Microbes
Researchers have discovered that heterotrophic microbes play a larger role in fixing carbon in the deep ocean than previously thought, challenging long-held assumptions. Led by Alyson Santoro at UC Santa Barbara, the study reveals that ammonia-oxidizing archaea contribute less than expected to this process. The findings, published in Nature Geoscience, help explain discrepancies in carbon and nitrogen cycles in dark ocean waters.
Reported by AI
Researchers at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln have discovered that the common photosynthetic bacterium Rhodopseudomonas palustris can draw perfluorooctanoic acid, a persistent PFAS chemical, into its cell membrane. In lab experiments, the microbe removed about 44% of the chemical over 20 days, though much of it later returned to the environment. The findings, published in Environmental Science: Advances, suggest potential for engineering microbes to combat PFAS pollution.