Seas Yield Surprising Catch of Unknown Genes
By Rick Weiss
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, March 14, 2007; Page A01
It took some mighty fine nets, but scientists who spent two years trawling the world's oceans for bacteria and viruses have completed the most thorough census ever of marine microbial life, revealing an astonishingly diverse and bizarre microscopic menagerie.
Countering a long-held assumption that ocean waters are not rich with microbial life, the new report, released yesterday, reveals an otherworldly world of organismal ferment, including thousands of low life forms that could help destroy the development of new antibiotics and alternative energy sources and obfuscate the ocean's role in climate change.
OK. So I took the liberty to change a couple of words and insert a picture of the organisms, but I think Mr. Weiss will approve of them.
By Rick Weiss
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, March 14, 2007; Page A01
It took some mighty fine nets, but scientists who spent two years trawling the world's oceans for bacteria and viruses have completed the most thorough census ever of marine microbial life, revealing an astonishingly diverse and bizarre microscopic menagerie.
Countering a long-held assumption that ocean waters are not rich with microbial life, the new report, released yesterday, reveals an otherworldly world of organismal ferment, including thousands of low life forms that could help destroy the development of new antibiotics and alternative energy sources and obfuscate the ocean's role in climate change.
OK. So I took the liberty to change a couple of words and insert a picture of the organisms, but I think Mr. Weiss will approve of them.
posted by mydadsblog at 1:35 PM
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