Science & Technology Current Affairs MCQs

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The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research–National Physical Laboratory (CSIR–NPL) established the National Environmental Standard Laboratory (NESL). It is located at the CSIR–National Physical Laboratory in New Delhi. It was set up to test and recalibrate air pollution monitoring instruments and environmental sensors under Indian conditions. It ensures reliable and credible data for the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP). It allows manufacturers, industries, and municipal bodies to validate instrument performance within India. It supports industrial emission audits, smart city monitoring networks, and provides reference gases and standard protocols.

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Japan officially ended the Akatsuki mission after losing contact with the spacecraft for over a year. Akatsuki, also called PLANET-C or Venus Climate Orbiter (VCO), was operated by Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). It was the only active spacecraft orbiting Venus, studying volcanism and atmospheric dynamics, especially super-rotation.

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ExoMiner++ is a new deep learning software designed to discover exoplanets. It is developed by NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration). It analyses data from both the Kepler and TESS (Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite) missions. The software scans stellar “light curves” for dips in brightness caused by planets transiting in front of their stars. Unlike standard black-box models, ExoMiner++ is an explainable AI, offering probability scores and reasoning to help astronomers verify and trust its findings.

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A 29-year-old man in Karnataka died after contracting Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD), also called monkey fever. Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD) is a tick-borne viral haemorrhagic disease mostly found in southern India, first reported in 1957 from Kyasanur Forest, Karnataka. The virus belongs to the family Flaviviridae, genus Flavivirus, part of the tick-borne encephalitis complex. It is called monkey fever due to its association with monkey deaths.

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Indian scientists from Centre for Nano and Soft Matter Sciences, Bengaluru under Department of Science and Technology (DST) developed a solar-powered energy storage device that captures and stores energy in a single unit. The device is known as a photo-rechargeable supercapacitor. Unlike conventional systems, it combines energy harvesting and storage, reducing cost, energy loss, system complexity, and footprint. It enables portable, wearable, off-grid applications, reduces reliance on fossil fuels and conventional batteries, and works in remote areas.

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Scientists from Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Space Applications Centre (SAC) have selected Mons Mouton as the landing site for Chandrayaan-4, India’s first lunar sample return mission. Mons Mouton is a 6,000-metre-high mountain near the Moon’s South Pole with a largely flat peak suitable for safe landing. It lies in the South Circumpolar Region (SCR) and is named after NASA mathematician Melba Roy Mouton. The site is located on the rim of the South Pole–Aitken basin, the Moon’s oldest and largest impact basin. The region receives long-duration sunlight and has clear radio communication with Earth.

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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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Ministry of Science and Technology announced the establishment of Bio-AI Mulankur hubs to strengthen integration of biotechnology and Artificial Intelligence. Aim is to create integrated closed-loop research platforms where Artificial Intelligence based predictions are tested and validated in laboratories within the same system. This will reduce gap between computational research and experimental results. Initiative is aligned with BioE3 Policy, which stands for Biotechnology for Environment, Economy and Employment. It aims to promote sustainable development, economic growth and job creation through biotechnology. Implementing agencies are Department of Biotechnology and Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council.

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Proba-3 recently made news after European Space Agency lost contact with one of its two spacecraft. It is European Space Agency’s first mission focused on precision formation flying, where two satellites operate in extremely accurate coordination. The mission aims to create an artificial solar eclipse to study the Sun’s outer atmosphere (corona). This helps scientists observe the faint solar corona, which is normally hidden by the Sun’s intense brightness. The mission includes two small satellites: a Coronagraph spacecraft and an Occulter spacecraft shaped like the solar disc.

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Asteroid 2024 YR4 was recently confirmed by NASA to not collide with the Moon in 2032. It is an Apollo-type asteroid, meaning its orbit crosses Earth’s orbit but remains mostly outside it. It was discovered in 2024 by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) telescope in Chile. In its name, Y indicates discovery in the second half of December, while R4 shows it was the 117th asteroid identified in that period. It is a Near-Earth Object (NEO) with size about 174–220 feet (53–67 metres). It likely originated from the central Main Asteroid Belt between Mars and Jupiter.