Scientists have stumbled upon a groundbreaking discovery that might hold the key to life beyond Earth. Let’s rewind to the late ’80s when a scientist doodled some calculations on paper. This scientist figured out that turning a chemical called phosphite into phosphate could release enough energy to power a tiny organism. Imagine this microorganism being self-sufficient, not needing sunlight or organic matter for energy like most living things on our planet.

Fast forward to today, and we’ve found an actual microorganism in a sewage treatment plant that does just that. This little guy thrives on turning phosphite into phosphate for its energy needs. Now, let’s not get lost in the scientific jargon. The cool part is that this discovery could help us understand how life could exist in really tough places, maybe even on other planets!

Think of this microorganism as a tiny plant but without the need for sunlight. It’s like a superhero that can make its own energy without depending on regular food. The scientists behind this discovery are like detectives who cracked a long-standing mystery. They found the missing piece of the puzzle—a special enzyme that makes the whole process work.

Team members in the photo (from left to right): Nicolai Müller, David Schleheck and Bernhard Schink | photo University of Konstanz

What’s even more fascinating is that this way of making energy might be as old as dirt—well, almost! About 2.5 billion years old, to be a bit more precise. Back in the day, when the Earth was still cooling down, this unique way of getting energy could have been the go-to survival strategy for tiny life forms.

So, why does all of this matter? Well, it’s not just about understanding our own planet’s history. This discovery gives us clues about how life might have started on Earth. And, it’s like having a secret code to unlock the possibility of life existing in some pretty tough spots, maybe even on planets we haven’t discovered yet!

In simpler terms, this finding is like finding a superhero in the microbial world. It’s a reminder that even the tiniest creatures can teach us big things about the universe and the potential for life beyond our wildest imagination.

Sources

University of Konstanz | Zhuqing Mao, Jennifer R. Fleming, et al., AMP-dependent phosphite dehydrogenase, a phosphorylating enzyme in dissimilatory phosphite oxidation. PNAS, November 3, 2023, 120 (45) e2309743120. doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2309743120

  • Share this article:
Depositphotos_102731280_L-2
Dinosaurs could exist on other planets, which scientists believe would be easier to detect than modern Earth Using historical Earth models, Cornell University scientists suggest that dinosaurs or large, complex life could exist on exoplanets with high oxygen levels, guided by identifiable "sunlight fingerprints".
An artist's rendering of Saturn's moon Enceladus shows hydrothermal activity on the seafloor and cracks in the moon's icy crust that allow material from the watery interior to be ejected into space
Signs of Life Detectable in a Grain of Ice from Extraterrestrial Moons The icy moons circling Saturn and Jupiter are the top places scientists are looking for life beyond Earth. Now, a study shows that the ice that shoots out from these…
KSTAR vacuum vessel
South Korea's Artificial Sun is Operated at 100 Million Degrees Celsius for 48 Seconds The artificial sun created by Korean scientists, called KSTAR, is named so because it attempts to replicate the nuclear fusion process that occurs in the real sun to produce energy.…
A study questions the existence of dark matter
Scientists Claim Our Universe does not Contain Dark Matter In a new study, researchers from the University of Ottawa have questioned the current theoretical model of the universe's composition, which suggests that it is made up of "normal matter",…
Cells
Scientists Reveal how the First Cells on Earth May Have Formed About 4 billion years ago, Earth started developing the right ingredients for life. Scientists who study how life began wonder what chemicals were present back then. They want to know…
DESI has produced the largest 3D map of our universe to date. The Earth is at the center of this small portion of the complete map. In the enlarged section, it is easy to see the underlying structure of matter in our universe
Researchers Make the most Precise Measurement of the Speed at which the Universe is Expanding, and that is Key to Knowing how it Ends DESI is an ambitious project using 5000 tiny robotic fibers to map the cosmos back 11 billion years. It is collecting light from distant galaxies and quasars to create the…

Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.