r/interesting 16d ago

NATURE Death of a single-celled organism

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u/[deleted] 16d ago

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u/Yunzer2000 16d ago edited 16d ago

Hydrogen peroxide was put in the water. The bubbles are oxygen generated by H2O2 and the organic matter in the organism. Similar things happen when chlorine is added to disinfect drinking water - the chlorine ions rip the organism apart.

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u/Coinsworthy 16d ago

So it was murder?

18

u/Right_Level_7192 16d ago

For sure. I mean the cameraman would not wait there for months waiting for the fella to die of natural causes.

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u/AntSilly2802 16d ago

Often just the pressure of the microscope slide is enough to do it, or the microscope light.