January 01-02 2025 Current Affairs MCQs

Explanation

All statements are correct

• Characteristics of Generation Beta:
  • Born Between 2025 and 2039: The first cohort to grow up with micro-computing technologies
  • Tech-Savvy: More adept than previous generations due to advanced exposure to emerging technologies like AI, virtual reality and smart systems.
  • Innovative and Adaptable: Expected to embrace cutting-edge developments such as quantum computing and the metaverse.
  • Highly Connected: Through digital platforms, fostering inclusivity & empathy.
• Technology’s Role in Generation Beta:
  • Instant Gratification: Constant exposure to AI and Virtual Reality could foster instant gratification.
  • Education Transformation: Tech-driven personalised learning using AI tutors, VR classrooms, and digital tools will allow for tailored and efficient learning experiences.
  • Higher Adaptability: Generation Beta’s digital fluency will make them capable of rapid innovation and adaptation.
  • Workplace Shifts: Careers will focus on creativity and emotional intelligence as automation grows.

Answer: (d) None; Difficulty Level: Medium

Explanation

Option (b) is correct

• The New Glenn rocket is a heavy-lift launch vehicle named after John Glenn, the NASA astronaut who was the first American to circle the Earth in 1962.
• It is designed to carry up to 45 metric tons to Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and 13 metric tons to Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO). It is a two-stage rocket with a first stage powered by seven BE-4 engines and a second stage powered by two BE-3U engines.
• The BE-4 engines are powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG) and liquid oxygen, making them some of the most powerful and efficient engines ever built.
• The first stage is designed to be reusable for up to 25 flights, which helps reduce the cost of access to space. It is also capable of landing on a drone ship in the sea. It can accommodate a variety of payloads & destinations, offering flexibility for different types of missions.
• The rocket will support Amazon’s Project Kuiper, which aims to deliver high-speed, low-latency broadband service globally.

Answer: (b) New Glenn; Difficulty Level: Easy

Explanation

Option (c) is correct

• Indians are the largest beneficiaries, making up over 70% of H-1B petitions since 2015.

Option (a) is incorrect

• The H-1B visa program allows U.S. employers to hire skilled foreign nationals for jobs requiring specialised knowledge and a minimum bachelor’s degree.
• Launched in 1990, it aims to help U.S. employers fill skill gaps by hiring foreign workers temporarily.

Option (b) is incorrect

• The maximum duration for an H-1B visa is six years. A cap of 65,000 new visas is set annually, with an additional 20,000 visas for individuals with advanced degrees from U.S. institutions.
• Petitions for continuing employment or roles in higher education/nonprofits are exempt from the cap.

Option (d) is incorrect

• This dominance has triggered a backlash from certain right-wing factions, who argue that the program is misused by tech companies to employ foreign workers at lower wages than U.S. nationals.
• Many H-1B visa holders work in tech, earning a significant portion under $100,000 annually, which is lower than the median salary for U.S. IT professionals.

Answer: (c) A significant portion of H-1B visa petitions are filed by Indian nationals, making them the largest group of beneficiaries; Difficulty Level: Easy

Explanation

• Vermifiltration: A green technology & a wastewater filtration process using epigeic earthworms and microorganisms to filter & break down wastewater pollutants in an active vermifilter zone.

Both statements are correct

• Working of vermifiltration technology:
  • Multi-stage Treatment: Combines primary (sand and silt removal), secondary (biological degradation), and tertiary (pathogen removal) filtration processes.
  • Integration with Other Systems: When combined with solar energy systems, vermifiltration offers an energy-efficient and eco-friendly solution to wastewater management.
• Advantages of Vermifiltration Technology:
  • Eco-Friendly: Utilizes natural processes (action of earthworms and microorganisms), reducing the need for chemical treatments.
  • Energy Efficient: Solar energy integration makes it a low-energy process.
  • Cost-Effective: Suitable for rural areas where conventional wastewater treatment plants may be expensive or impractical.

Answer: (d) Neither 1 nor 2; Difficulty Level: Easy

Explanation

Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is the correct explanation for Statement-I

• Scientists are deploying a Cubic Kilometre Neutrino Telescope (KM3NeT) under the Mediterranean Sea to detect high-energy neutrinos from space and the atmosphere, providing valuable information about cosmic phenomena.
• Detecting high-energy neutrinos requires a large volume of optically transparent material in an extremely dark place.
• Both frozen ice and deep-sea waters provide good conditions for detecting high-energy neutrinos, but underwater neutrino telescopes might be more efficient than IceCube.
• Water scatters light less, which offers a more accurate idea of where detected neutrinos come from, but water also absorbs light more, resulting in less light to examine.
• High-energy neutrinos are very hard to find because they hardly ever interact with anything; only one might interact with a person’s body in a lifetime.

Answer: (a) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is the correct explanation for Statement-I; Difficulty Level: Hard

Explanation

All pairs are incorrect

Answer: (c) All three; Difficulty Level: Easy

Explanation

Option (a) is correct

• Recent research shows that recycled black plastics in cooking utensils and takeaway containers contain harmful chemicals, endangering human health and the environment.
• Hazards of Recycled Black Plastics:
  • Use of Flame Retardants: Black plastics, often recycled from electronics, contain flame retardants like DecaBDE (Decabromodiphenyl Ether) to prevent fires.
  • Chemical Contamination: Recycling electronics can leave harmful additives in household items, including kitchen utensils (spatulas, peelers, spoons), takeaway containers (sushi trays), and children’s toys (plastic cars, medallions).
  • Limited Regulation: Inadequate checks on recycled plastics lead to toxic substances in everyday objects.
• Health Risks of Black Plastics:
  • Carcinogenic: Flame retardants are linked to carcinogenic effects and hormonal disruptions.
  • Nerve and Reproductive Damage: Long-term exposure can harm the nervous & reproductive systems.
  • Thyroid Disruption: Chemicals like 2,4,6-Tribromophenol are associated with thyroid dysfunction.
  • Environmental Leaching: Toxic substances migrate from items like utensils to food & from toys to saliva.

Answer: (a) 1, 2 and 3 only; Difficulty Level: Medium