Science & Technology Current Affairs MCQs

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Health officials in Florida have recently confirmed cases of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), also called “Zombie Deer Disease.” It is a fatal neurological disease that affects deer, elk, moose, and reindeer. It attacks the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord). It is caused by prions, which are infectious misfolded proteins that damage the brain. Prions spread through body fluids like saliva, blood, and urine and can stay in soil and plants for years. Infected animals show weight loss, drooling, and strange behavior. There is no cure or vaccine, and the disease is always fatal.No human cases have been confirmed yet, but experts stay alert.

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Russia has launched its newest nuclear submarine ‘Khabarovsk’, built to carry the underwater nuclear drone ‘Doomsday Missile’ (Poseidon). Poseidon is an unmanned, nuclear-powered underwater drone capable of carrying a nuclear warhead. It can travel at extremely high speeds and operate at great ocean depths, making it hard to detect or intercept. The missile can travel intercontinental distances underwater and strike coastal targets. It serves as a strategic nuclear deterrent, designed for massive retaliatory destruction in case of a nuclear conflict.

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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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A Gulf Keralite’s quick return home for fever treatment proved life-saving after he was diagnosed with scrub typhus. Scrub Typhus is an infectious disease caused by the bacteria Orientia tsutsugamushi. It spreads through bites of infected chiggers (young mites) and not from person to person. Its prevalence depends on factors like climate, vector abundance, farming, domestic animals, and sanitation. The disease is more common during cooler months.

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In a historic milestone, Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled NexCAR19, India’s first indigenous CAR-T Cell Therapy, at the Emerging Science, Technology & Innovation Conclave (ESTIC) 2025 in Delhi. It is developed by ImmunoACT, an IIT Bombay spin-off. It is supported by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) and Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC). NexCAR19 is the world’s first humanised CAR-T therapy, truly “Made in India, for the world.” CAR-T Cell Therapy is an immunotherapy that reprograms a patient’s immune cells to fight blood cancers like Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL).

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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.

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A global review has identified 57 new living species of foraminifera. Foraminifera, or forams, are single-celled marine organisms found in oceans, coasts, and estuaries. Most have shells and are either planktonic (float in water) or benthic (live on sea floor). They are generally under 500 microns in size, though some tropical species reach 20 cm. Their name comes from foramen (Latin for window), with holes in shells for pseudopodia to gather food. They eat detritus, diatoms, bacteria, algae, and tiny animals like copepods. Shells are made of calcium carbonate (calcareous) or sand grains (agglutinate) with one or multiple coiled chambers.

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Skyroot Aerospace inaugurated its Infinity Campus in Hyderabad and virtually unveiled Vikram-I, India’s first private commercial orbital rocket. Vikram-I is capable of placing satellites into Earth orbit. This launch marks a major milestone for India’s growing private space sector. The private space sector in India was opened to entrepreneurs three years ago. The development highlights rising startup participation in advanced space technology. It reflects India’s shift toward innovation-driven and private-led space missions.

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Indian scientists developed a new Artificial Intelligence (AI) tool to improve cancer diagnosis and treatment at the molecular level. The tool, called OncoMark, was created by S. N. Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences and Ashoka University under the Department of Science and Technology (DST). It studies cancer through biological “hallmarks” like metastasis, immune evasion, and genomic instability. It goes beyond Tumor–Node–Metastasis (TNM) staging, which often misses hidden tumor behavior. The model was trained on 3.1 million single cells from 14 cancer types. It achieved over 99% accuracy in internal testing and 96% accuracy on patient data.

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Researchers at National Centre for Radio Astrophysics – Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (NCRA–TIFR), Pune, discovered a new spiral galaxy named Alaknanda. It lies 12 billion light years away and shows a perfect spiral structure. The name comes from the Alaknanda River and the Hindi word for the Milky Way. The galaxy spans 30,000 light years, with two clear spiral arms around a bright central bulge. It forms stars rapidly, producing 60 solar masses per year. It resembles a young Milky Way, formed when our galaxy was only 10% of its current age. The discovery was made using National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)’s James Webb Space Telescope (JWST).