BETA
Chapter 1
Discovery of a microscopic marvel
Chapter 2
Life stripped to its core
Chapter 3
The viral shadow
Chapter 4
Redefining what is alive
YOUR GOAL
Master of The ghost microbe Sukunaarchaeum
Ch 4 · Redefining what is alive
futura Redefining what is alive
Microbe, virus, *Sukunaarchaeum mirabile*, Re-defines what life is!
futura Astrobiologists are studying this microbe to understand how minimal a cell can be to survive on other planets.
futura This discovery forces scientists to reconsider the strict binary definition of living versus non-living.
Fun Fact
Microbial dark matter: Up to 99% of all microbial species on Earth cannot be grown in a lab, earning them the nickname 'microbial dark matter.'
Glossary
metabolism (noun)
The chemical processes that occur within a living organism in order to maintain life. In 2025, scientists discovered Sukunaarchaeum mirabile, a cellular microbe that completely lacks genes for this process.
The chemical processes that occur within a living organism in order to maintain life. In 2025, scientists discovered Sukunaarchaeum mirabile, a cellular microbe that completely lacks genes for this process.
Quiz
What advanced genetic technique allowed researchers to sequence the DNA of a single Sukunaarchaeum cell?
Quiz
What does the "deeply branching" nature of Sukunaarchaeum indicate about its evolutionary history?
Quiz
What does the biological "gray zone" occupied by Sukunaarchaeum suggest about the definition of life?
Quiz
Which scientific discipline studies the origin, evolution, and possibility of life in the universe?