Science & Technology Current Affairs MCQs

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Kerala has issued technical guidelines for diagnosing and managing amoebic meningoencephalitis. Primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM) is a rare, often fatal infection caused by the brain-eating amoeba Naegleria fowleri, found in freshwater. Symptoms include headache, fever, nausea, and vomiting, typically after exposure to warm, stagnant freshwater. PAM has a high mortality rate over 97%. Treatment remains uncertain but should involve amebicidal drugs that can cross the blood-brain barrier.

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The Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT) has signed agreements with IIT Roorkee and IIT Mandi to develop ‘Cell-Free’ 6G access points, aligning with the ‘Bharat 6G vision’. This project utilizes ‘Cell-Free’ Massive MIMO technology, which deploys multiple access points (APs) to ensure seamless connectivity, eliminate dead zones, and boost data speeds. The Bharat 6G vision, spearheaded by the Technology Innovation Group on 6G (TIG-6G), aims to position India as a global leader in 6G by 2030, focusing on affordability, sustainability, and ubiquity, and enhancing connectivity worldwide.

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The European Space Agency (ESA) has announced a mission to study the Apophis asteroid during its close flyby of Earth in 2029. This mission follows NASA’s commitment to Apophis, which was once feared to be on a collision course with Earth. In 2029, Apophis will pass within 32,000 km of our planet, providing a rare opportunity to study such a large asteroid up close. ESA noted that asteroids of this size approach Earth at such close distances only once every 5,000 to 10,000 years.

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The Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) has granted permission for the first criticality approach of India’s 500 MWe sodium-cooled Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) at Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu. This is India’s first indigenous PFBR, commissioned by Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam Limited (BHAVINI), a government company under the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE).

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Indian astronomers have discovered 34 new Giant Radio Sources (GRSs) using the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT) near Pune. Operated by the National Centre for Radio Astrophysics (NCRA), GMRT has 30 large parabolic dishes that study radio waves. GRSs are massive cosmic objects with supermassive black holes at their centers. These black holes pull in matter, creating jets of hot plasma and producing large radio emission lobes.

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Genetic screening, now popular among athletes, identifies individuals at higher risk for certain disorders by analyzing changes in genetic material. It helps in determining traits and risk factors, allowing for preventive measures and early treatment. Initially used for detecting diseases, genetic tests entered sports in the late 1990s, revealing how genes influence performance traits like endurance and flexibility. About 66% of athletic differences are due to genetics, with the rest shaped by environmental factors.

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Researchers have isolated India’s first indigenous methanotroph, Methylocucumis oryzae, from rice fields and wetlands in Western India. This cucumber-shaped bacterium, abundant in wetlands and rice fields, is important for methane consumption. It is larger than most bacteria and grows only below 37ºC. Methylocucumis promotes rice plant growth by inducing early flowering and increasing grain yield, though its slow growth limits large-scale applications.

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Biomedical researcher Leonard Hayflick, who discovered the “Hayflick limit,” recently passed away. “Hayflick limit” refers to the maximum number of times a cell can divide. This discovery is crucial for understanding aging and age-related diseases. Hayflick identified three phases of cell division: rapid division, slowing mitosis, and senescence, where cells stop dividing. After cells stop dividing, they eventually undergo programmed death, called apoptosis. In the 1970s, researchers found that telomeres, protective DNA sequences at chromosome ends, shorten with each division, eventually leading to the end of cell division. The exact link between telomere length and lifespan remains unclear.

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India will train healthcare professionals to use the BPalM regimen for treating multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB). The BPalM regimen includes bedaquiline, pretomanid, linezolid, and moxifloxacin. Recommended by WHO in 2022, it’s already available in nearly 40 countries. The BPalM regimen is more effective, has fewer side effects, and shortens treatment time from 18-24 months to six months. It also helps prevent TB transmission, making it crucial for India’s goal to eliminate TB by 2025, as the country has 27% of global TB cases.

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A fire caused by a reactor blast at Escientia Advanced Sciences in the Special Economic Zone at Atchutapuram in Anakapalli, Andhra Pradesh, led to at least 17 deaths and 20 injuries. The disaster was triggered by a fire in a leaked solvent at the pharmaceutical company. India is highly vulnerable to chemical disasters, with around 1,861 Major Accident Hazard (MAH) units and many other hazardous factories. MAH units pose significant risks of major incidents. Other chemical disasters in India include the 2024 ammonia gas leak in Chennai, the 2020 styrene gas leak in Vizag, and the 1984 Bhopal Gas Tragedy involving methyl isocyanate.