Science & Technology Current Affairs MCQs

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The European Space Agency (ESA) released a high-resolution satellite image through the Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission. The image captures the venues planned for the 2026 Winter Olympic Games. The image highlights land features, terrain, and human-made infrastructure in great detail. The Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission is an Earth observation satellite mission developed by the European Space Agency (ESA). It is part of Copernicus, the European Union’s Earth observation programme. The mission focuses on monitoring changes and variability in land surface conditions.

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India launched iLive Connect, the world’s first doctor-led Artificial Intelligence (AI) healthcare ecosystem for continuous home-based clinical monitoring. It bridges gaps in chronic disease care and post-hospital recovery, especially for elderly and remote-area patients. The system uses medical-grade wearable biosensors, a chest patch and wristband, to track ECG, heart rate, respiration, oxygen saturation (SpO₂), temperature, blood pressure trends, activity, sleep, and heart rate variability. Data is sent in real time to a 24×7 medical command centre staffed by specialist doctors.

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The CHaracterising ExOPlanet Satellite (CHEOPS) of the European Space Agency has discovered a four-planet system around a nearby star. The observation showed that the outermost planet in this system is small and rocky in nature. The CHaracterising ExOPlanet Satellite (CHEOPS) is a space mission developed and operated by the European Space Agency to study exoplanets orbiting bright, nearby stars. It is the first mission specifically designed to observe stars that are already known to host exoplanets and to measure their sizes with very high precision as the planets transit across their host stars.

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A new meat-eating dinosaur named Spinosaurus mirabilis was discovered in the Sahara Desert. Its fossils were found in Jengueb area of Niger in the central Sahara. It lived about 95 million years ago in a forested inland region with rivers. It is the second known species of Spinosaurus. The first species, Spinosaurus aegyptiacus, was discovered in 1915 in Egypt.

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Astronomers from Indian Institute of Astrophysics discovered the origin of a Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) shock for the first time. The CME-driven shock was recorded forming at a distance of about 1,30,000 km above the solar surface. This is the first confirmed detection of the “birth stage” of CME shocks, resolving a long-standing debate about their origin. Instruments used include the Gauribidanur Radio Telescope and Aditya-L1’s Visible Emission Line Coronagraph (VELC) payload. Detecting shocks at onset helps predict solar storms more accurately and protects satellites, GPS systems, and power grids from damage.

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Astronomers imaged the central Milky Way and revealed a complex network of cosmic gas filaments using Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA). ALMA is located in the Atacama Desert of northern Chile and studies celestial objects at millimetre and submillimetre wavelengths. It has been fully operational since 2013. It was designed and built by National Radio Astronomy Observatory, National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, and European Southern Observatory.

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Avataar is India’s first amphibious drone, launched on 5 March 2026 by AquaAirX Autonomous Systems. It can operate both in air and underwater, combining drone flight with submarine-like diving for surveillance. The project received ₹12.5 crore seed funding from Rainmatter. It has reached TRL-6 (Technology Readiness Level-6), meaning a working prototype tested in real environments. It is built with carbon fibre body and anti-corrosion coatings to resist saltwater damage.

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Van Allen Probes A satellite, weighing about 600 kg, is re-entering Earth’s atmosphere, raising discussion about possible ground risks. The Van Allen Probes mission by NASA was the first mission to study Earth’s radiation belts using two spacecraft together. The twin spacecraft Van Allen Probe A and Van Allen Probe B were launched on 30 August 2012 to explore Earth’s radiation environment. They studied the Van Allen Radiation Belts, which are rings of energetic charged particles trapped by Earth’s magnetic field. These belts are named after space scientist James Van Allen, who discovered them in 1958.

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Shigellosis is an infectious disease caused by the bacterium Shigella, and a recent outbreak has been reported in Kerala. It is a highly contagious disease that causes acute diarrhoea and is one of the leading bacterial causes of diarrhoeal illness globally. The infection can affect people of all age groups, but children below five years are the most vulnerable. Humans act as the only natural reservoir of the Shigella bacteria, which helps in its rapid spread. The illness is usually self-limiting in mild cases, but severe infections may require treatment with antibiotics. The disease can become more serious in young children, elderly individuals, malnourished persons, and those with weak immune systems.

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India’s Antariksh Venture Capital Fund will start investing in space startups from FY2027 to boost the private space sector. It is a close-ended fund registered with Securities and Exchange Board of India as a Category II Alternative Investment Fund (AIF). Key investor is Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre under the Department of Space. The fund is sponsored by SIDBI Venture Capital Limited. The objective is to provide capital for space startups, support scaling, and promote commercialization of technologies.