Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Conditions on Early Earth02:06

Conditions on Early Earth

101.9K
Around 4 billion years ago, oceans began to condense on earth while volcanic eruptions released nitrogen, carbon dioxide, methane, ammonia, and hydrogen into the primordial atmosphere. However, organisms with the characteristics of life were not initially present on earth. Scientists have used experimentation to determine how organisms evolved that could grow, reproduce, and maintain an internal environment.
101.9K
Anoxygenic Photosynthesis01:30

Anoxygenic Photosynthesis

1.4K
Anoxygenic photosynthesis is a phototrophic process that captures light energy to drive carbon fixation without producing molecular oxygen. Unlike oxygenic photosynthesis, which utilizes water as an electron donor and releases oxygen, anoxygenic phototrophs use alternative electron donors such as hydrogen sulfide (H₂S), elemental sulfur (S⁰), or thiosulfate (S₂O₃²⁻). This process is carried out by diverse groups of bacteria, including purple bacteria, green...
1.4K
Oxygenic Photosynthesis01:26

Oxygenic Photosynthesis

808
Oxygenic photosynthesis is a fundamental process in which light energy is harnessed to drive the oxidation of water, leading to the production of molecular oxygen (O₂), adenosine triphosphate (ATP), and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH). This process is essential for sustaining aerobic life on Earth and is primarily carried out by cyanobacteria, algae, and plants. The core of oxygenic photosynthesis lies in the thylakoid membranes, where chlorophyll pigments facilitate...
808
What is Photosynthesis?00:39

What is Photosynthesis?

111.6K
Photosynthesis is a multipart, biochemical process that occurs in plants as well as in some bacteria. It captures carbon dioxide and solar energy to produce glucose. Glucose stores chemical energy in the form of carbohydrates. The overall biochemical formula of photosynthesis is 6 CO2 + 6 H2O + Light energy → C6H12O6 + 6 O2. Photosynthesis releases oxygen into the atmosphere and is largely responsible for maintaining the Earth’s atmospheric oxygen content.
111.6K
What is Photosynthesis?01:00

What is Photosynthesis?

20.9K
All living organisms on Earth are directly or indirectly dependent on photosynthesis. It is the only biological process that can capture energy from sunlight and convert it into chemical energy that every organism can use to power its metabolism. Photosynthesis is also the source of oxygen required by many living organisms.
Types of Organisms Based on their Modes of Nutrition
Broadly, there are two main categories of organisms based on their modes of nutrition — autotrophs and...
20.9K
Acceleration due to Gravity on Earth01:21

Acceleration due to Gravity on Earth

12.1K
According to Newton's law of gravitation, the gravitational force on a body is proportional to its mass. According to Newton's second law of motion, the acceleration produced by an external force is inversely proportional to the force. Hence, the acceleration of an object under an external force of gravitation is independent of its mass.
The acceleration of an object close to the Earth, because of the Earth's gravitational pull, is called the acceleration due to gravity. It is...
12.1K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Learning from nature's plant engineers: Hijacking metabolism and development beyond genetics.

Current opinion in plant biology·2026
Same author

<math><msub><mtext>CO</mtext> <mn>2</mn></msub></math> fixation mediated by the carbon concentrating mechanism enables a rapid response to nitrogen deprivation in cyanobacteria.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same author

Diversity-driven biochemical survey reveals widespread dimerization throughout the rubisco superfamily.

Nature communications·2026
Same author

Quantitative Dissection of Agrobacterium Virulence to Generate a Synthetic Ti Plasmid.

ACS synthetic biology·2026
Same author

A toolkit for programmable transcriptional engineering across eukaryotic kingdoms.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same author

Causes and consequences of experimental variation in Nicotiana benthamiana transient expression.

Nature communications·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 13, 2026

Simulation of Early Earth Hydrothermal Chimneys in a Thermal Gradient Environment
06:29

Simulation of Early Earth Hydrothermal Chimneys in a Thermal Gradient Environment

Published on: February 27, 2021

4.1K

Photosynthesis and early Earth.

Patrick M Shih1

  • 1Joint BioEnergy Institute, 5885 Hollis St, Emeryville, CA 94608, USA; Physical Biosciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, One Cyclotron Rd, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.

Current Biology : CB
|October 7, 2015
PubMed
Summary

Microbial metabolisms are fundamental to life on Earth, driving global elemental cycles. Their ancient evolution highlights their essential role throughout our planet's history.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Biogeochemistry
  • Evolutionary Biology

Background:

  • Microbial metabolisms are the foundation of life's evolution and innovation.
  • Microbes are crucial components of Earth's biogeochemical cycles.
  • Life's ancient origins indicate microbial metabolisms' long-standing importance in global elemental cycling.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To highlight the critical role of microbial metabolisms in Earth's history and ongoing biogeochemical processes.
  • To emphasize the significance of microbial diversity in planetary functions.

Main Methods:

  • This study is a review and synthesis of existing knowledge on microbial metabolisms.
  • It analyzes the evolutionary history and ecological impact of microbial life.

More Related Videos

Surface Mapping of Earth-like Exoplanets using Single Point Light Curves
06:48

Surface Mapping of Earth-like Exoplanets using Single Point Light Curves

Published on: May 10, 2020

4.0K
Exfoliation of Egyptian Blue and Han Blue, Two Alkali Earth Copper Silicate-based Pigments
12:04

Exfoliation of Egyptian Blue and Han Blue, Two Alkali Earth Copper Silicate-based Pigments

Published on: April 24, 2014

16.5K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Feb 13, 2026

Simulation of Early Earth Hydrothermal Chimneys in a Thermal Gradient Environment
06:29

Simulation of Early Earth Hydrothermal Chimneys in a Thermal Gradient Environment

Published on: February 27, 2021

4.1K
Surface Mapping of Earth-like Exoplanets using Single Point Light Curves
06:48

Surface Mapping of Earth-like Exoplanets using Single Point Light Curves

Published on: May 10, 2020

4.0K
Exfoliation of Egyptian Blue and Han Blue, Two Alkali Earth Copper Silicate-based Pigments
12:04

Exfoliation of Egyptian Blue and Han Blue, Two Alkali Earth Copper Silicate-based Pigments

Published on: April 24, 2014

16.5K

Main Results:

  • Microbial metabolisms have evolved over billions of years, shaping Earth's environment.
  • Despite incomplete knowledge of microbial diversity, their integral role in biogeochemical cycles is evident.

Conclusions:

  • Microbial metabolisms are essential drivers of global elemental cycles.
  • Understanding microbial life is key to comprehending Earth's history and planetary functions.