UPSC QUIZ 18.04.2024

Explanation:

• Volcanic eruption is taking place in Europe's largest volcano, Mount Etna. Due to which rings of smoke have expanded in the atmosphere. Smoke rings are a rare phenomenon, which scientists refer to as Volcanic Vortex Rings.

Vortex Rings

• Vortex rings are generated when gas, predominantly water vapour, is released rapidly through a vent in the crater.
• The vent that has opened up in volcano’s crater is almost perfectly circular, so the rings that have been seen are also circular.
• Volcanic vortex rings were first observed at Etna in 1724 and have since been documented at various volcanoes worldwide.
• These rings can remain in the air for up to 10 minutes but tend to disintegrate quickly if conditions are windy and turbulent.

Explanation:

• Nigeria has become the first country to administer the Men5CV/MenFive conjugate vaccine recommended by WHO, which protects from five strains of meningococcal bacteria.

MenFive

• This vaccine called MenFive is used to prevent meningococcal disease caused by Neisseria meningitidis groups A, C, Y, W, and X in people aged 9 months to 85 years.
• It has been developed to help reduce the number of meningitis cases in countries like Nigeria, where multiple serogroups are common.
• Nigeria is one of 26 countries in Africa that have a high incidence of meningitis, and last year, there was a 50% increase in reported cases across the continent.
• The Gavi Vaccine Alliance funds the vaccine and related emergency vaccination activities, including the global meningitis vaccine stockpile and routine vaccination programmes in lower-income countries.

Explanation:

• A hydrogel has been developed by IISc researchers that can remove microplastics from water.According to IISc, Microplastics are a major threat to human health. These tiny plastic residues can enter our bodies through the water we drink and increase the risk of diseases.
• Microplastics are an environmental threat and are also found in remote areas such as polar ice caps and deep-sea trenches, threatening aquatic and terrestrial life.
• Designed by researchers, the durable hydrogel features a unique intertwined polymer network that can bind contaminants and degrade them using UV light radiation.
• Earlier, scientists have attempted to use filtering membranes to remove microplastics.However, membranes can become clogged with these small particles, making them no longer durable.Instead, under the leadership of Suryasarathi Bose, Professor at the Department of Materials Engineering, the IISc team decided to turn to 3D hydrogels.

Explanation:

• India's Udit won silver and Abhimanyou and Vicky won bronze at the Asian Wrestling Championships 2024.
• On April 11, India's 19-year-old Udit won a silver medal in the men's 57kg category at the Asian Wrestling Championships 2024 in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.
• On the opening day of the competition, Abhimanyou (men's 70kg) and Vicky (men's 97kg) also won bronze medals in their respective weight categories, taking India's medal tally to three.
• On 14 April, Anju and Harshita also won two silver medals. Anju won the silver medal in the women's 53 kg weight category while Harshita won silver in the women's 72 kg.
• Apart from this, Manisha and Antim also won bronze medals in women's 62kg and 65kg weight categories respectively.
• As of April 14, India's total medal tally at the Asian Wrestling Championships 2024 is nine, including four silver and five bronze.
• The 20th edition of the 2024 Asian Wrestling Championships is being held in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan from 11 to 16 April.