- CHANDRAYAAN’S ChaSTE TAKES THE MOON’S TEMPERATURE
SUBJECT: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
- Measure lunar surface and subsurface temperatures near the south pole. This data helps determine the presence and prevalence of water ice.
- Mechanism:A 10-sensor thermal probe penetrates the lunar soil using a rotation-based deployment mechanism. The probe measures temperature at different depths up to 10 cm.
- Success:ChaSTE successfully deployed its probe, marking the first successful penetration and temperature measurement of a celestial body’s soil after previous missions (Philae on Comet 67P and InSight’s HP3 on Mars) faced challenges.
- Key Difference:Unlike the hammering mechanisms used by Philae and InSight, ChaSTE employed a rotating mechanism, enabling successful probe deployment and data collection.
- Significance:ChaSTE’s data suggests a higher prevalence of water ice on the moon than previously anticipated. This information is crucial for future lunar missions and resource utilization.
2. ENSURE EDUCATION, HYGIENE, HEALTHCARE IN RURAL AREAS
SUBJECT: SOCIAL ISSUES
- SC dismissed a plea to direct States to set up public libraries in every village.
- Justice Surya Kant emphasized basic amenities like hygiene, education, and healthcare must take precedence in rural infrastructure.
- Libraries are important but not the most urgent rural requirement. Budgetary Allocation Direction
- Court stated that10%–15% of States’ budgets must be earmarked for basic rural infrastructure to realize development goals. Perspective on Libraries
- Libraries help spread constitutional and civic values but are secondary to urgent needs like mid-day meals, water, and schooling infrastructure. India-specific Angle
- SC urged States to prioritize as per local realities, considering both constitutional literacy and ground-level needs.
- Emphasized need for policy discretion by States, not judicial imposition on budget decisions
3. MYANMAR EARTHQUAKE OCCURRED
SUBJECT: GEOGRAPHY
- On March 28, a powerful earthquake of magnitude 7.0hitcentral Myanmar, ~20 km from Mandalay (second-largest city).
- Followed by aftershocks, including one of6.4 magnitude, a few minutes later.
- Part of Saging Fault, one of the most active strike-slip faults in Southeast Asia.
- Impact – Devastating effects: Thousands feared dead/injured, major infrastructure damage in Myanmar.
- Thailand and Bangkok(1000 km away) experienced tremors, likely amplified by local geology and water-saturated sediments.
- Historical monuments in Bagan city(UNESCO site) also damaged –similar to 2016
- Geological Explanation
- Southeast Asia –Active Tectonic Region
- Lies at the junction of the Burma Plate and Sunda Plate, with multiple strike-slip and convergent boundaries.
- Sagging Fault:
- A continental transform fault, ~1,400 km long.
- Moves ~21 mm/year.
- Similar to San Andreas Fault (USA).
- One side slides past the other horizontally.
- Southeast Asia is seismically active due to plate interactions involving:
- Indian Plate
- Sunda Plate
- Eurasian Plate
- Burma Plate
4. DIGITAL CHILD ABUSE. THE DANGER OF AI – BASED EXPLOITATION
SUBJECT: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
- UK’s AI Safety Institute flags rise in AI-generated Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM).
- Proposed law criminalizes possession, use, and dissemination of AI generated CSAM—shifting from act-based to tool-centric accountability.
- India’s Current Scenario – NCRB recorded1.94 lakh child pornography incidents(2024).
- 69,000 cyber tip-line reports shared via NCMEC (USA).
- India’s laws (POCSO, IT Act) lack provisions for AI-generated CSAM.
- Legal Gaps in India – Current laws punish publishing or sharing explicit content but lack clarity on AI-generated material.
- No recognition of CSAM as a separate category; legislative ambiguity persists.
- Proposed Reforms – Replace “child pornography” with “CSAM”.
- Broaden “sexually explicit” to include digital representations.
- Expand “intermediary” definition to include VPNs and Cloud services.
- International Models – UK law and UN’s Convention on Countering Cybercrime offer robust frameworks.
5. T.N ADOPTS RESOLUTION ON RETRIEVAL OF KATCHATHEEVU
SUBJECT: STATES
- Tamil Nadu Assembly adopted a resolution on the retrieval of Katchatheevu island on Wednesday.
- Chief Proponent: The resolution was moved by Chief Minister M.K. Stalin.
- Retrieval of Katchatheevu: The resolution calls for the Union government to take steps to retrieve Katchatheevu from Sri Lanka.
- Reasoning: The retrieval is viewed as the only permanent solution to protect the traditional fishing rights of Tamil Nadu fishermen.
- Review of 1974 Agreement: The resolution urges the Central government to review the Indo-Sri Lankan Agreement of 1974which ceded the island to Sri Lanka.
- Call for Diplomatic Action: Prime Minister’s Role: It demands that the Prime Minister raise the issue during his upcoming visit to Sri Lanka, specifically seeking the release of imprisoned Tamil Nadu fishermen and their impounded boats on a goodwill basis.
- Ongoing Fishermen Issues: Sri Lankan Navy Attacks: Continuous attacks on Tamil Nadu fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy, including arrests and boat seizures, have been a recurring issue.
- Political Discontent: Despite Sri Lanka’s political changes, the problems for Tamil Nadu fishermen persist.
- Modi’s 2014 Promise: CM Stalin reminded that PM Modi had promised no fishermen would be arrested if BJP came to power, but attacks have continued.
