Donald Canfield

Discovery of new biological pathway in widespread archaea could transform understanding of oceans' fertility

It is common knowledge that there would be no oxygen on Earth were it not for sunlight; the key component in photosynthesis. Now researchers have made the surprising discovery that oxygen is also produced without sunlight, possibly deep below the ocean surface.

Nitrogen comprises around 78% of Earth's atmosphere, so why do most lifeforms breathe oxygen?

There is more going on in the deep, dark ocean waters than you may think: Uncountable numbers of invisible microorganisms go about their daily lives in the water columns, and now researchers have discovered that some of them produce oxygen in an unexpected way.