Are you used to the fact that bacteria can only be seen under a microscope? Get ready for your world to collapse – scientists have found a bacterium with cells a centimeter long.
These dimensions make the “discovery” the largest species of bacteria ever discovered.
Just for comparison: the vast majority of bacteria consist of simple cells, the diameter of which is approximately two microns (this is 40 times smaller than a human hair).
The title of "record holder" was given to a bacterium called Thiomargarita magnifica.
It was found on the leaves of submerged mangrove forests in Guadeloupe.
This happened more than a decade ago, but until recently scientists could not classify it.
Even now, after the identification of T. magnifica, which was undoubtedly a major milestone for microbiologists, there are still unanswered questions about the life cycle, cellular mechanisms and evolutionary history of this creature.
One thing is certain: the existence of this "bacterial giant" is a hint that there are other giant microbes out there. Well, time will tell.
