1. Drone Technology and Regulations in India.

• Drones- Click Here

2. Cryptocurreny

• Cryptocurrency- Click Here
• Digital payments,Blockchain,Cryptocurrency etc are new favorite areas of Prelims paper.

3. Fortified Foods

• As of now, five staples-salt, oil, milk, flour and rice are being fortified.
• In October 2016, FSSAI operationalized the Food Safety and Standards (Fortification of Foods) Regulations, 2016 for fortifying staples namely Wheat Flour and Rice (with Iron, Vitamin B12 and Folic Acid), Milk and Edible Oil (with Vitamins A and D) and Double Fortified Salt (with Iodine and Iron) to reduce the high burden of micronutrient malnutrition in India.
• The ‘+F’ logo has been notified to identify fortified foods.
• Food fortification can reduce or prevent the deficiency of one or more micro nutrients also known as “Hidden hunger” amongst the population.
• UPSC frequently asks questions from news related to FSSAI.

4. Organophosphates

• Used during Locust Attacks this year– Chlorpyrifos
  

• Organophosphates- Click Here
• Pollutants- UPSC generally asks questions on pollutants,pesticides,insecticides ,agricultural issues in news.

5. Lion Census

• Lion Census- Click Here
• Maldhari Tribes– PVTGs of Gujarat related to tiger conservation in Gir region.
• UPSC asks questions on tiger/lion census and PVTGs in news.

6. EIA Draft 2020

• EIA- Click Here

7. Coal Gasification

• Coal gasification is the process of producing syngas, a mixture consisting carbon monoxide (CO), hydrogen (H2), carbon dioxide (CO2), natural gas (CH4), and water vapour (H2O). During gasification, coal is blown with oxygen and steam while also being heated under high pressure. During the reaction, oxygen and water molecules oxidize the coal and produce syngas.
• Talcher Fertilizers Limited, a joint venture company in Odisha is working on coal gasification to produce neem-coated urea.
• Unconventional sources of energy- one of the favorite areas of Prelims question paper.

8. Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure

• CDRI- Click Here

9.The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB)

• Asked earlier also in Prelims exam
• The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) is a global initiative focused on “making nature’s values visible”. Its principal objective is to mainstream the values of biodiversity and ecosystem services into decision-making at all levels. It aims to achieve this goal by following a structured approach to valuation that helps decision-makers recognize the wide range of benefits provided by ecosystems and biodiversity, demonstrate their values in economic terms and, where appropriate, capture those values in decision-making.
• TEEB

10. Sahel Region Conflict 2020

• Sahel stretches from Senegal on the Atlantic coast, through parts of Mauritania, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Nigeria, Chad and Sudan to Eritrea on the Red Sea coast.
• JNIM, an umbrella coalition of four al-Qaeda-aligned groups, formed in March 2017. It aims to drive foreign forces out of Mali and to impose its version of Islamic law.
• Groups involved in fighting- Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS),Jama’at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM),Dan Na Ambassagou, Dogon, Dozo,Fulani, Koglweogo and other groups.
• Countires and group JNIM are important,rest names need not be remembered.
• UPSC has asked many questions on African conflicts in past such as questions on  Darfur Crisis,South Sudan conflict, Boko Haram militants in Nigeria.

11. Dtrack

• Dtrack Malware attack on India’s largest Nuclear Power Plant-Kundankulam Nuclear Power Plant

• Dtrack is a malware devised by the Lazarus APT group of North Korea and is known to infect critical systems related to industrial units. In the year 2017, it was devised to hack ATMs across South Korea by the North Korean intelligence and is now reported to be used on the digital infrastructure of India.

• Malwares, ransomwares are new focus areas in Prelims exam.

12. Avian Botulism

• It is caused by a bacterium called Clostridium botulinum and  affects the nervous system of birds, leading to flaccid paralysis in their legs and wings and neck- reason for death of migratory birds in Sambhar Lake.

13. MANAV

• Human Atlas Initiative launched by Dept of Biotechnology.For the first time, Indian scientists will be mapping every single tissue of the human body to have deeper understanding of the roles of tissues and cells linked to various diseases.

14. 3D Bio-Printing

• Three dimensional (3D) bioprinting is the utilization of 3D printing–like techniques to combine cells, growth factors, and biomaterials to fabricate biomedical parts that maximally imitate natural tissue characteristics. Generally, 3D bioprinting utilizes the layer-by-layer method to deposit materials known as bioinks to create tissue-like structures that are later used in medical and tissue engineering fields. Bioprinting covers a broad range of biomaterials.

15. Simulated Reality

• Simulated reality is the hypothesis that reality could be simulated—for example by quantum computer simulation—to a degree indistinguishable from “true” reality. It could contain conscious minds that may or may not know that they live inside a simulation. This is quite different from the current, technologically achievable concept of virtual reality. Virtual reality is easily distinguished from the experience of actuality; participants are never in doubt about the nature of what they experience. Simulated reality, by contrast, would be hard or impossible to separate from “true” reality.
• Last year question on Virtual and Augmented Reality have come,Simulated reality was in news this year.
  

16. Micro-RNA

• MicroRNAs (or miRNAs) comprise a novel class of small, non-coding endogenous RNAs that regulate gene expression by directing their target mRNAs for degradation or translational repression.
• MicroRNAs are small molecules, about 21 nucleotides long, and help in controlling the levels of proteins in the cell.  
• Researchers from National Centre for Biological Sciences, Bengaluru, and SASTRA University, Thanjavur, have discovered how small molecules called microRNAs are made in plants- The Hindu
• Biotech/ Genetic Engineering questions, specially related to DNA/RNA etc appear frequently in Prelims paper.m-RNA has been asked twice.

17. Indian Pangolin

• Scientists have, for the first time, radio-tagged the Indian pangolin, an endangered animal.

• The Indian pangolin, which resembles an ant-eater but dons a thick scaly skin, is hunted for meat and use in traditional Chinese medicine. Researchers say tagging the animal will help understand the habits of the reclusive, nocturnal animal.

• Pangolins are among the most trafficked wildlife species in the world. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature says these toothless animals have seen a rapid reduction in population. The projected population declines range from 50% to 80 % across the genus.

• Out of the eight species of pangolin, the Indian Pangolin and the Chinese Pangolin are found in India. Both these species are listed under Schedule I Part I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.

• Source – The Hindu. Endangered species in News.List will contain all endangered animals which have been in news this year.
  

18. GSAT 30

• India’s telecommunication satellite GSAT-30 was successfully launched into a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO) on January 17, 2020 from Kourou launch base, French Guiana by Ariane-5 VA-251.

  GSAT-30 is configured on ISRO’s enhanced I-3K Bus structure to provide communication services from Geostationary orbit in C and Ku bands. The satellite derives its heritage from ISRO’s earlier INSAT/GSAT satellite series.

  Weighing 3357 kg, GSAT-30 is to serve as replacement to INSAT-4A spacecraft services with enhanced coverage.  The satellite provides Indian mainland and islands coverage in Ku-band and extended coverage in C-band covering Gulf countries, a large number of Asian countries and Australia.

  The designed in-orbit operational life of GSAT-30 is more than 15 years.

19. ASTROSAT

• AstroSat is the first dedicated Indian astronomy mission aimed at studying celestial sources in X-ray, optical and UV spectral bands simultaneously. The payloads cover the energy bands of Ultraviolet (Near and Far), limited optical and X-ray regime (0.3 keV to 100keV). One of the unique features of AstroSat mission is that it enables the simultaneous multi-wavelength observations of various astronomical objects with a single satellite.

• Indian satellite AstroSat makes rare discovery- Indias first multi-wavelength satellite, which has five unique X-ray and ultraviolet telescopes working in tandem, AstroSat, has detected extreme-UV light from a galaxy, called AUDFs01, 9.3 billion light-yearsaway from Earth.
  

• Located 9.3 billion light years away, the galaxy is the first to have been observed in the extreme UV environment and it offers insights into the conditions of the early universe.

• Indian Satellite Makes Rare Disovery

20. Deinotherium indicum

• An extinct ancient elephant whose fossils have been found in Kutch, Gujarat.(The Hindu)
• Last year Denisovans- similar questions was picked from Hindu.

21. Biostratigraphy

• Biostratigraphy is the branch of stratigraphy that uses fossils to establish relative ages of rock and correlate successions of sedimentary rocks within and between depositional basins. A biozone is an interval of geologic strata characterised by certain fossil taxa. Such intervals are often defined by the first appearances (range bases), apparent extinctions (range tops/last appearances), or abundances of fossil index species. 
• The Hindu
• UPSC asks questions related to terms starting with word ‘Bio-‘ specially from current affairs.
  

22. Earliest Sanskrit inscription in South India found in A.P.

• In a significant find, the Epigraphy Branch of the Archaeological Survey of India has discovered the earliest epigraphic evidence so far for the Saptamatrika cult. It is also the earliest Sanskrit inscription to have been discovered in South India as on date.

• Saptamatrikas are a group of seven female deities worshipped in Hinduism as personifying the energy of their respective consorts. The inscription is in Sanskrit and in Brahmi characters and was issued by Satavahana king Vijaya in 207 A.D.

  • it was discovered in Chebrolu village in Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh
  • So far the Nagarjunakonda inscription of Ikshavaku king Ehavala Chantamula issued in his 11th regnal year corresponding to the 4th century A.D. was considered the earliest Sanskrit inscription in South India.

   The Hindu

23. Typbar TCV

• The WHO has approved a vaccine against typhoid fever, called Typbar TCV, short for typhoid conjugate vaccine. It is the only vaccine deemed safe enough for use in infants starting at 6 months of age. This vaccine is the first conjugate vaccine — a vaccine in which a weak antigen (of the typhoid germ) is attached to a strong antigen (from the tetanus germ) to elicit antibody responses — against a bacterial disease (typhoid) that “affects up to 20 million people annually.

• Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech has developed a typhoid vaccine (Typbar TCV) which has better efficacy than the previously used vaccinations in preventing typhoid fever.

• Pakistan is the first country to introduce the typhoid conjugate vaccine as part of its national immunisation programme.

24. Genome India Project

• Ministry of Science and Technology has approved an ambitious gene-mapping project called the Genome India Project (GIP). The project has been described by the researchers as the “first scratching of the surface of the vast genetic diversity of India”.
• The Genome India Project, a collaboration of 20 institutions including the Indian Institute of Science and some IITs, will enable new efficiencies in medicine, agriculture and the life sciences.
• Its aim is to ultimately build a grid of the Indian “reference genome”, to fully understand the type and nature of diseases and traits that comprise the diverse Indian population.
• The mega project hopes to form a grid after collecting 10,000 samples in the first phase from across India, to arrive at a representative Indian genome.
• The Genome India Project is inspired by theHuman Genome Project (HGP 1990-2003)– an international programme that led to the decoding of the entire human genome.
• UPSC has been focusing on Genome Sequencing and Genetic engineering related terms and projects in Prelims exam.
  

25. Quantum Computing

• Government in its Budget 2020 has announced the largest ever science mission- National Mission on Quantum Technologies & Applications (NMQTA).
• Quantum computing is the area of study focused on developing computer technology based on the principles of quantum theory, which explains the nature and behaviour of energy and matter on the quantum (atomic and subatomic) level.
• Quantum computers perform calculations based on the probability of an object’s state before it is measured – instead of just 1s or 0s – which means they have the potential to process exponentially more data compared to classical computers.
• In quantum computing, operations instead use the quantum state of an object to produce what’s known as a qubit. 
• Such algorithms would be useful in solving complex mathematical problems, producing hard-to-break security codes, or predicting multiple particle interactions in chemical reactions.
• Emergent Technolgies,and Budget related -so important for Prelims exam.

26. Stratospheric Aerosol injection

• It could cool the planet in a similar way to a large volcanic eruption. When a volcano erupts, it sends an ash cloud high into the atmosphere. The sulphur dioxide released in the plume combines with water to form sulfuric acid aerosols, which are able to reflect incoming sunlight.Researchers have proposed that artificially introducing aerosols into the atmosphere – via a plane or a high-altitude balloon – could have a similar cooling effect.
• Its a geoengineering method.
• UPSC has been focusing on important Geoengineering and Carbon sequestration related terminology.

27.  Seaweed Farming

• Seaweed farming or kelp farming is the practice of cultivating and harvesting seaweed. In its simplest form, it consists of the management of naturally found batches. In its most advanced form, it consists of fully controlling the life cycle of the algae.

Uses

1. Edible seaweed, or sea vegetables, are seaweeds that can be eaten and used in the preparation of food. They typically contain high amounts of fiber. They may belong to one of several groups of multicellular algae: the red algae, green algae, and brown algae.
2. Many seaweeds are used to produced derivative chemicals that can be used for various industrial, pharmaceutical or food products. Two major derivitative products are Carrageenan and Agar. 
3. Algae fuel, algal biofuel, or algal oil is an alternative to liquid fossil fuels that uses algae as its source of energy-rich oils. Also, algae fuels are an alternative to commonly known biofuel sources, such as corn and sugarcane.

• Farming practice mentioned in ATMANIRBHAR BHARAT ABHIYAAN, and related to Bio-fuels- important topic for Prelims.

28. Arsenic Pollution

• According to the latest report of the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB), 21 states across the country have pockets with arsenic levels higher than the Bureau of Indian Standards’ (BIS) stipulated permissible limit of 0.01 miligram per litre (mg/l).

• The states along the Ganga-Brahmaputra-Meghna (GBM) river basin — Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal and Assam — are the worst affected by this human-amplified geogenic occurrence.

• Arsenicosis is a chronic illness resulting from drinking water with high levels of arsenic over a long period of time (such as from 5 to 20 years). It is also known as arsenic poisoning. The recommends a limit of 0.01 mg/l of arsenic in drinking water.

• Pollutant related,also Arsenic contamination has come in past Prelims.

29. Green-Ag Project

• The Union government on July 28, 2020, launched the Green-Ag Project in Mizoram, to reduce emissions from agriculture and ensure sustainable agricultural practices.

• Mizoram is one of the five states where the project will be implemented. Other states include Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha and Uttarakhand.

• The project is designed to achieve multiple global environmental benefits in at least 1.8 million hectares (ha) of land in five landscapes, with mixed land use systems. It aims to bring at least 104,070 ha of farms under sustainable land and water management.

• The project will also ensure 49 million Carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2eq) sequestered or reduced through sustainable land use and agricultural practices.

• The Green-Ag Project is funded by the Global Environment Facility, while the Department of Agriculture, Cooperation, and Farmers’ Welfare (DAC&FW) is the national executing agency. Other key players involved in its implementation are Food and Agricultre Organization (FAO) and the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC).

• DownToEarth

30.  Maguri Motapung Beel- Assam Oil Spill

• Located less than 10 km south of Dibru-Saikhowa National Park is Maguri Motapung beel.
• It is spread over 9.6 sq. km. It derives its name, ‘Maguri’, from the local term for an invasive catfish, and Motapung is the name of the village nearby.
• Maguri Motapung beel was declared an Important bird and biodiversity area in 1996.
• It is host to over 110 bird species, including eight listed as threatened on the IUCN Redlist, such as the swamp grass babbler, the ferruginous duck, the white-winged wood duck and the falcated duck. Other rare and migratory birds that visit this wetland include the lesser adjutant, the swamp francolin, the lesser teal and the bar-headed goose.
• Maguri Motapung beel is also home to 84 species of fish, including the golden mahseer. Most of the people living in the beel‘s surrounding villages fish for living, and nearly 95% of them directly depend on the wetland, which is included in the Dibru-Saikhowa Biosphere Reserve. 
• The Maguri-Motapung Beel (wetlands, in Assamese) is 500m away from the oil well that exploded on June 9 in Assam and the oil spill had catastrophic effect on the wetlands.
• UPSC focuses on wetlands,oil spills related topics in Prelims paper.