1. Project Astra, an experimental 'multimodal' AI assistant recently featured in the news, was developed by which of the following companies?

• Microsoft
• Google
• AI Brain
• Amazon

2. Consider the following statement:

Statement-I:

• The Bacterial Pathogens Priority List (BPPL) is a crucial tool in the global effort to combat antimicrobial resistance (AMR) released by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Statement-II:

• Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) occurs when microorganisms like bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites develop the ability to resist the effects of antimicrobial medicines, rendering them ineffective in treating related infections.

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

• Statement I is correct but Statement II is incorrect
• Statement I is incorrect but Statement II is correct
• Both the statements I & II are correct
• Both the statements 1 & II are incorrect

3. With reference to ‘Nucleosynthesis’ recently seen in the news, consider the following statements:

1. Nucleosynthesis is the process by which atomic nuclei undergo nuclear reactions and decay to form new nuclei.
2. It is responsible for the production of new elements in the universe.
3. Nucleosynthesis occurs in various environments, such as during the Big Bang, in the cores of stars through nuclear fusion, and in black hole accretion disks through nuclear burning.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

• 1 and 2 only
• 2 and 3 only
• 2 only
• 1, 2 and 3

4. Recently, the food regulator FSSAI has instructed traders and food business operators to refrain from using the banned product 'calcium carbide' for ripening fruits. In this context, consider the following statement:

1. Calcium carbide is a colourless, odourless substance that reacts with moisture to produce acetylene gas, which is a known carcinogen.
2. It is a cheap and easily available substance that is widely used by fruit vendors and farmers in India to speed up the ripening process of fruits such as mangoes, bananas, and papayas.
3. FSSAI has permitted the use of ethylene gas as a safer alternative for fruit ripening in India, considering the issue of rampant use of banned calcium carbide.

How many of the above statements is/are correct?

• Only one
• Only two
• All three
• None

5. The contaminated blood scandal, a deadly treatment disaster that claimed thousands of lives during the 1970s and 1980s, is related to which of the following countries?

• United States of America (USA)
• United Kingdom (UK)
• India
• Canada