Science & Technology Current Affairs MCQs

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The Indian Space Agency has acquired two 400kg satellites for the SPADEX mission, which focuses on space docking experiments. These satellites will be launched into slightly different orbits by a single rocket. The mission aims to develop technology and demonstrate docking between two spacecraft, named Chaser and Target. After docking, the Chaser and Target will separate to conduct their specific experiments with payloads. This experiment is crucial for future missions like Chandrayaan-4 and the proposed Bharatiya Antariksha Space Station.

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NASA revealed the prototype of six telescopes for the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) mission. LISA is a joint mission between National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and European Space Agency (ESA), set to launch in the mid-2030s. Its goal is to detect gravitational waves using three spacecraft positioned in a triangular formation, 1.6 million miles apart. It will be the first gravitational wave detector in space, exploring black holes, gravity, and the universe’s expansion. The spacecraft will use lasers to measure subtle distance changes between free-floating cubes, detecting ripples in spacetime.

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Sarvam AI, an Indian startup, launched Sarvam-1, the first LLM tailored for Indian languages. Sarvam-1 is open-source and supports ten Indian languages: Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Oriya, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, and English. It is categorized as a Small Language Model (SLM) with under ten billion parameters. It delivers 4 to 6 times faster inference speeds, suitable for production and edge devices with limited computing power.

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AIIMS in New Delhi has launched the GRASSROOT Gravity Stent-Retriever System for Reperfusion of Large Vessel Occlusion Stroke Trial) to improve stroke treatment in India. The trial evaluates the safety and effectiveness of a next-generation stent-retriever designed for stroke clots. India struggles with stroke care, with only 4,500 out of 375,000 eligible patients receiving critical mechanical thrombectomy annually. The trial aims to provide a cost-effective stent-retriever to quickly and safely restore blood flow, developed with both international and Indian expertise.

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World Antimicrobial Resistance Awareness Week (WAAW) 2024 is celebrated from November 18–24. The theme for the World AMR Awareness Week (WAAW) 2024 is “Educate. Advocate. Act now.” This theme emphasizes the need to raise awareness about antimicrobial resistance (AMR), advocate for policy changes, and take concrete actions to address this global health concern. WAAW is a global campaign that aims to raise awareness and understanding of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). This year’s World AMR Awareness Week emphasizes the need for effective training of health workers to combat antimicrobial resistance (AMR) through improved infection prevention and control (IPC) practices. Despite some progress, many countries still face challenges in integrating AMR education into health worker training.

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Chinese astronauts recently reared four zebrafish in space as part of the Shenzhou-18 mission. Zebrafish are small freshwater fish (2-3 cm) with horizontal blue stripes, native to South Asia’s Indo-Gangetic plains. They are important in developmental biology due to their ability to regenerate organs like the brain, heart, and spinal cord. Zebrafish have transparent embryos, making them ideal for live imaging studies. With 70% of their genes similar to humans, they are valuable in studying vertebrate development and diseases. The species is listed as “Least Concern” by the IUCN.

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Nafithromycin, developed by Wockhardt with support from BIRAC, is India’s first indigenously produced antibiotic targeting antimicrobial resistance (AMR). It is designed to treat Community-Acquired Bacterial Pneumonia (CABP) and is ten times more effective than azithromycin. This significant breakthrough follows 14 years of research and aims to address the global health crisis of AMR, which is responsible for millions of deaths annually. The drug awaits final approval from the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) for public use.

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The Ministry of Health designated snakebite cases and deaths as a notifiable disease to improve monitoring and response. Notifiable diseases are legally required to be reported to authorities for better surveillance and outbreak prevention. States are responsible for implementing and notifying such diseases. The National Action Plan for Snakebite Envenoming (NAPSE) aims to reduce snakebite deaths and disabilities by 50% by 2030. Other notifiable diseases include AIDS, hepatitis, and dengue. WHO’s International Health Regulations mandate reporting certain diseases to WHO for global health monitoring.

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A female elephant recently died of suspected anthrax at Bandipur Tiger Reserve. Anthrax is caused by Bacteria ‘Bacillus anthracis’, a spore-forming bacterium found in soil. It primarily affects livestock and wild animals through contaminated soil, plants, or water. Humans can contract anthrax by contact with infected animals or their products, contaminated food or water, or spores entering the skin. Anthrax is not contagious between people and occurs in three forms: cutaneous, gastrointestinal, and inhalational. The bacteria’s spores can survive in soil for years, posing long-term risks to animals and humans.

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Researchers from National Institute of Science Education and Research (NISER), Odisha, studied the unique triple-star system GG Tau A, located 489 light-years from Earth. The system is only 1 to 5 million years old, ideal for studying early planet formation. GG Tau A has a disk of gas and dust around it, where planets form. The interaction between the three stars affects the disk, making planet formation harder to predict. This multi-star setup helps scientists understand how planets form in more complex environments.