Science & Technology Current Affairs MCQs

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Chinese researchers led by Professor Zhao Jieliang at Beijing Institute of Technology developed the world’s lightest brain control device to steer bees. It is fixed on the bee’s back with three fine needles connecting to the brain, sending signals to control direction. In trials, bees followed commands with 90% accuracy, including turning, moving forward, and reversing. The bee-based robotic model offers superior mobility, stealth, and adaptability for missions like urban combat, counterterrorism, and disaster relief.

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Kerala has recently introduced the Cy-TB skin test to detect Latent Tuberculosis Infection (LTBI) under the National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP). Cy-TB is a new-generation intradermal skin test using Mycobacterium tuberculosis-specific antigens called ESAT-6 and CFP-10. It is more accurate than Mantoux or IGRA (Interferon-Gamma Release Assay) tests and does not need blood samples. It helps in early detection of dormant TB to prevent it from becoming active. It is used for adults above 18, especially in high-risk or contact groups.

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Recently, ISRO is preparing to launch three navigation satellites for the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) by next year. Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS), also called Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC), is developed by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). It is an independent and fully indigenous satellite navigation system, under India’s full control. Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) was designed as a 7-satellite constellation to cover India and 1,500 km around it.

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Recently, NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope captured the first detailed images of interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS as it passed through our solar system. This offers scientists a rare chance to study a comet originating from another star system. Comets are ancient objects made of dust and ice that orbit the Sun and are leftovers from the solar system’s formation around 6 billion years ago. They are best known for their long, glowing tails. A comet has four visible parts: nucleus, coma, ion tail, and dust tail. This discovery helps scientists better understand the nature of interstellar objects and early solar system formation.

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Iran successfully launched its Nahid-2 telecommunications and research satellite on 27 July 2025. The launch was done aboard a Russian Soyuz rocket as part of a multi-payload mission. Other payloads included Russia’s Unisphere-M3 and M4 and 18 satellites from various countries. The Soyuz rocket had earlier launched Iranian satellites like Khayyam, Pars-1, Kosar, and Hodhod. Nahid-2 is designed to stay in orbit for five years. It has an indigenous propulsion system that can adjust its altitude by up to 50 kilometers. This propulsion is key for maintaining orbital position and operational stability.

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Recently, Bengaluru-based space company Protoplanet launched the Human Outer Planetary Exploration (HOPE) station in Ladakh’s Tso Kar region. HOPE is a moon and Mars simulation research station mimicking off-Earth terrain and environment. It is located in the high-altitude cold desert of Tso Kar basin, Ladakh. The project is developed by Protoplanet with technical and financial support from Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). It aims to study human psychological, physiological, and epigenetic responses in extreme isolation. It supports India’s long-term space goals including a crewed lunar mission by 2040 and a space station by 2035.

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Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) plans to launch the Block 2 BlueBird communication satellite in 3–4 months. BlueBird is developed by U.S.-based AST SpaceMobile. The launch will take place from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, using Launch Vehicle Mark-3 (LVM3), formerly GSLV-Mk III. This follows ISRO’s successful launch of NASA ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) mission on July 30 using GSLV. BlueBird is an advanced American satellite designed for direct smartphone-to-satellite communication. It enables users to make calls and access internet directly from space without ground towers.

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Pfizer recently launched its 20-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV20) for adults in India. PCV20 protects against 20 serotypes causing most pneumococcal diseases. Pneumococcal disease is caused by the bacterium Streptococcus pneumoniae. It can cause mild infections like ear infections and severe ones like pneumonia, meningitis, and bloodstream infections. Around 90 serotypes exist globally; few cause most diseases. It is a major global health issue, especially affecting young children and the elderly in developing countries.

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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.

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CEREBO is a hand-held, portable, non-invasive brain injury diagnostic tool developed by Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Medical Device & Diagnostics Mission Secretariat (MDMS), AIIMS Bhopal, NIMHANS Bengaluru, and Bioscan Research. It is designed for Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs) and detects intracranial bleeding and edema within a minute. The device is safe for infants and pregnant women and usable by paramedics and unskilled personnel. CEREBO provides colour-coded, radiation-free, cost-effective results where CT or MRI scans are inaccessible or delayed. It can be deployed in ambulances, trauma centres, rural clinics, and disaster response units.