Daily Prelims MCQs — Science, Technology, Environment and Geography — 10th June 2025
- TPP
- Jun 10
- 11 min read
Updated: 6 days ago
Welcome to today’s handpicked set of Multiple-Choice Questions (MCQs) from the Science, Technology, Environment and Geography section — crafted specially for the UPSC Prelims! These questions aren’t just a quiz — they’re a smart way to see how current affairs connect with core concepts, just like UPSC asks in the exam.
Each question is based on recent news and backed by clear explanations to help you build strong links between dynamic events and static knowledge.
Today’s topics include: Heisenberg’s Uncertainty Principle, impacts of solar flares, Barak Valley, Montreux Record, Quasars, active galactic nucleus (AGN), Near-Infrared Spectrometer and Photometer (NISP), Fast Breeder Reactor, Quasars, XPoSat, X-ray Polarimeter Satellite, POLIX, Polarimeter Instrument in X-rays, Barak Valley, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), thermal equator, Indian Meteorological Department, IMD, Aravalli Green Wall Project, Champions of the Earth award, Madhav Gadgil, Tiger My Life, Ranthambhore and Beyond, Montreux Record, World Meteorological Organization WMO, IUCN Red List and more...
Use this as your daily revision boost to sharpen your understanding, stay exam-ready, and master how UPSC turns news into questions.
Click Here to read the Current Affairs Pointers (CAP) for January 2025- April 2025.
QUESTION 1
With reference to the Quasars, consider the following statements:
They are the extremely active and bright cores of some distant galaxies.
Quasars are powered by a supermassive black hole.
All quasars are not active galactic nucleus (AGNs), but all AGNs are quasars.
How many of the statements given above are correct?
(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(c) All three
(d) None
Answer (b)
Explanation:
The European Southern Observatory has announced the discovery of an incredibly brilliant quasar, which is not only the brightest of its type but also the most luminous object ever observed in space.
Quasars are the extraordinarily active and brilliant nuclei of some distant galaxies, fuelled by supermassive black holes. Supermassive black holes evolve by consuming materials drawn in by their extremely intense gravity. Hence, statements 1 and 2 are correct.
A quasar is a very active and bright form of active galactic nucleus (AGN). While all quasars are AGNs, not all AGNs are quasars. Hence, statement 3 is not correct.
Quasars are a subclass of active galactic nuclei (AGNs), which are exceptionally bright galactic centres where gas and dust collide with a supermassive black hole to generate electromagnetic radiation across the whole electromagnetic spectrum.
QUESTION 2
The impact of solar flares can be seen over:
Radio communications
Electric power grids
Navigation signals
Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer (d)
Explanation:
A solar flare is a massive explosion on the Sun caused by the rapid release of energy trapped in ‘twisted’ magnetic fields (often found above sunspots).
In just a few minutes, they heat material to millions of degrees and emit a blast of radiation across the electromagnetic spectrum, from radio waves to X-rays and gamma rays.
Solar flares are tremendous bursts of energy that can disrupt radio communications, power grids, navigation signals, and even endanger humans in space, satellites, and spacecraft.
QUESTION 3
Near-Infrared Spectrometer and Photometer (NISP) and Visible Imager (VIS) are the payloads of:
(a) Euclid space telescope
(b) Chandrayaan 3
(c) Hubble Space Telescope
(d) James Webb Space Telescope
Answer (a)
Explanation:
Astronomers at the European Space Agency (ESA) have hit the jackpot after their telescope, Euclid, obtained high-resolution photos of 26 million galaxies, revealing a vast treasure trove for researching the dark cosmos.
The Euclid Mission is led by ESA, with assistance from scientists from NASA, Japan, and Canada. Euclid is a 1.2-metre telescope designed to map massive spatial structures in our universe, such as galaxies, in order to help reconstruct how the universe expanded and how galaxy formations evolved to look the way they do now. It carries two scientific payloads: a near-infrared spectrometer and photometer (NISP) and a visible imager.
QUESTION 4
Malapert is a:
(a) Deep craters near Mercury’s poles
(b) Impact crater on Mars
(c) Shield volcano on Mars
(d) A crater in the South Pole region of the Moon
Answer (d)
Explanation:
Texas-based Intuitive Machines’ Odysseus lander attempted to become the first privately-led mission to soft-land on the Moon. The lunar lander will attempt to land near Malapert (A crater in the South Pole region of the Moon), not far from ISRO’s Chandrayaan-3 lander.
QUESTION 5
Which of the following nuclear power plants has developed the country’s first Indigenous Fast Breeder Reactor (FBR)?
(a) Kalpakkam Atomic Power Plant
(b) Kudankulam Atomic Power Plant
(c) Rawatbhata Atomic Power Plant
(d) Tarapur Atomic Power Plant
Answer (a)
Explanation:
The crucial second stage of India’s three-stage nuclear programme received a boost with the start of ‘core loading’ at the country’s first indigenous Fast Breeder Reactor (FBR) at Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu.
Core loading is the process of inserting nuclear fuel assemblies into the core of a nuclear reactor.
The completion of core loading will effectively signal the first step towards ‘criticality’ — the start of a self-sustaining nuclear fission reaction that will eventually lead to power generation by the 500 megawatt electric (MWe) FBR.
India will become the second country, after Russia, to have a commercial working FBR. China has a minor rapid breeder program, but programs in Japan, France, and the United States have been halted because of safety concerns.
QUESTION 6
Consider the following areas related to Science and Technology:
Astrophysics
Nanoscience
Neuroscience
In which of the above mentioned fields are ‘The Kavli Prizes’ awarded?
(a) 1 only
(b) 1 and 2 only
(c) 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer (d)
Explanation:
The Kavli Prize is awarded in honour of Norwegian-American businessman and philanthropist Fred Kavli (1927-2013).
“The Kavli Prizes are awarded in three areas: astrophysics, nanoscience and neuroscience — the largest, the smallest, and the most complex. I believe these prizes are in the most exciting fields for the twenty-first century and beyond,” Kavli said, while describing the prizes.
QUESTION 7
With reference to Heisenberg’s Uncertainty Principle, consider the following statements:
It states certain pairs of physical properties—like position and momentum—cannot both be precisely known at the same time.
It is a fundamental concept in quantum mechanics.
Which of the above statements is/are correct:
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Answer (c)
Explanation:
The Heisenberg uncertainty principle, part of the bedrock of quantum mechanics, tells us that certain pairs of properties — such as position and momentum — cannot both be known exactly at the same time.
QUESTION 8
What is India’s first dedicated polarimetry mission launched to study the dynamics of bright astronomical X-ray sources under extreme conditions?
(a) XSPECT
(b) XPoSat
(c) POLIX
(d) XPRIZE
Answer (c)
Explanation:
“XPoSat (X-ray Polarimeter Satellite) is India’s first dedicated polarimetry mission to study various dynamics of bright astronomical X-ray sources in extreme conditions. The spacecraft will carry two scientific payloads in a low earth orbit.”
The primary payload POLIX (Polarimeter Instrument in X-rays): It will measure the polarimetry parameters (degree and angle of polarization) in medium X-ray energy range of 8-30 keV photons of astronomical origin.
The XSPECT (X-ray Spectroscopy and Timing) payload: It will give spectroscopic information in the energy range of 0.8-15 keV.
QUESTION 9
The Barak Valley has been affected by the floods. The Barak sub-basin lies in:
Assam
Manipur
Sikkim
Mizoram
Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2, 3 and 4
(c) 1, 2, 3 and 4
(d) 1, 2 and 4
Answer (d)
Explanation:
Assam’s flood situation remained dire, affecting 2.57 lakh people across 21 districts and resulting in 12 deaths in the state.
More than 94,000 people were affected in the Barak Valley in Sribhumi district alone.
The Barak sub-basin drains portions of India, Bangladesh, and Myanmar. The drainage area of the site in India is 41723 square kilometres, accounting for about 1.38% of the country’s total geographical area.
The sub-basin lies in the States of Meghalaya. Manipur, Mizoram, Assam, Tripura and Nagaland.
QUESTION 10
With reference to the Sundarbans mangrove forest, consider the following statements:
It lies on the delta of the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna rivers on the Bay of Bengal.
It is a World Heritage site which was inscribed in 1987.
It lies on the India-Myanmar border.
It is the world’s second-largest contiguous mangrove forest.
How many of the statements given above are correct?
(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(c) Only three
(d) All four
Answer (b)
Explanation:
Amid the Centre’s crackdown on illegal immigration and cross-border terror networks, the Border Security Force (BSF) has asked the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for assistance in deploying advanced surveillance systems such as drones, radars, and satellites along a critical 113-kilometer stretch of the Sundarbans on the India-Bangladesh border. Hence, statement 3 is not correct.
The Sundarbans Reserve Forest (SRF), located in the south-west of Bangladesh between the rivers Baleswar and Harinbanga, and bordering the Bay of Bengal, is the world’s biggest contiguous mangrove forest. Hence, statement 4 is not correct.
The Sundarbans mangrove forest, one of the world’s largest (140,000 acres), is located on the delta of the Ganges, Brahmaputra, and Meghna rivers in the Bay of Bengal. It is near India’s Sundarbans World Heritage Site, which was designated in 1987. Hence, statements 1 and 2 are correct.
The area is recognised for its diverse wildlife, which includes 260 bird species, the Bengal tiger, and other threatened species like the estuarine crocodile and Indian python.
QUESTION 11
The region ‘thermal equator’ refers to:
(a) The region which receives the maximum heat from the Sun and is distinct from the geographical equator
(b) A belt of low pressure near the equator where trade winds converge
(c) A theoretical line or zone encircling Earth with the most stable and high-temperature climate
(d) A boundary between the cold polar air and the warm tropical air, typically found between 50° and 60° latitude in both hemispheres.
Answer (a)
Explanation:
According to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), the Southwest Monsoon began over Kerala on Saturday (May 24), eight days earlier than its average onset date of June 1.
According to the IMD, seasonal wind reversal is caused by annual variations in the Sun’s apparent location between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn.
This causes the thermal equator, the region which receives the maximum heat from the Sun and is distinct from the geographical equator, to oscillate.
The southwest monsoon is the southwesterly wind that brings rain to the subcontinent, usually from June to September. The 2025 monsoon season began bringing over 70% of the country’s yearly rainfall.
QUESTION 12
Mount Etna, sometimes referred to simply as Etna, is an active volcano in:
(a) Philippines
(b) United States
(c) Indonesia
(d) Italy
Answer (d)
Explanation:
Mount Etna, Europe’s largest volcano, erupted explosively, spewing a massive cloud of ash, smoke, and rock fragments several kilometres into the sky.
Mount Etna, also known simply as Etna, is an active volcano on the east coast of Sicily, the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, located just off the toe of the Italian “boot”. Etna’s peak is the highest in Italy south of the Alps, and it is Europe’s greatest active volcano.
Etna’s summit contains five craters that are responsible for the majority of the volcano’s eruptions. “Flank” eruptions also occur at the mountain’s 300-odd vents, which vary in magnitude.
QUESTION 13
Which of the following statements with reference to the Aravalli Green Wall Project are correct?
It aims to improve the ecological health of the Aravalli range.
Its objective is to prevent the westward expansion of the Thar Desert.
The wall will help in carbon sequestration and mitigating climate change.
This project spans the states of Rajasthan and Haryana only.
How many of the statements given above are correct?
(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(c) Only three
(d) All four
Answer (b)
Explanation:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch the Centre’s Aravalli Green Wall initiative on June 5, World Environment Day, to prevent desertification and repair degraded land in four states.
The Aravalli Range, one of the world’s oldest, extends across Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana, and Delhi. Hence, statement 4 is not correct.
The Aravalli Green Wall Project’s objectives are as follows:
Improving ecological health in the Aravalli range. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
To halt the eastward spread of the Thar Desert and reduce land degradation by establishing green barriers that will prevent soil erosion, desertification, and dust storms. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.
This green wall will contribute to carbon sequestration and climate change mitigation by planting native tree species in the Aravalli range, providing a home for wildlife, and enhancing water quality and quantity. Hence, statement 3 is correct.
Encourage sustainable development and livelihood opportunities by incorporating local populations in activities such as afforestation, agroforestry, and water conservation that produce revenue, employment, food security, and social benefits.
Contribute to India’s commitments under international agreements such as the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
QUESTION 14
Consider the following statements:
The Champions of the Earth award is the UN’s highest environmental honour.
Indian ecologist Madhav Gadgil received the Lifetime Achievement (The Champions of the Earth award) in 2024.
Which of the above statements is/are true?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Answer (c)
Explanation:
According to United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP):
Established in 2005, the Champions of the Earth award is the UN’s highest environmental honour. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
Every year, UNEP honours individuals and organizations working on innovative and sustainable solutions. Champions transform our economies, innovate, lead political change, fight environmental injustice, and defend our natural resources.
The 2025 award spotlights outstanding climate action focusing on solutions on methane, buildings and construction, sustainable cooling, clean air, and forests.
Indian ecologist Madhav Gadgil received the Lifetime Achievement (The Champions of the Earth award) in 2024. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
QUESTION 15
‘Tiger My Life, Ranthambhore and Beyond’ is authored by:
(a) Dr. Salim Ali
(b) Billy Arjan Singh
(c) Valmik Thapar
(d) Kota Ullas Karanth
Answer (c)
Explanation:
Valmik Thapar, a towering figure in Indian wildlife conservation and one of the country’s most passionate advocates for the tiger, died recently at his residence on Kautilya Marg in New Delhi. He was 73 and was diagnosed with cancer last year.
In 1987, Thapar set up Ranthambhore Foundation, a non-profit that worked for integrating local communities into conservation efforts. He also partnered with the non-profit Dastkar to create livelihoods for displaced villagers.
In his book ‘Tiger My Life, Ranthambhore and Beyond’, Thapar, in 2012, summed up what he called his mission: “My fight was always for inviolate spaces—where the tiger could live free, away from noise, away from humans.”
QUESTION 16
What is the ‘Montreux Record’?
(a) It is a book compiled by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) documents climate-related hazards around the world, providing critical data to support risk assessment, preparedness, and climate resilience efforts.
(b) It is a record comprising data from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species and serves as a foundation for charting an ambitious path forward to expand this critical indicator of the health of the world’s biodiversity.
(c) It is a register of wetland sites on the List of Wetlands of International Importance where changes in ecological character have occurred, are occurring, or are likely to occur as a result of technological developments, pollution or other human interference.
(d) None of the above
Answer (c)
Explanation:
“The Montreux Record is a register of wetland sites on the List of Wetlands of International Importance where changes in ecological character have occurred, are occurring, or are likely to occur as a result of technological developments, pollution or other human interference. It is maintained as part of the Ramsar List. The Montreux Record was established by Recommendation 4.8 of the Conference of the Contracting Parties (1990). Resolution 5.4 of the Conference (1993) determined that the Montreux Record should be employed to identify priority sites for positive national and international conservation attention.”
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