Audio Edition: The Cells That Breathe Two Ways

Audio Edition: The Cells That Breathe Two Ways

From The Quanta Podcast by Quanta Magazine

April 30, 2026 · 13 min

About this episode

This episode discusses a unique microbe in Yellowstone that can breathe both oxygen and sulfur simultaneously.

In a hot spring at Yellowstone National Park, a microbe does something that life shouldn’t be able to do: It breathes oxygen and sulfur at the same time. The story The Cells That Breathe Two Ways first appeared on Quanta Magazine.

Topics covered

  • microbes
  • breathing
  • sulfur
  • oxygen
  • Yellowstone National Park
  • life processes

Keywords

  • microbe
  • breathing
  • oxygen
  • sulfur
  • Yellowstone
  • life
  • Quanta Magazine

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Quanta Magazine

Books & works: The Cells That Breathe Two Ways

Places: Yellowstone National Park

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