1 October 2026
The United States National Park Service confirmed that the Holei Sea Arch in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park has collapsed into the Pacific Ocean.
The 90-foot arch was still standing on Wednesday 23 September and had collapsed by Sunday night 27 September.
The exact time of the collapse is unknown and it could have occurred while the park was temporarily closed during Tropical Storm Nolo.
Seismic activity from the 2018 Kilauea eruption had damaged the nearby cliffs.
New cracks prompted the closure of the original viewing area in January 2020, and surf from Tropical Storm Darby later broke off a chunk of rock from the lower part of the arch.
The park service warned that cliff edges in the area are unstable and can collapse without warning.
Height of the arch:
90 feet
Last seen standing:
Wednesday 23 September
Found collapsed by:
Sunday night 27 September
Park:
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
Why it matters for exams: Sea arches are a textbook landform of marine erosion, and this is a dated real-world example.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
Sea arch Sea arch — A natural rock bridge formed when waves cut through a headland from both sides.
Stack Sea stack — The isolated pillar of rock left standing after a sea arch collapses.
1 October 2026
NASA said on 1 October 2026 that astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope have sorted extreme debris disks into two distinct classes by their mineral composition.
The team studied 21 such systems, 16 observed with Webb and 5 drawn from archival Spitzer Space Telescope data, using mid-infrared spectra.
About one third of the disks are silica-rich, which points to high-energy collisions between Mars-sized bodies with a great deal of vaporisation.
The remaining two thirds are silica-poor, indicating lower-energy impacts between Moon-sized objects.
Silica-rich disks were found only around stars younger than 300 million years.
The work was led by Kate Su of the Space Science Institute in Boulder, Colorado, with Agnes Kospal and Attila Moor of Konkoly Observatory in Budapest, and was published in The Astrophysical Journal.
NASA compared the events to the impact of the Mars-sized body Theia with the early Earth, about 100 million years after the solar system formed, which is thought to have made the Moon.
Systems studied:
21 (16 Webb, 5 Spitzer archive)
Silica-rich share:
about one third
Age limit for silica-rich disks:
younger than 300 million years
Journal:
The Astrophysical Journal
Why it matters for exams: Webb results are regularly set in science sections, and this one carries clean numbers, a named journal and the Theia giant-impact link.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
debris disk debris disk — A ring of dust and rubble around a star, produced when rocky bodies collide and break up.
Theia Theia — The Mars-sized body thought to have struck the early Earth, with the debris forming the Moon.
1 October 2026
Justice Harisankar V. Menon of the Kerala High Court ruled on 28 September 2026 on a suo motu case that began with a breast cancer patient's plea about the cost of Ribociclib.
The court held that Section 100 of the Patents Act, 1970 lets the Central government make patented medicines and supply them to patients on a non-commercial basis when prices are exorbitant.
It did not order the Centre to act, saying whether to invoke Section 100 is a policy decision for the Central government.
The ruling also drew on Articles 21 and 47 of the Constitution.
Judge:
Justice Harisankar V. Menon
Provision:
Section 100, Patents Act, 1970
Drug in the case:
Ribociclib
Why it matters for exams: Patent law, public health and the Directive Principles meet in this ruling, a likely linking question.
Kerala PSCUPSC
Background
ISRO describes Gaganyaan as the demonstration of human spaceflight capability by launching a crew of 3 members to an orbit of 400 km for a 3 days mission and bringing them back safely to Earth. The launch vehicle is the Human Rated LVM3 (HLVM3), re-configured to meet human rating requirements. The Crew Module is a pressurised, double-walled habitable space with an Earth-like environment. The Service Module is unpressurised and supports the Crew Module while in orbit. Landing is planned in Indian sea waters.
Crew:
3
Orbit altitude:
400 km
Mission duration:
3 days
Launch vehicle:
Human Rated LVM3 (HLVM3)
Why it matters for exams: Gaganyaan is ISRO's flagship human spaceflight programme and a recurring topic in science and current affairs.
Kerala PSCUPSC
1 October 2026
Housing Minister Mons Joseph inaugurated Nirmithi Kendram's first 3D printing building technology centre in Kerala at the Nirmithi headquarters in PTP Nagar, Thiruvananthapuram, on 30 September 2026.
The Minister said better construction facilities would be provided in the State's building sector by making use of new technologies.
Through 3D printing technology based on digital design, complex shapes and structures can be built with greater precision.
Completing construction at lower cost, and cutting the time and labour the construction sector needs, are the main gains of the technology.
The Minister described Nirmithi Kendram's shift from traditional construction methods to modern 3D printing technology as a step in keeping with the times.
Minister K Muraleedharan inaugurated the Integrated Skill Training Programme conducted by Nirmithi Kendram at the same event.
State Nirmithi Kendram Director Dr Feby Varghese and Kesnik Chief Technical Officer Santhosh V took part.
Facility:
Kerala's first 3D printing building technology centre of Nirmithi Kendram
Location:
Nirmithi headquarters, PTP Nagar, Thiruvananthapuram
Inaugurated by:
Housing Minister Mons Joseph
Date:
30 September 2026
Training programme launched:
Integrated Skill Training Programme
Why it matters for exams: State firsts and new construction technologies are standing Kerala PSC and UPSC material, and the question usually turns on where the facility came up and which department runs it.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
3D printing Three-dimensional printing — A digital-design based method in which a structure is built up layer by layer instead of being cast or laid by hand.
Nirmithi Kendram State Nirmithi Kendram — The State agency in the building sector whose headquarters at PTP Nagar hosts the new centre.
Background
A study has found that Melye-amiley, a traditional fermented bamboo shoot variety from Tripura, possesses an anti-obesity property.
The work was carried out at the Institute of Advanced Study in Science and Technology (IASST), an autonomous institute under the Department of Science & Technology, and was led by Prof. Mojibur R. Khan.
The extract can reduce intracellular lipid accumulation through increased expression of lipolytic genes such as HSL and LPL and of fat-browning regulators including UCP1, PRDM16 and PGC1-alpha.
The treatment activates thermogenic protein expression via the AMPK signalling pathway, stimulating mitochondrial biogenesis and enhancing fatty acid beta-oxidation.
This boosts energy expenditure in white adipocytes, offering an option for weight management and metabolic health.
The findings were published in the journal Food Frontiers.
Fermented bamboo shoot:
Melye-amiley
Institute:
Institute of Advanced Study in Science and Technology (IASST)
Study led by:
Prof. Mojibur R. Khan
Signalling pathway:
AMPK
Journal:
Food Frontiers
Why it matters for exams: Tripura's bamboo economy and the institutes of the Department of Science & Technology are both standard exam ground, and this study links the two.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
IASST Institute of Advanced Study in Science and Technology — An autonomous research institute under the Department of Science & Technology that works on North East India's bioresources.
Fat browning Fat browning — The conversion of energy-storing white fat cells towards heat-producing brown-like cells, which raises energy expenditure.
1 October 2026
Tripura Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha launched the Seva First Innovation Challenge 2026, the Mukhyamantri Yuva Jogajog Yojana and Digi-SAPNE 3.0 at an event at Women's College, Agartala on 1 October 2026.
At the same event he inaugurated the renovation and development works of the Matangini Pritilata Auditorium.
He said the youth are a vital human resource and that the younger generation will lead the way towards building a developed nation.
He said technology and innovation would guide Tripura's future development and economic growth.
He added that the state government is prioritising technology-driven improvements in educational infrastructure, with greater emphasis on Artificial Intelligence.
He also stressed the need to combine institutional education with modern technology so that learning stays rooted in ethics and practical skills.
Launched on:
1 October 2026
Venue:
Women's College, Agartala
Schemes launched:
Seva First Innovation Challenge 2026, Mukhyamantri Yuva Jogajog Yojana, Digi-SAPNE 3.0
Auditorium renovated:
Matangini Pritilata Auditorium
Why it matters for exams: New state scheme names and the venue at which they were launched are standard one-mark current affairs questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
AI Artificial Intelligence — Computer systems that perform tasks such as recognition, prediction and language use that normally need human intelligence.
1 October 2026
A paper published in Nature on 30 September 2026 introduces Ataraxos, an artificial intelligence for the board wargame Stratego. The authors describe Stratego as prized as a challenge problem for the scale of its hidden information, and say that top-human-level play had remained beyond the reach of AI despite industrial research efforts costing millions of dollars. In a 20-game series, Ataraxos defeated Pim Niemeijer, described in the paper as the most decorated Stratego player of all time, with 15 wins, 1 loss and 4 draws. The authors say this is, to their knowledge, the first superhuman result in the game's history, and that Ataraxos cost only a few thousand dollars to train. Using the same techniques for self-play reinforcement learning and test-time search, the team also built a superhuman AI for Barrage Stratego and state-of-the-art AIs for Hanabi and dou dizhu. The paper appears in Nature volume 658, pages 55-59, and its authors are at Carnegie Mellon University, New York University, Stanford University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
AI system:
Ataraxos
Series result against Pim Niemeijer:
15 wins, 1 loss and 4 draws in a 20-game series
Other games covered:
Barrage Stratego, Hanabi, dou dizhu
Journal:
Nature, volume 658, pages 55-59
Why it matters for exams: AI milestones in games, and the distinction between perfect and imperfect information, are asked in science and technology current affairs.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Imperfect information Imperfect information — A term for interactions in which some players hold information that others do not, unlike chess or Go where the whole position is visible.
Self-play reinforcement learning Self-play reinforcement learning — Training in which a program improves by repeatedly playing against versions of itself rather than against recorded human games.
1 October 2026
NATO said on 29 September 2026 that a public summary of its quantum technology roadmap had been released that day. Allies approved the roadmap on 30 July 2026 to accelerate the understanding, adoption and integration of quantum technologies across NATO and Allied armed forces, and to mitigate potential disruptive risks stemming from strategic competition. The roadmap builds on NATO's Quantum Strategy approved in 2023 and focuses on quantum computing, quantum communication and quantum sensing. NATO said the Transatlantic Quantum Community and its Industry Network will play an important role in implementing the activities identified in the roadmap. The Transatlantic Quantum Community last met in Washington D.C. on 24-25 September 2026, where discussions covered how advances in quantum computing could affect secure communications, critical infrastructure, intelligence, strategic stability and crisis decision-making. The community welcomed Belgium and Bulgaria, who officially joined 22 other Allies and six partner nations participating in it. The Netherlands became its Chair for one year on 12 May 2026, with Canada as Vice-Chair; established in 2024, it is a non-binding informal community of quantum experts from national governments, industry, academia, funding bodies and research institutions.
Roadmap approved by Allies:
30 July 2026
Public summary released:
29 September 2026
Focus areas:
Quantum computing, quantum communication, quantum sensing
Transatlantic Quantum Community Chair:
The Netherlands, with Canada as Vice-Chair
Newly joined:
Belgium and Bulgaria
Why it matters for exams: Quantum technology in defence and NATO's internal structures are frequent current affairs and defence questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
TQC Transatlantic Quantum Community — A non-binding informal community of quantum experts from governments, industry, academia, funding bodies and research institutions, established in 2024.
Quantum sensing Quantum sensing — Measurement that uses quantum properties to detect very small changes, for example in position, navigation and timing.
CMRE NATO Centre for Maritime Research and Experimentation — A NATO research centre at La Spezia in Italy, which ran the Questor 26 experimentation campaign with the TQC Industry Network.
1 October 2026
A paper titled 'Sugar-rich foods exacerbate antibiotic-induced microbiome disruption' was published in the journal Nature on 30 September 2026. The study found that the intake of sweets and sugars during antibiotic exposure predicted exacerbated microbial dysbiosis, manifesting as lowered alpha-diversity and greater expansion of the pathobiont Enterococcus. Experiments in mice also showed that sucrose supplementation increased and prolonged antibiotic-induced Enterococcus expansion. The authors conclude that avoiding a diet rich in simple sugars during antibiotic treatment may mitigate microbiota disruption.
Journal:
Nature
Published:
30 September 2026
Pathobiont that expanded:
Enterococcus
Sugar used in mouse experiments:
Sucrose
Why it matters for exams: Gut microbiome, dysbiosis and antimicrobial topics recur in science and health sections of competitive examinations.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Dysbiosis Microbial dysbiosis — An imbalance in the community of microbes living in the gut, often following antibiotic use.
Pathobiont Pathobiont — A microbe that normally lives harmlessly in the body but can cause disease when conditions change.
1 October 2026
A research paper titled 'Global mangrove distribution on the open coast is controlled by waves' was published in the journal Nature on 30 September 2026. The authors built a mechanistic model using 20 years of wave data across 400 globally distributed coastal sites. The process-driven approach achieved 78.2% accuracy in predicting the presence or absence of mangroves. The model works by identifying windows of opportunity for mangrove establishment in cases for which wave forcing is low.
Journal:
Nature
Published:
30 September 2026
Coastal sites studied:
400
Wave data span:
20 years
Model accuracy:
78.2%
Why it matters for exams: Mangroves are a standard environment topic, and this paper gives a current, citable finding on what limits their global spread.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Mangrove Mangrove forest — Salt-tolerant trees and shrubs growing in the intertidal zone of tropical and subtropical coasts.
1 October 2026
The Nobel Prize announcements for 2026 run from 5 to 12 October. Physiology or Medicine is announced on Monday 5 October at 11:30 CEST at the earliest, Physics on Tuesday 6 October at 11:45 CEST at the earliest and Chemistry on Wednesday 7 October at 11:45 CEST at the earliest. Literature follows on Thursday 8 October at 13:00 CEST at the earliest and the Peace Prize on Friday 9 October at 11:00 CEST. The Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel is announced on Monday 12 October at 11:45 CEST at the earliest.
Physiology or Medicine:
Monday, 5 October, 11:30 CEST at the earliest
Physics:
Tuesday, 6 October, 11:45 CEST at the earliest
Chemistry:
Wednesday, 7 October, 11:45 CEST at the earliest
Literature:
Thursday, 8 October, 13:00 CEST at the earliest
Peace:
Friday, 9 October, 11:00 CEST
Economic Sciences:
Monday, 12 October, 11:45 CEST at the earliest
Why it matters for exams: The Nobel Prize categories, their order of announcement and the separate status of the economics prize are frequently asked.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
CEST Central European Summer Time — The summer time zone used in Sweden and much of Europe, two hours ahead of Coordinated Universal Time.
Background
The Embassy of India in Helsinki records that Dr. Alexander Stubb, President of the Republic of Finland, made a state visit to India from March 4-7, 2026, the first such visit by a Finnish president after 1996. During the visit India-Finland relations were elevated to Strategic Partnership in Digitalization and Sustainability. The trip focused on strengthening bilateral cooperation in technology, green energy and geopolitics. President Stubb was accompanied by Climate and Environment Minister Sari Multala, Employment Minister Matias Marttinen, and executives from Nokia, KONE, Wartsila, Kempower and Metso. A renewal of the MoU on Environmental Cooperation was exchanged by Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh and Finland's Minister of Climate and the Environment Sari Multala. An MoU on Migration and Mobility Partnership was exchanged by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Finland's Minister of Employment Matias Marttinen, and an MoU on cooperation in the field of Statistics by Secretary (West) Sibi George and Finland's Ambassador in New Delhi Kimmo Lahdevirta. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Stubb inaugurated the Raisina Dialogue during the visit.
Partnership:
Strategic Partnership in Digitalization and Sustainability
Visit:
State visit of President Alexander Stubb, March 4-7, 2026
Previous Finnish presidential visit:
1996
MoUs exchanged:
Environmental Cooperation (renewal), Migration and Mobility Partnership, Statistics
Why it matters for exams: The name of a strategic partnership and the agreements signed with a visiting head of state are standard international relations questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
MoU Memorandum of Understanding — A written understanding between two parties that records agreed areas of cooperation.
Raisina Dialogue India's annual conference on geopolitics and geo-economics — It is held in New Delhi and brings together heads of state, ministers and scholars.
30 September 2026
A paper in Nature by Lövestam and colleagues, published on 30 September 2026, tested whether tau protein spreads like a prion.
Prions are shape-shifting proteins that act as templates, forcing normal functional proteins into a misfolded, aggregation-prone form.
Injecting human tau fibrils into mice caused mouse tau to take on the form of the injected structures.
The result bolsters the theory that tau, a feature of neurodegenerative disorders, propagates like prions.
Other proteins linked to neurodegenerative disease, such as amyloid-beta and alpha-synuclein, are also thought to spread in a prion-like way.
Journal:
Nature
Published:
30 September 2026
Animal model:
Mice
Why it matters for exams: Prions and protein misfolding in neurodegenerative disease are standard biology and health topics.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Prion Infectious misfolded protein — A protein that templates normal copies of itself into a misfolded form.
30 September 2026
Nature published on 30 September 2026 a study from the Centre for Ecology and Conservation at the University of Exeter showing that butterfly wing markings work together with flight dynamics to create illusory motion.
High-speed video of take-offs filmed at 1,000 frames per second showed that patterned wings produced significantly greater motion confusion than unpatterned treatments.
A phylogenetically controlled analysis of 757 morphotypes across 397 European butterfly species found the effect to be an evolutionarily widespread strategy.
Digital evolution experiments using genetic algorithms, selecting only for motion confusion, independently produced high-contrast butterfly-like wing patterns.
In a touch-screen test with 100 human participants over 3,000 trials, attacks fell further behind the butterfly as forwards confusion rose: between the most and the least confusing species tested, the centre of attacks shifted backwards by about 38 per cent of average body length.
The authors describe the combination as potentially one of the most successful visual defence strategies in moving animals.
Species in phylogenetic analysis:
397 European butterfly species
Backward shift in attack centre, most vs least confusing species:
about 38 per cent of average body length
Institution:
University of Exeter
Why it matters for exams: Camouflage and mimicry are standard ecology topics, and this gives a dated primary study with precise numbers.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
phylogenetic analysis phylogenetic analysis — A method that compares species along their evolutionary family tree to test whether a trait is widespread or isolated.
30 September 2026
Nature published on 30 September 2026 a study of Asgard archaea, the closest known prokaryotic relatives of eukaryotes.
Using live imaging, the researchers saw cells grow and retract protrusions at 1.5 to 4.8 micrometres per minute, rearranging their membrane architecture within minutes.
Both the Lokiarchaea and Hodarchaea lineages crawled along surfaces at 1.6 to 3.4 micrometres per minute, speeds that match the crawling of eukaryotic cells.
The movement depends on Lokiactin, an archaeal counterpart of actin; actin inhibitors, particularly Swinholide A, stopped it at concentrations similar to those that affect eukaryotic cells.
Crawling motility of this kind had not been reported in prokaryotes before.
The authors argue that membrane plasticity and actin-driven movement may have been crucial to the emergence of the first eukaryotic cells, about 2 billion years ago.
Protrusion growth and retraction:
1.5-4.8 micrometres per minute
Crawling speed:
1.6-3.4 micrometres per minute
Protein involved:
Lokiactin
Why it matters for exams: The archaea-to-eukaryote question is a live topic in cell biology and evolution, and this paper gives it a dated, quotable result.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Asgard archaea Asgard archaea — A group of archaea that carry many eukaryote-like proteins and are regarded as the closest prokaryotic relatives of eukaryotes.
actin actin — A protein that forms filaments inside cells and drives changes in cell shape and movement.
30 September 2026
Nature published on 30 September 2026 a study that reclassifies Westlothiana lizziae, one of the best known fossils from East Kirkton in West Lothian, Scotland.
The specimen dates to the Early Carboniferous, in the Visean stage.
It had been widely cited as the earliest terrestrially adapted stem amniote, that is a land-adapted close relative of the amniotes; the new phylogenetic analyses return it instead as a stem tetrapod.
The evidence includes unexpected plesiomorphies of the skull roof, palate, braincase and mandible, together with aquatic adaptations such as an ossified internal gill skeleton and extensive denticles on the palate and mandible.
The authors conclude that terrestrial adaptations, including an amniote-like pedal formula, the loss of fin-like forelimb function and superficially claw-like terminal phalanges, evolved in a mosaic fashion in a transitional, amphibious context before the origin of the tetrapod crown group.
Fossil:
Westlothiana lizziae
Site:
East Kirkton, West Lothian, Scotland
Age:
Early Carboniferous (Visean)
Why it matters for exams: The water-to-land transition is standard biology and the item supplies the exact fossil, the place and the geological stage.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
tetrapod four-limbed vertebrate — The group of vertebrates with four limbs, including amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals.
amniote amniote — A vertebrate whose embryo develops in a fluid-filled amniotic sac, allowing reproduction away from water.
30 September 2026
The Union Cabinet approved Green Energy Corridor Phase-III with a total outlay of ₹1,86,405 crore. Of this, ₹1,36,378 crore is for Intra-State Transmission Systems and ₹50,000 crore for 50 GWh of battery energy storage. Central financial assistance is ₹54,082 crore. The scheme will facilitate evacuation of 135 GW of renewable energy and the projects are targeted to be set up by 2032-33.
Total outlay:
₹1,86,405 crore
Intra-State transmission:
₹1,36,378 crore
Battery storage:
₹50,000 crore for 50 GWh
Central financial assistance:
₹54,082 crore
Renewable evacuation:
135 GW
Why it matters for exams: Large power-sector schemes with outlays and capacity targets are common in economy and current affairs papers.
Kerala PSCUPSC
30 September 2026
NASA has set the SpaceX Crew-13 launch for Thursday 1 October 2026 at 11:10 a.m. EDT from Space Launch Complex 40, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
The crew is Commander Jessica Watkins and Pilot Luke Delaney of NASA, Joshua Kutryk of the Canadian Space Agency and Sergey Teteryatnikov of Roscosmos.
The Dragon is to dock at the Harmony module's forward-facing port at about 7 p.m. EDT.
The transit of about 7 hours 50 minutes would be the fastest by a U.S. spacecraft in space station history.
Crew-12 is scheduled to return no earlier than 5 October 2026.
Launch:
1 October 2026, 11:10 a.m. EDT
Transit time:
About 7 hours 50 minutes
Launch site:
Space Launch Complex 40, Cape Canaveral
Why it matters for exams: Crewed missions to the International Space Station and international crew composition are recurring science and technology questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
ISS International Space Station — It is a crewed research laboratory orbiting Earth, run by several space agencies.
Harmony ISS node module — It is a connecting module of the station with docking ports.
30 September 2026
NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope has completed testing of its fine-guidance system between 15 and 21 September 2026.
On 22 September 2026 its Coronagraph Instrument made a first observation, of a faint star in the Large Magellanic Cloud.
The Wide Field Instrument has 18 detectors assigned to observe guide stars.
Pointing is stable to better than 1/100,000 of a degree for half an hour for Wide Field Instrument observations, or for eight hours for Coronagraph Instrument observations.
Roman uses spectral guiding, a method NASA says was not attempted before on a space telescope.
Wide Field Instrument guide-star detectors:
18
First coronagraph observation:
22 September 2026
Target:
Large Magellanic Cloud
Why it matters for exams: Space-telescope missions and instruments such as the coronagraph are standard science and technology questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Coronagraph Instrument that blocks starlight — It blocks a star's glare so that faint objects near it can be seen.
Large Magellanic Cloud Neighbouring dwarf galaxy — It is a small galaxy close to our own Milky Way.