Tardigrades

• These organisms, also called water bears and moss piglets, are microscopic eight-legged creatures without a backbone.
• They are microscopic, multicellular, and one of the most durable forms of life on planet Earth.
• Belonging to a phylum of their own (Tardigrada), these remarkable creatures inhabit some of the more extreme ecosystems on the planet, from the frigid expanses of the Arctic and deep-sea floors to scorching deserts and even the vacuum of space. 
• Evolutionarily, the tardigrades are an ancient species. The earliest known fossils date from around 90 million years ago, in the Cretaceous Period. Molecular dating suggests they originated at least 600 million years ago.
• Around 1,300 species of tardigrades are found worldwide. Considered aquatic because they require a thin layer of water around their bodies to prevent dehydration.
• When facing hostile environments, tardigrades can enter a state called cryptobiosis, effectively pausing almost all their biological processes and lingering in a state of suspended animation. This peculiar state allows them to tolerate extreme dryness, intense radiation, and freezing. Tardigrades’ ability to survive radiation is due to specialised mechanisms that can shield their genetic material from damage. In fact, they don’t just survive otherwise hazardous radiation: they are able to recover and resume normal life.
• Their resiliency is also in part due to a unique protein in their bodies called Dsup—short for “damage suppressor”—that protects their DNA from being harmed by things like ionizing radiation, which is present in soil, water, and vegetation
•  Depending on the species, the animals may reproduce asexually or sexually. 

Permafrost

• • Permafrost is a permanently frozen layer on or under Earth’s surface. It consists of soil, gravel, and sand, usually bound together by ice. Permafrost usually remains at or below 0°C (32ºF) for at least two years.
• Permafrost can be found on land and below the ocean floor. 
• It is found in areas where temperatures rarely rise above freezing. This means permafrost is often found in Arctic regions such as Greenland, the U.S. state of Alaska, Russia, China, and Eastern Europe.

Composition: 

• Permafrost is made of a combination of soil, rocks, and sand that are held together by ice. The soil and ice in permafrost stay frozen all year. 
• Near the surface, permafrost soils also contain large quantities of organic carbon—a material leftover from dead plants that couldn’t decompose or rot away due to the cold.
• Lower permafrost layers contain soils made mostly of minerals. 
• A layer of soil on top of the permafrost does not stay frozen all year. This layer, called the active layer, thaws during the warm summer months and freezes again in the fall

Additional Information

• Kodo millet (Paspalum scrobiculatum) is also known as Kodra and Varagu in India.
• It is a staple food for many tribal and economically weaker sections in India.
• Required climatic condition:
  • The tropical and subtropical regions are best suited for Kodo millet cultivation.
  • It is grown on poor soils, and widely distributed in arid and semi-arid regions.
• The millet is believed to have originated in India and Madhya Pradesh is one of the largest producers of the crop, according to a 2020 research paper.
• Apart from MP, the millet is cultivated in Gujarat, Karnataka, Chhattisgarh, and parts of Tamil Nadu.
• The crop is grown in India, Pakistan, the Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, and West Africa.
• According to the research paper, “CPA (Cyclopiazonic acid) is one of the major mycotoxins associated with the kodo millet seeds causing kodo poisoning which was first recognised during the mid-eighties”.
  • Kodo poisoning occurs mainly due to the consumption of kodo grains, when “maturing and harvesting if the grains had encountered with rainfall, resulting in a fungal infection leading to ‘poisoned kodo’ which is locally known as ‘Matawna Kodoo’ or ‘Matona Kodo’ in northern India.”
  • Kodo poisoning mainly affects the nervous and cardiovascular systems and the chief symptoms include “vomiting, giddiness, and unconsciousness, small and rapid pulse, cold extremities, shaking of limbs and tremors.”

Additional Information

• The scheme will get Rs 3,600 crore for 2024-25 to 2030-31.
• The scheme aims to support 2.2 million students, prioritising those enrolled in government institutions and pursuing professional or technical courses. Banks and financial institutions will be reimbursed through E-vouchers and Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) wallets.

Benefits of PM-Vidyalaxmi scheme

• Collateral-free loans: Students can obtain loans that fully cover tuition and associated expenses without the need for collateral or guarantors.
• Credit guarantee: For loans up to Rs 7.5 lakh, the government provides a 75 per cent credit guarantee, making it easier for banks to lend to a larger number of students.  
• Interest subsidy:Students from families with an annual income of up to Rs 8 lakh are eligible for a 3 percent interest subsidy on loans up to Rs 10 lakh during the moratorium period, with priority given to those pursuing technical or professional courses in government institutions.

Applications

• The Department of Higher Education will have a unified portal, ‘PM-Vidyalaxmi,’ where students can apply for education loans and interest subsidies through a simplified process accessible across all banks.

Miombo forests

2. It also hosts numerous bird species, including the Miombo rock thrush and the African pitta.

2. Rainfall is seasonal, occurring mainly during the wet season from November to April.

3. Temperatures vary widely between the hot, wet season and the cooler, dry season.