About Great Indian Bustard (GIB):

• Known locally as Godawan, it is a large terrestrial bird endemic to the Indian subcontinent.
• It is one of the heaviest flying birds in the world.
• Habitat and Distribution:
  • It is endemic to the Indian subcontinent, with its remaining population concentrated mainly in India.
  • Its core population survives in the Thar Desert, mainly in Jaisalmer and Barmer districts of Rajasthan.
  • Other important habitats occur in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.
  • The bird is primarily found in dry grasslands and scrublands, which are rapidly declining due to agricultural expansion and development.
• Conservation Status:
  • IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered.

About Uranium Corporation of India Limited (UCIL):

• It is a Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE) under the Department of Atomic Energy.
• UCIL is the main organization that mines and processes uranium ore to meet the fuel needs of India’s nuclear power program.
• It plays an important role in the country’s nuclear power cycle and provides uranium for Pressurized Heavy Water Reactors.
• Over the past six decades, the corporation has developed expertise across underground and open-cast mining, ore processing, technology development, occupational safety, radiation protection, and environmental management.
• The company operates six underground mines (Bagjata, Jaduguda, Bhatin, Narwapahar, Turamdih, and Mohuldih) and one open pit (Banduhurang) in the state of Jharkhand.
• The ore produced from these mines is processed at two processing plants located in Jaduguda and Turamdih.
• UCIL also operates an underground mine and processing plant in Tummalapalli, Andhra Pradesh.

About Rachakonda Fort:

• It is a medieval hill fort located in Rachakonda village, Yadadri Bhuvanagiri district, Telangana.
• History:
  • The fort is closely associated with the Recherla Nayaks, who established Rachakonda as an important political and military centre after the decline of Kakatiya power.
  • Recherla Singama Nayak is traditionally credited with establishing the Rachakonda stronghold in the 14th century.
  • Rachakonda was taken by the Bahmani Sultanate in 1433 CE during its expansion in the Deccan.
• Architecture:
  • It is a good example of medieval Hindu fort architecture.
  • The fort is particularly noted for its large stone fortifications and cyclopean masonry, in which massive irregular stones were fitted together without conventional mortar.
  • The complex contains gateways, stone structures, temples, water-retaining structures, and extensive ruins spread across a rocky hill.
  • The fort has two concentric walls, with four gates on each side.
  • Among the structures reported at the site are historic Sri Rama temples and several Shaiva shrines, including structures locally identified with Shiva and Veerabhadra worship.
  • The fort is largely in ruins, and vegetation has grown around portions of the remains.

About Fleet Support Ship-1 (FSS-1):

• It is the first of five Fleet Support Ships being built for the Indian Navy.
• FSSs are being developed by Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL), Visakhapatnam, a state-owned shipbuilding company.
• The ships are the first of their kind being constructed in India.
• Purpose:
  • The FSS will supply ships at sea with fuel, water, ammunition, and supplies, allowing the Indian Naval fleet to stay at sea for longer periods.
  • Additionally, the vessels can transfer all types of stores, victuals, and personnel to naval vessels while they are at sea.
  • They will also be capable of handling multirole helicopters.
  • Furthermore, the vessels will be utilised for evacuating individuals and providing human assistance during disaster relief operations and delivering relief supplies quickly during natural disasters.
• Features:
  • The vessel will be equipped with diesel propulsion utilising a single-shaft configuration and a controllable pitch propeller.
  • The ship will feature a double bottom and double hull in the cargo hold areas to enhance the range and duration of naval combat missions.

About Jumping Genes:

• Jumping genes, scientifically called transposable elements (TEs) or transposons, are DNA sequences that move from one location on the genome to another.
• They are widespread in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes, often making up significant portions of an organism's genetic material.
• In humans, for instance, transposons account for approximately 50% of the genome, whereas in corn, they account for up to 90%.
• Types: Transposons can be grouped into distinct types based on 2 main criteria: their mechanism of movement and their independence.
  • They are classified as retrotransposons or DNA transposons, depending on how they move within the genome.
  • They are classified as autonomous or non-autonomous, based on whether they require other transposons for their mobility.
• Transposons have a dual nature as both a threat to genome stability and a driver of genetic diversity.
  • On the harmful side, they can inactivate genes or disrupt gene expression patterns by inserting into regulatory or coding regions, leading to diseases such as hemophilia, hypercholesterolemia and various cancers.
  • However, transposons also play a key part in evolution.
  • For instance, in plants, environmental stresses like climate change can trigger increased transposon activity, potentially giving rise to adaptive mutations that enhance survival.
• To counter the potentially damaging effects of transposons, most organisms have evolved epigenetic mechanisms to regulate their activity.
  • In humans, for example, regions of the genome rich in transposons are often tightly condensed so that the transcription machinery cannot access them.
  • This densely packed DNA is called heterochromatin, and it is formed through histone modifications (changes to the histone proteins around which the DNA is wound) and DNA methylation (the addition of methyl groups to cytosine bases).
• Other silencing mechanisms are based on RNAi or small RNAs, such as piRNAs, miRNAs, or siRNAs, to specifically target and inactivate transposons.
• While most TEs are located far away from genes in areas of the chromosome that can be thought of as gene deserts, some are located near genes and even target gene-rich regions.
• Transposons can also be useful tools in the lab, with applications in mutagenesis, transgenesis, and gene therapy.

About Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary:

• It is situated in the Bargarh district of Odisha.
• It is located near Hirakud Dam (the longest dam in India and the longest earthen dam in the world) on the Mahanadi River.
• It finds a special mention because of the state’s noted freedom fighter, Veer Surendra Sai.
  • During his rebellion against the British, his base at Barapathara was located within the sanctuary.
• Vegetation: Most of the plant sanctuary is covered with mixed and dry deciduous forest.
• Flora: Major trees found here are Sal, Asana, Bija, Aanla, Dhaura, etc.
• Fauna:
  • Indian leopards, sloth bears, chousingha (four-horned antelope), sambar deer, gaurs (Indian bison), wild boars, and Indian wild dogs (dholes) are among the notable animal residents.
  • It is one of the most flocked wintering grounds of migratory birds like crested serpent eagle, Flower Peckers, red-vented bulbul, tree pie, drongo, and white-eye oriental.

About Amber:

• It is a fossilized tree resin that has hardened and undergone chemical and geological changes over millions of years.
• Formation:
  • The resin that formed amber came from trees that grew millions of years ago.
  • Over time these trees and their resin became buried beneath Earth’s surface.
  • The trees eventually decayed and disappeared.
  • But the resin hardened further until it became amber.
  • Many pieces of amber contain the remains of insects or plants in the form of fossils. These living things were trapped in the resin before it hardened into amber.
  • Scientists study these creatures to learn how living things have changed over millions of years.
• Amber has been found throughout the world. However, most of it comes from the shores of the Baltic Sea in northern Europe. This amber is buried in sands that are 40 million to 60 million years old.
• Appearance:
  • Amber occurs as irregular nodules, rods, or drop-like shapes in all shades of yellow with nuances of orange, brown, and, rarely, red.
  • Milky-white opaque varieties are called bone amber.
• The turbidity of some amber is caused by inclusions of many minute air bubbles.
• Deeply coloured translucent to transparent amber is prized as gem material.
  • Ornamental carved objects, beads, rosaries, cigarette holders, and pipe mouthpieces are made from amber.
• Amberoid, or “pressed amber,” is produced by fusing together small pieces of amber under pressure. Parallel bands, or flow structure, in amberoid help to distinguish it from natural amber.

About Southern Right Whale:

• The Southern right whale (Eubalaena australis) is a baleen whale, one of three species classified as right whales.
• Distribution:
  • They live across the Southern Hemisphere, generally ranging between 20°S and 60°S latitude.
  • They usually live in sheltered bays, but in summer they can be found in the cold water around Antarctica. 
  • Southern right whales visit the South African coast from May to November each year.
• Characteristics:
  • They are carnivores (plankrivores) and eat small plankton, including copepods, and pelagic larval crustaceans.
• Conservation Status:
  • IUCN Red List: Least Concern.

About Plague:

• Plague is an infectious disease caused by the bacteria Yersinia pestis, usually found in small mammals and their fleas.
• Transmission:
  • It is transmitted between animals through fleas.
  • Humans can be infected through: infected flea bites, contact with infected animal tissues or fluids and in the case of pneumonic plague inhalation of respiratory particles from an infected person or animal.
• Types of Plague
  • Bubonic Plague:
    • It is the most common form of plague and is caused by the bite of an infected flea.
    • Plague bacillus, Y. pestis, enters at the bite and travels through the lymphatic system to the nearest lymph node where it replicates itself.
    • The lymph node then becomes inflamed, tense and painful, and is called a ‘bubo’.
    • At advanced stages of the infection, the inflamed lymph nodes can turn into open sores
  • Pneumonic Plague:
    • It is the most virulent form of plague.
    • Transmission: It transmits through respiratory droplets or particles from an infected person can infect another person, particularly during close and sustained contact.
  • Septicaemic Plague:
    • It occurs when pestis multiplies rapidly in the bloodstream.
    • It can develop from any other form of plague.
  • Treatment for Plague:
    • There is no routinely recommended plague vaccination for the general public.
    • Antibiotics and supportive therapy are effective against plague if patients are diagnosed in time.