Daily Current Affairs : 3rd May

Daily Current Affairs for UPSC CSE

Topics Covered

1. Microbots
2. Naming of Cyclones
3. Inflight Connectivity
4. Facts for Prelims : Natyashastra, Panchaloha & Shilpa sastra

1 . Microbots

About Microbot

• Microbotics is the field of miniature robotics, in particular mobile robots with characteristic dimensions less than 1 mm. The term can also be used for robots capable of handling micrometer size components.
• Though they appear small, the Microbots can join together with each other to form various structures and constructs, with two of their use cases being architecture and infrastructure.
• Due to their small size, microbots are potentially very cheap, and could be used in large numbers (swarm robotics) to explore environments which are too small or too dangerous for people or larger robots.
• It is expected that microbots will be useful in applications such as looking for survivors in collapsed buildings after an earthquake, or crawling through the digestive tract.

2 . Naming of Cyclones

How Cyclones are Named

• Each Tropical Cyclone basin in the world has its own rotating list of names.
• For cyclones in the Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea, the naming system was agreed by eight member countries of a group called WMO/ESCAP and took effect in 2004.
• These countries submitted eight names each, which are arranged in an 8×8 table
• The first cyclone after the list was adopted was given the name in the first row of the first column — Onil, proposed by Bangladesh.
• Subsequent cyclones are being named sequentially, column-wise, with each cyclone given the name immediately below that of the previous cyclone.
• Once the bottom of the column is reached, the sequence moves to the top of the next column.
• So far, the first seven columns have been exhausted, and Fani (again proposed by Bangladesh) is the top name in the last column.
• The next cyclone will be named Vayu. The lists will wind up with Cyclone Amphan, whenever it comes.

When the lists end

• After the 64 names are exhausted, the eight countries will propose fresh lists of names.
• The lists for storms is not rotated in Arabian sea and Bay of Bengal however in the Atlantic and Eastern Pacific basins are, however, rotated. Exception are made in certain cases — if a storm causes excessive death and destruction, its name is considered for retirement and is not repeated; it is replaced with another name.

3 . Inflight Connectivity

Context : International airlines could start providing Internet onboard over Indian skies in the next three months becoming the first to do so, while domestic passengers may have to wait for another “7 to 9 months” to start sending WhatsApp texts, browsing Twitter, streaming movies and making phone calls.

How Inflight Connectivity works

• There are two ways for an internet signal to reach your device at 35,000 feet. The first is via ground-based mobile broadband towers, which send signals up to an aircraft’s antennas (usually on the base of the fuselage).
• As you travel into different sections of airspace, the plane automatically connects to signals from the nearest tower, so there is (in theory at least) no interruption to your browsing. But if you’re passing over large bodies of water or particularly remote terrain, connectivity can be an issue.
• The second method uses satellite technology.
• Planes connect to satellites in geostationary orbit (35,786km above the planet), which send and receive signals to earth via receivers and transmitters. These are the same satellites that are used in television signals, weather forecasting, and covert military operations.
• Information is transmitted to and from your smartphone via an antenna on the top of the aircraft, which connects to the closest satellite signal. Information is passed between the ground and the plane via the satellite. Wi-Fi signal is distributed to plane passengers via an on board router.

4 . Facts for Prelims

Natyashastra

• Bharat Muni’s Natyashastra is the source book of the art of drama, dance and music.
• It is generally accepted that the date of the work is between the 2nd century B.C.E- 2nd century C.E.
• The Natyashastra is also known as the fifth veda.
• According to the author, he has evolved this veda by taking words from the Rigveda, music from the Samaveda, gestures from the Yajurveda and emotions from the Atharvaveda.
• There is also a legend that Brahma himself wrote the Natyaveda, which has over 36,000 verses. 
• In terms of the classical tradition formulated in the Natyashastra, dance and music are an inextricable part of drama.
• The art of natya carries in it all these constituents and the actor is himself the dancer and the singer, the performer combined all the three functions.

Panchaloha & Shilpa Shastra

• Panchaloha is a term for traditional five-metal alloys of sacred significance, used for making Hindu temple murtis and jewelry
• The composition is laid down in the Shilpa shastras, a collection of ancient texts that describe arts, crafts, and their design rules, principles and standards.
• Panchaloha is traditionally described as an alloy of gold(Au), silver(Ag), copper(Cu), zinc(Zn) and iron(Fe) as the major constituents. In some cases tin (Sn) or lead (Pb) is used instead of zinc.