Science & Technology Current Affairs MCQs

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Health officials in Florida have recently confirmed cases of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), also called “Zombie Deer Disease.” It is a fatal neurological disease that affects deer, elk, moose, and reindeer. It attacks the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord). It is caused by prions, which are infectious misfolded proteins that damage the brain. Prions spread through body fluids like saliva, blood, and urine and can stay in soil and plants for years. Infected animals show weight loss, drooling, and strange behavior. There is no cure or vaccine, and the disease is always fatal.No human cases have been confirmed yet, but experts stay alert.

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China developed the underwater drone nicknamed the “ghost jellyfish”. The drone is made of a soft hydrogel material, has a transparent body, and uses electrostatic hydraulic actuators to mimic the natural, silent movement of a real jellyfish. It is equipped with an AI chip and a micro-camera for real-time object identification and can operate with very low energy consumption. Its primary uses are for stealthy underwater reconnaissance, ecological monitoring, and observing marine life without causing disruption.

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Russia has successfully tested its new atomic-powered and nuclear-capable underwater drone named Poseidon. President Vladimir Putin announced the test, calling it a major success and saying it cannot be intercepted. The test took place just days after Russia also tested the Burevestnik nuclear-powered cruise missile. Both tests are seen as signals to the United States amid the ongoing Ukraine conflict. The Poseidon drone was tested using nuclear power for the first time. It reportedly surpasses all current systems in speed and depth. Its nuclear reactor is 100 times smaller than those on submarines. The drone’s nuclear warhead is said to be more powerful than the Sarmat Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM).

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AIIMS Bhubaneswar has started research on the Cycad plant due to the presence of BMAA (β-N-methylamino-L-alanine), a possible neurotoxin. Cycads are palmlike, woody gymnosperm plants. They are ancient species that existed alongside dinosaurs for over 300 million years. They grow in various habitats, from wet rainforests and grasslands to semidesert and seasonally dry forests. Their distribution spans tropical and subtropical regions, including the Americas, Caribbean, sub-Saharan Africa, Madagascar, eastern India, China, Japan, Southeast Asia, Oceania, and Australia.

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Eli Lilly’s weight-loss drug Mounjaro became India’s top-selling drug by value in October 2025. It overtook GlaxoSmithKline’s (GSK) Augmentin, a widely used antibiotic. Mounjaro earned ₹1 billion ($11.38 million) in October, while Augmentin made ₹800 million. By volume, Augmentin sold 5,784 units, whereas Mounjaro sold only 85 units due to its high price. Mounjaro helps control blood sugar and slow digestion and belongs to the GLP-1 receptor agonist class used for obesity and diabetes. It was launched in India in March 2025 and has earned ₹3.33 billion till October. Mounjaro’s consumption was 10 times higher than rival Wegovy by Novo Nordisk, launched in June 2025. Eli Lilly sold 262,000 units, while Novo Nordisk sold 26,000 units in October.

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Australian scientists discovered a new native bee species named Lucifer. The species is scientifically called Megachile (Hackeriapis) Lucifer. It was first found in 2019 in Western Australia. This is the first new member of this bee group described in over 20 years. Australia has about 2,000 native bee species, with more than 300 yet to be scientifically named and described.

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The World Health Organisation (WHO) launched its Pandemic Preparedness and Emergency Response site at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi. This site is part of a global WHO network being set up to conduct rapid investigations and studies during pandemics or epidemics. The goal is to ensure a timely and effective public health response to global health emergencies. The launch was attended by WHO Representative to India, Payden, and AIIMS Director, Dr. M. Srinivas. The site will also operate during non-pandemic periods to maintain continuous readiness and system strength.

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Recently, the World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed Ethiopia’s first-ever outbreak of Marburg Virus Disease (MVD). MVD is a severe and often fatal hemorrhagic fever caused by the Marburg virus. It was first identified in 1967 in Marburg, Germany. The causative agents are Marburg virus (MARV) and Ravn virus (RAVV) of the species Orthomarburgvirus marburgense. The natural host is the fruit bat Rousettus aegyptiacus of the Pteropodidae family. It spreads from infected bats to humans and then through contact with bodily fluids or contaminated surfaces.

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On November 17, 2025, Karnataka’s Department of Electronics, IT & BT, with KEONICS, launched KEO, a compact, affordable and AI-ready personal computer designed entirely in Karnataka. KEO stands for Knowledge-driven, Economical, Open-source, built on an open-source RISC-V processor with a Linux-based OS. It features an on-device AI core that works without internet and includes BUDDH, an AI agent trained on the Karnataka DSERT syllabus to help students in low-connectivity areas. KEO will be deployed across schools, universities, businesses, homes and government offices, supporting locally adaptable, home-grown computing.

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Scientists from ARIES (Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences), IIA (Indian Institute of Astrophysics) and global collaborators have recreated more than 100 years of the Sun’s polar magnetic history. They used archival data and old solar images from the Kodaikanal Solar Observatory (KoSO) to complete this long-term reconstruction. Kodaikanal Solar Observatory (KoSO) is one of India’s oldest and globally recognised solar observatories with over 120 years of uninterrupted solar observation. It is located in the Palani Hills of Tamil Nadu and operates as a field station of the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), Bengaluru.