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- At the inaugural Sagarmatha Sambaad in Kathmandu, Nepal—named after Mount Everest (Sagarmatha) and held under the theme “Climate Change, Mountains, and the Future of Humanity”—India emphasized the urgent need for global cooperation to protect mountain ecosystems, particularly the Himalayas. These ecosystems are vital, supporting the livelihoods of 1.3 billion people, maintaining forest cover, feeding perennial rivers, and preserving biodiversity.
- India proposed a Five-Point Global Action Plan, calling for:
- Enhanced Scientific Cooperation to study cryospheric and hydrological changes;
- Building Climate Resilience through disaster preparedness and sustainable infrastructure;
- Empowering Mountain Communities by promoting green jobs and inclusive policymaking;
- Green Finance access as per the UNFCCC and Paris Agreement; and
- Recognition of Mountain Perspectives in global climate discourse.
- India has already initiated efforts like the National Mission on Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem, the SECURE Himalaya project, and support for ICIMOD, reflecting its commitment to mountain conservation.
- In a groundbreaking medical advancement, U.S. scientists have, for the first time, cured a baby of CPS1 deficiency—a rare genetic disorder—using a personalized CRISPR-based gene-editing therapy. CPS1 deficiency impairs the liver’s ability to break down waste products from protein metabolism, causing a dangerous buildup of ammonia in the body.
- Gene editing therapy works by directly modifying DNA to correct mutations, regulate gene activity, or introduce healthy genetic material. This innovative approach holds promise for treating challenging conditions like sickle cell disease, cystic fibrosis, and certain cancers.
- Gene editing can be done in two key ways:
- Somatic editing targets body cells (e.g., liver, blood), affecting only the treated individual.
- Germline editing alters DNA in reproductive cells or embryos, making the changes inheritable.
- Cutting-edge tools like CRISPR-Cas9, Zinc Finger Nucleases (ZFNs), and TALENs guide these precise edits, marking a new era in personalized genetic medicine.
- NASA satellites have recently detected a powerful solar flare, marked by an intense burst of superheated plasma erupting from the Sun in dramatic, "wing-like" formations. These phenomena, known as solar flares, are massive explosions on the Sun's surface that release energy, light, and high-speed particles into space. Often linked to coronal mass ejections (CMEs)—large expulsions of plasma and magnetic fields—solar flares can vary in intensity. They are classified from A-class (weakest) to X-class (strongest), with activity peaking during the solar maximum, the most active phase of the Sun’s 11-year cycle.
- Solar flares emit radiation across the electromagnetic spectrum, from X-rays and gamma rays to radio waves. Their impacts can be significant: they may trigger geomagnetic storms, causing radio blackouts, power grid disruptions, and brilliant auroras. Satellites are particularly vulnerable, as high-energy particles can disrupt GPS and communication systems. While Earth’s atmosphere protects us, astronauts and spacecraft remain exposed to radiation risks.