Science & Technology Current Affairs MCQs

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According to the World Health Organization (WHO), scabies is among the most common skin diseases in developing countries. Scabies is a contagious parasitic skin infestation found worldwide. It is caused by the Sarcoptes scabiei mite, which burrows under the skin and causes an itchy rash. It is more common in hot and tropical regions like India. WHO classifies scabies as a Neglected Tropical Disease due to its impact on poor communities.

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The European Space Agency (ESA) released a high-resolution satellite image through the Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission. The image captures the venues planned for the 2026 Winter Olympic Games. The image highlights land features, terrain, and human-made infrastructure in great detail. The Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission is an Earth observation satellite mission developed by the European Space Agency (ESA). It is part of Copernicus, the European Union’s Earth observation programme. The mission focuses on monitoring changes and variability in land surface conditions.

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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’s first government-supported National Biobank for Lysosomal Storage Disorders (LSDs) was launched in February 2026 at the Foundation for Research in Genetics and Endocrinology (FRIGE) in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. It is funded by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT). This facility stores biological samples and data from 530 patients across 15 states to advance research, develop affordable diagnostic tools, and improve treatment for rare metabolic disorders.

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The Defence Research and Development Organisation conducted a qualification-level load test of the Gaganyaan drogue parachute at the Rail Track Rocket Sled facility in Chandigarh. This marks a major milestone in India’s human spaceflight mission, Gaganyaan. The drogue parachute is a key part of the Crew Module deceleration system. It deploys during atmospheric re-entry to stabilize the module and reduce speed before the main parachutes open. It was jointly developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation and the Defence Research and Development Organisation.

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The Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, has launched a “moonshot” research project to develop brain co-processors, which will combine neuromorphic hardware and artificial intelligence algorithms to enhance or restore human brain functions. The initiative is financially supported by the Pratiksha Trust. The project aims to develop both implantable and non-invasive brain co-processors capable of decoding neural signals from brain recordings, processing these signals using AI algorithms, and sending them back to the brain through neural stimulation or neurofeedback.

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Astronomers using the MeerKAT telescope in South Africa discovered the brightest and most distant megamaser. MeerKAT is a precursor to the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) telescope located in South Africa. It is designed for advanced radio astronomy. A megamaser is a giant beam of electromagnetic radiation produced when two galaxies collide violently. During such cosmic mergers, large gas clouds compress, exciting hydroxyl (OH) molecules, which emit high-energy microwaves.

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The Union Minister for Earth Sciences recently visited the Low Temperature Thermal Desalination (LTTD) plant at Kavaratti in Lakshadweep to review desalination facilities. Low Temperature Thermal Desalination (LTTD) is a technology that converts seawater into drinking water by using temperature differences in ocean water. The project is implemented by National Institute of Ocean Technology under the Ministry of Earth Sciences. LTTD plants operate on eight Lakshadweep islands including Kavaratti, Minicoy, Agatti and Kalpeni, improving year-round drinking water supply.

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A new study found that Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) not only changed the motion of an asteroid but also slightly altered the orbit of the asteroid pair around the Sun. DART was launched in 2021 by National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to test asteroid deflection technology. It was the first planetary defence mission to change an asteroid’s path using the kinetic impact method. The spacecraft targeted a binary asteroid system of Didymos and its moonlet Dimorphos. In 2022, the spacecraft intentionally crashed into Dimorphos to alter its orbit around Didymos. The impact successfully changed the asteroid’s motion, proving humans can potentially deflect hazardous near-Earth objects in space.

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Van Allen Probes A satellite, weighing about 600 kg, is re-entering Earth’s atmosphere, raising discussion about possible ground risks. The Van Allen Probes mission by NASA was the first mission to study Earth’s radiation belts using two spacecraft together. The twin spacecraft Van Allen Probe A and Van Allen Probe B were launched on 30 August 2012 to explore Earth’s radiation environment. They studied the Van Allen Radiation Belts, which are rings of energetic charged particles trapped by Earth’s magnetic field. These belts are named after space scientist James Van Allen, who discovered them in 1958.