Daily Static Quiz (Science) March 14, 2025
Daily Static Quiz
With reference to “novel Open Reading Frames (nORFs)” recently seen in news, consider the following statements:
They are newly discovered genomic regions that don’t fit the traditional definition of genes.
A team from University of Cambridge has catalogued over 190,000 such regions.
These regions are believed to have no biological function.
nORFs are found exclusively in bacterial genomes.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1, 2 and 4 only
(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
In the context of genetically modified crops in India, which of the following is/are legally permitted for commercial cultivation?
Bt Cotton
GM Mustard
Bt Brinjal
Golden Rice
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a) 1 only
(b) 1 and 2 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 4 only
Which of the following are applications of biotechnology in agriculture?
RNA interference technology for pest control
Marker-assisted selection for crop breeding
Biofertilizers and biopesticides production
Development of edible vaccines in transgenic plants
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a) 1 and 3 only
(b) 2 and 4 only
(c) 1, 2 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Consider the following statements regarding CRISPR-Cas9 technology:
It allows scientists to edit parts of the genome by removing, adding, or altering sections of the DNA sequence.
The technology originated from a naturally occurring genome editing system in bacteria.
It has no potential applications in treating genetic diseases in humans.
The scientists who developed this technology, Jennifer Doudna and Emmanuelle Charpentier, were awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
(a) 1, 2 and 3 only
(b) 1, 2 and 4 only
(c) 3 and 4 only
(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
With reference to the application of Artificial Intelligence in governance, consider the following statements:
AI can analyze vast amounts of data to provide personalized services to citizens.
AI applications can help in predictive maintenance of public infrastructure.
Implementation of AI in governance requires no consideration for privacy concerns.
India’s National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence focuses exclusively on healthcare applications.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1, 2 and 4 only
(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
In the context of ethical considerations in Artificial Intelligence deployment, which of the following is/are correctly matched?
Algorithmic bias: Tendency of algorithms to produce results that systematically discriminate against certain groups
Explainable AI: AI systems that can be easily hacked or compromised
Data sovereignty: The concept that data is subject to the laws of the country where it is collected
AI alignment: The problem of ensuring AI systems act in accordance with human intentions
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a) 1 and 3 only
(b) 2 and 4 only
(c) 1, 3 and 4 only
(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Consider the following statements about different types of machine learning:
Supervised learning uses labeled datasets to train algorithms to classify data or predict outcomes.
Reinforcement learning involves an agent learning to make decisions by performing actions and receiving rewards or penalties.
Deep learning is a subset of machine learning that uses neural networks with three or more layers.
Unsupervised learning identifies patterns in data without pre-existing labels.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
(a) 1 and 3 only
(b) 2 and 4 only
(c) 1, 2 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
With reference to India’s recent space missions, consider the following statements:
Chandrayaan-3 successfully achieved a soft landing on the lunar south pole region.
Aditya L1 is India’s first mission to study the Sun from the Lagrangian point L1.
NISAR is a joint Earth-observation mission between ISRO and NASA.
Gaganyaan is India’s first human spaceflight program.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1, 3 and 4 only
(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
In the context of international space collaborations, which of the following is/are correctly matched?
Artemis Accords: A NASA-led international agreement for cooperation in space exploration of the Moon and beyond
ExoMars: A joint mission between ESA and Roscosmos to search for signs of past life on Mars
ITER: An international project to build the world’s largest tokamak fusion reactor
Square Kilometre Array: A radio telescope project led exclusively by the United States
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a) 1, 2 and 3 only
(b) 2, 3 and 4 only
(c) 1 and 4 only
(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Consider the following statements about space technologies and their applications:
Remote sensing satellites are used for weather forecasting, disaster management, and agricultural monitoring.
GPS satellites operate from geostationary orbit at an altitude of approximately 36,000 kilometers.
Satellite-based Automatic Identification System (AIS) helps in tracking ships for maritime security.
Space-based solar power involves collecting solar energy in space and transmitting it to Earth.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
(a) 1, 3 and 4 only
(b) 2 and 4 only
(c) 1, 2 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Novel Open Reading Frames (nORFs) are genomic regions that cannot be defined by our current definition of a gene but may have biological functions. A team from the University of Cambridge catalogued 194,000 such regions. These regions are believed to have biological functions, contrary to statement 3. They are not exclusive to bacterial genomes but are found across various organisms including humans, making statement 4 incorrect. Only statements 1 and 2 are correct.
In India, Bt Cotton is the only genetically modified crop that has received approval for commercial cultivation. GM Mustard, despite receiving technical approval from the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) in 2017, has not received final approval for commercial release. Bt Brinjal field trials were put on hold by a moratorium announced in 2010. Golden Rice is still in various stages of testing and has not been approved for commercial cultivation in India.
All the given options are applications of biotechnology in agriculture. RNA interference technology is used to silence specific genes in pests, providing targeted pest control. Marker-assisted selection uses molecular markers to identify desirable traits during breeding, accelerating the development of improved varieties. Biotechnology enables efficient production of biofertilizers (containing beneficial microorganisms) and biopesticides. Edible vaccines produced in transgenic plants represent an innovative biotechnology application that could potentially deliver vaccines through consumption of plant parts.
CRISPR-Cas9 is a revolutionary gene-editing technology that allows precise modification of DNA sequences (statement 1 is correct). It was discovered as a part of the bacterial immune system that protects against viral infections (statement 2 is correct). Contrary to statement 3, CRISPR has significant potential applications in treating genetic diseases through gene therapy. Jennifer Doudna and Emmanuelle Charpentier were indeed awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2020 for developing this technology (statement 4 is correct). Therefore, statements 1, 2, and 4 are correct.
AI can indeed analyze vast amounts of data to provide personalized services to citizens, improving government service delivery (statement 1 is correct). AI applications are increasingly used for predictive maintenance of infrastructure like bridges, roads, and power grids by analyzing sensor data to predict failures before they occur (statement 2 is correct). However, AI implementation in governance must address significant privacy concerns, including data protection and consent (statement 3 is incorrect). India’s National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence, developed by NITI Aayog, focuses on multiple sectors including healthcare, agriculture, education, smart cities, and transportation, not exclusively on healthcare (statement 4 is incorrect). Therefore, only statements 1 and 2 are correct.
Algorithmic bias refers to the tendency of algorithms to produce results that systematically discriminate against certain groups, often reflecting societal biases present in training data (pair 1 is correctly matched). Explainable AI actually refers to AI systems whose actions can be understood and interpreted by humans, not systems that can be easily hacked (pair 2 is incorrectly matched). Data sovereignty correctly refers to the concept that data is subject to the laws of the country where it is collected, stored, or processed (pair 3 is correctly matched). AI alignment is indeed the challenge of ensuring AI systems act in accordance with human intentions and values (pair 4 is correctly matched). Therefore, pairs 1, 3, and 4 are correctly matched.
All the statements are correct descriptions of different types of machine learning2. Supervised learning indeed uses labeled data to train algorithms to classify data or predict outcomes based on input features. Reinforcement learning correctly describes the process where an agent learns optimal behaviors through trial and error, receiving feedback in the form of rewards or penalties. Deep learning is accurately described as a subset of machine learning using neural networks with multiple layers (typically three or more) to progressively extract higher-level features from raw input. Unsupervised learning correctly refers to the approach where algorithms identify patterns in unlabeled data without pre-existing labels.
All the statements are correct. Chandrayaan-3 successfully achieved a soft landing on the lunar south pole region in August 2023, making India the first country to land near the lunar south pole. Aditya L1 is indeed India’s first mission to study the Sun, positioned at the first Lagrangian point (L1) where it can observe the Sun without any eclipses. NISAR (NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar) is a collaborative Earth-observation mission between ISRO and NASA designed to measure Earth’s changing ecosystems and dynamic surfaces. Gaganyaan is correctly identified as India’s first human spaceflight program, which aims to demonstrate human spaceflight capability.
The Artemis Accords is indeed a NASA-led international agreement establishing principles for cooperation in civil exploration and peaceful use of the Moon, Mars, and other astronomical objects (pair 1 is correctly matched). ExoMars is correctly identified as a joint program between the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Russian space agency Roscosmos focused on searching for signs of past life on Mars (pair 2 is correctly matched). ITER (International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor) is accurately described as an international nuclear fusion research and engineering megaproject building the world’s largest tokamak fusion reactor (pair 3 is correctly matched). The Square Kilometre Array is not led exclusively by the United States but is an international effort with headquarters in the United Kingdom and telescopes in South Africa and Australia (pair 4 is incorrectly matched). Therefore, pairs 1, 2, and 3 are correctly matched.
Remote sensing satellites are indeed used for weather forecasting, disaster management, agricultural monitoring, and various other Earth observation applications (statement 1 is correct). GPS satellites do not operate from geostationary orbit but from medium Earth orbit at an altitude of approximately 20,200 kilometers; geostationary satellites orbit at about 36,000 kilometers (statement 2 is incorrect). Satellite-based Automatic Identification System (AIS) correctly refers to a technology that helps in tracking ships for maritime security and navigation safety (statement 3 is correct). Space-based solar power accurately describes the concept of collecting solar energy in space using solar panels on satellites and transmitting it to Earth via microwave or laser beams (statement 4 is correct). Therefore, statements 1, 3, and 4 are correct.