Science & Technology Current Affairs MCQs

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The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared Jordan the first country in the world to eliminate leprosy, a major public health achievement. WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus praised Jordan for its efforts to stop leprosy transmission and reduce its stigma. Jordan has not reported any local cases of leprosy for over 20 years. The declaration followed an independent assessment of the situation in the country. Despite Jordan’s success, leprosy still affects over 120 countries, with more than 200,000 new cases reported annually.

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The Union Cabinet, led by the Prime Minister, approved the ‘PM E-DRIVE Scheme’. The scheme, called PM Electric Drive Revolution in Innovative Vehicle Enhancement, is launched by the Ministry of Heavy Industries. The PM Electric Drive Revolution in Innovative Vehicle Enhancement (PM E-DRIVE) scheme aims to support local manufacturing of electric vehicle (EV) components with a Rs 10,900 crore outlay. It replaces the previous FAME scheme and includes a phased manufacturing programme to encourage domestic production. The new scheme mandates local assembly of parts for subsidy eligibility, addressing past issues of companies misusing subsidies by selling imported vehicles. The initiative is part of India’s broader strategy to enhance electric mobility and reduce reliance on imported components while ensuring quality checks on manufacturers.

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CSIR-Central Leather Research Institute (CSIR-CLRI) researchers found that nanozymes protect collagen and resist enzymatic degradation. Nanozymes are artificial enzymes made from materials like metals, metal oxides, or carbon. They are more stable, cost-effective, durable, and easier to mass-produce than biological enzymes. Nanozymes work well in various conditions of temperature and pH. They are used in treating cancer, inflammatory diseases, neurodegenerative disorders, infections, wounds, and diseases linked to Reactive Oxygen Species.

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Llama 3.2 is Meta’s first open-source, multimodal AI model designed to assist developers in creating advanced applications. Introduced during a Meta event in California, CEO Mark Zuckerberg emphasized its capabilities in visual understanding and document analysis. This model represents a significant advancement in AI technology, enabling developers to build tools that can quickly analyze and explain lengthy documents, thereby enhancing productivity and innovation in various fields, including research and business.

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Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann was recently diagnosed with leptospirosis. Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease affecting humans and animals, transmitted through contact with infected animal urine or contaminated environments. It can enter the body through cuts or mucous membranes. The World Health Organization recognizes it as a significant public health concern, especially in tropical regions. Symptoms include fever, muscle aches, and in severe cases, liver damage.

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Scientists at the Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science in Kolkata have found a new target for cancer treatment by activating a DNA repair enzyme called TDP1. TDP1, or Tyrosyl-DNA phosphodiesterase 1, is essential for DNA repair in humans as it removes damaged DNA bases. This discovery opens a promising path for precision medicine in cancer treatment, particularly for cancers that are resistant to existing therapies.

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The northern lights, or aurora borealis, were recently visible in parts of the US, Canada, the UK, Germany, and Ladakh, India. Auroras are natural light displays in high-latitude regions caused by solar wind particles interacting with Earth’s upper atmosphere. They form dynamic patterns like curtains, rays, or spirals in the sky. Aurora borealis, or northern lights, mainly occur near the Arctic Circle in countries like Norway, Canada, and Alaska. These lights, primarily green, red, and purple, are created by charged particles from the sun interacting with Earth’s atmospheric gases.

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Gary Ruvkun, while accepting the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, praised Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans), a tiny nematode worm. C. elegans is a small, simple organism used in research for its precise structure and fast growth (3-5 days). It was the first multicellular organism to have its full genome sequenced and neural wiring mapped. It has two sexes: hermaphrodite and male; the hermaphrodite can self-fertilize or cross-fertilize. Nematodes are abundant, living as parasites or in free-living forms in diverse environments like soil and marine ecosystems.

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A study linked the COVID-19 vaccine CoronaVac from Sinovac Biotech to immune thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP). TTP is a rare, life-threatening blood disorder with excessive clotting and low platelet count. In TTP, clots form in small blood vessels, blocking blood flow to organs like the brain, kidneys, and heart, potentially causing organ damage. “Thrombotic” refers to blood clots; “Thrombocytopenic” to low platelets; and “Purpura” to bruises from bleeding under the skin. Low platelets in TTP hinder proper blood clotting, causing bleeding issues, including internal and skin bleeding.

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Indian Institute of Science (IISc) researchers have developed biodegradable foam that could revolutionize packaging and address environmental issues. This bio-foam, made from FDA-approved bio-based epoxy resins and tea leaf-derived hardeners, offers a sustainable alternative to plastic foams used in FMCG packaging. It is an eco-friendly replacement for expanded polystyrene (EPS) and polyurethane foams. The foam’s structure allows it to be reprocessed or dissolved without losing strength and can disintegrate within three hours in eco-friendly solvents at 80°C. Safe for landfills, it prevents groundwater contamination. With a $7.9 billion market, this innovation targets low recycling rates in plastic foam packaging.