Science & Technology Current Affairs MCQs

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Microsoft has unveiled the Fairwater AI Data Centre in Mount Pleasant. The facility is a $7.3 billion, 315-acre AI data centre designed to showcase sustainable AI infrastructure. The centre uses a two-storey vertical design with dense GPU deployment to improve efficiency, reduce land use, and lower communication latency.

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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.

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Recently, ICAR–Indian Institute of Oilseeds Research (ICAR-IIOR), Hyderabad developed a biopolymer-based Smart Seed Coating Technology to improve seed quality, crop establishment, and climate resilience. The patented technology uses biodegradable biopolymers to create a protective coating around seeds. The coating delivers beneficial microorganisms, nutrients, micronutrients, crop protection agents, and plant growth-promoting substances directly at the seed-soil interface. It promotes faster germination, stronger seedlings, better root growth, and enhanced tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses.

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The Department of Atomic Energy inaugurated the world’s first Hydrogen Production Facility based on the Copper–Chlorine (Cu–Cl) Thermochemical Cycle. The facility is located at Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu. It uses nuclear process heat from the Fast Breeder Test Reactor (FBTR) to produce carbon-free hydrogen. The Copper–Chlorine (Cu–Cl) thermochemical process was developed indigenously by Bhabha Atomic Research Centre. The project is a technology demonstrator to validate nuclear-assisted hydrogen production and pave the way for commercial-scale deployment.

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A study published in Nature Communications found avian malaria in 63 of 64 sites across the Hawaiian Islands. Avian malaria is a vector-borne disease caused by the parasite Plasmodium relictum, transmitted through mosquito bites. The disease damages red blood cells, causing anaemia and organ failure, and infected birds can remain chronic carriers for months or years. The parasite spread after the accidental introduction of the southern house mosquito (Culex quinquefasciatus) to Hawaii. The disease has devastated native Hawaiian honeycreepers, reducing their species from 55 to 17.

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Scientists at Raiganj University discovered a new bacterial species named Micromonospora shyamaprasadii. It was discovered in West Bengal from the mulberry rhizosphere (soil around mulberry roots). The species was named in honour of Syama Prasad Mookerjee on his 125th birth anniversary. The bacterium shows antibiotic potential by producing compounds that inhibit harmful bacteria.

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Researchers from the University of Minnesota developed SpudCell, the world’s first synthetic cell assembled entirely from non-living chemical components. It is a bottom-up synthetic cell, built from scratch rather than modifying an existing living cell. SpudCell consists of a lipid membrane (liposome) enclosing synthetic DNA, enzymes, and cellular components. It can take in nutrients, grow, replicate its DNA, and divide into daughter cells. The breakthrough may help understand the origin of life and has applications in drug delivery, vaccine development, disease modelling, and biotechnology.

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The NeoSep-1 international clinical trial, aimed at evaluating life-saving antibiotic combinations for newborns with sepsis, has expanded to India, with the first baby enrolled at JIPMER, Puducherry. Neonatal sepsis is a life-threatening bloodstream infection that affects babies below 90 days of age, especially premature and low-birth-weight infants. It is one of the leading causes of neonatal mortality, accounting for 30–50% of newborn deaths. Bacterial infections are the most common cause, including Escherichia coli (E. coli), Listeria, and Streptococcus.

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The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has authorised Reflect Orbital to launch and operate Eärendil-1 test satellite. Eärendil-1 is named after a character from J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Silmarillion. The satellite will operate in a non-geostationary orbit at an altitude of about 625 km with an inclination of 88°. It is equipped with a motorised thin-film reflector to direct sunlight to selected locations on Earth at night. The technology aims to extend solar power generation and support emergency and humanitarian operations. The FCC has granted a two-year test licence.

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Skyroot Aerospace successfully launched Vikram-1, India’s first privately developed orbital rocket, under Mission Aagaman. The launch took place from ISRO’s First Launch Pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota (Andhra Pradesh). Vikram-1 is a four-stage launch vehicle designed to place small satellites into a 450-km Low Earth Orbit (LEO). The rocket is named after Dr. Vikram Sarabhai, the father of India’s space programme. The mission marks India’s first private attempt at an orbital launch, a major milestone for the country’s commercial space sector.