Rapid Fire Current Affairs | 07 Aug 2023

India's first-ever Gold Medal at the World Archery Championship

Recently, the Prime Minister extended congratulations to the Indian women's compound team comprising Jyothi Surekha Vennam, Parneet Kaur, and Aditi Gopichand Swami, for securing India's inaugural Gold medal at the World Archery Championship in Berlin.

  • Aditi Gopichand Swami became the youngest-ever senior world champion and the first Indian to win an individual compound gold medal at the World Archery Championships at the age of 17.
  • World Archery is the international federation for the Olympic and Paralympic sport of archery.
  • The organization was founded in 1931 and is responsible for regulating and promoting archery around the world.
  • World Archery is based in the Olympic capital of Lausanne, Switzerland.

Ancient Giant Whale: Perucetus Colossus

The recent identification of Perucetus colossus (the colossal whale from Peru), an ancient whale species, has redefined the understanding of marine giants. A study published in Nature reveals this colossal creature's remarkable features, potentially reshaping the narrative of gigantism in marine mammals.

  • The estimated skeletal mass of P. colossus exceeds that of any known mammal or aquatic vertebrate.
  • The partial skeleton includes 13 vertebrae, 4 ribs, and 1 hip bone, found in Southern Peru and believed to be around 39 million years old.
  • With an estimated body mass ranging between 85 and 340 tonnes and a length of 20 meters (66 feet), the newly discovered species challenges the blue whale's status as the heaviest animal. Although the blue whale remains longer, reaching over 100 feet (30 meters) in length.
  • The species displays the highest degree of bone mass increase observed, associated with shallow diving.
  • The trend towards gigantism in marine mammals might have originated earlier than previously believed.

Chandrayaan-3 Enters Lunar Orbit

Chandrayaan-3, India's ambitious lunar mission, has achieved a significant milestone by entering lunar orbit twenty-three days after its departure from Earth.

  • Chandrayaan-3 is India's third lunar mission and second attempt at achieving a soft landing on the moon's surface.
  • Orbits:
    • Lunar orbit: The curved path followed by a spacecraft as it revolves around the Moon.
    • Translunar: The trajectory that takes a spacecraft from Earth to a point beyond its orbit, en route to the Moon.
    • Earth orbit: The elliptical or circular path that a satellite or spacecraft traces around the Earth due to gravitational forces.

Read more: Chandrayaan-3

9th National Handloom Day

National Handloom Day is observed across India on August 7 every year.

  • The primary goal of celebrating Handloom Day is to promote the handloom and to recognise the efforts as well as skills of the community of weavers engaged in the sector.
  • It was first celebrated on August 7, 2015. The date holds historical significance, paying homage to the Swadeshi Movement launched on August 7, 1905, which championed indigenous industries and, particularly, handloom weavers.
  • Theme for National Handloom Day 2023: "Handlooms for Sustainable Fashion"

Read more: National Handloom Day, Swadeshi Movement