News in Short

• Scientists of NASA have managed to capture one of the biggest quakes occuring outside Earth on Mars during InSight Mars lander mission.
• Earthquakes are caused when tectonic platescollide or rub together. Mars, however, doesn’t have plate tectonics, with its crust composed of a single solid plate.
• Marsquakes can reveal many previously hidden things about the Red Planet. Scientists can figure out about Mars’ interior, such as the size and density of the mantle and core.

• Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar was appointed as the next Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) by the President.
• Rajiv Kumar will assume charge on May 15, replacing incumbent Sushil Chandra, who will step down from the position on May 14.
• Rajiv Kumar was appointed as an Election Commissioner in ECI on September 1, 2020. Prior to assuming charge in Election Commission, Rajiv Kumar served as Chairman of the Public Enterprises Selection Board.

• Finland’s President and Prime Minister are in favour of applying for NATO membership, paving the way for the alliance to expand amid Russia’s war in Ukraine.
• The announcement means Finland is virtually certain to seek NATO membership though a few steps remain before the application process can begin. Neighbouring Sweden is expected to decide on joining NATO in coming days.
• In 2017, Sweden and Finland joined the British-led Joint Expeditionary Force, which is designed to be more flexible and respond more quickly than the larger NATO alliance.

• Tomato flu outbreak has been witnessed across different parts of Kerala, putting health authorities on high alert.
• All the 80 cases detected were from Kerala’s Kollam district. But since then, other districts have witnessed some cases of tomato flu as well. The outbreak has also put the neighbouring states of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka on alert.
• Tomato flu or tomato fever is a viral disease that results in rashes or blisters, skin irritation and dehydration in the affected individuals.

• The data from a black hole situated at the centre of the Perseus galaxy cluster was recorded by NASA scientists using the Chandra X-Ray Observatory.
• The Perseus galaxy cluster was discovered by NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory in 2003. NASA engineers converted pressure waves from a black hole into sound notes.
• The waves that came out of the black hole cannot be heard by humans, for they’re 57 octaves below middle C – imperceptible to humans.