Scientists Witness 'First Contact' That May Have Led to Complex Life on Earth
Researchers have observed a significant interaction between Asgard archaea and bacteria, which may have led to the evolution of complex life forms on Earth. Asgard archaea, named after Norse gods, are considered the closest relatives to eukaryotes, the complex cells that make up plants and animals. The study, published in Current Biology, highlights how these ancient microbes formed a partnership, sharing resources and physically interacting, which could have led to the first eukaryotes. This discovery was made using microbial mats from Shark Bay, Australia, where researchers established cultures of these ancient microbes. The study utilized electron cryotomography to observe the interaction at a nanometre scale, revealing tiny nanotubes connecting the two organisms. 
