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DAILY NEWS ANALYSIS

  • 24 November, 2020

  • 3 Min Read

ARIEL SPACE MISSION - ESA

ARIEL SPACE MISSION - ESA

The European Space Agency (ESA) has formally adopted Ariel.

What is Ariel?

  • Ariel (Atmospheric Remote-sensing Infrared Exoplanet Large survey) will be launched in 2029.
  • It will perform a large-scale survey of over a thousand exoplanets over a period of 4 years.
  • The explorer that will study the nature, formation and evolution of exoplanets.

Significance:

  • Ariel is the first mission of its kind dedicated to measuring the chemical composition and thermal structures of exoplanets.

How exoplanets are found?

  • Tracking the dimming of a star that happens when a planet passes in front of it.
  • NASA’s Kepler Space telescope uses this method to spot thousands of planets.
  • Gravitational lensing and the “wobbling method”, which is based on the idea that an orbiting planet will cause its parent star to orbit slightly off-centre.

Key Points:

  • Proxima Centauri b is the closest exoplanet to Earth and is 4 light-years away and inhabits the “habitable zone” of its star, which means that it could possibly have liquid water on its surface.

Source: Twitter


Formation Day

On 1st November, eight Indian states—Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, and Tamil Nadu—along with five Union Territories—Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chandigarh, Delhi, Lakshadweep, and Puducherry—celebrate their Formation Day. This date marks an important milestone in India

Turtle (Kachhua) Wildlife Sanctuary

The Turtle Wildlife Sanctuary, also known as the Kachhua Sanctuary, is located in the Varanasi district of Uttar Pradesh. It is recognised as India’s first freshwater turtle wildlife sanctuary, established to conserve endangered turtle species and support the ecological health of the Ganga River. Location and Extent The sanctuary co

Introduction of AI and Computational Thinking (CT) in

The Ministry of Education plans to introduce Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Computational Thinking (CT) from Class 3 onwards in the 2026–27 academic year. This initiative is part of the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCF-SE) 2023 and aligns with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. The aim is to prepare student

Sal Tree

Scientists from the Environment Department of Himachal Pradesh University (HPU) in Shimla have recently revealed that the Sal tree (Shorea robusta) is the most effective natural air purifier for combating rising pollution levels. Their findings highlight the tree’s superior capacity to trap dust, absorb gases, and cleanse the air compared

US Resumes Nuclear Weapon Testing

The President of the United States has ordered the resumption of nuclear weapon testing after a gap of 33 years, the last test being in 1992. This decision marks a significant shift in global nuclear policy and has far-reaching implications for geopolitics, the environment, and international security. Status of Global Nuclear Weapon Testing

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03 Dec,2025

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