Science and Technology Current Affairs Updates for UPSC IAS Prelims 2025 Examination

News: Tata Sons Chairman N. Chandrasekaran, in the TCS Annual Report FY2025, highlighted a major shift in IT and business services toward autonomous operations, driven by AI agents and robots enabling ‘dark factories’. About Dark Factory A Dark Factory (also known as Lights-Out Manufacturing) refers to a fully automated production facility. These factories operate without… Continue reading Dark Factory

News: Indian researchers celebrate 2025 breakthrough prize in fundamental physics for award-winning CERN experiments. About Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics The Award was founded in 2012 by physicist Yuri Milner. Objective: To recognize those individuals who have made profound contributions to human knowledge. It is open to all physicists – theoretical, mathematical, experimental – working… Continue reading Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics

News: Two independent studies by Stanford University (USA) and Kyushu University (Japan) have identified the ARHGAP36 gene as the reason behind the orange coat colour in ginger cats. The discovery ends a century-long mystery in feline genetics. ARHGAP36 gene About ARHGAP36 gene  The ARHGAP36 gene (Rho GTPase Activating Protein 36) encodes a regulatory protein that… Continue reading ARHGAP36 gene

News: The state government has launched safety and cleanup operations after a cargo ship, MSC ELSA 3, sank off the coast near Thottappally in the Alappuzha district of Kerala. About oil spills An oil spill is the release of a liquid petroleum hydrocarbon into the environment—especially the marine ecosystem—due to human activities and it is… Continue reading Key technologies & Framework on Oil Spills

News– According to the first State of the World’s Animal Health report by WOAH, infectious animal diseases are reaching new regions and species, with almost half (47%) having the potential to transmit to humans. 1st State of the World’s Animal Health Report. About State of the World’s Animal Health Report Released by: World Organisation for… Continue reading 1st State of the World’s Animal Health Report

News– The India Meteorological Department (IMD) is set to adopt the Bharat Forecast System (BFS), which offers the highest resolution among all global weather models. Bharat Forecast System (BFS). About Bharat Forecast System It is India’s first indigenously developed weather model. Developed by the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune. It is a deterministic… Continue reading Bharat Forecast System (BFS)

News: Kamalpur Nagar Panchayat in Tripura has garnered national attention for its proactive step under the Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban by introducing compostable PBAT bags as a sustainable alternative to single-use plastic. PBAT plastic  About PBAT plastic  PBAT (Polybutylene Adipate Terephthalate) is a biodegradable, compostable polymer. It is synthetic but behaves like natural biodegradable materials. It… Continue reading PBAT plastic 

News: Professor Jayant Narlikar, an astrophysicist, passed away recently, is best known for his work on an alternative model of the universe, separate from the Big Bang. Jayant Narlikar and Steady-State Theory of the Universe About ‘Steady State’ Theory of the Universe It was jointly proposed by Jayant Narlikar and Sir Fred Hoyle, so also… Continue reading Jayant Narlikar and Steady-State Theory of the Universe

News: A research team at the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR) has developed a super-fast charging sodium-ion battery (SIB). About Super-Fast Charging Sodium-Ion Batteries (SIBs) The battery is based on a NASICON-type cathode and anode material that can charge up to 80% in just six minutes and last over 3000 charge cycles.… Continue reading Super-Fast Charging Sodium-Ion Batteries (SIBs)

News: Researchers from China recently reported that it’s hard to make sense of the widespread persistence of A-to-I mRNA editing in animals. About A-to-I mRNA Editing in Animals mRNA: Our cells use DNA as a guide to make proteins. First, they copy DNA into messenger RNA (mRNA). A-to-I editing: This is a process where the… Continue reading A-to-I mRNA Editing in Animals

News: A new NASA study, using data from the GRAIL mission, has revealed major differences between the two sides of the Moon. The nearside, visible from Earth, is hotter and more geologically active than the farside. This finding could explain the Moon’s uneven surface. GRAIL Mission. About GRAIL Mission GRAIL (Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory)… Continue reading GRAIL Mission

News: Scientists from four ICAR institutions have successfully assembled the first chromosome-level genome of the Indian yak (Bos grunniens). Yak Genomics  About Yak Genomics  Yak Genomics involves sequencing and analyzing the genome of the domestic yak (Bos grunniens) to gain insights into its high-altitude adaptations and to enhance its productivity and overall health. Technology Used:… Continue reading Yak Genomics 

News: The Chandrayaan-5 mission, jointly undertaken by ISRO and JAXA, was approved by the Indian Cabinet in March 2025. It aims to explore the Moon’s surface and subsurface for water. Preliminary design work for the lander and rover is now underway. Chandrayaan-5 mission About Chandrayaan-5 Chandrayaan-5, also called LUPEX (Lunar Polar Exploration), this mission is… Continue reading Chandrayaan-5 mission

News: The Centre for Earth Sciences and Himalayan Studies (CESHS) has successfully established the first geothermal production well in Northeast India at Dirang, located in the West Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh. Dirang Geothermal Project About Dirang Geothermal Project The first geothermal production well has been successfully drilled in Dirang, Arunachal Pradesh.  The Dirang region… Continue reading Dirang Geothermal Project

News: India has formally raised concerns with China regarding export restrictions on germanium, a critical mineral essential for manufacturing semiconductors, fiber optic cables, and solar panels. Germanium (Ge) About Germanium (Ge) Germanium (Ge) is a chemical element classified as a metalloid and appears as a silvery-grey, brittle solid. This element lies between silicon and tin… Continue reading Germanium (Ge)

News: The Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting made submissions to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Communication and IT. It stated that it is reconsidering the concept of safe harbour for social media platforms to tackle the spread of fake news online. Safe Harbour and Social Media Liability in India. About Safe Harbour Safe harbour… Continue reading Safe Harbour and Social Media Liability in India

News: The BrahMos supersonic cruise missile, operational since 2001, was likely used in combat for the first time during Operation Sindoor on May 10, 2025, as part of India’s retaliatory precision strikes on Pakistani military bases. Brahmos Missile. About Brahmos Missile Type: Supersonic cruise missile Developed by: Joint venture between India’s DRDO and Russia’s NPOM… Continue reading Brahmos Missile

News: Scientists have created the first-ever ‘pangenome’ for rice by combining essential genetic segments from 144 wild and cultivated rice varieties across Asia to form a comprehensive reference genome. Pangenome. About Pangenome A pangenome is a comprehensive collection of genome sequences from multiple individuals of the same species. It aims to capture the full range of… Continue reading Pangenome

News: The Ministry of Coal has signed the Coal Gasification Plant Development and Production Agreement (CGPDPA) with selected applicants under Category II of the Coal Gasification Financial Incentive Scheme. These include Jindal Steel and Power Limited, New Era Cleantech Solution Private Limited, and Greta Energy and Metal Private Limited. Coal Gasification Financial Incentive Scheme. About… Continue reading Coal Gasification Financial Incentive Scheme

News- India recently has targeted Pakistan’s air defence systems in response to multiple drone and munition attacks across the western border. Air Defence Systems. About Air Defence Systems Air defence systems are designed to detect, track, and neutralise aerial threats like fighter jets, drones, and missiles. They play a critical role in protecting national airspace… Continue reading Air Defence Systems

News: Amidst heightened tensions between India and Pakistan, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) issued instructions to all states and UTs to conduct a Civil Defence Mock Drill on May 7, 2025. Civil Defence under the Civil Defence Act, 1968. About Civil Defence Civil defence (or civil protection) refers to organized government efforts aimed… Continue reading Civil Defence under the Civil Defence Act, 1968

News: The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully carries out maiden flight-trials of Stratospheric Airship Platform from Sheopur Trial site, in Madhya Pradesh. About Stratospheric Airship Platform It is a high-altitude, lighter-than-air unmanned system designed to carry instrumentation payloads to the stratosphere—approximately 17 km above the earth’s surface. Developed by: Agra-based Aerial Delivery Research… Continue reading Stratospheric Airship Platform

News: Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister has announced the development of two genome-edited rice varieties, marking a new beginning in the field of scientific research and innovation. Genome-Edited Rice Varieties. About Genome-Edited Rice Varieties Developed by: ICAR – Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi and the Indian Rice Research Institute (IRRI), Hyderabad They… Continue reading Genome-Edited Rice Varieties

News: New research suggests that understanding the “clumpiness” of matter, measured by Sigma-8 (S8) Tension, could unlock key insights into the universe’s structure and complexity. S8 Tension. About S8 Tension Sigma 8 or S8 is a cosmological parameter that quantifies the “clumpiness” of matter i.e. how much matter (including dark matter) is clustered together in… Continue reading S8 Tension

News– A team of scientists from Germany has developed an innovative RNA-based antiviral agent using RNA silencing that offers protection against the Cucumber Mosaic Virus (CMV)- one of the most damaging plant viruses globally. About Cucumber Mosaic Virus (CMV) Type: Plant virus affecting over 1,200 plant species. Affected Crops: Cucumbers, melons, cereals, bananas, pumpkins, etc.… Continue reading RNA-Based Antiviral to Combat Cucumber Mosaic Virus (CMV)

News– The Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL), a unit of DRDO, recently achieved a successful ground test of a Scramjet Engine, operating for more than 1,000 seconds in Hyderabad. Scramjet Engine. About Scramjet Engine A Scramjet engine (Supersonic Combustion Ramjet) is an improved version of the Ramjet, designed to operate at extremely high speeds.… Continue reading Scramjet Engine

News: Plants with genetically modified enzymes/coenzymes are being contemplated to be launched as source of antioxidants in future food markets. About Enzymes and Coenzymes Enzymes: They are specialized proteins that act as biological catalysts, accelerating the rate of chemical reactions in cells without being consumed or permanently altering themselves. Coenzymes: Many enzymes require some molecules… Continue reading Enzymes and Coenzymes

News: India has launched a one-of-its-kind e-digital wallet for disasters —Akshvi which allows communities to self-report their losses in any disaster. About Akshvi Digital Wallet Akshvi is an acronym for Aapda Kshati Vivaran (Disaster Damages Description). It is a community-driven platform, created by SEEDS (Sustainable Environment and Ecological Development Society) India. SEEDS aims to strengthen… Continue reading Akshvi Digital Wallet

News: Nitrous oxide is the third most abundant of the greenhouse gases; it accentuates the greenhouse effect in the same way as carbon dioxide does by capturing re-radiated infrared radiation from the Earth’s surface and warming the troposphere. Nitrogen. About Nitrogen It is the fifth-most abundant gas in the universe and the most pervasive on… Continue reading Nitrogen

News: Recently, scientists found a green way to recycle toxic perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Perovskite Solar Cells (PSCs). About Perovskite Solar Cells (PSCs) A perovskite solar cell is one that includes a perovskite-structured compound, most commonly a hybrid organic-inorganic lead or tin halide-based material, as the light-harvesting active layer. A perovskite is a material (first… Continue reading Perovskite Solar Cells (PSCs)

News: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in a study using its satellites has estimated the total wheat production from eight major wheat growing States of India. Comprehensive Remote Sensing Observation on Crop Progress (CROP). About Comprehensive Remote Sensing Observation on Crop Progress (CROP) It is a semi-automated and scalable framework which enables the near… Continue reading Comprehensive Remote Sensing Observation on Crop Progress (CROP)

News- The Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) and the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT Bombay) have initiated a pilot project to explore the implementation of Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) technology across the State. About Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) technology Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) refers to a system where electric vehicles (EVs) are capable of sending electricity back to the power… Continue reading Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) technology

News: Members of the World Health Organization (WHO) have finalised a proposal for the World Pandemic Treaty, according to a statement by the global health body. World Pandemic Treaty. About World Pandemic Treaty Background: The proposal to draft and negotiate this convention was finalised by the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB), established in December 2021 under the… Continue reading World Pandemic Treaty

News- Researchers have evaluated the real-time Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (rt-LAMP) method for the early and accurate detection of tuberculosis (TB). rt-LAMP Assay for Tuberculosis Diagnosis. About rt-LAMP Assay rt-LAMP (Real-time Loop-mediated Isothermal Amplification) is a molecular diagnostic test that enables the rapid detection of TB DNA. It uses a one-step DNA amplification process, capable of… Continue reading rt-LAMP Assay for Tuberculosis Diagnosis

News: Startup QNu Labs launches world’s 1st unique platform Q-Shield empowering enterprises to protect critical infrastructure. Q-Shield Platform. About Q-Shield Platform It is a comprehensive cryptography management platform designed to secure critical infrastructure against future quantum threats. Developed by: QNu Labs, incubated at IIT Madras Research Park (2016) and one of the startups selected by… Continue reading Q-Shield Platform

News: Recently, the World Health Organization (WHO) launched its first-ever global guidelines for the diagnosis, treatment, and care of meningitis. About Meningitis Meningitis is a serious medical condition involving an infection and inflammation of the meninges, which are the protective membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord. These membranes are called meninges. Caused by: It can… Continue reading Meningitis

News- Recently, Google launched its seventh generation TPU (Tensor Processing Unit) named Ironwood. About Ironwood Seventh-Generation TPU: Ironwood is Google’s latest Tensor Processing Unit, specifically engineered for high-performance AI model training and inference. Optimized for Deep Learning: Designed to handle complex neural network operations and deep learning tasks with enhanced speed and efficiency. Cloud-Accessible: Once… Continue reading Ironwood TPU

News: India’s first automated bat monitoring and detection system BatEchoMon launched marking a new chapter in bat research. About Bat Echolocation Monitoring (BatEchoMon) It is India’s first automated bat monitoring system. It is an autonomous system capable of detecting and analysing bat calls in real-time. It is programmed to activate automatically at sunset, when bats… Continue reading BatEchoMon

News: India has successfully conducted its first trial of a high-powered laser weapon, MK-II(A), using directed energy to neutralise an aerial target. Mk-II (A) Laser- Directed Energy Weapon (DEW) system (Sahastra Shakti). About Mk-II (A) Laser- Directed Energy Weapon (DEW) system (Sahastra Shakti) It is an indigenously designed and developed 30-kilowatt laser-based weapon system that… Continue reading Mk-II (A) Laser- Directed Energy Weapon (DEW) system (Sahastra Shakti)

News: A report by the Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER) has sounded the alarm over Vitamin D deficiency in India. Vitamin D. About Vitamin D Vitamin D (also referred to as calciferol) is a fat-soluble vitamin. Source: It is naturally present in a few foods (like fatty fish (salmon, tuna), fortified… Continue reading Vitamin D

News: In a groundbreaking achievement, scientists have successfully revived the dire wolf, an ancient species that went extinct nearly 12,500 years ago, using cutting-edge genetic engineering techniques by Colossal Biosciences. De-Extinction of Dire Wolf. About De-Extinction De-extinction, also known as resurrection biology or species revivalism, is the process of recreating extinct species or organisms using… Continue reading De-Extinction of Dire Wolf

News: The European Space Agency (ESA) is going to launch its Biomass mission in end of April, 2025. Biomass mission. About Biomass mission Launching agency: It will be launched by the European Space Agency (ESA), aboard the Vega C rocket from Europe’s spaceport in French Guiana. It is a dedicated earth observation satellite mission under… Continue reading Biomass mission

News: CAPTCHA has made the internet a safer place today. But as bots keep getting smarter, CAPTCHA needs to figure out how to be more accessible and easier to use for humans in the world of digital security. About CAPTCHA CAPTCHA stands for “Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart”. It… Continue reading CAPTCHA

News– Chandrayan’s ChaSTE becomes the first mission to successfully penetrate the soil of a celestial body (at Shiv Shakti landing site of Moon) to deploy a thermal probe. About ChaSTE (Chandra’s Surface Thermophysical Experiment) It is one of the payloads aboard the Lander (named Vikram) of the Chandrayaan-3 mission. Developed by: The instrument was designed… Continue reading ChaSTE PROBE

News: The concept of “vibe coding” has gained attention after OpenAI co-founder and former Tesla employee Andrej Karpathy highlighted it in a recent post on X.  About Vibe Coding Vibe Coding is an innovative approach to software development where artificial intelligence assists in programming.  Instead of writing code manually, developers describe their desired functionality in… Continue reading Vibe Coding

News- The Government of India has announced the creation of a Second National Gene Bank to conserve 10 lakh crop germplasm. This initiative aligns with the “Investing in Innovations” theme of the Union Budget 2025-26. Gene Bank A Gene Bank is a specialized storage facility designed to preserve seeds, pollen, and plant tissues to safeguard… Continue reading National Gene Bank

News- The Ministry of Defence has signed a contract with Armoured Vehicle Nigam Limited to procure the tracked version of the Nag Missile System (NAMIS), an anti-tank weapon platform. Nag Anti-Tank Missile System (NAMIS). About Nag Anti-Tank Missile System (NAMIS) It is an advanced anti-tank weapon system designed as a mobile platform to launch Nag… Continue reading Nag Anti-Tank Missile System (NAMIS)

News- The European Space Agency (ESA) has officially decommissioned its Global Astrometric Interferometer for Astrophysics (GAIA) mission after more than a decade of operation. GAIA Mission. About GAIA Mission It aimed to create the largest and most precise 3D map of the Milky Way by surveying about 1% of its 100 billion stars. It was… Continue reading GAIA Mission

News- India recently conducted a successful flight test of the Vertically Launched Short-Range Surface-to-Air Missile (VL-SRSAM) from a defense test facility off the Odisha coast. Vertically Launched Short-Range Surface-to-Air Missile. About Vertically Launched Short-Range Surface-to-Air Missile It is an indigenously developed weapon system by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). This quick-reaction missile is… Continue reading Vertically Launched Short-Range Surface-to-Air Missile

News-The India BioEconomy Report 2025 has estimated India’s bioeconomy to be valued at over $165 billion, contributing more than 4.2% of the country’s GDP. India BioEconomy Report 2025. About India BioEconomy Report It is an annual publication by the Department of Biotechnology and BIRAC that tracks the growth and performance of India’s bioeconomy The bioeconomy… Continue reading India BioEconomy Report 2025