theIASHub | 20 Feb, 2025 | 5
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Scientists at Macquarie University, have recently discovered that two nocturnal bull ant species (Myrmecia pyriformis and Myrmecia midas) use polarised moonlight to navigate at night.
o Polarised Moonlight: Myrmecia pyriformis & Myrmecia midas navigate using polarised moonlight, which serves as a natural compass.
o Lunar Cycle Navigation: Their ability to use polarised moonlight throughout the lunar cycle has now been confirmed.
o Foraging Patterns: M. midas ants are most active overnight, while M. pyriformis ants forage more during full-moon nights.
o E-vector Pattern: Both sunlight and moonlight become linearly polarised after scattering in the Earth’s atmosphere, creating an e-vector pattern for orientation.
NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (Webb) has recently captured the best view of the supermassive black hole Sagittarius A* at the center of the Milky Way.
o Black holes have extreme gravity, preventing light escape, making direct observations difficult.
o Webb’s Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam) provides better infrared sensitivity, capturing continuous brightness measurements at two infrared wavelengths.
o Flickering Light: Constant flickering light comes from gas near the event horizon.
o Bright Flares: Large flares occur 1-3 times every 24 hours, with smaller bursts in between.
o Turbulent Accretion Disk: The disk is chaotic and turbulent, with gas compression due to extreme gravity.
According to BBC analysis of data from the US National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC), Global sea ice reached a record low.
o It expands in winter and melts in summer, but some remains year-round.
o Different from icebergs, glaciers, ice sheets, and ice shelves, which form on land.
o 2025 decline due to: Delayed freezing in Hudson Bay (due to warmer ocean temperatures) → Storms breaking ice in Barents Sea and Bering Sea → Higher air temperatures (e.g., Svalbard, Norway) → Thinner, more fragile ice that is easily broken by storms.
As per UN report, the Lake Kivu offers leisure in Rwanda, Goma (DRC) faces devastation after M23 rebels seized the city last month, killed nearly 3,000 people, worsening the humanitarian crisis.
o Located one of East Africa’s Great Lakes, situated between DRC (west) and Rwanda (east).
o Rwanda’s largest lake and Africa’s sixth largest.
o Lies in the Albertine Rift, part of the East African Rift system.
o Water Distribution: 58% in DRC, remaining in Rwanda.
o Landscape: Features irregular shores, inlets, peninsulas, and waterfalls.
o Drainage: Flows into the Rusizi River, which leads to Lake Tanganyika.
o Notable Island: Idjwi Island, the tenth largest inland island globally, is in Lake Kivu.
Prime Minister will inaugurate the first edition of the SOUL Leadership Conclave.
o Premier Platform: Brings together leaders from diverse domains to share transformative insights.
o Focus: Encourages learning from both failures and successes, fostering collaboration and thought leadership.
o Inspiration for Youth: Leaders discuss pivotal moments where they took leaps of faith to create exponential impact.
o Annual/Biennial Event: The inaugural edition marks the beginning of a regular leadership gathering across various locations in India.o Flagship WHO Product: Used to identify health trends and statistics at national and global levels.
o Supports WHO's Goals: Integral to the Fourteenth General Programme of Work, aiding progress toward health-related SDGs and national health targets.
o Global Health Monitoring: Provides crucial data on the extent, causes, and impact of diseases and deaths worldwide.
o Clinical & Statistical Application: ICD-coded terms form the basis for health records, disease statistics, and cause-of-death certificates across primary, secondary, and tertiary healthcare.
o ICD in India: The Central Bureau of Health Intelligence (CBHI), under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, functions as the WHO Collaboration Centre for ICD-related activities.Recently, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Ministry of Mines, and the Provincial Government of Catamarca, Argentina, for collaboration in critical mineral exploration and resource development.
o Argentina, as part of this triangle, is a key global lithium supplier, essential for electric vehicle batteries, renewable energy storage, and advanced technologies.
o India's engagement with Argentina aims to secure a stable lithium supply, supporting the country's clean energy transition and reducing dependence on imports.
C40 Cities & UN-Habitat have announced a landmark partnership to transform urban planning.
o Launch: 1978
o Mission: To promote socially & environmentally sustainable towns and cities, ensuring adequate shelter for all.
o Role: Through initiatives like New Urban Agenda, it seeks to make cities inclusive, safe, resilient, & sustainable.
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