Early forms of life very likely had metabolisms that transformed the primordial Earth, such as initiating the carbon cycle and producing most of the planet's oxygen through photosynthesis. About 3.5 billion years ago, the ...
Earth Sciences
Apr 5, 2018
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During the earliest evolution on earth, life probably resembled one big genetic jumble. At some time, presumably around 3.8 to 3.5 billion years before today, the very first biological species appeared – the ancestor of ...
General Physics
Nov 23, 2015
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324
During the age of the dinosaurs, the arrival of flowering plants as competitors could have spelled doom for the ancient fern lineage. Instead, ferns diversified and flourished under the new canopy—using a mysterious gene ...
Biotechnology
Apr 14, 2014
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Marine cyanobacteria—tiny ocean plants that produce oxygen and make organic carbon using sunlight and CO2—are primary engines of Earth's biogeochemical and nutrient cycles. They nourish other organisms through the provision ...
Cell & Microbiology
Jan 9, 2014
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(PhysOrg.com) -- Genes jumping between bacteria are rather common which in part explains their ability to rapidly develop immunity to antibacterial agents. What’s not so common are examples of genes jumping between animals ...
(PhysOrg.com) -- A new study suggests that genes are transferred from one micro-organism to another up to a hundred million times more frequently than previously thought.
More than 150 years ago, Darwin proposed the theory of universal common ancestry (UCA), linking all forms of life by a shared genetic heritage from single-celled microorganisms to humans. Until now, the theory that makes ...
Evolution
May 12, 2010
150
0
Research spearheaded by four biologists within the College of Arts and Sciences at Indiana University Bloomington has uncovered a new regulatory mechanism shared by many bacteria, which may have profound implications for ...
Cell & Microbiology
Jun 27, 2024
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Beneath the surface, bacterivorous nematodes are key players in the nutrient cycle, consuming bacteria that decompose organic matter. Traditionally, these nematodes are studied in laboratory environments where isolated bacterial ...
Plants & Animals
Jun 18, 2024
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Studying the impact of the environment on animal evolution is no easy task, as most animals reproduce slowly and exhibit complex behaviors. However, microbiologists have an advantage: Bacteria reproduce rapidly, which makes ...
Evolution
Jun 4, 2024
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