Science & Technology Current Affairs MCQs

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NASA announced that the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) discovered a new 29th satellite of Uranus, named S/2025 U1. The moon has an estimated diameter of 10 kilometres and orbits Uranus at a distance of about 56,000 kilometres. S/2025 U1 will receive an official name from the International Astronomical Union (IAU) in the future. Uranus is the seventh planet from the Sun and the third-largest planet in the solar system. Uranus is an ice giant, composed mainly of hydrogen, helium, water, methane, and ammonia. Uranus now has 29 moons, with five major moons: Miranda, Ariel, Umbriel, Titania, and Oberon.

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The Department of Health and Human Services recently confirmed the first human case of the flesh-eating parasite, the New World screwworm, in the United States. New World screwworm is a blue-grey blowfly usually found in South America and the Caribbean. Its larvae burrow screwlike into living tissue, causing dangerous infestations. Female flies lay eggs in open wounds or cavities, with up to 3,000 eggs in their lifespan. Symptoms include non-healing wounds, bleeding, foul smell, and sensation of movement. Infestation is extremely painful and can be fatal if untreated.

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India unveiled its first fully indigenous 32-bit microprocessor, Vikram 3201, at Semicon India 2025. It is designed by Vikram Sarabhai Space Center (VSSC) and fabricated by Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) Semiconductor Laboratory (SCL), Chandigarh. Vikram 3201 is designed specifically for rockets and satellites, unlike processors in smartphones or laptops. It is an upgrade of Vikram 1601, a 16-bit processor used in ISRO launch vehicles since 2009. The processor manages navigation, control, and mission management in launch vehicles. The launch supports India’s semiconductor self-reliance, with five units under construction under the Design-Linked Incentive scheme.

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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.

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Mosquito-borne diseases like dengue fever are rising due to rapid urbanisation, climate change, and global travel. A new study published on 3 September in Science Translational Medicine shows waning immunity against Japanese Encephalitis Virus (JEV) can worsen dengue outcomes. Japanese Encephalitis (JE) is a viral zoonotic disease caused by the Japanese Encephalitis (B) virus. Transmission occurs through infected Culex mosquitoes of the Vishnui group, not from human to human. It is most common in rural Asia, especially during monsoon seasons. Both viruses belong to the genus Orthoflavivirus and show cross-immune interactions.

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Indian Institute of Science (IISc) has developed a new siphon-based thermal desalination system for clean drinking water. Traditional solar stills face salt buildup and scaling limits restricting output. The system uses a composite siphon of fabric wick and grooved metallic surface to draw water and flush out salt before crystallization. It is low-cost, scalable, and sustainable, made from aluminum and fabric, powered by solar or waste heat. It is useful for off-grid areas, disaster zones, coastal and island communities facing water stress.

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Astronomers have directly imaged a young planet, WISPIT 2b, forming inside a gap in a protoplanetary disk around a distant star. The discovery confirms that disk gaps are indeed caused by growing planets. WISPIT 2b is a gas giant, about five times the mass of Jupiter, and only five million years old. It orbits WISPIT 2, a young star 437 light-years from Earth. Protoplanetary disks are rings of gas and dust around young stars, providing planet-forming material. The planet was imaged using Very Large Telescope (VLT), MagAO-X on Magellan Clay Telescope, and Large Binocular Telescope.

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On October 13, 2025, TechBharat Research Foundation (TBRF) and Google Cloud India launched India’s first Artificial Intelligence (AI) Centre of Excellence (CoE) for Public Good in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh (AP). The initiative was supported by the Government of Andhra Pradesh, particularly its Department of Information Technology, Electronics & Communications (IT, E&C). A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Government of Andhra Pradesh and TechBharat Research Foundation (TBRF) for setting up and operating the CoE. TBRF will lead the CoE as a hub for applied AI research and public service solutions. Google Cloud India will provide cloud infrastructure, Gemini AI models, tools, mentorship, and market support.

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Kerala reported another death from Amoebic Meningoencephalitis (Primary Amebic Meningoencephalitis, PAM), raising the 2025 toll to 27 cases. Primary Amebic Meningoencephalitis is a rare, fatal brain infection caused by the free-living amoeba Naegleria fowleri, known as the “brain-eating amoeba.” Infection occurs when contaminated freshwater enters the nasal cavity, allowing the amoeba to reach the brain via the olfactory nerve. It is found in warm freshwater and soil, especially lakes, rivers, hot springs, and unchlorinated pools.

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In Nigeria, the Lassa fever outbreak has claimed 172 lives since January 2025. The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) reported 924 confirmed cases out of 8,041 suspected cases till October 2025. The case fatality rate stands at 18.6%, higher than 17% in 2024. The most affected age group is 21 to 30 years. The outbreak is worsened by poor sanitation, low awareness, and delayed treatment. Lassa fever is a viral haemorrhagic illness caused by the Lassa virus from the Arenavirus family. Infection spreads through food or household items contaminated by urine or faeces of infected Mastomys rats. The World Health Organization (WHO) stresses early diagnosis and quick treatment for survival.