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Bacteria caught in a never-ending evolutionary loop

Seasons turn Lake Mendota into a microbial time machine.

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What if evolution didn't just march forward, but danced in circles? According to a recent Nature Microbiology study, researchers at the University of Texas at Austin have uncovered bacteria in Wisconsin's Lake Mendota trapped in an endless loop of genetic evolution. By analysing over 20 years of microbe samples, they found that seasonal shifts cause bacteria to evolve rapidly, only to reverse back to their starting point when the seasons change again. These genetic endless loop is a seasonal spectacle for 80% of the 2,855 bacterial genomes studied, showcasing nature's uncanny ability to rewrite its own story year after year. Extreme weather events, such as a scorching summer in 2012, caused notable genetic shifts—highlighting the profound influence of climate on microbial life. These findings reveal that evolution and ecology work hand in hand, suggesting microbes may play a critical role in adapting ecosystems to our warming planet.

Could nature's smallest creatures hold the biggest clues to our future?

Bacteria caught in a never-ending evolutionary loop
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ScienceBiology


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