Scientists have recently made a groundbreaking discovery: the closest known ancestor of the mitochondria we have in our own cells may have been a bacteria-like organism that was able to survive in hot temperatures. Mitochondria are organelles found within cells that allow them to create energy, and this discovery could provide insight into how our own cells evolved. This organism, which has been named Lokiarchaeum, was found in hydrothermal vents deep within the ocean and was able to survive temperatures exceeding 100 degrees Celsius. Lokiarchaeum is a single-celled organism, but it has many of the same features as mitochondria, including the ability to make energy and the presence of a membrane-enclosed organelle. This discovery could help scientists better understand the evolution of mitochondria, and how our own cells evolved from single-celled organisms.

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source: Phys.org