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 3 · The viral shadow
futura The viral shadow
Sukunaarchaeum mirabile, Ultra-tiny cell, Makes its own copies, But needs its host well, Blurring life's lines!
futura Scientists describe this microbe as approaching a viral way of life due to its extreme specialization.
futura The presence of protein-building machinery is the key difference that separates this microbe from a virus.
Fun Fact
Giant virus genomes: The giant Pandoravirus has a genome ten times larger than the living cell Sukunaarchaeum mirabile, proving that some viruses carry far more genetic data.
Glossary
virus (noun)
A submicroscopic infectious agent that replicates only inside the living cells of an organism. In 2025, Dalhousie University researchers discovered Sukunaarchaeum mirabile, a microbe that replicates similarly to these entities.
A submicroscopic infectious agent that replicates only inside the living cells of an organism. In 2025, Dalhousie University researchers discovered Sukunaarchaeum mirabile, a microbe that replicates similarly to these entities.
Gossip
Should giant viruses be classified as alive if they have more genes than some cells?
Quiz
What is the biological term for the core functions of DNA replication, transcription, and translation?
Quiz
What is the process where organisms swap genetic material directly rather than passing it down to offspring?
Quiz
Which of the following is true regarding the physical structure of Sukunaarchaeum compared to a virus?
Quiz
How do scientists describe the lifestyle of Sukunaarchaeum due to its extreme host dependence?