Science & Technology Current Affairs MCQs

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World Mosquito Day is observed on August 20 to highlight the importance of protecting against mosquito-borne diseases.
Mosquitoes spread diseases like malaria, dengue, Zika, and West Nile virus, affecting millions and causing deaths worldwide. The 2024 theme is “Accelerating the fight against malaria for a more equitable world.” This theme stresses the need to improve access to malaria treatment, diagnosis, and prevention. Timely diagnosis and treatment can prevent complications and save lives.

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An international group has proposed a lunar time standard to address time discrepancies on the Moon due to its unique gravity. Atomic clocks, crucial for precision in GPS, telecom, and research, are the most accurate timekeeping devices. These clocks measure time using the stable resonant frequencies of atoms like cesium-133. One second is defined by the vibration of a cesium atom 9,192,631,770 times. Atomic clocks work by introducing a microwave signal to cesium atoms, detecting emitted radiation, and adjusting timekeeping for continuous precision.

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Recently, five people fell unconscious and were hospitalized in Visakhapatnam while shifting acetanilide bags between containers. Acetanilide is a synthetic organic compound with the formula C8H9NO, also known as N-phenylacetamide or acetanil. It is a white, odorless solid related to acetic acid and was first used as a fever-reducing drug in 1886.
Acetanilide was used for pain relief, including headaches and cramps, but has been largely replaced by acetaminophen (paracetamol) due to toxic side effects that affect hemoglobin function. It is still used as an intermediate in producing dyes, rubber, and other chemicals.

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A 59-year-old British man nearly died after a minor spider bite led to necrotising fasciitis. Necrotising fasciitis, also known as flesh-eating disease, is a rare and life-threatening bacterial infection. It affects the tissue under the skin, known as fascia, causing tissue death and severe inflammation. There are two types: Type I, caused by multiple bacteria (polymicrobial), and Type II, caused by a single bacteria (monomicrobial). Type II is typically caused by group A streptococcus or Staphylococcus aureus bacteria. The infection progresses rapidly and can be fatal if not treated promptly.

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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.

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The Union Cabinet, led by the Prime Minister, approved the ‘PM E-DRIVE Scheme’. The scheme, called PM Electric Drive Revolution in Innovative Vehicle Enhancement, is launched by the Ministry of Heavy Industries. The PM Electric Drive Revolution in Innovative Vehicle Enhancement (PM E-DRIVE) scheme aims to support local manufacturing of electric vehicle (EV) components with a Rs 10,900 crore outlay. It replaces the previous FAME scheme and includes a phased manufacturing programme to encourage domestic production. The new scheme mandates local assembly of parts for subsidy eligibility, addressing past issues of companies misusing subsidies by selling imported vehicles. The initiative is part of India’s broader strategy to enhance electric mobility and reduce reliance on imported components while ensuring quality checks on manufacturers.

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The new COVID variant, XEC, first detected in Germany in August 2024, is a recombinant variant formed by the fusion of KS.1.1 and KP.3.3. It has shown a growth advantage over other variants and is spreading rapidly, with cases reported in 27 countries. XEC is expected to become the dominant variant globally due to its genetic similarities and mutations that enhance its ability to bind to human cells.

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Astronomers using the Green Bank Telescope (GBT) discovered a new millisecond pulsar in the Terzan 6 globular cluster. Pulsars are rapidly rotating neutron stars that emit radiation in regular pulses, from seconds to milliseconds. They have strong magnetic fields, funneling particle jets along magnetic poles, producing powerful beams of light. These beams are swept around as the star rotates due to misalignment between the magnetic field and spin axis. The pulsar appears to “switch off” when the light faces away from Earth, creating its periodic pulses.

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Bellatrix Aerospace, a Bengaluru-based space startup, launched Project 200 at the Bengaluru Space Expo 2024. Project 200 is an innovative satellite designed for Ultra-Low Earth Orbit (180 km-250 km). This mission will demonstrate a new in-house propulsion system that allows satellites to maintain 200 km orbits for years. At this altitude, communication latency is halved, image resolution triples, and costs are lower than higher orbits.

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The Women in Space Leadership Programme (WiSLP) was launched by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) with the British Council. It is part of the UK-India Education and Research Initiative (UKIERI). The program aims to create a leadership framework to promote gender-inclusive practices in space sciences. It focuses on fostering women’s leadership in space and related fields.