Science & Technology Current Affairs MCQs

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Arunachal Pradesh Education Minister Pasang Dorjee Sona inaugurated a state-of-the-art space laboratory at Mechuka in Shi-Yomi district. The lab is named Pasang Wangchuk Sona ISRO Space Laboratory in honour of his late father. It was set up at Mechuka Government Higher Secondary School in collaboration with Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and Muskaan Foundation. The lab will provide students hands-on experience in space science and technology. It aims to foster curiosity, innovation, and scientific thinking among youth.

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India’s first government-backed Drone Forensic Laboratory has been set up at Uttar Pradesh State Institute of Forensic Science (UPSIFS), Lucknow. It was inaugurated by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. The lab is designed by Milind Raj, known as the “Drone Man of India,” who is now the forensic drone advisor to UPSIFS. The lab enables real-time tracking, decoding, and forensic examination of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). It can identify launch sites, flight paths, payloads, and hazardous materials like explosives.

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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).

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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.

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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.

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Israeli defense technology firm Elbit Systems recently launched its advanced JUPITER space camera aboard the National Advanced Optical System (NAOS) satellite. The satellite was launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. JUPITER supports military operations, environmental monitoring, scientific research, and wide-span observation missions. It features a large aperture, lightweight design, high-resolution panchromatic channel for black-and-white imaging, and a Near Infrared (NIR) channel for vegetation, water, and material analysis. The camera can capture continuous long image strips covering large areas efficiently.

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NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) mission has discovered two rocky exoplanets around star TOI-2322, located 195 light-years away. Scientists detected them by observing small dips in the star’s brightness, indicating planets passing in front. TOI-2322 b is nearly Earth-sized, completes one orbit in 11 days, and has a very hot surface temperature of about 330°C. TOI-2322 c is almost twice Earth’s size, about 18 times heavier, and has a dense structure similar to Earth’s layers. The planets were confirmed using space telescopes and ground tools, showing successful global collaboration in astronomy.

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India’s largest Lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery manufacturing plant was inaugurated in Haryana on 5 September 2025. When fully operational, it will produce 20 crore battery packs annually, meeting nearly 40% of India’s 50 crore pack requirement. The plant was set up under the Centre’s Electronics Manufacturing Cluster (EMC) scheme. Li-ion batteries are rechargeable, with lithium ions moving between graphite (negative electrode) and lithium metal oxides (positive electrode) through a non-aqueous electrolyte. They offer high energy density (75-200 Wh/kg), are lightweight, use fewer toxic metals, and provide good cycle stability and efficiency. They have low self-discharge and no memory effect, ensuring reliable performance.

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A viral infection called Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease (HFMD) is spreading rapidly among children in Delhi and Haryana, prompting advisories. It is a highly contagious illness caused by a virus. It causes blister-like rashes on hands and feet, painful mouth sores, and sometimes rashes on chest, back, arms, legs, genitals, and buttocks. It mostly affects infants and children under 5 years, spreading quickly in schools and daycare. It is different from foot-and-mouth disease in animals, caused by a different virus. Transmission happens through unwashed hands, saliva, mucus, feces, or blister fluid. No cure or vaccine exists; recovery usually takes 7–10 days with basic care. Complications are rare, but children under 2 may take longer to recover.

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Agnikul Cosmos, a spacetech startup, commissioned India’s first private large-format additive manufacturing facility for aerospace and rocket systems. The facility was launched at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT-M) Research Park in Chennai. It combines design, simulation, 3D printing, post-processing, and testing under one roof to speed up development and cut costs. For the first time in India, aerospace parts up to 1 metre in height can be 3D-printed.