Science & Technology Current Affairs MCQs

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The central government recently notified 34 biostimulants to boost their production and use in agriculture. Biostimulants are natural substances or microorganisms applied to plants or soil to enhance the plant’s natural growth and stress-resistance processes. They help reduce dependence on fertilizers by improving nutrient use efficiency, root growth, and resistance to drought, salinity, and extreme temperatures. In India, biostimulants are regulated under the Fertilizer (Control) Order, 1985.

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Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology, Dr. Jitendra Singh launched Bharat Gen Multimodal Large Language Model (LLM) at the BharatGen Summit. BharatGen is India’s first government-funded, indigenously built Artificial Intelligence (AI) based Multimodal Large Language Model. It is developed under the National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems (NM-ICPS) and implemented by the TIH Foundation for Internet of Things (IoT) and Internet of Everything (IoE) at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay.

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New research revealed the largest diphtheria outbreak in Western Europe in 70 years started in 2022. The outbreak mainly affected vulnerable groups like migrants and the homeless. Diphtheria is a highly contagious bacterial infection caused by bacteria Corynebacterium diphtheriae. This bacteria produces a toxin that attacks the respiratory tract and can spread through the body. Transmission occurs through respiratory droplets from coughing or sneezing. It can also spread by contact with infected open sores or ulcers on the skin.

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For the first time ever, scientists have captured direct images of the Sun’s north and south poles. This was made possible by the Solar Orbiter mission. The Solar Orbiter mission is a collaborative effort between the European Space Agency (ESA) and NASA to study the Sun. It aims to observe the Sun’s surface and the solar wind, providing valuable insights into solar activity and its effects on Earth and the solar system.

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A new study highlights that dogs may help detect the early spread of Valley Fever, offering a new tool for public health. Valley Fever, or acute coccidioidomycosis, is a fungal infection caused by Coccidioides organisms found in soil. The fungi are common in the Pacific Northwest, southwestern United States, Mexico, Central America, and South America. The infection spreads when soil is disturbed and people or animals breathe in the fungal spores. Symptoms may be absent or resemble flu or pneumonia, and appear 5 to 21 days after exposure.

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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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A recent genomic study revealed the spread of Rice Yellow Mottle Virus or RYMV across African rice ecosystems, posing a serious threat to rice production. Rice Yellow Mottle Virus is a plant virus that affects rice and some related grasses. It first appeared in the mid-1800s in the Eastern Arc Mountains, now in Tanzania, a region rich in biodiversity. It is mainly found in Africa and is present in most rice-growing countries on the continent.

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Recently, scientists from the Centre for Nano and Soft Matter Sciences (CeNS), Bengaluru, developed a next-generation device that produces green hydrogen using only solar energy. Green hydrogen is a clean fuel that can help decarbonize industries, power vehicles, and store renewable energy, but producing it affordably at scale has been difficult. The CeNS device splits water molecules using earth-abundant materials without fossil fuels or expensive resources, making it sustainable and scalable.

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Adani Group has recently commissioned India’s first off-grid 5 megawatt (MW) green hydrogen pilot plant in Kutch, Gujarat. The plant has been developed by Adani New Industries Limited (ANIL), which is the clean energy arm of Adani Enterprises Limited. An off-grid green hydrogen plant produces hydrogen using electrolysis powered entirely by renewable sources like solar or wind and is not connected to the main power grid. This plant runs fully on solar energy and includes a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) for continuous operation.

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Researchers have recently introduced a new term called “Thirstwaves” to describe long periods of high atmospheric thirst. A Thirstwave occurs when the daily evaporative demand stays above the historical 90th percentile for at least three consecutive days. Evaporative demand means how thirsty the atmosphere is or how much water it wants to absorb from the ground or plants. It is influenced by temperature, wind speed, humidity, and sunshine. Understanding thirstwaves can help farmers manage water more efficiently and boost crop production. This concept is important for improving climate resilience in agriculture and water planning.