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Archaeologists have uncovered a 4,000-year-old fortified town in Saudi Arabia, illustrating the gradual shift from nomadic to urban lifestyles. About Al-Natah:  French archaeologist Guillaume Charloux and his crew led the discovery. Excavation at the Khaybar oasis has found that a sophisticated Bronze Age town existed between 2400 and 1500 BCE. Features: The town reveals- The presence of an organised settlement in an era previously believed to be dominated by nomadic pastoral societies.  It is enclosed by a 14.5-kilometre wall and occupies a 2.6-hectare area. It housed up to 500 residents who lived in multi-story dwellings.  The town was likely a centre for agricultural production and trade, sustaining a cooperative society in the otherwise arid environment. Residents of Al-Natah lived in rectangular dwellings, constructed from materials such as stone and mudbrick, with narrow paths connecting the various structures.  The town’s layout included burial sites, with som...

Researchers have found a new species of jumping spider on Baner Hill, yet again highlighting the region's rich biodiversity and the need to protect the city's natural landscapes. About Okinawicius tekdi: The spider has been named Okinawicius tekdi, after the Marathi word for hill, and takes the number of jumping spiders in India to 326. The species was first described by Atharva Kulkarni, an MSc student in environmental science from MIT-World Peace University in Pune. A spider species was last discovered in Pune over 30 years ago. About Spider species: Spiders are a group of arthropods that have segmented bodies, a hard exoskeleton and legs that are jointed.  One of the most defining characteristics of spiders is they have eight legs. Spiders are also known for spinning webs and using these webs to trap their prey.

  Dedicated Freight Corridors (DFCs) About DFCs are specialized freight routes that boost transport capacity through faster transit, double-stack container trains, and heavy-haul trains, enhancing supply chains for industries along economic centers and increasing export-import traffic. The Ministry of Railways launched the DFC project in 2006, constructing two main corridors: Eastern DFC (EDFC) : Spanning 1,337 km from Sonnagar, Bihar, to Sahnewal, Punjab. This corridor is complete and operational, with feeder routes to coal mines and thermal plants. Western DFC (WDFC) : Extending 1,506 km from Mumbai’s Jawaharlal Nehru Port to Dadri, UP. Currently 93% operational, it serves major ports in Gujarat and is set for full completion by December 2025. As of March 31, 2024, Rs 94,091 crore has been invested in the DFC project (excluding land costs). Need The need for Dedicated Freight Corridors (DFCs) aros e due to two main reasons: Overuse of the Golden Quadrilateral : This critical rail...