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At Indian independence in 1947, the countrys founders worried that the army India
inherited—conservative and dominated by officers and troops d r awn disproportionately
from a few martial groups—posed a real threat to democracy. They also saw the structure
of the army, with its recruitment on the basis of caste and religion, as incompatible with
their hopes for a new secular nation. The Congress party stalwarts thought deeply about
the issues of civil-military relations before Independence and were clear about the path
India needed to take. They wanted the Indian army to be a truly representative army,
recruited from all classes and provinces. Mr. Wilkinson, however, digs out data to show
that independent India did not undertake any massive ethnic restructuring of the army.
Much of the Indian army is drawn from the same groups, and structured in the same way as
the British Indian army was, on the basis of martial classes. Despite vocal promises made
by the government and the army brass in 1949 to radically reshape the recruitment pattern,
the institutional conservatism of the army, military belief in the effectiveness of class
units, and the need for quick expansion in the wake of the Chinese defeat have precluded
any plans for a national army. In April 2014, the Supreme Court dismissed a PIL against
caste recruitment in the Indian army on the grounds that it did not want to rock the
armys boat. Besides the internal balancing, India has aggressively tried to maintain
the balance outside the army with a huge increase in the paramilitary forces, which are
now 8,50,000 .strong. They perform a dual role, as a direct hedge against the military,
but more critically, as an indirect hedge by undertaking internal security duties which
keeps the military insulated from frequent interventions in politics, administration and
society. In a rapidly changing society and polity, the civil-military structures have
evolved to create more robust and professional armed forces, while keeping the military
firmly out of democratic politics. It is something most other post-colonial countries have
failed to achieve. Mr. Wilkinson explores the contours of Indias unique success and
Army and Nation is, perhaps, the most important book to come out on Indias armed
forces in the recent years.
STEVEN I.WftKINSON
ARMY AND NATION
Defence
Three Immediate Support Vessels Commissioned in Indian Navy : Three Immediate Support
Vessels (ISVs) were commissioned in Indian Navy at the Eastern Naval Command (ENC) base
in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh on March 24, 2015. These three ISVs are second batch
of the vessels and have joined the 84th ISV Squadron of the Indian Navy located at ENC.
With commissioning of these vessels, ENC now has full complement of six ISVs. These ISVs
were built under the joint collaboration project between Oil and Natural Gas Corporation
(ONGC), Indian Navy and the ship builders. They were designed and built by Abu Dhabi Ship
Builders (ADSB) and Spains Rodman 78.
Immediate Support Vessel is a lightly armed surface-craft. It is capable of operating at
high seas as well as in coastal waters. These vessels are armed with Heavy Machine Guns
(HMGs). They are also fitted with state-of-the-art radar and navigation equipment. These
vessels are capable of carrying out day-and-night surveillance. They can also be used for
rapid insertions and extraction of MARCOS (Marine Commandos) for military intervention.
India-Nepal joint military exercise Surya Kiran VIII concludes : 8th edition of
India-Nepal Combined Exercise Surya Kiran VIII was held at Salijhandi in Nepal from
February 23 to March 8, 2015. The exercise was carried out under the aegis of Nepalese
Army. The 14-day-long Surya Kiran VIII exercise was aimed at creating a greater
understanding between Indian Army and Nepalese Army; working together in Jungle Warfare
and Counter Terrorism operations in mountainous terrain. It also focused on basics of
disaster management in the field of pandemic/ epidemic control and aviation aspects.
Surya Kiran VIII exercise provided an ideal and single platform for armies of
the two countries to share their experiences on terrorist operations and counter
insurgency, especially in mountainous and jungle terrain. In the exercise, troops of both
countries carried out a search and destroy mission in the general area of Saljhandi which
was culminated in a 48-hour consolidation and validation exercise.
Health & Fitness
Australian researchers discover new treatment for prostate cancer : Australian researchers
have made a breakthrough by discovering a new treatment for prostate cancer which can
starve cancer cells. The discovery was made by a team led by researcher Mr. Jeff Hoist at
Sydneys Centenary Institute which identified three specific nutrients that prostate
cancer cells need to grow. According to Mr. Hoist, prostate cancer cells increase one of
the pumps that bring a nutrient called glvtamine into the cells. If the pumps that bring
glutamine into the cells are blocked, then the cancer cells can be starved and stopped
from growing, adding that an increase in the number of pumps provided the ability to
target those pumps and selectively block the cancer cells and not the surrounding normal
cells. Mr. Hoist said that the next step involved would be identifying a drug to switch
off the nutrient pump. High-fat diet can go to your head : A high-fat diet can affect brain
health end promote changes in your behaviour, including increased anxiety, impaired
`memory, and repetitive behaviour, warns a new study. The findings published in the
journal Biological Psychiatry suggest that even those who are not obese should avoid fatty
foods to stave off diet-induced psychiatric disorders. High-fat diet produces changes in
health and behaviour, in part, by changing the mix of bacteria in the gut, also known as
the gut microbiome. According to Mr. John Krystal, editor of Biological Psychiatry,
the paper suggests that high-fat diets impair brain health, in part, by disrupting the
symbiotic relationship between humans and the microorganisms that occupy our
gastrointestinal tracks. The researchers at the Louisiana State University in the US
tested whether an obesity-related microbiome alters behaviour and cognition even in
the absence of obesity. Non-obese adult mice were conventionally housed and maintained
on a normal diet, but received a transplant of gut microbiota from donor mice that had
been fed either a high-fat diet or control diet. The recipient mice were then evaluated
for changes in behaviour and cognition. The animals
who received I the microbiota shaped by a high-fat diet showed multiple disruptions in
behaviour, including increased anxiety, impaired memory, and repetitive behaviours.
Further, they showed many detrimental effects in the body, including increased intestinal
permeability and markers of inflammation. These findings provide evidence that
diet-induced changes to the gut microbiome are sufficient to alter brain function even
in the absence of obesity.
Economic Scene
RBI signs Currency Swap Agreement with Central Bank of Sri Lanka : The Reserve Bank of
India signed a $400-million currency swap agreement with the Central Bank of Sri Lanka
on March 25, 2015. The agreement is valid for a period of three years from the date of
signing. As per the agreement, the Central Bank of Sri Lanka can make withdrawals of US
dollar or Euro in multiple tranches up to a maximum of $400 million or its equivalent.
This agreement will further strengthen economic co-operation between the two countries and
also bring in more financial stability in the region. The Currency Swap Agreement was
inked in backdrop of the announcement by the RBI Governor during the SAARC FINANCE
Governors meeting, held in Nepal in May 2012. At the meeting, RBI had offered swap
facilities aggregating $2 billion, both in foreign currency and Indian Rupee to
neighbouring countries of the SAARC region. This facility will be available to all
South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) member countries, that is,
Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The swap
arrangement is intended to provide a backstop line of funding for the SAARC member
countries to meet any balance of payments and liquidity crises till longer term
arrangements are made or if there is need for short-term liquidity due to market
turbulence. SEBI Board approves SEBI (International Financial Services Centres)
Guidelines, 2015: The capital market regulator, Security and Exchange
Board of India (SEBI) Board on March 22, 2015 approved SEBI (International Financial
Services Centres) Guidelines, 2015. The guidelines for IFSCs aim to provide an enabling
environment for setting up of capital market infrastructure like stock exchanges,
clearing houses, depository services, etc., in such centres. According to the guidelines
for International Financial Services Centres (IFSC), any Indian stock exchange by the
SEBI or a foreign stock exchange recognised by the originating countrys market regulator
can set up subsidiaries in IFSC; a stock exchange can be set up with Rs. 25-crore capital,
against the normal requirement of Rs. 100 crore. However, this will have to be raised to
Rs. 100 crore within three years. Such exchanges will also be given three years to
complete de-mutualisation; a Clearing Corporation can be set up, with a capital of
Rs. 50 crore, against the norm of Rs. 300 crore, which will have to be achieved within
three years of establishment, issue of depository receipts and other securities by
foreign issuers under the Foreign Currency Depository Receipts Scheme, 2014,
will also be allowed; IFSC will be set up under the Special Economic Zone (SEZ)
Act of 2005; Non-resident Indians, foreign investors, institutional investors,
and resident Indians eligible under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) are allowed
to participate in IFSC. The guidelines were proposed in pursuance of the announcement made
by Union Finance Minister Mr. Arun Jaitley during his Budget speech of 2015-16, in which
he had announced to establish the first IFSC, Gujarat International Finance Tec-city
(GIFT), in Ahmedabad. RBI eases norms for Housing Loans : The Reserve Bank of India eased
the norms for Housing Loans on March 5, 2015. The RBI brought changes in two instructions
related to Housing loans. These pertain to — Housing Loans by Commercial Banks — Loan to
Value (LTV) Ratio; and Housing Sector: Innovative Housing Loan Products —Upfront
disbursal of housing loans. With respect to Housing loans by Commercial Banks, the norms
have been eased for home loans up to Rs.10 lakh by allowing banks to include stamp duty
and registration and other documentation charges to the cost of a unit for the purpose of
calculating LTV ratio. This has been done as these amounts constituted around 15 percent
of the cost of the house and placed a burden on the borrowers from economically weaker
sections (EWS) and low-income groups (LIG). This will encourage availability of affordable
housing to such borrowers. Earlier, lenders did not include stamp duty, registration and
other documentation charges in the cost of housing property, as it could have diluted the
effectiveness of LTV ratio. Union Government approves 17 Mega Food Parks for food
processing : Union Government has approved 17 mega food parks for food processing across
the country. Out of these 17 food parks, 7 parks have been allotted to State agencies,
whereas 10 have been allotted to private players in 11 different States. These food parks
will attract more investment in the concerned States and generate employment
opportunities. It will also benefit five lakh farmers who are suffering due to lack of
storage and proper transport system. These projects would help create infrastructure in
rural areas in the line of Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modis pet project, Make in India.
The Mega Food Park Scheme is bawd on cluster approach and on hub-and-spoke model.
The scheme aims at facilitating the establishment of a strong food processing industry in
the country. It will be backed by an efficient supply chain, which includes Collection
centres,
Central processing centre (CPC) and Cold chain infrastructure. Indian Railways inks MoU
with LIC for investments in rail infrastructure : Indian Railways has inked MoU with Life
Insurance Corporation (LIC) to raise Rs. 1.5 lakh crore for financing the development of
its various commercially viable infrastructure projects. The MoU was signed by Financial
Commissioner (Railways) Rajalakshmi Ravikumar and LIC Chairman Mr. S.K. Roy in presence of
Union Finance Minister Mr. Arun Jaitley and the Minister of Railways Mr. Suresh Prabhu on
March 11, 2015. Under the MoU, the state-run insurance giant LIC will provide a Financial
Assistance of Rs 1.5 lakh crore to Indian Railways for developing infrastructure.
From the Financial Year 2015-16 the financial assistance will be made available by LIC
for over a period of 5 years as part of its commercial decision. The investment will be
done in the form of bonds issued by various railway entities such as Indian Railways
Finance Corporation (IRFC). There will be a 5-year moratorium in interest and loan
repayment. The rate will be linked to 10-year benchmark plus 10 basis points. With the
financial assistance from LIC, the cash-strapped Railways will be able to expand its
resources for speedier execution of projects.
Ecology & Environment
One-horned rhinoceros population rises in Kaziranga : As per the latest census, the Great
Indian one-horned rhinoceros population in Assams Kaziranga National Park has increased
to over 2,401. The census was conducted by Assams forest department in association with
several wildlife NGOs as a regular exercise in the park from March 24 to 28, 2015. For
the purpose of census, entire Park was divided into 81 blocks and the whole exercise
involved about 200 people. The census has counted 2,401 rhinos in the park. The data
showed that their population had increased by 71 in the past two years. Rhino census is
conducted every three
years in Kaziranga National Park. The last census was carried out in 2012 which
confirmed 2,290 rhinos in the park. However, a special census of the rhinos was conducted
in 2013 by the Assam Government which confirmed 2,329 rhinos in the park. It was conducted
after poaching incidents increased in the park and large numbers of rhinos were poached.
Honours & Awards
NATIONAL Bharat Ratna : Honble President Mr. Pranab Mukherjee conferred countrys highest
civilian award, Bharat Ratna on former Prime Minister Mr. Atal Bihari Vajpayee on March
27, 2015. The President, departing from protocol, presented Mr. Atal Bihari Vajpayee the
prestigious award at his home in New Delhi while the late educationist and freedom
fighter Madan Mohan Malviya was hounoured with the award on March 30, 2015. Gandhi Peace
Prize 2014 : Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has been selected for the Gandhi
Peace Prize for the year 2014. It was announced by _the jury for the Prize which met under
the Chairmanship of Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi. ISRO was chosen for the prestigious
award for its contribution in development through space technology and satellite-based
services; making space technology a catalyst of development; bringing societal
transformation and providing the service to the common man and nation. Chakra Awards to
Defence Personnel Honble President Mr. Pranab Mukherjee conferred 1 Kirti Chakra award
and 11 Shaurya Chakra awards on armed forces personnel. Among the 11 awardees, three were
conferred posthumously for gallantry. The awards were given for displaying conspicuous
gallantry, indomitable courage and extreme devotion to duty at a Defence Investiture
Ceremony held at the Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on March 21, 2015. Web Ratna Awards :
The Union Minister of Communications & Information Technology, Mr. Ravi Shankar Prasad,
on March 25, 2015 felicitated the winners of the 2014 Web Ratna awards. This was the
third edition of Web Ratna Awards that were given
away at a ceremony held in New Delhi. The Web Ratna Award was constituted by the Ministry
of Communications and Information Technology and acknowledges exemplary
initiatives/practices of various States/UTs in the realm of e-governance. Dadasaheb
Phalke Award 2014 : Veteran actor and film producer Mr. Shashi Kapoor has been named for
the prestigious Dada Saheb Phalke Award 2014. He is the 46th film personality to receive
this honour. Dadasaheb Phalke Award is Indias highest award in cinema. The award is
conferred annually by the Union Government to a person for his lifetime contribution to
Indian cinema. Rashtriya Kavi Pradeep Samman : Noted Hindi poet Mr. Gopaldas Neeraj was
awarded with first Rashtriya Kavi Pradeep Samman. He was presented with the award by
Madhya Pradesh Culture Minister Mr. Surendra Patwa at a function held in Bhopal,
Madhya Pradesh on March 24, 2015. Mr. Gopaldas Neeraj is one of the most renowned poets
and authors of Hindi literature. 62nd National Film Awards 2014 : The 62nd National Film
Awards for year 2014 were announced on March 24, 2015. The film Court directed by
Chaitanya Tamhane was selected as the Best Feature Film. May Kom (Hindi) directed by
Omung Kumar was selected as the Best Popular Film providing wholesome entertainment.
Best Actor Award was given to Mr. Vijay for Nanu Avanalla Avalu (Kannada) and Best
Actress Award was given to Ms. Kangana Ranaut for Queen (Hindi).
Shashi Kapoor
INTERNATIONAL Abel Prize 2015 : Nobel laureate Mr. John F. Nash Jr. won the Abel
Prize 2015 for his work on partial differential equations. The prize was announced on
March 25, 2015 by the Norwegian Academy of Sciences and Letters. He will share the Prize
with Mr. Louis Nirenberg, Professor Emeritus at New York Universitys Courant Institute
of Mathematical Sciences. Mr. Nash and Mr. Nirenberg won the prize for striking and
seminal contributions to the theory of nonlinear partial differential equations and their
applications to geometric analysis. Stockholm Water Prize Laureate : Popularly known as
Waterman of India Mr. Rajendra Singh was named as the winner of 2015 Stockholm Water
Prize Laureate on March 20, 2015. Mr. Singh was named for the prestigious award for his
innovative water restoration efforts, improving water security in rural India, and for
showing extraordinary courage and determination in his quest to improve the living
conditions for those most in need. Tyler Prize 2015 : Renowned Indian ecologist
Mr. Madhav Gadgil has won the prestigious Tyler Prize 2015 for environmental achievement.
He will share this prize with noted American marine ecologist and environmental scientist
Jane Lubchenco. Both of them were chosen for this years prize for their pioneering work,
leadership and engagement in the development of conservation and sustainability policies
in the United States, India and internationally. Women in Parliaments Award : Bangladesh
has won the prestigious Women in Parliaments (WIP) Award for regional leadership in the
South and Southeast Asia category for closing the gender gap in politics. The award was
presented by WIP Global Forum at Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. On behalf of
Bangladeshs Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Minister of State (MoS) for Foreign Affairs
Shahriar Alam received the award. Bangladesh is the only country in the world where the
Prime Minister, Parliament Speaker, Leader of the Opposition, Deputy Leader of the House,
and a major opposition leader are all women. The Folio Prize 2015 : Indian-American
novelist Mr. Akhil Sharmas novel Family Life has won the prestigious Folio Prize 2015.
His novel was among the eight shortlisted books from 80 fictional, works and was chosen as
the best fiction novel published in the United Kingdom in 2014. Family Life is
Mr. Sharmas second novel and took him 13 years to write. Frances Knight of the Order
of Arts and Letters : Indian contemporary artist Ms. Bharti Kher was awarded Frances
highest cultural award Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters (Chevalier dans lOrdre
des Arts et des Lettres). She was bestowed the prestigious honour for her contribution to
contemporary art landscape by French ambassador to India Mr. Francois Richier in
New Delhi. Ms. Bharti Khers artworks span several mediums like painting, sculpture and
installation.
Inventions &
Discoveries
Chinese inventor builds home-made submarine : A Chinese inventor is building his own
submarine after he learned that China needed to import the machines from another country.
Mr. Du Xiutang is a villager in Shenmu county of Yulin city, Northwest Chinas Shaanxi
province. According to a report by Huashang Daily, the 53-year-old developed an interest
in mechanics and military arms as a boy. As a senior high school dropout, Mr. Du used his
spare time to read books on maritime and military technology. After learning that China
bought an outdated submarine from Russia in the 1990s, he made up his mind to build one
himself. Mr. Du taught himself submarine design, and the self-made man even amazed
professional technicians with his inventions such as a hydraulic drainage system which
has been awarded a national patent. He has finished the main part of the submarine which
measures 9.2 metres long and 3.1 metres tall, and he plans to take it on a test-dive this
year. But he has met with financial problems and has had to borrow more than 200,000 yuan
($32,188) to keep his project going. Mr. Du wants an investor to help him finish the
submarine.
Sci-Fi Cloaking Device could protect soldiers from Shock Waves : A researcher at the
defence company Boeing has filed a patent for a sci-fi-esque cloaking device that would
protect soldiers from intense shock waves generated by explosions. The device envisions
stopping shock waves using a veil of heated, ionised air. Such a shield would damp the
force of explosions. It doesnt build an invisible wall of force, but rather makes shock
waves bend around objects. Mr. Brian J. Tillotson, a senior research fellow at Boeing said
that the idea occurred to him after noticing the kinds of injuries suffered by soldiers
who served in Iraq and Afghanistan. Though the armour plating on a military vehicle might
stop the debris from a roadside bomb from injuring a soldier, it cannot shield against the
shock waves generated by such explosions. The blast wave goes right through a human body
and causes massive trauma. Mr. Tillotsons invention is a device that would heat the air
in front of the spot where the bomb goes off. In one version, a detector sees an
explosion before the shock wave hits. The detector is connected to an arc generator,
basically two ends of a circuit connected to a large power source. When the system
generates enough current, an arc of electricity jumps between the two ends of the circuit
like a bolt of lightning. The heated air would work as a shield by changing the speed at
which shock waves travel, and therefore bending them around a protected soldier.
Places
Jammu and Kashmir : Jammu and Kashmir was in news as flood-like situation arose in various
areas of North Kashmirs Baramulla district due to incessant rains. The Union Government
declared a flood situation in Kashmir Valley on March 29, 2015 as Jhelum River crossed the
danger mark in Srinagar, following incessant rains. Two National Disaster Response Force
(NDRF) teams comprising 100 personnel were rushed as part of contingency measures to J&K.
In South Kashmir, families were moved to safer places because of the threat of flash
floods. Over 200 families were evacuated from low-lying areas in south and north Kashmir
where floods were imminent. In Pattan sub-division, due to overflowing of Ferazpora stream,
water entered .villages including Aarampora, Habak Tangoo, Bonechakal, Shale-Bone, Ghund
Khwaja-Qasim, Matipora and Trikolbat. Landslide also occurred at Wahidina and Chandoosa.
All schools in the Valley were closed after heavy rains inundated large areas. The floods
had earlier hit the valley in September 2014. Parliament Square, London : Parliament
Square in London was recently in news as a historic bronze statue of Indias Father of the
Nation Mahatma Gandhi was unveiled there. It was unveiled jointly by British Prime
Minister Mr. David Cameron and Indias ,Union Finance Minister Mr. Arun Jaitley.
M.K. Gandhi is the first Indian and the only person who had never held a public office to
be honoured with a statue at the Parliament Square. The .statue is placed adjacent to
the statues of iconic leaders like Britains former Prime Minister Mr. Winston Churchill
and anti-apartheid icon and former President of South Africa Mr. Nelson Mandela.
The statue is 9-foot long and made up of bronze. Crafted by British sculptor Mr. Philip
Jackson, it is based on a number of photographs of Mahatma Gandhi and particularly on
photograph of him standing outside the London offices of the British prime minister
in 1931.
Reports & Indexes
ADB projects India to grow faster than China in 2015-16 : The Asian Development Bank
(ADB) on March 24, 2015 projected that Indias growth rate would surpass that of China
in 2015-16. The Asian Development Outlook, an annual publication of the ADB, projected
Indias growth to improve from 7.4% in current fiscal to 7.8% in 2015-16 and further to
8.2% in 2016-17. Meanwhile, ADB said that Chinas economic growth would likely decelerate
from 7.4% in
current fiscal to 7.2% in the next fiscal and 7% in 2016-17. Indias growth and investor
confidence will improve on the back of governments structural reform agenda and improved
external demand, as per ADB. According to ADB Chief Economist Mr. Shang-Jin Wei, India is
expected to grow faster than China in the next few years. The governments pro-investment
attitude, improvements in the fiscal and current account deficits, and some forward
movement on resolving structural bottlenecks have helped improve the business climate and
make India attractive again to both domestic and foreign investors. He, however,
cautioned that although the economic prospects look promising, there are still many
challenges. ADB said that the measures undertaken by the government, including
accelerating environment clearances for infrastructure projects, easing the process
of land acquisition, allowing auction of coal mines to the private sector, and easing
the compliance burden of labour laws on small and medium-sized industries would help boost
growth. According to ADB, Indias most pressing policy challenge is to promote cities as
engines of economic growth and jobs. To fully reap the benefits of urbanisation, the
government must make further efforts to coordinate urban and industry planning to attract
industries into cities, and provide the necessary supporting infrastructure, ADB said.
World Travel and Tourism Council Report : The Indian travel and tourism industry is likely
to see a spurt in growth in 2015 on the back of new visa reforms, according to a report
by the World Travel and Tourism Council. Indias travel and tourism economy is poised to
grow 7.5% in 2015 over the last year, exceeding the 6.9% growth that the global forum has
predicted for the South Asian region. In 2014, the industry contributed Rs. 7.64 trillion
and 36.7 million jobs to the Indian economy. By the end of 2015, the travel and tourism
sector will contribute Rs. 8.22 trillion or 7% of Indias gross domestic product (GDP) and
37.4 million jobs—almost 9% of total employment, the report said. In November, India
expanded the visa-on-arrival scheme to 43 nationalities from 12 countries earlier. It is
in process of rolling out a similar facility for 150 countries. Investment in the sector
is likely to rise by 9.3% in 2015 over 2014 when travel and tourism investments in the
country
accounted for Rs. 2.11 trillion, or 6.2% of total investments. According to the report,
it should rise by 6.5% per annum over the next 10 years to Rs. 4337.8 billion in 2025 or
6.9% of the total, adding that the sector had the potential to contribute 46 million jobs
to the Indian economy by 2025. Worldwide, the contribution to GDP from travel and tourism
will have grown by 3.7% by the end of this year and the sector will contribute 284 million
jobs, directly and indirectly, or one in 11 of all jobs on the planet. However, security
and safety of tourists remain the major concerns. According to the report, the government
strategy is required to offset the damaging impact on the countrys international
reputation, from the negative perceptions of the treatment of women and women travellers
in the country.
Space
NASAs Curiosity rover discovers useful Nitrogen on Mars : NASAs Curiosity rover,
for the first time, has found evidence of nitrogen in the form of nitrate in Aeolian
deposits and in two mudstone deposits on Mars. It was detected by using the Sample
Analysis at Mars (SAM) instrument suite mounted on Curiosity rover by the team of
scientists. Scientists believe that the detected nitrogen in the form of nitric oxide
could be released from the breakdown of nitrates during heating of sediments from Mars.
These nitrates are a class of molecules that contain nitrogen in a form used by living
organisms. This discovery adds evidence to the hypothesis that ancient Mars was habitable
for life. However, there is no evidence suggesting that the discovered nitrogen molecules
found by the rover were created by life on
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