Science & Technology Current Affairs MCQs

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The NISAR satellite detected rapid land subsidence in Mexico City caused by excessive groundwater extraction. NISAR stands for NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar, the first joint Earth observation mission between NASA and ISRO. It will be launched by the GSLV-F16 (GSLV Mk-II) launch vehicle into a sun-synchronous polar orbit. The mission life of the satellite is five years. NISAR is the first satellite to use both L-band and S-band Synthetic Aperture Radar from a single platform. It provides fully polarimetric and interferometric imaging with 240 km swath coverage and revisits Earth every 12 days using SweepSAR technology.

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India recently launched Donanemab, the country’s first therapy for Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive brain disorder and the most common cause of dementia. Dementia involves decline in memory, thinking ability, and behaviour that affects daily life. The disease is associated with ageing, genetics, and lifestyle-related factors.

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A fresh outbreak of Ebola has been reported in the Ituri province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with dozens of deaths reported. Ebola is a severe viral hemorrhagic fever caused by orthoebolaviruses and affects humans as well as non-human primates. The disease was first identified in 1976 in Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo. It spreads through direct contact with infected blood, body fluids, organs, or contaminated surfaces, but not through air transmission. Fruit bats are considered the natural hosts of the virus.

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Scientists from the Institute of Nano Science and Technology developed an ultrathin flexible film embedded with nano-gold particles that converts small temperature changes into electrical signals. The research was supported by the Department of Science and Technology. The film is based on polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), a flexible polymer used in sensing and electronics. Tiny hexagonal gold nanoparticles improved the material’s pyroelectric performance, enabling efficient thermal-to-electrical energy conversion. The technology could be used in wearable electronics, self-powered sensors, smart photodetectors, and low-power healthcare devices.

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The SMILE Mission is a joint mission of the European Space Agency and the Chinese Academy of Sciences to study how Earth’s magnetic shield protects the planet from harmful solar wind. Recently, the mission gained attention as ESA and China prepared for its launch to investigate Earth’s defence system against solar storms and charged particles from the Sun. SMILE stands for Solar wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer. The mission will capture the first X-ray images of Earth’s magnetosphere in action. It will operate around 1.21 lakh km above Earth’s north pole and carry four scientific instruments for X-ray, ultraviolet, and in-situ observations.

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Sweden has joined Indian Space Research Organisation’s Shukrayaan, strengthening international cooperation in space exploration. Shukrayaan, also called the Venus Orbiter Mission (VOM), is India’s first scientific mission to study Venus. The mission was approved in 2024 and is scheduled for launch in March 2028. Its objective is to study Venus’s surface, subsurface, atmosphere, and the Sun’s influence on the planet’s atmospheric processes. ISRO will develop the spacecraft and conduct the launch.

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Researchers from Institute of Nano Science and Technology, Mohali developed a novel light-driven nano-catalyst for cleaner and energy-efficient chemical manufacturing. The institute is an autonomous body under the Department of Science and Technology. The catalyst combines gold nanoparticles, palladium nanoparticles, and the light-absorbing molecule BODIPY. It uses light energy to accelerate chemical reactions, reducing the need for toxic solvents, high temperatures, and energy-intensive industrial processes.

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Scientists from the Agharkar Research Institute, Pune, have developed a gene-silencing strategy for effective tumor inhibition in breast cancer. The institute functions under the Department of Science and Technology (DST). Researchers developed a biodegradable nanocarrier platform for targeted gene therapy in breast cancer. The technology uses mesoporous silica nanoparticles to deliver small interfering RNA (siRNA) molecules that silence disease-causing genes. The nanocarrier is functionalized with a protamine biopolymer and an MUC1-specific aptamer for precise targeting of breast cancer cells.

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Astronomers recently found evidence of winds blowing from Sagittarius A*, marking a major breakthrough after nearly 50 years of research. Sagittarius A* is the supermassive black hole at the centre of the Milky Way Galaxy.
It was discovered in the 1970s and is located in the constellation Sagittarius. Although largely dormant, it occasionally absorbs gas and dust and has an estimated mass of 4.3 million times that of the Sun. Sagittarius A* is a powerful source of radio waves, with much of its radiation produced through the synchrotron mechanism involving electrons and magnetic fields.

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Kerala recently witnessed a severe outbreak of shigellosis disease, resulting in multiple hospitalisations. Shigellosis is a highly contagious intestinal infection caused by the Gram-negative bacterium Shigella. It is the second leading cause of diarrhoeal deaths worldwide after Rotavirus. The disease spreads through the faecal-oral route via contaminated food, water, poor hygiene, and sometimes sexual contact. Symptoms include bloody diarrhoea (bacillary dysentery), fever, abdominal cramps, and inflammation of the colon. Severe cases may lead to complications such as hemolytic uremic syndrome and reactive arthritis.