Science & Technology Current Affairs MCQs

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Scientists at the National Institute of Plant Genome Research (NIPGR), Delhi, have recently used CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing to boost phosphate uptake in japonica rice varieties. CRISPR-Cas9 is a modern gene-editing tool used to precisely modify plant traits. Japonica rice is one of the two major eco-geographical races of Oryza sativa, the other being Indica. It is mainly grown in northern and eastern China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, and Indonesia. Japonica has short to medium grains, which are thick, sticky, and harder than regular white rice.

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On July 14, 2025, Israel launched its first fully government-funded and domestically built communications satellite, Dror-1, from Cape Canaveral, Florida aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Dror-1 is Israel’s most advanced geostationary satellite, built 100% with local technologies to ensure strategic independence. It weighs 4.5 tonnes, spans 17.8 metres, and will serve Israel’s communication needs for the next 15 years. The satellite orbits 36,000 km above Earth, maintaining constant coverage over Israel and nearby regions.

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In July 2025, Kerala’s rubber plantations faced a major threat from a beetle-fungus alliance causing severe leaf fall, tree drying, and reduced latex output. Researchers at the Kerala Forest Research Institute, Thrissur, identified the parasite as the ambrosia beetle (Euplatypus parallelus). It hosts two fungi — Fusarium ambrosia and Fusarium solani, marking the first report of F. solani with adult ambrosia beetles. The beetles bore tunnels in trees, farm fungi, and feed on fungal mycelia, while fungi weaken the tree’s structure with enzymes. These beetles were first reported in India in 2012 from cashew trees in Goa.

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Seeds of seabuckthorn and Himalayan tartary buckwheat grown in Ladakh’s cold desert are part of NASA’s Crew-11 experiment on the International Space Station (ISS). The seeds were sourced by Indian space start-up Protoplanet based in Bengaluru. The mission launched on August 1, 2025, from Florida and docked at ISS on August 2, 2025. The experiment aims to test how seeds react to space stress and microgravity before germination. It focuses on gene activation and metabolic processes vital for space agriculture. Himalayan tartary buckwheat and seabuckthorn are rich in nutrients and suitable for long-duration space missions.

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Researchers have identified Ideonella sakaiensis, a bacterium that can degrade polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic. It belongs to the genus Ideonella and family Comamonadaceae. It uses polyethylene terephthalate (PET) as both a carbon and energy source, breaking it into harmless building blocks. These by-products can be consumed by I. sakaiensis and other organisms. It is discovered by researchers in Japan from PET-contaminated soil. It is Gram-negative, rod-shaped, motile, non-sporing, non-pigment-producing, and monotrichous.

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Arunachal Pradesh Education Minister Pasang Dorjee Sona inaugurated a state-of-the-art space laboratory at Mechuka in Shi-Yomi district. The lab is named Pasang Wangchuk Sona ISRO Space Laboratory in honour of his late father. It was set up at Mechuka Government Higher Secondary School in collaboration with Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and Muskaan Foundation. The lab will provide students hands-on experience in space science and technology. It aims to foster curiosity, innovation, and scientific thinking among youth.

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Prime Minister of India welcomed the agreement between Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) for the Chandrayaan-5 mission under the Lunar Polar Exploration (LUPEX) programme. LUPEX is jointly developed by ISRO and JAXA to explore the Moon’s southern polar region. The mission aims to investigate the presence of water and other elements, potentially as surface ice, and demonstrate innovative surface exploration technologies. It features a lander developed by ISRO and a rover developed by JAXA. The rover will autonomously search for water-rich areas, drill, sample soil, and analyze it with onboard instruments.

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Cholesterol, a fat-like substance, can control the spin of electrons, a quantum property crucial for next-generation spintronic devices. Spintronics uses electron spin to develop energy-efficient electronics and bioelectronic devices. Scientists from the Institute of Nano Science and Technology (INST), Mohali, under the Department of Science and Technology (DST), developed cholesterol-based nanomaterials for spintronic and quantum applications. Cholesterol’s intrinsic handedness (chirality) and flexibility allow precise control over molecular properties. This innovation could enable energy-efficient memory chips and greener quantum technologies.

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Recently, a study in Nature Reviews Disease Primers gave an in-depth analysis of sarcoidosis. Sarcoidosis is an inflammatory disease where immune cells form granulomas in organs, mainly lungs. Granulomas are most common in lungs and lymph nodes but can also affect eyes, skin, heart, and other organs. Exact cause is unknown but linked to genetic changes and triggers like bacteria, viruses, dust, or chemicals. Symptoms range from mild to severe, including cough, breathlessness, shin sores, eye pain, and redness. Some cases resolve on their own, while others become chronic and may lead to fibrosis with lung scarring. There is no cure, but treatment with medicines reduces immune overreaction and prevents organ damage.

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Recently, the first-of-its-kind Swastik Lotus Garden was inaugurated at the National Botanical Research Institute (NBRI), Lucknow, during the CSIR Startup Conclave. The garden features 60 lotus varieties from across the world and 50 species of water lilies. Conservation is ensured through advanced genetic methods, light regulation, and scientific treatments. CSIR technologies were transferred to private companies for public access, including perfumes Frotus-Rudra, Frotus-Kumbh, air-freshener Frotus Fresh, green firecrackers, aromatherapy oil Relaxomap, and portable water analysis kits. The initiative strengthens scientific innovation, conservation, and entrepreneurship at grassroots and national levels.