UPSC Daily Current Affairs | Prelim Bits 28-11-2020
iasparliament
November 28, 2020
BrahMos missile
It is a two-stage missile with solid propellant booster as first stage and liquid ramjet as the second stage.
It is named as combination of names of Brahmaputra and Moskva rivers.
They are designed and developed by BrahMos Aerospace, a joint venture company set up by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Mashinostroyenia of Russia.
There are different versions of the BrahMos, which can be fired from land, warships, submarines and Sukhoi-30 fighter jets.
Land version has an extended range of 400 kms from its initial 290 kms.
Submarine launched version has capability of being launched from around 50 meters below the water surface.
BrahMos equipped Sukhoi-30s have a range of 1,500 kms at a stretch without mid-air refuelling.
Climate Emergency
The government of New Zealand will decide if a climate emergency should be declared in the country or not.
Some of the countries that have already declared climate emergency include the UK, Portugal, Canada, France and, most recently, Japan.
In 2019, the Oxford dictionaries declared “climate emergency” to be the word of the year.
It defines “climate emergency” as a situation in which urgent action is required to reduce or halt climate change and avoid potentially irreversible environmental damage resulting from it.
Climate emergency reflects the ethos, mood, or preoccupations of the passing year, and have lasting potential as a term of cultural significance.
Brain Fingerprinting
The accused in Hathras rape case will undergo brain fingerprinting.
Brain fingerprinting is also known as Brain Electrical Oscillation Signature Profiling (BEOSP).
It is a neuro psychological method of interrogation in which the accused’s participation in a crime is investigated by studying their brain’s response.
The test does not involve a question answer session with the accused.
The test is carried out via a process known as electroencephalogram, conducted to study the electrical behaviour of the human brain.
In Selvi vs State of Karnataka case (2010), the Supreme Court observed that brain mapping test results cannot be admitted solely as evidence.
However any information or material discovered during the tests can be made part of the evidence.
Bioluminescence
Beach waves in Chennai appeared blue when bio luminescent marine life made the sea appear a deep shade of blue.
Bioluminescence or blue sea sparkle is the property of a living organism to produce and emit light through chemical reactions in proteins.
It is generally higher in deep-living and planktonic organisms than in shallow species.
Waves disturb the unicellular microorganisms, commonly known as dinoflagellates, and make them release blue light.
Bioluminescence may occur as an anti-predatory response that may startle predators, causing them to hesitate, in a form of intimidation.
Factors such as the pattern of the wind and the temperature of the ocean also determine the occurrence of bioluminescent waves.
The phytoplankton shows up where seawater has low dissolved oxygen and high presence of Nitrogen.
It could have been caused by heavy rain, fertilizers run off, discharge of sewage into the ocean.
Brereton War Crimes Report
It was released after a 4-year inquiry led by Army Reserve Major General Paul Brereton, following reports of alleged killings of unarmed Afghans.
It held Australian Defense Force (ADF) accountable for allegations of grave misconduct by some of its members on Afghan operations.
It stated that the soldiers carried out a number of gruesome acts.
According to the report, the senior command was unaware of the war crimes that were being carried out.
ADF Chief apologised to the people of both Afghanistan and Australia.
Australian government would set up a panel to ensure accountability and transparency that sits outside of the ADF chain of command.
