Researchers at the University of Miami (UM) Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science recently discovered rare deep-sea brine pools in the Gulf of Aqaba, a northern extension to the […]
microbiology
Posted inAstrogeology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Cryobiology, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Icy Worlds, Microbiology & Virology, Press Release
Biolocomotion And Premelting In Ice
Biota are found in glaciers, ice sheets and permafrost. Ice bound micro-organisms evolve in a complex mobile environment facilitated or hindered by a range of bulk and surface interactions.
Posted inMicrobiology & Virology
Ancient Microbes May Help Us Find Extraterrestrial Life Forms
Using light-capturing proteins in living microbes, scientists have reconstructed what life was like for some of Earth’s earliest organisms. These efforts could help us recognize signs of life on other […]
Posted inMicrobiology & Virology
Virus Discovery Offers Clues About The Origins Of Complex Life
The first discovery of viruses infecting a group of microbes that may include the ancestors of all complex life has been found, researchers at The University of Texas at Austin […]
Posted inMicrobiology & Virology
Giant Bacteria Challenges Traditional Concepts
At first glance, the slightly murky waters in the tube look like a scoop of stormwater, complete with leaves, debris, and even lighter threads in the mix. But in the […]
Posted inBiochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Microbiology & Virology, Press Release, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography
Magnetic Foraminifera Thrive In The Mariana Trench
Unicellular magnetic microorganisms include magnetotactic bacteria and some protist species. Although magnetosome magnetite in bacteria (prokaryotes) is well studied, little is known regarding the characteristics and origin of magnetic minerals […]
Posted inMicrobiology & Virology
830 Million Year Old Microorganisms In Primary Fluid Inclusions In Halit
Primary fluid inclusions in bedded halite from the 830-m.y.-old Browne Formation ofcentral Australia contain organic solids and liquids, as documented with transmitted light and ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) petrography. These objects are […]
Posted inMicrobiology & Virology
Studying Microorganisms On Earth To Gain Insight Into Life On Other Planets
In Oman, located on the Persian Gulf, there is a large slab of ancient seafloor, including ultramafic rocks from Earth’s upper mantle, called the Samail Ophiolite. These unique rocks not […]
Posted inMicrobiology & Virology
What Naegleria Amoebae Can Tell Us About The Diversity Of Life On Earth And Its Evolutionary History
An international team of researchers, led by the University of Massachusetts Amherst, recently announced in the journal Current Biology that an amoeba called Naegleria has evolved more distinct sets of […]
Posted inMicrogravity
A Centimeter-long Bacterium With DNA Compartmentalized In Membrane-bound Organelles
Cells of most bacterial species are around 2 µm in length, with some of the largest specimens reaching 750 µm. Using fluorescence, x-ray, and electron microscopy in conjunction with genome […]