Rapid Fire Current Affairs | 04 Nov 2023

Dinosaur-Killing Asteroid and Aftermath

Recent research published in the journal Nature Geoscience has revealed the significant role played by dust ejected into the atmosphere by an asteroid (Chicxulub Impactor) impact on Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula 66 million years ago.

This research was conducted based on paleoclimate simulations(PS) using sediment from a North Dakota paleontological site called Tanis.
- PS replicates Earth's climate for studying past climates and predicting future changes.
The impact caused wildfires, quakes and a climate catastrophe, darkening skies, dropping temperatures by 27°F, and blocking photosynthesis, vital for plant life, resulting in an "impact winter" with severe consequences.
Researchers calculated that the total amount of dust produced by the impact exceeded 2,000 gigatonnes, which was 11 times the weight of Mt. Everest, playing a key role in extinction.
The asteroid, 6-9 miles wide, ended the Cretaceous Period(which began 145 million years ago and ended 66 million years ago), causing three-quarters of species, including dinosaurs, to vanish. Meanwhile, small, adaptable mammals thrived and eventually rose as Earth's dominant species.
- Recovery took about 20 years, with pre-impact conditions returning in the same timeframe.

Read More: Asteroids

NMC's One Nation One Registration Platform

The National Medical Commission (NMC) plans to transform India's medical registration system with the 'One Nation, One Registration Platform' for easy access to medical practitioner information.

The NMC's initiative aims to eliminate duplication and bureaucratic hurdles, offering public access to information about every physician in India.
A National Medical Register(NMR) patch pilot will provide doctors with unique identification numbers for cross-state practice.
- A masked ID will be assigned to undergraduate students, which will be unmasked upon course completion, facilitating qualification updates and cross-state licensing.
- The NMR will centralize data on doctors, including qualifications, registration dates, specialities, and more, streamlining accessibility.
The NMC also outlines processes for additional qualifications, license renewal, and appeal options for rejected applications.

Read more: National Medical Commission (NMC)

Antarctic Avian Flu Outbreak

Scientists from the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) have identified the presence of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in the Antarctic region for the first time, raising significant concerns for the delicate populations of penguins and seals in the region.

The discovery found the HPAI in Brown Skua populations on Bird Island, South Georgia.
Avian influenza, often referred to as bird flu, is a highly contagious viral infection that primarily affects birds.
- In 1996, highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 virus was first identified in domestic waterfowl in Southern China.

Read more: Avian Influenza

IOM's Global Initiative for Legal Identity Solutions

Recently, a Legal Identity and Rights-Based Return Management Conference was organized by United Nations' International Organization for Migration (IOM) at Copenhagen, Denmark to promote dialogue between countries of origin and destination for people without legal identities.

It was highlighted that around one billion people globally lack a legal identity, impeding their access to services and freedom of movement, thereby leading to more hazardous and irregular migration routes.
The initiative was organized within the framework of IOM’s Global Programme Enhancing Readmission and Legal Identity Capacities (RELICA), launched in 2022.
IOM was established in 1951 and has its head office at Le Grand-Saconnex, Switzerland.