Science & Technology Current Affairs MCQs

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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.

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Recently, despite the launch of the National Policy for Rare Diseases (NPRD) in 2021 and a financial aid programme, over 300 patients, mostly children with Lysosomal Storage Disorders (LSDs), are not receiving proper medical treatment. LSDs are rare genetic disorders where harmful substances build up inside cells due to enzyme deficiencies. They are caused by mutations in the genes that produce lysosomal enzymes, which help break down waste in cells. These diseases can severely affect organs and quality of life.

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NASA’s 2001 Mars Odyssey orbiter recently captured a breathtaking image of Arsia Mons volcano rising above early morning clouds on Mars. Arsia Mons is a giant shield volcano in the Tharsis region of Mars. It stands over 18 kilometers tall and spans more than 300 kilometers wide at its base. It is much larger than Earth’s tallest volcano, Mauna Loa, which is 9 kilometers high. Arsia Mons is the southernmost volcano in the Tharsis Montes group, which includes three major volcanoes.

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Recently, the Union Health Ministry announced plans to integrate India’s Rare Donor Registry with the national online blood management platform called e-Rakt Kosh. e-Rakt Kosh is an online blood bank management system implemented under the National Health Mission. It is the official portal for all blood-related services in India. It provides real-time information on blood availability, blood banks, and donation camps across the country.

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Recently, the National Institute of Immunohaematology developed an affordable and simple point-of-care test kit in India for early diagnosis of genetic bleeding disorders like Haemophilia A and Von Willebrand Disease. Haemophilia A is a hereditary bleeding disorder where blood does not clot properly due to low levels of Factor VIII, a key clotting protein.
Normally, when bleeding occurs, a process called the coagulation cascade activates clotting factors to stop the bleeding. If one or more of these clotting factors are missing or not working properly, it leads to excessive bleeding.

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Recently, the Minister of State for Communications and Rural Development launched the high-capacity SAKSHAM-3000 to boost self-reliance and global competitiveness. SAKSHAM-3000 is a compact 25.6 Terabits per second (Tbps) switch-router developed by Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT). It is built for modern data centres, large enterprises, telecom operators, and hyperscale data centres. It has ultra-low latency, wire-speed processing, and uses the modular C-DOT Router Operating System (CROS).

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Recently, the Kerala Health Minister confirmed 425 people are on the Nipah virus contact list across the state. Nipah Virus (NiV) is an emerging zoonotic virus spreading from animals to humans. It can also spread through contaminated food or directly from person to person. Fruit bats from the Pteropodidae family are its natural hosts. NiV infection can be without symptoms, mild, or cause serious breathing illness and deadly brain swelling.

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Recently, the Vera C. Rubin Observatory (VRO) in Chile released its first images, capturing 10 million galaxies, 2,000+ new asteroids, and stars with changing brightness. It is located on Cerro Pachon Mountain, Northern Chile, at an altitude of 8,684 feet. VRO was formerly called the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) and renamed in 2019 to honour Vera C. Rubin, who discovered dark matter evidence. It is funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) and Department of Energy (DOE).

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Former U.S. President Donald Trump was recently diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency (CVI). CVI is a condition where leg veins cannot efficiently return blood to the heart, causing blood to pool in the legs. Normally, vein valves help blood flow upward, but in CVI, these valves don’t function properly. It can lead to symptoms like leg pain, swelling, cramps, skin changes, varicose veins, and leg ulcers. CVI is more common in people who are overweight, pregnant, have a family history, or had leg injuries, surgery, or blood clots.

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Indian astronomers recently photographed interstellar comet C/2025 N1 (ATLAS), also called 3I/ATLAS, using the Himalayan Chandra Telescope (HCT) in Hanle, Ladakh. The telescope is part of the Indian Astronomical Observatory (IAO), also known as Hanle Observatory. Indian Astronomical Observatory (IAO) is located in the Hanle Valley, Ladakh, at 4500 metres above sea level. It was inaugurated in 2001 and is managed by the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), Bengaluru. The observatory is situated in a dry, cold desert with minimal human interference and clear skies.