Science & Technology Current Affairs MCQs

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Recently, India’s first agentic Artificial Intelligence (AI) named Kruti was launched by the startup Krutrim. It is a next-generation Generative AI (GenAI) tool that goes beyond just providing information. Kruti can act independently to manage complex tasks, make decisions, and solve problems for users and organizations. It uses advanced reasoning and step-by-step planning to handle multi-layered challenges without constant human input. It processes large amounts of data from various sources to create strategies and complete tasks on its own.

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India has gained global recognition in animal health as the ICAR-National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases (NIHSAD) in Bhopal was recently designated as a Category A Rinderpest Holding Facility (RHF) by the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) and the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Rinderpest, also called cattle plague, is a deadly viral disease caused by a Morbillivirus from the Paramyxoviridae family. It mainly affects cloven-hoofed animals like cattle and buffalo, with mortality rates reaching up to 100 percent in highly vulnerable herds.

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Researchers in Finland have developed a green chemical method using natural fatty acids from cooking oils to recover silver from electronic waste (e-waste). This comes at a time when global silver demand is rising and e-waste is becoming a major issue, especially in countries like India. E-waste includes discarded devices like computers, phones, and TVs that are outdated or broken. India is the third-largest generator of e-waste in the world, after China and the United States.

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Recently, the Ministry of Defence announced that scientists from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi and the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully demonstrated quantum communication over more than 1 km in free space. Quantum communication is a super secure method of sending information using tiny particles like photons. It uses principles of quantum physics, especially entanglement, to make communication channels tamper-proof. If someone tries to intercept the photons, the disturbance will be detected, revealing the breach. This makes quantum communication highly valuable for defence and national security.

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Recently, five people died due to leptospirosis in Ernakulam district of Kerala within the past three weeks. Leptospirosis is a potentially fatal zoonotic disease caused by the bacterium Leptospira interrogans. The bacteria are commonly found in the urine of animals like rats, cattle, pigs, and dogs. Humans can get infected when the bacteria enter the body through small cracks or wounds on the skin, especially the soles of the feet. The disease is more common in warm and humid countries and can spread in both rural and urban areas.

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Recently, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) decided to expand its Mobile Biosafety Level-3 (MBSL-3) laboratory network to boost India’s outbreak response and public health. The Mobile BSL-3 lab is also called Rapid Action Mobile BSL-3 Advanced Augmented Network (RAMBAAN). It is an advanced “lab on wheels” developed under the Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission. It was first used during the Nipah virus outbreak in Kerala in 2023.

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Recently, in the ‘Mann Ki Baat’ programme, the Prime Minister of India announced that India has been declared free of Trachoma, a bacterial eye disease. Trachoma is caused by the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis and spreads through contact with the eyes, eyelids, or throat secretions of infected people. The World Health Organization (WHO) calls it a neglected tropical disease, affecting around 150 million people worldwide. In 2017, India was declared free from infective Trachoma, with surveillance continuing until 2024.

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The United Kingdom has officially launched the Synthetic Human Genome Project, a groundbreaking effort to build human DNA from scratch. This project shifts from reading DNA, like in the Human Genome Project, to writing and assembling it synthetically. Scientists aim to create disease-resistant cells to repair damaged organs such as the heart, liver, and immune system. It could help treat genetic and age-related diseases by studying how genes control repair and development.
Critics warn about ethical concerns like designer humans and synthetic life.

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Recently, Japan successfully launched a climate monitoring satellite on its H-2A rocket, which made its final flight before retiring. The H-2A lifted off from Tanegashima Space Center carrying the Global Observing Satellite for Greenhouse gases and Water cycle (GOSAT-GW) to track carbon, methane, and water cycles. The launch faced delays due to electrical issues but succeeded, marking the 50th mission of H-2A since 2001 with a 98% success rate. GOSAT-GW will soon share high-resolution data globally, including with the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

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Recently, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting launched the WAVEX Startup Challenge 2025 under its WaveX startup accelerator program. The challenge is titled BhashaSetu – Real-Time Language Tech for Bharat. It is a national hackathon to build Artificial Intelligence-based multilingual translation tools for at least 12 major Indian languages. WaveX is a startup accelerator under the Ministry’s WAVES initiative to promote innovation in media, entertainment, and language technology.