Science & Technology Current Affairs MCQs

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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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The Usutu virus was recently detected in blackbirds in Scotland for the first time. Usutu virus is a mosquito-borne virus that originally originated in Africa. The virus is mainly spread by Culex pipiens mosquitoes. Scientists were surprised by the detection because Scotland was previously considered too cold for the virus to thrive. The discovery was linked to the deaths of blackbirds showing symptoms such as weakness, disorientation, and twisted necks. The virus is named after the Usutu River, near where it was first identified in 1959.

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Recently, the Euclid Space Telescope captured one of the most detailed images of the Milky Way’s central region, revealing over 60 million stars in a single image. Euclid is a 1.2-metre space telescope launched by the European Space Agency in 2023. It is designed to map billions of galaxies and study the expansion and evolution of the Universe. Its primary objective is to explore the dark Universe, including dark matter and dark energy.

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Recently, GalaxEye’s Mission Drishti faced an anomaly during the final stage of Launch and Early Orbit Phase (LEOP) due to a geomagnetic solar storm. Mission Drishti, India’s largest privately developed Earth observation satellite, was launched by the Bengaluru-based space technology startup GalaxEye. The satellite was deployed into orbit aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, USA. The satellite successfully completed major LEOP activities, including deployment, attitude control, onboard computing, and communication system operations. The mission helped validate critical technologies and provided valuable engineering insights for future OptoSAR satellite missions.

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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Vepdegestrant for Estrogen Receptor 1 (ESR1)-mutated, ER-positive, Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2-negative advanced breast cancer. It is the world’s first FDA-approved therapy based on PROTAC (Proteolysis-Targeting Chimera) technology. PROTACs are designed to degrade harmful proteins rather than merely block them. A PROTAC molecule binds the target protein and an E3 ligase, triggering targeted protein degradation via the cell’s protein disposal system. Unlike conventional drugs, PROTACs act catalytically, allowing one molecule to degrade multiple target proteins.

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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 Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), in collaboration with the Drone Federation India (DFI), launched NIDAR 2.0 (2026–27) under the SwaYaan initiative in New Delhi. The challenge promotes autonomous drone systems, indigenous avionics, and drone component innovation. Track 1 focuses on autonomous swarm drones for disaster management and GPS-denied navigation, while Track 2 focuses on indigenous flight controllers and autopilots using the VEGA processor. The SwaYaan initiative, approved in 2022 with an outlay of ₹89.87 crore, has trained over 51,000 people to strengthen India’s drone ecosystem.

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Recent observations from INSAT-3DR showed that about 60–70% of India was covered by clouds, reflecting widespread monsoon activity across the country. INSAT-3DR is one of ISRO’s advanced weather satellites, designed to provide more accurate and timely weather information. It was launched using the GSLV-F05 rocket to strengthen India’s meteorological capabilities. The satellite plays a vital role in forecasting weather, tracking cyclones, issuing disaster warnings, and monitoring environmental conditions. It is equipped with an imager to capture weather patterns and an atmospheric sounder to measure temperature and moisture in different layers of the atmosphere.

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National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has selected the PRAXIS Mission for NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) 2026 Phase I funding. PRAXIS stands for Planetary Rings Autonomous EXploration with In-situ Sampling. The mission aims to collect and analyse particles directly from planetary rings. It will study the ring systems of Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and ringed minor bodies like Chariklo and Chiron. The mission will use an AI-powered bio-inspired robotic explorer for autonomous navigation, particle sampling and on-site analysis. It plans to graze the ring plane to capture free-floating particles without deep entry.

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Sooty bark disease has been detected in British Columbia, Canada, affecting maple trees. The disease is caused by the fungus Cryptostroma corticale and was first reported in the region in 2022. It has spread from ornamental maple species to the native bigleaf maple, an important component of Canada’s West Coast ecosystem. The fungus can remain dormant for years and becomes active under hot and dry conditions, leading to tree death within about three years. Researchers are using genetic screening, tree testing, and field surveys to monitor the disease and assess risks to other maple species, including the sugar maple.