Artificial Moon

• Vaid's ICS, Lucknow
• 21, Jan 2022

Why in  News?

Recently, China has built an artificial moon facility to simulate lunar conditions and the environment for scientists to test new tech and future missions.

The facility is slated for the official launch this year.

About Artificial moon research facility

•  It is located in the eastern city of Xuzhou, in Jiangsu province, China
• It will use powerful magnetic fields inside a 2-foot-diameter (60 centimetres) vacuum chamber to make gravity “disappear.”
• The chamber will be filled with rocks and dust to imitate the lunar surface.
• It is the “first of its kind in the world” and it could maintain such low-gravity conditions for as long as one wants.

Objectives:

• •  To test out instruments and technology in a low-gravity environment similar to that of the moon, and see whether its experiments can be successful on the lunar surface.
  •  The research facility is also expected to help in determining the possibility of human

Facts for Prelims :

Climate Hazards and Vulnerability Atlas of India:

Recently, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) launched India’s 1st Climate Hazards and Vulnerability Atlas.

About The Climate Hazards and Vulnerability Atlas of India.

• It is developed by the scientists at the Climate Research and Services (CRS) office of the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Pune.
• It is based on 14 extreme weather events and the risks they pose to the local population, livelihoods and economy of each district.
  • The atlas features extreme rainfall, drought, coldwave, heatwave, dust storms, hail storms, thunderstorms, cyclones, snowfall, lightning, winds and fog.
• The hazards and vulnerability values have been calculated utilising the Met department’s historical climate data.
• Each weather phenomenon’s month-wise hazard levels posed to the respective district has been enlisted in this one-of-its-kind atlas.
  • In all, 640 maps are available in the online atlas.

 Royal Gold Medal 2022:

Architect Balkrishna Doshi will receive the Royal Gold Medal 2022, one of the world’s highest honours for architecture.

• With a 70 year career and over 100 built projects, 94-year-old Mr. Doshi has influenced the direction of architecture in India and its adjacent regions through both his practice and his teaching.

Given in recognition of a lifetime’s work, the Royal Gold Medal is approved personally by Queen Elizebth II and is given to a person or group of people who have had a significant influence on the advancement of architecture