Daily Current Affairs Quiz: August 17, 2024

Notes:
The Union Education Minister recently interacted with students, teachers, and parents of PM SHRI Schools and Prerana Programme alumni. Prerana Programme, launched in January 2024, integrates Indian education principles and value-based learning from NEP 2020. It’s a week-long residential program for selected class IX to XII students, combining heritage and innovation.

Notes:
The Indian Government launched the AI-based National Pest Surveillance System (NPSS) on August 15 to assist farmers with pest control. NPSS helps farmers connect with agricultural experts using their phones, reducing reliance on pesticide retailers. Farmers can send images of infested crops to experts for accurate diagnosis and treatment. The system uses AI tools to analyze pest data, providing timely information to around 14 crore farmers. This initiative aims to increase productivity, conserve soil health, and will be implemented at the state level through outreach programs without additional funding.

Notes:
A unique orchid species, Gastrodia indica, was recently discovered in Fambonglho Wildlife Sanctuary, Sikkim. It is the first orchid from India that never opens its flower and the first cleistogamous species of the Gastrodia genus found in India. Gastrodia indica is holomycotrophic, relying entirely on fungi for sustenance as it lacks chlorophyll. Found at 1,950–2,100 meters, it thrives in dense, rotten leaf litter near specific trees like Magnolia and Acer. The discovery brings the total number of Gastrodia species in India to 10, but the species faces threats due to its limited population and specific habitat needs.

Notes:
The US Navy’s new AIM-174B missile aims to counter China’s aerial dominance. It’s an air-launched version of the SM-6 missile and was introduced in July 2024 by Raytheon. This long-range air-to-air missile can strike targets up to 400 km away, exceeding the range of China’s PL-15. Deployed in the Indo-Pacific, it supports US power projection amid rising regional tensions. The AIM-174B targets high-priority ground objects like air defense sites and warships, operating in a quasi-ballistic manner.

Notes:
Bihar police recently seized 50 grams of californium, a highly radioactive element. Californium is a synthetic, silvery-white metal with atomic number 98, first synthesized in 1950 at the University of California, Berkeley. It is not naturally occurring and is produced by bombarding curium with helium ions. It is known for its intense radioactivity. Californium is valuable but hazardous. It is used in starting nuclear reactors, detecting metal fatigue in airplanes, and treating certain cancers. Californium’s isotopes include Cf-251, the most stable with a half-life of 898 years, and is used in various industrial and scientific applications.