Previous Year Question
Consider the following pairs.
Terms sometimes seen in news | Contexts/Topics |
1. Belle II | Artificial Intelligence experiment |
2. Blockchain Technology | Digital/Cryptocurrency |
3. CRISPR-Cas9 | Particle Physics |
Which of the above pairs is/are correctly matched?
1 and 3
Only 2
2 and 3
1, 2 and 3
Correct Answer: B
Detailed Solution
Pair 1 is not correctly matched. Belle II is not an Artificial Intelligence experiment but a particle-physics experiment. It is operated at the SuperKEKB electron-positron collider of the High Energy Accelerator Research Organization in Tsukuba, Japan.
The Belle II experiment studies particles produced through collisions between electrons and positrons. Its principal objectives include studying the decay of B mesons, CP violation between matter and antimatter, rare particle decays and possible indications of new physics beyond the Standard Model.
It is called “Belle II” because it is an upgraded successor to the earlier Belle experiment. The Belle II detector contains several components, including a vertex detector, particle-identification systems, an electromagnetic calorimeter and a muon-detection system.
Pair 2 is correctly matched. Blockchain is a distributed digital ledger technology used in Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies to record and verify transactions. Records are stored in blocks, and each block is connected to the previous block through a cryptographic hash.
Although blockchain is an underlying technology of cryptocurrencies, its use is not limited to cryptocurrency. It can also be applied in supply-chain management, digital certificates, land records, smart contracts and asset tracking.
Pair 3 is not correctly matched. CRISPR-Cas9 is not related to particle physics but is a gene-editing technology associated with biotechnology and genetic engineering. CRISPR was originally part of the adaptive immune system of bacteria, helping them recognise genetic material obtained from viruses.
In gene editing, a guide RNA identifies a designated DNA sequence, while the Cas9 enzyme functions like molecular scissors and cuts the DNA at that location. The cell’s DNA-repair mechanisms can then be used to disable or alter a gene or insert a new genetic sequence.
CRISPR-Cas9 is used in research on genetic diseases, improved crop varieties, disease-resistant plants, functional genomics and experimental therapies. Its human applications are also associated with ethical and safety concerns such as off-target changes, consent and germline editing.