#cable bacteria

[scishow]

Someday in the not-so-distant future your phone could run on bacteria instead of a battery.

[orbiculator]

An incredible new type of bacteria that transmits electricity was recently found in the muddy seabed of port Aarhus, Denmark.

These bacteria are, practically, bundles of living biocables. Unlike most bacteria, this novel group has been considered as multicellular as each cell lines up to form a filament (or, more appropriately, a strand of 'cable'), a single individual composed of many cells. These cells align vertically within the substrate and cooperate to transfer electrons from deep within the sediment up to seabed's surface, where oxygen is plentiful. This activity manifests as detectable electrical currents on the seabed, which was a mystery until the culprit was discovered.

The resemblance toward man-made electrical cable is so uncanny, it even has an insulating membrane, covering all the cells along the length of the filament.

I'll be honest, nothing that I write could compare with Ed Yong's full article, so read more here.