A new set of genetic tools has been developed by researchers which will allow scientists to probe the microbial “dark matter” of the ocean. The research, published in the journal Nature Communications, has developed a set of genetic tools to help surveil the ocean’s microbial diversity and determine which species are present, and their individual metabolic capabilities.

This is an exciting development for oceanographers, as the ocean’s “dark matter” has long been a mystery, and this new set of tools will help us better understand the microbial life of the ocean. The tools allow researchers to identify the microbes present in the ocean and determine the metabolic capabilities of the species, which will help us to uncover the complex and largely unknown microbial food webs of the ocean.

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source: Phys.org