1. Where Do Ocean Microbes With Nitrogen-Breathing Superpowers Live?
- Author
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Zakem, Emily J., Lauderdale, Jonathan M., and Follows, Michael J.
- Subjects
General Medicine - Abstract
All animals, including you, need oxygen to breathe. Many kinds of tiny microorganisms (microbes) also need oxygen. But some microbes have a superpower: they can breathe a different element called nitrogen! This means they can live in areas where there is no oxygen. But where are these areas? We wanted to figure out where these superpowered nitrogen-breathing microbes live in the ocean. In this article, we describe how we found a new way to estimate these areas. We made a map of the world that points out the areas in the deep ocean where nitrogen-breathing microbes are likely to live. Our work will help us to understand the role that nitrogen-breathing microbes play in the regulation of Earth’s climate.
- Published
- 2022