Science & Technology Current Affairs MCQs

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Recent re-analysis of National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Cassini spacecraft data suggests that Saturn’s moon Titan may not have a subsurface ocean as earlier believed. Titan is the largest moon of Saturn and the second largest in the solar system after Ganymede. It was discovered by Dutch astronomer Christiaan Huygens. Titan has a radius of about 2,575 kilometres and is much wider than Earth’s Moon. It is the only moon with a dense atmosphere, mainly nitrogen with some methane. Titan is the only world besides Earth with rivers, lakes, and seas of liquid on its surface. It has an Earth-like methane cycle with rain, flow, and evaporation.

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Iran launched three domestically-built observation satellites—Zafar-2, Paya, and Kowsar 1.5—into space from Russia’s Vostochny Cosmodrome using a Soyuz rocket. The satellites were designed by Iran’s private sector for observation purposes. Paya is Iran’s most advanced imaging satellite, using artificial intelligence for higher-resolution images. The satellites will focus on water resource management, environmental monitoring, and mapping. The Soyuz rocket was chosen for its reliability in transporting sensitive satellites. Iran has conducted ten satellite launches in the last two years, including one in July 2025 from Russia.

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Kavach 4.0 has been commissioned on Gujarat’s first Bajwa (Vadodara)–Ahmedabad 96 km section. The section covers 17 stations with 23 towers, 20 Kavach huts, 192 km optical fibre cable and 2,872 Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags. Kavach is an indigenously developed Automatic Train Protection (ATP) system of Indian Railways. Kavach 4.0 prevents Signal Passed at Danger (SPAD) and head-on or rear-end collisions. It enforces automatic speed control and Permanent Speed Restrictions. Kavach is certified to Safety Integrity Level-4 (SIL-4) and approved by Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO)

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Scientists recently used drones to detect a dangerous Cetacean morbillivirus (CeMV) among whales in the Arctic. Cetacean morbillivirus is a viral infection affecting marine mammals, especially cetaceans like whales, dolphins, and porpoises. CeMV has caused multiple outbreaks worldwide, particularly in the North Atlantic and the Mediterranean. Transmission occurs through respiratory routes and direct contact, with the virus shed via ocular and respiratory secretions, urine, feces, and sloughed skin. The virus affects the respiratory and neurological systems, leading to mass strandings and deaths of marine mammals.

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Recently, the government announced relaxation for deep-tech startups to get recognition under the Industrial Research and Development Promotion Program (IRDPP). It is a Research and Development (R&D) programme of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR), Government of India. The programme supports research in Engineering Science, Environmental Science, Natural and Applied Sciences, Agricultural, Medical, and Social Sciences. Funding and recognition are provided by DSIR.

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Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will launch PSLV-C62 from Sriharikota as India’s first space mission of 2026. Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV)-C62 is a multi-payload mission carrying one main and 18 secondary satellites. The primary payload is Earth Observation Satellite-N1 (EOS-N1), codenamed Anvesha, developed mainly for the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). EOS-N1 is a hyperspectral imaging satellite that observes Earth in hundreds of wavelengths for precise identification. It supports national security, border surveillance, and strategic monitoring.

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Scientists at the Raman Research Institute (RRI), Bengaluru have developed a novel, non-invasive technique to measure the local density of cold atoms in real time without disturbing their quantum state. The method, called Raman Driven Spin Noise Spectroscopy (RDSNS), overcomes limitations of conventional atom-imaging methods used in cold atom experiments. Cold atoms, cooled near absolute zero, are crucial for quantum computing, quantum sensing, and precision measurement, but traditional detection methods like absorption and fluorescence imaging are often destructive or slow.

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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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Artemis II is the first crewed mission of NASA’s Artemis programme and will mark humanity’s return to the Moon’s vicinity for the first time since 1972. The 10-day mission will test the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and the Orion spacecraft to verify life-support, navigation, and safety systems for future lunar missions. On January 9, NASA announced that Artemis II had entered its final preparation phase. The fully assembled rocket is expected to be rolled out to Launch Pad 39B at the Kennedy Space Centre in mid-January for final testing.

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A Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) outbreak has been reported in Neemuch district of Madhya Pradesh, with two deaths in Manasa town. Guillain-Barré Syndrome is a rare neurological disorder in which the body’s immune system attacks the peripheral nervous system. The peripheral nervous system is the network of nerves outside the brain and spinal cord that controls movement, pain, and sensations. Since the immune system causes the damage, it is an autoimmune disease, also called acute inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy.