A new Tree of Life; getting bushier with more bacteria (Evolution)

by David Turell , Tuesday, April 12, 2016, 15:42 (2936 days ago) @ David Turell

Another article pointing out other areas where undiscovered life may be hiding:-http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/12/science/scientists-unveil-new-tree-of-life.html?emc=edit_th_20160412&nl=todaysheadlines&nlid=60788861&_r=0-"It's a humbling thing to behold. All the eukaryotes, from humans to flowers to amoebae, fit on a slender twig. The new study supported previous findings that eukaryotes and archaea are closely related. But overshadowing those lineages is a sprawling menagerie of bacteria.-"Remarkably, the scientists didn't have to go to extreme places to find many of their new lineages. “Meadow soil is one of the most microbially complex environments on the planet,” Dr. Hug said.-"Another new feature of the tree is a single, large branch that splits off near the base. The bacteria in this group tend to be small in size and have a simple metabolism.-"Dr. Banfield speculated that they got their start as simple life-forms in the first chapters in the history of life. They have stuck with that winning formula ever since. (my bold)-"Brian P. Hedlund, a microbiologist at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas who was not involved in the new study, said that one of the most striking results of the study was that the tree of life was dominated by species that scientists have never been able to see or grow in their labs. “Most of life is hiding under our noses,” he said.-"Dr. Banfield predicted that the bacterial branches of the tree of life may not change much in years to come. “We're starting to see the same things over and over again,” she said.-"Instead, Dr. Banfield said she expected new branches to be discovered for eukaryotes, especially for tiny species such as microscopic fungi. “That's where I think the next big advance might be found,” Dr. Banfield said.-"Dr. Hug disagreed that scientists were done with bacteria. “I'm less convinced we're hitting a plateau,” she said. “There are a lot of environments still to survey.'”-Comment: These simplistic organisms may help explain the origin of life (note the bold statement)