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Published online 9 October 2008 | Nature | doi:10.1038/news.2008.1160
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One is the loneliest number for mine-dwelling bacterium
Sole member of world's first single-species ecosystem depends on rocks and radioactivity for life.
Nestled kilometres down in the hot, dark vaults of Earth's crust, scientists have discovered a remarkably lonely bacterium species.
The rod-shaped bacterium, Candidatus Desulforudis audaxviator, lives independently of any other organism in a part of the Mponeng gold mine near Johannesburg, South Africa, some 2.
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"If the conditions were to alter significantly, however, the bacterium might be in trouble." ...like a bunch of humans turning up with lab coats and drilling equipment?
They'd better take their lab coats off then.
What are the implications for life on other planets? If neither oxygen or sun are important here... this has some important implications. Need to read the article, I guess.
""If the conditions were to alter significantly, however, the bacterium might be in trouble." ...like a bunch of humans turning up with lab coats and drilling equipment?" I agree with the first half sentence,as creatures are particular organisms of some particular environments; any changing would cost them in terms of their body structure if they had survived. As for the second half, say, when a needle sticks you whether it feels hurting, it depends on the existence of your nerves. What I want to say is we should find out what influence on pressure or temperature the "a bunch of humans turning up with lab coats and drilling equipment?" have against the 'hosts'.