March 07 2024 Current Affairs MCQs

Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect

• Popoulu bananas are indigenous to the Pacific region.
• They were originally classified in their own subgroup (often designated as Maia Popoulu, Maia being the Hawaiian term for bananas), but are increasingly classified together with Maoli bananas in the Maoli-Popoulu subgroup.
• Popoulu bananas are distinguished from Maoli bananas by having shorter and fatter fruits.
• The fruits of Popoulu are plump square-ended and noticeably thick in diameter.

  

Statement 2 is correct

• While Nendran banana is usually used in making chips, the scientists at University of Horticultural Sciences, Bagalkot, are working on releasing a Popoulu variant of banana as a substitute for the former.
• While Nendran takes 308.43 days for cultivation, Popoulu will only take 297.77 days.
• These bananas, which are longer and thicker than the Nendran bananas, will weigh around 18.14 kg (one bunch).
• It also has a high yield capacity of 55.98 tonnes per hectare.

Statement 3 is incorrect

• With less starch content (when compared to Nendran), Popoulu will give crisper chips like potato chips.
• It will also consume less oil.

Answer: (a) Only one; Difficulty Level: Medium

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct

• A submarine cable system is designed to carry communications by means of guided electromagnetic energy.
• These cables, which are laid on the ocean floor, play a critical role in global communications, enabling the transmission of data, voice, and video across continents.
• India’s legislation does not comprehensively define submarine cable systems.

Statement 2 is correct

• While there are laws and regulations in place that govern telecommunications and cable landing stations, there is no specific legal framework that explicitly defines and regulates submarine cable systems.
• This has led to a lack of clarity in the legal and regulatory aspects of submarine cable infrastructure in India.

Answer: (d) Neither 1 nor 2; Difficulty Level: Medium

Explanation

• A decrease in the unemployment rate is generally associated with higher consumer spending.
• As more people find employment, their disposable income rises, allowing them to spend more on goods and services.
• Lower unemployment rates generally signify a healthier economy, which can increase consumer confidence.
• Decreases in unemployment can lead to increase in inflation, but only in the short run.
• In the long run, inflation and unemployment are unrelated.

Answer: (b) Higher consumer spending; Difficulty Level: Medium

Explanation

• The SNCRGF specifically targets mid-sized climate-resilient infrastructure and nature-based solutions within developing countries.
• This aligns well with a renewable energy project in a rural area, promoting cleaner energy solutions and potentially addressing climate adaptation needs.
• A renewable energy project in a rural area aligns with the fund’s objectives, as it can contribute to climate resilience, promote sustainable development, and provide benefits to local communities.
• Developing a national climate policy framework, Constructing a new highway network in an urban center and Establishing a national climate research institute, are either national-level initiatives or may not necessarily contribute to climate resilience and sustainable development.

Answer: (d) Implementing a renewable energy project in a rural area; Difficulty Level: Medium

Explanation

• International Women’s Day (IWD) is a global event on March 8th, acknowledging women’s accomplishments in social, economic, cultural, and political spheres.
• IWD serves as a worldwide celebration of women’s achievements and a powerful call to action for advancing women’s rights and opportunities.
• In 2024, the United Nations’ theme is ‘Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress’ emphasizing the need for gender equality.
• Investing in women is a human rights imperative and cornerstone for building inclusive societies.
  

  Due to conflicts and rising fuel and food prices, recent estimates suggest that 75 per cent of countries will curb public spending by 2025. Austerity negatively impacts women and crowds out public spending on essential public services and social protection. The current economic system exacerbates poverty, inequality, and environmental degradation, disproportionately affecting women and marginalized groups. Advocates for alternative economic models propose a shift towards a green economy and care society that amplifies women’s voices.

Answer: (c) Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress; Difficulty Level: Medium

Explanation

• Professors and students from the University of Madras discovered a Neolithic child burial site in Chettimedu Pathur, Chengalpattu, Tamil Nadu.
• The team said that burials from the Neolithic period, which lasted from 5000–1500 BCE, are rare.
• The child, estimated to be between 9 to 11 years old, was buried with the body oriented north-south and facing west, adhering to ancient burial traditions.
• The burial site also contained a pot that likely dates back to the Neolithic period.
• Additionally, the presence of burnished grey ware, previously unreported in Tamil Nadu, indicates technological advancements and possible cultural exchanges during the Neolithic period.
• The Neolithic, or New Stone Age, was the final division of the Stone Age in Europe, Asia, and Africa.
• It began around 12,000 years ago and lasted until the transitional period of the Chalcolithic, which was marked by the development of metallurgy.

Answer: (b) Tamil Nadu; Difficulty Level: Medium

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct

• Dry ice is solid carbon dioxide (CO2) at a temperature of approximately -78.5°C (-109.3°F).
• It is commonly used as a cooling agent for food products like ice cream, frozen desserts etc.
• It is frequently used for food items that are needed to be cold or frozen, without the use of mechanical cooling.

Statement 2 is correct

• Dry Ice is formed by compressing and cooling gaseous carbon dioxide until it reaches a solid state without passing through the liquid phase, a process called sublimation.

Statement 3 is correct

• Dry ice can cause severe damage to skin and internal organs if mishandled or accidently ingested due to the extremely low temperatures they can maintain.
• Dry ice should not be directly consumed or allowed to directly contact exposed skin.
• As it comes into contact with moisture in the mouth or digestive tract, dry ice rapidly sublimates, releasing large amounts of carbon dioxide gas.
• This can cause potentially life-threatening complications such as perforation of the stomach or intestines, or even asphyxiation due to the displacement of oxygen.

Answer: (d) None; Difficulty Level: Medium

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct

• In Rajasthan, Orans are lands where herders have been grazing their cows, sheep, and goats for centuries.
• These lands usually features a temple and a waterbody, these community-conserved pastures are rich in biodiversity.

  

• Significance:
  • The Rajasthan orans are home to the endangered Great Indian bustard (GIB), chinkara and the Indian desert fox.
  • They are oases of traditional flora and fauna.
  • Named after deities, they are considered sacred by the local people and protected as such.
  • The richest biodiversity in the deserts is in the Orans.

Statement 2 is correct

• In December 2022, numerous villagers from Jaisalmer in Rajasthan, walked 225 kilometers for over nine days for the Oran Bachao Yatra.
• The yatra meandered through remote villages and ended at the Jaisalmer District Collectorate where the villagers submitted a memorandum to redefine this land as “Orans” in the Revenue record, instead of the current title “wastelands.”
• The Government of Rajasthan claims the deserts are “vast, barren landscapes in western Rajasthan” and wishes to make productive use of abundant wasteland, thereby utilizing the un-utilized/under-utilising land for creation of a wind energy hub.
• The state of Rajasthan is considered the best choice for renewable energy setups because it is located in the Thar Desert and consists of over 102,000 square kilometers of arid desert.
• This desert is characterized by sand dunes, little rainfall, and severe temperatures.
• However, it is also the world’s most populous desert, with a population density of 83 persons per square kilometer and pastoralist settlements that rely on cattle for subsistence

Answer: (d) Neither 1 nor 2; Difficulty Level: Medium

Explanation

• IRIS is India’s first generative Artificial Intelligence teacher.
• It is an initiative by the Kaduvayil Thangal Charitable Trust.
• It was launched in the KTCT Higher Secondary School in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.
• It will push the boundaries of ‘what’s possible’ in the field of education.
• Iris is part of the Atal Tinkering Lab (ATL) project, a 2021 NITI Aayog initiative designed to boost extracurricular activities in schools.
• Atal Tinkering Lab (ATL) is a program that aims to encourage innovation and experiential learning among school children.
• The program was announced by the Department of Space and Atal Innovation Mission, NITI Aayog on January 2021.

Answer: (c) India’s first generative Artificial Intelligence teacher; Difficulty Level: Medium

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct

• MethaneSAT will track and measure methane emissions at a global scale.
• It is equipped with a high-resolution infrared sensor and a spectrometer.
• It can track differences in methane concentrations as small as three parts per billion in the atmosphere. It also has a wide-camera view of about 200 km x 200 km, allowing it to identify larger emitters so-called “super emitters”.

Statement 2 is incorrect

• It will orbit the Earth 15 times a day, monitoring the oil and gas sector.
• It will create a large amount of data, which will tell “how much methane is coming from where, who’s responsible, and are those emissions going up or down over time”.

Answer: (a) 1 Only; Difficulty Level: Medium

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct

• Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor is a machine that produces more nuclear fuel than it consumes.
• The Fast Breeder Reactor (FBR) will initially use the Uranium-Plutonium Mixed Oxide (MOX) fuel.
• Since it uses the spent fuel from the first stage, FBR also offers great advantage in terms of significant reduction in nuclear waste generated, thereby avoiding the need for large geological disposal facilities.

Statement 2 is incorrect

• Once commissioned, India will only be the second country after Russia to have commercial operating Fast Breeder Reactor.
• FBR is thus a stepping stone for the third stage of the program paving the way for the eventual full utilization of India’s abundant thorium reserves.

Answer: (a) 1 Only; Difficulty Level: Medium