Science & Technology Current Affairs MCQs

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Recently, a person from northern Arizona, United States, died of pneumonic plague, marking the first such death in the region in 18 years. Plague is an infectious disease caused by the zoonotic bacteria Yersinia pestis. It spreads mainly through flea bites from fleas that fed on infected animals. The disease caused millions of deaths in Europe during the Middle Ages. Today, it is rare but still found in rural parts of the western U.S., Africa, and Asia.

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On July 14, 2025, Israel launched its first fully government-funded and domestically built communications satellite, Dror-1, from Cape Canaveral, Florida aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Dror-1 is Israel’s most advanced geostationary satellite, built 100% with local technologies to ensure strategic independence. It weighs 4.5 tonnes, spans 17.8 metres, and will serve Israel’s communication needs for the next 15 years. The satellite orbits 36,000 km above Earth, maintaining constant coverage over Israel and nearby regions.

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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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Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) plans to launch the Block 2 BlueBird communication satellite in 3–4 months. BlueBird is developed by U.S.-based AST SpaceMobile. The launch will take place from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, using Launch Vehicle Mark-3 (LVM3), formerly GSLV-Mk III. This follows ISRO’s successful launch of NASA ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) mission on July 30 using GSLV. BlueBird is an advanced American satellite designed for direct smartphone-to-satellite communication. It enables users to make calls and access internet directly from space without ground towers.

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IndiaAI Independent Business Division (IBD) and National Cancer Grid (NCG) launched the Cancer AI & Technology Challenge (CATCH) Grant Program. The program supports Artificial Intelligence (AI) solutions for cancer screening, diagnostics, treatment support, and healthcare operations in India. Grants of up to ₹50 lakh per project will be co-funded by IndiaAI and NCG for selected technology–clinical teams.

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Researchers have identified Ideonella sakaiensis, a bacterium that can degrade polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic. It belongs to the genus Ideonella and family Comamonadaceae. It uses polyethylene terephthalate (PET) as both a carbon and energy source, breaking it into harmless building blocks. These by-products can be consumed by I. sakaiensis and other organisms. It is discovered by researchers in Japan from PET-contaminated soil. It is Gram-negative, rod-shaped, motile, non-sporing, non-pigment-producing, and monotrichous.

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On 15 August 2025, Chinese commercial aerospace company Geespace successfully completed the fourth orbital deployment of GEESATCOM (Geely Constellation) by launching 11 satellites from waters off Rizhao, Shandong Province aboard a single rocket. All satellites entered their planned 600 km orbits and are operating normally. GEESATCOM, independently developed and operated by Geespace, supports satellite Internet of Things (IoT) testing and inter-satellite communications. It also provides Earth observation for ecological and environmental monitoring.

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Recently, Kerala’s health department issued an alert in Kozhikode after three cases of Primary Amoebic Meningoencephalitis (PAM) were reported. Primary Amoebic Meningoencephalitis (PAM) is a brain infection caused by Naegleria fowleri, also called the “brain-eating amoeba.” This amoeba lives in warm freshwater, soil, swimming pools, hot tubs, and infects through the nose. It mainly affects young, active people and has a mortality rate above 95%. Primary Amoebic Meningoencephalitis (PAM) progresses rapidly and is often fatal within days, while Granulomatous Amebic Encephalitis (GAE) progresses slowly.

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Two Indian aquanauts recently conducted deep-sea dives in the Atlantic Ocean under Samudrayaan Project. They collected over 100 kg of cobalt-rich polymetallic nodules from 1,173 meters depth in the Andaman Sea. Deep Ocean Mission was launched by Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) on 7 September 2021 with ₹4,077 crore for 5 years. The mission develops technologies for exploring and using deep ocean resources sustainably. It supports India’s Blue Economy with potential to push maritime economy beyond ₹100 billion. It aligns with United Nations Decade of Ocean Science (2021–2030).

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Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a gram-negative, aerobic, non-spore-forming rod bacterium commonly found in soil and water. It is the most common type of Pseudomonas causing human infections in the blood, lungs (pneumonia), urinary tract, and post-surgery sites. Researchers from Germany found that P. aeruginosa shows bistable expression of the glpD gene, meaning activity varies among genetically identical cells. This variation affects its infection-causing ability, as shown in tests on moth larvae and mouse immune cells. Targeting glpD gene’s variable expression could help combat hospital-acquired P. aeruginosa infections. This discovery highlights new directions for infection control and antibiotic strategies.