Science & Technology Current Affairs MCQs

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Recently, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting launched the WAVEX Startup Challenge 2025 under its WaveX startup accelerator program. The challenge is titled BhashaSetu – Real-Time Language Tech for Bharat. It is a national hackathon to build Artificial Intelligence-based multilingual translation tools for at least 12 major Indian languages. WaveX is a startup accelerator under the Ministry’s WAVES initiative to promote innovation in media, entertainment, and language technology.

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Recently, India reached 50 percent enrolment in its Phase III clinical trial of the indigenous tetravalent dengue vaccine, DengiAll. DengiAll is developed by Panacea Biotec Limited under a licence from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), United States. It contains weakened forms of all four dengue virus subtypes, similar to the NIH vaccine except for inactive ingredients. The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) is evaluating its safety and effectiveness through multiple institutes.

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Recently, the Kerala Health Minister confirmed 425 people are on the Nipah virus contact list across the state. Nipah Virus (NiV) is an emerging zoonotic virus spreading from animals to humans. It can also spread through contaminated food or directly from person to person. Fruit bats from the Pteropodidae family are its natural hosts. NiV infection can be without symptoms, mild, or cause serious breathing illness and deadly brain swelling.

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Recently, the blue rock pigeon, also called Columba livia, has been linked to concerns over spreading aspergillosis disease. Aspergillosis is an infection caused by Aspergillus, a mold genus with many species. The main infection-causing species is fungus “Aspergillus fumigatus”, which releases tiny airborne spores. These spores can cause respiratory illness when inhaled in large amounts, especially in people with weak immunity or lung issues. Aspergillosis is not contagious and doesn’t spread between people.

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Recently, the European Space Agency (ESA) launched the INVICTUS research programme. The INVICTUS research program is an initiative of the European Space Agency (ESA), in collaboration with the UK-based Frazer-Nash Consultancy. The goal is to develop hypersonic technologies for future reusable vehicles with horizontal launch capability. It is funded by ESA’s General Support Technology Programme (GSTP) and Technology Development Element (TDE). It will test key technologies for sustained hypersonic flight in Earth’s atmosphere.

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Researchers at the S. N. Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences (SNBNCBS) have developed a sustainable method to produce hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) using sunlight and water. The process uses a special material called Mo-DHTA COF, short for dimolybdenum paddlewheel-embedded covalent organic framework. It acts like a solar-powered molecular factory, absorbing sunlight and converting water and oxygen into hydrogen peroxide. Hydrogen peroxide is an eco-friendly chemical used in sterilization, wound cleaning, wastewater treatment, and fuel cells.

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In July 2025, Kerala’s rubber plantations faced a major threat from a beetle-fungus alliance causing severe leaf fall, tree drying, and reduced latex output. Researchers at the Kerala Forest Research Institute, Thrissur, identified the parasite as the ambrosia beetle (Euplatypus parallelus). It hosts two fungi — Fusarium ambrosia and Fusarium solani, marking the first report of F. solani with adult ambrosia beetles. The beetles bore tunnels in trees, farm fungi, and feed on fungal mycelia, while fungi weaken the tree’s structure with enzymes. These beetles were first reported in India in 2012 from cashew trees in Goa.

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A team at National Institute of Technology (NIT) Calicut has recently developed a low-cost, highly sensitive point-of-care device for early detection of sepsis. The device uses an electrochemical biosensor to detect endotoxins, which are key biomarkers of infection from Gram-negative bacteria. Sepsis is a life-threatening condition that can cause organ failure, shock, and even death if not treated early. The device can detect Lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a toxic component of bacterial membranes, within 10 minutes using blood serum.

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Pune district in Maharashtra has been declared an affected area due to rising Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) cases in cattle. As of now, 906 cattle are infected, with 591 recovered and 15 deaths reported. Pune has over 8.46 lakh cattle as per the 20th Livestock Census and is a major milk producer. Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) is a highly infectious viral disease affecting all breeds of cattle and water buffalo. It is caused by Lumpy Skin Disease Virus (LSDV), belonging to the genus Capripoxvirus (CaPV) under the family Poxviridae.

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In July 2025, ISRO announced that the NASA-ISRO NISAR satellite has been mounted on the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) ahead of its launch. All systems of the rocket have been successfully checked. NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) is a joint mission between the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and ISRO to study Earth’s changing ecosystems. GSLV is developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to launch satellites into Geosynchronous Transfer Orbits (GTOs). It can carry heavier payloads than the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV).