Nobel Prize 2022 in Physics (GS Paper 3, Science and Tech)
Why in news?
- Recently, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences announced the winners of the 2022 Nobel Prize in Physics. It was given to Alain Aspect, John Clauser, and Anton Zeilinger for their work in quantum physics.
- The three newly awarded laureates experimented with entangled photons, establishing the violation of Bell inequalities and pioneered quantum information science.
Focus area:
- At the heart of their research was quantum physics, a field of science that aims to study matter and energy at the most fundamental level.
- Each of the three winners conducted groundbreaking experiments using entangled quantum states, where two particles behave like a single unit even when they are separated.
Achievements of 2022 Winners:
- John Clauser built an apparatus that emitted two entangled photons at a time, each towards a filter that tested their polarisation. The result was a clear violation of a Bell inequality and agreed with the predictions of quantum mechanics.
- Alain Aspect developed a setup to close an important loophole. He was able to switch the measurement settings after an entangled pair had left its source, so the setting that existed when they were emitted could not affect the result.
- Anton Zeilinger researched entangled quantum states. His research group has demonstrated a phenomenon called quantum teleportation, which makes it possible to move a quantum state from one particle to one at a distance.
About Nobel Prize:
- The Nobel Prize is awarded under the will and testament of Alfred Nobel, who designated The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences for the Nobel Prize in Physics and Chemistry, Karolinska Institutet for the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, the Swedish Academy for the Nobel Prize in Literature, and a Committee of five persons to be elected by the Norwegian Parliament (Storting) for the Nobel Peace Prize.
Nobel Prize in Physics
- In 2021 prize in Physics went jointly to Syukuro Manabe, Klaus Hasselmann, and Giorgio Parisi. While Syukuro Manabe was recognised for demonstrating how increased levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere lead to increased temperatures at the surface of the Earth, Klaus Hasselmann created a model that links together weather and climate.
- Meanwhile, Giorgio Parisi, a professor at Sapienza University of Rome was awarded the Nobel for discovering hidden patterns in disordered complex materials.
- So far, 115 Nobel Prizes in Physics have been awarded between 1901 and 2021, of which only four are women, which includes Marie Curie in 1903, Maria Goeppert-Mayer in 1963, Donna Strickland in 2018, and Andrea Ghez in 2020.
- The youngest person to win the Physics award has been Lawrence Bragg. He was 25 when he was given the 1915 Physics Nobel.
NGT halts mining at Shaliganga Nallah in Kashmir
(GS Paper 3, Environment)
Why in news?
- Recently, a National Green Tribunal (NGT) bench ordered mining operations at the Shaliganga Nallah in Budgam district of the Kashmir Valley to halt, calling into question the environmental clearances (EC) given for the operations.
Background:
- The NGT order came in response to a plea by activist. It challenged the validity of the ECs given to three mining blocks in the area earlier in 2022.
- All the three proposals were rejected by the (administration-appointed) Jammu and Kashmir Expert Appraisal Committee (JKEAC) on the ground that the area for which ECs were applied, are already overexploited; depleted to a large extent due to heavy illegal mining.
Exploitation:
- The Jammu and Kashmir Expert Appraisal Committee (JKEAC) had examined the mining blocks on the latest Google Image of October 2021.
- It found that minerals had been depleted to a large extent due to heavy illegal mining. Hardly any material was available for exploitation without endangering the environmental setting of the Nallah.
- Heavy illegal mining activity was observed in and around the mining blocks in October 2021, which needed appropriate action by competent authorities.
Violation by ECs:
- The Environmental Clearances (ECs) violated Rule no. 4 of the Jammu and Kashmir Minor Mineral Concession, Storage, Transportation of Minerals, and Prevention of Illegal Mining Rules, 2016.
- This prohibits any minor mineral concession being granted within a distance of 25 metres of any embankment.
- The ECs were given without the District Survey Report being prepared without proper guidelines.
Why Shaliganga Nallah matters?
- Shaliganga Nallah is a feeding channel for the Hokersar wetland and mining activity may be detrimental to natural flow and quality of water flowing into Hokersar.
- The mining may be detrimental to the water flowing into Hokersar Wetland Reserve, which is an internationally declared Ramsar site and home to migratory birds. A Ramsar site is a wetland site designated to be of international importance under the Ramsar Convention.
Kuhls:
- The irrigation kuhls are also present within the mining site.
- Kuhls are traditional, community-managed irrigation systems in Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh.
WHO warns of ‘worrying surge’ in cholera cases globally
(GS Paper 3, Science and Tech)
Why in news?
- Several countries across the world are in the grips of a cholera outbreak, with at least seven deaths recorded in Haiti for the first time in three years.
- Recently, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned of a “worrying surge” in cases, with 26 countries reporting outbreaks in 2022.
- Typically, less than 20 countries record cholera cases annually.
Case of Haiti:
- Haiti is a Caribbean country that shares the island of Hispaniola with the Dominican Republic to its east. The capital is Port-au-Prince.
- The health crisis in Haiti was compounded by a gang blockade following a fuel price hike resulting in a shortage of clean drinking water and fuel for medical facilities.
Factors responsible for cholera outbreak:
- Poverty, conflict and climate change are the key triggers for a cholera outbreak.
- Extreme climate events like floods, cyclones and droughts further reduce access to clean water and create an ideal environment for cholera to thrive.
- With climate change intensifying, such outbreaks are expected to increase in the coming future, he also warned.
Remedy:
- While the outbreak is worrying, the disease is easily treatable and preventable.
- Timely and proper administration of oral rehydration and intravenous fluids can keep the fatality below 1 per cent. In the absence of these steps, cholera can become fatal within hours.
Cholera cases in India:
- In India, the disease is endemic. Cholera cases in Maharashtra surpassed the 2021 figures, resulting in 261 cases and at least six deaths till July 2022.
- In 2011-2012, a dozen people had died of cholera. In July, the Puducherry health department declared a health emergency in the Karaikal district after 14 patients were admitted and 46 were getting treated in the district's community health centres and public health centres.
About Cholera:
- Cholera is an acute, diarrheal illness caused by infection of the intestine with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae.
- The infection is often mild or without symptoms, but sometimes can be severe.
Transmission:
- A person may get cholera by drinking water or eating food contaminated with the cholera bacterium.
- The highly liquid diarrhea during cholera infection is loaded with bacteria that can spread under unsanitary conditions to infect water used by other people.
- Cholera is transmitted from person to person through ingestion of faeces-contaminated water.
SAMSAR (SAMAJIK SAROKAR) by RPF during September 2022
(GS Paper 2, Governance)
Why in news?
- In furtherance of the pledge of “Sewa Hi Sankalp” by RPF, a pan India month long drive under the code name SAMSAR (SAMAJIK SAROKAR) incorporating the elements of several focused operations was undertaken.
- It included Operation “SEWA”, Operation “Dignity”, Operation “Nanhe Fariste”, Mission “Jeewan Raksha” and Operation “Matrishakti” conducted in the month of September 2022.
Operation SEWA:
- With a view to provide safe and comfortable journey, RPF personnel assist the elderly citizens, women, physically disabled and provide amenities like wheelchairs, stretchers, medical help, ambulances, Infant food etc. under operation “SEWA”.
- During the month of September 2022, approximately 9000 such passengers in need of help were assisted during their train journey.
Operation Dignity:
- RPF has played an important role in rescuing persons lost or having run away from their homes or disoriented due to certain reason or distressed and in need of care and protection.
- They are vulnerable for getting exploited or trafficked and are under the risk of serious bodily harm, if not secured in time.
- The force personnel worked selflessly to provide timely intervention under code name “Operation Dignity” and secured 427 adults (223 Men + 204 Women) during the month of September 2022.
Operation Nanhe Fariste:
- RPF personnel under the code name “Operation Nanhe Fariste” undertake the noble cause of identifying and rescuing children lost/runaway/separated from their family due to various reasons and in need of care & protection.
- During the month of September 2022, 1119 children were rescued.
Jeevan Raksha:
- RPF personnel go beyond the call of duty risking their own lives to save other lives. There are incidents wherein passengers trying to board/de-board a moving train, slip and fall with the risk of coming under the wheels of running train.
- In other instances, the individuals with suicidal tendency come in front of running train with intention to end their lives. RPF personnel lookout for such cases and intervene in the nick of time to save precious lives.
- Under mission “Jeevan Raksha” RPF personnel saved 115 (72 Male + 43 Female) during September 2022, running the grave risk to their own lives.
Operation Matrishakti:
- RPF personnel, especially lady RPF personnel, go out of the way to help pregnant women passengers, experiencing labor pain during their train journey under “Operation Matrishakti”.
- During the month of Sep-2022, they provided assistance to 32 such women passengers and were instrumental in bringing their infants to this beautiful world.
