State PCS - Jharkhand (JPSC)

• 31 Jan 2026

BNHS and Jharkhand Forest Department Sign MoU for Vulture Conservation

Why in News? 

The Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) has signed a five-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Jharkhand Forest Department. 

Key Points 

• Implementation Period: The MoU is effective from Financial Year 2025–26 and will continue for five years to support scientific breeding, monitoring, training and long-term conservation. 
• Critical Species Targeted: The programme focuses on two critically endangered vulture species — the Oriental White-backed Vulture and the Long-billed Vulture. 
• Status: Both of which play a vital ecological role as scavengers.  
  • IUCN Status: Critically Endangered 
  • WPA Status: Highest legal protection under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. 
• Scientific Breeding Support: BNHS will provide technical expertise for captive breeding, health monitoring and best practices, while the Jharkhand Forest Department will lead on-ground implementation.  
• Vulture Conservation Centre: The partnership is expected to enhance operations at the Vulture Conservation and Breeding Centre (VCBC) near Muta, Ranchi. 
• Ecological Importance: Vultures help maintain ecosystem health by disposing of animal carcasses, reducing disease spread and supporting nutrient recycling. 
  • They have suffered severe declines due to threats such as the veterinary drug diclofenac, habitat loss and poisoning.

Read More: IUCN,  WPA, Vulture Conservation and Breeding Centre (VCBC),BNHS 

Google DeepMind’s AlphaGenome AI Tool

Why in News? 

Google DeepMind has launched AlphaGenome, an artificial intelligence tool designed to predict how genetic mutations influence gene regulation and contribute to human diseases. 

Key Points 

• Objective: The AI tool developed by Google DeepMind is used to analyse long DNA sequences and predict the biological impact of genetic variations. 
  • Primarily targets non-coding (regulatory) DNA regions, which constitute about 98% of the human genome and play a key role in gene regulation. 
• DNA Analysis Capacity: Capable of analysing up to one million DNA base pairs simultaneously, allowing assessment of long-range genetic regulatory effects. 
  • Predicts effects of mutations on gene expression, RNA splicing, chromatin accessibility, and regulatory activity. 
  • Helps to identify genetic drivers of complex diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disorders, autoimmune diseases, and neurological conditions. 
• Training Data: Trained on large-scale public genomic datasets from humans and mice to identify patterns linking DNA sequences with biological outcomes. 
  • Acts as a virtual laboratory, enabling scientists to test genetic hypotheses before conducting costly and time-consuming biological experiments. 
• Availability: Released for non-commercial research use through an Application Programming Interface (API) to support global scientific collaboration. 
• Limitations: Not approved for clinical diagnosis or personalised medical treatment; predictions depend on quality and diversity of training data. 

Read More: Artificial intelligence, Genetic variations, DNA , RNA