Nature is constantly surprising me. In 2010, scientists were noticing chemical fluctuations in ocean floor sediment in Denmark. Scientists knew the changes happened too rapidly to be chemical changes and suspected some kind of electrical signal to be the cause. Although the bacteria (pictured - blue) is too new to have a name, scientists know that the bacteria makes a long chain and feeds on hydrogen sulfide at one end. It seems that the bacteria sends an electron up the chain. The other end pulls in oxygen with this electron. It produces water as a by product. Also the walls of the chain seem to be a kind of insulator, like the sheathing on a wire.
The full article on the Wired website can be found at this link.
The full article on the Wired website can be found at this link.
To the right is a diagram of the process.
Photo/diagram credits:
Image: Nils Risgaard-Petersen
Diagram: Nature
Photo/diagram credits:
Image: Nils Risgaard-Petersen
Diagram: Nature
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