Right to Development and Clean Environment

Right to Development and Clean Environment

In its ruling on The Auroville Foundation vs. Navroz Kersasp Mody (2025), the Supreme Court (SC) affirmed that the right to development through industrialization holds equal importance to the right to a clean environment. The Court stressed the need for a "golden balance" between the two, under Articles 14, 19, and 21 of the Constitution.

Case Background:
In 2022, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) had halted the development of Auroville in Tamil Nadu, citing environmental concerns in the Darkali forest. The Auroville Foundation challenged this order, arguing that the Auroville Master Plan had statutory authority and did not require additional environmental clearance.

SC Ruling:

Micro-Lightning and the Origin of Life

Micro-Lightning and the Origin of Life

Why in the News?

A study from Stanford University proposes that micro-lightning—small electrical discharges within water droplets—may have played a significant role in the formation of organic molecules essential for life on Earth, challenging the traditional Miller-Urey hypothesis.

Key Findings of the Study on the Origin of Life on Earth

• Discovery: The study revealed that when water droplets splash or spray, they generate electrical charges. These charges interact to create micro-lightning, which may have facilitated the formation of crucial biomolecules.

• Spontaneous Biomolecule Formation: The research showed that micro-lightning could spontaneously synthesize substances such as uracil (a key RNA and DNA component), glycine (an essential amino acid for protein synthesis), and hydrogen cyanide (a precursor to more complex biochemical compounds).

• Implication: These findings suggest that micro-lightning in natural water bodies like oceans, waterfalls, and rainfall may have driven prebiotic chemistry, contributing to the emergence of life on Earth.

Implications of the Study

• Challenges to the Miller-Urey Hypothesis: The study suggests that micro-lightning in water bodies might have played a more prominent role in the origins of life than the rare lightning strikes proposed by the Miller-Urey model.

• Astrobiological Significance: This mechanism could potentially operate on icy moons such as Europa and Enceladus, enhancing the possibility of discovering extraterrestrial life.

What is the Miller-Urey Hypothesis?

The Miller-Urey hypothesis (1952) suggests that life on Earth originated from chemical reactions triggered by lightning in the early Earth's atmosphere. Their experiment showed that amino acids, the building blocks of life, could form when electricity was applied to a mixture of water, methane, ammonia, and hydrogen, supporting the idea that organic molecules essential for life could form naturally under conditions similar to early Earth. This provided a scientific basis for abiogenesis—the origin of life from non-living matter.

Tags : UPSC 2025 current affairs preparation, UPSC current affairs January 2025, UPSC 2025 daily current affairs, Best sources for UPSC current affairs 2025, UPSC 2025 current affairs for prelims, UPSC 2025 current affairs for mains, Important current affairs for UPSC 2025, UPSC current affairs strategy 2025, UPSC 2025 current affairs notes, UPSC current affairs PDF 2025, Current affairs for UPSC 2025 preparation, UPSC 2025 current affairs online classes, UPSC current affairs quiz 2025, How to study current affairs for UPSC 2025, UPSC 2025 current affairs magazines, Current affairs for UPSC 2025 prelims and mains, Current affairs updates for UPSC 2025, UPSC 2025 current affairs analysis, Current affairs for UPSC 2025 PDF download, UPSC 2025 current affairs important topics, UPSC reading comprehension tips, UPSC reading comprehension practice papers,  UPSC reading comprehension strategy, UPSC reading comprehension questions,  UPSC reading comprehension exercises,  How to improve reading comprehension for UPSC, UPSC reading comprehension question papers PDF,  Important reading comprehension topics for UPSC, UPSC reading comprehension passage solutions, UPSC reading comprehension best books, UPSC GS reading comprehension examples, UPSC Prelims reading comprehension preparation,

State of Global Climate Report 2024

State of Global Climate Report 2024

Why in the News?

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has released its State of Global Climate Report 2024, warning that global warming is approaching the 1.5°C threshold set by the Paris Agreement.

Key Findings of the Global Climate Report

• Current Warming Levels: Global temperatures have risen by 1.34–1.41°C above pre-industrial levels, with 19 of the past 20 months exceeding the 1.5°C threshold. The world may surpass this critical threshold by September 2029.

• Extreme Weather Events: In 2024, extreme weather conditions led to record displacements due to cyclones, floods, and droughts, exacerbating food crises. Heatwaves also affected regions including East Asia, Southeast Europe, the Mediterranean, West Asia, and the southwestern US.

• Carbon Dioxide Levels: Atmospheric CO₂ concentrations reached 151% of pre-industrial levels in 2023, the highest in 800,000 years.

• Cryosphere Decline: Arctic sea ice hit record lows for the 18th consecutive year, while Antarctic sea ice recorded its second-lowest extent in 2024.

• Irreversible Impacts: