Scientists Re-Ignite the Spark That Led to Complex Life [Video]

Researchers have taken an important step in understanding the origins of complex life by recreating the beginnings of endosymbiosis—a phenomenon in which one organism lives inside another—in a laboratory setting.

The findings, published in Nature, reveal how this intricate partnership might begin and eventually stabilize.

By using fungi and bacteria as model organisms, the study sheds new light on the evolution of these delicate relationships, offering a glimpse into the ancient processes that led to the development of cellular powerhouses like mitochondria, which drive the energy systems of our cells.

Why It Matters

Endosymbiosis is the foundation of complex, multicellular life as we know it, giving rise to the mitochondria and chloroplasts that power cells in plants, animals and fungi.

Understanding how this process begins could unlock answers about the evolution of life on Earth that led to …