Arctic Geopolitical Tensions- The Arctic, once a remote frozen frontier, is now a geopolitical flashpoint as climate change rapidly melts ice caps, unlocking untapped resources and strategic trade routes. Global powers like Russia, NATO, China, and the US are racing to control energy reserves (oil, gas, rare minerals) and dominate emerging shipping lanes like the … Read more
NASA Parker Solar Probe (PSP) has made history by becoming the first spacecraft to “touch” the Sun, diving into its scorching corona to unravel long-standing solar mysteries. Launched in 2018, this mission aims to study solar wind acceleration, extreme coronal heating, and space weather impacts on Earth. With record-breaking speeds and cutting-edge heat shield technology, … Read more
Ques- The rise of quick commerce in India threatens the survival of traditional Kirana stores, which are the backbone of the rural and urban economy.” Examine the statement and suggest measures to ensure their coexistence. (15 marks, 250 words) Brief outline to this answer- Introduction-Context – Quick Commerce, Kirana Stores, and conflict Body- It has … Read more
GDP vs Happiness: India, the world’s fifth-largest economy by GDP, faces a paradox: it ranks 118th in the 2025 World Happiness Report, trailing smaller neighbors Nepal and Bhutan. This disparity raises critical questions about GDP as a flawed indicator of well-being and underscores the need for holistic metrics like Bhutan’s Gross National Happiness (GNH) or … Read more
Quick commerce is revolutionizing India’s retail sector, promising 10-minute deliveries and tech-driven convenience. However, this rapid growth of quick commerce in India has sparked a fierce debate about its impact on traditional retail, particularly the survival of neighbourhood kirana stores. While startups like Blinkit and Zepto cater to urban consumers’ demand for instant gratification, small … Read more
World Happiness Index 2025– Published annually since 2012, the World Happiness Report is a landmark annual survey of the state of global happiness that ranks more than 150 countries by their happiness levels. The World Happiness Report provides valuable, interdisciplinary insights into the well-being and happiness of people across the globe, reflecting a worldwide demand … Read more
Pink fire retardants are a critical tool in combating wildfires, especially in large-scale operations. Their distinctive pink color (achieved with fugitive dyes) helps pilots and ground crews track application areas. Context- Pink fire retardants are currently in the news due to several global and India-specific factors, like Wildfire incidents (California forestfire) UPSC Relevance GS III … Read more
In a quantum leap bridging physics and engineering, Italian scientists led by Dr. Daniele Sanvitto (CNR NANOTEC) have achieved the unprecedented: freezing light by merging photons with electron excitations in semiconductors. Published in Nature Physics, this experiment creates polaritons—hybrid light-matter particles—that temporarily trap light. Context- For UPSC aspirants, this breakthrough aligns with India’s National Quantum … Read more
Spice Production in India- India, often hailed as the “Spice Bowl of the World”, has been the epicenter of spice cultivation, trade, and culinary heritage for millennia. With a staggering 48% share in global spice trade by volume and a legacy of producing 75 out of 109 spices recognized by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). The sector sustains over 8 … Read more
Discover the fourth form of water (EZ water) –Water, the essence of life, is universally recognized in its three classical states: solid (ice), liquid (water), and gas (vapor). However, groundbreaking research in the early 2000s unveiled a mysterious fourth form of water, challenging conventional scientific understanding. Termed “Exclusion Zone (EZ) water” or “fourth-phase water”. This … Read more
