General Knowledge and Current Affairs - 09

• Dr. Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen (APJ), Abdul Kalam worked in DRDO in 1958 and then joined ISRO in 1963.

• ISRO's first Indian satellite - Aryabhatta.  

• President Pratibha Patil has commuted death sentences of 23 petitioners (till date: February 22, 2012) to life imprisonment.

• February 22 - World Thinking Day.

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will shortly issue banknotes of Rs 1,000 denomination with inset letter 'R' in the Mahatma Gandhi series.

• In 1821, the French scientist Ampere showed that a current carrying conductor placed in a magnetic field experiences a mechanical force.

• DPT - Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus vaccine (Trible antigen).

• DT - Diphtheria, Tetanus (Dual antigen).

• MMR - Mumps, Measles, Rubella.

• The Rowlatt act was passed in 1919. It empowered the British Government to arrest anyone with out any warrant. Anyone could be imprisoned with out trial.

• In 1932, when Gandhiji was in jail, the British Government announced a scheme known as the "communal award" under Ramsay Mc. Donald.

• The development of flowers into fruits without the act of fertilization is called parthenocarpy. Such fruits are called parthenocarpic fruits and are seedless.

• Rashtriya Swasti Bima Yojana - Health Insurance Scheme for BPL Families.

• World's Largest Church - Basilica of St. Peter, Vatican City.

• GSI (Geological Survey of India) was established in 1951.

• Cotton is obtained from fruit.

• The largest bone in the human body is the thigh bone or femer. In an average man, it is about 45cm long.

• Theodor Schwann and Jacole Schleiden postulated the cell theory in 1838.

• Centrioles were first described by Henneguy and Leuhossek in 1897.

• February 28 - National Science Day.

• Virus was discovered by Ivanowsky, a Russian Botanist in 1892.

• Virus is a Latin word which means poison.

• Hydrofluoric acid will dissolve glass.

• The study of fungi is called Mycology.

• The study of algae is called Phycology.

• Water expands by about 10% as it freezes.

• Talc is the softest known substance (talcum powder).

• Gene was first isolated by Hargobind Khurana.

• Water (Prevention & control of pollution) Act 1974.

• Air (Prevention & control of pollution) Act 1981.

• Environment (Protection) Act 1986.

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