Scientists discovered a surprising lifeform inside human bodies, sparking curiosity and raising questions about its origin and purpose.
In a surprising discovery, scientists have found a new type of lifeform lurking within the human body.
This lifeform, called “obelisks,” consists of tiny, circular pieces of genetic material.
Unlike traditional viruses, these obelisks contain only one or two genes and can organize themselves into rod-like shapes.
Scientists discover bizarre new lifeform hiding inside human bodies
Researchers first noticed obelisks while examining genetic data from various sources, including human mouths and guts.
They were looking for patterns that did not match any known organisms.
To their astonishment, they identified obelisks in about half of the world’s population.
Obelisks thrive in the bacteria found in our mouths and intestines.
They generally live in their human hosts for about a year.
However, scientists are still puzzled about how these obelisks spread from one person to another.
Experts express amazement at discovering the obelisks.
Mark Peifer, a biologist who was not part of the study, expressed his amazement at the discovery.
He said, “The more we look, the more strange things we find.”
The researchers, led by Stanford biochemist Ivan Zheludev, analyzed thousands of genetic sequences to uncover the presence of these unique entities.
Obelisks contain RNA loops similar to plant viroids.
The obelisks have genomes made up of loops of RNA, similar to viroids—tiny infectious agents that usually affect plants.
This raises questions about why they are found in human-associated bacteria.
The researchers are unsure if obelisks are harmful or helpful.
They suggest that they might exist as “stealthy evolutionary passengers,” quietly coexisting with their host.
The team also believes that these primitive lifeforms could play a significant role in the biodiversity we see on Earth today.
They might be capable of infecting various organisms across different species over time.
Obelisks are non-living organisms relying on hosts.
Currently, scientists can only speculate about the role of obelisks.
They are classified as non-living organisms, meaning they do not eat, grow, or reproduce like traditional living beings.
Instead, they depend on host organisms for survival.
Some researchers think that obelisks and similar lifeforms may represent some of the oldest forms of life on our planet.
Researchers analyzed RNA databases to identify obelisks’ presence.
To find obelisks, the research team sifted through an RNA database filled with genetic sequences.
They identified over 30,000 different types of obelisks, which had previously gone unnoticed due to their unusual characteristics.
This finding shows that obelisks are not rare, as many people carry them in their mouths and guts.
The type of obelisk found varies depending on the body part and the individual from whom the sample was taken.
Long-term studies suggest that a single type of obelisk can survive in a human host for about a year.
The researchers believe that obelisks replicate by colonizing bacterial cells, similar to how viruses infect their hosts.
Obelisks influence bacterial survival and replication.
One of the important findings was the relationship between obelisks and a common bacterium known as Streptococcus sanguinis.
This bacterium is a major component of dental plaque and can be easily grown in lab settings.
This makes it a prime candidate for future studies to understand how obelisks survive and multiply within bacterial cells.
All known obelisks produce a specific protein called obulin.
Many also create a smaller version of this protein.
However, scientists have not yet determined the purpose or function of obulin.