1. Which country has developed a green chemical method using natural fatty acids from cooking oils to recover silver from e-waste?
[A] Finland
[B] Chile
[C] Denmark
[D] India
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Finland]
Notes:
Researchers in Finland have developed a green chemical method using natural fatty acids from cooking oils to recover silver from electronic waste (e-waste). This comes at a time when global silver demand is rising and e-waste is becoming a major issue, especially in countries like India. E-waste includes discarded devices like computers, phones, and TVs that are outdated or broken. India is the third-largest generator of e-waste in the world, after China and the United States.
2. Rice Yellow Mottle Virus, that was recently seen in news, is endemic to which continent?
[A] Asia
[B] Europe
[C] South America
[D] Africa
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Africa]
Notes:
A recent genomic study revealed the spread of Rice Yellow Mottle Virus or RYMV across African rice ecosystems, posing a serious threat to rice production. Rice Yellow Mottle Virus is a plant virus that affects rice and some related grasses. It first appeared in the mid-1800s in the Eastern Arc Mountains, now in Tanzania, a region rich in biodiversity. It is mainly found in Africa and is present in most rice-growing countries on the continent.
3. Which institute has developed a next-generation device that produces green hydrogen using only solar energy?
[A] Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru
[B] Centre for Nano and Soft Matter Sciences (CeNS), Bengaluru
[C] National Physical Laboratory (NPL), Delhi
[D] Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Centre for Nano and Soft Matter Sciences (CeNS), Bengaluru]
Notes:
Recently, scientists from the Centre for Nano and Soft Matter Sciences (CeNS), Bengaluru, developed a next-generation device that produces green hydrogen using only solar energy. Green hydrogen is a clean fuel that can help decarbonize industries, power vehicles, and store renewable energy, but producing it affordably at scale has been difficult. The CeNS device splits water molecules using earth-abundant materials without fossil fuels or expensive resources, making it sustainable and scalable.
4. 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.
5. Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla recently interacted with students from the International Space Station using which radio service?
[A] Amateur radio (Ham radio)
[B] Citizens band radio (CB radio)
[C] MicroMobile Radio
[D] Walkie-Talkies
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Amateur radio (Ham radio)]
Notes:
Recently, Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla interacted with students from the International Space Station (ISS) using ham radio. Ham radio, also called amateur radio, is a licensed radio service using radio waves for communication. It is used for education, knowledge sharing, and emergency or SOS communication. It needs a transceiver, antenna, and dedicated frequency operated by licensed ham operators. Communication can be local, global, or in space. In India, anyone above 12 years can use ham radio with a licence from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.
6. Which institute used CRISPR-Cas9 technology to enhance phosphate uptake in japonica rice?
[A] ICAR-Central Institute of Agricultural Engineering (CIAE), Bhopal
[B] Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana
[C] Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), New Delhi
[D] National Institute of Plant Genome Research (NIPGR), Delhi
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [National Institute of Plant Genome Research (NIPGR), Delhi]
Notes:
Scientists at the National Institute of Plant Genome Research (NIPGR), Delhi, have recently used CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing to boost phosphate uptake in japonica rice varieties. CRISPR-Cas9 is a modern gene-editing tool used to precisely modify plant traits. Japonica rice is one of the two major eco-geographical races of Oryza sativa, the other being Indica. It is mainly grown in northern and eastern China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, and Indonesia. Japonica has short to medium grains, which are thick, sticky, and harder than regular white rice.
7. What is the name of the world’s first approved malaria treatment drug For newborns and young children?
[A] Coartem
[B] Malarone
[C] Ampicillin
[D] Tetracycline
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Coartem]
Notes:
The world’s first-ever malaria treatment suitable for babies and very young children has been approved for use. Drug manufacturer Novartis has received approval from Swiss authorities for its new malaria drug named Coartem. The development of the drug is very significant, as the overwhelming majority of malaria-related deaths occur in the under-five age group. Most malaria-related deaths are recorded on the African continent. Malaria accounted for more than half a million deaths worldwide in 2023.
8. Which organization has launched the Agricultural Monitoring and Event Detection (AMED) API for Indian farmers?
[A] Google
[B] Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)
[C] Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO)
[D] Ministry of Agriculture
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Google]
Notes:
Google recently launched the Agricultural Monitoring and Event Detection (AMED) Application Programming Interface (API) to provide crop and field activity data across India. AMED API is an open-source artificial intelligence (AI)-based tool designed to monitor crops and detect agricultural events at field level. It offers data on crop type, crop season, field size, and past three years’ agricultural activity. It helps in farm management by providing insights on soil, water, climate needs, and expected harvest volume.
9. Fusariosis disease, that was recently seen in news, is caused by which agent?
[A] Bacteria
[B] Virus
[C] Fungus
[D] None of the Above
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Fungus]
Notes:
Recently, Indian researchers identified a key gene in pineapple that can fight the deadly Fusariosis disease. Fusariosis is caused by the fungus Fusarium moniliforme and damages stems, blackens leaves, and rots fruits from inside. It leads to major losses in pineapple farming and makes harvests unreliable. Researchers from Bose Institute under Department of Science and Technology (DST) identified AcSERK3 gene (Somatic Embryogenesis Receptor Kinase). Overexpression of this gene boosted pineapple’s natural immunity.
10. Oreshnik is a hypersonic ballistic missile developed by which country?
[A] China
[B] Germany
[C] Russia
[D] France
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Russia]
Notes:
Russian President Vladimir Putin recently announced the start of production of the Oreshnik hypersonic missile. Russia plans to deploy the Oreshnik missile in Belarus by the end of 2025. Oreshnik is a Russian intermediate-range hypersonic ballistic missile named after the Russian word for “hazel tree.” It made its operational debut on November 21, 2024, in a precision strike on the Pivdenmash defence facility in Dnipro, Ukraine. The missile is mobile and uses solid fuel, enhancing its rapid deployment capability. It can reach speeds up to Mach 10, which is ten times the speed of sound.