Rapid Fire
Rapid Fire Current Affairs
- 16 Feb 2023
- 4 min read
Omorgus Khandesh: Keratin Bettle
A new beetle species named Omorgus Khandesh has been discovered in India. The beetle is important for forensic science as it helps detect the time of death of an animal or human.
It is necrophagous (eats dead or decaying animal flesh) and is, therefore, also called a keratin beetle. The new species belongs to the Trogidae family. With the addition of this new species, now there are a total of 14 extant species of this family in India.
The beetles of this group are sometimes called hide beetles as they tend to cover their body under the soil and hide. They are not photogenic; they are usually black or grey and encrusted in the dirt. Their bumpy appearance is distinct, with short, dense setae all over the body.
DHARA 2023
Recently, Driving Holistic Action for Urban Rivers (DHARA), the annual meeting of the members of the River Cities Alliance (RCA), was organised by the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) in association with the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA).
DHARA 2023 will provide a platform to co-learn and discuss solutions for managing local water bodies. DHARA 2024 will take place in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh.
Ghat Par Yoga session, a novel initiative under Namami Gange Programme was organised on Mulla Mutha River, Pune. This meeting had strong synergies with the Urban20 (U20) initiative under the ambit of India’s G20 Presidency.
It was recommended that every city should have natural fillers as promoted under the Catch the Rain campaign launched on the occasion of World Water Day 2021.
Read More: Namami Gange Programme, G20, World Water Day, National Mission for Clean Ganga
Cyclone Gabrielle
New Zealand stepped up recovery efforts after Cyclone Gabrielle left at least five people dead and displaced 9,000.
Cyclones are rapid inward air circulation around a low-pressure area. The air circulates in an anticlockwise direction in the Northern hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern hemisphere. There are two types of cyclones: Tropical cyclones and Extra-Tropical cyclones.
New Zealand comprises two main islands—the North and the South Islands and a number of small islands. The country also has a unique array of vegetation and animal life. It was the first country to allow women to vote in 1893. New Zealand's wetapunga, one of the heaviest insects in the world, can weigh more than a sparrow.
Read More: India-New Zealand Relations, Cyclone
Agasthyarkoodam
Agasthyarkoodam peak located in the Western Ghat was once home to a forgotten and long-lost 19th-century observatory established by a Scottish meteorologist John Allan Broun.
Magnetic observatories continuously measure and record Earth’s magnetic field at a number of locations. The first geomagnetic observatory of India was set up in Alibag and was named the Alibag Magnetic Observatory. Established in 1904, this observatory is one of its kind in the entire Asia.
Agasthyarkoodam peak was named after the sage Agasthya; this popular pilgrim site is one of the highest peaks in Kerala. It has long been known as a bird watcher’s paradise. It is also known for its remarkable flora and fauna, especially certain rare medicinal herbs.
Read More: Western Ghats
