UPSC ENGLISH QUIZ 24.07.2025

Explanation

• A recent study in Nature Reviews Biodiversity shows that non-native (alien) plant species are quickly spreading in tropical regions.
• It has started replacing native plants and causing lasting damage to the ecosystem.
• Climate change and human activities are making the spread of foreign plants worse, threatening biodiversity and livelihoods in the Greater Tropics.
• The study calls for urgent research and restoration efforts to reduce these harmful impacts.

Key Highlights from the Study

• New research in Nature Reviews Biodiversity shows that invasive plant species have spread widely across the world. In many areas, they are now more common than native plants.
• The study also found that climate change and human activities are speeding up the spread of these alien species, creating new and unpredictable changes in ecosystems.
• Researchers focused on the tropics and subtropics, together called the ‘Greater Tropics’. This region covers about 60% of the Earth’s land and holds most of its biodiversity.

Explanation

• Gujarat has launched a first-of-its-kind genome sequencing project focused on its tribal population. The project is titled “Creation of Reference Genome Database for Tribal Population in Gujarat”, as announced in the 2025-26 budget.

Genome: The complete set of DNA (or RNA in some organisms) that carries all the genetic instructions needed for an organism's development and function.

The project, a local extension of the recently completed Genome India Project (GIP), will be implemented over the next five years. According to the Genome India Project report released by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in January, the project analysed 10,000 genomes from 83 diverse groups, which have been stored at the Indian Biological Data Centre. The entire eastern region of Gujarat is mostly tribal populated and borders Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. About 1,800 samples were received from Gujarat, but only 100 of them were from tribal communities, which is insufficient to fully represent them.

Explanation

• China has formally begun construction of a $167.8 billion dam on the Brahmaputra river in Tibet near the Indian border in Arunachal Pradesh.
• A ground breaking ceremony was held in the lower reaches of the Brahmaputra river before starting the construction of the dam.
• Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang inaugurated the dam in the lower reaches of the Brahmaputra river in Nyingchi city, locally known as Yarlung Tsangbo.
• The approval for the construction of the world’s largest hydropower project on the Yarlung Tsangpo (or Zangbo) river in Tibet came in December last year.
• The hydropower project, regarded as the biggest infrastructure project in the world, raised concerns in the lower riparian countries, India and Bangladesh.
• The project will consist of five cascade hydropower stations, with a total investment estimated at around 1.2 trillion Yuan (about USD 167.8 billion).

Explanation

• United States President Donald Trump signed the GENIUS Act (Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for US Stablecoins), which establishes a formal regulatory framework for payment stablecoins. This marks the beginning of a new phase of US government policy-level engagement with digital assets.
• The law enhances user trust through consumer safeguards and aims to make the US a global crypto leader.
• Stablecoins: Stablecoins are cryptocurrencies that aim to maintain stable value by being pegged to traditional assets such as the US dollar or gold.
• This definition excludes digital national currencies, deposits (including tokenized deposits), and securities.
• Stablecoins are designed for everyday use, providing price stability in contrast to volatile cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin. They enable easy value transfer, support financial services, and maintain stability through collateral reserves or algorithmic supply control.
• Popular stablecoins such as Tether and USD Coin are backed by the US dollar.
• India & Stablecoins: India, which currently does not recognise stablecoins, treats all cryptocurrencies as virtual digital assets (VDAs) under Section 2(47A) of the Income Tax Act, 1961. In 2023, VDAs were brought under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 to prevent misuse and increase oversight.

Explanation

• The Government of India has notified the Offshore Area Atomic Minerals Operating Right Rules, 2025 under the Offshore Area Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 2002, which impose strict regulations for exploration and mining of atomic minerals such as uranium and thorium in marine areas.
• Key highlights of the 2025 Rules: Only government entities and private companies nominated by the central government will be allowed to explore or mine atomic minerals in marine areas.
• Foreign entities or contractors will have to seek prior approval of the Government of India before carrying out any activity.
• Licences will be issued only to Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) or agencies nominated by the Centre in India's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
• These rules will apply only when the concentration of uranium or thorium in marine areas exceeds a specified minimum 'threshold value'. If below the threshold, the Offshore Area Operating Right Rules, 2024 will apply.
• Environmental and marine restoration is mandatory after exploration and restoration of the affected seabed has to be done within six months.
• Atomic Minerals: Atomic minerals like uranium and thorium are used in nuclear power generation. Uranium is available in limited quantities in India, but thorium is found in abundance, mainly in monazite sands of coastal states. Kerala and Odisha have rich sea sand deposits, with 8–10% thorium in monazite.
• Jadugoda, Jharkhand is the first mine in the country where uranium ore was produced on a commercial scale.