UPSC Prelims 2018 Q64: Science & Technology – Computer & Information Technology
- (a) 1 and 3 only
- (b) 2 only
- (c) 2 and 3 only
- (d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (b) 2 only
Explanation
Terms in News - Correct Contexts
| Pair | Actual Context | Correct? |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Belle II - Artificial Intelligence | NO | Belle II is a high-energy particle physics experiment at the SuperKEKB collider in Japan (KEK laboratory), studying B mesons and CP violation. NOT AI. |
| 2. Blockchain - Digital/Cryptocurrency technology | YES | Blockchain is the distributed ledger technology underpinning Bitcoin, Ethereum and other cryptocurrencies; also used for smart contracts, supply chain, digital identity. |
| 3. CRISPR-Cas9 - Particle Physics | NO | CRISPR-Cas9 is a gene-editing technology in biotechnology/genetics. Discovered as a bacterial immune system; now used to edit genomes precisely. Won Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2020 (Charpentier & Doudna). NOT particle physics. |
Answer: (b) 2 only.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Incorrect. Pair 3 wrongly assigns CRISPR-Cas9 to particle physics - it is a gene-editing biotechnology.
- (b) CORRECT. Only Pair 2 (Blockchain-Cryptocurrency) is correctly matched.
- (c) Incorrect. Pair 3 misidentifies CRISPR-Cas9's field (biotechnology, not particle physics).
- (d) Incorrect. Pairs 1 (Belle II is particle physics, not AI) and 3 (CRISPR is biotech, not particle physics) are wrong.
Key point
Correct pairings: Belle II = particle physics (B mesons, CP violation, SuperKEKB, Japan). Blockchain = distributed ledger for cryptocurrencies. CRISPR-Cas9 = gene editing (Nobel Chemistry 2020, Charpentier & Doudna).
Remember
Belle II is a particle physics experiment at Japan's SuperKEKB collider, studying B mesons and CP violation - not artificial intelligence. Blockchain is the distributed ledger technology that powers cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin. CRISPR-Cas9 is a revolutionary gene-editing biotechnology (Nobel Chemistry 2020), not particle physics. So only the Blockchain-Cryptocurrency pairing is correct.
Common mistakes
- Confusing Belle II (particle physics) with any AI experiment - the name might sound tech-related but it is a particle detector.
- Assuming CRISPR relates to physics - it is a bacterial-derived gene-editing tool, cornerstone of modern biotechnology.
- Overlooking blockchain's spread beyond cryptocurrency - now used for supply chains, land records, credentials, healthcare.
Exam tip
Tech-term to field mapping: Belle II = HEP. LIGO/Virgo = Gravitational waves. LHC/ATLAS/CMS = Particle physics. CRISPR/CAR-T/mRNA = Biotech. Blockchain/Web3/DeFi = Crypto/DLT. GPT/LLM/RLHF = AI.
Sources
- High Energy Accelerator Research Organization (KEK), Japan — The Belle II Experiment at the SuperKEKB accelerator
- Nature journal - CRISPR-Cas9 Discovery and Applications; Nobel Prize 2020 Announcement