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10-Centimeter Single-Celled Organisms Photographed 6 Miles Underwater

Posted by Soulskill on from the beware-the-leviathan dept.

New submitter roat35 tips news that researchers from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography have used Dropcam — a relatively small, glass-walled device containing an HD camera — to make videos of lifeforms that exist in the Mariana Trench, more than six miles below the surface of the Pacific Ocean. One of the more interesting organisms at those depths is the Xenophyophore, a creature which, despite being single-celled, can grow to be over 10 centimeters wide. "Scientists say xenophyophores are the largest individual cells in existence. Recent studies indicate that by trapping particles from the water, xenophyophores can concentrate high levels of lead, uranium and mercury and are thus likely highly resistant to large doses of heavy metals. They also are well suited to a life of darkness, low temperature and high pressure in the deep sea."

6 of 134 comments (clear)

  1. Heavy metals? by Pharmboy · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I can't be the only one thinking that an organism that is simple and can absorb heavy metals sounds almost too good to be true. Sounds like something that *could* be easy (in relative terms) to genetically modify for cleaning up toxic areas.

    Yes, I know, what could possibly go wrong...

    --
    Tequila: It's not just for breakfast anymore!
    1. Re:Heavy metals? by FishTankX · · Score: 4, Interesting

      How would we go about genetically modifying it to not require 6 miles of water ontop of it?

      Generally deep sea stuff tends to explode once we bring it up due to pressure differential.

    2. Re:Heavy metals? by ByOhTek · · Score: 3, Interesting

      The pressure difference isn't such an issue, the pressure differential for a single celled organism should equalize fairly well - it likely won't explode/rupture.

      The temperatures will be an issue. Many chemical reactions may fail.

      Also, certain reactions may actually require the high pressure.

      --
      Self proclaimed typo king, and inventor of the bear destroying coffee table (patent not pending).
  2. Largest single cells by DanTheStone · · Score: 4, Interesting

    What about ostrich eggs?

    1. Re:Largest single cells by assantisz · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Technically, the yolk is part of the "egg cell". The white and everything else within (besides the yolk) and including the shell is not. The only thing that is special about the yolk is that it does not partake in cell division if the egg is fertilized. There are no other cells within an egg. The white and the shell are not made from cells. All that said, I doubt, though, that the yolk of an ostrich egg is bigger than 20cm.

  3. pre-Cambrian sizes by Tablizer · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Ediacaran-era (pre-Cambrian) life-forms may be single-celled, but many scientists call them "multi-cellular" without question due their size. Since there are no known living relatives of Ediacarans, it's hard to say. Fossils don't preserve enough details. The possibility of them being single-celled is still fairly strong.

    --
    Table-ized A.I.