In News:

A recent study published inPhysical Review Letters reports that while the HAYSTAC experiment did not detect axions, it achieved a major technological milestone. The experiment significantly broadened the search range for axion masses and their interaction strengths, marking substantial progress in the hunt for dark matter.

What are Axions?

Axions are theoretical subatomic particles proposed in the late 1970s as a solution to the strong CP (Charge-Parity) problem in quantum chromodynamics (QCD). This problem involves the puzzling absence of CP violation in strong nuclear interactions, contrary to expectations.

• Axions were introduced to dynamically neutralize CP-violating effects by adjusting the QCD theta (θ) parameter to nearly zero.
• Over time, they have also gained prominence as a leading candidate for dark matter, the elusive form of matter believed to make up the bulk of the universe’s mass.

Why Axions matter in Dark Matter Research

Axions are particularly attractive as Cold Dark Matter (CDM) candidates due to their theoretical and cosmological properties:

• Electromagnetically neutral
• Extremely low mass
• Very weak interactions with ordinary matter and radiation

Foundational work by physicists like Sikivie, Wilczek, Dine, and Preskill demonstrated that axions produced in the early universe could account for the observed dark matter density—roughly 85% of the universe's matter content.

The HAYSTAC Experiment: A Precision Tool for Axion Detection

HAYSTAC (Haloscope At Yale Sensitive To Axion Cold Dark Matter) is a collaborative project led by Yale, Berkeley, and Johns Hopkins University, designed to detect axions by converting them into detectable photons using a haloscope.

Key Features:

• Haloscope Design: A microwave cavity placed in a strong magnetic field, following a design originally proposed by Pierre Sikivie.
• Quantum Squeezing: HAYSTAC is one of the few experiments—alongside Advanced LIGO—that uses quantum squeezing to reduce quantum noise, thereby enhancing measurement precision.

What is Quantum Squeezing?

Quantum squeezing is a technique that manipulates quantum uncertainty to minimize noise in one variable while tolerating increased uncertainty in another. This helps:

• Suppress random fluctuations, and
• Improve the signal-to-noise ratio—vital for detecting rare, weak signals like those possibly produced by axions.

Phase II Highlights of HAYSTAC

• Conducted the widest frequency sweep to date in the axion mass range.
• Marked a technical breakthrough in detection sensitivity.
• Although axions were not detected, the results helped rule out certain mass-coupling combinations, narrowing the parameter space for future searches.

In News:

A former SpaceX employee has filed a lawsuit against the company, alleging wrongful termination. According to the claim, the individual was fired due to frequent restroom visits linked to Crohn’s disease, a chronic medical condition. The case has drawn attention to the difficulties faced by individuals managing long-term illnesses in demanding work environments.

Key Details:

Crohn’s disease is a type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that causes chronic inflammation of the digestive tract. It is a lifelong condition that can significantly impact quality of life and daily functioning.

Key Features:

• Nature of the Disease:A persistent and often progressive condition marked by inflammation in different sections of the digestive tract, most frequently affecting the end of the small intestine (ileum) and the beginning of the large intestine (colon).
• Extent of Inflammation:Inflammation may penetrate deep into the bowel wall, leading to pain, damage, and complications over time.
• Common Symptoms:
  • Persistent diarrhea
  • Abdominal pain and cramping
  • Weight loss
  • Fatigue and sometimes malnutrition

Symptoms can vary in severity and may appear intermittently, often referred to as “flare-ups.”

Complications and Impact

Crohn’s disease can be debilitating and may result in serious complications, including:

• Intestinal blockages
• Fistulas (abnormal connections between body parts)
• Abscesses
• Nutritional deficiencies

Treatment and Management

• No Cure Available:While there is currently no cure for Crohn’s disease, medical therapies can effectively manage symptoms and inflammation.
• Goals of Treatment:
  • Inducing and maintaining remission
  • Healing affected intestinal tissues
  • Improving overall quality of life
• Treatment Approaches:
  • Anti-inflammatory medications
  • Immune system suppressors
  • Dietary changes
  • In severe cases, surgery may be required

Many individuals with Crohn’s can lead productive lives with appropriate treatment and support.

In News:

The Indian grey wolf, a keystone predator crucial to maintaining the ecological balance of India’s grasslands, is facing a sharp population decline. The primary threat stems from increasing encounters with feral (free-ranging) dogs, which pose risks of disease transmission, competition, and hybridization.

Profile:

• Scientific Classification:A subspecies of the grey wolf (Canis lupus), native to the Indian subcontinent and parts of Southwest Asia.
• Habitat:Inhabits scrublands, semi-arid grasslands, and pastoral agro-ecosystems, often overlapping with human-dominated landscapes.
• Physical Traits:Intermediate in size between the Tibetan and Arabian wolves, the Indian grey wolf is adapted to warmer climates and lacks the dense winter coat of its colder-climate relatives.
• Behavioral Characteristics:
  • Primarily nocturnal
  • Hunts in small packs
  • Less vocal than other wolf subspecies
• Geographical Range:Extends from Israel in the west to the Indian subcontinent in the east.

Legal and Conservation Status

• IUCN Red List:Least Concern globally, but considered locally endangered in India due to habitat loss and increasing threats.
• CITES Listing:Appendix I – Species facing extinction, with trade subject to strict regulation.
• Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: Listed under Schedule I, ensuring maximum legal protection within India.

Conservation Dilemma: Feral Dogs

• The Maharashtra Forest Rules, 2014 permit the removal of non-wild species, like dogs, from protected forest areas if they pose a threat to native wildlife.
• Despite this provision, forest officials often refrain from culling dogs due to ethical and animal rights concerns.
• Vaccination programs are proposed as alternatives to mitigate disease risks like canine distemper virus (CDV), but implementation remains logistically challenging.

Key Threats

• Disease Transmission: Feral dogs carry zoonotic diseases such as CDV, which can infect and decimate wolf populations.
• Hybridization: Interbreeding with dogs leads to genetic dilution, threatening the purity and survival of the species.
• Competition: Feral dogs compete with wolves for food and territory.

Case Study: Kadbanwadi Grassland, Maharashtra

• Location: Situated in Indapur tehsil, Pune district, this grassland spans over 2,000 hectares.
• Biodiversity Hotspot: Home to species like the Bengal fox, striped hyena, Brahminy kite, and the Indian grey wolf.
• Cultural Coexistence: The local shepherd communities have shared a mutually respectful relationship with wolves over generations, reflecting a model of harmonious coexistence.

In News:

In a significant move, families from the JenuKuruba tribe have begun returning to their ancestral lands located within Nagarhole National Park. This reoccupation marks an important step in their decades-long struggle to reclaim traditional forest habitats.

Who are the JenuKurubas?

The JenuKuruba are an indigenous tribal community classified as a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) in India. They are primarily concentrated in the Kodagu and Mysuru districts of Karnataka.

• Etymology:The term "JenuKuruba" derives from Kannada—“jenu” means honey, reflecting their age-old practice of honey collection. Traditionally, they depend on forest produce, minor agriculture, and gathering activities for their livelihood.
• Alternate Names:They are also known as Then Kurumba or KattuNaikar in various local contexts.

Settlement and Lifestyle

• Habitat:The community resides in compact settlements known as “Hadi.”
• Living Style:They follow a semi-nomadic lifestyle, shaped by their deep relationship with forest ecosystems rather than external authorities like the state, police, or religious institutions.

Community Structure

• Governance:
  The JenuKurubas follow a traditional leadership hierarchy that includes:
  • Yajamana (Headman) – responsible for social matters
  • Gudda (Ritual Head) – oversees religious ceremonies

While the Gudda handles spiritual issues, all other community functions are managed locally under the guidance of the Yajamana.

Belief System and Culture

• Spiritual Beliefs:Their religion is rooted in the worship of supernatural spirits and deities unique to their tradition. These spiritual entities have distinct identities and are central to their worldview.
• Cultural Expressions:Music, dance, and oral storytelling are vital cultural practices. Their traditional songs and dances revolve around themes of agriculture, marriage, mythology, and faith.

Significance of the return to Nagarhole

The recent return of JenuKuruba families to Nagarhole represents not just a physical homecoming, but a cultural revival. For the tribe, the forest is not just a resource—it is sacred ground tied to their identity, heritage, and spiritual life.

Their reoccupation reopens long-standing debates about conservation, indigenous rights, and forest governance in India.

In News:

A group of international Buddhist scholars and monastics has voiced strong objections to the proposed auction of the Piprahwa Gems. These jewels, long venerated as relics intimately linked to the historical Buddha, are at the center of a heated debate over their sale.

Background of the Piprahwa Gems

• Discovery Site: The gems were unearthed in 1898 at Piprahwa, in present-day Uttar Pradesh, where a stupa (Buddhist burial monument) once stood.
• Historical Significance: An inscription on one of the reliquaries claims the stupa housed the physical remains of the Buddha, who passed away circa 480 BCE.
• Excavation: The find was made by William Claxton Peppé, a British colonial engineer, during work on his estate. It marked the first scientifically credible recovery of Buddha’s relics in modern times.

Composition and Distribution

• Material Variety: The collection comprises roughly 1,800 pieces, including amethysts, coral, garnets, pearls, rock crystal, shells, and gold, fashioned into beads, pendants, and other ornaments, as well as unworked specimens.
• Custodial History: Under the 1878 Indian Treasure Trove Act, the British Crown claimed the entire hoard. Most of these gems were subsequently transferred to the Indian Museum in Kolkata. Peppé retained around one-fifth of the collection—items colonial officials deemed “duplicates”—which later entered private hands.
• International Gift: The British gifted the stupa’s bone and ash fragments to King Chulalongkorn of Siam (modern-day Thailand), further dispersing relics tied to the find.

Contemporary Concerns

Many in the Buddhist community argue that auctioning these gems violates their sacred status and severs the spiritual connection believers feel to the Buddha’s remains. They call for the jewels to remain in public or religious trust, rather than being treated as collectors’ items in the art market.