Contents1 What is the News?2 What are Genetically Modified Mosquitoes(GMM)?3 Why were Genetically Modified Mosquitoes(GMM) developed?4 How are GM mosquitoes produced and used to control Ae. aegypti mosquitoes?5 What are the concerns regarding this method? What is the News? Oxitec, the UK-based company, has said that the first open-air study of Genetically Modified Mosquitoes(GMM) in… Continue reading Genetically modified mosquitoes for controlling vector-borne diseases? Successful trial gives hope
Tag: down to earth
A new pandemic has struck the world: Food inflation
What is the News? According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Food prices have increased by almost 75% since mid-2020. What has been the trend of Food Prices worldwide? Food prices are increasing at an unprecedented rate worldwide. For instance, the FAO World food price Index averaged 159.3 points in March 2022 breaking an… Continue reading A new pandemic has struck the world: Food inflation
Extinction threat: Vaquita porpoise global population down to only 10
What is the News? According to the United States Commission for Environmental Cooperation(CEC), Vaquita Porpoise is nearing extinction and immediate measures are needed to save the remaining population. Note: Porpoises are among the smallest members of the cetacean family (whales, porpoises and dolphins). They are only distant relatives of dolphins (they last had a common… Continue reading Extinction threat: Vaquita porpoise global population down to only 10
Nitrogen levels on a decline in ‘nitrogen-rich world’, plants and animals may face consequences: Study
Contents1 What is the News?2 What is Nitrogen?3 The decline in Nitrogen Availability4 Excess Human Production of Nitrogen What is the News? According to a report, an imbalance in nitrogen availability has been reported across the globe with some places having an excess and others a shortage of the element. What is Nitrogen? Nitrogen is… Continue reading Nitrogen levels on a decline in ‘nitrogen-rich world’, plants and animals may face consequences: Study
First Crisis, Then Catastrophe report: Quarter-billion people face extreme poverty in 2022 as the rich get richer: Oxfam
What is the News? Oxfam has released a report titled “First Crisis, Then Catastrophe”. What are the key findings of the report? Increase in Poverty: The combined impact of COVID-19, inequality and food price hikes could result in 263 million more people living in extreme poverty in 2022. This could result in a total of,… Continue reading First Crisis, Then Catastrophe report: Quarter-billion people face extreme poverty in 2022 as the rich get richer: Oxfam
Why time banking is a crucial tool to empower women
Context: Unpaid work is crucial for development of the society and economy, but is often invisible. Women perform 75% of the world’s unpaid care work. The largest source of women’s unpaid labor is domestic work. These include household chores like grocery shopping, cooking, cleaning as well as caregiving to the children, elderly and infirm. Contents1… Continue reading Why time banking is a crucial tool to empower women
Cleaning India’s air: What is the report card so far?
Context: An analysis of various steps taken by the government in this regard shows that much more needs to be done. Contents1 What is the present situation wrt the problem of air pollution in India?2 What are the various steps taken by the govt to address the issue?3 What has been the outcome of these… Continue reading Cleaning India’s air: What is the report card so far?
Air pollution kills: Study counts 100,000 premature deaths in 8 Indian cities
Contents1 What is the News?2 What are the key findings of the study?3 Increase in Pollutants3.1 Premature Deaths due to exposure to PM 2.5 What is the News? According to a study published in the journal Science Advances, there is a rapid degradation in air quality and an increase in urban exposure to air pollutants… Continue reading Air pollution kills: Study counts 100,000 premature deaths in 8 Indian cities
Researchers identified over 5,500 new viruses in the ocean, including a missing link in viral evolution
Contents1 What is the News?2 What are RNA Viruses?3 What did the researchers do?4 What did the researchers find out?5 What is the significance of these findings? What is the News? Researchers have identified more than 5,000 new RNA virus species in the world’s oceans. What are RNA Viruses? An RNA virus is a virus… Continue reading Researchers identified over 5,500 new viruses in the ocean, including a missing link in viral evolution
Good while it lasted – I: 6th mass extinction underway, courtesy humans
Contents1 What is the News?2 What is Mass Extinction?3 What is causing the sixth mass extinction?4 What do various reports say about the rate of extinction of species? What is the News? The sixth mass extinction is underway and the earth is losing species at an unprecedented rate. Hence, this marks the beginning of the… Continue reading Good while it lasted – I: 6th mass extinction underway, courtesy humans
