Scientists uncover oxygen-loving ancestor of all complex life

For decades, scientists have believed that complex life began when two very different microbes joined forces, eventually giving rise to plants, animals, and fungi. But one major puzzle remained: how could these organisms have met if one depended on oxygen and the other supposedly lived without it? New research suggests the answer lies in ancient microbes called Asgard archaea.

For decades, scientists have believed that complex life began when two very different microbes joined forces, eventually giving rise to plants, animals, and fungi. But one major puzzle remained: how could these organisms have met if one depended on oxygen and the other supposedly lived without it? New research suggests the answer lies in ancient microbes called Asgard archaea.