About Osteoporosis:

• It is a disease in which the bones become weak and are likely to fracture.
• What Causes Osteoporosis?
  • Osteoporosis develops when more bone is broken down than replaced.
  • It is accompanied by the loss of bone mass.
• Symptoms:
  • It is called a "silent" disease because it doesn't usually cause symptoms.
  • It is most common in the bones of hip, vertebrae in the spine, and wrist.
  • Once your bones have been weakened by osteoporosis, signs and symptoms may include:
    • Back pain, caused by a broken or collapsed bone in the spine.
    • Loss of height over time.
    • A stooped posture.
    • A bone that breaks much more easily than expected.
  • Treatment: Treatment for osteoporosis may involve:
    • Making lifestyle changes, such as changing diet and exercise routine
    • Taking calcium and vitamin D supplements.

About Spot-bellied Eagle-Owl:

• The spot-bellied eagle-owl, also known as the forest eagle-owl, is a large bird of prey with a formidable appearance.
• Scientific Name: Ketupa nipalensis
• Habitat and Distribution:
  • It is commonly found in India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, and parts of Southeast Asia.
  • It can be found in a variety of habitats, including tropical and subtropical forests, woodlands, and savannas.
• Features:
  • It is one of the longest owls in the world.
  • The most distinguishing feature is its striking colouration. The upper parts of its body are a rich chocolate brown, speckled with white spots.
  • It is primarily nocturnal.
  • It is a solitary bird that is territorial and maintains a home range.
  • It is famous for its strange, human-like calls.
• Conservation Status:
  • IUCN Red List: Least Concern.

About Exposome:

• It can be defined as the measure of all the exposures of an individual in a lifetime, from conception onward and how those exposures relate to health.
• The International Human Exposome Network (IHEN) defines the exposome as the "integrated compilation of all physical, chemical, biological, and psychosocial factors, and their interactions."
• It reveals the accumulated lifetime exposures that determine our health, wellness, and susceptibility to disease.
• This is shaped by internal exposures such as individual metabolism or the microbiome, as well as external factors such as air quality.
• It also involves social or behavioral decisions that influence nutrition and exercise.
• Exposomics is the study of the exposome and relies on the application of internal and external exposure assessment methods.
• Internal exposure assessment relies on fields of study such as genomics, metabonomics, lipidomics, transcriptomics, and proteomics. Commonalities of these fields include:
  • use of biomarkers to determine exposure, effect of exposure, disease progression, and susceptibility factors
  • use of technologies that result in large amounts of data and
  • use of data mining techniques to find statistical associations between exposures, effect of exposures, and other factors such as genetics with disease.
• External exposure assessment relies on measuring environmental stressors.
  • Common approaches include using direct reading instruments, laboratory-based analysis, and survey instruments.

About Futala Lake:

• Futala Lake, also known as Telankhedi Lake, is a man-made lake located in the western part of Nagpur, Maharashtra.
• It was created during the Bhonsle dynasty rule in the 18th century for the purpose of providing water to the nearby villages and farmlands.
• This lake is known for its colorful fountains.

About Leiogalathea samudragiri:

• It is a new species of squat lobster.
• It was found in the Lakshadweep archipelago.

What are Squat Lobsters?

• They are marine crustaceans that resemble small lobsters but are not true lobsters.
• They are more closely related to hermit crabs and porcelain crabs.
• They can be found in nearly every marine environment across most latitudes around the world.
• The lobsters earned their name by tucking their tails under their thorax, giving their bodies a shorter, more “squat” appearance.
• As with many other crustaceans, squat lobsters can use their tail as a paddle to escape backwards very quickly. 

About Yuva AI for All Initiative:

• It is an initiative launched by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), under the IndiaAI Mission.
• It is a first-of-its-kind free course that introduces the world of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to all Indians, especially the youth.
• It consists of a course designed to make students, professionals and other curious learners comfortable with the basics of Artificial intelligence.
• Aim: To empower the citizens with foundational AI skills.
• Key Features of YUVA AI for ALL Initiative
  • It is simple, practical, and filled with real-life examples to make learning relatable and fun.
  • It is available for free on leading learning platforms – FutureSkills Prime, iGOT  Karmayogi, and other popular ed-tech portals.
  • Every learner who completes the course will get an official certificate from the Government of India.
  • It’s 100% free and open to everyone
  • It allows learning at one’s own pace — anytime, anywhere.

About African Union:

• It is a continental body consisting of the 55 member states that make up the countries of the African Continent.
• It was officially launched in 2002 and replaced its predecessor, the Organization of African Unity (OAU), which was founded in 1963.
• Primary Objective: To promote unity, cooperation, and development among African nations while advancing the continent’s interests on the global stage.
• Headquarters: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
• Governance of African Union:
  • Assembly: It is the highest decision-making body, consisting of the heads of state and government of member countries.
  • Executive Council: Made up of foreign affairs ministers, handles policy matters and makes recommendations to the Assembly.
  • AU Commission: Headquartered in Addis Ababa, is the administrative arm responsible for implementing the decisions of the Assembly and the Executive Council.
  • The Peace and Security Council: Responsible for maintaining peace and security on the continent.

The AU structure promotes the participation of African citizens and civil society through the Pan-African Parliament and the Economic, Social & Cultural Council (ECOSOCC).

About Piton de la Fournaise Volcano:

• Location: It occupies the east-southeastern end of French Island La Réunion in the western Indian Ocean.
• Type: It is a massive basaltic shield volcano.
• It is one of the most active volcanoes in the world.
• It is in a phase of frequent but short-lived eruptions that start with lava fountains and produce large lava flows. 
• Status: It has been a member of the prestigious club of natural treasures listed as World Heritage sites by UNESCO.

Key Facts about Shield Volcano:

• They are the largest volcanoes on Earth.
• They do not form soaring mountains with conical peaks like composite volcanoes. Instead, they are broad volcanoes with gentle slopes. 
• They are almost exclusively basalt, a type of lava that is very fluid when erupted.
  • Because basalt has a low viscosity, it can flow on the surface better. So, when these types of volcanoes erupt, lava flows outwards at large distances.
• They are built by repeated eruptions that occurred intermittently over vast periods of time.
• The Hawaiian shield volcanoes are the most famous examples.

About Bio-based Chemicals:

• Bio-based chemicals are industrial chemicals produced using biological feedstocks like sugarcane, corn, starch or biomass residues.
• These are often produced through fermentation or enzymatic processes.
  • Examples: Organic acids (such as lactic acid), bio-alcohols, solvents, surfactants, and intermediates used in plastics, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals.
• Unlike conventional chemicals, for which the largely available supplies are obtained through sources of fossil fuel, bio-based alternatives reflect a sustainable solution.
• Ecological Benefits of the Bio-Based Chemicals:
  • The bio-based industry reduces reliance on fossil fuels by applying renewable feedstocks.
  • Low production of harmful byproducts: Biobased methods generate much lower amounts of hazardous waste than the conventional petroleum-based methodologies.
  • Reduced Carbon Footprint: The production of biochemicals generally requires less energy than their corresponding petroleum-based equivalents.
  • Waste Minimization and Circular Economy: With bio-based chemicals mostly coming from organic waste resources, development of the circular economy will be based on recycling, efficiency in the use of resources.
• Challenges and Risks:
  • Cost Disadvantage: Higher production cost compared to petrochemical alternative, which creates entry level barrier.
  • Feedstock: Availability of reliable feedstocks and supporting infrastructure required to produce different categories of bio-based chemicals at scale.
  • Market Adoption: Uncertainty about adapting bio-based chemicals as substitute over fossil fuel based chemicals.

About White-bellied Sea Eagle:

• It is also known as the white-breasted sea eagle. It is a large diurnal bird of prey in the family Accipitridae.
• Habitat: It lives primarily in terrestrial habitats
• Distribution: It is found in India, Sri Lanka, southern China, the Philippines, Wallacea, New Guinea, Australia, and Tasmania, among other countries. 
• It exhibit sexual dimorphism, with females being slightly larger than males.
• Communication: The primary form of communication in white-bellied sea eagles is vocalizations
• Diet: They are carnivorous and primarily prey on aquatic animals, especially fish, eels, and crustaceans.
• It is an apex predator in coastal ecosystems. It is considered an indicator of marine and coastal environmental health.
• Conservation Status
  • IUCN: Least Concern.