Current Affairs Reverse Engineering – CARE (20-06-2024)
| News at a Glance |
| Polity and Governance: New criminal laws from July 1, Centre approves ₹2,254 crore to upgrade forensics |
| International Relations: India and U.S. work out strategies to scale up collaboration on critical minerals under iCET |
| Science and Technology: AlphaFold 3 -impact on life sciences research |
| Ancient genomes reveal legacies of human sacrifice and medieval epidemics |
| Social Issues: About Juneteenth and its significance |
New criminal laws from July 1, Centre approves ₹2,254 crore to upgrade forensics
Source: The Hindu
UPSC Syllabus Relevance: GS 2- Polity and Governance
Context: National Forensic Infrastructure Enhancement Scheme (NFIES)
Why in News
- With the three new criminal laws set to come into effect from July 1, the Union Cabinet on June 19 approved the proposal of the Ministry of Home Affairs for the National Forensic Infrastructure Enhancement Scheme (NFIES) with a total financial outlay of ₹2,254.43 crore from 2024-25 to 2028-29.
Key Highlights
- The workload of forensic science laboratories is expected to increase as the enactment of the new criminal laws mandates forensic investigation for offences involving punishment of seven years or more.
- Further, there is a significant shortage of trained forensic manpower in the Forensic Science Laboratories (FSL) in the country.
- To meet this heightened demand, significant investment and enhancement in national forensic infrastructure is imperative.
National Forensic Infrastructure Enhancement Scheme (NFIES)
- The financial outlay of the Central Sector Scheme will be provisioned by the MHA from its budget.
- The establishment of additional off-campuses of the National Forensic Sciences University (NFSU) and new Central Forensic Science Laboratories (CFSLs) would address the shortage of trained forensic manpower, alleviate the caseload/pendency of forensic laboratories.
- It is in alignment with the Government of India’s goal of securing a high conviction rate of more than 90%.
- The Cabinet has approved new NFSU campuses, more CFSL facilities and enhancement of existing infrastructure on the Delhi campus of the NFSU.
- The scheme underscores the importance of high quality, trained forensic professionals in the timely and scientific examination of evidence for an efficient criminal justice process, leveraging the advancements in technology and evolving manifestations and methods of crime.
- The Cabinet has approved the following components under this Scheme:
- Establishment of Campuses of the National Forensic Sciences University (NFSU) in the country.
- Establishment of Central Forensic Science Laboratories in the country.
- Enhancement of existing infrastructure of the Delhi Campus of the NFSU.
Need for National Forensic Infrastructure Enhancement Scheme (NFIES)
- The Government of India is committed to put in place an effective and efficient criminal justice system, based on scientific and timely forensic examination of evidence.
- The scheme underscores the importance of high quality, trained forensic professionals in the timely and scientific examination of evidence for an efficient criminal justice process, leveraging the advancements in technology & evolving manifestations and methods of crime.
- With the enactment of the New Criminal Laws which mandates forensic investigation for offences involving punishment of 7 years or more, a significant increase in the workload of forensic science laboratories is expected.
- Further, there is a significant shortage of trained forensic manpower in the Forensic Science Laboratories (FSL) in the country.
- To meet this heightened demand, significant investment and enhancement in national forensic infrastructure is imperative.
- The establishment of additional off-campuses of the National Forensic Sciences University (NFSU) and new Central Forensic Science Laboratories (CFSLs) would address the shortage of trained forensic manpower, alleviate the case load / pendency of forensic laboratories, and align with the Government of India’s goal of securing a high conviction rate of more than 90%.
| CARE MCQ | UPSC PYQ |
Q1. Consider the following statements with respect to National Forensic Infrastructure Enhancement Scheme (NFIES):
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
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Q. Consider the following statements:
1. No criminal proceedings shall be instituted against the Governor of a State in any court during his term of office. 2. The emoluments and allowances of the Governor of a State shall not be diminished during his term of office. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? a) 1 only b) 2 only c) Both 1 and 2 d) Neither 1 nor 2 Ans: C |
| Answer 1 – A
Explanation:
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India and U.S. work out strategies to scale up collaboration on critical minerals under iCET
Source: The Hindu
UPSC Relevance: GS2- International relations
Context: About India-US Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET)
Why in News
- India and the United States are forging ahead with their strategic partnership in critical and emerging technologies, as evidenced by the second meeting of the India-US Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET).
Key Highlights
- India and the U.S. are looking to “quickly” conclude a bilateral agreement on furthering cooperation on critical minerals.
- The agreement will be held between the U.S. Department of Commerce and the Indian Ministry of Commerce and Industry and the Ministry of Mines.
- It will aim to drive a partnership in supply chains for graphite, gallium, and germanium.
- One of the aims will be to promote “India’s vital role in the mineral security partnership, including through co-investing in a lithium resource project in South America and a rare earths deposit in Africa, to responsibly and sustainably diversify critical mineral supply chains.
- Initiative for Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET) dialogue, chaired by the National Security Advisers of the countries.
Indian Efforts
- In July 2023, India released a list of 30 minerals critical for the country and has been looking to acquire mines abroad in addition to expanding exploration within the country.
- To enable this, the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 was amended through the MMDR Amendment Act, 2023.
- India has incorporated a joint venture company Khanij Bidesh India Ltd. (KABIL) with equity contribution from three Central Public Sector Enterprises — National Aluminium Company Ltd, Hindustan Copper Ltd and Mineral Exploration and Consultancy Ltd — with the objective of acquiring critical mineral assets abroad to ensure consistent supply of critical and strategic minerals to the Indian domestic market.
- KABIL is presently exploring opportunities for acquisition of critical minerals assets like lithium and cobalt in Australia, Argentina and Chile.
- The Ministry of Mines has already joined the mineral security partnership led by the U.S. which aims to enhance cooperation in securing the supply chain of critical minerals for the member countries by facilitating investment in identified blocks of these minerals in resource-rich countries.
India US Ties
- The establishment of an India-U.S. advanced materials research and development forum to expand collaboration between American and Indian universities, national laboratories, and private sector researchers.
- Exploring opportunities for collaboration in the critical minerals sector like bilateral collaboration in technologies for neodymium-iron-boron metal, alloy and magnet making, and collaboration with Department of Energy entities, are also listed among the aims.
- Indian collaboration with U.S. organisations and companies for carrying out research studies for beneficiation of critical minerals, including lithium, titanium, gallium, and vanadium, is also part of the plan.
- Effort is also on for a collaborative programme between the Geological Survey of India and the U.S. Geological Survey on exploration, characterisation and evaluation of rare earth elements and critical mineral deposits.
- The government launched the first tranche of e-auction of 20 blocks of critical and strategic minerals such as lithium, rare earth elements, platinum group of minerals, nickel and potash, aimed at creating a “steady supply of these minerals, thus reducing our reliance on imports and ensuring a more secure and resilient supply chain”.
Initiative for Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET) dialogue
- The iCET initiative was launched by India and the US in May 2022, and is being run by the National Security Councils of both countries.
- Under iCET, the both countries have identified six areas of cooperation which would include co-development and co-production, that would gradually be expanded to QUAD, then to NATO, followed by Europe and the rest of the world.
- Under iCET, India is ready to share its core technologies with the US and expects Washington to do the same.
- Six Areas of Cooperation: The six areas for cooperation are scientific research and development; quantum and artificial intelligence, defense innovation, space, advanced telecom which would include things like 6G and semiconductors.
- iCET would forge closer linkages between government, academia and industry of the two countries.
- The objective is to provide cutting edge technologies to the rest of the world which are affordable.
- The launch of the ambitious iCET dialogue is seen as “an alignment of strategic, commercial and scientific approaches” in the field of technology.
Significance
- Securing long-term supply of these minerals is especially important as India looks to reduce its carbon footprint by significantly scaling up the share of green technologies in its energy mix.
- Critical and deep-seated minerals such as cobalt, lithium, nickel, gold, silver, and copper are difficult to explore and mine as compared to surfical or bulk minerals, the government statement noted in December, while adding that the country is mostly dependent on imports of these minerals.
Critical Minerals
- Critical minerals are those minerals that are essential for economic development and national security, the lack of availability of these minerals or concentration of extraction or processing in a few geographical locations may lead to supply chain vulnerabilities and even disruption of supplies.
- It is a dynamic process, and it can evolve over time as new technologies, market dynamics, and geopolitical considerations emerge.
- Different countries may have their own unique lists of critical minerals based on their specific circumstances and priorities.
- The US has declared 50 minerals critical in light of their role in national security or economic development.
| CARE MCQ | UPSC PYQ |
Q2. Consider the following statements:
Which of the statements given above are correct?
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Q. Recently, there has been a concern over the short supply of a group of elements called ‘rare earth metals’. Why? (2012)
Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (a) 1 only (b) 2 and 3 only (c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3 Ans: C |
| Answer 2– A
Explanation:
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AlphaFold 3 – Impact on life sciences research
Source: The Hindu
UPSC Relevance: GS 3– Science and Technology
Context: Protein-folding problem and AlphaFold 3
Why in News
- In a Nature paper published in May 2024, scientists at DeepMind led by John Jumper introduced AlphaFold 3, building on its predecessors with even more transformative capabilities.
Significance of proteins and protein-folding problem
- Proteins are one of the most important molecules of life, with almost every biological function from birth to death being regulated by them in some way.
- Each protein is made up of a string of smaller building blocks called amino acids, which contain all the information to transform proteins — from a single sequence to a folded, functional 3D structure.
- The steps a protein takes to go from its straight form to its final form are too many to count and too hard to follow, leaving the question of how every protein folds — the famous protein-folding problem — unanswered.
AlphaFold
- Google DeepMind’s protein-structure prediction software AlphaFold was launched in 2020.
- The original AlphaFold was trained on the thousands of sequences and protein structures present in the protein data bank, a giant protein repository where scientists submit experimentally determined protein structures.
- AlphaFold uses machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) to accurately predict protein structures from an amino acid sequence, seemingly solving the protein-folding problem without learning any of the deeper physical principles that drive this biological process.
- They changed more drastically in 2021 with the highly improved AlphaFold 2.
- AlphaFold 2 predicted the structure of proteins with revolutionary levels of accuracy.
AlphaFold 3
- AlphaFold 3 can predict protein-protein interactions as well as the structures of other molecules like DNA and RNA, along with the interactions of proteins with all these other compounds.
- AlphaFold 3 is even more accurate for proteins, but can also predict the structure of DNA, RNA, and all the other molecular components that make up biology.
- The interaction of all these biomolecules is what makes up the processes of life, so it is important to be able to predict the structure of these interactions.
- Apart from being able to give us a lot more insight into biological processes, the new AlphaFold is also more usable by scientists who aren’t experts in machine learning.
- AlphaFold 3 uses a diffusion model, which is what image-generating software also uses.
- The model works by first training on protein structures, adding noise to the data, and then trying to de-noise it.
- This way, the model becomes able to work its way back from a noisy structure to a real protein structure.
- This architecture also helps AlphaFold 3 handle a much larger input dataset.
Significance
- Proteins use a language of 20 amino acids whereas small molecule ligands have a much larger vocabulary.
- Its accuracy at predicting protein-protein interactions is also incredibly high — but not its reliability when it comes to interactions between small molecules and proteins.
- Greater variations in the dataset and the use of diffusion techniques can lead to the model coming up with answers that look plausible but aren’t real.
- Adding more training data can help circumvent this problem, but not entirely get rid of it.
- Nevertheless, AlphaFold 3 predicts protein structures and interactions better than other models right now.
- Academics and companies can potentially use it to find drug candidates that can bind to proteins and help cure diseases.
- In fact, DeepMind’s spin-off company Isomorphic Labs is using AlphaFold 3 for this very purpose: drug discovery. However, this option isn’t open to everyone yet.
Concerns
- Additionally, even though scientists are free to use the AlphaFold server to upload their protein sequences, many researchers are irked at not being able to access the model’s full code.
- This means they can’t play around with its nuts and bolts and modify it for specific use-cases.
- An important implication of this lack of access is that it’s currently impossible to use AlphaFold 3 to find structures of proteins bound to drug candidates. Researchers expressed their disappointment in an open letter signed by more than 600 to date.
- According to the text, the restriction does not align with the principles of scientific progress, which rely on the ability of the community to evaluate, use, and build upon existing work.
- Different groups have also begun a race to crack the model’s code and make open-source versions.
- Responding to the backlash, DeepMind scientists have also changed their initial stance of not releasing the whole code to saying they will do so in six months.
Way Forward
- For now, we need to wait and watch how DeepMind decides to let eager scientists look under the hood and examine AlphaFold 3 more closely, to appreciate its full power.
- But until then, the model remains one of the best AI-based protein structure prediction models out there, now with the ability to predict interactions with other kinds of biological structures as well.
- Instead, it offers a good starting point where scientists can obtain some answers, which they can then build on with further experiments and expert analysis.
| CARE MCQ | UPSC PYQ |
Q3. Consider the following statements with regards to AlphaFold 3:
Which of the statements given above is/are incorrect?
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Q. With the present state of development, Artificial Intelligence can effectively do which of the following? (2020)
Select the correct answer using the code given below: (a) 1, 2, 3 and 5 only (b) 1, 3 and 4 only (c) 2, 4 and 5 only (d) 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 Ans: (b) |
| Answer 3. A
Explanation
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Ancient genomes reveal legacies of human sacrifice and medieval epidemics
Source: The Hindu
UPSC Syllabus Relevance: GS 3- Genetics, Science and Technology
Context: The researchers have recorded the practice of burying since the time of our now-extinct Neanderthal ancestors.
Why in News
- In a recent scientific report published in Nature, a team of archaeologists and scientists from Germany, Mexico, Spain, the U.K., and the U.S. sequenced genetic material obtained from the human remains.
Key highlights of Study
- The oldest intentional modern human burial dates to more than 100,000 years ago, in a cave in Israel.
- This timeline overlaps with the discovery of the skeletal remains of a roughly three-year-old child buried in Kenya some 80,000 years ago.
- Burial practices evolved with advancing human civilisations, with the construction of elaborate mausoleums (that continue to date).
- The pyramids of Egypt were monumental tombs for the pharaohs;
- the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan commissioned the Taj Mahal in Agra as a mausoleum for his wife.
- These structures reflect an enduring human desire to honour the dead and remember them.
- The handful of well-preserved skeletal remains at ancient burial sites also open a window into the dietary habits, environmental adaptations, microevolutionary characteristics, biological kinship, sex, and genetic history of the respective population.
- These sites, spread worldwide, have thus been sites of intense scientific investigation as well.
- Some famous examples include the Tollund Man Bog Bodies in Denmark and the Thebes Tombs in Egypt.
Ancient Mayan genomes
- Chichén Itzá is an ancient Mayan city located in modern-day Mexico.
- It is known for its grand architecture and iconic ceremonial temples, built around 800-1000 AD.
- The temples are also infamous for having been the site of human sacrifices made as ritual offerings, and have been under constant archaeological investigation for more than a century.
- The offerings were deposited in an enormous sinkhole or a subterranean cistern called the ‘Sacred Cenote’.
- In Mayan culture, these subterranean features were often associated with water and rain.
- The Sacred Cenote in Chichén Itzá holds the skeletal remains of more than 200 ritually sacrificed individuals, many of them children or adolescents.
- European colonists used to believe these children/adolescents were ‘obtained’ by kidnapping, purchase, or through the exchange of gifts with other nations.
- They read the results along with bio-archeological evidence collected at the site to launch an extensive investigation of the remains of 64 sub-adults from the Sacred Cenote and compared them to modern-day individuals of Mayan origin.
- Their studies revealed that all sub-adults in the cenote were genetically male and closely related to each other.
- The findings go against 20th century colonial accounts that claimed young women had been sacrificed here.
Monozygotic twins
- The study also identified two pairs of monozygotic twins among the remains.
- Twins held significance in Mayan spiritual life and were linked to the underworld, so their presence in the cenote wasn’t surprising.
- The researchers also used isotopic studies to establish that all the related individuals in the cenote had similar diets, suggesting they all belonged to the same household.
- The similarities also suggested they were selected for a specific purpose.
- It is widely believed the Mayans organised ritual sacrifices to ensure the bountiful growth of maize and to appease rain gods.
- Genetic studies comparing the skeletal remains with present-day Maya people showed the latter are direct genetic descendents of the populations involved in the ritual sacrifices.
- This long-term continuity within the Mayan population opens doors for additional investigations on microevolutionary studies and genomic adaptations over the years, with implications for the study of population health.
Legacy of colonial epidemics
- The ceaseless wars, famine, and epidemics wrought by colonial invaders decimated the Mexican population, bringing it from 10-20 million to 2 million by the end of the 16th century.
- In this period, infectious diseases such as smallpox, measles, influenza, typhus, typhoid, and enteric fever spread among the people, resulting in a genetic bottleneck.
- Such events can leave long-lasting genetic footprints in the population.
- Studying them, in turn, researchers may be able to identify genes that have been subjected to genetic selection.
- By comparing the ancient and the modern genomes from Mexico, the researchers found evidence of positive selection in genes related to immunity, especially those associated with resistance to enteric fever caused by Salmonella enterica Paratyphi C, a pathogen serotype previously identified with the 16th century cocoliztli epidemic in Mexico.
- In this way, the study of the ancient genomes and their modern counterparts allows us to resolve old mysteries, dispel old hypotheses, and gain new insights from the past to light the way for the future.
| CARE MCQ | UPSC PYQ |
Q4. Consider the following statements with regards to Chichén Itzá:
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
|
Q. With reference to agriculture in India, how can the technique of ‘genome sequencing’, often seen in the news, be used in the immediate future? (2017)
Select the correct answer using the code given below: (a) 1 only (b) 2 and 3 only (c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3 Ans: (d) |
| Answer 4 C
Explanation
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About Juneteenth and its significance
Source: Indian Express
https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-culture/juneteenth-significance-9402555/
UPSC Syllabus Relevance: GS 1- Social issues, GS-2– International News
Context: Juneteenth day observed on June 19 every year, marks a pivotal moment in American history.
Why in news
- Juneteenth, a portmanteau of “June” and “nineteenth,” is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States.
Emancipation delayed: The road to Juneteenth
- On January 1, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, declaring the freedom of all enslaved people within the rebellious states.
- However, this proclamation did not immediately free all enslaved individuals, as many slave owners in Confederate territories — Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia — refused to comply.
- It wasn’t until June 19, 1865, that the last enslaved African Americans in the Confederate states were freed.
- Major General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, and issued General Order No. 3, announcing the end of slavery in Texas and proclaiming that all enslaved people were free.
- This date, more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation, came to be known as Juneteenth.
The journey to recognition: From grassroots to Federal Holiday
- The modern movement for greater recognition of Juneteenth began in 1994, when advocates from various groups gathered to push for its national observance.
- This momentum continued to grow, particularly in the context of racial justice movements such the Black Lives Matter (which began in 2013) of the 21st century.
- On June 17, 2021, President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law, making Juneteenth a federal holiday. Despite its federal status, only 18 states have passed laws to fund Juneteenth as a paid state holiday as of 2024.
- Juneteenth became the first new federal holiday since Martin Luther King Jr Day was established in 1983.
Juneteenth today: Celebrations and commemorations
- Juneteenth has since become a symbolic date representing freedom and the end of slavery for African Americans.
- The day is celebrated with community events such as parades, cookouts, prayer gatherings, and musical performances.
- Educational events highlight the historical significance of the day and the contributions of African Americans to society.
- For instance, some communities in Texas purchased land to hold celebrations, such as Emancipation Park in Houston.
- In 2024, special displays of the Emancipation Proclamation and General Order No. 3 at the National Archives in Washington, DC, are part of the commemorations.
Juneteenth Awareness: A call for recognition
- The primary opposition in states that have not adopted it as a paid holiday centers on the cost of giving workers another day off.
- There are concerns about there not being enough public awareness of Juneteenth to justify making it a paid holiday.
- Senator Joey Hensley, a Republican, highlighted a concerning lack of awareness among the public regarding Juneteenth.
- In his discussions with more than 100 constituents, he found that only two knew about the holiday, according to a report by The Pew Charitable Trusts.
| CARE MCQ | UPSC PYQ |
Q5. Consider the following statements with regards to Juneteenth celebration:
Which of the statements given above are correct?
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Q. Consider the following statements: (2021)
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
Answer: (b) |
| Answer 5 C
Explanation
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