Science & Technology Current Affairs MCQs

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Nvidia has unveiled a powerful AI system called Evo 2 for genetic research. Evo 2 is the largest publicly available AI model for genomic data. It was built using 2,000 Nvidia H100 processors on Amazon’s cloud with Arc Institute and Stanford University. It is trained on 9 trillion nucleotides from 128,000+ organisms, covering plants, animals, and bacteria.

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The Supreme Court directed all States to address concerns on stockouts, procurement transparency, and drug quality of Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART) drugs for People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV). ART is a combination of medications that treat human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) by reducing its levels in the body. HIV destroys CD4 cells (also called helper T-cells), weakening the immune system and increasing infection risk. ART cannot cure HIV but helps maintain a healthy immune system by preventing the virus from multiplying. A combination of two to four ART drugs improves effectiveness and reduces resistance. If viral load is low enough, HIV becomes undetectable in blood tests.

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New research suggests that gut-friendly bacteria may help slow vitiligo progression, offering hope for people with this autoimmune disease. Vitiligo causes loss of skin color in patches, often starting on the hands, feet, face, or forearms. It occurs when the immune system destroys melanocytes, cells that produce skin color. Around 30% of cases are genetic, and 1% of the global population is affected. Vitiligo is not life-threatening or contagious, and while treatments can restore color, they can’t prevent its recurrence.

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Subacute Sclerosing Panencephalitis (SSPE) is a rare but serious brain disorder linked to measles (rubeola) infection. It remains a health concern in Lucknow and Uttar Pradesh due to low measles vaccination coverage. SSPE appears years after measles infection, even in those who seemed fully recovered. It is caused by an abnormal immune response or a variant form of the measles virus. This leads to long-term brain inflammation, often resulting in death. SSPE is rare worldwide but more common in unvaccinated regions. It mostly affects children and adolescents, with males at higher risk.

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Audible enclaves are small pockets of sound that remain undisturbed by surrounding noise. They use new technologies to deliver sound to a specific person even in a crowd. Sound waves travel through a medium, moving particles back and forth at different frequencies. Higher frequency sounds diverge more due to diffraction. Parametric array loudspeakers create focused sound beams using high-frequency waves modulated with audio signals. A study published on March 17 in PNAS shows that two high-frequency waves intersect, creating sound only audible nearby due to non-linear interactions.

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Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT) launched the Samarth Incubation Programme to boost innovation in telecommunications and Information Technology (IT). It supports startups working in Telecom Software, Cybersecurity, 5G/6G, AI, IoT, and Quantum Technologies. The program provides up to Rs 5 lakh, 6 months of office space at C-DOT, lab access, and expert mentorship. Software Technology Parks of India (STPI), under Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), is the implementation partner to nurture high-impact startups. The program runs in a hybrid mode with two cohorts of 18 startups each.

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The Government of India launched the BioSaarthi initiative to help Indian biotech startups grow in domestic and global markets. Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh unveiled the initiative in New Delhi on 21 March 2025. The event marked the 13th Foundation Day of the Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC). The Minister also released the “India Bioeconomy Report 2025.” It connects startups with experienced mentors, including Indian diaspora experts. The initiative aims to boost innovation, industry-academia collaboration, and global success for Indian biotech startups.

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Microsoft announced a quantum computing chip called Majorana 1, aiming to solve industrial-scale problems in years, not decades. The chip is named Majorana 1 because it consists of Majorana particles, which are unique subatomic particles that are their own anti-particles. Neutrinos are a potential Majorana particle and are the second-most abundant subatomic particles after photons. Neutrinos are produced in the Big Bang, supernovae, cosmic rays, and nuclear fusion but are hard to detect. A major unknown in physics is the mass of neutrinos.

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The Future Circular Collider (FCC) is a proposed $30 billion project by the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN). It involves a 91 km circular tunnel beneath the Swiss-French border to accelerate and collide particles at record energies. Phase 1 (~2040) aims to generate Higgs bosons in large numbers, while Phase 2 (~2070) will collide protons at extreme energies. Supporters, including CERN leadership, call it the most powerful tool for studying nature. Critics argue it may drain funds, limiting investment in other scientific advancements. The project has sparked major divisions in the scientific community.

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A new study by the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) has used Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) barcoding to correctly identify blackfly species that spread river blindness. River blindness, also called Onchocerciasis, is caused by the parasitic worm Onchocerca volvulus and spreads through the bite of infected blackflies of the genus Simulium. These blackflies breed near fast-flowing rivers and streams and mainly affect people in rural and remote areas. The disease causes severe skin itching, skin damage, and in serious cases, permanent blindness. The World Health Organization (WHO) classifies river blindness as a major Neglected Tropical Disease (NTD), especially in sub-Saharan Africa, Yemen, and Latin America.