Scientists have caught a once-in-a-billion-years evolutionary event in progress, as two lifeforms have merged into one organism that boasts abilities its peers would envy. Last time this happened (1.6 billion years ago), certain advanced cells absorbed a type of bacteria that could harvest energy from sunlight. These became organelles called chloroplasts, which gave sunlight-harvesting abilities, as well as a fetching green color, to a group of lifeforms you might have heard of – plants.

And now, scientists have discovered that it’s happening again. A species of algae called Braarudosphaera bigelowii was found to have engulfed a cyanobacterium that lets them do something that algae, and plants in general, can’t normally do – "fixing" nitrogen straight from the air, and combining it with other elements to create more useful compounds.

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[–] [email protected] 25 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Nitrogen is crucial for duplicating DNA, which needs to happen for vells to divide. Despite being over 70% of the atmosphere, nitrogen gas is incredibly inert, so most organisms cant use it for any metabolic purposes. There are many bacteria that are able to break down nitrogen gas into useable nitrates, most famously those that live in the root systems of legimes like soy and peanuts, which is why American corn farmers grow so much soy.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Inb4 Kelpians...

[–] [email protected] 3 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Or Kerbals

[–] [email protected] 3 points 7 months ago

To the Mun!