Science & Technology Current Affairs MCQs

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A new analysis of NASA’s Cassini spacecraft data shows that Saturn’s moon Enceladus may support life. Cassini was a joint mission of NASA, European Space Agency (ESA), and Italian Space Agency (ASI). It was launched on October 15, 1997, to study Saturn and its moons in detail. The mission had NASA’s Cassini orbiter and ESA’s Huygens probe, which landed on Titan, Saturn’s largest moon. Cassini studied Saturn’s atmosphere, rings, and magnetosphere, along with Titan’s surface and atmosphere. It provided key insights into Saturn’s cloud properties, ring composition, and planetary evolution.

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Recent research shows that eating diets high in Ultra Processed Foods (UPFs) can worsen gut inflammation and increase Crohn’s disease flare-ups. Crohn’s Disease is a chronic Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) that causes swelling and irritation in the digestive tract. It usually affects the small intestine and the beginning of the large intestine. Inflammation can spread deep into the bowel layers, causing pain and serious complications. Common symptoms include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and weight loss. It mostly develops between ages 20 and 29. The exact cause is unknown but may involve genes, immune reactions, and the microbiome. There is no cure, but treatment helps control symptoms and maintain remission.

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India has recently developed its first indigenously discovered antibiotic, Nafithromycin. It was developed with support from the Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC). The antibiotic is marketed under the trade name “Miqnaf.” It is the first molecule fully conceptualized, developed, and clinically validated in India. Nafithromycin addresses Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) and is effective against resistant respiratory infections. It is especially useful for cancer patients and poorly controlled diabetics. The drug treats Community-Acquired Bacterial Pneumonia (CABP) and targets both typical and atypical pathogens. No similar antibiotic in this class has been developed globally for over 30 years.

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In October 2025, scientists discovered a new exoplanet named GJ 251c, located less than 20 light-years from Earth. The discovery was made by an international team, including researchers from Penn State University (PSU), USA. The finding was published in The Astronomical Journal. GJ 251c is a super-Earth, about four times the mass of Earth and likely rocky in composition. It was detected using the radial-velocity method, with data from the Habitable Zone Planet Finder (HPF) at PSU’s Hobby-Eberly Telescope (HET). The discovery provides key insights into planetary formation and the search for potentially habitable exoplanets.

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Bangladesh became the 8th country in the world to introduce the Typhoid Conjugate Vaccine (TCV) in its routine immunisation programme. Around 50 million children aged 9 months to 15 years will receive the vaccine under a nationwide campaign. India is the major vaccine supplier for this drive but has not yet included TCV in its Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP). Typhoid fever is caused by the Salmonella typhi bacterium and spreads through contaminated food and water or vectors like flies. The disease can lead to fever lasting several weeks, and complications like intestinal perforation can cause death. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates 9–12 million global typhoid cases and over 1 lakh deaths annually — with India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan as hotspots

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In November 2025, the European Space Agency (ESA) and Arianespace launched the Copernicus Sentinel-1D Earth Observation Satellite (EOS) to Low Earth Orbit (LEO) aboard the Ariane 6 rocket from the Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana. The mission, designated VA265, marked a key step in strengthening Europe’s autonomous access to space and Earth observation capability. It is the fourth and final satellite of the first-generation Copernicus Sentinel-1 constellation, completing Europe’s radar imaging network.

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On November 5, 2025, the Government of Maharashtra became the first Indian state to sign a Letter of Intent (LoI) with Starlink Satellite Communications Pvt. Ltd., a SpaceX subsidiary, to provide satellite-based internet. The partnership aims to deliver high-speed internet to remote districts like Gadchiroli, Nandurbar, Washim, and Dharashiv in Maharashtra. Satellite terminals will be installed in schools, health centres, disaster control rooms, and forest and coastal outposts, extending connectivity to ports, ferries, and coastal police networks. The initiative supports Digital Maharashtra and aligns with Digital India to connect terrain- or cost-challenged regions.

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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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In November 2025, scientists from the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) collaborated with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to estimate key parameters of a Coronal Mass Ejection (CME). They used data from the Visible Emission Line Coronagraph (VELC) payload onboard India’s Aditya-L1 mission. VELC is the main payload of Aditya-L1, India’s first solar observatory placed 1.5 million kilometres from Earth. It is an internally occulted solar coronagraph capable of imaging, spectroscopy, and spectro-polarimetry near the solar limb.

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The Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL)–Larsen & Toubro (L&T) consortium has indigenously built India’s first private Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV). The PSLV is scheduled to launch the Oceansat satellite early next year. India’s Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) signed a 2022 contract with the HAL–L&T consortium for end-to-end production of five PSLV-XL rockets. This move shifts PSLV manufacturing from ISRO to industry partners while ISRO focuses on new missions and research. The consortium has faced production challenges, resolved with ISRO’s support. HAL also received technology for the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) to fully own and operate its production.