Science & Technology Current Affairs MCQs

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The Kodaikanal Solar Observatory (KSO), celebrating its 125th year, is an Indian Institute of Astrophysics facility in Tamil Nadu. Pioneering in solar physics, it gained fame with John Evershed’s discovery of the Evershed Effect in 1909. Over centuries, it’s been pivotal in studying solar eclipses, sunspots, and solar flares, crucial for understanding the Sun’s impact on Earth’s atmosphere.

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Researchers at the University of Kerala developed an innovative Airbreathing Magnesium-Copper/Cupric Oxide (Mg-Cu/CuO) Fuel Cell. Unlike its predecessor, the Mg-C fuel cell, it features a reusable copper-based cathode, offering enhanced operational stability. This eco-friendly technology utilizes air and seawater to generate power, emitting only water as a byproduct. Anticipated to rival the impact of Lithium-ion batteries, it exclusively produces electricity and heat during operation.

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Researchers at IIT Jodhpur created a nanosensor for rapid Cytokine detection, crucial in cell regulation. It aims to reduce mortality by addressing delayed diagnoses. This technology promises rapid, point-of-care health monitoring, disease diagnosis, and immune response tracking. Prof. Ajay Agarwal stated the technique shows promise for key biomarkers like IL-6, IL-β, and TNF-α. Currently in development, clinical trials are imminent. This innovation could revolutionize healthcare diagnostics and patient management.

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The European Space Agency’s (ESA) Proba-3 mission is scheduled to launch in September 2024, using India’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV). The mission will see two satellites fly together in space, 144 meters apart, and aligned with the sun. The satellites will block each other’s solar disk, allowing researchers to see the sun’s faint corona, or surrounding atmosphere. This will be the first precision formation flying mission in the world.

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The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) issued a recall of Indian Spice products due to ethylene oxide contamination. Ethylene oxide is a colorless, flammable gas with various industrial uses including as a pesticide and sterilizing agent. Prolonged exposure can cause irritation to eyes, skin, and respiratory system, and poses carcinogenic risks to humans.

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Regular use of fairness creams has been linked to nephrotic syndrome by Kerala researchers. Nephrotic syndrome is a kidney disorder causing excessive protein in urine due to glomeruli inflammation. Healthy kidneys filter waste but inflamed glomeruli leak protein into urine. It’s not a specific kidney disease but can result from various conditions damaging kidney filters. Diseases like nephritis, diabetes, and lupus can trigger nephrotic syndrome, impacting both kidneys and other body parts.

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The United States accuses Russia of using chloropicrin, a chemical warfare agent, in Ukraine. Chloropicrin, originally a poison gas in WWI, is a broad-spectrum chemical with various applications. It’s highly volatile, appearing as a colorless to yellow oily liquid. Exposure induces severe irritation to eyes, skin, and respiratory tract, causing vomiting. Chemical weapons, utilizing toxic effects on organisms, aim to cause harm or death.

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A new pulsar was discovered by astronomers using the Spektr-RG space observatory. Launched in 2019, Spektr-RG is a German-Russian high-energy astrophysics observatory studying the universe in the X-ray range. It orbits the Sun-Earth system’s outer Lagrange point (L2), 1.5 million km away, in a 6-month period. The observatory’s name stands for Spektr-Rentgen-Gamma and it was launched atop a Proton-M rocket from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan.

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India’s first kamikaze drone, developed by Kadet Defence Systems with DRDO, is a Loitering Aerial Munition (LAM) or Suicidal drone. It loiters over targets for precise identification, capable of changing targets mid-flight or aborting missions. Adaptable to diverse terrains like deserts and high-altitude areas, it has a 12-hour loitering capacity and a flying range of 150-300 km.

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The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, led by NASA, targets exploration from our solar system’s outer reaches to the observable universe edge. Its focus includes dark energy, dark matter, exoplanets, and various infrared astrophysics and planetary science areas. Key instruments include the Wide Field and Coronagraph Instrument, utilizing microlensing for exoplanet studies. With a field of view 100 times larger than Hubble, it promises groundbreaking insights into cosmic phenomena.