Science & Technology Current Affairs MCQs

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Footrot disease is affecting the sheep and goats of Gaddi shepherds in Himachal Pradesh. It is a highly contagious disease affecting the tissue between the toes of ruminants. Footrot is a common cause of lameness in cattle and sheep, leading to significant economic losses. The disease is caused by the Dichelobacter nodosus bacteria along with other bacteria. It spreads through infected feet contaminating the environment and enters through skin injuries. Footrot is seasonal, with the highest occurrence during wet seasons. Controlling footrot in an infected herd is challenging.

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SpaceX achieved a milestone by landing its Starship rocket using the “Mechazilla” structure. Mechazilla is a 400-ft rocket-catching structure at SpaceX’s Starbase. It has two large mechanical arms, called “chopsticks,” to catch the returning Super Heavy booster midair. After launch, the booster separates, descends with controlled thrusters, and is caught by Mechazilla’s arms. This method enables reusable and efficient rocket recovery. It reduces launch costs and boosts sustainability by allowing quick refurbishment and reuse of the booster.

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Scurvy, once common in the 15th century, is resurfacing today. It’s caused by a severe lack of vitamin C, which humans must get from food as we can’t produce it. Key sources of vitamin C are fresh fruits, vegetables, and fortified foods; cooking can reduce vitamin C levels. Symptoms include anemia, fatigue, bleeding, limb pain, swelling, gum ulcers, and tooth loss. Untreated scurvy can be fatal, but it’s treatable with oral or intravenous vitamin C supplements.

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New York State authorities confirmed a case of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in a deer facility, highlighting its impact on deer, elk, and moose. CWD is a fatal neurological disease caused by prions that damage brain tissue in cervids. It leads to severe symptoms like weight loss, lack of coordination, drooling, and eventually death. CWD spreads through bodily fluids and contaminated environments, but there is no evidence of it infecting humans. Symptoms can take up to 16 months to appear, and there is currently no vaccine or treatment available.

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Researchers at the Institute of Nano Science and Technology have developed a novel security ink using luminescent nanomaterials to combat counterfeiting in currency, certificates, branded goods, and medicines. This ink exhibits different colors under various light wavelengths, enhancing its security features. The synthesis process involves rare earth doping and a co-precipitation method, allowing the ink to remain effective under diverse conditions. This innovation provides a reliable solution for verifying authenticity and preventing counterfeit products.

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South Korea is becoming a key testing ground for the sweetener allulose, also known as D-allulose or d-psicose. It naturally occurs in foods like wheat, raisins, figs, and molasses, and is commercially produced from beet sugar or corn. Allulose is 70% as sweet as sugar and nearly calorie-free, making it a popular sugar substitute, especially for people with diabetes. High doses may cause nausea, diarrhea, and other gastrointestinal issues. The U.S. FDA has approved it as “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS), and it is also approved in Japan, Mexico, Singapore, and South Korea.

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Researchers at Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR) developed a new technology for detecting HIV-genome derived G-Quadruplex (GQ). Current HIV tests often suffer from false positives and missed early infections. The new technology, GQ Topology-Targeted Reliable Conformational Polymorphism (GQ-RCP), improves reliability by targeting specific GQ structures. It was initially designed for detecting SARS-CoV-2 but has now been adapted for HIV. The fluorometric test offers higher reliability, reducing false positives and improving diagnosis.

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India’s is set to launch Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) the world’s first parallel satellite to study the Sun’s corona under Proba-3 mission. Proba-3 is an European Space Agency (ESA) mission to observe the Sun’s outer atmosphere using two satellites in parallel formation, creating an artificial eclipse in space. The mission could lead to future multi-satellite missions and enhance space weather understanding. It highlights international collaboration, with contributions from ESA member states and ISRO. Data from the mission will aid solar research and improve space weather forecasting, benefiting satellite operations.

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Chronic Pulmonary Aspergillosis (CPA) is a fungal lung infection caused by the mold Aspergillus, commonly found in indoor and outdoor environments. CPA affects people with chronic lung diseases like emphysema, bronchitis, or tuberculosis. CPA is not contagious and cannot spread between individuals. Early symptoms may be absent; common signs include coughing up blood, weight loss, fatigue, shortness of breath, and wheezing. CPA is usually a lifelong condition requiring long-term antifungal treatment. Surgery may be needed to remove fungal masses causing lung bleeding. CPA claims over 340,000 lives annually, highlighting its severe impact.

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IIT Bombay researchers developed an open-source tool, IMPART:‘I’ntegration of dyna’M’ic water extents towards improved lake w’A’ter su’R’face ‘T’emperature, to calculate dynamic lake water surface temperatures by considering real-time changes in lake areas. Traditional methods assume constant lake areas, which can lead to inaccurate temperature estimations. IMPART uses satellite data (MODIS, LANDSAT) and Google Earth Engine to analyze temperature and lake extent changes. The tool evaluated 342 lakes globally, including 115 in India, highlighting significant temperature differences between static and dynamic measurements. Dynamic assessments were crucial in tropical, arid, and temperate zones, showing strong climate change impacts on lakes. IMPART aids climate change monitoring, ecological health assessments, and water resource management.