1. The Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) was developed by which country?
[A] United States
[B] France
[C] Germany
[D] Russia
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [United States]
Notes:
The United States Air Force (USAF) recently conducted a successful test of the LGM-30G Minuteman III Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM). This missile is nuclear-capable and can deliver a warhead to any part of the Earth. “L” in LGM means silo-launched, “G” stands for surface attack, and “M” means guided missile. Minuteman III was introduced in the 1970s and was the first U.S. missile with Multiple Independently Targetable Reentry Vehicles (MIRVs). It is the only land-based missile in the U.S. nuclear triad. It was developed by Douglas Aircraft Company, now part of Boeing. Although it was designed for ten years of use, it has been upgraded and remains active. A new system, called Ground-Based Strategic Deterrent (GBSD), will replace it around 2029. The U.S. currently maintains about 440 Minuteman III missiles in its arsenal.
2. What is the primary objective of a Thrombectomy?
[A] Remove blood clots and restore blood flow
[B] Reduce cholesterol levels
[C] Lower blood pressure
[D] None of the Above
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Remove blood clots and restore blood flow]
Notes:
The Technology Development Board (TDB), under the Department of Science and Technology (DST), has announced financial support for India’s first indigenous thrombectomy device. This support aims to improve stroke care by promoting homegrown medical technology. A thrombectomy is a medical procedure to remove blood clots from arteries or veins. These clots, called thrombi, can block blood flow and damage tissues or organs. Thrombectomy helps restore proper blood circulation and prevents serious health risks.
3. Amoebic Meningoencephalitis, that was recently seen in the news, affects which part of the body?
[A] Kidney
[B] Lungs
[C] Brain
[D] Heart
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Brain]
Notes:
The Kerala State Public Health Laboratory has developed its own molecular diagnostic test kits to detect five toxic species of Free-Living Amoeba (FLA). These Free-Living Amoeba (FLAs) can cause Amoebic Meningoencephalitis (AME), a rare but deadly brain infection. Amoebic Meningoencephalitis (AME) is an infection of the brain and its protective membranes called meninges. It is caused by microscopic single-celled organisms found in water. The disease has a mortality rate of over 95% and mainly affects young people. This recent development highlights Kerala’s proactive steps in public health and early disease detection.
4. Which institution has discovered that a protein called BBX32 helps plants grow properly from darkness into light?
[A] Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi
[B] Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Bhopal
[C] Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bengaluru
[D] Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Mumbai
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Bhopal]
Notes:
Researchers from the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Bhopal, found that a protein called BBX32 helps plants grow properly from darkness into light. BBX32 is a B-box (BBX) protein that plays a key role in plant growth and development. It helps control when a seedling starts growing above soil, improving chances of healthy growth. This discovery helps understand how seedlings grow and could help improve crop establishment in agriculture.
5. Which country has launched the Zhangheng 1B satellite to strengthen early warning systems for natural disasters?
[A] South Korea
[B] Japan
[C] China
[D] Vietnam
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [China]
Notes:
China has launched the Zhangheng 1B satellite to strengthen early warning systems for natural disasters by monitoring Earth’s electromagnetic environment. It was launched aboard a Long March 2D rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the Gobi Desert. Developed in partnership with Italy under a 2019 cooperation agreement, the satellite entered orbit as planned. Zhangheng 1B is China’s first satellite focused on studying geophysical fields from space and will work with Zhangheng 1A launched in 2018. It carries nine instruments, including an electric field detector and a high-energy particle sensor built by Italy.
6. What is “Gwada negative” that was recently mentioned in news?
[A] Asteroid
[B] Traditional medicine
[C] Spider
[D] Blood group system
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Blood group system]
Notes:
Recently, France’s national blood agency, the French Blood Establishment (EFS), discovered a new blood group system called “Gwada negative,” officially recognised by the International Society of Blood Transfusion (ISBT). It is scientifically named EMM-negative and registered as ISBT042. The name “Gwada negative” refers to the Guadeloupean origin of the woman who carries this rare blood type. This blood group is defined by the absence of the EMM antigen, a high-incidence antigen usually present in almost all humans.
7. Vera C. Rubin Observatory is located in which country?
[A] Chile
[B] India
[C] Australia
[D] New Zealand
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Chile]
Notes:
The Vera C. Rubin Observatory has already discovered over 2,100 new asteroids before officially starting operations. Vera C. Rubin Observatory is located in Chile. It is designed to scan the night sky repeatedly and is expected to find millions of unknown space objects. The observatory can help track dangerous asteroids that may collide with Earth, enhancing planetary defense. Some asteroids found have comet-like tails, and it might even spot interstellar objects from outside our solar system. It may also discover Planet Nine, a mystery planet far beyond known planets.
8. Which organization has launched the new AI model named AlphaGenome for studying human DNA?
[A] Microsoft
[B] Google DeepMind
[C] Meta
[D] Amazon
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Google DeepMind]
Notes:
Recently, Google DeepMind launched a new Artificial Intelligence model called AlphaGenome. AlphaGenome aims to predict accurately how individual mutations in human Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) affect their functions and impact human health. It is built on DeepMind’s earlier genomics model named Enformer and works alongside AlphaMissense, which focuses on classifying the effects of variants in protein-coding regions. The model can analyze very long DNA sequences up to one million base pairs and generate highly detailed predictions.
9. What is “Myogenesis” that was recently mentioned in news?
[A] Formation and development of muscle fibers
[B] Newly discovered species of Fish
[C] Traditional medicine
[D] Formation of nerve cells
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Formation and development of muscle fibers]
Notes:
Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla recently launched path-breaking Myogenesis experiments on the International Space Station (ISS), showing India’s progress in space research. Myogenesis is the process of forming muscle fibers. It is a complex and controlled process important for developing and maintaining skeletal muscle tissue. Myogenesis helps build body muscles that support movement, posture, and metabolism. It happens through the transformation of precursor cells called myoblasts into multinucleated muscle fibers. Studying myogenesis helps understand muscle diseases and develop therapies.
10. India Energy Stack is an initiative of which ministry?
[A] Ministry of New and Renewable Energy
[B] Ministry of Commerce and Industry
[C] Ministry of Power
[D] Ministry of Science and Technology
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Ministry of Power]
Notes:
Recently, the Ministry of Power announced a task force to develop the India Energy Stack, a new digital platform for the energy sector. The India Energy Stack is a Digital Public Infrastructure to create a secure, standard, and open system for managing and innovating across the electricity sector. It will give unique identification numbers for consumers, assets, and transactions. It will allow real-time, consent-based data sharing and use open Application Programming Interfaces for smooth integration.