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 ...

A recent study has uncovered critical details about the association between anaerobic ciliates and methanogenic archaea, a relationship that has fascinated scientists for over decades. Researchers ...

Scientists have solved a long-standing mystery about methanogens, unique microorganisms that transform electricity and carbon dioxide into methane. The results could pave the way for microbial ...

Sulfur is a fundamental element of life and all organisms need it to synthesize cellular materials. Autotrophs, such as plants and algae, acquire sulfur by converting sulfate into sulfide, which can ...

The process by which plants and algae acquire sulfur—converting sulfate into sulfide—requires a lot of energy and produces harmful intermediates and byproducts that need to be immediately transformed.