Bacteria are happy to feed on hydrogen sulphide

Categories: Pseudo-explanations

An example of anthropomorphism:

RP: "So these [Thiomargarita magnifica] are living in some kind of rotten mush, in the mangrove swamp…What is it that is so special that they have chosen this weird way of living?"
…
JMV "These bacteria, they are very happy with that nasty compound [H2S], because they can feed on it, they are able to extract energy, in the form of electrons [sic], from these chemical compounds, and use that energy to fix carbon dioxide."

Dr. Jean-Marie Volland

Dr. Jean-Marie Volland, Scientist at the Laboratory for Research in Complex Systems, was being interviewed by Roland Pease on an episode ('Record bacterium discovered as long as human eyelash') of 'Science in Action'

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Author: Keith

Former school and college science teacher, teacher educator, research supervisor, and research methods lecturer. Emeritus Professor of Science Education at the University of Cambridge.