Scientists uncover a microbe challenging the definition of ‘Life'; a discovery that could rewrite biology textbooks
Researchers led by Ryo Harada from Dalhousie University found a strange new organism named
Sukunaarchaeum mirabile
. It was discovered hidden in DNA taken from plankton off the coast of Japan. This tiny microbe is unlike anything seen before because it has some features of living cells but also acts like a virus in many ways.
Productivity Tool
Zero to Hero in Microsoft Excel: Complete Excel guide
By Metla Sudha Sekhar
View Program
Finance
Introduction to Technical Analysis & Candlestick Theory
By Dinesh Nagpal
View Program
Finance
Financial Literacy i e Lets Crack the Billionaire Code
By CA Rahul Gupta
View Program
Digital Marketing
Digital Marketing Masterclass by Neil Patel
By Neil Patel
View Program
Finance
Technical Analysis Demystified- A Complete Guide to Trading
By Kunal Patel
View Program
Productivity Tool
Excel Essentials to Expert: Your Complete Guide
By Study at home
View Program
Artificial Intelligence
AI For Business Professionals Batch 2
By Ansh Mehra
View Program
Also Read:
Van Gogh's Starry Night inspires Quantum breakthrough; scientists capture exotic vortices in ultra-cold fluids
Unlike viruses, Sukunaarchaeum has genes to make its own ribosomes and messenger RNA, essential for protein production. But it relies heavily on its host cell for nearly everything else it needs to survive.
The smallest genome for a cellular organism
Live Events
This microbe's genome is extremely small, just 238,000 base pairs long, about the size of a medium magazine article. For comparison, another tiny archaeon,
Nanoarchaeum equitans
, has about twice as many base pairs, according to an Earth.com article. Viruses can be smaller or bigger, but never carry all the genes needed to make proteins.
Harada's team describes Sukunaarchaeum as 'a cellular entity retaining only its replicative core,' meaning it keeps only the basic genetic tools to copy itself.
What makes Sukunaarchaeum unique?
Its genome lacks almost all the genes for metabolism, the chemical processes that normally allow cells to make energy and grow. Instead, it mainly carries genes for DNA replication, transcription, and translation, which are more like a virus's instruction set.
Despite this, Sukunaarchaeum is firmly part of the Archaea domain, one of the three main branches of life, and may represent a completely
new group of organisms
.
How was it found?
Scientists found Sukunaarchaeum's DNA while studying a type of plankton called Citharistes regius. They noticed a loop of DNA that didn't match any known species. Many marine organisms live closely with other microbes, sometimes even hosting them inside their cells. Sukunaarchaeum seems to take this relationship to the extreme by losing genes it can depend on its host to provide.
Why does this matter?
Earth.com explains that this discovery challenges how we define life. Since Sukunaarchaeum keeps ribosomal genes, it meets the standard test for being cellular.
But its tiny metabolism means it can't survive independently like normal cells. This pushes the idea that life exists on a spectrum, not as a simple yes-or-no category.
This matters for many reasons, including how governments decide what is 'alive' when making health policies or protecting the planet from contamination by space missions. It also offers clues for synthetic biologists creating minimal cells with just the essential genes.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
2 days ago
- Time of India
Karl Kruszelnicki: The Australian scientist who unraveled the Bermuda Triangle myth
Karl Kruszelnicki , a prominent Australian scientist, has gained widespread attention for demystifying one of the most enduring and sensational legends in modern maritime folklore - the Bermuda Triangle . Known popularly as the "Devil's Triangle," this patch of the Atlantic Ocean, roughly bounded by Florida, Bermuda, and the Greater Antilles, has long been associated with the mysterious disappearance of ships and aircraft, fueling endless theories involving sea monsters, aliens , and even the lost city of Atlantis. Yet Kruszelnicki firmly dispels these myths, offering a grounded, science-based explanation that aligns with expert agencies and decades of statistical data. Productivity Tool Zero to Hero in Microsoft Excel: Complete Excel guide By Metla Sudha Sekhar View Program Finance Introduction to Technical Analysis & Candlestick Theory By Dinesh Nagpal View Program Finance Financial Literacy i e Lets Crack the Billionaire Code By CA Rahul Gupta View Program Digital Marketing Digital Marketing Masterclass by Neil Patel By Neil Patel View Program Finance Technical Analysis Demystified- A Complete Guide to Trading By Kunal Patel View Program Productivity Tool Excel Essentials to Expert: Your Complete Guide By Study at home View Program Artificial Intelligence AI For Business Professionals Batch 2 By Ansh Mehra View Program Who is Karl Kruszelnicki by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Join new Free to Play WWII MMO War Thunder War Thunder Play Now Undo Karl Kruszelnicki, widely known as "Dr Karl," is a highly respected scientist, author, and popular science communicator born in 1948 in Helsingborg, Sweden. He holds degrees in mathematics, physics, biomedical engineering, medicine, and surgery, and he has also studied astrophysics, computer science, and philosophy. He began his career working as a physicist designing testing machines for steel used in major infrastructure projects but resigned after ethical conflicts. Over the years, he has worked in diverse roles including car mechanic, roadie for famous musicians, filmmaker, biomedical engineer, taxi driver, and medical doctor, notably serving as a pediatrician before transitioning mostly into science communication. Live Events He is well-known for his engaging and accessible science commentary on Australian radio, television, and podcasts, particularly on ABC's Triple J, where his weekly science talk show draws hundreds of thousands of listeners. Dr Karl has authored 48 books, covering a wide range of scientific topics in a fun and understandable manner. Since around 2017, Kruszelnicki has consistently articulated his perspective: the incidents attributed to the Bermuda Triangle are not anomalous but simply the result of probabilities, navigational challenges, natural hazards, and human error. He states emphatically that 'the number of ships and planes that go missing in the Bermuda Triangle is the same as anywhere in the world on a percentage basis,' a claim backed by organizations like the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the renowned insurance market Lloyd's of London, whose risk assessments have debunked the idea of supernatural causation since the 1970s. Kruszelnicki's argument is informed by the fact that the Bermuda Triangle is one of the world's busiest shipping and flight corridors. The heavy volume of traffic combined with the region's navigational hazards helps to explain the proportionate number of accidents. The waters around Bermuda are dotted with reefs and shallow areas where more than 300 shipwrecks have been documented, many caused by collisions with these underwater features. The area's location near the Gulf Stream—a powerful and sometimes violently unstable current—also subjects vessels and aircraft to sudden and extreme weather changes, including tropical storms and hurricanes, especially during the June-November hurricane season. Such environmental factors significantly increase the risks of accidents. Kruszelnicki also highlights the errors of human operators as a critical factor. A famous example is Flight 19 , a group of five U.S. Navy TBM Avenger torpedo bombers that vanished during a 1945 training mission. Kruszelnicki points out that the flight was led by a navigator who had previously demonstrated poor navigational skills and did not follow established protocols once lost at sea. As a result, the group flew further into the open ocean until running out of fuel and disappearing. This incident, often cited as emblematic of the Bermuda Triangle's mystery, in fact underscores how human fallibility and natural conditions combine to produce tragedy. Throughout numerous public appearances and media engagements—most recently in 2023—Kruszelnicki has maintained that no mysterious forces or conspiracies are necessary to explain the disappearances. The U.S. Navy and Coast Guard also support this view, emphasizing that terrestrial factors and human mistakes far outstrip any paranormal theories. He remarks that while supernatural ideas are culturally appealing and have fueled books, movies, and TV shows, the reality is far more mundane but no less tragic. In sum, Karl Kruszelnicki stands as a leading figure in bringing modern science to bear on a legendary maritime myth. Through careful analysis and engagement with expert data, he has helped to reframe the Bermuda Triangle not as a zone of supernatural peril, but as a region where ordinary risks multiply in a complex natural and human environment.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Time of India
Mystery of Bermuda Triangle, where 50 ships or 20 planes have disappeared, solved!
For decades, tales of the Bermuda Triangle—a region roughly bounded by Florida, Bermuda, and the Greater Antilles—have fueled stories of supernatural forces swallowing ships and planes. More than 50 vessels and 20 aircraft have vanished there in the past century, sparking theories about sea monsters, alien abductions, and the lost city of Atlantis. But now an Australian scientist may have solved that puzzle. Productivity Tool Zero to Hero in Microsoft Excel: Complete Excel guide By Metla Sudha Sekhar View Program Finance Introduction to Technical Analysis & Candlestick Theory By Dinesh Nagpal View Program Finance Financial Literacy i e Lets Crack the Billionaire Code By CA Rahul Gupta View Program Digital Marketing Digital Marketing Masterclass by Neil Patel By Neil Patel View Program Finance Technical Analysis Demystified- A Complete Guide to Trading By Kunal Patel View Program Productivity Tool Excel Essentials to Expert: Your Complete Guide By Study at home View Program Artificial Intelligence AI For Business Professionals Batch 2 By Ansh Mehra View Program According to AOL, Australian scientist Karl Kruszelnicki says the real explanation is far less mysterious: statistics, bad weather, and human error. His theory is backed by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ( NOAA ), Lloyd's of London, and the U.S. Coast Guard. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Undo 'There is no evidence that mysterious disappearances occur with any greater frequency in the Bermuda Triangle than in any other large, well-traveled area of the ocean,' NOAA stated in 2010. Kruszelnicki has been making the same case since 2017, noting that the sheer volume of traffic—combined with tricky navigation—means incidents happen at a normal rate on a percentage basis. Lloyd's of London has held this view since the 1970s. NOAA adds that environmental factors explain most cases: the Gulf Stream's sudden weather shifts, the maze of Caribbean islands complicating navigation, and rare magnetic anomalies that can confuse compasses. Live Events Even high-profile disappearances, like the 1945 loss of Flight 19—five U.S. Navy bombers—can be attributed to poor weather, navigational mistakes, or both. Still, conspiracy theories endure in books, TV shows, and films—because sea monsters and lost civilizations make for better entertainment than math and meteorology. The Mysteries of the Bass Strait Triangle The Bass Strait Triangle, a stretch of treacherous water between mainland Australia and Tasmania, has a long history of strange vanishings. The most famous is the 1978 disappearance of 20-year-old pilot Frederick Valentich. Flying a Cessna 182L from Moorabbin, Victoria, to King Island, Valentich reported a 'strange, metallic object' hovering above him before losing radio contact. Neither he nor his plane was ever found. Five years earlier, in 1973, the freighter MV Blythe Star vanished without warning. While some crew survived a harrowing ordeal and fragments of the ship were later found, the mystery surrounding its disappearance only deepened the Strait's eerie reputation. Other notable incidents include: 1797 – The Sloop Eliza Vanished while salvaging cargo from the wrecked Sydney Cove in the Furneaux Group—the first recorded disappearance in the Strait. 1838–1840 – A String of Lost Vessels At least seven ships bound for Melbourne disappeared with all hands; wreckage from only three was ever found. 1858 – HMS Sappho A British warship carrying over 100 crew disappeared without leaving identifiable wreckage. 1901 – SS Federal Lost while carrying coal; its wreck was only discovered in 2019. 1906 – SS Ferdinand Fischer A German cargo vessel vanished without trace. 1920 – Twin Disappearances The schooner Amelia J went missing on 10 September. While searching for her, the barquentine Southern Cross and a military aircraft also disappeared. Only Southern Cross wreckage was recovered. 1934 – Miss Hobart Airliner A De Havilland Express vanished soon after entering service; only small debris washed ashore. 1935 – Loina Crash Another Holyman airliner crashed near Flinders Island. All five aboard were lost, and no bodies recovered. 1940s – WWII Aircraft Losses Several RAAF Bristol Beaufort bombers disappeared during training, likely due to inexperience and risky low-altitude flying. 1972 – Brenda Hean & Max Price The pair vanished in a Tiger Moth while on an environmental protest flight from Tasmania to Canberra. Sabotage was suspected but unproven. 1979 – Yacht Charleston Disappeared en route to join the Sydney–Hobart Yacht Race, leaving no trace. Despite the legends, experts often point to natural hazards—swiftly changing wind patterns near Flinders and King Islands, shallow waters, and volatile weather—as the likely causes behind many of these tragedies. The Latest Case On August 7, 2025, 72-year-old Gregory Vaughan and 66-year-old Kim Worner vanished after taking off from George Town, Tasmania, in a light sport aircraft bound for Hillston, New South Wales. The plane never arrived. Police have found no evidence of foul play but face the same unpredictable weather that has plagued countless search efforts in the Bass Strait.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Time of India
How Australian skinks developed immunity to deadly snake venom: Breakthrough research may transform antivenom science
In a groundbreaking study led by the University of Queensland (UQ), scientists have uncovered how Australian skinks such as the Major Skink ( Bellatorias frerei ) have evolved remarkable molecular defenses that shield them from even the most potent snake venoms—a discovery with sweeping implications for medicine and evolutionary biology . Researchers found 25 independent mutations in the skinks' nicotinic acetylcholine receptor, a crucial muscle site that venom neurotoxins typically target to paralyze prey. These mutations block venom from attaching, thus maintaining nerve-muscle communication and survival—transforming what would be a fatal bite for most animals into a survivable encounter for skinks. Productivity Tool Zero to Hero in Microsoft Excel: Complete Excel guide By Metla Sudha Sekhar View Program Finance Introduction to Technical Analysis & Candlestick Theory By Dinesh Nagpal View Program Finance Financial Literacy i e Lets Crack the Billionaire Code By CA Rahul Gupta View Program Digital Marketing Digital Marketing Masterclass by Neil Patel By Neil Patel View Program Finance Technical Analysis Demystified- A Complete Guide to Trading By Kunal Patel View Program Productivity Tool Excel Essentials to Expert: Your Complete Guide By Study at home View Program Artificial Intelligence AI For Business Professionals Batch 2 By Ansh Mehra View Program 'Australian skinks have evolved tiny changes in a critical muscle receptor, called the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor. This receptor is normally the target of neurotoxins which bind to it and block nerve-muscle communication causing rapid paralysis and death. But in a stunning example of a natural counterpunch, we found that on 25 occasions skinks independently developed mutations at that binding site to block venom from attaching,' said Professor Bryan Fry, lead author and UQ zoologist. Some mutations add sugar molecules to the receptor, physically blocking toxins. Others substitute specific amino acids—most notably arginine at position 187—creating a resistant muscle site. These adaptations were validated through experiments simulating venom attacks; in some cases, the modified receptors didn't respond to venom at all. Convergent evolution: Molecular armor across species The study astonishingly revealed that the Major Skink shares the same mutation found in honey badgers, famous for their resistance to cobra venom , and in mongooses that prey on venomous snakes. This recurring molecular defense across distant species shows the immense evolutionary pressure exerted by snake venom and highlights 'convergent evolution'—nature repeatedly finds the same solution to the same lethal problem. Path to new antivenoms The implications of these findings are profound. By understanding exactly how skinks neutralize venom, scientists may develop novel antivenoms and therapies for neurotoxic snakebites in humans. First author Dr. Uthpala Chandrasekara, who led laboratory tests, noted: Live Events 'It's fascinating to think that one tiny change in a protein can mean the difference between life and death when facing a highly venomous predator. The more we learn about how venom resistance works in nature, the more tools we have for the design of novel antivenoms.' This evolutionary battle traces back millions of years to when venomous elapid snakes colonized Australia . Skinks, once defenseless, were driven to evolve resistance—sometimes repeatedly, in separate lineages. Scientists estimate that 27.5% of hundreds of studied skinks show elements of this resistance, contributing to the species' success in predator-rich environments. The research, carried out in collaboration with museums across Australia and published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences , equips scientists with insight into natural 'venom-proofing.'
