Recently, Union Minister Shri Pralhad Joshi launched the C-CARES web portal for the Coal Mines Provident Fund Organization (CMPFO).
Developed by C-DAC, it aims to digitize records and streamline processes for 3.3 lakh Provident Fund subscribers and 6.1 lakh pensioners in the coal sector.
Science & Technology
2. What is Brainoware which was in the news recently? – Computing system that melds brain-like tissue with electronics
Brainoware integrates brain organoids with microelectrodes, forming an ‘Organoid Neural Network (ONN)’ that directly incorporates living brain tissue into the computing process.
Brain organoids are 3D tissues that simulate the structure and function of the human brain. They are derived from human embryonic stem cells, and are able to self-organise.
ONNs are different from artificial neural networks, which are made of silicon chips because they use biological neurons that can adapt and learn from their environment.
3. What is referred as the ‘Medical Food of the 21st Century’ – Seaweeds
A recent discussion between the United States and China have focused on joint efforts to combat the influx of fentanyl into the U.S.
Fentanyl, a potent synthetic opioid (a type of drug), has wreaked havoc in America and is linked to ingredients produced in China.
The drug, 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine, is FDA (Food and Drug Administration) – approved for severe pain but is also illegally manufactured and sold recreationally, often mixed with other drugs, posing a high risk of addiction and fatality in large doses or when combined.
Environment
5. Thanthai Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary, recently seen in the news, is located in which state? – Tamil Nadu
The Tamil Nadu government has designated 80,114.80 hectares of Bargur Hills in Erode district as the Thanthai Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary.
This area connects the Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve to the Male Mahadeshwara Hills Tiger Reserve and the Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary, forming a vital corridor for the tiger population.
Art & Culture
6. Mesolithic era rock paintings have recently been discovered in which state? – Telangana
The Mesolithic, or Middle Stone Age, bridged the gap between the Paleolithic and Neolithic periods, spanning approximately 12,000-10,000 years ago.
Notable for the transition from large chipped stone tools to microliths, small tools affixed to bone or wood handles for making implements like saws and sickles, it marked a pivotal era in human cultural development.
