Science & Technology Current Affairs MCQs

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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.

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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.

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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.

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The Electrojet Zeeman Imaging Explorer (EZIE) mission was launched by NASA. Specifically, the mission was a NASA Heliophysics mission designed to study Earth’s auroral electrojets. Auroral electrojets are strong electric currents that flow 60 to 90 miles above the Earth’s polar regions. These currents are caused by the solar wind, a stream of charged particles from the Sun, and they can carry up to 1 million amps of charge per second. EZIE uses three CubeSats, which are small satellites, to investigate how these currents connect Earth’s auroras to its magnetosphere. The mission helps scientists understand how solar activity affects Earth, which is important for predicting space weather events.

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A new non-contact wearable device developed by researchers from the United States and South Korea can monitor health by measuring skin flux without touching the skin. The device is about the size of a smartphone and tracks molecular movements like vapour leaving the body and chemicals entering through the skin. It was developed under the leadership of Professor John A. Rogers at Northwestern University, USA. It creates a small sealed microclimate next to the skin and uses wireless electronics and tiny sensors to detect water vapour, carbon dioxide (CO₂), and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). A remote-controlled valve adjusts the chamber’s openness for accurate comparisons.

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Researchers from the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) and Florida State University have created a new method to estimate how much carbon is transported from the ocean surface to deeper waters. This method uses satellite data and is called the Lagrangian Growth-Advection Model. It helps map how phytoplankton develop and how carbon is transported in the ocean by following surface currents, especially in nutrient-rich upwelling zones like the California Current. This model improves our understanding of ocean carbon cycles by showing how ocean movement and biological processes interact over time and space. It supports climate research by offering a more accurate way to estimate oceanic carbon export using satellite data.

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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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The Department of Posts recently released a commemorative stamp to mark the 125th anniversary of the Kodaikanal Solar Observatory (KoSO). The Kodaikanal Solar Observatory was established in 1899 by the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) in Tamil Nadu. It was set up to study the Sun and its impact on Earth’s climate, particularly on the Indian monsoon. This decision followed the Great Drought of 1875–1877, which caused a massive famine that killed nearly 50 million people globally. The Famine Commission then recommended setting up a solar observatory to explore the link between solar activity and rainfall.

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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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At the I/O Developers Conference 2025, Google launched its AI-first restructuring strategy called AI Matryoshka. AI Matryoshka is a multi-layered artificial intelligence ecosystem where Google’s core AI acts like the central brain, similar to a Matryoshka doll. It is built around Gemini 2.5 models and aims to change how users, developers, and enterprises interact with technology. This system powers everything from Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) to user-facing apps. The goal is to deeply embed AI across all Google platforms and create smart, autonomous systems that respond in real time.