UPSC Essentials | Daily subject-wise quiz : Science and Technology MCQs on Voyager 2, Moon Base programme and more (Week 175)

Which one of the following conclusions based on the above statements is correct ?

(a) All three statements are correct.

(b) There are two correct statements, that include statement 1.

(c) There is only one correct statement.

(d) There is no correct statement.

Relevance: Voyager 2 is relevant to space exploration, deep-space missions and interstellar space, areas frequently tested through factual questions. NASA’s efforts to extend Voyager 2’s operational life highlight technological challenges in long-duration space missions.

Explanation

— Nasa engineers have successfully implemented a new power-saving upgrade on Voyager 2, extending the iconic spacecraft’s science mission by at least another year as it continues exploring interstellar space nearly five decades after launch.

— Voyager 2, currently about 21.35 billion kilometres (13 billion miles) from Earth, is one of the farthest human-made objects in space. Its twin, Voyager 1, is even farther away at around 25.4 billion kilometres (16 billion miles). Both spacecraft launched in 1977 on missions originally expected to last only five years but have continued operating for nearly half a century. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— The spacecraft are powered by radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTGs), which convert heat from decaying plutonium into electricity. However, the generators lose about 4 watts of power every year, forcing Nasa engineers to gradually switch off instruments and onboard systems to conserve energy. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

— To avoid shutting down another science instrument this year, engineers at Nasa’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) developed the ‘Big Bang’ fix, a carefully planned reconfiguration of Voyager 2’s onboard power systems. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

— The upgrade involved switching off two dedicated heaters and a digital tape recorder that had been retained mainly because it generated heat. At the same time, engineers activated two different heaters and another device that provided sufficient warmth while consuming less electricity.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 2

The ‘ Phi X-174’ is a:

(a) a naturally occurring bacteriophage that infects only bacteria and cannot infect humans.

(b) a genetically engineered virus used as a vector for delivering vaccines into human cells.

(c) a bacteriophage containing a double-stranded DNA genome that infects human respiratory cells.

(d) a naturally occurring RNA virus responsible for causing severe respiratory infections in humans.

Relevance: Phi X-174 is relevant to microbiology, viruses and bacteriophages, particularly their structure and host specificity. The topic can test conceptual distinctions between bacteriophages, human viruses, DNA viruses and RNA viruses.

Explanation

— For the first time, scientists have designed fully functional viruses from scratch using artificial intelligence. According to a study published in the journal ‘Science’ titled ‘Generative Design of Bacteriophages with Genome Language Models’, researchers successfully created 16 entirely new viruses capable of infecting bacteria.

— The study revealed a new development in the field of synthetic biology. The study said that it used generative AI models and trained them on millions of natural genomes to design entire bacteriophages.

— The researchers wanted to find out whether AI could create an entirely new, functional virus from scratch — not one that infects humans, but a bacteriophage, or phage, which infects bacteria.

— To do this, the team trained the AI model on genetic sequence from viruses, bacteria, plants, and humans. By learning recurring DNA patterns found in nature the model was able to generate entirely new viral genome designs.

The study said that the newly AI-designed viruses are not a threat to humans. According to The New York Times, the newly created viruses are similar to Phi X-174, a naturally occurring bacteriophage that infects only bacteria and cannot infect humans.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 3

With reference to the Moon Base programme, consider the following statements:

1. The Moon Base is humanity’s first lunar outpost near the Moon’s North Pole.

2. The Moon Base would primarily serve as a temporary robotic research station, with no plans for sustained human presence.

3. NASA has invited ISRO to join its Moon Base programme.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

Relevance: The Moon Base programme is relevant to space exploration, lunar missions and international cooperation in space. The topic links with India’s growing role in global lunar exploration and human spaceflight initiatives.

Explanation

— Moving to strengthen their partnership, US space agency NASA has invited ISRO to join its Moon Base programme, the recently-launched effort to get humans back to the Moon with the larger objective of setting up a permanent settlement there. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

— The offer, disclosed, was made at the ninth meeting of the India-US Civil Space Joint Working Group in Bengaluru on August 5 and 6 which US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor also addressed.

— In 2023, India had joined the Artemis Accords, a US-led space alliance, whose stated purpose is to evolve and commit to a common set of principles that govern the civil exploration of outer space including the Moon. India was the 27th country to sign on the Artemis Accords. Now, a total of 70 countries are part of the Accords.

— NASA’s invitation to ISRO for the Moon base programme reflects the growing ties between the two space agencies. It comes in the wake of Shubhanshu Shukla’s Axiom flight to the ISS last year and the launch of the dual-frequency radar satellite NISAR.

— The Moon Base is humanity’s first lunar outpost, a place where astronauts will live, work, and explore near the Moon’s South Pole. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.

— Through a series of crewed and uncrewed missions, NASA and its partners will build the infrastructure needed to support an enduring human presence on the Moon, unlock new scientific discoveries, and prepare for future deep space exploration. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

(Other Source: http://www.nasa.gov)

QUESTION 4

With reference to the solar eclipse, the term “path of totality” refers to:

(a) The path along which the Sun appears to move across the sky during a solar eclipse.

(b) The period during which the Moon takes to pass completely across the Sun’s disk.

(c) The region on Earth where the Moon appears farthest from the Sun during an eclipse.

(d) The region on Earth from which the Moon completely blocks the Sun’s disk, producing a total solar eclipse.

Relevance: The concept is relevant to basic astronomy and solar eclipses, an area from which UPSC can test conceptual understanding. The topic links with Earth–Moon–Sun geometry, particularly the formation and movement of the Moon’s shadow on Earth.

Explanation

— A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Sun and the Earth, blocking out some or all of the star’s light. The latter phenomenon happens during a total solar eclipse. It is a rare occurrence, requiring the Sun, the Moon and the Earth to line-up perfectly in space.

— Europe is witnessing its first total solar eclipse in 27 years on Wednesday. While not all of Europe will experience “totality” — the phase when the Moon completely covers the Sun’s surface — large parts of the continent will still experience near night-like conditions.

— The August 12 total solar eclipse is not visible from any location in India. The total eclipse can be seen along the north of Russia, Greenland, west Iceland, northern Spain and a small area along northeast Portugal.

— Together, these locations form the “path of totality” — the narrow strip on the Earth’s surface where the Moon can be seen completely blocking the Sun.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 5

Why are dark coloured plastics often used in milk packets as part of an inner layer?

(a) to increase the oxygen content inside the packet and prevent bacterial growth.

(b) to block out ultraviolet and visible light to extend shelf life.

(c) to allow selective transmission of ultraviolet rays, which helps sterilise the milk during storage.

(d) to accelerate the breakdown of fats and proteins, making the milk easier to digest.

Relevance: The topic is relevant to food packaging, material science and basic chemistry, particularly the role of packaging in preserving food quality. It also connects with polymers and multilayer packaging technologies used in the food industry.

Explanation

— To most Indian households, sealed packets of milk are some of the most common grocery items that pass through their doors. But their ubiquity also means thousands of tonnes of plastic waste are generated across the country. A new breakthrough at Bengaluru’s Indian Institute of Science (IISc), however, could mean that these packets, usually made of polyethylene, could soon find a new life as material in the creation of benches and similar goods, instead of being part of a mounting garbage problem.

— According to IISc’s Professor Suryasarathi Bose, part of the team, one of the reasons that milk packets were selected for the study is that they are a form of waste that often ends up in public bins or on roadsides for extended periods of time. Other waste items such as plastic bottles are picked up much faster, as they are more valuable to ragpickers and others.

— At the recycling stage as well, dark coloured plastics — often used in milk packets as part of an inner layer to block out ultraviolet and visible light to extend shelf life — are not desired by recycling companies.

— During recycling, the polyethylene in these milk packets are combined with recycled components of another material, polypropylene, which is used to contain oil and shampoo, etc. However, as these are not similar at the molecular level, molecules known as “vitrimers” aid in using these two materials to form a new recycled material.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

Previous Daily Subject-Wise-Quiz

Daily Subject-wise quiz — History, Culture, and Social Issues (Week 159)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Polity and Governance (Week 175)

Daily subject-wise quiz —  Science and Technology (Week 174)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Economy (Week 174)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Environment and Geography (Week 174)

Daily subject-wise quiz – International Relations (Week 174)

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