Science & Technology Current Affairs MCQs

Notes:
Sweden reported its first case of the dangerous Clade 1b variant of mpox, which has been causing a severe outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo since September 2023. The case was confirmed in Stockholm and contracted during a visit to Africa. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) assesses the risk of transmission in Sweden as very low due to the country’s high vaccination rate against mpox.

Notes:
NASA confirmed that Saturn’s rings will appear to ‘disappear’ in March 2025 due to an optical illusion. Saturn’s axis is tilted similarly to Earth’s, causing its rings to face the Sun differently at various times. During part of Saturn’s year, the rings shine brightly, while in the other part, only their underside is visible. The rings will be edge-on to Earth twice in Saturn’s orbit, creating an equinox effect. This alignment makes the rings appear very thin and reflect little light, rendering them almost invisible from Earth. The last time this happened was in 2009, and the rings will gradually reappear as Saturn continues its orbit.

Notes:
Scientists have discovered the first fossilized tardigrades, using 3D images to study when these creatures evolved their near-indestructibility. Tardigrades, also known as water bears or moss piglets, are tiny, eight-legged invertebrates in the phylum Tardigrada. About 1,300 species are found worldwide, mostly in aquatic environments or mosses. They are extremophiles, capable of surviving extreme heat, cold, radiation, and even outer space. In harsh conditions, they enter a suspended state called “tun,” where they dry out and survive for years. Tardigrades are less than 1 mm in size, with a tough cuticle and hydrostatic skeleton.

Notes:
The Square Kilometer Array (SKA), the world’s largest radio telescope, has started its first observations, marking partial functionality. SKA is an international mega science project aiming to build the most sensitive radio telescope to explore advanced scientific goals. It is located in Australia (SKA-Low) and South Africa (SKA-Mid), with its operational headquarters in the UK. SKA-Low in Australia consists of 1,31,072 antennas, each two meters tall, and operates in the 50-350 MHz frequency range. SKA-Mid in South Africa includes 197 large parabolic dish antennas and works in the 350 MHz – 15.4 GHz range, offering the largest observational bandwidth.

Notes:
Indian scientists have developed a sustainable pheromone dispenser that allows controlled release, potentially reducing pest control costs. Pheromones are chemical substances secreted by an individual and detected by others of the same species, particularly in bodily secretions like sweat. They are categorized as ecto-hormones, meaning they are released outside the body. Various animals use pheromones to trigger behaviors, while some fungi and algae use them in reproduction to attract complementary cell types.

Notes:
NASA is preparing to launch the Europa Clipper mission to explore Jupiter’s icy moon, Europa. This mission will place a spacecraft in orbit around Jupiter for detailed studies of Europa. It is the first NASA spacecraft dedicated to investigating an ocean world beyond Earth. The goal is to determine if the ice-covered moon could be habitable, as it shows strong evidence of a liquid water ocean beneath its crust. The spacecraft is 100 feet long and 58 feet wide, making it NASA’s largest spacecraft developed for a planetary mission.

Notes:
Antimicrobial resistance is a major crisis of the 21st century, with Staphylococcus aureus playing a significant role. S. aureus is a gram-positive, sphere-shaped bacterium commonly found on the skin and in the noses of about 30% of people.
Usually harmless, it can cause infections, particularly skin infections, which may lead to blisters, abscesses, and swelling. The bacteria can spread through the bloodstream to organs like heart valves and bones. Transmission occurs through direct contact, contaminated objects, or inhaling droplets from sneezing or coughing. S. aureus can also be transmitted between humans and animals.

Notes:
Tsetse flies, genus Glossina, are found in 34 African countries, according to a new atlas by FAO. These blood-sucking insects give birth to larvae that pupate in the soil. Tsetse flies are classified into three groups: fusca (forest), morsitans (savanna), and palpalis (riverine). They inhabit areas along rivers, lakes, and dense forests, including rainforests. They transmit Trypanosoma parasites, causing sleeping sickness in humans and nagana in livestock. Nagana leads to billions of dollars in agricultural losses annually. Tsetse flies range from Northern Senegal to South Africa’s Kwazulu-Natal province.

Notes:
The northern lights, or aurora borealis, were recently visible in parts of the US, Canada, the UK, Germany, and Ladakh, India. Auroras are natural light displays in high-latitude regions caused by solar wind particles interacting with Earth’s upper atmosphere. They form dynamic patterns like curtains, rays, or spirals in the sky. Aurora borealis, or northern lights, mainly occur near the Arctic Circle in countries like Norway, Canada, and Alaska. These lights, primarily green, red, and purple, are created by charged particles from the sun interacting with Earth’s atmospheric gases.

Notes:
The FDA approved Cobenfy, a new drug for schizophrenia, combining xanomeline and trospium chloride, which avoids many side effects of older medications. Schizophrenia is a serious psychiatric disorder affecting 1 in 100 people, leading to social isolation and a life expectancy reduced by 13-15 years. Symptoms usually appear in late adolescence or early adulthood, peaking in men in their early 20s and emerging in women in their mid- to late 40s. Clinical symptoms include reality distortion (delusions, hallucinations), disorganization, and negative symptoms like apathy and lack of motivation. Cobenfy offers a new treatment option with a different action mechanism, but may cause side effects like nausea, indigestion, and dizziness.