General Awareness

ENVIRONMENT - February 2016

Feb 2016

Jun 16, 2019

Greenland Lost 2bn tons of Ice in One Day

In a sign that this year could set record loss of Greenland ice, researchers have found that on June 13, the island's ice sheet lost more than two gigatons (a gigaton is equal to one billion tons) of ice in just a day due to a widespread melting event.
Researchers found that the epic Greenland melt event was caused primarily by an atmospheric circulation in the Arctic and North Atlantic.
The sudden spike in melting on June 13 is comparable to some spikes seen seven years ago.
The Greenland melt season started very early this season, on April 30, which is the second earliest in a record that stretches back to 1980. On average, the melt season starts around May 26.
Scientists say one reason why melting has spiked this year is that Greenland experienced a dry and cold winter.

Jun 15, 2019

Russia Uncovers 40,000 Year-old Wolf Head

About 40,000 years ago, a wolf died in what we know as Siberia. Now its severed head was found, and because of the freezing conditions, it is so well preserved that its fur, teeth, brain and facial tissue are largely intact.
A Yakutia resident, Pavel Yefimov, found the head last summer on the banks of the Tirekhtyakh River, close to the Arctic Circle in the region of Yakutia.
The head was shown in public this week in footage provided to Reuters TV by the academy.

Jun 14, 2019

The Golden Cat Wears New Colours

Scientists have discovered that golden is no longer the only colour the elusive Asiatic golden cat can be associated with. Its coat comes in five other shades in Arunachal Pradesh.
The Asiatic golden cat (Catopuma temminckii) is listed as near threatened on the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List of threatened species.
It is found across eastern Nepal through north-eastern India to Indonesia.
Indian scientists from the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), an international conservation charity, and University College London (UCL) have discovered six colour morphs of the golden cat in Dibang Valley of Arunachal Pradesh.
The findings have contributed to an evolutionary puzzle because no other place on earth has so many colours of wild cats of the same species.

Jun 13, 2019

CPCB Orders to Shut Export Units

The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) ordered closure of nine major export and dyeing units in Panipat for flouting environmental norms.
The units are Pan Overseas, Textile World, Shiva Furnishing, Aggarwal Processors, Great Eastern, Shree Balaji Woolen, Raj Overseas, Pan Foods, and Hand Fab Living.

Jun 11, 2019

SDMC Goes for Green Flexes

The South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) started using green or biodegradable flexes on its unipole advertisements because of the environmental harm caused by plastic flexes.
Flexes refer to vinyl sheets printed in colour so they are flexible, which makes them ideal for banners. These banners are usually made of poly-vinyl chloride (PVC), a synthetic material that does not degenerate.
As a result, they can only be dumped in landfills or burnt after they are scrapped. In garbage dumps, such flexes do not degrade for thousands of years and when burnt, release toxic fumes that have serious implications on public health.

Canada to Ban Single-use Plastics

Canada would ban single-use plastics from 2021, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced, declaring it a "global challenge" to phase out the plastic bags, straws and cutlery.

Share on

TCY Analytics (View Subscription Plans)

Subscribe to GK Updates

I want to receive

GK Tags

August GK, July GK, June GK, INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS, ENVIRONMENT, BUSINESS AND ECONOMY, SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY, SPORTS, NATIONAL AFFAIRS, DEFENCE, PERSONS IN NEWS, DAYS AND EVENTS, AWARDS AND HONOURS, GOVERNMENT POLICIES AND SCHEMES, GENDER/ HEALTH/ EDUCATION, ART AND CULTURE, BOOKS AND AUTHORS, TOURISM AND HOTEL INDUSTRY AWARENESS, ART AND CULTURE, LAW AND CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

Start Discussion

On any topic

Take Tests

Compiled from GK updates

Login

Sign Up

Forgot Password

Download TCY App

Unlock All Services And Enjoy The Premium Benefits

US$ 10

US$ 13

US$ 15

US$ 17

US$ 19

US$ 20

US$ 21

US$ 22

US$ 23

US$ 24

US$ 25

US$ 26