Daily Current Affairs: Forever Chemicals & Desert Cyclones

📅 Date: 19 December 2025 (Friday)

Welcome to your daily digest. Today we are decoding "Forever Chemicals" that might be in your kitchen, tracking the Indian Army in the UAE, and looking at the latest in train safety. Let's dive in!

1. The Science of "Forever Chemicals" (PFAS)

You might have heard the term PFAS (Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances) recently. These are a family of over 4,700 synthetic chemicals often called "Forever Chemicals."

🧪 Why "Forever"?
They contain the Carbon–Fluorine (C–F) bond, which is one of the strongest bonds in chemistry. This makes them highly resistant to breaking down, meaning they stay in the environment (and our bodies) for decades.

Where are they found?

Non-stick cookware (Teflon pans).
Water-resistant clothing and food packaging.
Firefighting foams.

Health Risks: Exposure is linked to hormonal disruption, high cholesterol, and risks of certain cancers. The main source of exposure for humans is contaminated drinking water.

2. Defence: Exercise "Desert Cyclone II"

The Indian Army has landed in the Middle East! An army contingent has departed for the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.) to participate in the second edition of the Joint Military Exercise Desert Cyclone II.

Location: Abu Dhabi.
History: Diplomatic relations were established in 1972.
Previous Drills: Indian Navy ships (INS Visakhapatnam) also participated in the "Zayed Talwar" exercise with the UAE earlier.

3. Know Your Ingredients: What is Annatto?

Next time you see a rich yellow or orange color in your food (like cheese or butter), it might be Annatto.

Source: Derived from the seeds of the achiote tree (Bixa orellana), native to tropical Americas.
The Science: The color comes from carotenoids (plant pigments).
Benefits: Unlike artificial colors, Annatto has antioxidant and antimicrobial properties.

4. Infrastructure & Safety: BharatNet & Kavach

A. BharatNet Project (Connecting Rural India)

This is one of the world's largest rural telecom projects.

Goal: To provide broadband connectivity to all Gram Panchayats.
Executor: Bharat Broadband Network Limited (BBNL).
Status: Approved in 2011, it is the backbone of Digital India.

B. Kavach System (Train Safety)

Kavach is India's indigenous Automatic Train Protection (ATP) system.

🚂 How Kavach Works: It acts like a smart assistant to the Loco Pilot. If the pilot fails to brake at a red signal or overspeeds, Kavach automatically applies the brakes to prevent collisions. It was developed by RDSO (Research Design and Standards Organisation).

5. Culture Wins: National Awards 2025

The National Council of Science Museums (NCSM), under the Ministry of Culture, has bagged two prestigious awards from the Public Relations Society of India (PRSI).

Award 1 (Social Media): For the "Har Ghar Museum" campaign, which encouraged people to create digital archives of their personal heritage.
Award 2 (Sustainability): For the "Waste to Art" publication, showcasing how 1,250 kg of waste was turned into art installations.

Stay updated! Remember the term "C-F Bond" for your Science section and "RDSO" for Railways questions.

Important News and Articles : 19 December 2025