Methane-eating microbes grown on electrodes build electrically conductive nanowires

science & techPhys.org

Methane-eating microbes grown on electrodes build electrically conductive nanowires

from Phys.org

Certain microorganisms (anaerobic methanotrophic archaea, or ANME) consume methane and convert it into electricity, as research conducted four years ago by microbiologist Cornelia Welte of Radboud University revealed. New research by Welte and her colleagues published in Nature Communications now shows that these methane-consuming organisms do this by producing nanowires through which they can transmit the electricity they generate. The researchers have also succeeded in cultivating these specific microorganisms in almost pure form in the lab.

explained

Anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) is a methane-consuming microbial process occurring in anoxic marine and freshwater sediments. AOM is known to occur among mesophiles, but also in psychrophiles, thermophiles, halophiles, acidophiles, and alkophiles. During AOM, methane is oxidized with different terminal electron acceptors such as sulfate, nitrate, nitrite and metals, either alone or in syntrophy with a partner organism.

From Wikipedia: Anaerobic oxidation of methane (CC BY-SA 4.0) ↗

how it works

Instead of using oxygen, the cells pass electrons through nanowires to another organism or surface, which allows methane to be oxidised in places with no air.

so what

Anaerobic methane-eaters keep most of the methane produced under the sea floor from reaching the atmosphere. Understanding how they handle electrons could lead to ways of cutting methane emissions or generating small amounts of power from it.

fun fact

Archaea were only recognised as a separate domain of life from bacteria in the 1970s.

Hampi was once one of the world's largest cities, until its Vijayanagara capital was destroyed in 1565

the gist

Hampi is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Karnataka, India, with more than 1,600 surviving remains spread over 4,100 hectares. It was the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire from 1336 to 1565. Travellers from Persia and Portugal described it as a prosperous, wealthy and grand city with temples, markets and farms along the Tungabhadra River. By 1500 it was estimated to be the world's second-largest city after Beijing, and probably India's richest at the time. In 1565 a coalition of Muslim sultanates defeated the Vijayanagara Empire, its capital was conquered and destroyed, and the city was left in ruins. Hampi remains a religious centre, with the active Virupaksha Temple at its heart.

how it works

The city was built around a fortified core with temples, markets and water structures along the river, supplied by an extensive network of roads and waterworks. When the empire fell, the city was not rebuilt, so its stone monuments were left standing.

so what

Hampi shows how quickly a great city can vanish after a military defeat, and how a ruined capital can remain sacred. Its ruins give historians a view of medieval South Asia that few other sites can match.

fun fact

The name Hampi comes from Pampa, an old name for the Tungabhadra River.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia · text CC BY-SA 4.0

Image: Wikimedia Commons

source: Wikipedia ↗

2 min

politicsshortCNA2:01

False allegations about Singapore’s hand in Indonesia’s markets and a made-up meeting

from CNA

CNA Verify has found close to 400 posts pushing falsehoods tying Singapore to Indonesia’s stock market rout and to a secret meeting that never took place. Together, they drew nearly 12 million views, and some were circulated by accounts that appeared to be working in concert, across multiple social media platforms.

Here’s how the disinformation campaign targeting Singapore was uncovered.

on YouTube: CNA ↗