Science & Technology Current Affairs MCQs

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In Nigeria, the Lassa fever outbreak has claimed 172 lives since January 2025. The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) reported 924 confirmed cases out of 8,041 suspected cases till October 2025. The case fatality rate stands at 18.6%, higher than 17% in 2024. The most affected age group is 21 to 30 years. The outbreak is worsened by poor sanitation, low awareness, and delayed treatment. Lassa fever is a viral haemorrhagic illness caused by the Lassa virus from the Arenavirus family. Infection spreads through food or household items contaminated by urine or faeces of infected Mastomys rats. The World Health Organization (WHO) stresses early diagnosis and quick treatment for survival.

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In November 2025, Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL), a Joint Venture (JV) under the Ministry of Power (MoP), announced India’s largest Geothermal Energy Technology (GET) pilot project in Andhra Pradesh (AP). The project will be implemented at two tourism hubs — Araku Valley and Visakhapatnam (Vizag). It uses geothermal systems like Earth Air Tunnel (EAT) Systems and Ground Source Heat Pumps (GSHP). The system works by using the earth’s constant underground temperature at a depth of 7–8 meters (m) for eco-friendly heating and cooling. The technology has a short payback period of 3–4 years, ideal for hotels and tourism infrastructure.

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Shri Manohar Lal, Minister of Power and Housing & Urban Affairs, inaugurated India’s first and largest Vanadium Redox Flow Battery (VRFB) system. The VRFB has a capacity of 3 Megawatt-hour (MWh) at NTPC’s NETRA Research & Development Centre in Greater Noida. This milestone advances India’s long-duration energy storage (LDES) solutions and strengthens renewable energy integration and national grid resilience. Vanadium Redox Flow Battery (VRFB) is a modern technology offering an alternative to lithium-ion batteries, expanding the pool of usable elements for battery systems.

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Scientists have recently developed a breakthrough therapy that clears toxic proteins from nerve cells, offering new hope for treating Motor Neuron Disease (MND). Motor Neuron Disease (MND), also known as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) or Lou Gehrig’s Disease, is a rare condition that damages parts of the nervous system. It causes muscle weakness, wasting, and paralysis as motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord die prematurely, stopping signals between the brain and muscles. Around 20% of cases are genetic, mostly affecting people over 50 years old. There is currently no cure, but treatment helps manage symptoms.

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The Assam Government recently banned inter-district movement of live pigs to stop the spread of African Swine Fever (ASF), a rising concern in the region. African Swine Fever (ASF) is a highly contagious and deadly viral disease affecting pigs and wild boar, with mortality up to 90–100%. It is not zoonotic, meaning it does not infect humans or other livestock. First found in sub-Saharan Africa, ASF is now present across Europe, Asia and Africa, with India reporting its first cases in 2020 in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.

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India’s first indigenous CRISPR (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats)-based gene therapy for Sickle Cell Disease (SCD), named BIRSA 101, was recently launched by the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology. It is developed by CSIR (Council of Scientific and Industrial Research) – Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (IGIB). BIRSA 101 uses CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing technology to precisely correct the genetic mutation causing SCD. The therapy is administered as a one-time infusion, after which the body produces normal red blood cells instead of sickle-shaped ones.

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Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis is a progressive neurological disorder that damages nerve cells controlling muscle movement. A study predicts global cases will rise from 222,801 in 2015 to 376,674 by 2040, a 69 percent increase. It is also called Lou Gehrig’s disease. It commonly affects people between 55 and 75 years and is more common in men. In some patients it is genetic but in most the cause is unknown. Damaged motor neurons stop brain signals from reaching muscles causing weakness and muscle wasting.

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Indian scientists developed a new Artificial Intelligence (AI) tool to improve cancer diagnosis and treatment at the molecular level. The tool, called OncoMark, was created by S. N. Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences and Ashoka University under the Department of Science and Technology (DST). It studies cancer through biological “hallmarks” like metastasis, immune evasion, and genomic instability. It goes beyond Tumor–Node–Metastasis (TNM) staging, which often misses hidden tumor behavior. The model was trained on 3.1 million single cells from 14 cancer types. It achieved over 99% accuracy in internal testing and 96% accuracy on patient data.

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The World Health Organization has issued the first global guidelines on Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 (GLP-1) drugs for weight loss. GLP-1 receptor agonists are synthetic medicines used to treat adult obesity and type-2 diabetes. These drugs are mainly injectable, while oral versions are under development. Leading examples are Semaglutide and Tirzepatide, now available in India. They increase insulin, reduce glucagon, slow stomach emptying, and suppress appetite, helping control blood sugar and body weight.

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India launched its first hydrogen-powered water taxi service in Varanasi on December 10, 2025. The service was inaugurated by Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal, marking a major advancement in India’s clean transport initiatives. The water taxi has been built by Cochin Shipyard, integrating modern engineering with sustainability. It operates on a hybrid electric–hydrogen propulsion system, ensuring zero emissions, low noise levels and high environmental safety. The vessel is equipped with five hydrogen cylinders and 3 kW solar panels, which help meet auxiliary power needs.