#Archea

Oca sapiens

@ocasapiens.bsky.social

1 month ago

#evolution
#Archea
#LECA

"Key features of eukaryotic cell organization evolved in the Asgard lineage leading to the LECA [Last Eukaryotic Common Ancestor]" - and at the root of our family tree.

OA paper, tks!

CorriereNerd.it

@corrierenerd.bsky.social

3 months ago

Quando la scienza incontra territori inesplorati, scatta quel brivido che solo noi nerd conosciamo bene: lo stesso che si prova davanti a un nuovo#archea #biologiamolecolare #evoluzione #metagenomica #organismiibridi #RyoHarada #scopertescientifiche
www.corrierenerd.it/sukunaarchae...

CorriereNerd.it

@corrierenerd.bsky.social

3 months ago

Quando la scienza incontra territori inesplorati, scatta quel brivido che solo noi nerd conosciamo bene: lo stesso che si prova davanti a un nuovo#archea #biologiamolecolare #evoluzione #metagenomica #organismiibridi #RyoHarada #scopertescientifiche
www.corrierenerd.it/sukunaarchae...

Yasin Dagdas

@plantophagy.bsky.social

4 months ago

Cryo-EM reveals open and closed Asgard chromatin assemblies Ranawat et al. show the cryo-EM structures of Asgard archaeal chromatin assemblies, revealing that the histone HHoB assembles into both compact closed and extended open hypernucleosomes. The closed co...

Really cool work by the @dodonova-sveta.bsky.social lab @embl.org www.cell.com/molecular-ce... #archea #evochromo

Keiran Rowell

@keiran-rowell.mastodon.social.ap.brid.gy

7 months ago

Fig. 1: Cryo-EM structures of the P. calidifontis ribosome. Ribosome proteins unique to archea are coloured in red.

Fig. 2: Sequence variation in the P. calidifontis PTC. Extensive hydrogen bonding between the core catalytic RNA sites are shown, and vary from what is seen in other organisms.

Fig. 4: Dri binding sites on the ribosome. The ribosome inhibiting protein is coloured in red

Gaze over this beautiful detail of the archeal ribosome, with the archea-only proteins in red. (The very core of the ribosome is thought to almost never change across all life)

Then have a look at the amazing H-bonding network of the catalytic peptide […]

[Original post on mastodon.social]

Keiran Rowell

@keiran-rowell.mastodon.social.ap.brid.gy

7 months ago

Structure of an archaeal ribosome reveals a
divergent active site and hibernation factor | Nature Micro

https://rdcu.be/ewZ3S

"Ribosomes translate mRNA into protein. Despite divergence in ribosome structure over the course of evolution, the catalytic site, known as the peptidyl transferase […]

Planetární ekolog

@planetarniekolog.mastodon.social.ap.brid.gy

9 months ago

Thaumarchaeota (Mikrobiologie 🦠)

Thaumarchaeota je archeální kmen, jehož vyčlenění z kmene Crenarchaeota bylo navrženo v roce 2008 na základě sekvenace genomu Cenarchaeum symbiosum. Tato změna byla dále podpořena sekvenací genomů Nitrosopumilus maritimus a […]

[Original post on mastodon.social]

@lanazione.bsky.social

9 months ago

Archea conquista anche il mare. Lo studio di architettura vince il Superyacht Awards "Il nostro studio è come la bottega rinascimentale del Verrocchio, dove passò anche Leonardo da Vinci. E dove si faceva...

➡️ Leggi l'articolo: #Archea

Marc Robinson-Rechavi

@marcrr.ecoevo.social.ap.brid.gy

9 months ago

Archaea

#archea #xkcd

http://xkcd.com/3095

NewYork

@newyork.activitypub.awakari.com.ap.brid.gy

11 months ago

KING OF THE TRILOBITES: UNEARTHING ISOTELUS REX --- _Isotelus rex_ , the King of Trilobites In the remote limestone flats of northern Manitoba, a remarkable fossil lay undisturbed for nearly half a billion years. Sunken in gray stone, its broad armored body preserved in exquisite detail, it waited silently—until a team of Canadian paleontologists happened upon it during a summer field expedition in 1999. What they uncovered would change the story of trilobites forever. Meet _Isotelus rex_ , the largest complete trilobite ever discovered—a 70-centimetre-long prehistoric titan from the Ordovician seas. It's more than just a big trilobite. It’s a window into an ancient world and a landmark find in Canadian paleontology. A Fossil Giant in a Forgotten Sea Trilobites, extinct marine arthropods, are among the most iconic fossils in the world. Their hard, segmented exoskeletons and alien-like eyes make them favorites among collectors and scientists alike. They first appeared more than 520 million years ago and thrived in Earth’s oceans for over 270 million years before vanishing in the Permian extinction. Many trilobites are palm-sized or smaller. But _Isotelus rex_ was something else entirely. Discovered near William Lake in the Hudson Bay Lowlands of Manitoba, Isotelus rex was preserved in limestone laid down when central Canada was submerged beneath a warm, shallow sea. That sea teemed with life—brachiopods, nautiloids, sea lilies, and trilobites like Isotelus, which would have cruised the muddy bottom looking for food. With its broad, paddle-shaped tail, deeply segmented body, and large compound eyes, Isotelus rex was a slow-moving but imposing presence on the seafloor. The Paleontologists Behind the Discovery The discovery was made by a team of seasoned Canadian researchers: Dr. David Rudkin of the Royal Ontario Museum, Dr. Graham Young and Edward Dobrzanske of the Manitoba Museum, and Dr. Robert Elias from the University of Manitoba. All were participating in a joint field expedition to study the fossil-rich limestone of the Churchill River Group, near Churchill in northern Manitoba. Dr. Rudkin is one of Canada’s leading experts on Paleozoic arthropods, with a particular passion for trilobites and other ancient sea creatures. His work at the Royal Ontario Museum has helped bring the stories of long-extinct animals to life through detailed study and public exhibition. Dr. Young, curator of geology and paleontology at the Manitoba Museum, specializes in ancient marine ecosystems—piecing together how life functioned and interacted in prehistoric oceans. Dr. Elias, a geologist and paleontologist at the University of Manitoba, focuses on Paleozoic reefs and ancient sedimentary environments. Dobrzanske, a collections technician and field expert, brought deep practical knowledge to the fieldwork. It was the perfect blend of expertise and passion. One overcast morning, while surveying outcrops of Ordovician limestone, the team spotted a familiar ripple in the rock—a faint curve suggesting a trilobite’s cephalon, or head shield. As they slowly and carefully uncovered more of the fossil, its remarkable size and completeness became apparent. The mostly complete holotype specimen of Isotelus rex, from the Churchill River Group, measures a staggering 720 millimetres (28 inches) in length, 400 millimetres (16 inches) in maximum width across the cephalon, and 70 millimetres (3 inches) in height at the posterior midpoint of the head. It remains the largest complete trilobite ever found. “We thought it might be a fluke,” Rudkin later recalled. “A fragment from a large individual. But as we kept going—it just kept going. That was when we realized we were looking at something truly extraordinary.” Perfect Conditions for Preservation Unlike many trilobite fossils, which are found in fragments or disarticulated pieces, Isotelus rex was remarkably well-preserved—fully articulated, lying in life position. Paleontologists believe it was buried rapidly by fine carbonate mud, likely during a sudden underwater event like a storm or sediment slump. The seafloor at the time was likely anoxic—lacking oxygen—which would have prevented decay and scavenging, allowing the trilobite’s body to remain intact as minerals slowly fossilized it over millions of years. “It’s one of the most complete large trilobites ever found anywhere in the world,” said Young. “It offers a rare look at what these creatures really looked like, in full form.” While its size is headline-grabbing,_Isotelus rex_ offers deeper scientific insights. It shows that trilobites—already known for their diversity—could grow far larger than previously thought. Its presence in northern Manitoba also highlights how much of Canada’s paleontological richness remains underexplored. The fossil was later transported to Winnipeg, where it became a highlight of the Manitoba Museum’s paleontology collection. A custom case was built to display it—regular trilobite mounts just wouldn’t do for a specimen of this scale. The name _Isotelus rex_ —Latin for “equal end king”—reflects both its classification and its grandeur. Today, _Isotelus rex_ is more than just a museum centerpiece. It’s a reminder of the power of curiosity, collaboration, and exploration. It represents a frozen moment from 450 million years ago, when trilobites were the dominant animals of Earth’s seas. And thanks to the eyes, hands, and minds of Rudkin, Elias, Young, and Dobrzanske, we now know what the king of trilobites looked like and he is an impressive specimen, indeed! Image credit:_Isotelus rex_ TMP 2009.003.0003 (cast). 445 million years old, late Ordovician, Churchill River Group, Churchill, Manitoba. At the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology. Bloopityboop

KING OF THE TRILOBITES: UNEARTHING ISOTELUS REX

fossilhuntress.blogspot.com/2025/03/king-of-trilobit...

#archea #beast #biggest #canadian #female #fossil #giant #huntress #isotelus #largest #massive

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NewYork

@newyork.activitypub.awakari.com.ap.brid.gy

11 months ago

BURGESS SHALE FOSSILS: A DEEP TIME JOURNEY IN YOHO NATIONAL PARK Tucked high in the Canadian Rockies above the tiny hamlet of Field, British Columbia, lies one of the most extraordinary fossil sites on Earth — the Burgess Shale. This UNESCO World Heritage site offers a rare and detailed look at life on Earth over half a billion years ago, during a time known as the Cambrian Explosion. Whether you're a seasoned paleontology buff or a curious traveler, this ancient treasure trove belongs on your bucket list. Here’s everything you need to know about the fossils, the tours, how to get there, where to stay, eat, and explore. Why Are the Burgess Shale Fossils Important? The fossils of the Burgess Shale are a paleontological jackpot. Dating back 508 million years, they preserve not just the hard shells and bones, but also the soft tissues of ancient creatures — things like gills, eyes, and guts. These rare details offer a vivid snapshot of life in the ancient Cambrian seas. Discovered by Charles Doolittle Walcott in 1909, the Burgess Shale holds some of the earliest and weirdest animals to ever live on Earth — including: * _Anomalocaris_ – a top predator with grasping arms and a ring of teeth * _Opabinia_ – a creature with five eyes and a long, tube-like nose * _Hallucigenia_ – a spiny worm that once puzzled scientists with its upside-down anatomy * _Pikaia_ – one of the first known animals with a notochord, an early precursor to the backbone These fossils help us understand the roots of animal evolution — including our own. Guided Fossil Tours: Hike Through Deep Time Yes — you can actually visit these ancient fossil beds! Parks Canada offers guided day hikes to several Burgess Shale sites during the summer months (late June to early September). All tours must be booked in advance and are mandatory to access these protected areas. You can take photos galore but cannot collect or keep any of the fossils. They are protected and their removal is illegal. Book Your Guided Burgess Shale Hike Here are the main hikes you can choose from: 1. Walcott Quarry Hike * Difficulty: Challenging (22 km round trip, ~11 hrs) * Highlights: Iconic fossil site, stunning mountain scenery, classic fossils * Departs from: Takakkaw Falls parking lot, Yoho National Park 2. Mount Stephen Trilobite Beds * Difficulty: Moderate (8 km round trip, ~6 hrs) * Highlights: Ground covered in trilobites, panoramic views * Departs from: Field Visitor Centre 3. Stanley Glacier Hike (Kootenay National Park) * Difficulty: Moderate (10 km round trip, ~7 hrs) * Highlights: Newer fossil site, unique specimens, stunning glaciers * Departs from: Stanley Glacier Trailhead Note: You’ll need good hiking shoes, layers for changing weather, plenty of water, and a spirit of adventure. Where to Stay Near the Burgess Shale Field, BC is the perfect home base for your fossil adventure. It’s quaint, quiet, and surrounded by jaw-dropping mountain beauty. Top Places to Stay: * Cathedral Mountain Lodge – Rustic luxury cabins, great food, stunning setting. * Emerald Lake Lodge – A short drive away, this lakeside lodge is a slice of paradise. * Guesthouses & B&Bs in Field – Charming, cozy options like The Great Divide Lodge and Fireweed Hostel. Where to Eat in and Around Field While Field is small, it packs a punch with local, hearty eats: * Truffle Pigs Bistro – Field’s culinary gem. Comfort food with a gourmet twist. * The Siding Café – Great for coffee, sandwiches, and baked goods. Cozy and casual. * Cathedral Mountain Lodge Dining Room – Upscale Rocky Mountain dining if you’re staying at the lodge. Tip: There’s no gas station in Field. Fill up in Lake Louise (30 minutes away). How to Get to Field, British Columbia Field is nestled in Yoho National Park, just off the Trans-Canada Highway. Here's how long it'll take you from major cities: Driving Times to Field, BC * From Vancouver: ~8.5 hours (850 km via Hwy 1 through Kamloops and Golden) * From Calgary: ~2.5 hours (215 km via Hwy 1 through Banff and Lake Louise) You’ll pass through some of the most scenic mountain corridors in North America. Be sure to keep your eyes peeled for wildlife — mountain goats, bears, and elk often make an appearance. A Lasting Legacy in Stone Standing among the Burgess Shale beds, surrounded by towering peaks and the whispers of deep time, it’s hard not to feel humbled. These fossils tell the story of life’s earliest steps into complexity — a reminder of how strange, beautiful, and interconnected our world truly is. Whether you're chasing trilobites or just soaking in the grandeur of Yoho’s landscapes, the Burgess Shale offers something extraordinary: a chance to walk with the ghosts of Earth’s earliest animals. Learn More: (pop these in Google for more information) * Parks Canada – Burgess Shale Official Site * Royal Ontario Museum – Burgess Shale Project * UNESCO World Heritage Info I highly recommend all of these hikes. If you have the time and fitness, they are amazing and each of them offers some epic views!

BURGESS SHALE FOSSILS: A DEEP TIME JOURNEY IN YOHO NATIONAL PARK

fossilhuntress.blogspot.com/2025/03/burgess-shale-fo...

#anomalocaris #archea #bc #Blog #book #Burgess #cambrian #canada #fossil #fossilhuntress #Heidi

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NewYork

@newyork.activitypub.awakari.com.ap.brid.gy

11 months ago

ANCIENT SEA MONSTERS: ICHTHYOSAURS AND MOSASAURS When we think of prehistoric creatures, dinosaurs usually steal the spotlight. But beneath the ancient waves swam giants just as awe-inspiring—and sometimes even more terrifying. Among these marine reptiles, two groups stand out: ichthyosaurs and mosasaurs. Though they never coexisted, both ruled the oceans in their own time and in their own terrifying ways. **Ichthyosaurs: Dolphin-Like Reptiles of the Jurassic** Ichthyosaurs (meaning "fish lizards") were sleek, fast swimmers that first appeared around 250 million years ago during the Triassic. Their streamlined bodies, long snouts, and large eyes gave them an appearance eerily similar to modern dolphins—though they weren’t mammals. This resemblance is a perfect example of convergent evolution, where unrelated animals develop similar traits to adapt to similar environments. Some ichthyosaurs grew as long as a school bus, and their enormous eyes (some as large as dinner plates) suggest they were capable of deep-sea hunting. They fed on fish, squid, and other marine life, and some species likely gave birth to live young—a rare trait among reptiles. They thrived for millions of years but began to decline in the mid-Cretaceous, eventually going extinct before the rise of mosasaurs. **Mosasaurs: Apex Predators of the Cretaceous Seas** Enter the mosasaurs, who rose to dominance after the ichthyosaurs were gone. Mosasaurs appeared around 98 million years ago and ruled the oceans until the mass extinction event 66 million years ago that also wiped out the dinosaurs. These were true marine lizards, closely related to today’s monitor lizards and snakes. Picture a massive, crocodile-headed Komodo dragon with flippers and a shark-like tail—and you’ll have a good image of a mosasaur. Some species grew over 50 feet long, and their jaws were packed with conical, backward-curving teeth perfect for gripping slippery prey. Mosasaurs were apex predators, eating anything they could catch—fish, turtles, birds, and even other mosasaurs. Their double-jointed jaws could open wide, allowing them to swallow large prey whole. **Who Would Win in a Fight?** While it’s fun to imagine a battle between an ichthyosaur and a mosasaur, it never could have happened—ichthyosaurs were long extinct by the time mosasaurs evolved. That said, mosasaurs were more heavily built and had powerful jaws, making them formidable hunters. Ichthyosaurs were faster and more agile, more suited to quick chases than brute force. **Legacy Beneath the Waves** Both ichthyosaurs and mosasaurs left behind rich fossil records, giving scientists insight into how reptiles adapted to life in the oceans. Their bones have been found on every continent, including Antarctica, reminding us that the ancient oceans were just as dynamic and dangerous as today’s wildest habitats. Next time you watch a documentary about dinosaurs or visit a natural history museum, take a moment to appreciate the marine reptiles that once ruled the seas. After all, the land wasn't the only place where prehistoric giants thrived.

ANCIENT SEA MONSTERS: ICHTHYOSAURS AND MOSASAURS

fossilhuntress.blogspot.com/2025/03/ancient-sea-mons...

#a #archea #Blog #cretaceous #female #fight #fossil #fossilhuntress #huntress #ichthyosaur #in

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NewYork

@newyork.activitypub.awakari.com.ap.brid.gy

11 months ago

UNEARTHING A JUVENILE ELASMOSAUR ON THE TRENT RIVER --- Pat Trask with a Fossil Rib Bone. Photo: Rebecca Miller A mighty marine reptile was excavated on the Trent River near Courtenay on the east coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada in August 2020. The excavation is the culmination of a three-year palaeontological puzzle. The fossil remains are those of an elasmosaur — a group of long-necked marine reptiles found in the Late Triassic to the Late Cretaceous some 215 to 80 million years ago. In the case of the Trent River, it is closer to 85 million years old. The rocks that make up this riverbed today were laid down south of the equator as small, tropical islands. They rode slow-moving tectonic plates across the Pacific — heading north and slightly east over the past 85 million years to where we find them today. The marine reptile fossil was excavated 10-meters up high on the cliffs that line the river. It took a month of careful planning, building scaffolding, and amassing climbing gear to aid the team of dedicated souls in unearthing this juvenile elasmosaur. Bits and pieces of him have been eroding out for years — providing clues to the past and a jigsaw puzzle that has finally had the last pieces put together. The first piece of this marine reptile puzzle was found three years ago. The Courtenay Museum hosts regular fossil tours here, led by Pat Trask. On one of those field trips back in 2017, Pat was leading a trip with a family and one of the field trip participants picked up a marine reptile finger bone. It was laying in the river having eroded out from a nearby cliff. She showed it to Pat and he immediately recognized it as being diagnostic — it definitely belonged to a marine reptile — possibly an elasmosaur — but what species and just where on the river it had eroded from were still a mystery. She kindly donated it to the museum and that was that. While it was an exciting find, it was a find without origin. Just where the material was coming from was unknown. It could have eroded from anywhere upstream and while many had searched the river, no other bone bits were found. --- Pat Trask Wrapping the plaster casing Then in 2018, another piece of this paleontological puzzle was revealed. Pat was leading yet another Courtenay Museum Fossil Tour on the Trent River when one of the participants showed him a specimen that looked like a really tiny hockey puck. This second find was a wrist bone — again possibly from an elasmosaur but hard to be sure. Contemplating out loud where this material could be coming from, Pat looked down and found a vertebra in the water below his feet. Pat put the bones in the lab at the museum. Intrigued by their origin, he began heading down to the river on his off hours to see where they might be coming from and thinking about where the erosion occurs on the Trent. In 2019, "I came down here and I started thinking about where the water flow would go." He could see a ledge along the river where eroded material might gather. Once he checked, he found a crack and cleaned out all the rock gathered there, finding more than a dozen bones. Pat teamed up with members of the Vancouver Island Palaeontological Society (VIPS) to scale the cliff faces above that section of the river. Jason Hawley, VIPS, did some rappelling but missed the site by a matter of feet. Pat had his neighbour fly a drone along the cliff face but it, too, turned up with nothing. Then at the beginning of August, Pat was back on the river in the morning with a family and said to one of the kids, "Hey, let's go look for baby elasmosaur." then they walked right over and saw a neckbone or tailbone in the river. Pat knew it hadn't been there the day before. He looked up and thought it must be coming from right up here. He came back later in the day with Deb Griffiths, his wife, set up his telescope on the river aimed at the likely portion of the cliff and bingo — he could see a bone sticking out. He returned the next day with his brother Mike Trask. Mike found the elasmosaur on the Puntledge River back in 1988. "We took a long pole and I said here's my target — and I hit one little piece, maybe three inches by three inches. When it fell down it had bones in it." Excited, they began planning a larger excavation that would include scaffolding, safety planning, climbing gear, permits... a lot of work in a short time. --- Plesiosaur Gastrolith Initially, they thought there would be a small amount of fossil material, perhaps a few finger bones but over the past few weeks, they have found bones of at least half a marine reptile. And the beauty of this find is that most of the bones do not have to be prepared. They are literally eroding out of the matrix. No prep means no tools. Tools can impact the shape of a bone as you prepare it. They've found the pelvis bones, humerus, radius — all diagnostic to identify the genus. And this may be a new species. If it is, there is a good chance it will be named after the Trask family. I caught up with Pat and the team from the VIPS out on the river on August 23, 2020 — the day of the excavation. Loose rib bones, gastroliths, wrist bones, finger bones and part of the back and pelvis were recovered — and possibly the head, too. The bulk of the specimen was wrapped in plaster and carefully lowered to the ground by Pat and members of the VIPS, under Mike Trask's careful eye. We know that there is a femur in that jacket and possibly all the bones associated with that. Also included are the fibula and tibia and their associated bones — and I'm truly hoping there is a skull in there, too! I've popped a link below of a wee video showing the final moments as the plaster cast is lowered down from the excavation site. Take a look! It was quite an exciting moment. It is not quite a baby, but this diminutive fellow is about four-metres long, making it a juvenile of his species. We have prepped enough of the material now to safely call it an elasmosaur. James Wood of the VIPS has done an amazing job on the preparation of this specimen using a new smaller air abrasive purchased by the Courtenay Museum. I hope to see it published with the Trask family name. Their paleontological history is forever tied to the Comox Valley and the honour would be fitting. Photo One: Rebecca Miller, Little Prints Photography — she is awesome! Photo Two: James Wood prepped the material and Pat Trask labelled and oriented the bones. Photo Three: Pat Trask perched atop scaffolding along the Trent River. And yes, he's attached to a safety line to secure him in case of fall. Photo Four: A gastrolith recovered amongst the stomach contents of the Trent River excavation. A gastrolith is a rock held inside a gastrointestinal tract. Gastroliths in some species are retained in the muscular gizzard and used to grind food in animals lacking suitable grinding teeth. The grain size depends upon the size of the animal and the gastrolith's role in digestion. Other species, including marine reptiles, use gastroliths as ballast — which may have been the case here. See the Excavation Moment via Video Link: https://youtu.be/r82EcEF7Pfc

UNEARTHING A JUVENILE ELASMOSAUR ON THE TRENT RIVER

fossilhuntress.blogspot.com/2025/03/unearthing-juven...

#archea #Blog #elasmosaur #female #fossil #Heidi #Henderson #huntress #paleontologist #paleontology #podcast

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Cell Bio News

@cellbionews.bsky.social

1 year ago

Simultaneous aerobic and anaerobic respiration in a Yellowstone thermophile challenges scientific norms Montana State University has long been a hub for research on the many unique features of nearby Yellowstone National Park, and now a doctoral student in one of the university's microbiology laboratori...

Simultaneous #aerobic and #anaerobic #respiration in a Yellowstone #thermophile challenges scientific norms

#mightymicrobes #extremophiles #chemolithotroph #genomic #metabolism #bacteria #archea #funded_by_NASA #funded_by_us

phys.org/news/2025-03...

Kate Michie

@kmichie.bsky.social

1 year ago

Dr Burns!!!! @brendanburns999.bsky.social Welcome to the sky 🤩 #archea

La Science, CQFD

@sciencecqfd.bsky.social

1 year ago

Les dernières recherches sur les mammouths par Régis Debruyne Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

#Vidéo 2020 > Les dernières recherches sur les #mammouths par #RégisDebruyne tinyurl.com/26wf73jq via #Archea #ScienceCQFD

Jan Binovsky

@jbinovsky.bsky.social

1 year ago

I knew it wouldn't be long before we see #cryoEM structures of a #phage cousin infecting #Archea 🦠 🧪

Beautiful structures from @daumlab.bsky.social, congrats!