Scientists have discovered a new microorganism on the rudder of the Blue Heron boat. And it could well be a new species unknown to date.
There is no need to conduct research and in-depth studies to find new microorganisms on Earth. Indeed, researchers have recently discovered a new species by chance on a research ship, and it has some surprises in store.
Everything happened when the Blue Heron (), a ship belonging to the University of Minnesota, chance discovered a new species a ship belonging to the research fleet of the University of Minnesota in Duluth and devoted to the study of the Great Lakes, had to be out of the water to be repaired. While he was at the Great Lakes shipyard, a strange viscous substance was discovered on his rudder, in a hot area, devoid of oxygen and greasy.
Following this unique discovery, researchers from the University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD), decided to examine it decided to examine it. They demonstrated that this substance belonged to a new microorganism. To describe the external aspect of this substance, the researchers compared it to tar or jelly.
Professor Cody Sheik adds to Sciences et Avenir: “We believe that this organization also belongs to an unknown genre. We are still working on the phylogenetic reconstruction of this group in order to confirm that it is indeed a new genre“Named SHIPGOO001CE species is unique and lives in a biofilm with other microbial species. According to the university, some of these species have already been found in oil wells and tar wells. In addition, Cody Sheik added the following in a press release from the UMD ():”The biggest surprise was to note that the goo of the ship contained in life. We thought we could find nothing. But, surprisingly, we found DNA and it was not too destroyed, any more than the biomass was too low.”
This discovery must however be the subject of more in -depth studies, as Cody Sheik points out:“The viscous substance itself looks like tar, very sticky and black. But we currently have no microscopic image of Shipgoo001, and we therefore do not know what it looks like. “Researchers have already planned to reveal the results of the microorganism genome and the studies they will carry out on him. This should also help scientists solve a fairly important mystery, because although the lake waters contain oxygen, this microorganism has formed and developed without this precious gas, which is nevertheless necessary.