Science & Technology Current Affairs MCQs

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Indian Institute of Science (IISc) has developed a new siphon-based thermal desalination system for clean drinking water. Traditional solar stills face salt buildup and scaling limits restricting output. The system uses a composite siphon of fabric wick and grooved metallic surface to draw water and flush out salt before crystallization. It is low-cost, scalable, and sustainable, made from aluminum and fabric, powered by solar or waste heat. It is useful for off-grid areas, disaster zones, coastal and island communities facing water stress.

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The Philippines has launched Southeast Asia’s first Coral Larvae Cryobank, a major step to protect marine biodiversity. The cryobank is a scientific facility that freezes and stores coral larvae at ultra-low temperatures. It preserves the genetic material of corals for future reef restoration and scientific research. The facility acts like a “genetic seed vault” for corals to help safeguard biodiversity from climate change and coral bleaching. The project is part of the Coral Research and Development Accelerator Platform (CORDAP). Philippines, Taiwan, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand are jointly participating in this regional conservation effort.

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Astronomers have directly imaged a young planet, WISPIT 2b, forming inside a gap in a protoplanetary disk around a distant star. The discovery confirms that disk gaps are indeed caused by growing planets. WISPIT 2b is a gas giant, about five times the mass of Jupiter, and only five million years old. It orbits WISPIT 2, a young star 437 light-years from Earth. Protoplanetary disks are rings of gas and dust around young stars, providing planet-forming material. The planet was imaged using Very Large Telescope (VLT), MagAO-X on Magellan Clay Telescope, and Large Binocular Telescope.

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Hyderabad recently became home to India’s first-ever Semiconductor Innovation Museum, launched by T-Chip (Technology Chip Innovation Programme). The museum aims to showcase cutting-edge research and technological advancements in chipmaking. It positions Hyderabad as a hub for semiconductor innovation. The museum will feature exhibits on AI chips, robotics, reusable rocket engines, next-generation EV and display systems. It includes a 30-day Innovation Residency Model to connect startups, research institutions, and global innovators with investors and academia. The initiative strengthens India’s semiconductor ecosystem and fosters collaboration between innovators, investors, and academia.

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Recently, the PUNCH Space Mission, launched by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), observed solar winds. PUNCH stands for Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere. Its aim is to study the Sun’s corona (outer atmosphere) and solar wind as a unified system. The mission has four small satellites in low Earth orbit. They make 3D global observations of the inner heliosphere and map the transition where the corona becomes solar wind.

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United States (US) researchers have developed a novel monoclonal antibody named MAM01 that showed strong protection against malaria in an early clinical trial. MAM01 targets a highly conserved region of Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein, blocking infection before the parasite enters the bloodstream. The trial demonstrated dose-dependent full protection with minimal side effects. It is administered as a single long-acting injection, providing immediate and months-long protection. Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are lab-made proteins mimicking the body’s natural immune defenses.

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Google announced that its quantum processor Willow has achieved the first “verifiable” quantum advantage. Quantum advantage means a quantum computer can outperform a classical computer in practice. The announcement was accompanied by an open-access paper in Nature by the Google Quantum AI and Collaborators team. Willow ran a new algorithm, Quantum Echoes, 13,000 times faster than the best classical algorithm on a supercomputer. The experiment used a technique called out-of-time-order correlator (OTOC) to track how information scrambles in quantum systems. OTOC measures how quantum information spreads, is scrambled, and can be “unscrambled” using time-reversal. Willow’s processor precisely controlled quantum bits (qubits) in a chaotic quantum system for the experiment.

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Russia has successfully tested its new atomic-powered and nuclear-capable underwater drone named Poseidon. President Vladimir Putin announced the test, calling it a major success and saying it cannot be intercepted. The test took place just days after Russia also tested the Burevestnik nuclear-powered cruise missile. Both tests are seen as signals to the United States amid the ongoing Ukraine conflict. The Poseidon drone was tested using nuclear power for the first time. It reportedly surpasses all current systems in speed and depth. Its nuclear reactor is 100 times smaller than those on submarines. The drone’s nuclear warhead is said to be more powerful than the Sarmat Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM).

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The Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT) has received a national patent for a machine learning-based radar technology to extract accurate rainfall data. The system was developed at the Advanced Centre for Atmospheric Radar Research (ACARR). It uses a Hybrid Adaptive Bi-Gaussian Fitting Algorithm with a Gaussian Mixture Model (GMM) to separate rain and air turbulence echoes. The innovation helps radars clean their data in real time, improving rainfall and wind accuracy up to 5 km in the troposphere. It enhances flood forecasting and early warning systems for Kerala, a state prone to extreme monsoon events.

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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.