06^th January 2026

1. Kukrail Forest Area: Recently, Lucknow is set to introduce India’s first urban night safari at the Kukrail Forest Area, blending wildlife conservation, environmental education, and urban eco-tourism.

• About the Urban Night Safari Project: A controlled nocturnal wildlife viewing experience located within city limits.

• Designed to promote education and conservation awareness, rather than entertainment-driven tourism.

• Focuses on low-impact, regulated access to observe nocturnal animal behaviour.

  • Objectives: Promote urban eco-tourism while strengthening wildlife conservation awareness.

• Integrate conservation, education, and recreation through a sustainable urban model.

• Key Features of the Kukrail Project: Nocturnal safari routes with restricted vehicle movement and low-impact lighting to minimise disturbance to wildlife.

• Upgradation of existing conservation facilities for crocodiles, gharials, and turtles, instead of new construction.

• Eco-friendly infrastructure, including bamboo huts, nature trails, and interpretation centres.

• Guided educational programmes, such as night ecology walks, bird-watching sessions, and school outreach initiatives.

2. Popocatépetl Volcano: Recently, scientists from Mexico’s National Autonomous University (UNAM) successfully produced the first-ever 3D image of the interior of Popocatépetl volcano.

• About Popocatépetl Volcano: A 5,452-metre active stratovolcano located close to Mexico City.

• Active since 1994, it emits ash, gas, and smoke almost daily.

• An eruption can disrupt settlements, hospitals, schools, airports, and major infrastructure within a 100 km radius.

• Why Mapping the Volcano’s Interior Matters: Volcanic activity originates beneath the surface, involving magma, gases, rocks, and groundwater.

• Understanding where magma accumulates helps predict eruption patterns.

• Earlier studies lacked resolution and produced contradictory findings, limiting disaster preparedness.

• Most high-risk volcanoes globally already have such internal maps; Popocatépetl was a critical exception.

• Key Findings from the 3D Image: The volcano does not have a single magma chamber.

• Instead, it contains multiple magma reservoirs at varying depths.

• These reservoirs are more concentrated toward the southeast side, explaining higher tremor frequency there.

3. C-reactive protein (CRP): Recently, growing evidence has shown that C-reactive protein (CRP), a marker of low-grade systemic inflammation, is a stronger predictor of heart-disease risk than cholesterol levels.

• About CRP: A protein produced by the liver. Its levels rise in response to inflammation in the body.

• Inflammation is a protective biological response that helps tissues heal from injury, infection, or disease.

• A CRP blood test measures the amount of CRP circulating in the bloodstream.

• CRP levels help healthcare providers assess the extent of inflammation in the body.

• Causes of Elevated CRP Levels: High CRP levels may indicate the presence of acute or chronic inflammatory conditions, including:

• Infections caused by bacteria or viruses

• Inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis

• Autoimmune disorders like lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and vasculitis

• Respiratory diseases, including asthma

• Lifestyle and environmental factors, such as smoking and exposure to air pollution or hazardous waste

4. Data on Police Organisations (DoPO) Report: Recently, the Data on Police Organisations (DoPO) Report 2024 highlighted a significant increase in dedicated social media monitoring cells over the last five years, underscoring emerging internal security challenges in the digital era.

• Key Findings: Sharp rise in monitoring cells: Dedicated police social media monitoring cells increased from 262 (2020) to 365 (2024) across States and UTs.

• States with highest numbers: Bihar (52), Maharashtra (50), Punjab (48), West Bengal (38) and Assam (37) lead in such cells.

• Separate institutional recognition: These cells began functioning as distinct units from 2021, earlier being part of cybercrime police stations.

• Data source: Figures come from Data on Police Organisations (DoPO) reports by BPR&D under MHA.

• Cybercrime police stations rise: Numbers increased from 376 (2020) to 624 (2024)

• Purpose of monitoring: Police cite need to track and pre-empt evolving crimes on platforms like Facebook, X, WhatsApp, Instagram and Snapchat.

• Tech augmentation: Police drones increased from 1,010 (2023) to 1,147 (2024).

• Manpower shortage persists: 92 lakh vacancies exist against a sanctioned strength of 27.55 lakh police personnel.

5. Remote Sensing: Recently, advanced remote-sensing technologies have revolutionised the study of Earth’s natural resources by analysing reflected visible and invisible light without direct ground contact.

• About Remote Sensing: Human eyes see only visible light, but the Sun emits energy across the electromagnetic spectrum. Earth’s surface materials reflect and absorb these energies differently.

• These unique reflection patterns are called spectral signatures, acting like fingerprints of materials. Sensors onboard satellites, aircraft, and drones detect these signatures to identify surface features remotely.

• Vegetation health monitoring: Healthy plants reflect near-infrared and absorb red light; measured using NDVI (Normalised Difference Water Index).

• Forest and climate insights: Satellites distinguish tree species, map forests, and estimate biomass and carbon storage.

• Water mapping techniques: NDWI/MNDWI (Modified Normalised Difference Water Index) using optical data for water detection

• Water quality assessment: Remote sensing detects turbidity, pollution, and algal blooms via spectral differences.

• Mineral exploration: Hyperspectral sensors identify minerals like copper, gold, and lithium from surface traces.

• Oil and gas detection: Satellites detect micro-seepage, stressed vegetation, and geological traps like anticlines.

• Gravity and magnetics use: Sea-surface height, gravity anomalies, and magnetic field data reveal subsurface structures.

6. Aravalli Range: Recently, concerns were raised about a Central classification that redefines hills using a 100-metre height threshold, potentially placing 31.8% of the Aravalli Range at ecological risk.

• Key Highlights: Height-based protection challenged: Centre fixed 100-metre height as the threshold for legal protection of hills, excluding many ecologically important areas.

• The Supreme Court has kept its directions on Aravalli definition in abeyance.

• Government’s claim that only 19% area is affected is said to ignore the geological reality of the Aravalli range.

• Independent analysis employed satellite data and the Copernicus FABDEM elevation model.

• Ecological role of low hills: Sub-100-metre hills are key groundwater recharge zones and dust barriers for nearly 30 crore people in Rajasthan, Haryana and Delhi.

• Removal of protection could accelerate Thar Desert expansion into fertile plains.

• Mining in Aravallis would increase 5 levels in Delhi-NCR, worsening air quality.

• Key demands: Declare entire Aravalli range a fully protected zone, impose a complete mining ban, cancel existing leases, include excluded regions, and restore damaged hills.

7. e-B-4 Visa: Recently, India launched a new e-Production Investment Business Visa (e-B-4) for Chinese nationals as part of people-centric confidence-building measures between India and China.

• About e-B-4 Visa: a specialised electronic business visa introduced by India exclusively for Chinese business professionals.

  • Launched on January 1, 2026, it aims to facilitate legitimate production- and investment-linked activities through a fully online application process, removing the need to visit Indian embassies or rely on intermediaries.

  • Key Features: Processing time: Approximately 45–50 days from the date of application

• Validity: Allows a stay of up to six months in India

• Mode: Completely digital under India’s e-Visa framework

• Target group: Chinese nationals involved in manufacturing, IT, and industrial operations

• Permitted Activities: The visa permits entry for the following professional purposes:

• Installation and commissioning of machinery and equipment

• Conducting quality inspections and essential maintenance

• Participation in production and manufacturing processes

• Supply-chain development and vendor empanelment

• Engagements at the senior management and executive levels

8. Spina Bifida: Recently, despite several countries adopting folic acid–based awareness and prevention programmes to curb Spina Bifida, India still lacks a nationwide prevention initiative.

• About Spina Bifida: A congenital defect affecting the spinal cord and spine.

• It occurs when the spine and spinal cord fail to develop completely during the embryonic stage.

• The condition develops in early pregnancy and can vary in severity from mild to severe.

• It can lead to serious childhood paralysis and long-term disability.

  • Causes: The exact cause is unknown, it is believed to result from a combination of genetic, nutritional, and environmental factors.

• Symptoms: Bowel and bladder dysfunction

• Back pain

• Weakness or paralysis of the legs

• Reduced or absent sensation in the lower limbs

• Prevention: Largely preventable through adequate folic acid intake during the early weeks of pregnancy.

• Treatment: There is no permanent cure.

• Management focuses on treating symptoms, preventing complications, and improving quality of life.

9. Hydrogen Molecule: Recently, a study reported near-perfect agreement between theoretical and experimental measurements of the hydrogen molecule, enabling ultra-precise tests of quantum mechanics and quantum electrodynamics.

• About Hydrogen molecule (H₂): The simplest stable molecule, ideal for testing fundamental physics precisely.

• Modern spectroscopy measures H₂ energy level gaps with accuracy ~1 part in 100 billion.

• At this precision, experiments detect tiny quantum electrodynamics (QED) contributions, beyond basic quantum mechanics.

• Four theoretical challenges identified: Strong electron–electron correlation

• Coupled motion of electrons and nuclei (nonadiabatic effects)

• Relativistic corrections due to fast electrons

• Small but measurable QED effects

• Experimental–theory mismatch emerged: As experimental precision improved to ~10 kHz, older theoretical predictions deviated by several MHz.

• Cause of discrepancy: Earlier theories neglected recoil effects of nuclei within relativistic and QED calculations.
• Major theoretical advance: Researchers abandoned the Born–Oppenheimer approximation and used a direct nonadiabatic approach, treating all four particles together.