All Microbes of the Earth articles
-
NewsViruses found in Antarctic air, including some new to science
It may seem stark and lifeless, but the air around the remote sub-Antarctic island of South Georgia contains viruses, including some that are new to science. Using metagenomics, researchers discovered that South Georgia harbours a diverse and dynamic airborne viral community.
-
NewsFrom Asgard to Earth: tiny discoveries hold clues to life’s greatest leap
Stromatolites may hold insights into how complex life began. Researchers have identified a previously unknown microbe living in close partnership with another organism inside these ‘living fossils’.
-
NewsNative bacteria may break down dioxins without genetic modification
Researchers have demonstrated that native soil bacteria, when treated with decoy molecules, can degrade non-native compounds, including persistent pollutants such as dioxins, without genetic modification.
-
NewsScientists reveal the potential of a tiny soil bacterium to beat the Haber-Bosch process
A new review finds that biological ammonia production offers strong potential as a cleaner, greener alternative to the costly Haber-Bosch process. Microbes such as Azotobacter can produce ammonia under ambient conditions and atmospheric pressure.
-
NewsBiochar offers climate-smart pathway to healthier soils and safer tea production
A new scientific review highlights how biochar, a carbon-rich material produced from biomass, could transform tea farming by restoring soil health, reducing pollution risks, and improving both yield and quality. Source: AxelBoldt Closeup of leaves of tea plant Camellia sinensis Tea, derived from Camellia sinensis, is one ...
-
NewsSoil bacteria break down toxic chemicals in the environment
Soil bacteria can help to break toxic aromatic compounds down. For one of these, Rhodococcus opacus 1CP, researchers have analyzed the genome and identified many potential metabolic pathways that the bacterium can employ to act as a ‘clean-up specialist’.
-
NewsBiochar and beneficial fungi team up to detoxify toxic red mud and restore soil health
A new study has revealed a promising nature-based strategy to clean up red mud, one of the world’s most hazardous industrial wastes, by combining biochar with beneficial soil fungi to target specific pollutants and revive damaged soils.
-
NewsEngineered yeast gives the US a green edge in the critical minerals market
A new, U.S.-based, environmentally friendly method for mining rare-earth elements used in consumer electronics, clean energy, defense and biomedical imaging uses oxalic acid made by sugar-eating engineered yeast, extracting almost all the rare-earth elements from low-grade ore.
-
NewsCorpses leave microbial fingerprints behind in the soil long after they’re gone
Researchers have found that trace elements of a cadaver linger at an original dump site even after an extensive amount of time. These elements can provide insights into postmortem processes, helping forensic investigators uncover clandestine burials and relocate the remains of murder victims.
-
NewsInvasive death cap mushrooms are changing their chemistry
Scientists have just published new research about the chemistry of death cap mushrooms (Amanita phalloides) - the species is not only spreading rapidly as an invasive fungal species in the United States, but the move across continents has changed the chemistry of the species.
-
NewsFungus unlocks hidden phosphorus from massive industrial waste
Researchers have shown that Aspergillus niger can extract large amounts of residual phosphorus from phosphogypsum, a byproduct of phosphoric acid production that is generated in enormous quantities worldwide. More than 40 per cent of the phosphorus locked inside this waste material can be recovered.