Science & Technology Current Affairs MCQs

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The SMILE Mission is a joint mission of the European Space Agency and the Chinese Academy of Sciences to study how Earth’s magnetic shield protects the planet from harmful solar wind. Recently, the mission gained attention as ESA and China prepared for its launch to investigate Earth’s defence system against solar storms and charged particles from the Sun. SMILE stands for Solar wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer. The mission will capture the first X-ray images of Earth’s magnetosphere in action. It will operate around 1.21 lakh km above Earth’s north pole and carry four scientific instruments for X-ray, ultraviolet, and in-situ observations.

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A recent study by All India Institute of Medical Sciences Bhopal highlighted the need for early and advanced health screening in children affected by Sickle Cell Disease. Sickle Cell Disease is a group of inherited blood disorders that affect haemoglobin in red blood cells. The most severe and common form of the disease is sickle cell anaemia. The disease is inherited genetically when a child receives sickle cell genes from both parents. Treatments include symptom management, bone marrow transplant, and emerging gene therapy approaches.

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Google introduced “information agents” that monitor the web on behalf of users. Information agents are AI-powered assistants integrated with search systems that continuously track websites, updates, listings, and user-defined tasks. These agents perform more effectively when provided with detailed personal information such as location, finances, and user preferences.

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Google’s biotechnology initiative Project Debug has applied to the United States Environmental Protection Agency to release sterile male mosquitoes in California and Florida. The project aims to biologically control disease-carrying mosquitoes using eco-friendly methods instead of chemical pesticides. The initiative mainly targets mosquito species such as Culex and Aedes aegypti, which spread diseases like West Nile virus, dengue, Zika, and St. Louis encephalitis.

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Recently, researchers from Punjabi University and PGIMER developed AI-based diagnostic methods for Autoimmune Blistering Diseases (AIBDs). Autoimmune Blistering Diseases (AIBDs) are a group of rare autoimmune skin disorders, also known as autoimmune bullous disorders. They occur when the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks the skin and mucous membranes, causing blister formation. Blisters may develop on the skin, mouth, nose, throat, eyes, and genital areas. Symptoms include painful or itchy blisters, sores, and damage to mucous membranes.

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Kerala Agricultural University (KAU) has released a new green chilli variety called KAU Thejaswini. The variety has been developed to promote chemical-free backyard and kitchen gardening. It was developed by the Department of Vegetable Science, College of Agriculture, Vellayani. It starts yielding chillies within 2 months of sowing. The variety was approved by the 30th State Seed Sub-Committee.

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Narayana Health City, Bengaluru, recently performed India’s first Pulsed Field Ablation (PFA) procedure for the treatment of Atrial Fibrillation (AFib). PFA is an advanced cardiac electrophysiology technique that uses ultra-fast electrical pulses to selectively target abnormal heart tissue while minimizing damage to surrounding structures. The procedure was completed in 35 minutes, significantly faster than traditional thermal ablation methods that can take several hours. Atrial Fibrillation (AFib) is a common heart rhythm disorder in which the upper chambers of the heart beat irregularly, increasing the risk of stroke, heart failure, and other complications.

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American Foulbrood (AFB) disease recently came into the news after an outbreak was confirmed in Scotland, prompting warnings to beekeepers to strengthen hive biosecurity measures. It is a fatal infectious disease of honey bee larvae caused by the spore-forming bacterium Paenibacillus larvae. The disease affects only larvae but can weaken and destroy an entire bee colony within a few weeks. Infection occurs when larvae consume food contaminated with bacterial spores. It spreads through contaminated beekeeping equipment, infected combs, and movement of spores between hives by adult bees.

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Indian Institute of Technology Madras released ANCHOR, the world’s most detailed 3D atlas of the human brainstem. ANCHOR stands for Atlas of Neurochemical Characterisation of the Human Brainstem with 3D Reconstruction. It was developed by the Sudha Gopalakrishnan Brain Centre using advanced brain imaging and computing platforms. The atlas provides multimodal 3D maps of the human brainstem covering prenatal, childhood, and adult stages.

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The Usutu virus was recently detected in blackbirds in Scotland for the first time. Usutu virus is a mosquito-borne virus that originally originated in Africa. The virus is mainly spread by Culex pipiens mosquitoes. Scientists were surprised by the detection because Scotland was previously considered too cold for the virus to thrive. The discovery was linked to the deaths of blackbirds showing symptoms such as weakness, disorientation, and twisted necks. The virus is named after the Usutu River, near where it was first identified in 1959.