Science & Technology Current Affairs MCQs

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Turkey’s Bayraktar TB2 drones suffered a reputational setback after Pakistan’s Turkish-origin drones failed during Operation Sindoor. Bayraktar TB2 is a Turkish-made Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) tactical Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). It is designed for Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance (ISR) and precision strike missions. It is Turkey’s first armed UAV developed domestically, showcasing its defence manufacturing capabilities.

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Scientists have recently discovered a giant planet named TOI-6894b orbiting a very small red dwarf star, which challenges existing theories. TOI-6894b is a gas giant, around 1.07 times the diameter of Saturn but with just over half its mass. This makes it extremely low in density, like a beach ball. It was found about 241 light-years away in the constellation Leo. The planet orbits very close to its host star and completes one full orbit in less than three Earth days.

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Recently, scientists at Bose Institute, Kolkata, developed a modified CRISPR (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats) tool to help plants fight heat stress and bacterial infections, boosting smart and sustainable farming. Unlike traditional CRISPR which cuts DNA, the team used a modified version called dCas9 (dead Cas9), which does not cut DNA but works like a gene switch. This switch stays off until the plant is stressed, such as by high temperatures. The scientists used a part of a natural tomato protein called NACMTF3, specifically its TM (Transmembrane) domain, to control the switch. Under heat stress, the TM domain releases dCas9, allowing it to enter the nucleus and turn on defense genes. This method allows plants to respond only when needed, reducing energy use and improving resilience.

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Recently, the Chief Minister of Karnataka asked the Horticulture Department for a report on the threat of black-headed caterpillar (Opisina arenosella) disease harming coconut plantations. This pest damages coconut trees in both coastal and inland areas by eating leaf green parts from silken galleries, lowering photosynthesis. It attacks coconuts of all ages, leaving dried patches on lower leaves while only a few young leaves stay green. The pest spreads quickly by wind and peaks in summer.

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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.

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Recently, Orbiting Now reported about 12,952 satellites are orbiting Earth, with 145 launched in 2025 so far. These satellites operate in Geostationary Orbit (GEO), Medium Earth Orbit (MEO), and Low Earth Orbit (LEO). The United States ranks first with 8,530 satellites. Russia ranks second with 1,559 satellites. China is third with 906 satellites. India ranks seventh with 136 satellites, including 22 in LEO and 32 in GEO, plus deep space missions like Chandrayaan-2 Orbiter and Aditya-L1. India plans to add 100-150 new satellites in three years for navigation, communication, observation, and national security.

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Recently, the Minister of State for Communications and Rural Development launched the high-capacity SAKSHAM-3000 to boost self-reliance and global competitiveness. SAKSHAM-3000 is a compact 25.6 Terabits per second (Tbps) switch-router developed by Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT). It is built for modern data centres, large enterprises, telecom operators, and hyperscale data centres. It has ultra-low latency, wire-speed processing, and uses the modular C-DOT Router Operating System (CROS).

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Recently, U.S. President Donald Trump cited the fentanyl crisis to justify imposing 35% tariffs on Canada. Fentanyl caused over 112,000 overdose deaths in the United States in 2024 alone. Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid used medically as a pain reliever and anaesthetic. It is about 100 times stronger than morphine and 50 times stronger than heroin. Common street names include Apache, China Girl, China Town, Dance Fever, Goodfellas, Jackpot, and King Ivory. Fentanyl overdose can cause cold skin, bluish lips (cyanosis), coma, respiratory failure, and death.