Science & Technology Current Affairs MCQs

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Meta Platforms has chosen Mumbai and Visakhapatnam as landing sites for its undersea cable project named Waterworth. Undersea cables are fiber-optic cables laid on the ocean floor to transmit information globally. They form the backbone of the international internet. Around 90% of global data and 80% of world trade are carried through undersea cables. They also facilitate approximately $10 trillion of financial transactions annually. The project will strengthen India’s connectivity with global digital networks and support faster internet and data services.

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In October 2025, GalaxEye Space, a space-tech startup, announced Mission Drishti, the world’s first multi-sensor Earth Observation (EO) satellite, to launch in Q1 (January–March) 2026. It will be launched aboard an Indian launch vehicle such as Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) of Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) or a SpaceX rocket. The 160-kilogram (kg) satellite features Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) and high-resolution optical and infrared sensors. It provides 1.5 metre (m) high-resolution, real-time Earth data, capable of night and bad weather imaging. Mission Drishti aligns with “Make in India” and “Atmanirbhar Bharat” initiatives of the Government of India (GOI).

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The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has developed a cost-effective, single-stage test vehicle powered by the Vikas engine. The vehicle is designed to validate the Crew Escape System (CES) for astronaut safety. Crew Escape System (CES) is an emergency escape system that pulls the crew module with astronauts to a safe distance in case of launch failure. The Crew Escape System (CES) is of two types based on the method of extracting the crew module. The Puller type CES pulls the crew module away from the launch vehicle and is used in India’s Gaganyaan mission. The Pusher type CES pushes the crew module away from the launch vehicle using compact, high-thrust liquid-fuel engines and is used in vehicles like SpaceX’s Falcon 9.

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China has achieved the world’s first conversion of thorium into uranium fuel inside a Thorium Molten Salt Reactor (TMSR). It marks the first-ever experimental data on thorium operation from within a molten salt reactor. The 2 megawatt liquid-fuelled TMSR is currently the only operating reactor successfully using thorium fuel. A Molten Salt Reactor (MSR) is a fourth-generation nuclear reactor using molten salt as both coolant and fuel carrier instead of solid rods.

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Recently, a scintillometer was installed at the Tamil Nadu Rice Research Institute (TRRI) in Aduthurai, Tamil Nadu. It is an optical instrument used to measure heat and moisture exchange between the land surface and the atmosphere. The device transmits a light beam between two fixed points to collect data. Turbulent air causes minute fluctuations in the beam, called scintillations, which are analysed to estimate heat transfer. It was installed as part of the TRRI Critical Zone Observatory (CZO) to enhance climate and crop research.

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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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Blue Origin recently launched NASA’s ESCAPADE mission to Mars. ESCAPADE (Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers) is NASA’s first coordinated multi-spacecraft orbital science mission to Mars. It consists of twin orbiters named Blue and Gold that will observe Mars from different locations simultaneously. The mission is part of NASA’s SIMPLEx (Small Innovative Missions for Planetary Exploration) program.

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The Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology announced the development of four Hydrogen Valley Innovation Clusters (HVICs) across India. Hydrogen Valley Innovation Clusters (HVICs) aim to demonstrate the full green hydrogen value chain, from production, storage, transport to utilization. The project has a total investment of ₹485 crore. HVICs aim to build a local hydrogen ecosystem, connecting supply and demand across transport, industry, and energy, while fostering research, innovation, and skills. The four clusters are being developed in Pune, Jodhpur, Bhubaneswar, and Kerala.

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Sentinel-6B was recently launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, marking a major step in global ocean monitoring. It is a joint mission of NASA, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and European Space Agency (ESA). It will track rising sea levels and their impacts, continuing the work of Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich launched in 2020. It orbits Earth at 7.2 km per second, completing one revolution in 112 minutes. It will measure sea levels with accuracy up to one inch, covering over 90% of oceans. Its mission life is 5.5 years. It carries six science instruments and uses fixed plus deployable solar panels in a non-Sun-synchronous orbit