New Emerging Technologies — PYQs
1. Introduction — New Emerging Technologies
- New Emerging Technologies are rapidly evolving fields with frequent UPSC Prelims questions.
- This section covers key emerging technology terms asked in previous year questions.
KNOWLEDGE NUGGET
- Emerging Technologies: Technologies that are currently developing or will be developed over the next few years
- Key Areas: AI, blockchain, quantum computing, nanotechnology, advanced materials, biotechnology, photonics
2. New Emerging Technology — Previous Year Questions
2020 — BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGY
- A decentralized digital ledger system that records transactions across multiple computers in a way that ensures security, transparency, and immutability.
- Includes cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and enables various applications in finance, supply chain management, and secure data sharing.
2018 — 3D PRINTING (Additive Manufacturing)
- A process that involves creating three-dimensional objects layer by layer using a computer-created design.
2017 — ORGANIC LIGHT EMITTING DIODES (OLEDs)
- Advanced light-emitting technologies used in displays where organic compounds emit light in response to an electric current.
- Monolithic, solid-state devices that typically consist of a series of organic thin films sandwiched between two thin-film conductive electrodes.
- Offer high contrast, wide viewing angles, and efficient performance, making them ideal for smartphones, TVs, and wearable devices.
2015/2020 — CARBON NANOTUBES
- Cylindrical nanostructures made of carbon atoms arranged in a hexagonal lattice.
- Exhibit remarkable strength, electrical conductivity, and thermal stability.
- Find application in nanotechnology, electronics, and materials science, for enhancing material properties.
3. Important Terms in News
AI TOKENS
- Cryptocurrencies specifically developed to fuel AI-based projects, applications, and services.
- Serve either as a means of payment for transactions on the AI platform or as a way of conferring governance rights to holders.
- Examples: Scotty the AI, eTukTuk, Nosana, and Artificial Liquid Intelligence.
CHIRAL BOSE LIQUID STATE
- Represents a completely new state of matter achieved at extremely low temperatures with behavior markedly different from solid, liquid, and gas states.
- The matter enters the quantum state through interaction between an electron-rich layer and a hole-filled layer, where electrons lack sufficient holes to occupy.
- This imbalance induces a distinctive state characterized by unique chiral (handedness) properties and collective behavior.
FLUORESCENT MICROSCOPY
- A powerful imaging technique that uses fluorescence — how a body re-emits light that it has absorbed — instead of reflected light to study properties of organic or inorganic substances.
- By tagging specimens with fluorescent dyes, it allows for detailed visualization of structures, molecules, or cellular processes.
MAJORANA ZERO MODES
- Belonging to the Majorana fermions class, these are unique particles that are their own antiparticles (possessing opposite quantum properties like charge).
- Used for enhancing the stability of qubits and enabling topological quantum computing.
MicroLED DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
- A technology that helps a display to produce brighter and higher-contrast images that are impossible with conventional technologies.
- Works on sapphires, which can shine perpetually.
- Pictures are generated by several individual LEDs and provide better viewing angles, lower power consumption, and limitless scalability.
MEME COINS (Memetic Tokens / Community Coins)
- Digital currencies created as a form of satire or humorous tribute to internet culture.
- Examples: Dogecoin (DOGE), Shiba Inu (SHIB), Retik Finance (RETIK).
- Function similarly to traditional cryptocurrencies, leveraging blockchain technology to operate.
NEUROMORPHIC COMPUTING
- Mimics the human brain and nervous system in computer engineering, encompassing the design of both hardware and software components.
- Neuromorphic hardware strives to replicate biological synapses, monitoring and retaining signals generated by stimuli.
PIEZOELECTRIC EFFECT
- The ability of certain materials to generate an electric charge in response to applied mechanical stress.
- Materials exhibiting the direct piezoelectric effect also exhibit the converse piezoelectric effect (generation of stress when an electric field is applied).
- Application: Reverse piezoelectric effect could be used to control how liquids bend light passing through them, developing lenses with dynamic focusing abilities.
PROTON BEAM THERAPY
- A type of radiation therapy that uses high-energy proton beams (positively charged particles) to treat cancer.
- Works by delivering high doses of radiation directly to the tumor with more precision while minimizing damage to surrounding healthy tissues.
- Applications: Alternative to radiation therapy for treating solid tumors, especially head and neck cancers.
QUANTUM DOTS
- Tiny human-made nanocrystalline semiconductors that can carry electrons and glow in different colors when hit with UV light due to their special electronic and optical traits.
- Used to map biological tissues, in photovoltaic cells, cancer treatments, and security markers on currency and documents.
QUANTUM COMPUTING
- Utilizes quantum mechanics principles to tackle problems beyond classical computers' capacity.
- Uses qubits instead of binary bits as the basic memory units.
- Applications: Drug design & development, cybersecurity & cryptography, logistics optimisation, traffic planning, climate change, etc.
QUANTUM COMMUNICATION
- Communication channels that leverage laws of quantum physics to protect data and make it more secure than traditional transmission.
- In a quantum communication network, data is transmitted via qubits.
QUANTUM ENCRYPTION / QUANTUM KEY DISTRIBUTION (QKD)
- Also known as Quantum Cryptography — various cybersecurity methods for encrypting and transmitting secure data based on the naturally occurring and immutable laws of quantum mechanics.
- Uses photons (particles/waves of light) and their intrinsic properties to develop an unbreakable cryptosystem.
QUANTUM ENGINE
- Utilizes the distinct properties of bosons and fermions to transform the energy difference between two quantum states of atoms into practical work.
- Comprises a gas of lithium-6 atoms confined within an optical and magnetic trap.
- The behavior of this gas can be adjusted to mimic bosonic or fermionic characteristics by manipulating the surrounding magnetic field strength.
QUASICRYSTAL
- Crystal-like substances with a non-repeating atomic arrangement, unlike crystals which have atoms arranged in a repeating pattern.
- Used for coatings for non-stick frying pans, structural materials for aircraft, electronic devices, thermoelectric energy conversion, medical imaging, etc.
4D PRINTING
- Builds over 3D printing technology and adds another dimension of time to the process.
- Objects are created using materials that can change their shape, properties, or functionality over time when exposed to specific environmental stimuli, such as heat, humidity, light, or other triggers.
- Material Used: Hydrogel or shape memory polymer.
- Applications: Biomedicine, mechanical systems, infrastructure, and smart textiles.
4. Summary: New Emerging Technologies at a Glance
| Year | Term | Key Description |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Blockchain Technology | Decentralized digital ledger; security, transparency, immutability; Bitcoin, finance, supply chain |
| 2018 | 3D Printing | Additive manufacturing; layer-by-layer creation from computer design |
| 2017 | OLEDs | Organic compounds emit light; high contrast, wide viewing angles; smartphones, TVs |
| 2015/2020 | Carbon Nanotubes | Cylindrical carbon nanostructures; remarkable strength, conductivity, thermal stability |
Key Takeaways for UPSC
- Blockchain: Decentralized ledger — security, transparency, immutability
- 3D Printing: Additive manufacturing — layer-by-layer construction
- OLEDs: Organic compounds emit light — high contrast, wide viewing angles
- Carbon Nanotubes: Cylindrical nanostructures — strength, conductivity, thermal stability
- Quantum Dots: Nanocrystalline semiconductors — glow in different colors; medical imaging, solar cells, security
- Quantum Computing: Uses qubits — superposition, entanglement
- QKD: Unbreakable encryption using photons
- 4D Printing: Shape-changing materials over time — hydrogel, shape memory polymer
- Neuromorphic Computing: Mimics human brain — replicates biological synapses
- Piezoelectric Effect: Electric charge from mechanical stress — converse effect for dynamic lenses
- Majorana Zero Modes: Particles that are their own antiparticles — topological quantum computing
- Quasicrystal: Non-repeating atomic arrangement — aircraft materials, electronics
High-Yield Interactive UPSC Quiz (New Emerging Technologies)
Q1. Blockchain technology is best described as:
Correct Answer: B. Blockchain is a decentralized digital ledger system that records transactions across multiple computers, ensuring security, transparency, and immutability.
Q2. OLEDs use which type of material to emit light?
Correct Answer: B. OLEDs (Organic Light Emitting Diodes) use organic compounds that emit light in response to an electric current.
Q3. Carbon nanotubes are made of carbon atoms arranged in a:
Correct Answer: B. Carbon nanotubes are cylindrical nanostructures made of carbon atoms arranged in a hexagonal lattice.
Q4. Quantum dots are:
Correct Answer: C. Quantum dots are tiny human-made nanocrystalline semiconductors that can carry electrons and glow in different colors when hit with UV light.
Q5. The piezoelectric effect refers to the generation of:
Correct Answer: B. The piezoelectric effect is the ability of certain materials to generate an electric charge in response to applied mechanical stress.
Q6. 4D printing adds which dimension to 3D printing?
Correct Answer: B. 4D printing builds over 3D printing technology and adds another dimension of time to the process, allowing objects to change shape over time.
Q7. Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) uses which particles for encryption?
Correct Answer: C. Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) uses photons (particles/waves of light) and their intrinsic properties to develop an unbreakable cryptosystem.
Q8. Majorana Zero Modes are unique particles that are:
Correct Answer: A. Majorana Zero Modes are unique particles that are their own antiparticles (possessing opposite quantum properties like charge).
Q9. Neuromorphic computing mimics:
Correct Answer: B. Neuromorphic computing mimics the human brain and nervous system in computer engineering, replicating biological synapses.
Q10. Quasicrystals have which type of atomic arrangement?
Correct Answer: B. Quasicrystals are crystal-like substances but unlike crystals, which have atoms arranged in a repeating pattern, quasicrystals have a non-repeating atomic arrangement.