News: Research
‘We’re All Asgardians’: New Clues about the Origin of Complex Life
All complex life, a.k.a. eukaryotes, trace their roots to a common Asgard archaean ancestor.
![An evolutionary tree shows how eukaryotes are related to Asgard archaea](https://cns.utexas.edu/sites/default/files/uploads/images/default/3-2-fan-eukarya.jpg)
When Weather Whiplash Becomes the New Normal
Estuaries face increasing climate-induced changes. An 8-year study found droughts and floods shift phytoplankton from diatoms to cyanobacteria, impacting ecosystems.
![Torrents of water surge through a once-dry landscape, turning it into a scene of extreme flooding.](/sites/default/files/uploads/images/default/weatherwhiplash_utmsi.png)
Positive Feedback Loop Suggested for Ocean Acidification and Global Warming
Research shows ocean acidification disrupts nitrogen cycling by slowing nitrification and increasing nitrous oxide emissions, worsening global warming impacts.
![Charles Bay showcases a serene and expansive body of water, bordered by lush greenery.](/sites/default/files/uploads/images/default/yun00005.jpg)
These Tiny Coral Reef Fish Parents Decide When Their Embryos Hatch
Leaving the comfort and safety of home to explore the world is a difficult decision. However, in a tiny coral reef fish called a neon goby, dads help their offspring take the plunge by pushing them out the door when the time is just right.
![A pair of fish larvae newly hatched from eggs](https://cns.utexas.edu/sites/default/files/uploads/images/default/3-2-elacatinus_embryos_majoris.jpeg)
Adding Predictability to the Carbon Market
Salt marshes are a hot but unpredictable commodity in the carbon market.
![A salt marsh seen from an aerial view on a clear day with a boat in the foreground](https://cns.utexas.edu/sites/default/files/uploads/images/default/saltmarsh-3-2.jpeg)
Newly discovered bacteria and their proteins could advance our understanding of global nutrients
Marine microbiologists discovered five new bacteria phyla with unique proteins from deep-sea sediments, potentially redefining oceanic nutrient cycles.
![Five new phyla, highlighted in the color background, contain an unusually high amount of novel proteins.](/sites/default/files/uploads/images/default/naturecomms_bakerbackground_20221206.png)
UT News
Virus Discovery Offers Clues About Origins of Complex Life
The first discovery of viruses infecting a group of microbes that may include the ancestors of all complex life has been found.
![Illustration of the inside of a biological cell](https://cns.utexas.edu/sites/default/files/uploads/images/default/eukaryotic-cell-istock1400.jpg)
A More Nuanced Approach is Needed to Manage Coral Reef Ecosystems
Instead of focusing entirely on biomass and one-size-fits-all solutions, researchers recommend finding which fish provide the most useful functions in each reef system and protecting them.
![A school of colorful fish swim over a coral reef](https://cns.utexas.edu/sites/default/files/uploads/images/default/rangiroa-2400x1350.jpg)
Vitamin Sea: Why Coral Reef Fish Eat Poop
A new study reveals that Caribbean parrotfishes and surgeonfishes consume plankton-eating fish feces as a nutrient-rich supplement to algae.
![A Rainbow parrotfish swims in the water column, with many plankton-eating Brown chromis fish in the background. Photo by Hannah Rempel.](/sites/default/files/uploads/images/default/vitaminsea_parrotfishhannahrempel_20221002.png)
Loss of Picky-Eating Fishes Threatens Coral Reef Food Webs
Delicate ecosystems become more precarious as specialized hunters disappear.
![A school of red fish swim above a coral reef](https://cns.utexas.edu/sites/default/files/uploads/images/default/coral-reef-1-credit-jordan-casey.jpeg)