51. Which institution has developed the glowing paper sensor for liver cancer detection?
[A] Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi
[B] Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune
[C] Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru
[D] All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru]
Notes:
Recently, scientists at the Indian Institute of Science developed a glowing paper sensor to detect liver cancer. The sensor uses the green glow of Terbium to identify the enzyme beta-glucuronidase, which is a key biomarker for liver cancer. Terbium is a rare-earth metal belonging to the lanthanide series of the periodic table. It appears as a soft, silvery metal. Terbium is recovered from minerals like monazite and bastnaesite, and also from euxenite containing more than 1% terbium. It is used in solid-state devices and low-energy lightbulbs.
52. Which species is the natural host of “Nipah Virus” that was recently reported in Kerala?
[A] Ant
[B] Fruit bat
[C] Mosquito
[D] Housefly
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Fruit bat]
Notes:
Recently, the Kerala Health Minister confirmed 425 people are on the Nipah virus contact list across the state. Nipah Virus (NiV) is an emerging zoonotic virus spreading from animals to humans. It can also spread through contaminated food or directly from person to person. Fruit bats from the Pteropodidae family are its natural hosts. NiV infection can be without symptoms, mild, or cause serious breathing illness and deadly brain swelling.
53. Which technology was used by the IIT Kanpur team to detect ancient Buddhist stupas in Haryana’s Yamuna Nagar district?
[A] LiDAR
[B] Ground Penetrating Radar
[C] Photogrammetry
[D] Satellite Imagery
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Ground Penetrating Radar]
Notes:
Recently, a team from Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur used Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) to detect ancient Buddhist stupas and buried structures in Yamuna Nagar district, Haryana. Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) is a high-resolution geophysical method that uses high-frequency electromagnetic waves to explore underground features. These waves interact with subsurface materials and are reflected, refracted, or scattered based on their type. GPR typically detects features up to a depth of around 10 meters. It is useful for locating bedrock depth, water tables, soil layers, buried stream channels, cavities, and fractures.
54. INVICTUS research programme is an initiative of which space organization?
[A] European Space Agency (ESA)
[B] National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
[C] Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)
[D] China National Space Administration (CNSA)
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [European Space Agency (ESA)]
Notes:
Recently, the European Space Agency (ESA) launched the INVICTUS research programme. The INVICTUS research program is an initiative of the European Space Agency (ESA), in collaboration with the UK-based Frazer-Nash Consultancy. The goal is to develop hypersonic technologies for future reusable vehicles with horizontal launch capability. It is funded by ESA’s General Support Technology Programme (GSTP) and Technology Development Element (TDE). It will test key technologies for sustained hypersonic flight in Earth’s atmosphere.
55. Oreshnik is a hypersonic ballistic missile developed by which country?
[A] China
[B] Germany
[C] Russia
[D] France
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Russia]
Notes:
Russian President Vladimir Putin recently announced the start of production of the Oreshnik hypersonic missile. Russia plans to deploy the Oreshnik missile in Belarus by the end of 2025. Oreshnik is a Russian intermediate-range hypersonic ballistic missile named after the Russian word for “hazel tree.” It made its operational debut on November 21, 2024, in a precision strike on the Pivdenmash defence facility in Dnipro, Ukraine. The missile is mobile and uses solid fuel, enhancing its rapid deployment capability. It can reach speeds up to Mach 10, which is ten times the speed of sound.
56. Deep Ocean Mission was launched by which ministry?
[A] Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
[B] Ministry of Jal Shakti
[C] Ministry of Earth Sciences
[D] Ministry of Science and Technology
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Ministry of Earth Sciences]
Notes:
Two Indian aquanauts recently conducted deep-sea dives in the Atlantic Ocean under Samudrayaan Project. They collected over 100 kg of cobalt-rich polymetallic nodules from 1,173 meters depth in the Andaman Sea. Deep Ocean Mission was launched by Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) on 7 September 2021 with ₹4,077 crore for 5 years. The mission develops technologies for exploring and using deep ocean resources sustainably. It supports India’s Blue Economy with potential to push maritime economy beyond ₹100 billion. It aligns with United Nations Decade of Ocean Science (2021–2030).
57. National Supercomputing Mission (NSM) is jointly implemented by which two government bodies?
[A] Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and Department of Science and Technology
[B] Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Commerce and Industry
[C] Indian Space Research Organization and Department of Biotechnology
[D] Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Science and Technology
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and Department of Science and Technology ]
Notes:
The National Supercomputing Mission (NSM) was launched in April 2015 by the Government of India with a budget of Rs.4,500 crore. Its vision is to achieve self-reliance and global leadership in supercomputing and provide state-of-the-art facilities to researchers. It is jointly implemented by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and the Department of Science and Technology (DST) through Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), Pune and Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru. As of August 2025, 37 supercomputers with 40 Petaflops capacity are installed across IITs, IISc, R&D labs and Tier-II/III cities. This information was submitted in the Lok Sabha today by Shri Jitin Prasada, Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology.
58. Which institute developed a gold nanocluster-based biosensor for early detection of Parkinson’s Disease?
[A] Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru
[B] Institute of Nano Science and Technology (INST), Mohali
[C] All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi
[D] Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Institute of Nano Science and Technology (INST), Mohali]
Notes:
Researchers at the Institute of Nano Science and Technology (INST), Mohali, are developing a nanotechnology-based tool for early detection of Parkinson’s Disease (PD). Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is a rapidly growing neurological disorder in India, often diagnosed after significant neurodegeneration. The team focused on α-synuclein, a protein that changes from harmless to toxic forms, damaging brain cells. They created gold nanoclusters (AuNCs), ultrasmall particles coated with amino acids to selectively bind normal or toxic protein forms. The tool enables early-stage detection, improving treatment, quality of life, and reducing healthcare costs.
59. Researchers have found evidence that interstellar dust grains align with magnetic fields in the Milky Way. Interstellar dust grains are composed of which materials?
[A] Iron and nickel
[B] Silicates and carbonaceous material
[C] Hydrogen and helium
[D] Oxygen and nitrogen
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Silicates and carbonaceous material]
Notes:
Scientists have found that tiny interstellar dust grains act as storytellers of the universe. A team led by the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), Bengaluru, provided the strongest observational evidence of how these dust grains align with magnetic fields in the Milky Way. Dust grains are a few micrometers in size, made of silicates and carbonaceous material, and exist throughout the interstellar medium. They play a key role in star and planet formation and cause starlight polarization detected since 1949.
60. Where was Asia’s first dedicated cancer centre for women, Apollo Athenaa, inaugurated?
[A] Mumbai
[B] Chennai
[C] Hyderabad
[D] New Delhi
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [New Delhi]
Notes:
Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Ltd (AHEL) launched Apollo Athenaa, Asia’s first dedicated cancer centre for women, at Defence Colony, New Delhi. The centre was inaugurated by Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, along with Dr. Prathap C Reddy and Preetha Reddy of Apollo Hospitals Group. GLOBOCAN 2022 data shows 54% of cancers in Indian women are breast and cervical, highlighting urgent need for specialised care. The centre provides services like preventive screenings, advanced diagnostics, surgical oncology, breast oncoplasty, fertility preservation, reconstructive care, onco-psychology, nutrition, physiotherapy, and palliative care.