Oxygen gives cells energy. But oxygen can also harm cells. Any organism that uses oxygen must both harness the power and protect itself against being damaged. A recent paper in Nature reports that certain Asgard archaea contain genes linked to oxygen use and suggests this helps explain how complex cells evolved over long ages.1 The key issue is not whether these microbes have oxygen-related genes—they do. The real ... More...
Many people are fascinated with dinosaur discoveries—a new fossil, a new species, and the impressive size. But whenever we read a news article, a scientific paper, or even a textbook describing these dino finds, we must be guided by the all-important question: what are the facts and how should the facts be interpreted?
Recently, scientists announced what they describe as a new species of Spinosaurus, naming it Spi... More...