The world's largest bacterium has been discovered. Free Technical Library News

NEWS OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, NOVELTY IN ELECTRONICS
Free technical library / timeline

World's largest bacterium discovered

06.07.2022

The world's largest bacterium has been discovered in Caribbean mangrove swamps - so big it can be seen with the naked eye.

The thin white thread, about the size of a human eyelash, is "by far the largest bacterium known to date," said Jean-Marie Folland, a marine biologist at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and co-author of the paper.

Olivier Gros, a co-author and biologist at the University of the French West Indies and Guiana, discovered the first specimen of this bacterium, named Thiomargarita magnifica, or "magnificent sulfur pearl", clinging to sunken mangrove leaves in the Guadeloupe archipelago in 2009.

But he did not immediately realize that it was a bacterium due to its surprisingly large size - these bacteria, on average, reach a third of an inch (0,9 centimeter) in length. Only later did genetic analysis show that the organism was a single bacterial cell.

"This is an amazing discovery," said Petra Levine, a microbiologist at Washington University in St. Louis who was not involved in the study. "Never, ever underestimate bacteria."

Gross also found the bacterium attached to oyster shells, rocks and glass bottles in the swamp.

Scientists have not yet been able to grow it in laboratory culture, but the researchers say that the cell has an unusual structure for bacteria. One key difference: it has a large central compartment, or vacuole, that allows some of the cell's functions to be carried out in this controlled environment rather than throughout the cell.

"Acquiring this large central vacuole definitely helps the cell bypass the physical limitations ... how big a cell can be," said Manuel Campos, a biologist at the French National Center for Scientific Research who was not involved in the study.

<< Back: Drought-resistant rice genes found 07.07.2022

>> Forward: Earth's lakes are evaporating faster than thought 06.07.2022

Latest news of science and technology, new electronics:

The existence of an entropy rule for quantum entanglement has been proven 09.05.2024

Quantum mechanics continues to amaze us with its mysterious phenomena and unexpected discoveries. Recently, Bartosz Regula from the RIKEN Center for Quantum Computing and Ludovico Lamy from the University of Amsterdam presented a new discovery that concerns quantum entanglement and its relation to entropy. Quantum entanglement plays an important role in modern quantum information science and technology. However, the complexity of its structure makes understanding and managing it challenging. Regulus and Lamy's discovery shows that quantum entanglement follows an entropy rule similar to that for classical systems. This discovery opens new perspectives in the field of quantum information science and technology, deepening our understanding of quantum entanglement and its connection to thermodynamics. The results of the study indicate the possibility of reversibility of entanglement transformations, which could greatly simplify their use in various quantum technologies. Opening a new rule ... >>

Mini air conditioner Sony Reon Pocket 5 09.05.2024

Summer is a time for relaxation and travel, but often the heat can turn this time into an unbearable torment. Meet a new product from Sony - the Reon Pocket 5 mini-air conditioner, which promises to make summer more comfortable for its users. Sony has introduced a unique device - the Reon Pocket 5 mini-conditioner, which provides body cooling on hot days. With it, users can enjoy coolness anytime, anywhere by simply wearing it around their neck. This mini air conditioner is equipped with automatic adjustment of operating modes, as well as temperature and humidity sensors. Thanks to innovative technologies, Reon Pocket 5 adjusts its operation depending on the user's activity and environmental conditions. Users can easily adjust the temperature using a dedicated mobile app connected via Bluetooth. Additionally, specially designed T-shirts and shorts are available for convenience, to which a mini air conditioner can be attached. The device can oh ... >>

Energy from space for Starship 08.05.2024

Producing solar energy in space is becoming more feasible with the advent of new technologies and the development of space programs. The head of the startup Virtus Solis shared his vision of using SpaceX's Starship to create orbital power plants capable of powering the Earth. Startup Virtus Solis has unveiled an ambitious project to create orbital power plants using SpaceX's Starship. This idea could significantly change the field of solar energy production, making it more accessible and cheaper. The core of the startup's plan is to reduce the cost of launching satellites into space using Starship. This technological breakthrough is expected to make solar energy production in space more competitive with traditional energy sources. Virtual Solis plans to build large photovoltaic panels in orbit, using Starship to deliver the necessary equipment. However, one of the key challenges ... >>

New method for creating powerful batteries 08.05.2024

With the development of technology and the expanding use of electronics, the issue of creating efficient and safe energy sources is becoming increasingly urgent. Researchers at the University of Queensland have unveiled a new approach to creating high-power zinc-based batteries that could change the landscape of the energy industry. One of the main problems with traditional water-based rechargeable batteries was their low voltage, which limited their use in modern devices. But thanks to a new method developed by scientists, this drawback has been successfully overcome. As part of their research, scientists turned to a special organic compound - catechol. It turned out to be an important component that can improve battery stability and increase its efficiency. This approach has led to a significant increase in the voltage of zinc-ion batteries, making them more competitive. According to scientists, such batteries have several advantages. They have b ... >>

Alcohol content of warm beer 07.05.2024

Beer, as one of the most common alcoholic drinks, has its own unique taste, which can change depending on the temperature of consumption. A new study by an international team of scientists has found that beer temperature has a significant impact on the perception of alcoholic taste. The study, led by materials scientist Lei Jiang, found that at different temperatures, ethanol and water molecules form different types of clusters, which affects the perception of alcoholic taste. At low temperatures, more pyramid-like clusters form, which reduces the pungency of the "ethanol" taste and makes the drink taste less alcoholic. On the contrary, as the temperature increases, the clusters become more chain-like, resulting in a more pronounced alcoholic taste. This explains why the taste of some alcoholic drinks, such as baijiu, can change depending on temperature. The data obtained opens up new prospects for beverage manufacturers, ... >>

Random news from the Archive

DuraCore ProScene short throw projector 13.02.2021

The Taiwanese company Optoma Corporation officially presented the world's first short-throw projector with a brightness of 7000 lumens - the DuraCore ProScene model. The novelty is capable of producing an image with a diagonal of up to 300 inches (7,62 meters) and a WUXGA resolution of 1920 x 1200 pixels. But there is also support for 4K content with a resolution of 3840 x 2160 pixels.

Moreover, the image can be formed from a minimum distance from the screen. The weight of the novelty is 12,7 kg, which sounds like a lot, but is actually about two times lighter than similar models. The contrast ratio is 1000000:1. HDR High Dynamic Range support is provided. The lens of the novelty is fixed, but the possibility of changing the lens is provided. The maximum magnification is 1,26x.

HDBaseT input/output, three HDMI, VGA, LAN ports and 3D Sync input/output are provided. Also in the projector housing fit two speakers with a capacity of 10 watts each.

The DuraCore ProScene is priced at $6000.

See full Archive of science and technology news, new electronics

All languages of this page

Home page | Library | Articles | Website map | Site Reviews