API
• The term ‘API’ stands for ‘Application Programming Interface’.
• An API is an interface that can be used to program software that interacts with an existing application.
• In practice, an API is “a set of functions and procedures” that allow one to access and build upon the data and functionality of an existing application.
Aarogya Setu
1. Aarogya Setu was launched in April 2020. It was developed by the National Informatics Centre under the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology.
o The motto of Aarogya Setu is ‘Main Surakshit, Hum Surakshit, Bharat Surakshit’.
o Since its launch, Aarogya Setu has continuously innovated and introduced more novel features like:
- E-pass integration,
- QR Code scanning,
- Sharing of Health status with family/known persons, etc.
2. It aids the efforts of frontline health workers and the Government in Covid-19 mitigation and management efforts.
Jal Jeevan Mission
• Under this the Union government envisages to provide water supply to every household by 2024.
• The Mission is based on various water conservation efforts like point recharge, desilting of minor irrigation tanks, use of greywater for agriculture and source sustainability.
• The Mission is based on a community approach to water and includes extensive Information, Education and Communication as a key component of the mission.
• The Mission will converge with other Central and State Government Schemes to achieve its objectives of sustainable water supply management across the country.
• The Jal Shakti Ministry is the nodal ministry for the implementation of the mission.
Magnetic hyperthermia-mediated cancer therapy (MHCT)
• It is a non-invasive cancer treatment.
• The technique: Delivery and localisation of magnetic materials within the targeted tumour site followed by subsequent application of an alternating magnetic field (AMF), thereby generating heat at the tumour site.
• It can efficiently act against deep-seated inaccessible solid tumours like glioblastoma (aggressive type of cancer that can occur in the brain or spinal cord)
Perseids Meteor Shower
• The shower is active from August 17-26.
• The Perseids are one of the brighter meteor showers of the year.
• They occur every year between July and August.
• They are made of tiny space debris from the comet Swift-Tuttle.
• They are named after the constellation Perseus.
• They are visible in the Northern Hemisphere and can be viewed in skies all across.