Which are the most popular keywords of 2024? From brain-rot and demure to Keffiyeh and Black coat syndrome, here’s our pick from what trended and remained relevant for UPSC aspirants. #1 Crypto No, it isn't related to cryptocurrency! Cryptosporidium or Crypto, belongs to the coccidia group of protozoan parasites that can reproduce sexually and asexually. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) reported 22 confirmed cases of cryptosporidiosis, a waterborne disease. The infection is caused by a parasite found in stool and can be contracted by consuming contaminated food or water. #2 3ZERO Club It is an initiative to achieve Nobel Peace Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus's vision of creating a world of three zeros—zero net carbon emission, zero wealth concentration for ending poverty, and zero unemployment by unleashing entrepreneurship in all. The mission of the 3ZERO Club is to inspire and enable the youth to ideate, create, and lead with an entrepreneurial spirit to solve the most pressing social and environmental issues of our time. #3 Brain-rot The Oxford University Press (OUP) has picked Brain-rot as its “Word of the Year” for 2024. Brain-rot is the supposed deterioration of a person’s mental or intellectual state, especially viewed as the result of overconsumption of material (now particularly online content) considered to be trivial or unchallenging. #4 4B Movement 4B stands for four bis, or no in the Korean language: bihon, bichulsan, biyeonae, and bisekseu, meaning the refusal of (heterosexual) marriage, childbirth, romance, and sexual relationships, respectively. The movement started in South Korea around 2016. In the aftermath of Donald Trump’s victory, many American women took to social media to announce that they are adopting it in their lives. #5 Peak Oil The term “peak oil” used to mean the point when global production would top out, before entirely running out. This theory was proposed in 1956 by M. King Hubbert, a US geoscientist working for fossil fuel giant Shell, who projected — based on statistical modeling of known oil reserves at the time — that global crude oil production would peak around the year 2000, before diminishing and eventually stopping altogether. But Hubbert’s prediction didn’t quite come true. #6 Operation Indravati ‘Operation Indravati’ was launched by the Indian government in March to evacuate its citizens from the turmoil-stricken Haiti to the neighboring Dominican Republic. Haiti, situated in the Caribbean, has plunged into chaos with armed gangs seizing control of the streets, resulting in the virtual disappearance of the government. #7 Maori haka Maori Haka became a trending topic when Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke, a 22-year-old Maori Party MP of New Zealand, performed it in parliament in protest of a contentious Bill. Haka is a traditional dance of Maori people which is usually performed in a group and involves chanting, dramatic facial gestures, hand movements, and stamping the feet. It also served as a means of storytelling, a way to express communal grievances, celebrate triumphs, or honour ancestors. #8 4E Wave Movement 4E Wave movement is a student-led national movement for energy conservation that originated from students at the Government College of Engineering & Technology (GCET), Jammu. It is a youth-led initiative committed to advancing the principles of Eco-friendliness, Economy, Education, and Empowerment (4Es) in the realm of energy conservation and sustainability. #9 Keffiyeh Keffiyeh is a traditional headdress worn across the Middle East. In recent decades, they have come to be identified as a symbol of Palestinean identity and resistance. Recently, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jhumpa Lahiri declined to accept an award from New York City’s Noguchi Museum Wednesday after it sacked three employees for wearing ‘keffiyeh’. #10 Cyber Slavery Cyber slavery refers to a situation where an individual is allegedly held against their will and forced to carry out cyber fraud. Indian authorities have said that cyber slavery is an emerging and alarming form of modern-day trafficking. Individuals are coerced or trafficked into committing online scams for organised criminal networks under duress. This growing cybercrime exploits vulnerable people, trapping them in illegal activities and online frauds. #11 Digital Arrest A “Digital Arrest” scam involves fraudsters impersonating law enforcement via video calls, threatening fake arrests to extort money. The criminals, who often use pictures or identities of police personnel to convey authenticity, usually demand money from the target for a ‘compromise’ and closure of the case. In certain cases, the victims are “digitally arrested”, and forced to stay visible over Skype or other video conferencing platforms to the criminals until their demands are met. #12 Punganur Breed The Punganur is an indigenous breed native to the Punganoor, Vayalapadu, Madanapalli, and Palamaneer talukas of the Chittoor district of southern Andhra Pradesh. They are a unique dwarf breed, considered the shortest-humped cattle in the world. On the occasion of Pongal/ Makar Sankranti, Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered green fodder to a group of about six cattle belonging to the Punganur Breed. #13 Sarco Pod It is a coffin-sized, air-tight machine designed by Exit International. It is used for euthanasia in Switzerland. It consists of a 3D-printed detachable capsule placed on a stand with a canister of liquid nitrogen. A person lying inside it could press a button to initiate the dying process, flooding the air inside it with nitrogen gas. #14 Operation Sadbhav India launched Operation “Sadbhav” to provide aid and urgent supplies to Vietnam, Laos, and Myanmar, which are grappling with the devastating effects of Typhoon Yagi. As part of Mission Sadbhav, India has sent 10 tons of aid, including dry rations, clothing, and medicines, to Myanmar aboard the Indian naval ship INS Satpura. #15 HFC-23 HFC-23, also known as trifluoromethane, is produced during the manufacture of a common refrigerant gas called HCFC-22, belonging to the hydrochlorofluorocarbon family. HFC-23 has 14,800 times more potential to cause global warming as compared to carbon dioxide. The Nature study found that about 68 per cent of the credits generated in HFC-23 abatement projects that the researchers reviewed had led to actual emissions reductions. #16 Project Nexus The RBI has joined Project Nexus, a multilateral international initiative to enable instant cross-border retail payments by interlinking domestic Fast Payments Systems (FPSs). It is conceptualised by the Innovation Hub of the Bank for International Settlements (BIS). #17 Constitutional Autochthony Constitutional Autochthony refers to the fact that a constitution is, legally speaking, "homegrown" or rooted in native soil. This political science term implies that the constitution's authority and validity come from local legal factors, not from a foreign legal process thus asserting its constitutional independence. #18 Demure The online dictionary platform Dictionary.com has officially announced “demure” is its 2024 Word of the Year. Being demure represents a mindful, understated demeanour—being thoughtful, present, and intentionally cutesy without overdoing it. #19 Manifest Cambridge Dictionary has declared ‘manifest’ as its word of the year for 2024, highlighting the growing influence of the concept in popular culture and beyond. It is defined as “to use methods such as visualisation and affirmation to help you imagine achieving something you want, in the belief that doing so will make it more likely to happen”. #20 Blood money Blood money or diyya is a concept in Islamic law where victims of crimes have a say in how criminals are to be punished. In the case of murder, this principle applies to the families of victims. Although murder is punished via the death penalty, the victim's family (specifically, heirs) may choose to "forgive" the murderer in exchange for monetary compensation. This monetary compensation is blood money. #21 Black coat syndrome It is described as the fear and alienation experienced by marginalized communities in their interactions with the legal system, fearing the financial and mental strain due to the prolonged judicial process. It is analogous to the "White Coat Hypertension". #22 FOMO FOMO, or Fear of Missing Out, refers to the anxiety that is experienced when someone misses out on a social gathering with people that they really care about. It’s this sort of sinking, creeping feeling that people are bonding without us, and we have somehow missed that. #23 Tari Rangkuk Alu Google Doodle celebrated the Tari Rangkuk Alu, a dance genre from Manggarai, Indonesia on April 29, 2024. This dance style originates from the traditional Rangkuk Alu game in Manggarai, which involves maneuvering through a moving bamboo grid. #24 Greenwashing It refers to the growing tendency of companies, organisations, or even countries to make dubious or unverifiable claims about their activities, products, or services being environment-friendly or climate-friendly. Greenwashing presents a false picture of the progress being made on the climate change front, thereby pushing the world towards disaster, while at the same time rewarding entities for irresponsible behaviour. Post Script Dear Readers, Our UPSC Current Affairs Pointers was launched to provide you with important current affairs from The Indian Express that are relevant for your Prelims and Mains preparation. We remain committed to supporting you in this journey, and your positive feedback is always welcome. Stay tuned for UPSC Current Affairs Pointers every Monday in the UPSC Essentials of The Indian Express. Let’s welcome 2025 with optimism and be ready to seize new opportunities. Happy New Year! For your queries and suggestions write at khushboo.kumari@indianexpress.com The Indian Express UPSC Essentials brings to you the December issue of its monthly magazine. Click Here to read. 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