Science & Technology Current Affairs MCQs

Notes:
Recently, the PUNCH Space Mission, launched by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), observed solar winds. PUNCH stands for Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere. Its aim is to study the Sun’s corona (outer atmosphere) and solar wind as a unified system. The mission has four small satellites in low Earth orbit. They make 3D global observations of the inner heliosphere and map the transition where the corona becomes solar wind.

Notes:
Researchers recently found that carabid ground beetles can act as bioindicators to track soil microplastics. They are commonly called ground beetles and belong to the Carabidae family. These beetles play a key role in the food web as both predators and prey species. They live in diverse habitats such as forests, grasslands, agricultural fields, wetlands, and urban areas. They thrive in temperate to tropical climates. Ecologically, they help in biological pest control and now aid in monitoring soil pollution.

Notes:
The Telecom Centres of Excellence (TCoE) recently signed agreements with key partners to launch the Samriddh Gram Phygital Services Pilot Project. The project aims to transform rural India by combining physical and digital (phygital) services. It integrates on-ground service delivery with strong digital infrastructure to empower rural citizens. The initiative uses BharatNet connectivity to ensure smooth and sustainable access to essential services. Three villages have been selected for the pilot — Ari and Umri in Madhya Pradesh, Narakoduru in Andhra Pradesh, and Chaurawala in Uttar Pradesh. Each village will have a Samriddhi Kendra serving as an integrated digital service hub.

Notes:
The Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology announced the development of four Hydrogen Valley Innovation Clusters (HVICs) across India. Hydrogen Valley Innovation Clusters (HVICs) aim to demonstrate the full green hydrogen value chain, from production, storage, transport to utilization. The project has a total investment of ₹485 crore. HVICs aim to build a local hydrogen ecosystem, connecting supply and demand across transport, industry, and energy, while fostering research, innovation, and skills. The four clusters are being developed in Pune, Jodhpur, Bhubaneswar, and Kerala.

Notes:
The Assam Government recently banned inter-district movement of live pigs to stop the spread of African Swine Fever (ASF), a rising concern in the region. African Swine Fever (ASF) is a highly contagious and deadly viral disease affecting pigs and wild boar, with mortality up to 90–100%. It is not zoonotic, meaning it does not infect humans or other livestock. First found in sub-Saharan Africa, ASF is now present across Europe, Asia and Africa, with India reporting its first cases in 2020 in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.

Notes:
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.

Notes:
The Entrepreneur-in-Residence Programme is becoming popular among young startups and innovators. It works under the National Initiative for Developing and Harnessing Innovations which is NIDHI. It encourages graduate students to choose entrepreneurship as a career. It provides financial and non-financial support in the form of a fellowship. It offers startup infrastructure, mentoring, technical guidance, and industry support. It is implemented by the Department of Science and Technology with NCL Venture Centre.

Notes:
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis is a progressive neurological disorder that damages nerve cells controlling muscle movement. A study predicts global cases will rise from 222,801 in 2015 to 376,674 by 2040, a 69 percent increase. It is also called Lou Gehrig’s disease. It commonly affects people between 55 and 75 years and is more common in men. In some patients it is genetic but in most the cause is unknown. Damaged motor neurons stop brain signals from reaching muscles causing weakness and muscle wasting.

Notes:
Researchers at Indian Institute of Technology Madras developed India’s first Indigenous Vessel Traffic Management System (VTMS) for ports. The system was built by the National Technology Centre for Ports, Waterways and Coasts (NTCPWC) as per guidelines of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoSPW), Government of India. It gives India full control over source code, data, and vessel movement information, ensuring high maritime security. The VTMS is cost-effective, secure, scalable, and easy to maintain.

Notes:
Samudrayaan is India’s first manned deep-ocean submersible mission to reach 6,000 metres depth. Testing is delayed due to late supply of syntactic foam from France, now expected by year-end after testing in Norway. The project is led by National Institute of Ocean Technology under the Ministry of Earth Sciences. A steel model has been tested up to 100 metres; a 500-metre trial is planned by April next year. The final titanium hull, built by Indian Space Research Organisation, will be tested in Russia. The mission will carry three crew members to collect seabed soil and rocks for future deep-sea mining.