❑ New technologies with big impact
❑ Country with most SCs? China 188 (USA 122) ❑ Like AI, 3D printing, robotics, IoT, etc.
Digiboxx: Global Cybersecurity Index:

❑ Made by NITI Aayog a private Indian company ❑ 1 - USA; 10 - India
❑ Just like google drive ❑ by International Telecommunication Union:
→ specialized agency of UN; 1865; Geneva
Bandicoot:
❑ BlackRock, Xeres, LokiBot, EventBot? Android malwares
❑ sewer cleaning machine
❑ Super app: multiple services in one app. Example: Paytm
❑ By a private Indian company
for recharge, bills, movie, bus, train, flight, shopping, etc.
El Salvador:
❑ first country to adopt Bitcoin as legal tender
❑ Note: Bitcoins in Japan are legal property, not legal tender
Indo-US Science & Tech Forum:

❑ Formed in 2000
❑ To promote S&T through govt, academia, industry interactions.
❑ Recently launched US India Artificial Intelligence Initiative
UN Conference on Trade & Development:

❑ 1964; Geneva; Important reports:
▪ World Investment Report
▪ Trade & Development Report
▪ Least Developed Countries Report
Indian Human Spaceflight Programme
Timeline of Indian Human Space flight Programme:

Reusable
Launch
Vehicle
Target
ISRO recommends ❑ GSLV Mk-III
manned space mission ❑ Crew module Atmospheric
 RLV-TD Re-entry Experiment
Future → work starts under name RLV-TD (looks like space
"Orbital vehicle" shuttle, not for present
Gaganyaan mission)
Space Capsule
Recovery Experiment
❑ Pad Abort Test
❑ Gaganyaan
Biggest challenge announced
was launch vehicle.
Developed by 2014
Rakesh Sharma: Manned mission to space:

Gaganyaan programme:
❑ the only Indian citizen in space
❑ two unmanned missions USSR, USA, China
❑ 3 April 1984 in Soyuz T-11
❑ one manned mission
❑ three Indians;
❑ in LEO (400km); April 12, 1961 1st man in space Yuri Gagarin
1963 st
1 woman in space Valentina Tereshkova
❑ for 7 days
❑ by GSLV Mk-III 1965 1st space walk Alexei Leonov
July 20, 1969 1st man on moon Neil Armstrong
PSLV GSLV
Small Satellite Launch Vehicle;

SSLV Under development; for small satellites. Prelims 2018:
With reference to India's satellite launch vehicles,
❑ NSIL will get it made with private players consider the following statements:
❑ Will have 3 stages, all will use solid fuel 1. PSLVs launch the satellite useful for Earth
❑ 500 kg satellite mass into 500 km LEO resources monitoring whereas GSLVs are
designed mainly to launch communication
Prelims 2007: satellites.
Consider the following statements: 2. Satellites launched by PSLV appear to remain
1. In the year 2006, India successfully tested a full permanently fixed in same position in the sky,
fledged cryogenic stage in rocketry. as viewed from a particular location in Earth.
2. After USA, Russia and China, India is the only 3. GSLV Mk III is a four-staged launch vehicle with
country to have acquired the capability for use of the first and third stages using solid rocket
cryogenic stage in rocketry. motors; and the second and fourth stages using
Which of the above statements are correct? liquid rocket engines.
(a) 1 only (b) 2 only Which of the above statements are correct?
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2 (a) 1 only (b) 2 and 3 (c) 1 and 2 (d) 3 only

Moon Blood Moon red; during total lunar eclipse
Pink Moon full moon of April
Blue Moon second full moon in calendar month
Super Moon perigean full moon; looks bigger
Micro Moon apogee full moon; looks smaller
Aphelion: (4th July)

→ Earth farthest from Sun;
Tidal Locking:
Moon is tidally locked to Earth. Perihelion: (3rd January)
It always has same face towards Earth 4 lakh km 3.6 lakh km → Earth nearest to Sun;
So, far side of Moon has more craters
Prelims 2005: Lunar maria: dark, basaltic plains on

Assertion (A): The same face of the moon is always Earth's Moon; mostly on near side
presented to the earth. Giant impact / Big splat / Ocean Magma hypo:
Reason (R): The moon rotates about its own axis in Mars sized object collided with earth → Part
23 and half days which is about the same time that of earth blasted into space → molten due
it takes to orbit the earth. to heat → later cooled → formed moon
(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct
explanation of A Some features of Moon:
(b) Both A and R are true but R is NOT a correct ❑ Sea of Serenity; South Pole-Aitken Basin;
explanation of A ❑ Craters (~9000): Von Kármán, Clavius,
(c) A is true but R is false Tycho, Sarabhai, Copernicus, etc.
(d) A is false but R is true Space bricks: Lunar soil + urine + etc; by ISRO
7-day interval between spring and neap

Tides Flow: water rises; LT → HT
Moon's attraction is twice that of sun Ebb: water falls; HT → LT
Range of tide is more than normal: Range of tide is less than normal:
HT is higher; LT is lower HT is lower; LT is higher
sun, moon, earth in straight line

sun and moon at right angles

Tides occur in the oceans and seas Assertion (A): During neap tides, the high tide is lower and the
due to which of the following? low tide is higher than usual.
1. Gravitational force of the Sun Reason (R): The neap tide, unlike the spring tide, occurs on the
2. Gravitational force of the Moon new moon, instead of on the full moon.
3. Centrifugal force of the Earth (a) Both A & R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
Select the correct answer (b) Both A & R are true but R is NOT a correct explanation of A
(a) 1 only (b) 2 and 3 only (c) A is true but R is false
(c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3 (d) A is false but R is true
Black hole
Accretion disc:
matter revolving around BH
Photon sphere:
just outside event horizon
Relativistic jets:
matter that didn't fall into BH
Event Horizon:
point of no return
Singularity:
at centre of BH; infinite density
Black Hole theorem:

given by Stephen Hawking in 1971
area of Event Horizon cannot shrink
Black hole: a place in space so dense that

nothing (not even light) can escape it. Hawking Radiation: electromagnetic radiation
Einstein’s theory of Special General relativity that escapes black hole (theory, not proven).
predicted black holes. (Hint: too much gravity!)
How can they form? Unicorn:

1. Big Bang: some black holes formed soon ❑ recently discovered
after the Big Bang (Primordial black hole) ❑ probably smallest BH in Milky way
2. Stars: Gravitational collapse of massive
stars can cause supernova explosion and ❑ 3 times the mass of our Sun
form black hole ❑ nearest BH to our solar system
3. High energy collisions (not yet proven) ❑ 1,500 light years from earth.
❑ We can’t see black hole because no light can escape it

❑ 1st Photo of Black hole was published April 2019
❑ It is from Messier 87 galaxy (not Milky Way)
Event Horizon Telescopes: radio telescopes

Relativity: According to Einstein, time is relative. He gave two theories of relativity:
➢ 1905: Special theory: time is affected by Speed. (Time slows down when speed is increased).
➢ 1915: General theory: time is affected by Gravity. (Time slows down around heavy objects).
Prelims 2018:
Consider the following statements:
1. Light is affected by gravity.
2. The Universe is constantly expanding.
3. Matter warps its surrounding space-time.
Which of the above are predictions of Albert Einstein's
General Theory of Relativity, often discussed in media?
(a) 1 and 2 only (b) 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3
Gravity is curvature of space-time
Gravitational waves ➔ Distortions of space-time moving at speed of light
Prelims 2019: ❑ Space-time = surface of a still pond.

Recently, scientists observed merger of giant ❑ Waves in pond = gravitational waves.
'blackholes' billions of light-years away from ❑ Created when: heavy objects move, etc.
earth. What is significance of this observation? ❑ 1905: proposed by Henri Poincaré
(a) 'Higgs boson particles' were detected. ❑ 1915: GTOR by Albert Einstein
(b) 'Gravitational waves' were detected. ❑ 2015: first direct observation (LIGO USA)
(c) Possibility of inter-galactic space travel ❑ 2017: Nobel Prize in Physics for detection
through 'wormhole' was confirmed. LIGO: Virgo in Italy, GEO600 in Germany and
(d) It enabled the scientists to understand Kagra in Japan
'singularity'.
Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory

➢ LIGO in USA (detected GW in 2015)
➢ INDIGO in India (Hingoli Maharashtra)
➢ eLISA in space by EU in 2034

What is the purpose of ‘evolved Laser The experiment will employ a trio of spacecraft flying
Interferometer Space Antenna (eLISA)’ in formation in the shape of an equilateral triangle that
project? has sides one million kilometers long, with lasers
(a) To detect neutrinos shining between the craft. The experiment in question
(b) To detect gravitational waves refers to
(c) To detect the effectiveness of (a) Voyager-2
missile defence system (b) New Horizons
(d) To study the effect of solar flares (c) LISA Pathfinder
on our communication systems (d) Evolved LISA
Quasar
❑ Super massive Black Hole at centre of galaxy
❑ Billion times mass than our Sun
❑ Actively feeding on material
❑ Brightest objects in Universe
❑ They outshine the galaxy they are in.
❑ Millions of quasars have been found
❑ Nearest is 60 crore light-years away.
❑ Our Milky way also has a super massive BH at
its centre, but its not a quasar currently.
❑ Some scientists say our Milky way once had
A galaxy with Quasar at its center Quasar, some say it will have Quasar in future.
Neutron star
❑ Forms when star runs out of fuel and collapses.
❑ Forms if mass is up to 3 solar mass, else BH.
❑ Dense core left behind after supernova
❑ Extremely dense object (only BH is more dense)
❑ Three main types:
1. Magnetar: has very strong magnetic field
2. Pulsar: two beams from poles (seems on off)
Magnetar + Pulsar 3. Magnetar + Pulsar: both
Heliosphere
Outermost atmospheric layer of Sun
120 AU in interstellar wind side
More than 350 AU in opposite direction
Rocks/metals Hydrogen/Helium
-Terrestrial- ---Jovian---
1 AU Interstellar
30 AU space
123 AU
Heliosphere Heliopause
Astronomical Unit 15 crore or 150 million km
Voyager program: (1977, NASA) (page-25)

❑ To study Jupiter and Saturn; but continued
❑ Entered interstellar space: 2012 V1 ; 2018 V2
❑ Found increase in density outside solar system
Science & Tech Class-6 Update (Feb-June)
Gravitational lensing
Sun halo / Moon Halo:

❑ type of ice-crystal halo
22O Halo ❑ looks like a ring around Sun (or Moon)
❑ light is refracted by ice crystals in atmosphere
❑ Usually by cirrus clouds (or few days before storm)
❑ As no light is refracted at angles smaller than 22°,
the sky is darker inside the halo.

Universe Galaxy: group of stars/gas/dust bound together by gravity
Types of Galaxies
11th class Geography NCERT: Spiral Elliptical Irregular
13.7 billion Big Bang
5.0 billion Sun formed
4.7 billion Earth formed
4.4 billion Moon formed
3.8 billion Life began
Milky way: (spiral galaxy)

❑ It appears as a milky band of light in the sky
when seen in a really dark area.
❑ All the stars we see in the night sky (without
telescope) are in Milky Way Galaxy.
Proxima nearest star to Sun; Red dwarf; Globular cluster:

Centauri 4 light years away; Not visible by eye It is a spherical collection of stars.
Galaxy nearest to our Milky way?

❑ Andromeda (25 lakh light years from us) is the nearest major galaxy to our Milky Way.
❑ Canis Major Dwarf is the nearest galaxy to Milky way (it is a satellite galaxy of Milky way)
Doppler effect
Prelims 2012:
Which of the following are cited by the
scientists as evidence for the continued
expansion of universe?
Object going away Object coming near
1. Detection of microwaves in space
2. Observation of redshift phenomenon
in space
3. Movement of asteroids in space
4. Occurrence of supernova explosions
in space
Select the correct answer:
(a) 1 and 2
(b) 2 only
(c) 1, 3 and 4
(d) None of the above can be cited as
evidence

Dark matter:
❑ It is not in the form of stars and planets that we see.
Dark energy, Dark matter ❑ It is not in the form of dark clouds of normal matter,
(matter made up of particles called baryons.)
❑ It is not antimatter, because we do not see the
Dark Energy: unique gamma rays that are produced when
1) Big bang antimatter annihilates with matter.
2) Universe started expanding ❑ It is not large galaxy-sized black hole, because there
3) But there is so much matter are not many gravitational lensing events.
4) Gravity must slow down expansion ❑ It does not interact (absorb, reflect, emit) with
5) But speed of expansion is increasing electromagnetic waves.
6) Reason: dark energy ❑ Existence inferred by gravity and maths
Universe = 68% dark energy + 27% dark matter + 5% normal matter
Dark matter is
Dark energy is responsible for
responsible for holding together
accelerated galaxies
expansion of
Universe Cake is Milky way
Galaxy Gems are Stars
Anti-matter ❑ Antimatter is made of antiparticles

❑ Same mass but opposite charge
❑ Proton → antiproton
❑ Electron → antielectron (positron)
❑ every basic particle has antiparticle
Baryon asymmetry:
Universe doesn’t have equal amount of matter & anti-matter
How is it made? When matter and

❑ Big bang, cosmic rays, antimatter come into
radioactive decays, etc contact, they annihilate,
❑ In particle accelerators, disappearing in a flash
also, but extremely less. of energy.
Positron excess:
❑ excess number of positrons between 10-300GeV
energy found in space.
❑ Reason? cosmic rays in space interact with matter to
produce electrons and positrons.
Prelims 2012:
A team of scientists at Brookhaven National Laboratory including those from India created the
heaviest anti-matter (anti-helium nucleus). What are the implications of the creation of anti-matter?
1. It will make mineral prospecting and oil exploration easier and cheaper.
2. It will help probe the possibility of the existence of stars and galaxies made of anti-matter.
3. It will help understand the evolution of the universe.
Select the correct answer:
(a) 1 only (b) 2 and 3 only (c) 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3
New rocket launch pad Launch pad on east coast because:
❑ Debris will fall in sea, not land
Launch pad near equator because:
❑ Earth rotates towards east.
❑ Surface velocity reduces towards poles.
❑ Launching near equator gives initial boost.
❑ True for GEO sats, not for polar sats.
Sounding Rockets:
Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launch Station: ❑ aka research rockets
❑ 1963; Kerala; close to magnetic equator ❑ measurements/experiments at 50-150 km.
❑ Used for launching sounding rockets ❑ ISRO uses Rohini series of sounding rockets.
NASA-ISRO SAR satellite
NISAR:
❑ NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar
❑ 2023; by GSLV; from India
❑ It will be the first radar imaging
satellite to use dual frequencies.
❑ Purpose: To better understand natural
processes on earth like ice-sheet
collapse, volcanoes, etc.
❑ It will use two bands:
→ S band by ISRO
→ L band by NASA

Some telescopes
Square Kilometre Array

❑ radio (not optical) telescopes
So, can detect invisible objects
Indian Astronomical Observatory: ❑ in South Africa & Australia
❑ 2001; at Hanle in Ladakh ❑ in Southern Hemisphere
❑ remotely operated by Indian ❑ UK, India, China, etc.
Institute of Astrophysics, Bangalore Thirty Meter Telescope: ❑ may operate from 2027
❑ 2-m Himalayan Chandra Telescope ❑ Being made on Mauna Kea
❑ Members: USA, India, China…. ASTHROS: (by NASA)
Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar: ❑ Astrophysics Stratospheric
❑ Indian-American astrophysicist James Webb Space Telescope Telescope for High Spectral
❑ 1983 Physics Nobel Prize ❑ December 2021; Resolution Observations at
❑ for studying evolution of Stars ❑ by NASA, EU, Canada Submillimeter-wavelengths
❑ Chandrasekhar limit (1.4 MO) ❑ will succeed Hubble (1990) ❑ Space observatory in Helium
❑ max mass of stable white dwarf ❑ But will be in Sun-Earth L2 balloon on Antarctica
Devasthal Optical Telescope: Asthros will look into the SPACE for far-infrared light.
❑ 3.6 m, largest single telescope in Asia ANITA will look at the radio pulses emitted by their
❑ At Devasthal, Nainital (Uttarakhand) interactions with the Antarctic ice sheet.
Pasiphae:
❑ Polar-Areas Stellar-Imaging in Polarisation High
Accuracy Experiment
❑ It is not a satellite. WALOP instrument will be
used with some existing large telescopes on earth
(outside India).
❑ Will help in research on Big bang, cosmic
microwave background, etc.
❑ It will study polarisation of light from Space.
❑ Polarization is a property of light that represents
the direction that the light wave oscillates.
Miscellaneous
International Space Station:
→ Since 1998; in LEO (400km) → USA, Russia, EU, Japan, Canada
→ It can be seen by naked eye → Tiangong: like ISS, by China
VIPER: Extreme helium star (EHe):
→ lunar rover by NASA for 2023 → Star with almost no hydrogen
→ To map resources for Artemis → 21 detected in Milky way
Hayabusa2: (Japan) Venus missions:

Brought sample from → NASA: Veritas & Davinci+
Kármán line: Asteroid Ryugu → EU: EnVision
❑ where space starts
❑ 100 km above earth BepiColombo: EU Japan mission to Mercury
Sonic boom
❑ Speed of sound: 343 m/s
approx. 3 seconds for 1 km
❑ Sonic boom: sound of shock
waves when something travels
faster than sound
❑ Mach < 1 Subsonic
❑ Mach > 1 Supersonic
❑ Mach > 5 Hypersonic
Space Hurricane
Aurora (page-34) shaped like hurricane
Photoelectric effect discovered in 1887 by German physicist Heinrich Rudolf Hertz
Photoelectric effect:
emission of electrons when
electrons electromagnetic radiation,
photons such as light, hits a material.
Albert Einstein:
He got Nobel Prize in Physics
1921 for theory of relativity
photoelectric effect.
Arktika
Arktika:
❑ Russian ice breaker ship
❑ Nuclear powered
Arktika-M:
❑ Russian satellite
❑ To study Arctic climate
Akademic Lomonosov:
❑ world's 1st floating
nuclear power plant
❑ In Russian far-east
Fifth state of Matter
SOLID LIQUID GAS PLASMA

Particles in Particles Particles 4th state of matter. Bose-Einstein
fixed flow around flow freely Superheated matter. condensate
position each other with high Electrons ripped away. 5th state of
energy Equal +ve and -ve matter.
99% of visible universe
Four natural states of matter: Solid, liquid, gas, plasma. Prelims 2013:
Fifth state of matter: Bose-Einstein condensate The efforts to detect existence of Higgs
❑ Predicted by Einstein in 1924 based on paper by S.N. boson particle have become frequent news
Bose but was made for the first time only in 1995. in recent past. What is the importance of
discovering this particle?
❑ At near zero kelvin, molecular motion almost stops. 1. It will enable us to understand as to
❑ There is almost no kinetic energy. why elementary particles have mass.
❑ Atoms clump to form just one ‘super atom’. 2. It will enable us in near future to
❑ They are extremely sensitive. Smallest disturbance develop technology of transferring
matter from one point to another
increases the temperature and ends the BEC state.
without traversing the physical space
❑ Recently also made in Cold Atom Lab in ISS between them.
Boson: 3. It will enable us to create better fuels
❑ discovered by Satyendra Nath Bose for nuclear fission.
❑ follows Bose–Einstein statistics Select the correct answer
❑ e.g. Photons, Higgs Bosons (God particle) (a) 1 (b) 2,3 (c) 1,3 (d) 1, 2, 3
Neutrinos Experiments related to neutrinos:

❑ IceCube: thousands of sensors below Antarctic ice (2.5km)
Neutrinos are second most ❑ ANITA: ANtarctic Impulsive Transient Antenna
abundant particles in the Radio telescope in Helium balloon over Antarctica
universe, after Photons ❑ INO: Indian Neutrino Observatory (Bodi West hills, Theni, TN)
Prelims 2010:
India-based Neutrino Observatory is included by the Planning Commission as a mega science
project under the 11th Five-Year Plan. In this context, consider the following statements:
1. Neutrinos are chargeless elementary particles that travel close to the speed of light.
2. Neutrinos are created in nuclear reactions of beta decay.
3. Neutrinos have a negligible, but non-zero mass
4. Trillions of neutrinos pass through human body every second.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
(a) 1 and 3 only (b) 1, 2 and 3 only (c) 2, 3 and 4 (d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Prelims 2015:
In the context of modern scientific research, consider the
following statements about 'IceCube', a particle detector
located at South Pole, which was recently in the news:
1. It is the world's largest neutrino detector,
encompassing a cubic kilometre of ice.
2. It is a powerful telescope to search for dark matter.
3. It is buried deep in the ice.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 (b) 2,3 (c) 1,3 (d) 1, 2 and 3
LHC
CERN: Large Hadron Collider:

❑ European Organization for Nuclear ❑ World's largest & highest-energy particle collider.
Research ❑ Has 27 km long ring of superconducting magnets.
❑ 1954; HQ in Switzerland ❑ High energy particle beams made to collide at
❑ India: associate member near speed of light.
❑ Israel: the only non-European full member. ❑ Built by CERN
❑ 27 km long accelerator; 4 detectors ❑ France–Switzerland border near Geneva.
Geospatial geography + mapping

Hydrogen Fuel
❑ See Environment class-4 on YouTube.
❑ National Hydrogen Mission launched by
Ministry of New and Renewable Energy
❑ MoRTH notifies 18% blend of Hydrogen
with CNG (HCNG) as an automotive fuel
Aluminum-Air battery
Aluminium–air battery:
❑ Produces electricity from reaction of
aluminium with oxygen (from air).
❑ Need to put new aluminium anodes.
❑ It is a primary cell

Magnetocaloric effect
magnetocaloric
Magnetic field Heat or energy
Magnetocaloric effect:
❑ Magnetic field causing temperature change in certain
(magnetocaloric) materials.
❑ It is the basis of magnetic refrigeration:
→ More efficient than conventional refrigeration (not used
due to very strong magnetic field)
→ Can also give extremely low temperatures (even 0.3K)
Rare-earth materials: (aka lanthanides)

❑ But they are dispersed; ores are rare.
❑ 17 silvery-white soft heavy metals.
❑ Application: everywhere, especially electronics
❑ They are plentiful in Earth's crust
❑ China: Most reserves and most production
e.g. Cerium is more abundant than copper
Medical Oxygen
Air
V
Liquid Oxygen
V
Transport
V
Gas
65% of
V our body
Cylinder (by mass)
is Oxygen
78% - Nitrogen 0.93% - Argon Liquid Medical Oxygen:

AIR 21% - Oxygen 0.04% - CO2 ❑ Fractional Distillation in Air Separation Units
→ Air cooled to -181OC
Pressure Swing Adsorption and → Oxygen (& some Argon) liquify, extracted.
Oxygen concentrators: → Nitrogen remains gas (boiling point -196OC)
❑ Concept: at high pressure gases are ❑ Transported by cryogenic containers.
attracted to solid surfaces ❑ Liquid converted to Gas, filled into cylinders
❑ Zeolite attracts Nitrogen more Why Liquid? more quantity, easy transportation
strongly than Oxygen Cryogenic? liquid with boiling point below –90OC
Orphan disease National Policy for rare disease 2021:
Rare disease Orphan drugs ❑ Awareness, screening, registry, crowd funding, etc.
❑ Financial support through Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi
Examples: Haemophilia, Thalassemia, and PM-JAY
Sickle-cell Anaemia, Muscular dystrophy ❑ Not just for BPL; covers 40% population;
(7,000 world; 450 India) ❑ up to Rs 20 lakh under RAN (not PM-JAY)
❑ No universal definition Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi:

❑ WHO: disease affecting < 1 in 1000 people. ❑ since 1997 for financial assistance to BPL
❑ Around 6-8% people suffer from rare disease patients of major life threatening disease.
❑ Most of them are genetic in nature. ❑ Money given to Medical Superintendent of
❑ Why treating them is difficult? the Hospital, not patient.
Less market, so less infra (tests, docs, R&D…) ❑ In 2019, scheme was closed and again opened
Immunization
Immunization Agenda 2030: UIP free vaccines for 12 diseases:
❑ By WHO, GAVI, etc. To all children across the country free of cost to
❑ For everyone to benefit from vaccines protect them against:
❑ Zero-dose children by 50% Tuberculosis, Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus,
❑ 90% coverage for essential vaccines Polio, Hepatitis B, Pneumonia and Meningitis
❑ 2011-20: Global Vaccine Action Plan due to Haemophilus Influenzae type b (Hib),
❑ 2021-30: Immunization Agenda 2030 Measles, Rubella, Japanese Encephalitis (JE)
❑ Caution: This is not just about Covid and Rotavirus diarrhoea.
(Rubella, JE and Rotavirus vaccine in select states
Vaccine hesitancy: and districts)
❑ Refusal to get vaccinated, despite
being available & affordable. 1978: Expanded Programme of Immunization
❑ In USA, vaccines are absolutely free 1985: Universal Immunization Programme
and easily available. Still only 53% 2014: Mission Indradhanush
are fully vaccinated. (August 2021)
Prelims 2016:
‘Mission Indradhanush’ launched by the Government of
Intensified Mission Indradhanush
India pertains to
❑ 1.0 in 2017; 2.0 in 2019;
(a) immunization of children and pregnant women
❑ 3.0 in 2021 for children and
(b) construction of smart cities across the country
pregnant women who missed
(c) India’s own search for Earth-like planets in outer space
routine immunisation due to covid
(d) New Educational Policy
Sick building syndrome
❑ A building's occupants
usually feel sick, but can't
identify any specific cause.
❑ Usually can be prevented by
proper ventilation.

Miscellaneous Trachoma:
❑ Bacterial infection; affects eyes
Integrated Health Information Platform: ❑ Neglected tropical diseases
❑ It is a disease surveillance platform ❑ India declared free in 2017
❑ Revised Integrated Disease Surveillance Program ❑ WHO Global target 2030
❑ Tracks 33 diseases, earlier 18.
Anemia:
❑ number of red blood cells or their oxygen Anemia Mukt Bharat targets:
carrying capacity is insufficient reduce prevalence of anemia by 3 percentage
❑ Mostly due to deficiency of iron or folic acid points per year among children, adolescents
and women in the reproductive age group
Haemoglobin:
(15–49 years), between the year 2018 and
❑ a protein in red blood cells
❑ carries oxygen; gives red color to blood. 2022.
Drugs used to treat cattle: Acute Encephalitis Syndrome

❑ Diclofenac and ketoprofen: unsafe for vultures ❑ sudden fever and change in mental status
❑ Meloxicam and tolfenamic: safe for vultures ❑ Mostly in children; considerable mortality
❑ India banned veterinary use of diclofenac in 2006 ❑ Cause: mostly virus, but bacteria, etc also
Human growth hormone:

Dried blood spot test: ❑ Naturally produced by pituitary
❑ Used by WADA at Tokyo Olympics gland at base of brain
❑ World Anti-Doping Agency: ❑ Helps in our growth and repair
→ est. 1999; HQ: Montreal Canada ❑ Synthetic used in some medicines
→ not a UN agency ❑ Misused, banned in sports
Sophisticated Analytical & Technical Help Autoimmune disease: A disease in

Institutes scheme which the body's immune system
❑ By Department of Science & Technology attacks healthy cells.
❑ SATHI centres will have high end instruments Tubarial salivary gland:
❑ Will be useful for industry, universities, etc. ❑ new organ in human body
❑ between the nasal cavity and throat.
Cancer Atlas:
❑ recently discovered by Dutch scientists
❑ Cancer Genome Atlas:
→ US program, started in 2006; study genetic Photosynthesis vs chemosynthesis:
mutations that cause cancer ❑ Processes by which organisms produce food
❑ Indian Cancer Genome Atlas: ❑ Photosynthesis is powered by sunlight.
→ India starting similar initiative ❑ Chemosynthesis by chemical energy.
MRI scan CT scan

Magnetic Resonance Imaging Computed Tomography
uses magnets and radio waves uses X-rays
Metals can create problem Metals don’t create problem
15-30 minutes 5 minutes

❑ rare fungal infection caused by a group of molds called mucormycetes
❑ naturally present in environment
❑ affects immunosuppressed people (weak immune system)
Mucormycosis ❑ It is not contagious (doesn't spread between people)
Black fungus ❑ Medicines: amphotericin B, posaconazole, isavuconazole
(early use of steroids → weak immunity → black fungus)
Change in RNA → New Variant

Variant vs Strain Change in RNA and change in behavior → New Strain
RT-PCR vs RT-LAMP
RT-PCR test RT-LAMP test
Needs 10 hours Needs 30 minutes, and is more accurate
Needs different temperatures (56-92OC) Done at constant temperature (65OC)
Needs expensive lab equipment Less expensive lab
2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG)
Vaccine Anti-Covid drug by DRDO
❑ The drug accumulates in virus-infected cells and
prevents viral synthesis.
❑ Result: faster recovery, less oxygen dependence
Covid related terms (not much important)

❑ Covid Kavach Elisa: anti-body test developed by ICMR & NIV Pune
❑ Covirap: diagnostic machine by IIT-Kharagpur; portable, quick result
❑ eCovSens: diagnostic machine; uses biosensor (living orgnasim detecting presence of something)
❑ Druvs: uses UV rays to kill corona on surfaces
❑ Atulya: uses microwaves rays to kill corona on surfaces
❑ Mission Covid Suraksha: speed up vaccine development, approval, etc.
❑ Cawach: Dept of Science initiative to support innovations to fight Covid
❑ India Covid Emergency Response and Health Systems: World Bank helping India
❑ WHO solidarity trials: WHO initiative to find covid treatment
❑ Team Halo: UN initiative to increase people's confidence in vaccines
❑ Biorepository: storing biological samples for future scientific study
❑ Latent viral infection: virus in the body is dormant and does not replicate within the host.
❑ Feluda: FNCAS9 Editor-Limited Uniform Detection Assay.
→ Uses CRISPR-Cas technology to detect corona
→ TataMD CHECK: paper strip based Feluda test
❑ Methanol & 1-propanol: types of alcohol; toxic; found in some sanitizers
Covax
COVAX GAVI CEPI
❑ April 2020 ❑ 2000; Geneva ❑ 2017; Oslo Norway
❑ Global initiative for ❑ Global Alliance for Vaccines ❑ Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations
equitable access to and Immunization ❑ India also founding member;
vaccines. ❑ increase access to vaccines ❑ fund R&D projects for vaccines against emerging
❑ By WHO, CEPI, GAVI in poor countries infectious diseases
World Health Org. Structure Source of Funds

❑ specialized ❑ World Health Assembly: member states; ❑ Assessed contributions: paid by
agency of UN; supreme decision making body member states based on GNP and
❑ est. 1948; ❑ Executive Board: technical experts; population.
❑ HQ Geneva oversee implementation of programs ❑ Voluntary contributions: paid by
❑ Secretariat: headed by Director General; members states, organizations,
implements the programs individuals, etc.
Official covid cases 3 crore Sero-survey: 67% people

Sero-survey
Sero-survey:
❑ ICMR July sero-survey: 67% of population
i.e. 67% people have covid antibodies
❑ But it may not give herd immunity:
▪ anti-bodies may not last for long time
▪ anti-bodies may not be enough to fight again
▪ new variants may emerge
RBC: Plasma Therapy

Carry O2 &
remove CO2
55%
1%
1%
43%
WBC:
Part of
immune system
Blood fractionation:
Plasma:
➢ It is liquid part of blood process of separating blood into
➢ It is mostly water (90-95%) constituents
➢ Yellow in colour (not red) Platelets:
Form clots to stop bleeding Apheresis machine:
➢ largest part of blood (55%) separates blood into its
➢ It contains antibodies, minerals,
proteins, hormones, etc. constituents
Antiserum: blood serum containing antibodies against specific antigen.

Horses given inactivated corona virus → antibodies develop in horse → extracted, given to humans
This is not the first time; method used earlier for other diseases also.
Vaccines please see page-8.
Prelims 2020:
What is the importance of using Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccines in India?
1. These vaccines are effective against pneumonia as well as meningitis and sepsis.
2. Dependence on antibiotics that are not effective against drug-resistant bacteria can be reduced.
3. These vaccines have no side effects and cause no allergic reactions.
(a) 1 only (b) 1 and 2 only (c) 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3
Pneumococcal disease:
❑ infection by bacteria Streptococcus pneumoniae
Conjugate vaccine
❑ combines a weak antigen with a strong
❑ example: pneumonia, meningitis, sepsis
antigen as a carrier so that the immune
❑ significant contributor under-five mortality
system has a stronger response to the
❑ Pneumococcal Vaccine: vaccine against it.
weak antigen.
❑ Pneumosil: India’s first indigenously developed
❑ Soberana 2: world’s first conjugate
pneumococcal conjugate vaccine; by Serum
vaccine for COVID-19; by Cuba
Institute of India
mRNA vaccines: ZyCoV-D:

❑ Vaccines by Pfizer and Moderna were the first ❑ three-dose;
mRNA vaccines to be licensed for use. ❑ by Cadila Healthcare (Indian)
❑ Before that no mRNA vaccine or drug has ever ❑ world's first DNA vaccine
won approval. ❑ approved by India in Augut 2021
Plant based vaccines:

❑ Some antigens inserted into plants
❑ Plants produce Virus like particles (VLPs)
❑ VLPs extracted, and inserted into humans
❑ VLP is like virus, but has no viral genetic material

Corrections
However, as per two websites of US government,
Prelims 2011: page-2. statement (2) should also be correct.
At present, scientists can determine the ❖ https://public.ornl.gov/site/gallery/detail.cfm?id=
arrangement or relative position of genes 383&restsection=HGPArchive All diseases have a
or DNA sequence on a chromosome. How genetic component, whether inherited or resulting
does this knowledge benefit us? from the body's response to environmental
1. It is possible to know the pedigree of stresses like viruses or toxins. The successes of the
livestock. Human Genome Project (HGP) have even enabled
2. It is possible to understand the causes researchers to pinpoint errors in genes--the
of all human diseases. smallest units of heredity--that cause or contribute
3. It is possible to develop disease to disease. The ultimate goal is to use this
resistant animal breeds.
information to develop new ways to treat, cure, or
Which of the statements given above
even prevent the thousands of diseases that afflict
is/are correct?
humankind.
(a) 1 and 2 only (b) 2 only
❖ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK132142/
(c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3
All diseases have a genetic component. However,
UPSC official answer key says (c) is the
the extent to which genes contribute to disease
right answer.
varies and much remains to be learned.
Prelims 2008: page-37. NETRA: page-32 & 47.

Assertion (A): In human body, liver has DRDO’s Netra:
important role in fat digestion. AWACS to improve Air Force's Surveillance
Reason (R): Liver produces two important fat- capabilities
digesting enzymes.
(a) Both A and R are individually true and R is
the correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and Rare individually true but R is
not the correct explanation of A
(c) A is true but R is false
(d) A is false but R is true
Correct answer is (c)
❖ Liver secretes bile (a digestive fluid) ISRO's NETRA:
❖ But bile is not "enzyme" ❑ NEtwork for space object TRacking & Analysis.
❖ Enzymes are proteins that act as biological ❑ Early warning system to detect space debris
catalysts. and other hazards to Indian satellites.
Note:
❑ At the end of Class-5B, it was announced that there will be class-5C.
❑ There is no class 5C as we have replaced it by classes 6A and 6B.
❑ In classes 1-6 we have finished May 2020 to June 2021.
❑ There will be one more short class, in September end, covering July-August.

Science & Tech Class-7 Update (July-Aug)
IndiGau
IndiGau:
➢ by National Institute of Animal Biotechnology Sahiwal
(NAIB), Hyderabad (DBT, MoS&T) Tharparker
➢ India’s first Cattle Genomic Chip; world’s
largest, has 11,496 markers
➢ It will help in identifying pure Indian cattle
breeds Kankrej
➢ Their milk is high in fat and SNF content
(vitamins, minerals, casein, lactose)
Gir
➢ e.g. Gir, Kankrej, Sahiwal, Ongole etc.
Ongole
Kangayam
Biotech Kisan: ▪ National Animal Disease Control

➢ launched in 2017, by DBT (MoS&T) Programme to vaccinate 60 crore livestock
➢ connect science labs with farmers to find against Foot & Mouth disease.
innovative solutions to their problems ▪ Dairy Processing and Infra Development
Dairy sector: Fund to increase milk processing facilities.
▪ 1965: National Dairy Development Board in ▪ Rashtriya Gokul Mission for bovine
Anand Gujarat breeding and dairy development
▪ 1970: Operation Flood launched ▪ Pashu Sanjivani to give health cards to
▪ 1998: India became largest producer of milk milch animals
▪ Today India has largest bovine population ▪ E-Pashu haat portal to link farmers and
▪ Only 36% milk goes to organized sector. breeders of indigenous breed
Biotech-PRIDE
❑ Promotion of Research and Innovation through Data Exchange
❑ guidelines released by DBT (MoS&T) to create Bio-grid (linking multiple bio data sets)
❑ will be implemented by IBDC
❑ Indian Biologicla Data Centre
❑ national repository of biotech related data
Monkey B virus: Marburg virus:

➢ recent case reported in China ➢ from same family as Ebola; high fatality 88%
Virus ➢ First identified in 1932, only ➢ Two outbreaks in 1967: Germany and Serbia
50 human infections ➢ Humans infected from bats in caves
➢ Obviously no vaccine ➢ Can transmit human-to-human
Metaverse
❖ Metaverse: a virtual universe (in future)

(like an advanced version of Second life)
❖ Related techs: Augmented reality, Virtual reality
❖ Not to be confused Multiverse
(hypothetical group of multiple universes)
NAFRS
National Automated Facial Recognition System:
➢ initiative of NCRB
➢ use database to identify people on CCTV videos, etc
➢ example of use of AI for surveillance, dead bodies, etc.
National Crime Records Bureau:
➢ 1986; MHA; initiatives like CCTNS 2009, ICJS 2019, etc
Crimes and criminal Tracking Network System:
➢ national database of crimes and criminals
➢ connects databases, police stations, etc.
Inter-operable Criminal Justice System (ICJS)
➢ integrating CCTNS with e-Courts, e-prisons, etc.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Indrajaal: autonomous anti-drone system; by pvt. co.
❑ ‘Digital sky platform’ → Portal to register drones, and get permission to fly it.
❑ ‘No permission, No take-off’ policy → Take permission each time you want to fly a drone
❑ Counter Drone Guidelines 2019, Drone Rules 2021 by? Ministry of Civil Aviation
➢ It is mandatory to get drones registered, except Nano drones (< 250 grams)
➢ If weight > 500 kg, Aircraft Rules 1937 shall apply
➢ Airspace has been partitioned into Red Zone (flying not permitted), Yellow Zone
(controlled airspace), and Green Zone (automatic permission)
❑ Applications: mark all correct with common sense
Methods to control drones:
➢ Sky fence: disrupt signals to prevent drone from entering an area
➢ Drone gun: jam signals to bring it down to the ground.
➢ Laser: damage drone by high energy laser beam
➢ Net: throw a net around drone with a gun
➢ Bigger drone: use a bigger drone with net to catch smaller drone
Some drones: Israel → Heron, SkyStriker; USA → Sea Guardian, Reaper, Predator
DRDO → Rustom, Ghatak, Bharat, Lakshya, Nishant, etc.
Cyber security see page-54.
Pegasus: Laws used for Communication surveillance:

Spyware by NSO group of Israel; ➢ Telegraph Act, 1885 → mainly for calls
sold only to governments. ➢ Information Technology Act, 2000 → for all electronic
Geospatial Three new geospatial data portal:

1) SOI GEO Spatial Data Dissemination Portal
2) SOI SARTHI: WEB GIS application
3) NATMO: Manchitran Enterprise Geoportal
SOI: Survey of India
National Atlas & Thematic Mapping Organisation
Ministry of
Survey of India 1767 Dehradun
Science & Tech ❑ since 2009; by ISRO
Geological Ministry of
Survey of India
1851 Kolkata
Mines ❑ Just like Google Earth
Archaeological Ministry of ❑ India specific; Lots of information
1861 Delhi
Survey of India Culture to help govt. in e-governance
Miscellaneous
Mosquirix: trade name of RTS,S (malaria vaccine, page-42)
SATNAV 2021: draft policy for satellite-based navigation prepared by ISRO (also see pages-30,31)
Internet Governance Forum:

➢ started in 2006 by UN; India hosted it in 2008
➢ Govt, companies, etc. to discuss internet related policies
➢ India Internet Governance Forum launched recently.
Private companies in space race: Indian origin women in space:

World's first space tourist:
➢ Blue Origin (Jeff Bezos), 1) Kalpana Chawla
Dennis Tito in 2001 (went to
➢ Virgin Galactic (Richard Branson) 2) Sunita Williams
ISS in Russian Soyuz rocket)
➢ SpaceX (Elon Musk) 3) Sirisha Bandla
Einstein ring / Chwolson ring: Eutelsat Quantum satellite:

➢ due to gravitational lensing ➢ Uses Quantum technology? No (see Micius page-13)
➢ because gravity bends light ➢ communication satellite by ESA; in geostationary orbit
➢ reprogrammable: change coverage zone, bandwidth, etc.
GISAT-1 aka EOS-3 satellite:

➢ launched by GSLV-F10; failed
➢ issue with cryogenic stage (page57)
Nauka:
➢ lab module for Russia for ISS (pg-66)
Ganymede:
➢ largest moon in Solar system; (of Jupiter)
➢ evidence of water found recently using data from Hubble
➢ Galileo: 1st spacecraft to orbit Jupiter (1995-2003)
➢ Juno: 2nd spacecraft to orbit Jupiter (2016-)

Science Class-8
2022 Science classes 1-7 (pages 1-80) are same as 2021 classes:
❑ Videos: Link to see videos has been provided to 2022 course subscribers
▪ Mobile app users: Open Chat → Open PT365 chat → see links to videos
▪ Web portal users: See description of video for links
❑ PDFs: downloaded from https://www.allinclusiveias.com/prelims2021
Nuclease, Ligase
Nuclease:
❑ Enzymes that degrades nucleic acids
❑ In living organisms, they are essential for DNA repair
❑ Types:
❑ Ribonucleases (RNases) that attack RNA
Deoxyribonucleases (DNases) that attack DNA
❑ Exonuclease remove nucleotides from ends
Endonuclease makes cut on specific position
Endonuclease Exonuclease
(makes internal cuts) (remove nucleotides from ends)
Ligase: enzyme that catalyses joining of two molecules by

forming new chemical bond.
Polymerase → makes long chain
Prelims 2001: Nuclease → cuts
Assertion (A): Scientists can cut apart and paste together DNA Ligase → joins
molecules at will, regardless of source of molecules. 2020 Chemistry Nobel Prize:
Reason (R): DNA fragments can be manipulated using restriction ➢ for CRISPR-Cas9
endonucleases and DNA ligases. ➢ to Emmanuelle Charpentier &
Answer: Both A & R are true and R is correct explanation of A Jennifer Doudna
To carry genes, vector can be:

➢ Viral vector – virus
➢ Non-viral vector – only DNA
➢ Microbial vector – bacteria
Prelims 2021:
With reference to recent developments
regarding ‘Recombinant Vector Vaccine’,
consider the following statements:
1. Genetic engineering is applied in the
development of these vaccines.
2. Bacteria and viruses are used as vectors.
Which of the above statements are correct?

Prelims 2022 Current Affairs Science Page-81 © All Inclusive IAS
Sterile Insect Technique
Gene drive
❑ It is a genetic engineering technique
❑ It modifies rules of heredity
❑ It alters the probability that a specific allele will be
transmitted to offspring
(An allele is a variant form of a gene)
Genome Sequencing Nanopore Sequencing

Human Genome Project: (see pg-2 of 2021 pdf) ❑ Monitors changes to electric current as
2003: DNA/RNA pass through a protein nanopore
❑ Human Genome Project ended ❑ Enables real time, fast, cheap gene sequencing
❑ But only 92% of our genome could be decoded
❑ Reason: Technology not so much developed
2022:
❑ T2T consortium has now decoded the 8% gap
❑ Telomere-to-Telomere is a global team of
scientists led by some US universities
Non-coding DNA Biological dark matter

❑ Only 1-2% of human genome codes for proteins (Novel Open Reading Frames or n-ORFs)
❑ 98-99% of human DNA is non-coding DNA. It does ❑ Unclassified or poorly understood genetic material
not provide instructions for making proteins. ❑ It can help in diagnosing / treating complex diseases
❑ Dark matter RNA: RNA produced from regions of
genome without known function

Nanotech
Why nanomaterials have different property?
➢ Large surface area increases reactivity
➢ Quantum effects govern properties of material
Nano Urea Liquid:

❑ Its small size (20-50 nm) increases availability to crop by 80%.
❑ 500 ml bottle equivalent to one bag of urea granules.
❑ Launched by IFFCO (Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Ltd)
Granules Liquid
82% of the total nitrogenous fertilizers consumed in India is Urea; 20% of Urea is imported
Nanogenerators:
❑ converts mechanical/thermal energy from small
physical change into electricity
❑ e.g. piezoelectric and triboelectric nanogenerators
IT related news
IndiaChain: initiative of NITI Presidio principles: initiative of WEF
❑ Common blockchain infra for ❑ aka Blockchain Bill of Rights
various govt departments ❑ 16 principles to protect rights of participants of Blockchain
Decentralised apps: DApps

❑ Instead of a single server, they run on peer-to-peer
(P2P) networks / blockchain.
❑ They are outside the control of a single authority.
❑ They need higher computing power.
❑ People can interact with one another without
third parties.
Deepfake

5G
Altimetry: measurement of altitude Barometric altimeter:
Bathymetry: measurement of depth ▪ Measures atmospheric pressure
Radar altimeter:
▪ Measures frequency of reflected radio pulses
▪ Indicates actual height above ground.
▪ Usually operate in range 4.2-4.4 GHz
▪ 5G C-band is near to this range
▪ Hence, can interfere with landing etc.
5G in India: 3.3-3.6 GHz

▪ Demand by Telcos is for 26-28 GHz
▪ mm Wave refers to 10mm 30GHz - 1mm 300GHz
High frequency Low frequency

Ionising radiation Non-ionising radiation
Can cause DNA damage with Does not damage DNA
prolonged exposure

Prasar Bharti:
❑ Statutory autonomous body; Prasar Bharati Act 1990.
❑ Est. 1997; HQ Delhi; Two constituents: AIR and DD
In 2019, Prasar Bharti asked AIR to phase out short wave

transmitters. But MEA opposed the move as it will
impact India’s outreach to more than 100 countries.
Doppler radar
➢ uses Doppler effect to produce velocity data about distant objects
➢ by analysing how motion has altered frequency of returned signal
TaxiBot GPS spoofing

Air-breathing engine ✓ Turbojet ✓ Turbofan ✓ Ramjet ✓ Scramjet
❑ DRDO recently tested Hypersonic technology demonstration vehicle.
❑ It used ISRO's Advanced Technology Vehicle. It is based on scramjet engine technology.
Ramjet engine:
▪ It does not have rotating compressor.
▪ It uses forward motion to compress incoming air.
Scramjet engine:
▪ supersonic-combustion ramjet
▪ airflow remains supersonic throughout the engine
Working:
▪ Incoming air is compressed due to
forward motion of engine.
▪ Fuel is mixed with hot compressed air
▪ Ignition produces thrust.
Benefits of Ramjet: Limitation:

▪ No need to carry oxidizer (70% of propellant weight) ▪ Does not work when vehicle is stationary
▪ Vehicle becomes lighter, faster, long range. ▪ Needs additional propulsion system, i.e.
assisted take-off
Applications: ▪ Can’t work at higher altitudes where
▪ India uses ramjet engine in BrahMos and Akash missiles. oxygen level drops.
▪ BrahMos-II will use scramjet engine. ▪ Efficiency drops after Mach 6.
Escape Velocity
❑ Minimum speed needed for a non-propelled
object to escape gravitational influence of a body
❑ Earth 11.2 km/s
❑ Moon 2.4 km/s
Why satellites remain in orbit, and don’t fall?

Gravity + satellite's momentum from its launch

Telescopes
 Great Observatories program: (NASA)

Four powerful space-based telescopes
▪ 1990 Hubble Space Telescope
▪ 1991 Compton Gamma Ray Observatory
▪ 1999 Chandra X-ray Observatory
▪ 2003 Spitzer Space Telescope
Hubble James Webb

1990 2021
LEO, 570 km L 2, 15 lakh km
Visible light Infrared
2.4m mirror 6.5m mirror
Both are reflecting telescopes
First space observatory? No Replacement of Hubble? No
Power for spacecraft

Sun, Battery, Unstable atoms Radioisotope/Radionuclide: (radioactive isotope)
❑ Has unstable combination of neutrons & protons
❑ Has excess energy in nucleus
❑ Provides heat to the spacecraft (space is cold!)
❑ Provides heat to generate electricity
Nuclear Thermal Propulsion:

❑ Transfers heat from reactor to a liquid propellant.
❑ Heat converts liquid to gas, which expands through nozzle.
❑ More efficient than chemical rockets.
Ion propulsion:
❑ Uses electrical power and gas (e.g. Xenon)
❑ Separates electrons in gas atoms to create positively charged
Used after the spacecraft is already in space ions, which are discharged from thruster at high speed
Miscellaneous
 Thermoelectric effect / Seebeck effect:
❑ Converts temperature difference into electricity
❑ Device: Thermocouple / Thermoelectric Generator
CubeSat ➔
❑ It is a class of research nanosatellites
❑ Usually 10cm x 10cm x 10cm, weight < 1.33 kg
Sagittarius A*
❑ Near constellations Sagittarius and Scorpius
❑ Milky Way's central supermassive Black hole (40 lakh solar masses)
❑ Bright and very compact astronomical radio source at centre of Milky Way
❑ 2020 Physics Nobel Prize:
❑ to Reinhard Genzel and Andrea Ghez
❑ for discovery that Sgr A* is a supermassive Black hole
Bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG) vaccine

Tuberculosis ❑ Introduced 18 July, 1921 to combat TB
❑ It is currently the only licensed vaccine for TB
❑ It gives moderate protection against severe forms of TB in
infants and young children
❑ It is preferably given soon after birth.
❑ Single dose gives lifetime immunity.
Booster doses not recommended by WHO.
❑ There is no vaccine that is effective in preventing TB disease in
adults.
❑ BCG can also used as vaccine/medicine in some other disease?
Yes!
❑ Some TB vaccines undergoing trials:
MTBVAC, IMMUVAC, VPM 1002, Mycobacterium indicus pranii
Covax
COVAX No-Fault Compensation Program
❑ It is for 92 low and middle income countries (Advance Market Commitment economies)
❑ It is world’s first and only international vaccine injury compensation mechanism
❑ Compensation to those who suffer serious adverse events from COVAX vaccines
❑ It gets funds from levy on each dose distributed through COVAX
❑ No fee is charged to apply for compensation under the Program.
Miscellaneous
National Anti-Doping Bill 2021: National Anti-Doping Agency:
(Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports) ❑ Society under MoYA&S; Implements anti-doping rules
❑ To make NADA a statutory body National Dope Testing Laboratory: (1990, New Delhi)
❑ To make NDTL as principle dope testing lab ❑ Lost WADA accreditation in 2019; regained in 2021
Oxidation:
chemical reaction, produce free radicals, may damage cells.
Anti-oxidants:
neutralize free radicals by giving up some of their electrons.
Some antioxidants:
Beta-carotene; Lutein; Lycopene; Selenium; Vitamin A, C, E
Vegetables and fruits are rich sources of antioxidants.
Deficiency Disease
Vitamin A Night blindness
Vitamin B1 Beriberi (weakness)
Vitamin C Scurvy (bleeding gums)
Vitamin D Rickets (bones are weak & bent)
Calcium Weak bones, tooth decay
Iodine Goiter (enlarged thyroid gland)
Iron Anemia (low hemoglobin, RBCs)
Food Fortification
FSSAI norms: 1 kg fortified rice will contain
❑ Iron (28 mg-42.5 mg),
❑ Folic acid (75-125 microgram)
❑ Vitamin B-12 (0.75-1.25 microgram).
In addition, rice may also be fortified with
zinc and vitamins A B1 B2 B3 B6
Fortified rice is to be distributed under various
schemes like PDS and midday meals by 2024.
Deficiency Disease
Vitamin A Night blindness
Vitamin B1 Beriberi (weakness)
Vitamin C Scurvy (bleeding gums)
Vitamin D Rickets (bones are weak & bent)
Calcium Weak bones, tooth decay
Iodine Goiter (enlarged thyroid gland)
Iron Anemia (low hemoglobin, RBCs)
Sodium:
❑ WHO has set benchmark in different food categories
❑ WHO recommends salt intake < 5gm/day for adults
Naturally in meat/dairy, most in processed foods
Sodium
Sodium Sulphur batteries normally work only above 300 OC.
But new tech is making them feasible at room temperature.
Sodium (Na 11):
❑ It is a metal.
❑ It floats on water (All metals except Lithium, Sodium, Potassium)
❑ It can be easily cut with a knife.
❑ It is a good conductor of electricity and heat.
❑ Even trace amounts of sodium are toxic for humans? No
❑ In fact, sodium is essential element for all animals and some plants.

Microbial Fuel Cell
Engine → fuel is burnt
Cell → redox reaction
Fuel cell →
redox reaction of fuel
Microbial fuel cell →

microbes drive redox reaction
Xenobot

Science and
Technology
Krishna Tupe
[email protected]
Syllabus
UPSC Prelims
General Science
UPSC Mains
GS 3: Technology, Economic Development, Bio-diversity, Environment,
Security and Disaster Management
Science and Technology- Developments and their Applications and Effects
in Everyday Life.
Achievements of Indians in Science & Technology; Indigenization of
Technology and Developing New Technology.
Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, Robotics, Nano-
technology, Bio-technology and issues relating to Intellectual Property
Rights.
How to prepare?
Resources
Strategy
Book a mentor session:

https://calendly.com/krishna-upscprep/gs-basics-mentorship
(Link valid till 30 May 2023)
Major Sections
Basic Science
Biotechnology
Nanotechnology
IT and Computer
Space Technology
Defense technology
Technology in Health
Biotechnology
Chromosome,DNA, Gene
Genome Editing
Genome: Complete set of DNA
Genome sequencing: Studying it (deciphering order of base pairs)
Genome mapping: Less detailed
What is gene editing?
Changing Genome - Genes can be added/removed/altered
3 stages - unwinding, cleaving (cut paste) and rewinding
CRISPR-Cas9
CRISPR: Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic
Repeats
CAS9: Crispr-Associated protein 9
Gene Therapy in Germline vs Somatic cells
PYQs
PYQs
Mains 2017: Stem cell therapy is gaining popularity in India to treat a

wide variety of medical conditions including Leukaemia, Thalassemia,
damaged cornea and several burns. Describe briefly what stem cell
therapy is and what advantages it has over other treatments?
Gene Editing
Cell Potency
Ability to differentiate into other cell types.
Decreasing order of cell potency:
Totipotent > Pluri p. > Multi p. > Oligo p. > Uni p.
Induced Pluripotent stem cells: Genetic editing of adult cells to
behave like embryonic pluripotent cell; can be used to treat
diseases
STEM CELLS:
Cells that can develop into different type of cells
They are unspecialised, but can become specialised.
Uses of genetic tech
Forensic investigation
Faster justice delivery
Chemicals for industries
Prevent genetic defects
Accurate diagnosis
Treating diseases
Pharmacogenomics (Role of genome in drug response)
Personalized medicine
Crops: high yield, disease resistant, drought resistant, high
nutrition, etc.
Genome Editing Projects
Human Genome Project: (1990-2003)
Genome sequencing - US/UK/China etc
IndiGen Project:
Genome sequencing - 1,029 Indians. Lead by CSIR
Genome India Project: 10,000 Indians. By DBT, Lead by IISc
Earth Biogenome Project: Since 2018

Target is all eukaryotic biodiversity in 10 years
Genetically modified (GM) Crops
According to WHO, genetically modified

organisms (GMOs) are organisms in
which the genetic material (DNA) has
been altered in a way that does not
occur naturally by mating and/or
natural recombination.
Genetically modified (GM) Crops
Regulation of GM crops:
EPA 1986 classifies GM crops as “Hazardous Substances”
Cultivation needs approval from Genetic Engineering Appraisal
Committee (MoEFCC, EPA 1986)
Import needs approval under EPA 1986 and FSSAI Act 2006
Benefits: Less labour; less pesticides; more tolerant; more yield-
food security
Issues: Consequences; monoculture; gene flow; monopoly (sterile
plants i.e. seeds don’t germinate
Only BT cotton is permitted in India
Xenotransplantation
Tissues/organs from a nonhuman animal source --> Transplanted
in Humans
Benefits
Potential unlimited supply of cells/tissues/organs for humans.
It could bridge the organ shortage gap.
cost savings
Concerns
Organ rejection
Cross-species infection
Animal rights
Ethical Concerns
Nano Technology
Introduction
Nanometre?
meter > cm > milli > micro > nano > pico
Nanomaterial? - at least one dimension is 1-100 nm
Applications and concerns? All correct
Use of all nanoparticles controlled by the govt.? No

Are all nanoparticles manmade? No
Do nanoparticles also occur naturally? Yes. Eg. Corona virus
PYQs
Liquid Nano Urea
Sprayed directly on the leaves of plants and gets absorbed by the
stomata
NUL contains nano-scale nitrogen particles which have more
surface area and number of particles making it more impactful.
Benefits
Improved agricultural produce with reduced urea consumption
Reduced soil, water and air pollution from urea
Higher shelf life of urea
IT and Computer
Blockchain
Blockchain is a distributed or decentralised ledger technology
Blockchain
Each block contains details of transactions executed, hash
(address) of the previous block, timestamp etc.
Data and transactions stored in blocks are secured against
tampering using cryptographic hash algorithms
Validated and verified through consensus (consensus protocols)
across nodes of the Blockchain network.
Blockchain platforms: developed to offer Blockchain based digital
transaction platforms. Popular blockchain platforms include
Hyperledger, Cosmos, Polkadot, Redbelly, Ethereum etc.
Blockchain
Applications
Cryptocurrency (eg. Bitcoin), Property Record Management);
Digital Certificates Management, supply chain, e-Notary
Service, Insurance, Power Distribution, eVoting, Digital
Evidence Management System, Chit fund operations
Cryptocurrency
Problems:
anonymity, electricity,
volatile value, money
supply
Examples:
Bitcoin, Ethereum,
Ripple, Litecoin, Tether
PYQs
National Strategy on Blockchain
Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY).
Objectives:
Trusted digital platforms through shared blockchain infra
Promoting R&D
Making India global leader
Facilitating digital service delivery
Non-Fungible Token (NFT)
Digital object with a

certificate of
authenticity created
by blockchain
technology.
Quantum Computers
Because of quantum superposition, a quantum computer can mimic several classical

computers working in parallel
Quantum supremacy refers to a quantum computer solving a problem that cannot be

expected of a classical computer in a normal lifetime.
Recently Google's sycamore achieved Quantum Supremacy.
National Supercomputing Mission (NSM): aims at establishing
supercomputer facilities across 70 national research and academic
institutions.
5G Technology
Internet of Things (IoT)
Seamless connected network of embedded devices in which
Machine to Machine (M2M) communication without any human
intervention is possible
Metaverse
Virtual Space on Internet
Key Ideas
Virtual Reality (VR): use of computer modelling and simulation that
enables a person to interact with an artificial three-dimensional (3-
D) visual or other sensory environment.
Augmented Reality (AR): It is an enhanced version of the real
physical world
Holograms: virtual three-dimensional images
Avatar: A representation of an individual in the virtual world

Cyber Physical System

PM WANI
Provision of Broadband through Public Wi-Fi Hotspot providers.
PCO : Public Call Office
PDO : Public Data Office
By DoT (Ministry of Communication) (not Meity)
To increase access to high speed internet
PDO can be anyone (shop, tea stall, etc.)
RFID
Dark Web
WEB 3.0
Web3 will deliver a

decentralized and fair
internet where users
control their own data.
Web 3.0 is a decentralized internet to be run on blockchain
technology
In Web3, users will have ownership stakes in platforms and
applications
Previous versions
Web1: mostly static web pages where users would go to a
website and then read and interact with the static information.
Web2: Dynamic; users can create content;
Need of Web3: data on internet/internet traffic are owned or
handled by very few companies ex. Google --> created issues
related to data privacy, data security and abuse of such data.
Significance of Web 3.0
Decentralized and Fair Internet: users control their own data.
Eliminates Intermediaries
Transparency
Space Technology
35786 km
Low Earth orbit (Upto 2000km): ISS, Earth observation Satellites, spy satellite, hubble telescope
Medium Earthorbit: GPS
Geosynchronous Earth obit (36000km): NAVIC, Communication satellites eg. DTH
Watch video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-
gaSnxP60A
Gaganyaan
Human spaceflight to Low Earth Orbit by ISRO
Two unmanned missions and one manned mission
First uncrewed mission --> second unmanned mission
“Vyommitra” will carry arobot --> followed by the manned mission.
Major new technologies required for Gaganyaan programme
Human rated launch vehicle
Crew escape systems
Habitable orbital module
Life support system
Crew selection and training and associated crew management
activities
Crew Module (CM)
double walled system and a habitat of
astronauts.
It has an ablative thermal protection
system (TPS)
Service module - Fuel, Engine etc.
Orbital module (OM) will be launched by
GSLV MK-III vehicle
GAGAN
(GPS Aided GEO Augmented Navigation)
Made by ISRO and AAI.

Covers Africa to Australia.
Inter-operable with other
international SBAS systems.
First SBAS system in the world to
serve the equatorial region.
Primarily meant for aviation, but
has other applications also, like
railways
Satellite Based Augmentation

System: Uses ground stations to
improve accuracy of GPS signals
GEMINI
Gagan Enabled Mariners Instrument for Navigation and Information

Chandrayan
Chandrayan3
Aiming to achieve a soft landing on the south pole of the
lunar surface
Unlike its predecessor, Chandrayaan 3 will not carry an
orbiter—but will include a lander and a rover to study the
lunar surface
Space Debris
Encompasses both natural (meteoroid) and artificial (man-made)
particles.
Most artificial debris is in orbit about the Earth which is
commonly referred to as orbital debris.
Itncludes non-functional spacecraft, abandoned launch
vehicle, mission-related debris and fragmentation debris.
International guidelines --> removeg space crafts from LEO within
25 years of the end of their mission--> only 60% follows
The Kessler Syndrome
Space Debris: Strategies to tackle
‘Project NETRA’ - an early warning system in space to detect debris
and other hazards to Indian satellites. (ISRO)
Reusable rockets
RemoveDebris: an EU research project
Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee (IADC) Space
Debris Mitigation Guidelines (2002): focuses on limitation of debris,
post-mission disposal, prevention of on-orbit collisions etc.
Self-Eating-Rockets & Vanishing
And more interesting ideas
Space Administration in India
ANTRIX (1992): focusses on selling ISRO's products and services
like satellite launch.
NEWSPACE (2019) also focusses on increasing private industry
participation in space programmes.
Antrix & NewSpace are both commercial arms of ISRO.
INSPACe (2020) is currently stated to promote private industry in
space program, but in future, it will become regulator of space
activities in India.
INSPACe is not a commercial arm of ISRO.
Miscellaneous developments
Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR)
Antimicrobials: medicines for infections e.g. antibiotics, antivirals,
antifungals and antiparasitics
Antimicrobial Resistance: Bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasites change
over time and no longer respond to medicines
Superbugs: multi- & pan-resistant bacteria - not treatable with
existing medicines. New Delhi metallo-beta-lactamase 1 (NDM-1)
Reasons:
Poor hygiene and infection prevention and control.
Overuse of antimicrobials
Over prescription/ over-the-counter sell
Overuse of antibiotics in agriculture
AMR: Initiative taken in India
National Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance (NAP-AMR)
Red Line campaign
National Health Policy, 2017
FSSAI has set certain guidelines limiting the antibiotics in food
products such as fish and honey
One health Initiative
FAO, the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), WHO and
UNEP
An integrated, unifying approach that aims to sustainably balance
and optimise the health of people, animals and ecosystems.
Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs)
Rights given to persons over the creations of their minds
Types of IPR
Copyright: rights that creators have over their literary and artistic
works. eg. Books
Patent: an exclusive right granted for an invention. eg. vaccine
Trademark: distinguishing the goods or services of one enterprise
from those of other enterprises. eg. Logo
GI Tags: Signs used on goods that have a specific geographical
origin and possess qualities, a reputation or characteristics that are
essentially attributable to that place of origin.
Trade Secrets: rights on confidential information. Eg. Coke recipe
Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs)
Office of Controller General of Patents, Designs & Trademarks:
Also known as Indian Patent Office.
Under DPIIT under MoC&I. HQ is in Mumbai.
Administers laws on patent, design, trademark & geographical
indication.
Some terms associated with IPRs
Ever-greening of patent: Indian Patent Act doesn’t allow the
renewal of patent over a product by introducing minor changes
Compulsory Licensing (CL): It enables a competent government
authority to license the use of a patented invention to a third party
or government agency without the consent of the patent holder.
Chapter 3
Emerging Trends
3.1 INTRODUCTION “Computer science is no more
about computers than as-
Computers have been around for quite some time
tronomy is about telescopes”
now. New technologies and initiatives emerge with
each passing day. In order to understand the existing
–Edsger Dijkstra
technologies and have a better view of the developments
around us, we must keep an eye on the emerging trends.
Many new technologies are introduced almost every day.
Some of these do not succeed and fade away over time.
Some of these new technologies prosper and persist over
time, gaining attention from users. Emerging trends are
the state-of-the-art technologies, which gain popularity
and set a new trend among users. In this chapter, we
will learn about some emerging trends that will make
a huge impact (in the future) on digital economy and
interaction in digital societies.
3.2 ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI)

Have you ever wondered how maps in your smartphone
are able to guide you to take the fastest route to your
destination by analysing real time data, such as traffic
congestion? On uploading a photo on a social networking
site, has it ever happened that your friends in the
photograph were recognised and tagged automatically?
These are some of the examples of application of In this chapter
Artificial Intelligence. The intelligent digital personal » Introduction
assistants like Siri, Google Now, Cortana, Alexa are » Artificial Intelligence
all powered by AI. Artificial Intelligence endeavours to (AI)
simulate the natural intelligence of human beings into » Big Data
machines, thus making them behave intelligently. An » Internet of Things
intelligent machine is supposed to imitate some of the (IoT)
cognitive functions of humans like learning, decision- » Cloud Computing
making and problem solving. In order to make machines
» Grid Computing
perform tasks with minimum human intervention, they
» Blockchains
are programmed to create a knowledge base and make
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46 COMPUTER SCIENCE – CLASS XI
decisions based on it. AI system can also learn from

past experiences or outcomes to make new decisions.
A knowledge base is 3.2.1 Machine Learning
a store of information
consisting of facts, Machine Learning is a subsystem of Artificial
assumptions and rules Intelligence, wherein computers have the ability to learn
which an AI system from data using statistical techniques, without being
can use for decision explicitly programmed by a human being. It comprises
making.
algorithms that use data to learn on their own and
make predictions. These algorithms called models, are
first trained and tested using a training data and testing
data, respectively. After successive trainings, once these
models are able to give results to an acceptable level of
accuracy, they are used to make predictions about new
and unknown data.
3.2.2 Natural Language Processing (NLP)
Activity 3.1 The predictive typing feature of search engine that
helps us by suggesting the next word in the sentence
Find out how NLP is
helping differently- while typing keywords and the spell checking features
abled persons? are examples of Natural Language Processing (NLP).
It deals with the interaction between human and
computers using human spoken languages, such as
Hindi, English, etc.
In fact it is possible to search the web or operate or
control our devices using our voice. All this has been
possible by NLP. An NLP system can perform text-to-
speech and speech-to-text conversion as depicted in
Figure 3.1.
Machine translation is a rapidly emerging field
where machines are already
able to translate texts from one
language to another with fair
amount of correctness. Another
emerging application area is
automated customer service
where a computer software can
interact with customers to serve
Figure 3.1: Use of natural language processing their queries or complaints.
3.2.3 Immersive Experiences
With the three-dimensional (3D) videography, the
joy of watching movies in theatres has reached to
a new level. Video games are also being developed to
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EMERGING TRENDS 47
provide immersive experiences to the player. Immersive

experiences allow us to visualise, feel and react by
stimulating our senses. It enhances our interaction
and involvement, making them more realistic and
engaging. Immersive experiences have been used
in the field of training, such as driving simulators
(Figure 3.2), flight simulator and so on. Immersive
experience can be achieved using virtual reality and Figure 3.2: Driving simulator
augmented reality.
(A) Virtual Reality
Everything that we experience in our reality is perceived
through our senses. From this came the idea that
if we can present our senses with made-up or non-
real information, our perception of reality would also
alter in response to that. Virtual Reality (VR) is a
three-dimensional, computer-generated situation that
simulates the real world. The user can interact with and
explore that environment by getting immersed in it while
interacting with the objects and other actions of the user.
At present, it is achieved with the help of VR Headsets.
Figure 3.3: Virtual Reality
In order to make the experience of VR more realistic, it Headset
promotes other sensory information like sound, smell,
motion, temperature, etc. It is a comparatively new field
and has found its applications in gaming (Figure 3.3),
military training, medical procedures, entertainment,
social science and psychology, engineering and
other areas where simulation is needed for a better
understanding and learning.
(B) Augmented Reality
The superimposition of computer generated perceptual
information over the existing physical surroundings is
called as Augmented Reality (AR). It adds components
of the digital world to the physical world, along with
the associated tactile and other sensory requirements, Figure 3.4: Location-based
thereby making the environment interactive and digitally Augmented Reality
manipulable. Users can access information about the
nearest places with reference to their current location.
They can get information about places and choose on
Unlike Virtual Reality, the
the basis of user reviews. With help of location-based Augmented Reality does not
AR App, travellers can access real-time information of create something new, it
just alters or augments the
historical places just by pointing their camera viewfinder perception of the underlying
to subjects as depicted in Figure 3.4. Location-based physical world through
AR apps are major forms of AR apps. additional information.
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3.2.4 Robotics
A robot is basically a machine capable of carrying out one
Robotics is an or more tasks automatically with accuracy and precision.
interdisciplinary branch Unlike other machines, a robot is programmable by a
of technology requiring computer, which means it can follow the instructions
applications of mechanical
engineering, electronics, given through computer programs. Robots were initially
and computer science, conceptualised for doing repetitive industrial tasks
among others. Robotics is
primarily concerned with
that are boring or stressful for humans or were labour-
the design, fabrication, intensive. Sensors are one of the prime components of
operation, and application a robot. Robot can be of many types, such as wheeled
of robots.
robots, legged robots, manipulators and humanoids.
Robots that resemble humans are known as humanoids.
Robots are being used in industries, medical science,
bionics, scientific research, military, etc. Some examples
are:
• NASA’s Mars Exploration Rover (MER) mission is
a robotic space mission to study about the planet
Mars (Figure 3.5).
Figure 3.5: NASA’s Mars Figure 3.6: Sophia is a Figure 3.7: Drone
Exploration Rover (MER) humanoid
• Sophia is a humanoid that uses artificial intelligence,
visual data processing, facial recognition and also
imitates human gestures and facial expressions, as
Think and Reflect shown in Figure 3.6.
Can a drone be helpful • A drone is an unmanned aircraft which can be
in the event of a natural remotely controlled or can fly autonomously through
calamity?
software-controlled flight plans in their embedded
systems, working in conjunction with onboard
sensors and GPS (Figure 3.7). They are being used
in many fields, such as journalism, filming and
aerial photography, shipping or delivery at short
distances, disaster management, search and rescue
Activity 3.2
operations, healthcare, geographic mapping and
Find out what role are structural safety inspections, agriculture, wildlife
robots playing in the monitoring or pooching, besides law-enforcement and
medical field?
border patrolling.
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EMERGING TRENDS 49
3.3 BIG DATA
With technology making an inroad into almost every

sphere of our lives, data is being produced at a colossal
rate. Today, there are over a billion Internet users, and
a majority of the world’s
web traffic is coming from
smartphones. Figure
3.8 shows that at the
current pace, around 2.5
quintillion bytes of data
are created each day, and
the pace is increasing with
the continuous evolution
of the Internet of Things
(IoT).
This results in the
generation of data sets
of enormous volume and
complexity called Big
Data. Such data cannot
be processed and analysed
using traditional data
processing tools as the data
is not only voluminous, but
Figure 3.8: Sources of big data (numbers are
also unstructured like our approximate)
posts, instant messages
and chats, photographs that we share through various
sites, our tweets, blog articles, news items, opinion
polls and their comments, audio/video chats, etc.
Big Data not only represents voluminous data, it also
involves various challenges like integration, storage,
analysis, searching, processing, transfer, querying and
visualisation of such data. Big data sometimes hold rich
information and knowledge which is of high business
value, and therefore there is a keen effort in developing
Think and Reflect
software and methods to process and analyse big data.
How are your digital
3.3.1 Characteristics of Big Data activities contributing to
generation of Big data?
Big data exhibits following five characteristics shown in
Figure 3.9, that distinguish it from traditional data.
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(A) Volume
Volume The most prominent characteristic of big data is its
enormous size. If a particular dataset is of such large
Value Velocity size that it is difficult to process it with traditional DBMS
BIG
DATA
tools, it can be termed as big data.
(B) Velocity
Veracity Variety It represents the rate at which the data under
consideration are being generated and stored. Big data
Figure 3.9: Characteristics has an exponentially higher rate of generation than
of big data traditional data sets.
(C) Variety
It asserts that a dataset has varied data, such as
structured, semi-structured and unstructured data.
Some examples are text, images, videos, web-pages and
so on.
(D) Veracity
Big data can be sometimes inconsistent, biased, noisy
or there can be abnormality in the data or issues
with the data collection methods. Veracity refers to
the trustworthiness of the data because processing
such incorrect data can give wrong results or mislead
the interpretations.
(E) Value
Big data is not only just a big pile of data, but also
possess to have hidden patterns and useful knowledge
which can be of high business value. But as there is cost
of investment of resources in processing big data, we
should make a preliminary enquiry to see the potential
of the big data in terms of value discovery or else our
efforts could be in vain.
3.3.2 Data Analytics
“Data analytics is the process of examining data sets
in order to draw conclusions about the information
they contain, with the aid of specialised systems
and software.”
Data analytics technologies and techniques are
becoming popular day-by-day. They are used in
commercial industries to enable organisations to make
more informed business decisions. In the field of science
and technology, it can be useful for researchers to verify
or disprove scientific models, theories and hypotheses.
Pandas is a library of the programming language
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EMERGING TRENDS 51
Python that can be used as a tool to make data analysis

much simpler.
3.4 INTERNET OF THINGS (IoT)

The term computer network that we commonly use is
the network of computers. Such a network consists
of a laptop, desktop, server, or a portable device like
tablet, smartphone, smart watch,
etc., connected through wire or
wireless. We can communicate
between these devices using
Internet or LAN. Now imagine what
if our bulbs, fans and refrigerator
also became a part of this network.
How will they communicate with
each other, and what will they
communicate? Think about the
advantages and tasks that can
be accomplished if all these
devices with smart connectivity
features are able to communicate Figure 3.10: Internet of Things (IoT)
amongst themselves and we are
also able to communicate with them using computers
or smartphones.
The ‘Internet of Things’ is a network of devices
that have an embedded hardware and software to
communicate (connect and exchange data) with other
devices on the same network as shown in Figure 3.10.
At present, in a typical household, many devices have Activity 3.3
advanced hardware (microcontrollers) and software. Explore and list a few
These devices are used in isolation from each other, with IoT devices available in
the market.
maximum human intervention needed for operational
directions and input data. IoT tends to bring together
these devices to work in collaboration and assist each
other in creating an intelligent network of things. For
example, if a microwave oven, an air conditioner, door
lock, CCTV camera or other such devices are enabled
to connect to the Internet, we can access and remotely
control them on-the-go using our smartphone.
3.4.1 Web of Things (WoT)
Internet of Things allows us to interact with different
devices through Internet with the help of smartphones
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Activity 3.4 or computers, thus creating a personal network. But to

interact with ‘n’ number of different devices, we need
We use GPS to
navigate outdoors. VPS to install ‘n’ different apps. Wouldn’t it be convenient
is another emerging to have one interface to connect all the devices? The
trend that uses web is already being used as a system to communicate
Augmented Reality. with each other. So, will it be possible to use the web
Explore and find its
other utilities. in such a way that all things can communicate with
each other in the most efficient manner by integrating
them together? Web of Things (WoT) allows use of web
services to connect anything in the physical world,
besides human identities on web. It will pave way for
creating smart homes, smart offices, smart cities and
so on.
3.4.2 Sensors
What happens when you hold your mobile vertically
or horizontally? The display also changes to vertical or
horizontal with respect to the way we hold our mobile.
This is possible with the help of two sensors, namely
accelerometer and gyroscope (gyro). The accelerometer
sensor in the mobile phones detects the orientation of
the phone. The Gyroscope sensors, tracks rotation or
twist of your hand and add to the information supplied
by the accelerometer.
Sensors are very commonly used as monitoring
and observing elements in real world applications. The
evolution of smart electronic sensors is contributing in
a large way to the evolution of IoT. It will lead to creation
of new sensor-based, intelligent systems.
A smart sensor is a device that takes input from
the physical environment and uses built-in computing
resources to perform predefined functions upon detection
of specific input and then process data before passing it on.
3.4.3 Smart Cities
With rapid urbanisation, the load on our cities are
increasing day-by-day, and there are challenges in
management of resources like land water, waste, air
pollution, health and sanitation, traffic congestions,
public safety and security, besides the overall city
infrastructures including road, rail, bridge, electricity,
Think and Reflect subways, disaster management, sports facilities, etc.
These challenges are forcing many city planners around
What are your ideas of
transforming your city the world to look for smarter ways to manage them and
into a smart city? make cities sustainable and livable.
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EMERGING TRENDS 53
The idea of a
smart city as shown
in Figure 3.11 makes
use of computer
and communication
technology along with
IoT to manage and
distribute resources
efficiently. The smart
building shown here
uses sensors to detect
earthquake tremors
and then warn
nearby buildings
so that they can
prepare themselves
accordingly. The smart Figure 3.11: Smart city
bridge uses wireless sensors to detect any loose bolt,
cable or crack. It alerts concerned authorities through
SMS. The smart tunnel also uses wireless sensors to
detect any leakage or congestion in the tunnel. This
information can be sent as wireless signals across the
network of sensor nodes to a centralised computer for
further analysis.
Every sphere of life in a city like transportation
systems, power plants, water supply networks, waste
management, law enforcement, information systems,
schools, libraries, hospitals and other community
services work in unison to optimise the efficiency of city
operations and services.
3.5 CLOUD COMPUTING

Cloud computing is an emerging trend in the field
of information technology, where computer-based
services are delivered over the Internet or the cloud,
and it is accessible to the user from anywhere using
any device. The services comprise software, hardware
(servers), databases, storage, etc. These resources are
provided by companies called cloud service providers
and usually charge on a pay per use basis, like the
way we pay for electricity usage. We already use cloud
services while storing our pictures and files as backup
on Internet, or host a website on the Internet. Through
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Ch 3.indd 53 08-Apr-19 11:41:18 AM

cloud computing, a user can run a bigger application

or process a large amount of data without having the
required storage or processing power on their personal
computer as long as they are connected to the Internet.
Besides other numerous features, cloud computing
offers cost-effective, on-demand resources. A user can
avail need-based resources from the cloud at a very
reasonable cost.
3.5.1 Cloud Services
A better way to understand the cloud is to interpret
everything as a service. A “service” corresponds to any
facility provided by the cloud. There are three standard
models to categorise different
computing services delivered
through cloud as shown in Figure
3.12. These are Infrastructure
as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a
Service (PaaS), and Software as a
Service (SaaS).
(A) Infrastructure as a Service
(IaaS)
The IaaS providers can offer
different kinds of computing
infrastructure, such as servers,
virtual machines (VM), storage
and backup facility, network
Figure 3.12: Cloud computing
components, operating systems
or any other hardware or software. Using IaaS from
the cloud, a user can use the hardware infrastructure
located at a remote location to configure, deploy
and execute any software application on that cloud
infrastructure. They can outsource the hardware and
software on a demand basis and pay as per the usage,
thereby they can save the cost of software, hardware
and other infrastructures as well as the cost of setting
up, maintenance and security.
(B) Platform as a Service (PaaS)
The facility provided by the cloud, where a user can
install and execute an application without worrying
about the underlying infrastructure and their setup.
That is, PaaS provides a platform or environment
to develop, test, and deliver software applications.
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EMERGING TRENDS 55
Suppose we have developed a web application using

Activity 3.5
MySQL and Python. To run this application online, we
Name a few data
can avail a pre-configured Apache server from cloud
centers in India along
having MySQL and Python pre-installed. Thus, we are with the major services
not required to install MySQL and Python on the cloud, that they provide.
nor do we need to configure the web server (Apache,
nginx). In PaaS, the user has complete control over the
deployed application and its configuration. It provides
a deployment environment for developers at a much
reduced cost lessening the complexity of buying and
managing the underlying hardware and software.
(C) Software as a Service (SaaS)
SaaS provides on-demand access to application software,
usually requiring a licensing or subscription by the
user. While using Google Doc, Microsoft Office 365,
Drop Box, etc., to edit a document online, we use SaaS
from cloud. A user is not concerned about installation
or configuration of the software application as long
as the required software is accessible. Like PaaS, a
user is provided access to the required configuration
settings of the application software, that they are using
at present.
In all of the above standard service models, a user
can use on-demand infrastructure or platform or
software and is usually charged as per usage, thereby
eliminating the need of a huge investment upfront for
a new or evolving organisation. In order to utilise and
harness the benefits of cloud computing, Government of
India has embarked upon an ambitious initiative — “GI
Cloud” which has been named as ‘MeghRaj’ (https://
cloud.gov.in).
Users sharing their resources
3.6 GRID COMPUTING

A grid is a computer network of geographically
dispersed and heterogeneous computational
resources as shown in Figure 3.13. Unlike Grid Resource
cloud, whose primary focus is to provide Management
System
services, a grid is more application specific
and creates a sense of a virtual supercomputer
with an enormous processing power and
storage. The constituent resources are called
nodes. These different nodes temporarily come
Users sharing their resources
together to solve a single large task and to reach
a common goal. Figure 3.13: Grid computing
2022-23
Ch 3.indd 55 08-Apr-19 11:41:19 AM

Think and Reflect Nowadays, countless computational nodes ranging

from hand-held mobile devices to personal computers
How can some of and workstations are connected to LAN or Internet.
the emerging trends
discussed in this Therefore, it is economically feasible to reuse or utilise
chapter be used as their resources like memory as well as processing power.
assistive tools for people The grid provides an opportunity to solve computationally
with disabilities?
intense scientific and research problems without
actually procuring a costly hardware.
Grid can be of two types — (i) Data grid, used to
manage large and distributed data having required
multi-user access, and (ii) CPU or Processor grid, where
processing is moved from one PC to another as needed
or a large task is divided into subtasks and divided to
various nodes for parallel processing.
Grid computing is different from IaaS cloud service.
In case of IaaS cloud service, there is a service provider
who rents the required infrastructure to the users.
Whereas in grid computing, multiple computing nodes
join together to solve a common computational problem.
To set up a grid, by connecting numerous nodes in
terms of data as well as CPU, a middleware is required to
implement the distributed processor architecture. The
Globus toolkit (http://toolkit.globus.org/toolkit) is one
such software toolkit used for building grids, and it is
open source. It includes software for security, resource
management, data management, communication, fault
detection, etc.
3.7 BLOCKCHAINS
Traditionally, we perform digital transactions by storing
data in a centralised database and the transactions
performed are updated one by one on the database. That
is how the ticket booking websites or banks operate.
However, since all the data are stored on a central
location, there are chances of data being hacked or lost.
The blockchain technology works on the concept of
decentralised and shared database where each computer
has a copy of the database. A block can be thought as
a secured chunk of data or valid transaction. Each
block has some data called its header, which is visible
to every other node, while only the owner has access to
the private data of the block. Such blocks form a chain
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EMERGING TRENDS 57
The request is
Someone requests broadcast to all
a transaction nodes in the
network
If verified by all nodes,

The transaction the block get added in the
is complete already existing chain of
blocks
Figure 3.14: Block chain technology
called blockchain as shown in Figure 3.14. We can

define blockchain as a system that allows a group of
connected computers to maintain a single updated and
secure ledger. Each computer or node that participates
in the blockchain receives a full copy of the database. It
maintains an ‘append only’ open ledger which is updated
only after all the nodes within the network authenticate
the transaction. Safety and security of the transactions
are ensured because all the members in the network
keep a copy of the blockchain and so it is not possible
for a single member of the network to make changes or
alter data.
The most popular application of blockchains
technology is in digital currency. However, due to its
decentralised nature with openness and security,
blockchains are being seen as one of the ways to ensure
transparency, accountability and efficiency in business
and as well as governance systems.
For example, in healthcare, better data sharing
between healthcare providers would result in a higher
probability of accurate diagnosis, more effective
treatments, and the overall increased ability of healthcare
organisations to deliver cost-effective care. Another
potential application can be for land registration records,
to avoid various disputes arising out of land ownership Think and Reflect
claims and encroachments. A blockchain-based voting
Name any two areas
system can solve the problem of vote alterations and other than those given
other issues. Since everything gets stored in the ledger, where the concept of
voting can become more transparent and authentic. The blockchain technology
can be useful.
blockchain technology can be used in diverse sectors,
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NOTES such as banking, media, telecom, travel and hospitality

and other areas.
SUMMARY
• Artificial Intelligence (AI) endeavours to simulate
the natural intelligence of human beings into
machines thus making them intelligent.
• Machine learning comprises algorithms that use
data to learn on their own and make predictions.
• Natural Language Processing (NLP) facilitates
communicating with intelligent systems using a
natural language.
• Virtual Reality (VR) allows a user to look at, explore
and interact with the virtual surroundings, just
like one can do in the real world.
• The superimposition of computer-generated
perceptual information over the existing physical
surroundings is called Augmented Reality.
• Robotics can be defined as the science or study of
the technology primarily associated with the design,
fabrication, theory and application of robots.
• Big data holds rich information and knowledge
which can be of high business value. Five
characteristics of big data are: Volume, Velocity,
Variety, Veracity and Value.
• Data analytics is the process of examining data sets
in order to draw conclusions about the information
they contain.
• The Internet of Things (IoT) is a network of devices
that have an embedded hardware and software to
communicate (connect and exchange data) with
other devices on the same network.
• A sensor is a device that takes input from the
physical environment and uses built-in computing
resources to perform predefined functions upon
detection of specific input and then processes data
before passing it on.
• Cloud computing allows resources located at
remote locations to be made available to anyone
anywhere. Cloud services can be Infrastructure as
a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS) and
Software as a Service (SaaS).
2022-23
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EMERGING TRENDS 59
• A grid is a computer network of geographically NOTES

dispersed and heterogeneous computational
resources.
• Blockchain is a system that allows a group of
connected computers to maintain a single updated
and secure ledger which is updated only after all the
nodes in the network authenticate the transaction.
EXERCISE
1. List some of the cloud-based services that you are
using at present.
2. What do you understand by the Internet of Things?
List some of its potential applications.
3. Write short notes on the following:
a) Cloud Computing
b) Big data and its Characteristics
4. Explain the following along with their applications.
a) Artificial Intelligence
b) Machine Learning
5. Differentiate between cloud computing and grid
computing with suitable examples.
6. Justify the following statement:
“Storage of data is cost-effective and time saving in
cloud computing.”
7. What is on-demand service? How it is provided in
cloud computing?
8. Write examples of the following:
a) Government provided cloud computing platform
b) Large scale private cloud service providers and
the services they provide
9. A company interested in cloud computing is looking
for a provider who offers a set of basic services,
such as virtual server provisioning and on demand
storage that can be combined into a platform for
deploying and running customised applications.
What type of cloud computing model fits these
requirements?
a) Platform as a Service
b) Software as a Service
c) Application as a Service
d) Infrastructure as a Service
2022-23
Ch 3.indd 59 08-Apr-19 11:41:19 AM

NOTES 10. If the government plans to make a smart school by

applying IoT concepts, how can each of the following
be implemented in order to transform a school into
IoT-enabled smart school?
a) e-textbooks
b) Smart boards
c) Online Tests
d) Wifi sensors on classrooms doors
e) Sensors in buses to monitor their location
f) Wearables (watches or smart belts) for
attendance monitoring.
11. Five friends plan to try a startup. However, they
have a limited budget and limited computer
infrastructure. How can they avail the benefits of
cloud services to launch their startup?
12. Governments provide various scholarships to
students of different classes. Prepare a report on how
blockchain technology can be used to promote
accountability, transparency and efficiency in
distribution of scholarships?
13. How are IoT and WoT related?
14. Match the columns:
Column A Column B
1. You got a reminder to take A. Smart Parking

medication
2. You got an SMS alert that B. Smart
you forgot to lock the door Wearable
3. You got an SMS alert that C. Home

parking space is available Automation
near your block
4. You turned off your LED TV D. Smart Health
from your wrist watch
2022-23
Ch 3.indd 60 08-Apr-19 11:41:19 AM

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All-Inclusive Current Affairs for Prelims 2021

Science & Tech Class-1

Alphabets 4 Words 3 billion Sentences 30k

❑ DNA is packaged into chromosome.

I read I forget, I see I remember See explanation of this PDF on www.youtube.com/c/allinclusiveias

Some DBT programs on Genetics:

Use/benefits of DNA tech: National SARS-CoV-2 Genome

CELL POTENCY: CLONED ANIMAL:

I read I forget, I see I remember See explanation of this PDF on www.youtube.com/c/allinclusiveias

Problem: none of the varieties is

Cartagena Protocol on Golden Rice:

DNA is Book RNA is Transcript Prelims 2016:

Next Generation Sequencing (NGS tests):

GISAID Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data

Spinal Muscular Atrophy: loss of motor neurons; progressive muscle wasting;

Diagnostic test: Antibody tests:

Rapid Antigen Tests: ✓ IgM, IgG are antibodies.

Active immunity: Passive immunity:

Virus Too few:

Toxoid vaccine Tetanus, Diphtheria Antibodies

❑ 5G test bed to test 5G techs by universities and companies

Internet of Things Note: In IoT, connection to “Internet” is not necessary

National Mission on Interdisciplinary

▪ Earlier by few GEO satellites, now with thousands in LEO

Project Loon: White Space Internet: (Microsoft/Google)

PM-WANI PCO : Public Call Office

Prelims 2016: Prelims 2020:

NFC / Bluetooth / RFID

I read I forget, I see I remember See explanation of this PDF on www.youtube.com/c/allinclusiveias

Quantum Metrology: Using Quantum theory Quantum supremacy:

National Mission on Quantum QUESS (China)

2DEG: Two-Dimensional Electron Gas

I read I forget, I see I remember See explanation of this PDF on www.youtube.com/c/allinclusiveias

Nanomicelles: type of nanoparticles

Gold Nano Particles:

I read I forget, I see I remember See explanation of this PDF on www.youtube.com/c/allinclusiveias

Intellect : mental powers KAPILA program: Ministry of Education.

Office of Controller General of Patents, Compulsory licensing and Patent Pool:

Traditional Knowledge Digital Library

I read I forget, I see I remember See explanation of this PDF on www.youtube.com/c/allinclusiveias

I read I forget, I see I remember See explanation of this PDF on www.youtube.com/c/allinclusiveias

Graphite Prelims 2012:

I read I forget, I see I remember See explanation of this PDF on www.youtube.com/c/allinclusiveias

Hyperloop like a short maglev train in vacuum tube

Nuclear Fission vs Fusion

I read I forget, I see I remember See explanation of this PDF on www.youtube.com/c/allinclusiveias

Prelims 2008: Prelims 2016:

Nuclear Fission Reactor

❑ Breeder reactor: generates more fissile

I read I forget, I see I remember See explanation of this PDF on www.youtube.com/c/allinclusiveias

➢ 2005: India-US agree on civil nuclear deal

I read I forget, I see I remember See explanation of this PDF on www.youtube.com/c/allinclusiveias

Lunar Polar Exploration Mission (Lupex):

Moon landings: ❑ Total 12 men have landed on moon.

I read I forget, I see I remember See explanation of this PDF on www.youtube.com/c/allinclusiveias

Mars Martian blueberries: ❑ Needs water/oxygen to form

Prelims 1997: Prelims 2006:

❑ Tilted 26.7O (Earth is 23.5O)

Ceres: Dwarf planet