Science & Technology Current Affairs MCQs

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The ISRO mission that successfully germinated lobia seeds (also known as cowpea seeds) in space is called the “CROPS” experiment, which stands for “Compact Research Module for Orbital Plant Studies”. The seeds sprouted on the fourth day, with leaves visible by the fifth day, marking a major milestone in space research. The experiment aims to develop sustainable food sources for long-term space missions and test plant growth in microgravity and controlled environments. Success supports astronauts by enabling food growth, oxygen generation, and CO₂ recycling in space. It highlights India’s capability in managing complex life-support systems and contributes to global space farming initiatives.

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Venus, Saturn, Jupiter, and Mars formed a rare arc in the night sky, called a ‘planet parade.’ A planet parade occurs when multiple planets are visible in the night sky simultaneously. This phenomenon, also known as a conjunction, makes planets appear close together or even touching, though it is a perspective illusion. Planets have unique motions and move at different rates, making simultaneous visibility uncommon. Such alignments involving four or more planets are rare and do not happen annually, as highlighted by NASA.

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Researchers using NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope and Chandra X-ray Observatory discovered an unusual black hole that might illuminate the development of supermassive black holes. Chandra X-ray Observatory is NASA’s most powerful X-ray telescope, offering eight times greater resolution and detecting sources over 20 times fainter than its previous X-ray telescope. It was launched on July 23, 1999. It is designed to detect X-ray emissions from extremely hot areas in the Universe, including exploded stars, galaxy clusters, and matter near black holes.

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The U.S. military has relocated Typhon missile launchers within the Philippines to improve mobility and survivability amid tensions with China and Russia. Typhon, or the Mid-Range Capability (MRC), is a mobile, surface-to-surface missile system developed by Lockheed Martin, United States. It features a modular design and can fire multiple missile types, including the SM-6 (500 km range) and Tomahawk cruise missiles (2,500 km range). The SM-6 strikes air and surface targets, while the Tomahawk is effective for land-attack and anti-ship missions. A full Typhon system includes four launchers, a command post, and support vehicles on trailers.

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The International Solar Conference celebrated the 125th anniversary of the Kodaikanal Solar Observatory. The observatory, established in 1899, is currently owned and operated by the Indian Institute of Astrophysics. It is located in Kodaikanal, Tamil Nadu, in the Palani range of hills, chosen for its proximity to the equator and dust-free high-altitude setting. The observatory’s objective is to gather data on how the sun affects Earth’s atmosphere and to better understand monsoon patterns.

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Camp Hill virus, a henipavirus related to Nipah, has been detected in North America, raising outbreak concerns. Henipaviruses are zoonotic RNA viruses from the Paramyxoviridae family, naturally hosted by fruit bats (Pteropus species). They can cross species barriers, infecting mammals, including humans, causing severe respiratory illness and encephalitis. Transmission occurs through infected animals, contaminated food/water, and human-to-human contact. Symptoms range from fever and headache to severe encephalitis, seizures, and coma. Henipaviruses block the innate immune response, aiding viral replication. No vaccine or antiviral drug is available; treatment is only symptomatic.

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Iran has unveiled two new missiles: Etemad and Ghadr-380. Etemad is a ballistic missile with a range of 1,700 km. It measures 16 meters in length and 1.25 meters in diameter. It is equipped with a precision-guided warhead for accurate targeting. Ghadr-380 is an anti-warship cruise missile with a range of over 1,000 km. It features anti-jamming capability, making it resistant to electronic warfare.

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IIT Madras launched India’s first cancer genome database to boost cancer research. India is underrepresented in global cancer genome studies, limiting targeted diagnostics and drug development. The Cancer Genome Programme started in 2020 and has sequenced 960 whole exomes from 480 breast cancer samples across India. The Bharat Cancer Genome Atlas (BCGA) will help in early diagnosis, disease progression tracking, and treatment planning. The database supports personalized medicine and helps identify high-risk groups and novel drug targets.

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NASA is set to launch SPHEREx, a revolutionary space telescope, to explore the universe’s origins. It will cost $488 million, far less than the $10 billion James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). Unlike JWST, which zooms in on deep-space objects, SPHEREx will survey the entire sky in 102 infrared colors. The telescope will take 600 images daily, completing four full sky scans in 27 months. SPHEREx will map 450 million galaxies, revealing how the universe evolved after the Big Bang. It will also study 100 million Milky Way stars, tracing life’s building blocks in space.

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Russia is reportedly starting large-scale production of Iskander-M tactical ballistic missiles. The Iskander (SS-26 Stone) is a road-mobile short-range ballistic missile system, first used in 2008 against Georgia. It is developed by Russia. It is designed for tactical strikes on small, high-value land targets. The missile is 7.3 meters long, weighs 3,750 kg, and has a 500 km range with a payload of 480-700 kg. It can carry conventional or nuclear warheads, travel at Mach 7, and reach over 30 miles in altitude. Equipped with decoys, maneuverable reentry, and self-targeting to bypass defense systems.