Some of the oldest living trees on Earth are in the temperate rainforests of the Chilean Coast Range. Second only to the bristlecone pine in age, these endangered, slow-growing alerce trees (Fitzroya cupressoides) shelter an impressive assortment of hidden fungal life underground.1 In fact, a recent study investigates how these trees and fungi support one another.2
Mycorrhizal fungal communities are f... More...
What if a simple sea sponge could spark a debate about the origin of animal life? A recent study suggests that some of Earth’s earliest animals were sponge-like creatures due to chemical traces found in ancient rocks.1 Researchers discovered unusual sterane molecules in marine sediments. Steranes are chemical traces that form when sterols—lipid molecules that help strengthen cell membranes—break down over time. ... More...