Science & Technology Current Affairs MCQs

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Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) CARTOSAT-3 satellite captured high-resolution images of earthquake damage in Myanmar. A 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar on March 28, 2025. Post-disaster images from March 29 were compared with pre-event data from March 18 to assess damage in Mandalay and Sagaing. CARTOSAT-3 is a third-generation agile advanced Earth observation satellite developed by ISRO. It replaces the Indian Remote Sensing (IRS) series and has high-resolution imaging capabilities. It was launched aboard the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C47).

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Researchers from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru have developed a made-in-India Organ-on-Chip (OoC), which was earlier imported. Organ-on-Chip is a small, flexible device made of polymers that mimics the structure and function of human organs on a micro scale. It contains tiny channels where living human cells grow and interact, simulating real tissue environments. Different models like lung-on-chip and liver-on-chip have been created to study specific organs. Fluids such as blood or drugs can be passed through the chip to observe their effects on human cells, helping in medical research and drug testing.

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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.

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U.S.-based biotech company Colossal Biosciences announced the birth of three genetically engineered wolf pups, aiming to revive the extinct dire wolf species after 12,500 years. This marks the first-ever attempt at “de-extinction,” using methods like gene editing (e.g., CRISPR-Cas9), ancient DNA sequencing, cloning, and synthetic biology. De-extinction helps in biodiversity conservation, ecological balance, and climate resilience, and boosts public interest in conservation science. The dire wolf, scientifically named Aenocyon dirus, once lived in North American grasslands and forests during the Pleistocene Epoch and went extinct around 12,500 years ago.

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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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Researchers at the University of California, Santa Barbara discovered that fruit fly larvae can sense electric fields, a rare ability called electroreception. Electroreception is the biological sense that allows animals to detect weak electric fields in their surroundings. It is mostly seen in aquatic vertebrates like sharks and electric fish, but now found in invertebrates like fruit fly larvae too. A single neuron in the larva’s head was found to detect the electric field and trigger movement. The larvae changed direction based on the electric field, proving they sensed it and not other stimuli. This finding shows electroreception may be more common and ancient than previously thought.

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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 Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has predicted that wheat production from eight major states will reach 122.724 million tonnes by March 31, 2025. This estimate was made using satellite-based remote sensing technology for better accuracy and timely updates. ISRO’s National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) has developed a system called CROP, which stands for Comprehensive Remote Sensing Observation on Crop Progress. CROP is a semi-automated and scalable system that monitors crop sowing, growth, and harvesting in near real-time. It mainly supports agricultural planning during the Rabi season. This comes as remote sensing in agriculture marks 50 years of global use.

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Recently, concerns were raised when the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) called for proposals using GenomeIndia data without sharing important phenotype data details. Phenome India-CSIR Health Cohort Knowledgebase (PI-CheCK) was launched by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) on December 7, 2023. The project aims to build India-specific risk prediction models for cardio-metabolic diseases like diabetes, liver, and heart diseases. It is India’s first pan-India longitudinal health study focused on cardio-metabolic health.