"Algae's Evolution: A Rare Nitrogen-Fixing Organelle Discovery"
Scientists have discovered a marine algae species containing an organelle capable of harvesting nitrogen from the atmosphere, a trait previously thought to be exclusive to symbiotic bacteria. This ability likely originated from an endosymbiotic relationship where a nitrogen-fixing cyanobacterium was engulfed by an ancestral marine algal cell, eventually becoming reliant on the algae for support. This discovery challenges linear notions of evolution and has implications for agriculture and marine science, as the nitrogen-fixing structure is likely a major contributor to the ocean's protein production.
