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| | | Frontiers explores new ideas in science, meeting the researchers whoÌýsee the world through fresh eyes and challenge existing theories - as well asÌýhearing fromÌýtheir critics. ManyÌýsuch developments create new ethical and moral questions and Frontiers is not afraid to consider these.
radioscience@bbc.co.uk | | | | | LISTEN AGAIN Ìý30 min | | | |
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|  | | Biologists search the boiling "Obsidian Pool" in Yellowstone National Park, USA,Ìýfor samples of Archaea.
Photo courtesy of the Department of Plant Biology at UC Berkeley. |
Archaea
Most people have never even heard of the Archaea, and yet these tiny microscopic organisms account for a fifth of all life and can be found in just about every habitat on earth.
These extraordinary life forms have been found in volcanic craters and hot springs, underneath the ice sheets of Antarctica and even round the thermal vents at the bottom of the ocean. It seems no environment is too tough, too hot, too cold or too acidic for these hardy creatures.
In this edition of Frontiers, Peter Evans looks at the third and most unusual branch of life to see if these previously ignored creatures may hold the answer to some of science's biggest puzzles.
A New Form of Life
Until the early 1990’s the Archaea had simply been branded a slightly unusual form of bacteria, but then microbiologist declared them to be a completely separate from of life. The reaction from his colleagues was shock and disbelief, but slowly his views were accepted.
Before this point all life had been divided into two kingdoms, the Bacteria or Prokaryotes and theAnimal Kingdom or Eukaryotes. Woese declared these labels insufficient and now created 3 super kingdoms or domains, the third one comprising the Archaea.
Attracting Attention
This third branch of life now began to generate considerable interest across the scientific community. Nasa has shown considerable interest in the extreme survival ability of these creatures. Could they offer a clue to any life-forms that might exist on other planets?
Oceanographers are now paying attention as large numbers of archaea in our oceans could play a role in global warming, and even medical researchers are studying these unusual life forms for a better understanding of how cancer cells replicate.
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