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Lack of Molybdenum May Have Delayed Life on Earth

esocid writes "Scientists from around the world have reconstructed changes in Earth's ancient ocean chemistry during a broad sweep of geological time, from about 2.5 to 0.5 billion years ago. They have discovered that a deficiency of oxygen and the heavy metal molybdenum in the ancient deep ocean may have delayed the evolution of animal life on Earth for nearly 2 billion years. Bacteria cannot fix nitrogen efficiently when they are deprived of molybdenum. And if bacteria can't fix nitrogen fast enough, then eukaryotes — a kind of organism that includes plants, pachyderms and people — are in trouble because eukaryotes cannot fix nitrogen themselves at all. Ariel Anbar, a co-author of the research of Arizona State University, stated that "eukaryotes depend on bacteria having an easy enough time fixing nitrogen that there's enough to go around. So if bacteria were struggling to get enough molybdenum, there probably wouldn't have been enough fixed nitrogen for eukaryotes to flourish.""

5 of 89 comments (clear)

  1. 42 by RuBLed · · Score: 5, Funny
    Its the ultimate answer to life and everything.

    According to wikipedia.

    Molybdenum is the 42nd-most-abundant element in the universe


    Coincidence? I think not!
    1. Re:42 by Torodung · · Score: 5, Funny

      Its the ultimate answer to life and everything.

      According to wikipedia.

              Molybdenum is the 42nd-most-abundant element in the universe And it can hardly be coincidence that you fail to mention its atomic number is also 42!

      ZOMG! Is it April Fools' yet?

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      Toro
    2. Re:42 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      No. Run when it doesn't have 42 electrons. You're in for a shock!

  2. the deity screws up again by frovingslosh · · Score: 4, Funny

    Bacteria cannot fix nitrogen efficiently when they are deprived of molybdenum So when God created the earth, all of his nitrogen was broken?

    --
    I'm an American. I love this country and the freedoms that we used to have.
  3. Molybdenum?! by TrebleJunkie · · Score: 4, Funny

    Damn near killed 'um!!

    *ducks*

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    Ed R.Zahurak

    You know, oblivion keeps looking better every day.