CURRENT-AFFAIRS

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• A resident of New Hampshire, USA, has recently passed away due to the rare mosquito-borne Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) virus, according to health officials.
• About Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE):
  • Overview: Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) is a rare but severe and often fatal viral infection caused by the EEE virus (EEEV).
  • Impact on Health: EEE leads to encephalitis, which is inflammation of the brain.
  • Host Range: The EEE virus can infect various animals, including mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians.
  • Transmission: EEEV is transmitted to mammals (including humans and horses) through mosquito bites. Mosquitoes become infected by feeding on birds and then spread the virus to other animals and humans.
  • Human Cases: While human cases of EEE are infrequent, they can result in serious illness.
• Symptoms:
  • Onset: Symptoms usually appear 4-10 days after being bitten by an infected mosquito.
  • Mild to Severe: Some individuals may not show symptoms. Severe cases start with a sudden headache, high fever, chills, and vomiting, which can escalate to disorientation, seizures, encephalitis, and coma.
  • Prognosis: Approximately 30% of individuals with EEE die, and many survivors face long-term neurological damage.
• Treatment:
  • Preventive Measures: There are no vaccines available to prevent EEE in people.
  • Management: Treatment is supportive, involving hospitalization, respiratory support, intravenous fluids, and efforts to prevent secondary infections.

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• The Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) has recently identified two new spider species, Mimetus spinatus and Mimetus parvulus, in the southern Western Ghats.
• About Mimetus spinatus and Mimetus parvulus:
  • Discovery Location: Mimetus spinatus and Mimetus parvulus were found in the Mookambika Wildlife Sanctuary in Karnataka and the Ernakulam district in Kerala, respectively.
  • Habitat: Both species were discovered in the southern Western Ghats, a renowned biodiversity hotspot.
• Features:
  • Family: These spiders are members of the Mimetidae family, also known as pirate or cannibal spiders due to their distinctive predatory behavior.
  • Behavior: They are known for infiltrating other spiders' webs and imitating vibrations to trick and kill the host spider.
  • Mimetus spinatus: This species is medium-sized with a pale yellow head and a dull grey-white abdomen marked with light green mottling. It is noted for its long, black, spine-like hairs on the dorsal head, which led to its name.
  • Mimetus parvulus: This species has a pale creamy-rose head with dense grey-black mottling and a dull grey-white, triangular-shaped abdomen.
• Historical Significance:
  • Genera Report: The discovery is significant as it represents the first report of the Mimetus genus in India in 118 years, following the last Mimetus species identified, Mimetus indicus.
  • Current Count: With these additions, the number of Mimetus species documented in India rises to three, all found in the southern region of the country.

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• The Maharashtra government has recently designated 1,500 geoglyphs, spread across 70 sites within a 210-square-kilometre area of Ratnagiri district, as ‘protected monuments’.
• About Geoglyphs:
  • Definition: A geoglyph is a large-scale design created on the surface of the earth.
  • Composition: These designs are typically made from elements like stones, gravel, or earth, and usually span more than four meters.
  • Visibility: Geoglyphs are often difficult to discern or recognize from the ground but are clearly visible and appreciated from the air.
• Types:
  • Positive Geoglyph: Created by arranging materials on the ground, similar to petroforms, which are patterns made using boulders.
  • Negative Geoglyph: Formed by removing part of the natural surface to reveal differently colored or textured ground, akin to petroglyphs.
  • Arborglyph: A variation where plants are seeded in specific designs; these geoglyphs take years to mature as they depend on plant growth.
  • Chalk Giants: Another type involves carving into hillsides to expose the underlying bedrock, often referred to as ‘chalk giants’.
• Examples:

Notable Geoglyphs: The famous Nasca Lines in Peru and the hill carvings in southern England, such as the Uffington White Horse and the Cerne Giant, are well-known examples of geoglyphs.

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• Using the European Southern Observatory's (ESO) Very Large Telescope (VLT), astronomers have recently discovered a quasar that has been described as the "brightest of its kind" and the "most luminous object ever observed."
• About Quasars:
  • Definition: A quasar is an exceptionally bright and energetic type of Active Galactic Nucleus (AGN).
  • AGN Explained: An AGN is essentially a supermassive black hole actively feeding at the center of a galaxy. While all quasars are AGNs, not all AGNs qualify as quasars.
  • Origin of the Name: The term "quasar" is short for quasi-stellar radio source, as these objects were first identified in 1963 as star-like sources of radio waves.
  • Characteristics: Quasars are intense emitters of both X-rays and visible light, making them the most powerful X-ray sources known. They are among the most luminous and energetic objects in the universe.
• Formation and Structure:
  • Formation: Quasars are believed to form in regions of the universe with exceptionally high matter density.
  • Active Galaxy Dynamics: In an active galaxy, a supermassive black hole consumes vast amounts of matter. This matter forms a spiraling accretion disk around the black hole.
  • Accretion Disk: As matter falls into the disk, it orbits the black hole at varying speeds, with inner regions moving faster than outer ones. This creates shear forces that twist and compress the material, leading to high-speed collisions among gas clouds.
  • Heat and Light: The friction from these collisions heats the disk to millions of degrees, causing it to emit intense light. Additionally, some material is expelled in a highly luminous, magnetically collimated jet.
  • Visibility: The combined brightness of the accretion disk and the jet makes the quasar's nucleus shine so brightly that it can be seen across vast distances in the universe. The most luminous quasars can outshine all the stars in their host galaxies, making them visible even at billions of light-years away.
• Observational Notes:
  • Distance: Most quasars are observed at distances of billions of light-years from Earth, highlighting their extraordinary luminosity and the vast scales of the universe.

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• A lepidopterist from Mumbai recently documented 85 butterfly species during a four-day expedition to the Tale Wildlife Sanctuary in Arunachal Pradesh's Lower Subansiri district.
• About Talley Valley Wildlife Sanctuary:
  • Location: The sanctuary is situated in the Lower Subansiri district of Arunachal Pradesh.
  • Area and Altitude: Covering 337 square kilometers, it is located at an altitude of 2,400 meters.
  • Rivers: Major rivers such as the Pange, Sipu, Karing, and Subansiri flow through the sanctuary.
  • Local Community: The Apatani tribe resides within the sanctuary, known for their distinct customs, traditions, and artisanal crafts.
• Flora:
  • Vegetation: The sanctuary features a diverse range of subtropical and alpine forests, including silver firs, ferns, orchids, bamboo, and rhododendrons.
  • Unique Species: The bamboo species Pleioblastus simone is found exclusively in Talley Valley.
  • Medicinal Plants: The area is also rich in medicinal plants and herbs used by the local tribes for traditional healing.
• Fauna:
  • Wildlife: The sanctuary is home to a variety of animal species, including elephants, barking deer, giant squirrels, porcupines, leopards, clouded leopards, and wild boars.

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• Scientific Name: Geronticus eremita
• Conservation Status: Endangered (previously Critically Endangered)
• Historical Range: This species was once native to Central Europe until the 17th century and was also found in North Africa and the Arabian Peninsula.
• Extinction in Europe: By the 17th century, excessive hunting led to the species' extinction in Central Europe. Thanks to the efforts of biologist Johannes Fritz and the Waldrappteam, the population has rebounded from zero to nearly 300 since 2002, shifting its status from "Critically Endangered" to "Endangered."
• Distinctive Features: The Northern Bald Ibis is recognized by its black plumage with an iridescent green sheen, a distinctive bald red head with black markings, and a long, downward-curved beak. Its red beak and legs contrast sharply with its dark feathers. There is no noticeable sexual dimorphism in this species.