About Strobilanthes riteshii:

• It is a new species of flowering plant found in Arunachal Pradesh.
• It belongs to the family Acanthaceae.
• It grows on open hill slopes, often near small waterfalls and streams within evergreen forest patches.
• Based on current information, the species has been provisionally assessed as Data Deficient under the IUCN Red List criteria, indicating that more field data is required to understand its population status and threats.

About Schizophrenia:

• Schizophrenia is a serious mental disorder characterized by disruptions in thought processes, perceptions, emotional responsiveness, and social interactions.
• Although the course of schizophrenia varies among individuals, schizophrenia is typically persistent and can be both severe and disabling.
• Cause:
  • Researchers believe that several genetic and environmental factors contribute to the risk of developing schizophrenia, and life stressors may play a role in the start of symptoms and their course.
  • Since multiple factors may contribute, scientists cannot yet be specific about the exact cause in each individual case.
• Symptoms:
  • Symptoms of schizophrenia include psychotic symptoms such as hallucinations, delusions, and thought disorder, as well as reduced expression of emotions, reduced motivation to accomplish goals, difficulty in social relationships, motor impairment, and cognitive impairment.
  • Suicidal thoughts and attempts are much higher than average in people with schizophrenia.
  • Although symptoms typically start in late adolescence or early adulthood, schizophrenia is often viewed from a developmental perspective.
  • Cognitive impairment and unusual behaviors sometimes appear in childhood, and persistent presence of multiple symptoms represent a later stage of the disorder.
  • This pattern may reflect disruptions in brain development as well as environmental factors such as prenatal or early life stress.
• Treatment:
  • There is no cure for schizophrenia. People with schizophrenia need lifelong treatment.
  • This includes medicine, talk therapy, and help in learning how to manage daily life activities.

About Forever Chemicals:

• Forever chemicals, or PFAS (per- and poly- fluoroalkyl substances), are a large chemical family of thousands of highly persistent, toxic, man-made, hazardous chemicals.
• PFAS molecules have a chain of linked carbon and fluorine atoms. Because the carbon-fluorine bond is one of the strongest, these chemicals do not degrade easily in the environment.
• The name ‘forever chemicals’ comes from the fact that they remain in the environment without breaking down for generations, if ever.
• In manufacturing, PFAS are favoured for their durability and useful properties such as non-stick, water repellence, and anti-grease.
• PFAS are used in the manufacture of many domestic products, including:
  • skin creams and cosmetics
  • car and floor polish
  • rinse aid for dishwashers
  • textile and fabric treatments
  • food packaging and microwave popcorn bags
  • baking equipment
  • frying pans
  • clothing and shoes
• They also have many and widespread uses in industry, including in firefighting foam.
• Over time, PFAS may leak into the soil, water, and air.
• People are most likely exposed to these chemicals by consuming PFAS-contaminated water or food, using products made with PFAS, or breathing air containing PFAS.
• Because PFAS breaks down slowly, if at all, people and animals are repeatedly exposed to them, and blood levels of some PFAS can build up over time.
• Impacts of PFAS on Human Health: Forever chemicals have been linked to multiple health problems, including compromised immune systems, liver damage, thyroid diseases, increased cholesterol levels, hypertension, developmental delays in infants, and increased certain cancers such as kidney and testicular.
• Regulation: The Stockholm Convention has listed some PFAS, such as Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) and Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), as persistent organic pollutants (POPs).

About Sonic Boom:

• A sonic boom is a thunderous noise caused by an object, like an aircraft, moving faster than the speed of sound.
• How is it Formed?
  • As the object zooms through the sky, the air molecules around it are pushed aside with tremendous force, generating shock waves along its flight path.
  • The release of pressure, following the shock waves’ buildup, is heard as the sonic boom.
  • Sonic booms create huge amounts of sound energy.
• The intensity of the sonic boom is determined not only by the distance between the craft and the ground but also by the size and shape of the aircraft, the types of maneuvers that it makes, and the atmospheric pressure, temperature, and winds.
  • A larger and heavier aircraft must displace more air and create more lift to sustain flight, compared with small, light aircraft.
  • Therefore, they create sonic booms stronger and louder than those of smaller, lighter aircraft.
  • The larger and heavier the aircraft, the stronger the shock waves will be.
  • Generally, the higher the aircraft, the greater the distance the shock wave must travel, reducing the intensity of the sonic boom.
  • If the aircraft is especially long, double sonic booms might be detected, one emanating from the leading edge of the plane and one from the trailing edge.

About National Voters' Day:

• It is observed on January 25th across India every year since 2011 to commemorate the foundation day of the Election Commission of India.
• It is celebrated to honour voters, encourage youth participation, and strengthen democratic values, and promote universal adult suffrage.
• It celebrates democracy and empowers every citizen to take part in the electoral process. 
• Theme: The theme for National Voters' Day 2026 is"My India, My Vote" with a tagline of Citizen at the Heart of Indian Democracy.
• It is celebrated at the level of national, state, district, constituency, and polling booth NVD stands as one of the country’s most widespread and significant celebrations.
• It is dedicated to the voters of the nation.
• The National Voters’ Day also promotes the enrolment of new voters, particularly young individuals who have recently become eligible.

About Advanced Chemistry Cell Production Linked Incentive (ACC-PLI) scheme:

• It was launched in 2021 to catalyse domestic manufacturing of next-generation battery cells. 
• It is aimed to set up 50 gigawatt hour (GWh) of battery cell manufacturing capacity by
• It is also aimed to build a local battery supply chain to reduce import dependence, mobilising private investments and global tech partnerships, lowering battery costs, and accelerating electric vehicle (EV) and energy storage adoption.
• Features of Advanced Chemistry Cell Production Linked Incentive (ACC-PLI) scheme
  • Incentives: Under the scheme, selected manufacturers are promised incentives linked to actual battery sales. 
  • Beyond capacity creation, the policy intended to develop a complete battery supply chain covering cathodes, anodes, electrolytes, and cell assembly, while also generating over one million jobs.
• Nodal Ministry: It was launched by the Ministry of Heavy Industries.

About Granth Kutir:

• It has a rich collection of manuscripts and books in classical languages of India which are Tamil, Sanskrit, Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam, Odia, Marathi, Pali, Prakrit, Assamese, and Bengali.
• Aim: The aim of developing the Granth Kutir is to enhance awareness among the citizens regarding the rich cultural and literary heritage of India.
• Coverage: The collection covers a wide range of subjects such as epics, philosophy, linguistics, history, governance, science, and devotional literature as well as the Constitution of India in these languages.
• It has been developed through collaboration with Central Government, State Governments, universities, research institutions, cultural organisations, and individual donors from across the country. 
• It supports the vision of Gyan Bharatam Mission.
  • The Gyan Bharatam Mission is a comprehensive national initiative under the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, dedicated to the systematic survey, documentation, conservation, and digitisation of India’s vast manuscript heritage.

About Madras Hedgehog:

• Madras Hedgehog, locally known as Mulleli is a tiny mammal.
• It is also known as the bare-bellied hedgehog.
• Characteristics of Madras Hedgehog:
  • It has sharp spines on its back.
  • It curls into a ball to protect itself from predators.
  • It is a nocturnal species.
  • It has mastered survival in some of the harshest and driest landscapes.
• Habitat: The species prefers dry scrublands, thorn forests, grasslands and the edges of farmlands.
• Distribution: It is found only in peninsular India, primarily across Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and parts of Karnataka.
• Diet: It feeds on insects such as beetles, ants, earthworms and termites, apart from plants.
• Conservation Status: IUCN: Least Concern
• Threats: Its population declined largely due to hunting driven by mythical beliefs that its quills and meat have medicinal value.
• Hedgehog Species in India: Of the 17 species of hedgehog around the world, India is home to three:
  • Indian Long-eared or collared hedgehog
  • Indian hedgehog
  • Bare-bellied or Madras hegehog