A new study published in Science Advances reveals a surprising twist in the evolutionary history of complex life. Researchers at Queen Mary University of London have discovered that a single-celled […]
Giant Viruses
Posted inArctic / Antarctic / Alpine, Away Teams & Field Reports, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Cryobiology, Exploration Gear & Tech, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Habitable Zones, Icy Worlds, Microbiology & Virology, Press Release
Giant Viruses Have Been Found On Greenland’s Ice Sheet
Every spring when the sun rises in the Arctic after months of darkness, life returns. The polar bears pop up from their winter lairs, the arctic tern soar back from […]
Posted inBiochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Habitable Zones, Microbiology & Virology, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs, Status Report, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography
Active Prokaryotic And Eukaryotic Viral Ecology Across Spatial Scale In A Deep-sea Brine Pool
Deep-sea brine pools represent rare, extreme environments that focus biodiversity at bathyal to abyssal depths. Despite their small size and distribution, brine pools represent important ecosystems to study because they […]
Posted inBiogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Microbiology & Virology, Status Report
Hot Springs Viruses At Yellowstone National Park Have Ancient Origins And Are Adapted To Their Thermophilic Hosts
Geothermal springs in areas such as Yellowstone National Park (YNP), USA house unicellular red algae that dominate the microbial biomass. Little is known about the viruses that infect the biota.
Posted inExploration Gear & Tech, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Microbiology & Virology, Press Release, Tricorders & Sensors
Tricorder Tech: High-voltage Cryo-electron Microscopy Reveals Tiny Secrets Of Giant Viruses
Despite their name, giant viruses are difficult to visualize in detail. They are too big for conventional electron microscopy, yet too small for optical microscopy used to study larger specimens. […]
Posted inGenomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics
Using DNA To Trace The Origins Of Giant Viruses
2003 was a big year for virologists. The first giant virus was discovered in this year, which shook the virology scene, revising what was thought to be an established understanding […]