Mighty Powerful Microbes: New Insights into Microbes That Breathe Rocks
Published:08 Feb.2022 Source:Harvard University, Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology
Microbes may be miniscule, but they have a massive impact on Earth and its habitability. They are uniquely different from animals, plants, and other eukaryotic organisms in that they can gain energy from "breathing" a surprisingly wide range of surfaces and materials.
Microbes also drastically re-shape their environment as they feast on these energy sources, making microbes major players in the cycling and availability of nutrients on Earth. One especially well-known example was the rise of oxygen on Earth due to the metabolism of photosynthetic bacteria.