Science & Technology Current Affairs MCQs

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China has achieved the world’s first conversion of thorium into uranium fuel inside a Thorium Molten Salt Reactor (TMSR). It marks the first-ever experimental data on thorium operation from within a molten salt reactor. The 2 megawatt liquid-fuelled TMSR is currently the only operating reactor successfully using thorium fuel. A Molten Salt Reactor (MSR) is a fourth-generation nuclear reactor using molten salt as both coolant and fuel carrier instead of solid rods.

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In November 2025, Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL), a Joint Venture (JV) under the Ministry of Power (MoP), announced India’s largest Geothermal Energy Technology (GET) pilot project in Andhra Pradesh (AP). The project will be implemented at two tourism hubs — Araku Valley and Visakhapatnam (Vizag). It uses geothermal systems like Earth Air Tunnel (EAT) Systems and Ground Source Heat Pumps (GSHP). The system works by using the earth’s constant underground temperature at a depth of 7–8 meters (m) for eco-friendly heating and cooling. The technology has a short payback period of 3–4 years, ideal for hotels and tourism infrastructure.

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Recently, researchers found that male and female brains respond differently as Batten Disease progresses, opening new paths for treatment. Batten Disease is a rare genetic disorder affecting the brain and nervous system. It is congenital, progressive, and terminal, leading to steady decline in nervous system function. Symptoms include loss of vision and seizures, beginning in infancy, childhood, or rarely adulthood. Life expectancy varies from early childhood to the twenties depending on the form.

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In November 2025, Union Minister of State Dr. Jitendra Singh launched India’s first indigenous high-precision compact diode laser at the Emerging Science, Technology and Innovation Conclave 2025 (ESTIC 2025) held at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. The laser enables quantum-encrypted communication using Quantum Key Distribution (QKD), strengthening cybersecurity for financial and banking transactions. It is developed by Prenishq Pvt. Ltd., a startup supported by the National Quantum Mission (NQM), along with contributions from IIT-Delhi. The system offers high beam quality, strong stability, long-term reliability, and easy integration with lab and industrial setups.

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India’s first indigenous CRISPR (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats)-based gene therapy for Sickle Cell Disease (SCD), named BIRSA 101, was recently launched by the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology. It is developed by CSIR (Council of Scientific and Industrial Research) – Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (IGIB). BIRSA 101 uses CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing technology to precisely correct the genetic mutation causing SCD. The therapy is administered as a one-time infusion, after which the body produces normal red blood cells instead of sickle-shaped ones.

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Recently, researchers from the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI), Kochi discovered a new deep-sea squid species in the Arabian Sea and named it Taningia silasii (Indian octopus squid). The species was found at a depth of nearly 390 metres off the Kollam coast. It belongs to the family Octopoteuthidae. It is only the second formally recognised species in the Taningia genus. The first species in this genus was Taningia danae, earlier found in the Atlantic Ocean.

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A 3.5-billion-year-old crater on Mars is named after Indian geologist M. S. Krishnan. The naming was approved by the International Astronomical Union. The International Astronomical Union was founded in 1919. It promotes astronomy research, education, and global cooperation. It standardizes astronomical constants and naming of celestial bodies. It alone has the authority to name planets, craters, and space features. It holds a General Assembly every three years. Its headquarters is in Paris.

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Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology, Dr. Jitendra Singh, launched Hansa-3(NG), first indigenous all-composite two-seater trainer aircraft for Private Pilot License (PPL) and Commercial Pilot License (CPL) training at CSIR–National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL), Bengaluru. Hansa-3(NG) reduces foreign dependence and boosts aviation entrepreneurship. The aircraft will help flying clubs meet India’s growing demand for trained pilots.

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A recent study found that the shingles vaccine can reduce the risk of death from dementia. Shingles is a viral infection that causes a painful skin rash. It is caused by the varicella-zoster virus, the same virus responsible for chickenpox. After chickenpox, the virus stays dormant in nerve cells and can reactivate when immunity becomes weak. Shingles usually appears as a painful stripe of blisters on one side of the body, face, or neck. It is not directly contagious but can spread chickenpox to unvaccinated people. It mainly affects people over 50 years or those with weak immune systems. The Shingrix vaccine helps prevent shingles and its complications.

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Bluetongue Virus (BTV) has recently been detected in more suspected cases in Northern Ireland, raising concerns about livestock health. Bluetongue is a severe haemorrhagic disease that affects animals and is infectious, but it is non-contagious and spreads only through insect vectors. The virus mainly infects domestic ruminants such as cattle, sheep, and goats, as well as wild animals like buffalo, deer, antelope, and camels, with sheep being the most severely affected. It spreads primarily through the bites of infected Culicoides midges, which are tiny blood-feeding insects commonly found on farms. There is no effective treatment for bluetongue, but vaccines are available for certain strains and are used in Africa, Asia, and parts of Europe.