On 02nd February 2023, World Wetlands Day (WWD) was celebrated by all State Governments and Union Territory administrations across India. The occasion, marked at all 75 Ramsar sites nationwide, had the fitting theme of ‘Wetland Restoration.’ This theme underscored the pressing demand to restore and conserve our wetlands.
The Inception of World Wetlands Day
The idea for World Wetlands Day began with the signing of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance in 1971. The convention’s objective was to support the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources. India has been a signatory to the convention since 1982. Among Asian countries, it has the most extensive network of Ramsar Sites.
‘Save Wetlands Campaign’
This year’s celebration saw the launch of the ‘Save Wetlands Campaign.’ Structured on a “whole of society” approach, the campaign underscores the collaborative efforts required for wetlands conservation. The Union Minister for Environment, Forest, and Climate Change championed this initiative.
Guru Ravidas Jayanti: Honouring a Spiritual Pioneer
On 05th February 2023, the birth anniversary of Sant Guru Ravidas was celebrated. Guru Ravidas was a 15th-century saint renowned for his influence on the Bhakti movement. His devotion to the belief in one God and his unbiased religious poems have left an indelible mark on spiritual literature.
Legacy of Guru Ravidas
Guru Ravidas dedicated his life to eradicating the caste system and openly criticized the concept of a Brahminical society. Approximately 41 of his poems were incorporated into the ‘Guru Granth Sahib,’ the holy text of the Sikhs, further establishing his prominence in religious teachings.
Jupiter: A World of Moons
Recent astronomical discoveries have crowned Jupiter as the planet with the most moons in our solar system. With the recent discovery of 12 new moons, Jupiter’s total now stands at 92, surpassing Saturn’s count of 83.
Discovering Jupiter’s Moons
These new moons were discovered using telescopes situated in Hawaii and Chile during the years 2021 and 2022. The size of these moons varies from 1 km to 3 km. In addition to Jupiter and Saturn, our solar system’s other planets boast an array of moons: Uranus has 27 confirmed moons, Neptune has 14, Mars has 2, and Earth has 1. Moreover, neither Venus nor Mercury has any moons.
Future Missions to Jupiter
The European Space Agency (ESA) has planned a mission in 2023 to study Jupiter and some of its biggest, icy moons. Similarly, NASA’s Europa Clipper is set to explore Jupiter’s moon Europa, which might possess an ocean beneath its frozen crust, in 2024.
Medium Density Amorphous Ice: A Novel Discovery
Scientists at University College London (UCL) recently unveiled a new type of ice – medium-density amorphous ice. This ice matches the density and structure of water, differentiating it from the crystalline structure of regular ice.
The Making of Medium Density Amorphous Ice
This new form of ice was created by shaking ordinary ice in a small container with centimetre-wide stainless-steel balls at temperatures of -200°C. The end product was a white granular powder that adhered to the metal balls. Unlike normal ice, which takes on a hexagonal, solid structure due to crystallisation, amorphous ice has no order. As such, this study could potentially contribute to exploring water’s enigmatic properties.