Anemonefish
A recent study revealed new insights into how anemonefish contribute to their host’s well-being by providing food.
- Has symbiotic relationship with anemone species
- Anemones – Stinging polyps closely related to corals and jellyfish.
- Seek refuge in sea anemones, which protect them from predators with their stinging tentacles.
- In return, anemonefish helps in maintaining their hosts by driving away organisms that could harm the anemones.
Gum Arabic
Smuggling of Gum Arabic from war-torn Sudan is impacting global supply chains.
- A dried water-soluble exudate obtained from the Acacia trees.
- Sudan produces around 80% of the world’s gum arabic.
- Serves as an ideal functional dietary fibre ingredient in food.
Wallace Line
‘Wallace Line’ explains the species differences across continents.
- An invisible biogeographical boundary proposed by Alfred Wallace, separating Asian and Australian fauna.
- The line marks a dramatic shift in species characteristics over a narrow distance.
- Reason – Collision between the Australian and Asian tectonic plates formed volcanic islands that acted as isolated habitats, separating species and allowing independent evolution
Line of Credit
RBI has directed large NBFCs to stop new lines of credit and renewals.
- Flexible, working capital-like debt facility often extended to self-employed individuals and small businesses.
- Such funds can be withdrawn multiple times up to an approved limit.
- Surplus funds can be deposited back into the loan account.
- Interest-only payments are allowed initially, with principal deferred
Bose Metal
Researchers have found strong evidence of Bose Metal in Niobium Diselenide
- A kind of anomalous metallic state
- In this Cooper pairs are formed but don’t condense into a superconductor.
- Cooper pairs – Coupled electrons in a superconductor that behave like bosons and condense into a collective quantum state.
- Exist in a state where conductivity is neither infinite (like a superconductor) nor zero (like an insulator).
- Helps in probing Quantum Processes.