Science & Technology Current Affairs MCQs

Notes:
Artificial Intelligence (AI) could help speed up the diagnosis of Coeliac Disease, an inherited autoimmune disorder. It is caused by an immune reaction to gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye. Eating gluten triggers intestinal damage, leading to malabsorption of nutrients. Symptoms include diarrhea, fatigue, weight loss, bloating, and anemia. In children, it can affect growth and development. 1 in 10 people with a first-degree relative having the disease are at risk. 1 in 100 people worldwide are affected. The only treatment is a strict gluten-free diet.

Notes:
Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, an Indian astronaut, will pilot the Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) to the International Space Station (ISS), marking a milestone for India in global space missions. Axiom Space, a private company in Houston, is organizing Ax-4 in collaboration with Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), European Space Agency (ESA), Poland, and Hungary. The mission crew includes Peggy Whitson (commander), Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski from Poland, and Tibor Kapu from Hungary. The team will stay for 14 days aboard the ISS and carry out around 60 scientific experiments, highlighting international cooperation in space exploration.

Notes:
Bangladesh has become the 54th country to sign the Artemis Accords, a global agreement for safe and peaceful space exploration. The signing took place in Dhaka, where Secretary of Defense Ashraf Uddin represented Bangladesh. The Artemis Accords promote cooperation, transparency, and responsible behavior in space missions like those to the Moon and beyond. It was originally launched in 2020 by NASA and the US Department of State. They are based on the Outer Space Treaty and other agreements like the Rescue and Return Agreement. Bangladesh’s entry marks its growing role in global space efforts and strengthens ties with NASA and international partners.

Notes:
Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD), also known as Monkey Fever, is rising in Shivamogga and Chikkamagaluru districts of Karnataka. It is a tick-borne viral haemorrhagic disease first reported in 1957 from Kyasanur Forest, Karnataka. It is caused by the Kyasanur Forest Disease Virus (KFDV), part of the Flavivirus genus and Flaviviridae family, linked to the tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) complex. The virus spreads through hard ticks (Hemaphysalis spinigera) and affects humans, monkeys, and rodents, but not through human-to-human contact.

Notes:
The European Space Agency (ESA) is preparing to launch the Biomass Mission on April 29, 2025, using a Vega C rocket from Korou Spaceport, French Guiana. The satellite will orbit Earth at 666 km in a sun-synchronous orbit, allowing consistent lighting for accurate observations. It will provide the first global measurements of forest biomass, helping scientists map forests and track their changes over time. Forests store 861 gigatonnes of carbon and absorb about 16 billion metric tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO₂) every year. In 2023, 3.7 million hectares of tropical forests were lost, causing about 6% of global CO₂ emissions.

Notes:
The Karlsruhe Tritium Neutrino (KATRIN) experiment in Germany has made a major advance in particle physics as of April 2025. Neutrinos are neutral subatomic particles formed in radioactive decay and nuclear reactions like those in the sun and stars. The KATRIN (Karlsruhe Tritium Neutrino) experiment, located in Karlsruhe, Germany, aims to measure the mass of the electron antineutrino, which is produced during beta decay. The latest results from KATRIN have reduced the upper limit of neutrino mass to less than 0.45 electron volts, marking a 50% improvement.

Notes:
Indian scientists have developed new ways to study and treat Signet Ring Cell Carcinoma (SRCC), a rare and aggressive form of Colorectal Cancer (CRC). Signet Ring Cell Carcinoma (SRCC) starts in the colon or rectum and gets its name from its ring-shaped cells, where mucus pushes the nucleus to one side. It spreads quickly, resists treatment, and is often detected late, making it deadly. Researchers created Patient-Derived Organoids (PDOs), which are 3D tumour models, and Patient-Derived Xenografts (PDXs), where tumour cells are grown in mice. These models mimic real tumours and help test treatments. Though SRCC is rare globally, in India, cases are almost 10 times higher, often affecting younger people.

Notes:
Two people in the United States are believed to have died recently from Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD), a rare and incurable brain disorder. Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD) causes dementia and belongs to a group of diseases called prion disorders or transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs). Its symptoms are similar to Alzheimer’s disease but progress much faster and lead to death. Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD) is very rare, with only 1 to 2 cases diagnosed per million people each year worldwide. It mostly affects older adults and is always serious. The disease is caused by abnormal proteins called prions, which damage the brain by turning healthy prions into harmful ones. These abnormal prions clump together in the brain, leading to nerve cell loss and severe brain damage.

Notes:
South Eastern Coalfields Limited (SECL) has become the first coal Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) in India to adopt Paste Fill Technology in underground mining. Paste Fill Technology is a modern method used in underground mining to fill the empty spaces left after coal extraction. The paste used is made by mixing crushed overburden from opencast mines, fly ash, cement, water, and binding chemicals. This technique eliminates the need for acquiring additional surface land. It also helps prevent land subsidence, making mining operations more environmentally friendly and safe.

Notes:
Aryabhata, launched on April 19, 1975, was India’s first indigenously-built satellite, named after the ancient Indian mathematician and astronomer Aryabhata. The satellite was launched with Soviet assistance from Kapustin Yar. Aryabhata made India one of the 11 countries capable of sending satellites into orbit. It was designed for solar physics and X-ray astronomy experiments but faced a power failure after five days. Despite this, Aryabhata transmitted data for several more days and remained in orbit for nearly 17 years. The launch of Aryabhata laid the foundation for India’s growing space program, marking 50 years of India’s space achievements in 2025.