Science & Technology Current Affairs MCQs

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David Salvagnini, formerly NASA’s chief data officer, is appointed as the new chief artificial intelligence (AI) officer. His expanded role emphasizes responsible AI use. NASA leverages AI tools to support missions and research, analyze data, and develop autonomous systems for spacecraft and aircraft. According to NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, AI has long been safely utilized, accelerating discoveries. David will lead NASA’s efforts in responsible AI use, aligning with its mission to benefit humanity.

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Scientists from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) discovered a potential malaria vaccine candidate targeting the parasite’s Prohibitin protein. Published in iScience by Cell Press, their research offers hope for better prevention and treatment. Malaria, transmitted by Anopheles mosquitoes, remains a significant health burden globally, with 249 million cases and 60,800 deaths in 2022. The vaccine development could revolutionize malaria control, addressing a disease that has plagued humanity for centuries.

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Indian astrophysicists used AstroSat to discover aperiodic modulation of high-energy X-rays in Swift J1727.8-1613, a black hole binary source. AstroSat, India’s first dedicated astronomy mission, launched in 2015, observes celestial sources in X-ray, optical, and UV bands simultaneously. It carries five scientific payloads for imaging and studying cosmic sources. Unique for enabling multi-wavelength observations, AstroSat is controlled from Bengaluru. Its objectives include studying binary systems, star birth regions, and conducting deep-field surveys.

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Twelve nations signed the Zero Debris Charter at the ESA/EU Space Council, committing to sustainable human activities in Earth orbit. The European Space Agency (ESA) initiated the Charter in November 2023. It aims to eliminate space debris by 2030 through ambitious technical targets and global cooperation. Although non-binding, it sets key goals like a debris generation probability below 1 in 1,000 per object and 99% post-mission disposal success.

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In winter 2023, health experts noticed rising whooping cough (pertussis) cases in Europe, the US, and the UK, with UK cases hitting a 20-year high. By March 2024, European cases peaked higher than in the past decade. Factors include declining vaccine uptake in babies and during pregnancy, and reduced population immunity post-COVID-19. Whooping cough, caused by Bacteria Bordetella pertussis, primarily affects babies under six months. Symptoms include cold-like signs and a distinctive “whooping” cough. Prevention involves DTaP and Tdap vaccines, which also protect against diphtheria and tetanus. In India, the DTP vaccine is used.

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Researchers identified 40 novel Nidoviruses in vertebrates using AI. Nidoviruses are enveloped, positive-strand RNA viruses infecting both vertebrates and invertebrates. When hosts are co-infected with different viruses, gene recombination can occur, potentially creating new, more hazardous viruses.

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Marine microbiologists from the Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research discovered the marine fungus Parengyodontium album, which can break down plastic polyethylene (PE) in the ocean. This fungus converts PE-derived carbon into fungal biomass, aided by UV sunlight’s initial photodegradation of PE. This discovery highlights its potential in reducing oceanic plastic litter. Annually, humans produce over 400 billion kilograms of plastic, much of which pollutes the ocean.

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India ranks as the world’s second largest emitter of nitrous oxide (N2O), a potent greenhouse gas. In 2020, India contributed nearly 11% of global man-made N2O emissions, following China’s 16%. These emissions primarily stem from nitrogen-based fertilizers and animal manure used in agriculture. Despite this, India’s per capita emissions are relatively low at 0.8 kg/person compared to other top emitters like China, the US, Brazil, and Russia.

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Recently, a rare “double sun halo” was observed over Ladakh. This optical phenomenon features two concentric rings around the sun, caused by sunlight refracting through ice crystals in cirrus clouds. The inner halo has a 22-degree radius, while the outer halo spans 46 degrees. The unique alignment of hexagonal ice crystals in the clouds creates this dazzling effect, making it an uncommon sight, especially in ideal conditions like those in Ladakh.

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Scientists have discovered how to control the Casimir Effect to enhance tiny machines. The Casimir Effect, predicted by Hendrik Casimir in 1948, involves an attractive force between two closely placed uncharged conducting plates due to quantum vacuum fluctuations. This phenomenon, filled with virtual particles, has been experimentally verified and is crucial in nanotechnology and condensed matter physics, significantly impacting micromachined devices and our understanding of vacuum energy.