May 03-04-05 2025 Current Affairs MCQs

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct

• Natural hydrogen, or white or gold hydrogen, is molecular hydrogen (H₂) that occurs naturally in the Earth’s crust and is released through geological processes.
• It’s found and extracted directly from nature, unlike green hydrogen, which is produced using electricity from renewable sources, or grey hydrogen, made from fossil fuels.

Statement 2 is correct

• How is it Formed?
  • Serpentinization: Chemical reaction between water & iron-rich rocks like olivine in ultramafic rocks.
  • Radiolysis: The splitting of water molecules due to natural radiation in rocks.
  • Volcanic and Tectonic Activity: It releases hydrogen from deep within the Earth.

Statement 3 is incorrect

• Advantages of Natural Hydrogen:
  • Low Extraction Cost: Early studies suggest natural hydrogen could be significantly cheaper to extract than producing green hydrogen via electrolysis.
  • Energy: If just 2% of the potential reserves are commercially viable, they could yield twice the energy of all proven natural gas reserves, enough to meet global hydrogen demand for nearly 200 years.
  • Zero Emissions: When burned or used in fuel cells, hydrogen produces only water as a byproduct—no carbon dioxide.
  • Abundant & Renewable: Some sources continuously regenerate, making natural hydrogen effectively renewable in specific settings.

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

Explanation

All options are correct

• Capital Expenditure (CAPEX) refers to the money spent by governments or private entities to acquire, upgrade, or maintain long-term physical or intangible assets that are essential for productive capacity, infrastructure, or long-term growth
• Includes money spent on:
  • Acquiring fixed assets: Land, buildings, equipment, and machinery.
  • Acquiring intangible assets: Software, patents, licenses, and other intellectual property.
  • Upgrading existing assets: Modernizing old infrastructure or facilities.
  • Repairing existing assets: Major repairs that extend asset life or improve functionality.
  • Loan repayment (in public finance): Considered CAPEX as it reduces liabilities and is not recurring.

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

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct

• PM inaugurated the Vizhinjam International Seaport (VIS) in Kerala, marking India’s entry into the deep-water transshipment infrastructure space.
• India’s First Deep-Water Transshipment for direct handling of container transfers between vessels without routing through foreign ports.
  • Deepwater Transshipment Port is a port where containers are transferred between ships en route to final destinations; critical for handling international cargo efficiently.

Statement 2 is incorrect

• Developed under Landlord Model with DBFOT (Design, Build, Finance, Operate and Transfer) model, it is India’s first greenfield port initiated by a state government.
  • Landlord Model of PPP: In this model, the government or port authority retains ownership of the port and basic infrastructure, while private players lease terminals and handle cargo operations. It allows public control over strategic assets and private efficiency in operations and investment.
  • DBFOT: A public-private partnership model where the private entity designs, builds & operates the infrastructure for a set period, finances the project, and then transfers it back to the government after the contract ends. It reduces upfront public spending & brings in private sector efficiency & investment.

Statement 3 is correct

• India’s first semi-automated port system, AI-driven control room and Indigenous Vessel Traffic Management System (VTMS).

Answer: (b) 1 and 3 only; Difficulty Level: Easy

Explanation

Option (a) is correct

• Operation Kagar was at the center of debate to target Maoists in central India.
• ‘Kagar’ means ‘Final Mission’, signaling a decisive and terminal effort against LWE.
• It was a large-scale, integrated counterinsurgency initiative using both force & technology, launched in January 2024 to dismantle Maoist insurgency across key Red Corridor zones by March 2026.
• Focus Areas: Bastar (Chhattisgarh), Gadchiroli (Maharashtra), West Singhbhum (Jharkhand) and bordering regions of Telangana.
• Strategic Aim: Restore state control, ensure tribal safety, and eliminate Left-Wing Extremism (LWE).
• Involves Infrastructure Expansion: Establishing forward operating bases and fortified police stations in reclaimed Maoist areas.

Answer: (a) Dismantling Maoist insurgency across key Red Corridor zones; Difficulty Level: Easy

Explanation

Both the statements are correct

• Immunotherapy is a cancer treatment that helps the body’s immune system fight cancer.
• Unlike traditional treatments like chemotherapy or radiation, which directly attack cancer cells, immunotherapy boosts the body’s natural defences to identify and destroy these cells more effectively.
• Types of Immunotherapies:
  • Checkpoint Inhibitors: Block proteins that stop immune cells from attacking cancer (e.g., PD-1/PD-L1 blockers like nivolumab).
  • Monoclonal Antibodies: Lab-made antibodies that mark cancer cells for destruction.
  • CAR-T Cell Therapy: Personalized approach where a patient’s T-cells are modified to target cancer.
  • Cancer Vaccines: Stimulate the immune system to fight cancer cells.
  • Cytokines: Cytokines are small proteins that regulate immune and blood cell activity. They boost anti-cancer effects by signalling abnormal cells to die and supporting healthy cell survival.

Answer: (c) Both 1 and 2; Difficulty Level: Easy

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct

• International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER), located in Southern France, is a collaborative effort involving >30 countries to prove the feasibility of fusion as a large-scale, carbon-free energy source.
• Sun-like Process: Replicates the the nuclear reaction that powers Sun and stars on Earth.
  • Fusion Principle: Fuses light atomic nuclei (e.g., deuterium and tritium) to form a heavier nucleus, releasing enormous energy.

Statement 2 is incorrect

• Under development since 2005, it is expected to begin deuterium-tritium fusion reactions by 2039, providing a pathway for future electricity generation through fusion.
• Funding Structure: EU (host) contributes 45%, each of the others contributes 9%.

Statement 3 is incorrect

• ITER established in 1985.
• India joined the ITER project in 2005.
• It involves seven core members, China, India, EU, Japan, Korea, Russia, and the US.

Answer: (b) Only two; Difficulty Level: Easy

Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect

• Satellite-internet constellations are networks of satellites in LEO that work together to provide seamless broadband coverage worldwide.
• Unlike traditional geostationary satellites that orbit at ~36,000 km, these satellites orbit at much lower altitudes (500–2,000 km), allowing for faster data transfer and lower latency.
• They form a mesh network, relaying signals between satellites, user terminals, and ground stations—ensuring dynamic routing, redundancy, and scalability.

Statement 2 is correct

• Key Features and Importance:
  • Low earth orbit (LEO): Reduces latency to below 50 milliseconds, making it suitable for real-time services like telemedicine, education, and emergency response.
  • High satellite density: Thousands of satellites ensure global, uninterrupted coverage.
  • Resilience: Effective in disaster-prone, remote, or conflict-affected zones.
  • Strategic Dimensions: Dual-use in nature—beneficial for civilians but also capable of military and surveillance operations, raising concerns about space weaponization and orbital congestion.
  • Global Competition: SpaceX’s Starlink already has over 7,000 active satellites and offers commercial services in many countries.

Answer: (b) 2 only; Difficulty Level: Easy