Protists are appearing in various news outlets. These fascinating organisms continue to make headlines, sparking interest due to their ecological significance and unique characteristics. In this section, Tomáš Pánek and Donna Huber have carefully selected some of the most noteworthy examples of protist-related media coverage, showcasing how these microscopic wonders are increasingly being recognized for their importance in diverse scientific and environmental contexts. Additionally, they feature exclusive insights from interviews with protistologists—both Society members and experts outside the organization. Together, these stories offer a closer look at how protists are gaining recognition and sparking conversations in the broader scientific community.
“The International Society of Protistologists (ISOP) conference is my favourite. It’s a uniquely supportive and collaborative community filled with passionate, knowledgeable colleagues from all horizons. Plus, the community is just the right size — you meet the same people over the years, and attending feels like going to a wedding where your quirky relatives actually enjoy discussing protists over drinks. It’s one of the few places where science and camaraderie blend so effortlessly.” Laura Eme
Sally Warring studies tiny life forms called protists. Under the microscope, this biologist sees a tiny jungle. She’s featured in this Science News Explores article.
“Protists make up most of eukaryotic diversity. From their genomes, we can get information about what these organisms are and how they live — what they need to eat or what they secrete into the environment. It could put more familiar types of life into better context, too.” Sally Warring
The high cost of complexity: New study explores energy needs of multicellular life by Richard Harth, Arizona State University (Phys.org)
Organismal success ultimately depends on the ability to efficiently transform environmental materials into biomass essential to growth and survival. The energetic cost per unit biomass produced is more than ten-fold higher in multicellular organisms than in unicellular species with comparable size. Why did multicellularity evolve, given the steep energy costs? The answer may lie in the evolutionary advantages that multicellular life provides, including the ability to consume single-celled organisms in large quantities, avoid predators and inhabit diverse environments. But this lifestyle came with a price: a high baseline energy cost that organisms must constantly meet to survive.
See the original research article: Michael Lynch. The bioenergetic cost of building a metazoan. Biophysics and Computational Biology, 121 (46) e2414742121 https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2414742121
Scientists discover more mitochondria-like symbionts with surprising metabolic capacities by Fanni Aspetsberger, Max Planck Society (Phys.org)
“Protists are capable of such astonishing metabolic innovations, often because they so readily jump into relationships with prokaryotes. To me, this is just fascinating. When it comes to understanding the evolution of eukaryotes, these organisms are an important piece of the puzzle.” Jana Milucka
See the original research article: Daan R. Speth, Linus M. Zeller, Jon S. Graf, Will A. Overholt, Kirsten Küsel & Jana Milucka. Genetic potential for aerobic respiration and denitrification in globally distributed respiratory endosymbionts. Nat Commun 15, 9682 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-54047-x
Once thought a fantasy, effort to sequence DNA of millions of species gains momentum
by Elizabeth Pennisi (Science)
Six years ago, scientists launched a massively ambitious effort to sequence the genomes of some 1.67 million plants, animals, fungi, and other microbes—essentially all known eukaryotes, or species with complex cells. Project leaders now hope to meet the 1.67 million species goal by 2032, and for hundreds of millions of dollars less than once predicted thanks to the faster speeds, lower costs, and greater accuracy of today’s DNA sequencing.
Scientists’ call to action: Microbes, planetary health, and the Sustainable Development Goals by Thomas W. Crowther et al. (Cell)
Microorganisms, including bacteria, archaea, viruses, fungi, and protists, are essential to life on Earth and the functioning of the biosphere. The ubiquitous and global role of microbes means that they present new opportunities for synergistically accelerating progress toward multiple sustainability goals. By effectively managing microbial health, we can achieve solutions that address multiple sustainability targets ranging from climate and human health to food and energy production. Emerging international policy frameworks should reflect the vital importance of microorganisms in achieving a sustainable future.
