Science & Technology Current Affairs MCQs

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Recently, a scintillometer was installed at the Tamil Nadu Rice Research Institute (TRRI) in Aduthurai, Tamil Nadu. It is an optical instrument used to measure heat and moisture exchange between the land surface and the atmosphere. The device transmits a light beam between two fixed points to collect data. Turbulent air causes minute fluctuations in the beam, called scintillations, which are analysed to estimate heat transfer. It was installed as part of the TRRI Critical Zone Observatory (CZO) to enhance climate and crop research.

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The World Health Organisation (WHO) launched its Pandemic Preparedness and Emergency Response site at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi. This site is part of a global WHO network being set up to conduct rapid investigations and studies during pandemics or epidemics. The goal is to ensure a timely and effective public health response to global health emergencies. The launch was attended by WHO Representative to India, Payden, and AIIMS Director, Dr. M. Srinivas. The site will also operate during non-pandemic periods to maintain continuous readiness and system strength.

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On November 17, 2025, Karnataka’s Department of Electronics, IT & BT, with KEONICS, launched KEO, a compact, affordable and AI-ready personal computer designed entirely in Karnataka. KEO stands for Knowledge-driven, Economical, Open-source, built on an open-source RISC-V processor with a Linux-based OS. It features an on-device AI core that works without internet and includes BUDDH, an AI agent trained on the Karnataka DSERT syllabus to help students in low-connectivity areas. KEO will be deployed across schools, universities, businesses, homes and government offices, supporting locally adaptable, home-grown computing.

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Researchers at Indian Institute of Technology Madras developed India’s first Indigenous Vessel Traffic Management System (VTMS) for ports. The system was built by the National Technology Centre for Ports, Waterways and Coasts (NTCPWC) as per guidelines of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoSPW), Government of India. It gives India full control over source code, data, and vessel movement information, ensuring high maritime security. The VTMS is cost-effective, secure, scalable, and easy to maintain.

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Indian scientists developed a new Artificial Intelligence (AI) tool to improve cancer diagnosis and treatment at the molecular level. The tool, called OncoMark, was created by S. N. Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences and Ashoka University under the Department of Science and Technology (DST). It studies cancer through biological “hallmarks” like metastasis, immune evasion, and genomic instability. It goes beyond Tumor–Node–Metastasis (TNM) staging, which often misses hidden tumor behavior. The model was trained on 3.1 million single cells from 14 cancer types. It achieved over 99% accuracy in internal testing and 96% accuracy on patient data.

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A recent study found that the shingles vaccine can reduce the risk of death from dementia. Shingles is a viral infection that causes a painful skin rash. It is caused by the varicella-zoster virus, the same virus responsible for chickenpox. After chickenpox, the virus stays dormant in nerve cells and can reactivate when immunity becomes weak. Shingles usually appears as a painful stripe of blisters on one side of the body, face, or neck. It is not directly contagious but can spread chickenpox to unvaccinated people. It mainly affects people over 50 years or those with weak immune systems. The Shingrix vaccine helps prevent shingles and its complications.

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Ten blackbucks died in Jamshedpur Zoological Park, Jharkhand due to suspected Haemorrhagic Septicaemia (HS). Haemorrhagic Septicaemia (HS) is also called Pasteurellosis and is caused by Pasteurella multocida bacteria. It mainly affects cattle and buffaloes, with young animals more vulnerable. Bacteria survive longer in humid and waterlogged conditions. It spreads through contaminated food, water, air and direct contact.

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Bluetongue Virus (BTV) has recently been detected in more suspected cases in Northern Ireland, raising concerns about livestock health. Bluetongue is a severe haemorrhagic disease that affects animals and is infectious, but it is non-contagious and spreads only through insect vectors. The virus mainly infects domestic ruminants such as cattle, sheep, and goats, as well as wild animals like buffalo, deer, antelope, and camels, with sheep being the most severely affected. It spreads primarily through the bites of infected Culicoides midges, which are tiny blood-feeding insects commonly found on farms. There is no effective treatment for bluetongue, but vaccines are available for certain strains and are used in Africa, Asia, and parts of Europe.

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NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), the commercial arm of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), has signed 70 Technology Transfer Agreements with industry. NSIL was incorporated on 6 March 2019 under the Companies Act, 2013, and works under the Department of Space (DOS), Government of India. It helps Indian industries take up high-technology space activities and promotes commercial use of India’s space products and services.

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Chandrayaan-3’s lander payload RAMBHA-LP (Radio Anatomy of Moon Bound Hypersensitive Ionosphere and Atmosphere – Langmuir Probe) detected an active plasma environment in the Moon’s south polar region. Plasma, the 4th state of matter, is electrically neutral and contains charged particles like ions and free electrons. RAMBHA-LP uses a hypersensitive Langmuir probe mounted on a boom to avoid interference from the lander. It measures electron density and electron temperature near the lunar surface, helping understand the plasma behaviour at the Moon’s South Pole.