1. Which port has become the first Indian port to produce green hydrogen?
[A] Jawaharlal Nehru Port
[B] Cochin Port
[C] Paradip Port
[D] V. O. Chidambaranar (VOC) Port
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [V. O. Chidambaranar (VOC) Port]
Notes:
V. O. Chidambaranar (VOC) Port, Thoothukudi, became the first Indian port to produce green hydrogen and achieve over 1 MW rooftop solar power generation. The announcement came during the Green Ports and Shipping Conference under NAVIC Cell-3 (Green Initiatives and Pollution Control), Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways. The event is part of roadshows ahead of India Maritime Week 2025 in Mumbai, showcasing maritime sustainability and innovation. The conference discussed maritime decarbonisation, green financing, and policy frameworks for achieving India’s 2070 net-zero target.
2. Pneumococcal disease, that was recently seen in news, is caused by which agent?
[A] Virus
[B] Bacteria
[C] Fungus
[D] Protozoa
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Bacteria]
Notes:
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.
3. Orbiting Carbon Observatory (OCO) Program is an initiative of which space organization?
[A] Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)
[B] China National Space Administration (CNSA)
[C] National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
[D] European Space Agency (ESA)
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)]
Notes:
Recently, reports claim the Trump administration asked NASA to shut down Orbiting Carbon Observatories (OCO). The Orbiting Carbon Observatory (OCO) Program, managed by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), is an initiative of NASA. OCO are Earth remote sensing satellites designed to monitor atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂) from space to understand climate change.
4. What is “Ideonella sakaiensis” that was recently seen in news?
[A] Bacterium
[B] Invasive weed
[C] Fish
[D] Traditional medicine
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Bacterium]
Notes:
Researchers have identified Ideonella sakaiensis, a bacterium that can degrade polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic. It belongs to the genus Ideonella and family Comamonadaceae. It uses polyethylene terephthalate (PET) as both a carbon and energy source, breaking it into harmless building blocks. These by-products can be consumed by I. sakaiensis and other organisms. It is discovered by researchers in Japan from PET-contaminated soil. It is Gram-negative, rod-shaped, motile, non-sporing, non-pigment-producing, and monotrichous.
5. Where was India’s first government-backed Drone Forensic Laboratory inaugurated?
[A] Lucknow
[B] New Delhi
[C] Jaipur
[D] Patna
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Lucknow]
Notes:
India’s first government-backed Drone Forensic Laboratory has been set up at Uttar Pradesh State Institute of Forensic Science (UPSIFS), Lucknow. It was inaugurated by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. The lab is designed by Milind Raj, known as the “Drone Man of India,” who is now the forensic drone advisor to UPSIFS. The lab enables real-time tracking, decoding, and forensic examination of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). It can identify launch sites, flight paths, payloads, and hazardous materials like explosives.
6. What is “Pseudomonas aeruginosa” that was recently mentioned in news?
[A] Bacterium
[B] Newly discovered species of Fish
[C] Fungus
[D] Invasive weed
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Bacterium]
Notes:
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a gram-negative, aerobic, non-spore-forming rod bacterium commonly found in soil and water. It is the most common type of Pseudomonas causing human infections in the blood, lungs (pneumonia), urinary tract, and post-surgery sites. Researchers from Germany found that P. aeruginosa shows bistable expression of the glpD gene, meaning activity varies among genetically identical cells. This variation affects its infection-causing ability, as shown in tests on moth larvae and mouse immune cells. Targeting glpD gene’s variable expression could help combat hospital-acquired P. aeruginosa infections. This discovery highlights new directions for infection control and antibiotic strategies.
7. Which space organization has launched “Surya”, an artificial intelligence (AI) model to improve space weather forecasting?
[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: B [National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)]
Notes:
NASA has launched “Surya”, an artificial intelligence (AI) model to improve space weather forecasting. Surya was developed in collaboration with IBM and trained on over nine years of data from NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO). It analyses massive streams of solar activity to detect early signs of solar flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs). Solar storms can disrupt satellites, communication systems, aviation, GPS navigation, and power grids on Earth. Surya generates visual forecasts up to two hours in advance with higher accuracy than traditional methods. The model is open-source to enable global researchers to improve space weather defense.
8. What does “Blue Carbon” refer to?
[A] Carbon from fossil fuels
[B] Carbon in freshwater lakes
[C] Carbon captured and stored by the ocean in vegetated coastal ecosystems
[D] Carbon in the atmosphere
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Carbon captured and stored by the ocean in vegetated coastal ecosystems]
Notes:
Seaweed farming has emerged as a potential Blue Carbon strategy, but empirical estimates of carbon burial from these farms are still limited. Blue Carbon refers to organic carbon captured and stored by oceans in vegetated coastal ecosystems such as mangrove forests, saltmarshes, and seagrass meadows. The term “Blue” highlights the watery nature of this carbon storage. Most blue carbon is carbon dioxide dissolved directly into the ocean. These ecosystems cover 2% of the ocean surface but account for 50% of the ocean’s carbon absorption. Blue carbon ecosystems are crucial for global climate change mitigation.
9. The Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog (CHAPEA) is a series of missions conducted by which space organization?
[A] Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)
[B] National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
[C] China National Space Administration (CNSA)
[D] European Space Agency (ESA)
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)]
Notes:
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has unveiled the second Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog (CHAPEA) habitat. It is designed for analogue missions simulating year-long stays on Mars. The second mission will begin in late 2025 with four crew members. The 1,700 square foot, 3D-printed habitat will be used to test living in isolation. CHAPEA (Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog) is a program of analog missions that simulate year-long stays on the Martian surface. The inaugural CHAPEA mission began in June 2023 and concluded in July 2024, providing valuable insights into the challenges of living and working on Mars.
10. Scientists at which institute recently discovered how white blood cells adapt their internal skeletons to combat pathogens?
[A] CSIR–Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (IGIB)
[B] CSIR–National Chemical Laboratory (NCL)
[C] CSIR–Indian Institute of Chemical Biology (IICB)
[D] CSIR–Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB)
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [CSIR–Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB)]
Notes:
Scientists at CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) discovered how white blood cells adapt their skeletons to fight pathogens. The study was published in Nature Structural & Molecular Biology. Cell shape depends on a dense, branched actin network near the membrane. Actin molecules push the membrane and create new meshworks for movement. A protein called SPIN90 regulates actin monomers and pairs with the Arp2/3 complex. Together, they grow new actin filaments in two directions about 150° apart. These filaments act as scaffolds to form branched actin mesh, reshaping the cell and aiding motility. This discovery explains rapid immune response and has implications for cancer, immune disorders, and wound healing.