GK & CA
Collection of weekly GK & CA since year 2016.
April, 2021
5057
Nasa successfully flies small helicopter on Mars
The American space agency has successfully flown a small helicopter on Mars.
The drone, called Ingenuity, was airborne for less than a minute, but Nasa is celebrating what represents the first powered, controlled flight by an aircraft on another world. (Source: bbc.com)
5056
Satoshi Nakamoto
Satoshi Nakamoto is the name used by the presumed pseudonymous person or persons who developed bitcoin, authored the bitcoin white paper, and created and deployed bitcoin's original reference implementation. As part of the implementation, Nakamoto also devised the first blockchain database. (Source: Wikipedia)
Sun, 25 Apr, 20215055
Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine
Sputnik V is a viral vector vaccine for COVID-19 developed by the Gamaleya Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology. Registered on 11 August 2020 by the Russian Ministry of Health as Gam-COVID-Vac (Source: Wikipedia)
Sun, 25 Apr, 20215054
PM CARES Fund allocates funds for 551 oxygen plants
The PM CARES Fund has approved allocation of funds for setting up 551 Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) medical oxygen generation plants at public health facilities in the country (Source: The Hindu)
Sun, 25 Apr, 20215052
A68: Iceberg
The iceberg that was for a time the biggest in the world is no more. A68, as it was known, covered an area of nearly 6,000 sq km (2,300 sq miles) when it broke away from Antarctica in 2017. (Source: bbc.com)
5051
Pressure swing adsorption (PSA)
A technology used to separate some gas species from a mixture of gases under pressure according to the species' molecular characteristics and affinity for an adsorbent material. It is used to supply medical oxygen, or as a substitute for bulk cryogenic or compressed-cylinder storage, which is the primary oxygen source for any hospital (Source: Wikipedia)
Sun, 18 Apr, 20215050
Kumbh Mela 2021 at Haridwar
The Kumbh Mela at Haridwar is held every 12 years at Haridwar, India. The exact date is determined according to Hindu astrology: the Mela is held when Jupiter is in Aquarius and the sun enters Aries. An Ardh Kumbh ("Half Kumbh") Mela is held six years after a Kumbh Mela (Source: Wikipedia)
5049
Remdesivir
Remdesivir, sold under the brand name Veklury, is a broad-spectrum antiviral medication developed by the biopharmaceutical company Gilead Sciences. During the COVID-19 pandemic, remdesivir was authorized for emergency use to treat COVID‑19 in around 50 countries. Remdesivir was originally developed to treat hepatitis C (Source: Wikipedia)
Sun, 18 Apr, 20215048
Nambi Narayanan
S. Nambi Narayanan is an Indian scientist and an aerospace engineer, Padma Bhushan awardee. The scientist was instrumental in developing the Vikas engine that would be used for the first PSLV that India launched. In 1994, he was falsely charged with espionage and arrested. (Source: Wikipedia)
5046
Saint Vincent volcano
The Caribbean island of St Vincent has been blanketed in a layer of ash, bringing major disruption after a volcano erupted on Friday.
White-coloured dust has covered buildings and roads around the island, including in its capital Kingstown (Source: bbc.com)
5045
Kangana Ranaut
Kangana Ranaut is an Indian actress and filmmaker, recipient of several awards, including 4 National Film Awards and four Filmfare Awards. In 2020, the Government of India honoured her with the Padma Shri, the country's fourth highest civilian award. (Source: Wikipedia)
5044
Barakah nuclear power plant
The Barakah nuclear power plant is the United Arab Emirates's first nuclear power station, the first nuclear power station in the Arabian Peninsula, and the first commercial nuclear power station in the Arab World. It consists of four APR-1400 nuclear reactors (one operating, three mostly completed). Total capacity is 5,600 MW (Source: Wikipedia)
Sun, 11 Apr, 20215043
Tribunals Reforms Ordinance
The government has issued an ordinance which does away with certain appellate tribunals, including the Film Certification Appellate Tribunal (FCAT) set up to hear appeals of filmmakers, and transfers their functions to other existing judicial bodies. (Source: The Hindu)
Sun, 11 Apr, 20215041
Justice N.V. Ramana
Justice N.V. Ramana set to take over as 48th Chief Justice of India. He was elevated to the Supreme Court on February 17, 2014 when he was the Chief Justice of Delhi High Court. Justice Ramana was born in an agricultural family on August 27, 1957 in Ponnavaram village in Krishna district. (Source: The Hindu)
Sun, 04 Apr, 20215040
HSN code
HSN stands for Harmonised System of Nomenclature code. It is mandatory for both B2B and B2C tax invoices on the supplies of Goods and Services. This was introduced in 1988 by the World Customs Organization (WCO) (Source: The Economic Times)
Sun, 04 Apr, 20215039
Indian Army Disbands Military Farms
In line with its reform measures, the Army on Wednesday disbanded its military farms after 132 years in service, including shutting down of the military farms, housing around 25,000 head of cattle, in the country. The farms were set up by the British to ensure supply of milk to Army units. (Source: NDTV)
Sun, 04 Apr, 20215038
Rajinikanth gets Dadasaheb Phalke Award
Rajinikanth, the larger-than-life superstar will be bestowed the government’s highest honour for Indian cinema, the Dadasaheb Phalke Award. (Source: The Indian Express)
5037
Chenab arch
A HALF-A-KILOMETER long arch, the defining feature of the world’s highest railway bridge over river Chenab, is set to be completed on Monday. The arch bridge over Chenab, is a major leap towards the completion of the 111-km long-winding stretch from Katra to Baniha (Source: The Indian Express)