Science & Technology Current Affairs MCQs

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Tourette Syndrome is a neurological disorder that causes sudden, involuntary movements or vocal sounds called tics. It usually starts between the ages of 2 and 15, with the average age of onset around six. It affects around 0.3% to 1% of the global population, as highlighted in recent reports. The condition is more common in boys than in girls. Tics can be mild or severe and may include blinking, jerking, or making sounds. In severe cases, it can impact speech, daily activities, and overall quality of life.

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For the first time ever, scientists have captured direct images of the Sun’s north and south poles. This was made possible by the Solar Orbiter mission. The Solar Orbiter mission is a collaborative effort between the European Space Agency (ESA) and NASA to study the Sun. It aims to observe the Sun’s surface and the solar wind, providing valuable insights into solar activity and its effects on Earth and the solar system.

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Researchers in Finland have developed a green chemical method using natural fatty acids from cooking oils to recover silver from electronic waste (e-waste). This comes at a time when global silver demand is rising and e-waste is becoming a major issue, especially in countries like India. E-waste includes discarded devices like computers, phones, and TVs that are outdated or broken. India is the third-largest generator of e-waste in the world, after China and the United States.

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China has launched the Zhangheng 1B satellite to strengthen early warning systems for natural disasters by monitoring Earth’s electromagnetic environment. It was launched aboard a Long March 2D rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the Gobi Desert. Developed in partnership with Italy under a 2019 cooperation agreement, the satellite entered orbit as planned. Zhangheng 1B is China’s first satellite focused on studying geophysical fields from space and will work with Zhangheng 1A launched in 2018. It carries nine instruments, including an electric field detector and a high-energy particle sensor built by Italy.

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Researchers recently found a surprising amount of germanium in a star named A980, which is part of a rare group called Extreme Helium (EHe) stars. This is the first time germanium, a metallic element, has been observed in such a star. Extreme Helium stars are low-mass supergiants that have very little hydrogen and are mostly made of helium. They are believed to form from the merger of a carbon-oxygen white dwarf and a smaller helium white dwarf. Only 21 EHe stars have been found in our galaxy so far.

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Recently, Noida International Airport (NIA) partnered with Anlon Technology Solutions to introduce India’s first indigenously developed Runway Rubber Removal Machine (RRM) named Cleanjet RRM. This eco-friendly machine is designed to enhance runway safety by removing rubber deposits and other contaminants using ultra-high-pressure water jets without abrasive chemicals.

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Recently, scientists at Bose Institute, Kolkata, developed a modified CRISPR (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats) tool to help plants fight heat stress and bacterial infections, boosting smart and sustainable farming. Unlike traditional CRISPR which cuts DNA, the team used a modified version called dCas9 (dead Cas9), which does not cut DNA but works like a gene switch. This switch stays off until the plant is stressed, such as by high temperatures. The scientists used a part of a natural tomato protein called NACMTF3, specifically its TM (Transmembrane) domain, to control the switch. Under heat stress, the TM domain releases dCas9, allowing it to enter the nucleus and turn on defense genes. This method allows plants to respond only when needed, reducing energy use and improving resilience.

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Recently, Japan launched the Global Observing Satellite for Greenhouse gases and Water cycle (GOSAT-GW) from Tanegashima Space Centre. GOSAT-GW is an Earth observation satellite developed by the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). It was launched using the H-2A rocket. Its objectives are to monitor global-mean concentrations of Greenhouse Gases (GHGs), verify national anthropogenic GHG emissions inventories, and detect GHG emissions from large sources like megacities and power plants.

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Recently, scientists at the Indian Institute of Science developed a glowing paper sensor to detect liver cancer. The sensor uses the green glow of Terbium to identify the enzyme beta-glucuronidase, which is a key biomarker for liver cancer. Terbium is a rare-earth metal belonging to the lanthanide series of the periodic table. It appears as a soft, silvery metal. Terbium is recovered from minerals like monazite and bastnaesite, and also from euxenite containing more than 1% terbium. It is used in solid-state devices and low-energy lightbulbs.

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Recently, China successfully tested its Feitian 2 hypersonic vehicle. Feitian 2 can switch between propulsion modes during flight for better performance. The vehicle uses a kerosene-hydrogen peroxide fuel mix. This positions China strongly in the global hypersonic technology race. Feitian 2 has potential uses in defense and civilian sectors.