These Climate-friendly Microbes Recycle Carbon Without Producing Methane

May 25, 2021

Scientists have recently discovered an entirely new phylum of archaea, found within seven hot springs in China, as well as from the deep-sea hydrothermal vents in the Gulf of California. When studied, genes that produce methane could not be identified, signifying their significant role in Earth’s carbon cycle.

“Microorganisms are the most diverse and abundant form of life on Earth, and we just know 1 percent of them. Our information is biased toward the organisms that affect humans. But there are a lot of organisms that drive the main chemical cycles on Earth that we just don’t know.”
Valerie De Anda, environmental biologist at the University of Texas, Austin

Read the original article in Science.

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Butterflies Provide ‘Extraordinary’ Help Pollinating Cotton Fields

Environment , Microbiology

When it comes to cotton, butterflies play an unexpected role. A new study suggests that hoverflies and butterflies add about $120 million per year to the cotton harvest in Texas alone. Butterfly biologists hope the findings will encourage farmers to conserve habitat that benefits these overlooked pollinators.

Modern Life is Messing with Our Microbiomes, But Science is Fighting Back

Microbiology

The microbiome plays a crucial role in physical and mental health. A person's first few years of life are critical in acquiring the microbes necessary for a robust microbiome. Modern life is making it harder to get this exposure, with the drop in interactions due to the pandemic potentially having long-lasting effects. Scientists are researching solutions to restore this essential biological system.

These Climate-friendly Microbes Recycle Carbon Without Producing Methane

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Butterflies Provide ‘Extraordinary’ Help Pollinating Cotton Fields

Modern Life is Messing with Our Microbiomes, But Science is Fighting Back