At the microscopic edge of biology, researchers have uncovered an organism so stripped down that it forces a rethink of what it means to be alive. The discovery hints at a form of existence that is ...

In the murky waters of Ushiku-numa, a freshwater pond just northeast of Tokyo, a microscopic drama has been playing out for ...

In the vast and often unseen world of microscopic life, a recent discovery may force scientists to rethink what it means to be alive. Nestled inside a tiny plankton cell, researchers found a ...

Viruses typically aren’t considered ‘alive,’ as many core biological functions are outsourced to their potential hosts. But a newly discovered organism appears to straddle the line between virus and ...

It's tiny and needy, but is it alive? That's a question prompted by recent research that highlights a surprisingly complex part of biology. The organism in question is a microbe called Sukunaarchaeum ...

Heshmat Borhani does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond ...