Science & Technology Current Affairs MCQs

Notes:
Krishna M Ella, co-founder of Bharat Biotech, now heads the Indian Vaccine Manufacturers Association (IVMA) for 2024-2026. He succeeds Adar C Poonawalla, CEO of Serum Institute of India (SII). Ella aims to enhance collaboration among vaccine manufacturers, researchers, and policymakers to expedite vaccine development and bolster production. IVMA also prioritizes enabling access to affordable vaccines in developing nations. SII, under Poonawalla, pioneered the Covishield vaccine during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Notes:
China launched the Chang’e-6 probe to gather samples from the Moon’s far side, aiming to be the first nation to do so. Previously, only the USA and USSR collected lunar samples, all from the near side. China’s Chang’e 4 landed on the far side in 2019 but didn’t retrieve samples. In 2023, India’s Chandrayaan-3 mission achieved a first by landing near the Moon’s South Pole. The “dark side” of the Moon receives sunlight, contrary to its name.

Notes:
IN-SPACe has released norms, guidelines, and procedures (NGP) for Indian Space Policy, 2023, enhancing regulatory predictability and ease of business. It covers Authorization for space activities within Indian territory and jurisdiction, including launch, operation, and re-entry of space objects. Only Indian entities can seek Authorization, while non-Indian entities can apply through Indian counterparts. The NGP outlines criteria and conditions for Authorization, ensuring transparency and compliance with regulations in the Indian space sector.

Notes:
India’s first kamikaze drone, developed by Kadet Defence Systems with DRDO, is a Loitering Aerial Munition (LAM) or Suicidal drone. It loiters over targets for precise identification, capable of changing targets mid-flight or aborting missions. Adaptable to diverse terrains like deserts and high-altitude areas, it has a 12-hour loitering capacity and a flying range of 150-300 km.

Notes:
The Indian Army is set to receive new Russian Igla-S VSHORAD systems by May’s end. Developed by Russia, it’s a handheld MANPADS for individual or crew use, targeting low-flying aircraft, cruise missiles, and drones. Components include the 9M342 missile, 9P522 launching mechanism, and others. With a range of 500m to 6km and altitude capability of 3.5km, it enhances India’s air defense, crucial in mountainous areas.

Notes:
Google unveiled Project Astra at its annual developer conference, a versatile AI agent adept at real-time interactions via text, video, images, and speech. It can assess code correctness via phone camera and doesn’t display emotional diversity in its voice. Demonstrated on smartphones and smart glasses, Astra aims for a human-like assistant experience, capable of remembering and understanding the world around it.

Notes:
Pig Butchering Scams, also known as “sha zhu pan” scams, are rising globally, notably in India. Scammers create fake online personas to lure victims into fraudulent investment schemes. They build trust over time, dubbed “fattening the pig,” before stealing money. Initially contacting targets through social media or dating apps, scammers deceive victims into cryptocurrency trading via fake apps. Withdrawal attempts are met with excuses or hefty fees, making fund retrieval challenging due to blockchain transactions’ nature.

Notes:
Indian astrophysicists used AstroSat to discover aperiodic modulation of high-energy X-rays in Swift J1727.8-1613, a black hole binary source. AstroSat, India’s first dedicated astronomy mission, launched in 2015, observes celestial sources in X-ray, optical, and UV bands simultaneously. It carries five scientific payloads for imaging and studying cosmic sources. Unique for enabling multi-wavelength observations, AstroSat is controlled from Bengaluru. Its objectives include studying binary systems, star birth regions, and conducting deep-field surveys.

Notes:
Twelve nations signed the Zero Debris Charter at the ESA/EU Space Council, committing to sustainable human activities in Earth orbit. The European Space Agency (ESA) initiated the Charter in November 2023. It aims to eliminate space debris by 2030 through ambitious technical targets and global cooperation. Although non-binding, it sets key goals like a debris generation probability below 1 in 1,000 per object and 99% post-mission disposal success.

Notes:
NASA recently launched one of two climate satellites to study heat emissions at Earth’s poles, named PREFIRE (Polar Radiant Energy in the Far-InfraRed Experiment). This mission is vital for analyzing Earth’s energy budget, which determines its temperature and climate. Currently, there’s no way to measure far-infrared radiation emitted from the Arctic and Antarctica, leaving a gap in understanding the planet’s energy balance. The second satellite will be launched soon to address this gap.