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Related: About this forumMeet the electric life forms that live on pure energy
Geobacter a current favourite
Derek Lovley/SPL
By Catherine Brahic
STICK an electrode in the ground, pump electrons down it, and they will come: living cells that eat electricity. We have known bacteria to survive on a variety of energy sources, but none as weird as this. Think of Frankensteins monster, brought to life by galvanic energy, except these electric bacteria are very real and are popping up all over the place.
Unlike any other living thing on Earth, electric bacteria use energy in its purest form naked electricity in the shape of electrons harvested from rocks and metals. We already knew about two types, Shewanella and Geobacter. Now, biologists are showing that they can entice many more out of rocks and marine mud by tempting them with a bit of electrical juice. Experiments growing bacteria on battery electrodes demonstrate that these novel, mind-boggling forms of life are essentially eating and excreting electricity.
That should not come as a complete surprise, says Kenneth Nealson at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles. We know that life, when you boil it right down, is a flow of electrons: You eat sugars that have excess electrons, and you breathe in oxygen that willingly takes them. Our cells break down the sugars, and the electrons flow through them in a complex set of chemical reactions until they are passed on to electron-hungry oxygen.
Lifes clever. It figures out how to suck electrons out of everything we eat and keep them under control
In the process, cells make ATP, a molecule that acts as an energy storage unit for almost all living things. Moving electrons around is a key part of making ATP. Lifes very clever, says Nealson. It figures out how to suck electrons out of everything we eat and keep them under control. In most living things, the body packages the electrons up into molecules that can safely carry them through the cells until they are dumped on to oxygen.
Read more: https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn25894-meet-the-electric-life-forms-that-live-on-pure-energy/#ixzz5ufPFbbIL
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Meet the electric life forms that live on pure energy (Original Post)
Judi Lynn
Jul 2019
OP
lapfog_1
(29,205 posts)1. Pretty sure I saw this on Star Trek at some point - n/t
Duppers
(28,125 posts)2. MOST interesting and amazing. nt
Thanks, Judi!
Judi Lynn
(160,545 posts)4. First time I ever heard about it. Thank YOU, Duppers. n/t
Duppers
(28,125 posts)5. Aww, but Thank you!
Who knew? Rocks really are alive, sort of.
Hubby requested I sent him the link when I read this to him this evening. So, triple thanks.
Hekate
(90,714 posts)3. There is Life in every niche. I am always charmed by that.
SunSeeker
(51,571 posts)6. "We are all pure energy"...
qazplm135
(7,447 posts)10. never mind
I didn't realize this post was actually the song I referenced below lol
Great minds think alike...
FiveGoodMen
(20,018 posts)7. Never heard of this before
Thanks!
Judi Lynn
(160,545 posts)12. Same here! Thank you. n/t
DavidDvorkin
(19,479 posts)8. They're biological life forms
It's incorrect to call them electric life forms.
qazplm135
(7,447 posts)9. Pure...pure energy...
I wanna know....what you're thinking...
(think 80s song with Spock quote)