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What is Aadhaar Mitra?

The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), which is responsible for issuing the Aadhaar card to residents of the country, recently launched a new AI/ML-based chatbot called Aadhaar Mitra. What’s the chatbot for and how can we access it? Come, let’s find out

Aadhaar is a unique identification system that assigns a 12-digit number to residents of the country after due verification. The system is used to authenticate identity and provide access to government services such as PDS, LPG, etc., subsidies, and benefits. Though Aadhaar was introduced way back in 2010, many still struggle to enrol in the system or update their information. This is where Aadhaar Mitra comes in.

Where can you find it?

Aadhaar Mitra is a chatbot that uses machine learning and artificial intelligence technology to provide personalised assistance to users. The chatbot is designed to be user-friendly.

The Aadhaar Mitra feature is available on the home page of the UIDAI’s website. Once you click on the flickering blue “Aadhaar Mitra” icon at the bottom right comer, it will ask you to “Get started”. Then, enter your query related to the Aadhaar system in the text field and click on the ‘Send’ button and the chatbot will throw up the required answer.

Available at all times

Aadhaar Mitra can provide a wide range of answers on Aadhaar related topics. The chatbot makes the process of checking your Aadhaar enrolment/update status easier. You can get information about a nearby Aadhaar enrolment centre by entering the pin code of your location.

The chatbot helps track Aadhaar PVC card (latest version of the card which is made of polyvinyl chloride in the size of a debit card) status and even tells users what should be done when an Aadhaar card is lost. It also tells you how to download an e-aadhaar from the UIDAI website through a video.

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The future of computing?

A computer that is powered by human brain cells, thereby extending the capabilities of modern computing exponentially and creating novel fields of study. No, this isn’t a one-line plot of a science-fiction. Researchers from Johns Hopkins University expect such ‘biocomputers’ to be developed within our lifetimes.

Organoid intelligence

While computing and artificial intelligence have been driving the tech revolution, it is nearing its peak. Biocomputing aims at compacting computational power and increasing efficiency in order to push past current tech limitations. A team of researchers outlined their plan for “organoid intelligence” in the journal Frontiers in Science in February 2023.

Scientists have used tiny organoids, lab grown tissue resembling fully grown organs, to experiment on organs without resorting to human or animal testing for nearly 20 years. Recently, researchers have started working on brain organoids.

Our brain remains unmatched by modem computers. While recent supercomputers have exceeded the computational capacity of a single human brain for the first time, it has been achieved by using a million times more energy.

Light on energy demands

A futuristic computer with biological hardware or brain organoids might be able to provide superior computing with limited energy consumption. Even though it may take decades to have an operational organoid intelligence that can power a system as smart as a mouse, researchers believe that setting along that path now is important. This, they believe, will create funding programmes that will help scale up production of brain organoids and have them trained using artificial intelligence Apart from the computational capabilities, organoid intelligence might also be a game-changer in drug testing, especially research pertaining to neurodevelopmental disorders and neurodegeneration.

The team working on organoid intelligence comprises scientists, bioethicists, and members of the public. This diverse consortium is an attempt to have varying opinions while assessing the ethical implications of working with organoid intelligence.

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The making of the Sydney Harbour Bridge

The Sydney Harbour Bridge was officially opened on March 19, 1932. An iconic structure in Sydney and one of the best recognized, photographed, and loved landmarks of the world, it is the world’s heaviest steel arch bridge.

There are some human-made structures that are readily identified and immediately associated with the place in which they are located. Taj Mahal is one such structure that people world over connect with India. Similarly, there are two landmarks in Sydney- the Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge- that have turned out to be prominent structures that people globally link with Australia.

Spanning the Sydney Harbour and connecting Sydney with its northern suburbs, the Sydney Harbour Bridge is about 1,150 m in length, with the top of the bridge standing 134 m above the harbour. Apart from having two rail lines and eight lanes for vehicular traffic, the bridge also has a cycleway for bicycles and a walkway for pedestrians.

An old idea

The site of the Sydney Harbour Bridge (both sides of the harbour) was home to Eora people (Aboriginal Australians) before the arrival of the Europeans in 1788. While the bridge came about only in 1932, the desire to span the harbour and the idea for its construction dates back over 100 years.

As early as 1815, Francis Greenway, an architect convicted of forgery in 1812, suggested the construction of a bridge across the harbour. In the decades that followed, the idea took many forms – a large cast iron bridge, a floating bridge, and even a tunnel. Some proposals were serious, some were even accepted, but nothing really materialised as the costs involved were prohibitive.

Father of the Sydney Harbour Bridge

This remained the case till the turn of the century as estimated costs meant that even satisfactory designs couldn’t be pursued. It was in 1900 that civil engineer John Job Crew Bradfield first became involved with the idea. Over the next three-plus decades, Bradfield became the project’s most vocal advocate and is even remembered as the father of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

For Bradfield, the bridge was part of his vision for the suburban railway network’s electrification. He used his influence to both promote and oversee the construction of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

 In 1912, Bradfield was appointed as the chief engineer of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and City Transit. Just when it looked like things were about to get moving, World War I put a halt to all plans.

International competition

 It was in 1922 that the Sydney Harbour Bridge Act was passed by parliament. Calling for worldwide tenders for the ‘Construction of a Cantilever or an Arch Bridge across Sydney Harbour’, Bradfield turned it into an international competition. After going through the 20 proposals from six companies, Bradfield and his team selected a two-hinged steel arch with abutment (substructure supporting superstructure) towers by English firm Dorman, Long & Co.

The turning of the first sod ceremony, which is a traditional ceremony in many cultures that celebrates the first day of construction, took place in July 1923. The four abutments served as the load-bearing foundation and from these the arch was built simultaneously from both ends. The construction of the arch began on October 26, 1928 and the two arches touched for the first time on August 19, 1930.

As the bridge became self-supporting once the span was complete, the bridge deck could be built and it was completed in June 1931. Load testing began in January 1932 and it was declared safe in the following weeks. While the official opening of the bridge took place on March 19, 1932, over 50,000 school children had already crossed the bridge by then in a series of “school days”.

Jobs during the Great Depression

Over 1,600 people worked in the construction of the bridge through its near decade-long construction. With the economy slowing down and encountering a worldwide depression during the period, the bridge provided much-needed jobs across various work categories. It wasn’t without danger, however, as at least 16 people died during the construction of the bridge.

In all, over 52,800 tonnes of steel was used, out of which 39,000 tonnes were employed in the arch alone. The cost of building the bridge alone was £4,238,839 and the total cost including other expenses was closer to £10 million – a debt that was paid off only in 1988. But then, the bridge handled over 200 trains, 1,60,000 vehicles, and 1.900 bicycles on average every single day in 2017. No wonder the Sydney Harbour Bridge is considered an engineering marvel.

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Invasive species

Invasive species are those that get introduced to a new ecosystem, where they end up replacing or affecting the native fauna or flora. These are mostly introduced by humans. Let's read up on a few of the invasive species.

WILD PIGS

The wild pigs are native to Eurasia and parts of North Africa. Also called wild boar or feral hogs, the wild pigs arrived in the 1500s in the U.S. and are one of the most invasive species in North America. They were shipped in by Spanish colonisers as a mobile meat source. Over time, they populated the forests of the southeastern U.S., where their genes got mixed with escaped domestic pigs. They are such a threat as they can live anywhere, eat anything, and have a very high reproductive rate. They destroy crops, landscapes and spread diseases.

MOUNTAIN PINE BEETLE     

A small bark insect, the mountain pine beetle depends on a host tree to feed and lay its eggs. They may seem inconspicuous, with just about one-fourth of an inch in length but they are one of the worst invasive species. They have had a massive impact on the pine forests, boring holes in the tree's bark. They lay eggs in these holes under the bark and deposit a fungus that eventually kills the tree. In fact, in 1995, an outbreak of this pest in the western United States and Canada led to the destruction of millions of acres pine forest.

BURMESE PYTHON

The Burmese python is one of the most concerning invasive species in South Florida where they have established a breeding population. They have even replaced alligators as the apex predator in Florida and have led to the decline of many native species, with the population of small animals dropping at alarming rates. Populations of raccoons, opossums, bobcats, marsh rabbits, cottontail rabbits, and foxes have all been on an alarming decline. These pythons got introduced as a result of the exotic pet trade after they escaped from their owners or got intentionally released into the wild by their owners.

BROWN TREE SNAKE

The brown tree snake was introduced to the Pacific island of Guam in the 1950s. And ever since its introduction, it led to the decimation of the native bird and animal populations on the island. It is believed to have been introduced via cargo ships or aircraft. The snakes which easily spread across the island also cause power outages when they climb electrical wires! Among the 11 native bird species in Guam, nine species went extinct after the snake's introduction.

EUROPEAN STARLING

European starlings are an invasive species in the United States. Interestingly enough, its arrival was the result of a plan to introduce all the species referred to in the works of English playwright William Shakespeare. These birds are native to Europe, Asia and northern Africa but easily took to the landscape of the U.S. and spread quickly across the country, affecting the population of native bird species.

LANTANA CAMARA

One of the worst invasive species in the world, Lantana camara was introduced in India by the British in the 1800s. It came in as an ornamental plant but ended up taking over several ecosystems as an invasive plant. Its ability to spread on the forest floor, climb over trees as a creeper or entangle with other native plants aided it in establishing itself. It continues to spread in India even as methodologies are being adopted to weed it out.

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What is the meaning, origin and usage of word ‘Foundling’?

Meaning: A noun, the term foundling refers to a baby that has been abandoned or deserted by its parents and is found and cared for by others.

Origin: The term has its origins in Middle English fundelyng and is arrived at by combining 'found' (past participle of find') and the suffix-ling' meaning "small or immature." It's been in use since the 14th Century.

Usage: She is a foundling and has grown up in a home for abandoned children. The book narrates the touching story of an elderly woman adopting a foundling and giving her a bright future.

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What is the meaning, origin and usage of word ‘Indomitable’?

Meaning: An adjective, "indomitable" means incapable of being subdued or defeated.

Origin: The word has its origin in late Latin, from the word indomitabilis which means untameable, from in (not) + Latin domitare (to tame). Its fust known usage was in 1634.

Usage: Despite the curveballs life threw at her, June had an indomitable spirit which helped her surmount the difficulties she encountered.

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What is the meaning, origin and usage of word ‘Unprecedented’?

Meaning: The word unprecedented denotes something that is never done or known before.

Origin: The word has been around since the 1620s and is in common use from around 1760. It is arrived at by combining ‘un’ with precedented. Precedented is the past-participle adjective from precedent and conveys the meaning "authorised by precedent, in accordance with established custom."

After steady usage through the 19th Century, the word's usage increased constantly through the 20th Century and its usage is now close to its peak.

Usage: The Australian women won an unprecedented sixth Women's T20 World Cup in 2023.

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What is the meaning, origin and usage of word ‘Fruition’?

It refers to the point at which something is realised or accomplished, often indicating the fulfilment or completion of a goal, plan, or desire.

Origin: The word originated from the Latin word "fruitio," which means "enjoyment" or "use." It entered the English language in the late 15th century.

Usage: After years of hard work and dedication, Sarah's dream of starting her own business finally came to fruition.

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What is the meaning, origin and usage of word ‘Sedentary’?

Meaning: This is an adjective referring to what is characterised by much sitting and little physical exercise.

Origin: The origin of the word lies in the Latin verb sedere, which means 'to sit’. This root word produced two Latin adjectives: sedens, which is quite common in Latin and just means 'sitting', and sedentarius, which is rarer and has the more specific meaning of 'tending to sit around a lot’. These words found their way into English as sedent and sedentary respectively. However, sedent is used rarely while sedentary has come into its own as we find ourselves increasingly in need of a word that describes our tendency to sit down and stare at a screen all day.

Usage: We can ensure ours is not a sedentary job.

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