Science & Technology Current Affairs MCQs

Notes:
Two Indian aquanauts recently conducted deep-sea dives in the Atlantic Ocean under Samudrayaan Project. They collected over 100 kg of cobalt-rich polymetallic nodules from 1,173 meters depth in the Andaman Sea. Deep Ocean Mission was launched by Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) on 7 September 2021 with ₹4,077 crore for 5 years. The mission develops technologies for exploring and using deep ocean resources sustainably. It supports India’s Blue Economy with potential to push maritime economy beyond ₹100 billion. It aligns with United Nations Decade of Ocean Science (2021–2030).

Notes:
Huntington’s Disease (HD) is not yet included in the rare disease category under the National Policy for Rare Diseases despite demands from patients and caregivers in 2024. It is a genetic condition that affects brain cells, causing them to slowly lose function and die. It is inherited, with a 50% chance of passing from an affected parent to a child. It impacts brain regions controlling voluntary movement, memory, thinking, and decision-making, including the basal ganglia and cortex.

Notes:
NASA announced that the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) discovered a new 29th satellite of Uranus, named S/2025 U1. The moon has an estimated diameter of 10 kilometres and orbits Uranus at a distance of about 56,000 kilometres. S/2025 U1 will receive an official name from the International Astronomical Union (IAU) in the future. Uranus is the seventh planet from the Sun and the third-largest planet in the solar system. Uranus is an ice giant, composed mainly of hydrogen, helium, water, methane, and ammonia. Uranus now has 29 moons, with five major moons: Miranda, Ariel, Umbriel, Titania, and Oberon.

Notes:
The Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying (DAHD) under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying has recently issued the Revised National Action Plan on Glanders. Glanders is caused by the bacterium Burkholderia mallei and mainly affects equines like horses, mules, and donkeys, with risks to other animals and humans. It causes nodules and ulcerations in the respiratory tract and lungs, with a skin form known as farcy. Transmission occurs through contaminated food or water, infected harness equipment, or horse meat. It is a World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH)-listed disease and must be notified under the WOAH Terrestrial Animal Health Code.

Notes:
OpenAI has launched the Learning Accelerator program in India to empower the education ecosystem with Artificial Intelligence (AI). India is one of the largest ChatGPT markets, with millions of students using AI for assignments, research, and learning. The initiative will distribute 5 lakh ChatGPT licences to students and educators across schools, universities, and research institutes. Government schools (Classes 1–12) will receive ChatGPT access through the Ministry of Education for lesson planning and personalized student engagement. Technical institutes under All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) will get AI tools for skill-building.

Notes:
Prime Minister of India welcomed the agreement between Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) for the Chandrayaan-5 mission under the Lunar Polar Exploration (LUPEX) programme. LUPEX is jointly developed by ISRO and JAXA to explore the Moon’s southern polar region. The mission aims to investigate the presence of water and other elements, potentially as surface ice, and demonstrate innovative surface exploration technologies. It features a lander developed by ISRO and a rover developed by JAXA. The rover will autonomously search for water-rich areas, drill, sample soil, and analyze it with onboard instruments.

Notes:
A team of Indian and international researchers has discovered a new diatom species named Climaconeis heteropolaris in Udupi estuarine waters. It was found where the Sita and Swarna rivers meet before entering the Arabian Sea, Karnataka. Diatoms are photosynthetic, single-celled microscopic algae forming a key part of phytoplankton. They are found in lakes, ponds, rivers, streams, and oceans worldwide. Some float freely in water, while others attach to plants, rocks, or sediments as benthic diatoms. Diatoms produce oxygen, support aquatic life, and generate up to 50% of global atmospheric oxygen annually. They are vital in nutrient cycling of both marine and freshwater ecosystems.

Notes:
Russia has launched EnteroMix, a new mRNA-based cancer vaccine, reported to show 100 percent efficacy in early trials. It was developed by the National Medical Research Radiology Centre (NMRRC) and Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology under the Russian Academy of Sciences. The launch took place at the St Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF 2025) and shared globally via Sputnik news service. The vaccine targets colorectal cancer first, with versions in development for glioblastoma and melanoma. EnteroMix uses four harmless viruses to attack cancer cells and boost immune defence. Russian Federal Medical and Biological Agency (FMBA) confirmed its safety for repeated use and personalised RNA-based tailoring.

Notes:
A study of fossil leaves from Nagaland revealed how Antarctica influenced the Indian Monsoons. Fossil leaves from the Laisong Formation in Nagaland revealed that the region once had a warm and wet climate with very high rainfall and temperatures. The fossils matched the period when massive ice sheets began forming in Antarctica, showing a global connection. Growth of Antarctic ice reshaped global wind and rainfall patterns by shifting the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) toward the tropics. This shift brought intense monsoonal rains to Northeast India and led to the evolution of the monsoon system. The research used CLAMP (Climate Leaf Analysis Multivariate Program) method to analyze fossil leaves. CLAMP treats fossil leaves as “climate fingerprints” to reconstruct past climates.

Notes:
Researchers at Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanic Garden & Research Institute (JNTBGRI), Palode, Thiruvananthapuram, developed a multifunctional wound-healing pad. The pad is based on the red ivy plant, locally called murikooti pacha, scientifically Strobilanthes alternata of the Acanthaceae family. Scientists at the Centre of Excellence in Phytochemical Nanotechnology of JNTBGRI isolated a new molecule, acteoside, from red ivy for the first time. Acteoside shows high efficacy even at 0.2% concentration and is the key ingredient in the pad. The pad uses electro-spun nanofiber layers made from biodegradable, non-toxic, FDA-approved polymers. Red ivy has long been used in traditional medicine for treating cuts and wounds.