Science & Technology Current Affairs MCQs

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Scientists at Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST) in Thiruvananthapuram have developed a new real-time test for Tuberculosis (TB) called the real-time Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (rt-LAMP) assay. The rt-LAMP assay is similar to GeneXpert and Truenat, with high sensitivity to detect even 10 TB DNA copies per microlitre. Unlike Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR), which needs three temperature cycles, rt-LAMP works at a single temperature, making it simpler and faster. It uses six primers for stronger DNA detection, compared to two in RT-PCR. The use of Syto 16 fluorescent dye avoids false negatives. Results are available in just 10–20 minutes, helping in early TB diagnosis.

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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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AIIMS Raipur has successfully performed its first Swap Kidney Transplant, also known as a Kidney Paired Transplant. With this, it became the first among the newer All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and the first government hospital in Chhattisgarh to perform this complex surgery. The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare highlighted it as a major step in advanced healthcare. This procedure helps patients with end-stage kidney disease by increasing transplant options through donor pairing. Swap Kidney Transplant is estimated to boost the number of kidney transplants by 15 percent. The National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO) has recommended all states and Union Territories adopt this method to improve donor availability.

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Indian scientists from the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) have developed a novel method to estimate Helium abundance in the Sun’s photosphere. Helium is the second most abundant element in the Sun but is hard to detect directly in its photosphere. Traditional methods used solar wind, corona data, hotter stars, and helioseismology but lacked precision. The new method uses spectral lines of Magnesium (Mg I), Carbon (C I), and molecular lines of MgH, CH, and C₂ observed in the Sun’s photosphere. By analyzing the relationship between Helium and Hydrogen, the method accurately estimates Helium’s abundance.

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The world’s only research centre on mycetoma, a neglected tropical disease, has been destroyed in Sudan’s two-year war. Mycetoma is a chronic, progressively destructive infectious disease of the subcutaneous tissues, affecting the skin, deep tissues, and bones. It was first reported in Madurai, India, in the mid-19th century and was initially called Madura foot. Mycetoma is caused by a variety of microorganisms, either fungal or bacterial. It commonly affects young males aged 15 to 30 years in developing countries. The disease is found in tropical and subtropical regions with short rainy seasons and prolonged dry periods. Mycetoma is endemic in the “Mycetoma belt,” including countries like Sudan, Chad, and India.

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In a major step toward digital transformation, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister laid the foundation for India’s first Artificial Intelligence-based Data Center Park in Raipur. The facility will start with a five megawatt capacity and aims to grow to 150 megawatts. A 2.7-hectare area is being developed as a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) focused on Artificial Intelligence (AI) services. The project will see an investment of Rs 2,000 crore as it expands. The center will support green, energy-efficient technologies for sustainable operations. It will serve sectors like AI, Financial Technology (FinTech), Health Technology (HealthTech), defense, and data analytics. The infrastructure will use Graphics Processing Unit (GPU)-based systems for real-time data processing, streaming, and analytics.

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A recent study in the New England Journal of Medicine found that a weekly dose of semaglutide shows strong results in treating Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatohepatitis (MASH). Semaglutide is a Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist, first developed to treat Type 2 diabetes. It is the main ingredient in medicines like Ozempic, used for diabetes, and Wegovy, used for weight loss. MASH is a severe type of fatty liver disease caused by metabolic problems and not by alcohol. It involves fat buildup, inflammation, and liver scarring, and is linked to obesity, diabetes, and overnutrition. If not treated, MASH can lead to cirrhosis or liver failure.

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A recent study in Nature Geoscience found that soil microbes, particularly fungi and bacteria, play a central role in regulating phosphorus availability and cycling over a span of 700,000 years in the Cooloola coastal dune system. These microbes manage the release and transformation of phosphorus in nutrient-poor soils, acting as crucial “gatekeepers” in ecosystem nutrient dynamics. These microbes adapt by replacing phospholipids with non-phosphorus lipids and storing fats to reduce phosphorus demand. They also improve phosphorus use efficiency in their metabolism to survive in low-phosphorus soils. Microbes both compete with plants for phosphorus and help them by recycling it and improving access.

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Denmark has inaugurated the world’s first large-scale commercial e-methanol facility in Kasso, southern Denmark. It has a production capacity of 42,000 metric tons (53 million litres) of e-methanol annually. E-methanol offers a viable path for reducing emissions in sectors like shipping and chemical manufacturing. E-methanol is produced by combining green hydrogen with captured carbon dioxide.

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West Nile Virus (WNV) has been detected for the first time in mosquitoes in the United Kingdom, as confirmed by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). The virus was found in Aedes vexans mosquitoes from wetlands near the River Idle in Nottinghamshire during July 2023 under the Vector-Borne RADAR surveillance program. WNV spreads mainly between birds and mosquitoes but can occasionally infect humans and horses. Most human cases show no symptoms, but about 20% may have flu-like symptoms. In rare cases, WNV can cause serious brain conditions like encephalitis or meningitis. The current public health risk is very low, with no widespread transmission found.