Gene editing in archaea would require a molecular toolkit that microbiologists have yet to develop. 18 “You have to find an antibiotic or selection marker that works. You have to find plasmids. It’s ...

The mystery of life’s beginnings has long captivated scientists. Central to that search is LUCA—the last universal common ...

Microbes in the Gowanus sediment have evolved methods of coping with and even subsisting off of the contamination, according to new research co-authored by Hénaff. Hundreds of hardy microbe species, ...

Understanding the origin of the building block of all animal and plant life may lead to more insights about life on Earth and ...

Names in red are the first 56 genomes sequenced for the Genomic Encyclopedia of Bacteria and Archaea. This group represents a broader sampling of the “Tree of Life” than has previously been ...

Giant viruses, like the ones found in Yellowstone's hot springs, have been turning up in many odd corners of the planet.

Corals everywhere on the planet live in harmony with microscopic organisms. Many corals get their vivid colors from ...

Even in the water surrounding coral reefs, there is a microscopic soup of bacteria, archaea, and other types of microbes that respond to changes in the habitat and can indicate whether or not the ...

LUCA sits at the root of the evolutionary tree, where two great domains of life—Bacteria and Archaea—split. This ancient microbe holds clues about how life first gained a foothold on Earth.