Science Blog

Science Blog: "According to a new report, complex cells like those in the human body probably resulted from the fusion of genomes from an ancient bacterium and a simpler microbe, Archaea, best known for its ability to withstand extreme temperatures and hostile environments. The finding provides strong evidence that complex cells arose from combinations of simpler organisms in a symbiotic effort to survive. Scientists refer to both bacteria and Archaea as ''prokaryotes''--a cell type that has no distinct nucleus to contain the genetic material, DNA, and few other specialized components. More-complex cells, known as ''eukaryotes,'' contain a well-defined nucleus as well as compartmentalized ''organelles'' that carry out metabolism and transport molecules throughout the cell."