Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

Biogeochemistry

Sparking an unusual nutrient

  • News & Views
  • Published:

From Nature Geoscience

View current issue Submit your manuscript

Modern terrestrial microbes have shown a puzzling ability to use reduced forms of phosphorus not commonly found on Earth. An examination of glasses formed in the ground by lightning suggests that lightning strikes can generate these phosphorus species.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Figure 1: Cloud-to-ground lightning.

© ISTOCKPHOTO / CORTHNER

References

  1. Miller, S. L. Science 117, 528–529 (1953).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Pasek, M. & Block, K. Nature Geosci. 2, 553–556 (2009).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. White, A. K. & Metcalf, W. W. Annu. Rev. Microbiol. 61, 379–400 (2007).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Glindemann, D. et al. Environ. Sci. Pollut. Res. 5, 71–74 (2008).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Pasek, M. A. Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 105, 853–858 (2008).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Glindemann, D. et al. Origins Life Evol. Biosph. 29, 555–561 (1999).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Gulick, A. Am. Sci. 43, 479–489 (1955).

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Schwartz, A. Sparking an unusual nutrient. Nature Geosci 2, 538–539 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1038/ngeo584

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/ngeo584

  • Springer Nature Limited

Navigation