Science & Technology Current Affairs MCQs

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According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), autism now affects 1 in 31 children in the United States as of 2022, up from 1 in 36 in 2020. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects brain development, causing challenges in communication, social skills, behaviour, and learning. Symptoms usually appear before age 3, but diagnosis may be delayed due to low awareness. Individuals with ASD may show repetitive actions, limited interests, and unique learning or movement styles. ASD results from both genetic and environmental factors, with genetics playing a major role. No evidence links vaccines to autism, and such claims are false and harmful.

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Tourette Syndrome is a neurological disorder that causes sudden, involuntary movements or vocal sounds called tics. It usually starts between the ages of 2 and 15, with the average age of onset around six. It affects around 0.3% to 1% of the global population, as highlighted in recent reports. The condition is more common in boys than in girls. Tics can be mild or severe and may include blinking, jerking, or making sounds. In severe cases, it can impact speech, daily activities, and overall quality of life.

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Scientists have recently discovered a giant planet named TOI-6894b orbiting a very small red dwarf star, which challenges existing theories. TOI-6894b is a gas giant, around 1.07 times the diameter of Saturn but with just over half its mass. This makes it extremely low in density, like a beach ball. It was found about 241 light-years away in the constellation Leo. The planet orbits very close to its host star and completes one full orbit in less than three Earth days.

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Adani Group has recently commissioned India’s first off-grid 5 megawatt (MW) green hydrogen pilot plant in Kutch, Gujarat. The plant has been developed by Adani New Industries Limited (ANIL), which is the clean energy arm of Adani Enterprises Limited. An off-grid green hydrogen plant produces hydrogen using electrolysis powered entirely by renewable sources like solar or wind and is not connected to the main power grid. This plant runs fully on solar energy and includes a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) for continuous operation.

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Recently, the National Institute of Immunohaematology developed an affordable and simple point-of-care test kit in India for early diagnosis of genetic bleeding disorders like Haemophilia A and Von Willebrand Disease. Haemophilia A is a hereditary bleeding disorder where blood does not clot properly due to low levels of Factor VIII, a key clotting protein.
Normally, when bleeding occurs, a process called the coagulation cascade activates clotting factors to stop the bleeding. If one or more of these clotting factors are missing or not working properly, it leads to excessive bleeding.

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Recently, the Ministry of Science and Technology announced that researchers at the Institute of Nanoscience and Technology (INST), Mohali, have developed a smart water filter using sunlight, gentle vibrations, and Artificial Intelligence (AI). The innovation addresses pollution caused by industrial wastewater containing harmful dyes like Methylene Blue and Congo Red, which threaten human health and ecosystems. This method ensures continuous purification, even on cloudy days, making it a smart alternative to traditional solar-powered filters.

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Recently, Google DeepMind launched a new Artificial Intelligence model called AlphaGenome. AlphaGenome aims to predict accurately how individual mutations in human Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) affect their functions and impact human health. It is built on DeepMind’s earlier genomics model named Enformer and works alongside AlphaMissense, which focuses on classifying the effects of variants in protein-coding regions. The model can analyze very long DNA sequences up to one million base pairs and generate highly detailed predictions.

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Recently, the Union government ordered fast-tracking of 52 surveillance satellites under the Space-Based Surveillance-III (SBS-III) programme. The SBS-III was approved in October 2023 by the Cabinet Committee on Security led by the Prime Minister. It plans 21 satellites by Indian Space Research Organisation and 31 by private companies. The first launch is due by April 2026, with the full network ready by 2029. The Defence Space Agency under Integrated Defence Staff leads this project and coordinates with Indian Space Research Organisation, Defence Research and Development Organisation, and the armed forces for space security.

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Recently, the World Health Organization (WHO) launched the “3 by 35” Initiative to tackle non-communicable diseases (NCDs). It urges countries to raise taxes on tobacco, alcohol, and sugary drinks to achieve at least a 50% real price increase by 2035. NCDs like heart disease, cancer, and diabetes cause over 75% of global deaths. Higher taxes could prevent 50 million premature deaths over 50 years and generate USD 1 trillion in public revenue in the next decade. Between 2012 and 2022, around 140 countries already raised tobacco taxes, showing large-scale change is achievable.

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Recently, U.S. President Donald Trump cited the fentanyl crisis to justify imposing 35% tariffs on Canada. Fentanyl caused over 112,000 overdose deaths in the United States in 2024 alone. Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid used medically as a pain reliever and anaesthetic. It is about 100 times stronger than morphine and 50 times stronger than heroin. Common street names include Apache, China Girl, China Town, Dance Fever, Goodfellas, Jackpot, and King Ivory. Fentanyl overdose can cause cold skin, bluish lips (cyanosis), coma, respiratory failure, and death.