Science & Technology Current Affairs MCQs

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Hyprix, a Bangalore-based defense and aerospace startup, was founded in June 2024 by Devmalya Biswas and Divyanshu Mandowara. They developed India’s first privately made supersonic ramjet engine, Tezz, in just five months. Tezz operates at Mach 2-4, is 3-4 times more efficient than solid rocket systems, and enhances missile and aerial platform capabilities. Hyprix aligns with ‘Make in India’, reducing foreign dependence and advancing AI-guided precision supersonic systems.

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Microsoft unveiled Majorana 1, its first quantum computing chip, to improve stability, speed, and practicality in quantum computing. The chip utilizes Majorana particles, an exotic quantum state, to minimize computational errors and enhance reliability. It is developed by Microsoft, with validation from Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), U.S.

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Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe) launched the Technology Advancement Fund (TAF) to boost private sector innovation in space. IN-SPACe is an autonomous agency under the Department of Space (DOS) that promotes private participation. TAF aims to fund cutting-edge technologies and commercialization in the space sector.

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A child died of measles in rural West Texas, marking the first US measles death in 10 years. The outbreak began last month, with 124 cases reported across nine counties. It started in a rural Mennonite community in Gaines County, where many children are unvaccinated and home-schooled. Measles is a highly contagious viral disease affecting the respiratory tract. Symptoms include high fever, cough, runny nose, and a rash covering the body. Severe cases can be fatal. The virus spreads through breathing, coughing, or sneezing. Vaccination is an effective protection against measles.

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A mysterious crying disease in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has caused over 60 deaths and infected more than 1,096 people in Western Congo. The disease was first identified in three children who ate bat and has spread rapidly. Symptoms include fever, vomiting, internal bleeding, diarrhea, body ache, intense thirst, joint pain, incessant crying, nose bleeding, and vomiting blood. The disease can kill within 48 hours, raising serious concerns. Tests ruled out Ebola, dengue, Marburg, and yellow fever, but the exact cause remains unknown. WHO is investigating whether it is an infection or a toxic agent.

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NASA launched the SPHEREx and PUNCH space missions on March 12, 2025 from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, after multiple delays. SPHEREx successfully separated from Falcon 9 in the second stage and entered a sun-synchronous orbit 650 km above Earth. It will study 450 million galaxies and 100 million stars, creating a 3D map of the sky to understand the history of the universe. PUNCH, a solar mission with four satellites, will study the solar corona, solar winds, and coronal mass ejections to improve space weather predictions.

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Airtel and Jio have partnered with Starlink, SpaceX’s satellite internet service, to provide broadband in India. Starlink is a satellite-based internet network operated by SpaceX and founded by Elon Musk. It was launched in 2019. It aims to offer high-speed, low-latency internet globally, especially in remote areas. The project plans to deploy 42,000 satellites in low-Earth orbit (LEO). Starlink works by using a constellation of LEO satellites to provide connectivity. A Starlink dish connects to the nearest satellite, which relays data through ground stations, eliminating dependence on fiber or cellular networks.

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V Narayanan, Chairman of ISRO, inaugurated the ‘Shri S. Ramakrishnan Centre of Excellence in Fluid and Thermal Science Research’ at IIT Madras on March 17, 2025. The centre supports ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ by advancing space technologies and attracting global research talent. It focuses on spacecraft and launch vehicle thermal management, crucial for India’s space missions. S Ramakrishnan, an IIT Madras alumnus, contributed significantly to PSLV and GSLV MK3 development. ISRO scientists will collaborate with IIT Madras to develop advanced cooling systems for spacecraft. The research will support future lunar, Mars, and deep-space missions.

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Audible enclaves are small pockets of sound that remain undisturbed by surrounding noise. They use new technologies to deliver sound to a specific person even in a crowd. Sound waves travel through a medium, moving particles back and forth at different frequencies. Higher frequency sounds diverge more due to diffraction. Parametric array loudspeakers create focused sound beams using high-frequency waves modulated with audio signals. A study published on March 17 in PNAS shows that two high-frequency waves intersect, creating sound only audible nearby due to non-linear interactions.

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Serbian government is accused of using a banned sonic weapon to disperse protesters in Belgrade. Sonic weapons, also called acoustic weapons, emit loud, painful sounds over long distances. They can use audible or inaudible sound waves to disrupt, disorient, or incapacitate people. Some versions amplify voices for crowd control. It was first developed for military use. The U.S. used them in Iraq in 2004. They work with transducers that convert energy into sound waves. Highly concentrated sound beams can cause discomfort, pain, and disorientation. Authorities control frequency, volume, and duration for targeted impact.