Hadesarchaea facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Hadesarchaea |
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|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | |
| Kingdom: | |
| Phylum: |
Hadesarchaeota
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| Class: |
Hadesarchaea
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| Order: |
Hadesarchaeales
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| Family: |
Hadesarchaeacaceae
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| Genus: |
Hadesararchaeum
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| Type species | |
| Ca. Hadesararchaeum tengchongensis Ca. Methanourarchaum thermotelluricum |
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Hadesarchaea are tiny living things, so small you can only see them with a microscope! They are a special type of Archaea (which are like very old, simple germs). These amazing creatures love to live in super hot places deep underground. Scientists have found them in ocean sand, deep mines, and even bubbling hot springs.
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What's in a Name?
Hadesarchaea had a long name at first: the South-African Gold Mine Miscellaneous Euryarchaeal Group (SAGMEG). This was because they were first found in a gold mine in South Africa.
In 2016, they got a new, cooler name: Hadesarchaea. This name comes from Hades, the Greek god who ruled the land of the dead. It fits because these tiny living things live deep underground, almost like in another world!
Their Tiny Blueprint: The Genome
In 2016, scientists used a special method called shotgun sequencing. This helped them create a map of the Hadesarchaea genome. A genome is like a complete instruction book for a living thing. It contains all its genes and other important DNA and RNA parts.
The Hadesarchaea genome is quite small. Scientists think this small size helps Hadesarchaea survive even when there isn't much food around. Scientists also believe Hadesarchaea came from an ancestor that used methane as food.
Where They Live and What They Do
The first Hadesarchaea were found in a mine in South Africa. This mine was about 3 kilometers (2 miles) deep under the Earth's surface! These creatures do not need oxygen or light to live.
Later, they were also found in other hot, strange places. These include the White Oak River estuary in North Carolina, where a river meets the ocean. They were also found in Yellowstone National Park's Lower Culex Basin. These areas are very hot, around 70 °C (158 °F). They are also very alkaline, which means they would harm most other living things.
Scientists have learned that Hadesarchaea are special. They are the only archaea that can change carbon monoxide and water into carbon dioxide and hydrogen. This process helps them get energy. Scientists also think Hadesarchaea can use sugar and amino acids for fuel. They might even change nitrite into ammonium. These tiny living things play a big role in geochemical processes underground.
Related pages
See also
In Spanish: Hadesarchaea para niños
