Rare earth metal essential element for methane-munching acid-volcano microbe
Thursday, September 5, 2013 - 09:00
in Biology & Nature
Microbiologists have shown that the rare earth metal Cerium is essential for the methane-oxidizing bacteria, which they discovered in 2007 in an Italian hot, acid volcanic mudpot. It is the first time that a rare earth metal is identified as a condition for life.