Science & Technology Current Affairs MCQs

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Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh launched the first open call of the Technology Development Board (TDB) under the Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) Fund. The initiative has been launched under the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) to support indigenous technology commercialisation. The RDI Fund provides long-term, low-interest financing to high-risk, high-impact private sector innovations. It has a corpus of ₹1 lakh crore with 2–4 percent interest and repayment up to 15 years. The first call targets Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 4 and above projects in areas like artificial intelligence and deep-tech.

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Ministry of Science and Technology launched the BIRAC-Research, Development and Innovation Fund in New Delhi for biotechnology and related sectors. The fund aims to promote deep tech innovations and indigenous manufacturing with national impact. India’s bioeconomy has grown significantly over the past decade, from $8 billion in 2014. The launch reflects a government approach under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, positioning India for a global role in biotechnology. The number of biotechnology startups in India has increased to nearly 11,000 today.

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A new meat-eating dinosaur named Spinosaurus mirabilis was discovered in the Sahara Desert. Its fossils were found in Jengueb area of Niger in the central Sahara. It lived about 95 million years ago in a forested inland region with rivers. It is the second known species of Spinosaurus. The first species, Spinosaurus aegyptiacus, was discovered in 1915 in Egypt.

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The Defence Research and Development Organisation conducted a qualification-level load test of the Gaganyaan drogue parachute at the Rail Track Rocket Sled facility in Chandigarh. This marks a major milestone in India’s human spaceflight mission, Gaganyaan. The drogue parachute is a key part of the Crew Module deceleration system. It deploys during atmospheric re-entry to stabilize the module and reduce speed before the main parachutes open. It was jointly developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation and the Defence Research and Development Organisation.

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Health and Family Welfare Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda launched indigenous Tetanus and Diphtheria vaccine at Central Research Institute, Kasauli in Solan district, Himachal Pradesh. Vaccine supports vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat in health sector. India is known as Pharmacy of the World. Universal Immunization Programme (UIP) is world’s largest immunization programme. Central Research Institute will supply 5.5 million vaccine doses by April 2026 to strengthen immunization coverage.

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Waaree Energies will set up India’s largest lithium-ion battery gigafactory at Rambilli, Anakapalli district, Andhra Pradesh. Total investment is ₹8,175 crore for a greenfield project. The plant will have 16 Gigawatt-hour (GWh) capacity. It will cover full battery value chain: cell manufacturing, battery packs and Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS). It received in-principle approval from State Investment Promotion Board. The project supports clean-energy goals of Andhra Pradesh.

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Astronomers imaged the central Milky Way and revealed a complex network of cosmic gas filaments using Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA). ALMA is located in the Atacama Desert of northern Chile and studies celestial objects at millimetre and submillimetre wavelengths. It has been fully operational since 2013. It was designed and built by National Radio Astronomy Observatory, National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, and European Southern Observatory.

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Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) is a highly contagious respiratory virus spreading rapidly on the West Coast of the United States (US). It belongs to the Pneumoviridae family, which also includes Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV). It mainly causes common cold–like respiratory illness. The virus spreads through air via coughing and sneezing, close personal contact, and touching contaminated surfaces then touching face. Common symptoms include cough, fever, nasal congestion, and shortness of breath. In severe cases, it may lead to bronchitis or pneumonia. No vaccine or specific antiviral treatment; care focuses on symptom management and preventing complications.

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A new study found that Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) not only changed the motion of an asteroid but also slightly altered the orbit of the asteroid pair around the Sun. DART was launched in 2021 by National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to test asteroid deflection technology. It was the first planetary defence mission to change an asteroid’s path using the kinetic impact method. The spacecraft targeted a binary asteroid system of Didymos and its moonlet Dimorphos. In 2022, the spacecraft intentionally crashed into Dimorphos to alter its orbit around Didymos. The impact successfully changed the asteroid’s motion, proving humans can potentially deflect hazardous near-Earth objects in space.

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Researchers at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati developed a new MXene-based material for hydrogen fuel production and seawater desalination. The material shows very low Hydrogen Evolution Reaction (HER) overpotential of 12 mV, better than Platinum/Carbon (Pt/C) electrodes, indicating high efficiency. Hydrogen is a clean fuel producing only water, but current production depends on fossil fuels, so this method offers a sustainable alternative. The material also enables solar-powered desalination, addressing the shortage of safe drinking water. Scientists modified MXene into ultra-thin ribbon-like structures to increase surface area and improve charge transport.