Some facts about the
Universe and our experience in it seem irreversible. The sky is up. Gravity
sucks. Nothing can travel faster than light. Multicellular life needs oxygen to
survive. Except we might just need to rethink that last one.
In the beginning of
this year, researchers discovered that a jellyfish-like parasite doesn't possess
a mitochondrial genome - the first multicellular organism known to not having
this. That means it doesn't breathe; actually, it lives its life completely
free of oxygen dependence.
This discovery isn't
just altering our understanding of how work here on Earth - it could also have
implications for the search for alien life.
Life started to
develop the capability to metabolise oxygen – i.e. respirate - about 1.45
billion years ago. A larger archaeon consumed a smaller bacterium, and one way
or another, bacterium's new home was favorable to both parties, and the two remained
together.
Read More HERE...