Science & Technology Current Affairs MCQs

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Chinese scientists using the CHASE telescope have discovered a new pattern in the sun’s atmospheric rotation, providing the first accurate 3D picture of this phenomenon. Published in Nature Astronomy, this breakthrough enhances understanding of the sun’s magnetic activity and atmospheric behavior. CHASE, a satellite project, aims to deepen knowledge of solar dynamics.

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ISRO achieved the third successful landing of its Pushpak reusable launch vehicle (RLV LEX-03), testing it under challenging conditions. The vehicle reused components from previous flights and employed advanced sensors for precise landing. Designed to reduce launch costs significantly, it aims to retrieve and land like an airplane after deploying satellites into space. The demonstration validated critical technologies, including advanced error correction algorithms, crucial for its future operational success and cost-effectiveness in space missions.

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Due to continued rain in Kerala, the health department cautioned against amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), a rare, usually fatal brain infection caused by Naegleria fowleri. This amoeba thrives in warm, shallow waters and enters the brain through the nose. Early symptoms include fever, headache, and vomiting, progressing to stiff neck, seizures, hallucinations, and coma. Symptoms typically appear within five days of infection.

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The World Health Organization (WHO) has launched MeDevIS (Medical Devices Information System), an online platform providing global access to information on 2,301 types of medical devices. This resource aids decision-making for the selection, procurement, and use of medical devices for diagnostics and treatment of various diseases. The platform covers over 10,000 medical technologies, from simple tools like thermometers to complex equipment like defibrillators and radiotherapy devices, enhancing access and navigation for healthcare providers.

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NASA’s CHAPEA project simulates year-long Mars missions to assess food systems and human health. After a year in the 1,700 sq ft Mars Dune Alpha habitat at Johnson Space Center, a crew emerged. CHAPEA missions involve four crew members living in a 3D-printed structure that mimics a realistic Mars habitat. The data collected will aid future space missions, focusing on physical and behavioral health patterns.

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U-WIN, launching on August 15, will transform maternal and child healthcare in India by digitizing vaccination records, replacing the manual system used by ASHA and other healthcare workers. Replicating the Co-WIN system, U-WIN maintains an electronic registry of routine immunizations. Currently in pilot mode in all states and Union Territories except West Bengal, it records vaccination events for pregnant women and children aged 0-5 under the Universal Immunization Programme (UIP).

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New data from the NOvA experiment has deepened the mystery surrounding neutrino masses. NOvA (NuMI Off-axis νe Appearance) studies neutrino oscillations and properties. Managed by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory near Chicago, Fermilab sends a beam of neutrinos 500 miles to a 14,000-ton detector in Ash River, Minnesota. By measuring neutrinos and their antimatter partners, antineutrinos, physicists study how these particles change type during travel, known as neutrino oscillation. NOvA aims to learn more about the ordering of neutrino masses.

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A health alert has been issued in the United States after hantavirus, a rodent-borne disease, killed four people. Hantaviruses can cause severe lung (hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, HPS) or kidney (hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome, HFRS) infections. Transmission occurs through inhalation of infected rodent urine, droppings, or saliva. Symptoms include sudden fever, headache, muscle aches, abdominal pain, cough, and shortness of breath. The infection can worsen quickly, leading to lung failure and death. There is no specific treatment, but early medical care can help manage severe cases. More than half of lung-infected patients die.

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A study found that Alzheimer’s drug Leqembi slowed disease progression over three years. Leqembi is an IV antibody therapy that removes beta-amyloid from the brain. Alzheimer’s is the most common dementia, starting with mild memory loss and potentially leading to severe communication and response issues. Symptoms typically appear after age 60, with the risk increasing with age.

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Australia’s Victoria has 71 confirmed cases of Legionnaires’ disease, with one woman dying. This severe form of pneumonia is caused by Legionella bacteria, found in natural bodies of water and water systems like tanks. It spreads through inhaling contaminated water aerosols, not person-to-person. Symptoms include fever, chills, headache, malaise, and muscle pain. While treatments are available, there is no vaccine for the disease.