Science & Technology Current Affairs MCQs

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Scientists in the USA have discovered a bacteria named Ca. Electrothrix yaqonensis that can conduct electricity. It is named after the Yaqona people, indigenous to the Yaquina Bay region in the USA. This bacterium is notable for its ability to conduct electricity, a rare trait among bacteria. The conductivity helps optimize metabolic functions in sediment environments. Ca. Electrothrix yaqonensis holds potential for developing bioelectronic devices in medicine, industry, and food safety. These bacteria can transfer electrons to clean up pollutants, making them useful for removing harmful substances from sediments.

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The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully conducted the second short hot test of the semicryogenic engine that will power the Semicryogenic booster stage of the Launch Vehicle Mark-3 (LVM3). A semicryogenic engine uses a cryogenic oxidizer like Liquid Oxygen and a hydrocarbon-based fuel like kerosene. It combines the advantages of cryogenic and conventional engines, offering better efficiency and operational simplicity. In comparison, a fully cryogenic engine uses both fuel and oxidizer in liquid form, like Liquid Hydrogen and Liquid Oxygen, giving 100% efficiency without causing greenhouse gas emissions. This successful test marks a key step towards upgrading LVM3 for future heavy-lift missions.

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The Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe) has invited applications for a new initiative called Satellite Bus as a Service (SBaaS). The Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe has launched the ‘Satellite Bus as a Service’ (SBaaS) initiative. This initiative aims to help Indian private space companies design and develop small satellite bus platforms for hosted payload applications. A satellite bus is the main body and structural component of a satellite where scientific instruments and other payloads are housed. The SBaaS initiative will help democratize access to space technology in India and reduce the country’s reliance on imported satellite platforms.

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The National Supercomputing Mission (NSM) is a major initiative launched in 2015 by the Government of India to boost High-Performance Computing (HPC) power in the country. It focuses on building supercomputers in India to support research, science, industry, and education using local technology. NSM is jointly led by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY). It is implemented by the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), Pune and the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru. The mission aims to reduce dependence on foreign technology and place India among the world’s top supercomputing nations

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Indian and US researchers have recently discovered a new subtype of Maturity-Onset Diabetes of the Young (MODY), a rare, inherited form of diabetes. MODY is caused by genetic mutations that lead to impaired insulin production or function. It is typically diagnosed in adolescents or young adults under 35 years of age, without significant obesity. The discovery was made by researchers from the Madras Diabetes Research Foundation (MDRF) in Chennai and Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. This breakthrough could change the way certain forms of MODY are diagnosed and treated, offering better solutions for patients. MODY is divided into 14 subtypes, each linked to different gene mutations.

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On April 2, 2025, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) reported that asteroid 2024 YR4 has a 3.8% chance of hitting the Moon on December 22, 2032. YR4 is a Near-Earth Asteroid (NEA) discovered in December 2024 using the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) telescope in Chile. It is classified as a Near-Earth Object (NEO) because its orbit brings it close to Earth—within 1.3 times the Earth-Sun distance. In February 2025, YR4 triggered NASA’s highest-ever asteroid impact alert. Infrared data from the James Webb Space Telescope estimates its size at around 65 metres, similar to a 10-storey building. Since it is below 140 metres in size, it is not labeled a “Potentially Hazardous Asteroid.” Earlier, it had a 1% chance of hitting Earth, but updated analysis now shows almost no threat to our planet.

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Recently, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) developed a high-pressure nanoporous multilayered polymeric membrane for seawater desalination. The project was carried out by Defence Materials Stores Research and Development Establishment (DMSRDE), Kanpur, under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative. This membrane is made to suit the needs of the Indian Coast Guard (ICG), especially to resist chloride ion damage in salty seawater. It will be used on Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs) of the Coast Guard to ensure a self-reliant supply of freshwater onboard. Desalination means removing salts from seawater to make it usable for drinking or industry.

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India will launch its first manned deep-ocean mission called Samudrayaan by 2026 to explore marine resources up to 6,000 metres deep. The mission is part of the Deep Ocean Mission and will use an indigenously developed submersible named MATSYA 6000. MATSYA 6000 is a 4th generation manned submersible vehicle designed by the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), Chennai. It can carry three people and operate for 12 hours, with an emergency endurance of 96 hours. The research vessel Sagar Nidhi will be used to deploy and recover MATSYA 6000 during the mission.

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In November 2022 and July 2023, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) observed Titan, Saturn’s largest moon, using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) and the Keck Observatory. Titan is the second-largest moon in the solar system and the only one with a thick atmosphere and surface lakes of methane and ethane. It has Earth-like weather patterns, including clouds, rainfall, and changing seasons. Scientists detected clouds in Titan’s mid- and high northern latitudes that rose over time, showing convection-driven weather. This is the first confirmed evidence of such cloud activity near Titan’s northern seas like Kraken Mare and Ligeia Mare. The findings deepen our understanding of Titan’s methane cycle, which works like Earth’s water cycle, and offer clues about prebiotic chemistry on icy moons.

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Recently, Chad, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Somalia, South Sudan, and Sudan signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to eliminate visceral leishmaniasis, also known as kala-azar. The event was held during the 78th World Health Assembly in Geneva, organised by the African Union and World Health Organization (WHO). Kala-azar is a neglected tropical disease (NTD) caused by a protozoan parasite and is fatal if untreated, showing symptoms like fever, fatigue, weight loss, and enlarged spleen and liver. More than 70% of global kala-azar cases are in Eastern Africa, where half of the affected are children under 15, according to the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi). The MoU encourages more investment and better strategies to eliminate kala-azar and improve public health responses.