UPSC Essentials brings to you its initiative of subject-wise quizzes. These quizzes are designed to help you revise some of the most important topics from the static part of the syllabus. Each day, we will cover one new subject. Attempt today’s subject quiz on Environment, Geography, Science and Technology to check your progress. Come back tomorrow to solve the Economy Quiz.

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With reference to the Himadri station, consider the following statements:

1. It is situated in the Svalbard region.

2. It is a place for global scientific research facilitated by Russia.

3. The atmospheric science facility of India is Gruvebadet Observatory.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

Consider the following pairs:

     (Dam)                      (Location)

1. Jamrani                    Sikkim

2. Mullaperiyar       Andhra Pradesh

3. Pong                    Jammu and Kashmir

How many of the pairs given above are correctly matched?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

Consider the following statements:

1. Sickle cell disease and thalassaemia are caused by errors in the gene for haemoglobin.

2. Gene therapy uses the patient’s own blood stem cells, which are precisely edited using Crispr-Cas9.

3. BCL11A is crucial for switching from foetal to adult haemoglobin, is targeted by the therapy.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

Consider the following statements about Codex Alimentarius:

1. It is also known as Food Code, a collection of standards, guidelines and codes of practice.

2. It is a joint intergovernmental body of the Food and Agriculture Organization and World Trade Organization.

3. India is not a member of Codex Alimentarius.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

Xenobots are the world’s first “living machines” that are built from the cells of:

(a) Goat

(b) Monkey

(c) African clawed frog

(d) Humans

FYI:

— The Himadri station is situated in the Ny-Alesund region of Svalbard, which is the designated place for global scientific research in Svalbard, facilitated by Norway. Hence, statement 1 is correct and statement 2 is not correct.

— It is a small station with facilities for laboratories and accommodation for eight people.

— India has an atmospheric science facility called Gruvebadet Observatory that houses various atmospheric observation networks. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

— The Arctic region has unique problems in terms of limited access, harsh climate, several months of darkness, and, most critically, the presence of deadly species such as polar bears.

— The observations from the Himadri station’s year-round activities will fill a knowledge deficit and data gap during winter polar nights, particularly in atmospheric and biological sciences and space physics.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

FYI:

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

FYI:

— Both sickle cell disease and thalassaemia are caused by errors in the gene for haemoglobin, a protein in the red blood cells that carry oxygen to organs and tissues. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— The gene therapy uses the patient’s blood stem cells, which are precisely edited using Crispr-Cas9. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

— A gene called BCL11A, which is crucial for switching from foetal to adult haemoglobin, is targeted by the therapy. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

— Foetal haemoglobin, which is naturally present in everyone at birth, does not carry the same abnormalities as adult haemoglobin. The therapy uses the body’s own mechanisms to start producing more of this foetal haemoglobin, alleviating the symptoms of the two conditions.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

FYI:

— India was unanimously elected as a member representing the Asian region in the Executive Committee of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) during its 46th meeting at FAO Headquarters in Rome.

— The Codex Alimentarius or “Food Code” is a collection of standards, guidelines and codes of practice adopted by the Codex Alimentarius Commission. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— The Codex Alimentarius Commission is a joint intergovernmental body of the Food and Agriculture Organization and World Health Organization. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

— Currently, it has 189 members and India is a member. Hence, statement 3 is not correct.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

FYI:

— Scientists in the United States have created the world’s first “living machines” — tiny robots built from the cells of the African clawed frog, that can move around on their own.

— They have named the millimetre-wide robots “xenobots” — after the species of aquatic frog found across sub-Saharan Africa from Nigeria and Sudan to South Africa, Xenopus laevis.

— The xenobots “can move toward a target, perhaps pick up a payload (like a medicine that needs to be carried to a specific place inside a patient) — and heal themselves after being cut.

— The new creatures were designed on a supercomputer at the university, and then assembled and tested by biologists at Tufts University.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

Daily subject-wise quiz — Polity and Governance (Week 43)

Daily Subject-wise quiz — History, Culture, and Social Issues (Week 43)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Environment, Geography, Science and Technology (Week 42)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Economy (Week 42)

Daily subject-wise quiz – International Relations (Week 42)

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