Current Affairsded

7/30/2019 Current Affairsded

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1. Top tech cos join hands to launch Internet.OrgAugust 24th, 2013

Seven of the worlds tech giants (Ericsson, MediaTek, Nokia, Opera, Qualcomm and

Samsung) collaborated to launch Internet.org with an aim to make Internet access

affordable for people across the globe.

Screenshot_6

The initiative will be headed by Facebook Founder and CEO, Mark Zuckerberg.

What is Internet.org ?

Internet.org is an initiative of Facebook and six other technology giants, namely

Ericsson, MediaTek, Nokia, Opera, Qualcomm and Samsung.

The partners will collaborate towards developing lower-cost, higher-quality

smartphones and deploying Internet access in undeserved communities.

The endeavour is to overcome current challenges, including developing

technologies that make mobile connectivity more affordable and decrease the cost

of delivering data to people worldwide.

The partners will develop joint projects, share knowledge, and mobilise industry and

governments to bring the world online.

Focus will be on developing technologies that make mobile connectivity more

affordable and decrease the cost of delivering data to people worldwide.

Sharing tools, resources and best practices, Internet.org partners will explore

solutions in three major opportunity areas: affordability, efficiency, and businessmodels.

In order to achieve its goal of connecting the two-thirds of the world who are not yet

online, internet.org will focus on three key challenges in developing countries:

Making access affordable (Affordability)

Using data more efficiently (Efficiency)

Helping businesses drive access (Business Models)

AFFORDABILITY

No one should have to choose between access to the internet and food or medicine.

Internet.org partners will join forces to develop technology that decreases the cost

of delivering data to people worldwide, and helps expand internet access in

underserved communities.

EFFICIENCY


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Transmitting dataeven a text message or a simple web pagerequires bandwidth,

something thats scarce in many parts of the world. Partners will invest in tools and

software to improve data compression capabilities and make data networks and

services run more efficiently.

BUSINESS MODELS

Connecting billions of people will be a massive global effort that requires ongoing

innovation. Developers, mobile operators and device manufacturers will work

together to introduce business models that give people more ways to go online.

2. Portal launched to facilitate RTI application filing in all Govt

MinistriesAugust 24th, 2013

Screenshot_1

The government has launched a portal which will facilitate citizens to file

RTI applications online in all central government ministries and departments. The

web address of the portal is www.rtionline.gov.in

The portal is a step to provide greater transparency in governance through the

Right to Information Act which mandates timely response to citizens requests for

government information.

About the online RTI portal:

Currently the text of an application that can be uploaded in the prescribed columnon the portal while filing application is restricted to 500 words. In case an

application contains more than 500 words, it can be uploaded as an attachment.

An information seeker can submit a fee of Rs.10 via Internet banking through State

Bank of India (SBI) and its associate banks using the website. One can also use

credit or debit cards.

An applicant will get an alert on the mobile phone about movement of the

application. Answers to queries related to the portal can be sought on the telephone

number 011- 24622461 during normal office hours.

3. Indian Air Force land heavy lift aircraft in Daulat Beg OldieAugust 23rd,

2013

The Indian Air Force landed its C-130J Super Hercules transport plane at the worlds
http://var/www/apps/conversion/tmp/scratch_5/www.rtionline.gov.inhttp://var/www/apps/conversion/tmp/scratch_5/www.rtionline.gov.in


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highest and recently opened airstrip at Daulat Beg Oldie (DBO) in Ladakh that is

close to the Line of Actual Control (LAC) where Indian and Chinese troops had

witnessed a three week stand-off in April 2013.

What does Indias landing C-130J Super Hercules at DBO show?

The landing of the heavy lift aircraft at the worlds highest and recently opened

airstrip at Daulat Beg Oldie (DBO) demonstrates its ability to use the heavy-lift

aircraft to induct troops, supplies, improve communication network and will also

serve as a morale booster for maintenance of troops positioned at such heights in

Ladakh region. It will put IAF in a better position to meet the requirements of our

land forces which are heavily dependent on the air bridge for sustenance in these

higher and inhospitable areas.

4. Sikkim is Indias greenest stateAugust 23rd, 2013

As per an official data, Sikkim is Indias Greenest State with a forest cover 47.3% of

its total geographical area and is more than double the national average of 21 %.

The state government has fixed a target of bringing an additional 1,000 hectares of

land under forest cover during the 12th Five Year Plan period (201217).

A Comparison of Sikkim in Green terms:

The state has 500 sq km area under very dense forests which is 7.05 %.

It has 2,161 sq km area under moderately dense which is 30.45%

698 sq km of its area is under open forests which is 9.84%

The above figures are significantly higher than the national average of 2.54 % very

dense forests, 9.76% moderately dense and 8.73 % open forests.

Who owns the credit of keeping Sikkim green?

Sikkim has achieved the distinction of being the greenest state in the country

mainly due to various protection and conservation measures like Sikkim Green

Mission, Ten Minutes to Earth and Smriti Vans.

5. Ug99 is not an immediate threat to Indias crops Scientist Ronnie

CoffmanAugust 20th, 2013

As per noted scientist Ronnie Coffman from College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

at Cornell University (US), India does not face any immediate threat from the Ug99

wheat rust disease that hits the stem of a wheat plant. However it has to be


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prepared.

What is Ug99?

Ug99 is a lineage of wheat stem rust (Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici), which is

present in wheat fields in several countries in Africa and the Middle East and is

predicted to spread rapidly through these regions and possibly further afield,

potentially causing a wheat production disaster that would affect food security

worldwide. It can cause up to 100% crop losses and is virulent against many

resistance genes which have previously protected wheat against stem rust.

So far the Indian sub-continent had been safe. If the disease were to hit

Afghanistan, Pakistan and India, it would hurt wheat availability around the globe.

The spread of the wind-blown disease would depend on the west-east air flow

pattern.

What are the possible remedies to tackle Ug99?

India, which has been one of the biggest sources of providing plant material for

developing rust resistant varieties for the world, may use its rust resistant varieties

of wheat to replace the wheat which is vulnerable to Ug99. Furthermore, the disease

can be kept under control by surveillance and fungicide sprays with full participation

of farmers.

What is the status of Wheat production in India?

The wheat production in India is steadily increasing and currently it is preparing to

boost its output to a record level of 100 million tonnes in 2015. India is the second

largest wheat producer and consumer in the world. In 2012-13, the countryproduced 92.46 million tonnes of wheat. This is 13.2% of the worlds production.

5. Government to tweak FDI policy for pharma to protect domestic

unitsAugust 20th, 2013

A high-level meeting chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has asked the

Commerce and Industry Ministry to start inter-Ministerial consultations on the issue

of changing the norms of FDI policy for pharma which, in its current form, is not

serving its objectives and that it needs to be fine-tuned to ensure that cheap drugsare made available to the people at large.

Why there is a need being felt to bring changes in FDI policy for pharma sector?

As it is believed, the policy in its existing for is not serving the purpose it was

designed for. For instance, if 100% FDI limit in the pharma sector is upheld, there

are apprehensions, it will impact the domestic generic drug industry and it could


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lead to Indias dependence on imports for life-saving drugs. Further, there are

concerns that MNCs have acquired brownfield projects of domestic companies but

have spent very little on R&D in India. Over 96% of FDI between April 2012 and April

2013 has come into Brownfield projects. It has not led to significant addition to

gross assets or jobs or increase in R&D expenditure. A parliamentary panel has

recommended to impose a blanket ban on FDI in brownfield projects.

Besides, there are concerns over the ability of Indian firms to take advantage of the

situation of blockbuster drugs going off patent through 2015 could be impaired. As

many as 67% of drugs worth $80 billion is expected to go off the patent regime

between 2011 and 2013.

Currently, around 28% of the market is controlled by MNCs. If another top three

Indian companies are acquired by MNCs, their share would increase to 41% and on

acquisition of the next rung of eight companies, their share will go over 55%.

What is a Brownfield Project ?

In a Brownfield project the structure would need to be demolished or renovated.

Those facilities which are modified/upgraded are called Brownfield land projects

(often the pre-existing site/facilities are contaminated/polluted.)

What is a Greenfield Project ?

A Greenfield is a project that lacks any constraints imposed by prior work. The

analogy is to that of construction on greenfield land where there is no need to

remodel or demolish an existing structure. Examples of greenfield projects are new

factories, power plants, airports which are built from scratch on greenfield land.

Both the Greenfield Project and Brownfield Project relate to property construction.

6. Committee to examine Pentavalent vaccines safetyAugust 20th, 2013

In the wake of 21 infants dying after receiving Pentavalent vaccine in the country,

the government will conduct a study to ascertain its safety.

The government will soon set up a national-level Adverse Events Following

Immunisation (AEFI) Committee that will launch a study on the safety and

effectiveness of Pentavalent vaccine and will go into background of the deaths of 21

infants who received this vaccine in various states of India. The proposed study will

be conducted with the help of some other agencies and the WHO will also be

involved in it.

What is a Pentavalent Vaccine?

The Pentavalent vaccine protects children against five deadly childhood diseases


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DPT (Diphtheria, Pertussis and Tetanus), Hepatitis B and Haemophilus influenza type

B (HiB).

7. Rajya Sabha passed National Waterway Bill for Assams Barak

RiverAugust 20th, 2013

The National Waterway (Lakhipur-Bhanga Stretch of the Barak River) Bill, 2013 has

been passed by the Rajya Sabha. The Bill aims to develop the 121 km Barak river

stretch in Assam as countrys sixth National Waterway that would particularly

benefit Assam, Nagaland, Mizoram, Manipur, Tripura and Arunachal Pradesh by

facilitating cargo movement there.

Cost and Benefits:

The project will need an investment of Rs 123 crore and an expenditure of Rs 3.6

crore per annum would be incurred for maintenance of navigation aids, terminalsand dredging.

The projects would be implemented in two phases in total span of 5 years by Inland

Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) set up under IWAI Act, 1985.The first phase of

the project would be completed by 2016-17 followed by the second phase which is

likely to be completed by 2018-19.

The Bill provides for unified development of waterways for shipping, navigation and

transportation of cargo to the northeastern region.

The waterway has the potential to transport 12.45 lakh tonne of cargo like tea,coffee, iron, steel and coal per annum after its development by 2018-19. It will not

only expand infrastructure there but would benefit lakhs of people.

It will save a lot of time and resources wasted in transporting over-sized cargo to the

North East.

Extinction of large animals Megafauna damaged nutrient distribution

systemAugust 20th, 2013

Screenshot_1As per a latest studies, large animals acted as carriers of key nutrientsto plants and animals over thousands of years. According to the findings, large

animals which scientists call Megafauna worked as key nutrient distributing

arteries which spread vital nutrient substances like phosphorous which are essential

for the growth of plants.

The studies show that the extinction of the megafauna 12,000 years back wiped out

one of the main means of transporting nutrients far from the rivers creating a


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nutrient deficiency which continues to affect plant and animal life in parts of the

region today.

What is Megafauna?

As per researchers, South America was crowded with large animals which are

named as megafauna a term for animals with a body mass of more than 44kg (the

size of a large dog).

How did Megafauna play role in distributing nutrients?

Due to the large size of the megafauna, they eat and move more than small

animals, they have a particularly important role in transporting nutrients into areas

where the soil is infertile otherwise. For example:

In South America, most nutrients originate in the Andes mountain range and are

washed into the forests through the river system. On dry land these nutrients are in

short supply unless they are transported through animal dung and bodies. Whilesmall animals distribute nutrients over small distances large animals have a much

greater range. These megafauna which ate in high quantity and absorbing more

phosphorous acted as a key reserve of phosphorous which they transported dry

areas through their excretory products or through their bodies after death, thus,

playing a significant role in nutrient distribution.

8. Magnetic flip of Sun may affect Earths climateAugust 14th, 2013

Screenshot_1The Suns magnetic field is expected to undergo a 180-degree flip inthe coming 3 to 4 months as its magnetic north and south poles reverse positions.

How does this Magnetic Flip take place?

The outer layers of the Sun consist of a soup of charged particles whose steady

motion influences the alignment of the Suns magnetic field. There are two winds of

such charged particles one moving east-west and the other north-south and these

tug at each other to move the magnetic north and south poles of the Sun thus

making them go a full circle once every 22 years. This period is called a solar cycle

which results in reorientation of the solar dynamo and which is the source of the

Suns magnetic field.

The magnetic field will flip half a circle in the coming months marking the end of 11

years of the 24th such cycle on record and once the second pole catches up, the

next half of the cycle will start.

Effects of Magnetic Flip:

It could affect storms on Earth and even disrupt satellites.


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During this flip, activity on the stars surface intensifies, producing violent solar

flares and coronal mass ejections.

A weak electric field that rises out of the Sun and pervades the Solar System

experiences small disturbances. As the moving Earth dips in and out of this field,

stormy space weather can be stirred up around Earth.

The Cosmic rays which are high energy particles accelerated to nearly light speed

by supernova explosions and other violent events in the galaxy, could also be

affected and thus influencing cloudiness and the climate on Earth.

9. Indias launches indigenously built aircraft carrier INS VikrantAugust

14th, 2013

Screenshot_1India launched its first indigenously built aircraft carrier INS Vikrant

which was a remarkable moment in the $5 billion project that seeks to enhance thecountrys power and curtail the rising influence of China. INS Vikrant will come into

full service in 2018 which will make India the fifth nation to have designed and built

its own aircraft carrier going ahead of China to join an elite club that includes

Britain, France, Russia and the United States.

INS Vikrant

Vikrant, which means courageous or bold in Hindi, is a 40,000-tonne vessel

which will carry Russian built MiG-29 fighter jets and other light aircraft.

Its hull design and some of its machinery is domestically made and most of itsweaponry will be imported as well as its propulsion system which was sourced from

GE in the United States.

Its primary role will only be to defend the naval fleet and it will not be used for

ground attacks.

Its a defence carrier and will attack platforms that are coming to attack our naval

fleet

It will be positioned in the Indian Ocean region where the worlds commercial and

economic interests conflate.

In the next 4 years, the ship will be tested after fitting it with weaponry and

machinery

10. August 12: International Youth DayAugust 12th, 2013


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International Youth Day was observed across the world on August 12, 2013

The theme for 2013 was Youth Migration: Moving Development Forward. The theme

concentrates on the issue of youth migration.

International migrants comprise major number of Young people. In 2010, there were

around 27 million international young migrants. Migration can often provide

valuable opportunities and add to the development of communities and society but

it can also pose risks and lead to unacceptable situations including discrimination

and exploitation. The day was observed to raise awareness about the opportunities

and risks associated with youth migration.

Intermixing of Population happened in India for 2,300 yearsAugust 12th, 2013

As per the scientists from the Hyderabad based Centre for Cellular and Molecular

Biology (CCMB) and Harvard Medical School, Indian population was derived from

two major ancestral populations Ancestral North Indians (ANI) and Ancestral South

Indians (ASI) which dont have major genetic differences. The ANI-derived

populations and ASI-derived populations mixed together to form the modern day

population in the long time period of 2300 years. This admixing continued for an

extended period until practice of endogamy became the norm.

The extent of admixture increased among the groups including the isolated tribes

like the Paliyar that live in Kodaikanal Hills and Bhil that are primarily located in

Rajasthan. But some populations like the Vysya from Andhra Pradesh didnt

experience the mixing from neighbouring groups in India for around 3,000 years.

What is ANI and ASI population?

The ANI population is related to West Eurasians (people of Central Asia, the Middle

East, the Caucasus and Europe) where as the ASI population is specifically related to

the indigenous Andaman Islanders.

No significant difference between groups across the Indian population:

As per researchers, Indians as a whole do not have major genetic differences even

though endogamy has been largely practiced for the last 1,900 years. The

endogamy in the respective admixtured populations ensured that no further gene

mixture happened between groups for the last 1,900 years and then later caste

came and significantly reduced the chances of admixture and made it nearly zero.

11. RGGVY programme to be continued for rural electrification:

GovernmentAugust 12th, 2013

In order to continue providing electricity to all rural households the government has


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decided to carry on with the Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana (RGGVY).

The continuation of RGGVY in the current Plan period has been approved by the

Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA).

Requirements to continue the Programme:

Capital subsidy of Rs 35,447 crore will be needed to continue the programme,

including Rs 12,849 crore towards run over works.

Rs 23,397 crore would be met through Gross Budgetary Support for the 12th Plan

period (2012-17) and the remaining Rs 12,050 crore would fall over to the 13th

Plan.

The programme will cover all remaining census villages and habitations with a

population of above 100.

About Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana (RGGVY):

Launched in April 2005 with the objective of providing electricity to all rural

households.

The programme seeks to provide free electricity connections to BPL (Below Poverty

Line) households at the rate of Rs 3,000 per connection in villages and habitations

with population of above 100.

The scheme was initially approved with capital subsidy of Rs 5,000 crore for the last

two years of the 10th Plan period ending March 2007.

It continued in 11th Plan with capital subsidy of Rs 28,000 crore. During 2011-12 an

additional capital subsidy of Rs 6,000 crore was approved by the Planning

Commission.

During the previous two Plan periods, 648 projects entailing a total cost of Rs

42,060.44 crore covering 1,12,795 un-electrified villages, 4,02,364 partially

electrified villages and 275.69 lakh BPL households were sanctioned.

12. India may get lesson from Chinas plans to curtail brain drainAugust

11th, 2013

Screenshot_1The government of China has taken an initiative to get back some of

the countrys best and brightest minds. The brain drain problem was taking away

top scientific talent of the country.

The Communist Party of Chinas (CPC) co-ordination groups stated that 87% of top

specialists in science and engineering who went overseas had no plans to return.


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Steps taken by the Coordination Groups of China to curb brain drain:

In 2010, the government launched a 10-year development plan to bring back 2,000

top Chinese specialists in the fields ofinformation technology, aerospace and

biotechnology.

The Ministry of Education has also set up a 600-million-Yuan fund for 20,000

returnees to carry out research in the sciences.

The State run Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), a top research body, has put in

place a programme offering two million Yuan to returnees for research. The CAS

succeeded in bringing back 1,568 scientists in the ten years.

The government has also started reaching out to younger overseas Chinese

students. It has launched summer camps funding as many as 30,000 Chinese

residing in 55 countries to travel to China every year in an attempt to make them

more familiar with their society.

These measures taken by China may hold some lesson for India who is facing the

same challenge of brain drain. As per UNDP estimates,India loses $2 billion a year

because of the emigration of computer experts to the U.S. Indian students going

abroad for their higher studies costs India a foreign exchange outflow of $10 billion

annually.

What is Brain drain?

Brain drain (or human capital flight), is the large-scale emigration of a large group of

individuals with technical skills or knowledge. Although the term originally referred

to technology workers leaving a nation, the meaning has broadened into: thedeparture of educated or professional people from one country, economic sector, or

field for another, usually for better pay or living conditions.

What is the background of brain drain?

The term brain drain was coined by the Royal Society to describe the emigration of

scientists and technologists to North America from post-war Europe. Some

findings also indicate that this term was first used in the United Kingdom to describe

the influx of Indian scientist and engineers. The converse phenomenon of brain

drain is brain gain which happens to the country of destination of these emigrants.

What are the reasons behind brain drain?

The reasons usually include two aspects which respectively come from countries

and individuals.

In terms of countries, the reasons may be social environment (in source countries:

lack of opportunities, political instability or oppression, economic depression, health

risks, etc.; in host countries: rich opportunities, political stability and freedom,


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developed economy, better living conditions, etc.).

In terms of individual reasons, there are family influences (overseas relatives), and

personal preference: preference for exploring, ambition for an improved career, etc.

What is the impact of brain drain?

Brain drain is usually regarded as an economic cost, since emigrants usually take

with them the fraction of value of their training sponsored by the government or

other organizations.

It is a parallel of capital flight, which refers to the same movement of financial

capital.

13. Izumo, Japans biggest warship unveiledAugust 8th, 2013

Screenshot_6Japan has unveiled its biggest warship since World War II called Izumo.

About Izumo:

Flat top destroyer resembling a conventional aircraft carrier. Nearly 250 metres (820

feet) long flight deck which can carry up to 14 helicopters. Used particularly in anti-

submarine warfare and border-area surveillance missions. It will boost Japans ability

to transport personnel and supplies in response to large-scale natural disasters, like

the devastating earthquake and tsunami in 2011.

14. Tension escalates between U.K.-Spain over GibraltarAugust 8th, 2013

There is a sudden spike in the Anglo-Spanish conflict over Gibraltar as Spain has

threatened to impose border charges and close airspace which can turn into a form

of economic blockade of the peninsula.

Where is Gibraltar?

Screenshot_5Gibraltar, less than six square kilometres, is a limestone outcrop at the

mouth of the Mediterranean. The Rock- as it is popularly known is a British

Overseas Territory, although Spain, which it borders, also claims sovereignty. The

people who live there are British citizens but they run their own affairs under a chief

minister.

How Gibraltar is governed?

Gibraltar is a self-governing territory in all matters including taxation except

foreign policy and defence, which are in the hands of the UK government.

Strategic Importance of Gibralatar:


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It is strategically important as located at the mouth of the Mediterranean only 20km

(12 miles) from the north coast of Africa. It has a NATO base, including a port and

airstrip.

What is the UK-Spain-Gibraltar conflict?

The conflict over the sovereignty of Gibraltar is not new but has been for centuries.

It is this conflict which has manifested itself in the form of a dispute over fishing

rights. Both Spain and Gibraltar have claimed jurisdiction over the waters off the

Rock, and both sides have complained about breach into what they claim are their

waters. Both nations have also invoked environmental laws in a bid to strengthen

their claims.

The tension between the two sides escalated when Gibraltar without prior notice-

dropped concrete blocks into the bay to create an artificial reef to encourage sea

life to flourish in what it sees as its marine reserve. Spain claimed that it has

contravened its own environmental laws and damaged its fishing industry, becauseSpanish fishing nets were in danger of catching on the concrete reef blocks.

What Spain has threatened to do?

Spain has imposed more rigorous border checks at the crossing point between

Spain and Gibraltar which led to extremely long traffic queues. Spain is also

contemplating introducing a 50 euro (43) fee to cross the border, which is at

Spains southern tip and has also threatened to close its airspace to flights heading

to Gibraltar. The Spanish tax authorities can launch an investigation into property

owned by around 6,000 Gibraltarians in neighboring parts of Spain and the law can

be changed so that online gambling companies operating from Gibraltar have to use

Spanish servers if they want to operate in Spain, thus coming under Madrids

taxation regime. Spain can also stop concrete and other materials being brought in

through the border for the building of the reef.

Is fishing the only issue annoying Spain?

No. Apart from fishing there are other issues too. There is considerable traffic

between Spain and the Rock, including people who cross the border daily to live and

work, but Madrid alleges that the border is being abused. Other problems include

Cigarette smuggling and circumventing of Spanish residency taxes as Spain see it a

corporate tax haven which allows companies and wealthy individuals to avoid

paying millions.

Is this conflict over Gibraltar new?

No. The conflict has continued for centuries. First Spain fought Moorish invaders.

Then it lost Gibraltar to an Anglo-Dutch force in 1704. The Spanish, despite formally

ceding it to London in the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht, have wanted it back ever since.

Under Franco, Spain cut Gibraltar off by sealing its frontier.


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In 1984 the Spanish and UK governments started negotiations, but the process

eventually crumbled over Spains demands that the territory should revert to full

Spanish sovereignty after 50 years of shared control. However, the border was

reopened in 1985.

The Cordoba Agreement:

The Cordoba Agreement was signed in 2006 between the governments of Spain, the

UK and Gibraltar. The pact included deals on issues like border crossings and access

for flights. It also committed them to a tripartite forum for regular talks, but Madrid

is not happy to abide by it.

15. Researchers produce Worlds first lab-grown beef burgerAugust 8th,

2013

Scientists from the Maastricht University in the Netherlands have produced the firstlab-grown beef burger of the world which is being seen as a step towards food

revolution. The burger was served to the volunteers in London.

What is so special about this Hamburger (Worlds first lab-grown beef burger)?

Screenshot_2The worlds first lab-grown beef burger, developed in the lab of

Professor Mark Post of Maastricht University in the Netherlands, weighed 140g with

production cost 250000 Euros or 330000 US dollar. The beef used in the burger was

developed from the stem cells extracted from a living cow. As claimed by scientists,

when mixed with breadcrumbs, egg powder and salt, for improving its taste; as well

as coloured with red beetroot juice and saffron; it will taste very much like a usualburger.

How the beef used in the burger (Worlds first lab-grown beef burger) was

produced?

Screenshot_1The beef used in the burger was developed by using the stem cells

taken from a living cow. Stem cells, as we know, are the master cells with a unique

capability to grow into multiple types of cells i.e. blood, tissue, muscle, etc.

Scientists, then placed these cells in a nutritional medium to grow into small strands

of meat. Thousands of these meat strands were used for making the burger.

Why there is so much excitement about the in-vitro development of beef-burger?

Many view this development as a step towards food revolution as this success has

the capability to produce meat without actually rearing any animal. The research

has the following prospects:

It can address the concerns of growing food demands due to increasing population.


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It can also alleviate the pressure on environment as doing away with animal rearing

for meat production would also reduce the carbon footprint and also lessen the

pressure on land, water and other resources. (Cattles like pig, cow, chicken and

buffaloes are known to produce methane which is also a Green House Gas).

A study found that the lab-grown beef makes use of 45% less energy than averageglobal representative figure for farming cattle. Besides, it also produces 96% less

greenhouse gas emissions and requires 99% less land as well.

What is PETAs stance on growing meat in lab?

PETA, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, supports attempts to grow meat

in labs because they say that will greatly diminish the amount of animal suffering.

Donor animals are needed for the muscle cells, but taking those samples doesnt

hurt the animal. One sample can theoretically provide up to 20,000 tons of lab-

made meat.

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