Daily Current Affairs Quiz: May 26-27, 2024

Notes:
Over 50 billion ballpoint pens are trashed yearly, with 95% made of plastic. Saurabh H. Mehta from New Delhi created the world’s first 100% biodegradable pen. He founded bioQ, focusing on eco-friendly stationery, and launched NOTE (No Offence to Earth) to eliminate plastic in pens. The NOTE pen features a recycled paper refill, non-toxic ink, and a removable metal tip, exploring materials like paper tubes, bamboo, and metal for its exterior.

Notes:
During the annual waterhole survey in the National Desert Park, Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, 64 Great Indian Bustards were spotted, up from 42 in 2022. No census was conducted in 2023 due to rains. The Great Indian Bustard, Rajasthan’s state bird, is critically endangered and lives in dry grasslands. The 2024 census involved 84 officers and 42 waterhole points, conducted on Vaishakh Purnima. Some areas were excluded due to safety concerns.

Notes:
Astronomers, using NASA’s TESS and other telescopes, have discovered Gliese 12b, a temperate, Earth-sized exoplanet orbiting the red dwarf Gliese 12 in Pisces, 40 light-years away. Gliese 12b, similar in size to Earth or Venus, has a mass 3.87 times that of Earth and orbits its star every 12.8 days. It receives 1.6 times more energy than Earth and has an estimated surface temperature of 107°F (42°C).

Notes:
World Thyroid Day, annually on May 25th, raises awareness about the thyroid gland and related conditions. The thyroid, a butterfly-shaped gland near the neck’s base, regulates vital functions by releasing thyroid hormones (T4 and T3). These hormones influence metabolism, body temperature, heart rate, and protein production. Thyroid disorders, common in women but affecting all ages and genders, include Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) and Hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid), impacting hormone production.

Notes:
The Tamil Nadu Forest Department has initiated a three-day elephant census at Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve, located at the junction of Eastern and Western Ghats in the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve. It spans 1,411.6 sq km, declared a tiger reserve in 2013, fostering a continuous habitat for tigers and other wildlife. The reserve boasts the world’s largest tiger population, over 280 tigers, and is home to indigenous tribes like the Irula and Kurumba.