Opinion

If the UK Government keeps refusing to talk about pay, the blame for the ongoing strikes will lie fairly and squarely at its door

It's a new year – but 2023 is starting with the same old problems, not least the deadlocked disputes across the public services which have led to nurses, train drivers, teachers, paramedics, postal workers and others taking strike action and the UK Government refusing to negotiate.

As people return to work after the festive break, more walk-outs are planned and ministers show little sign of softening their intransigent stance. Rail strikes resume this week as Network Rail staff across the UK stage repeated stoppages. Even in Scotland, junior doctors are preparing for industrial action and unions representing nurses and midwives have rejected the government's latest pay deal and are due to announce strike dates next month. Firefighters could be next.

With inflation at around 10 per cent and pay offers for some sectors as low as two per cent, it's hardly surprising that workers are feeling angry and desperate at their real-terms pay cuts. A growing number of nurses are said to be resorting to foodbanks to feed their families – a shameful situation for any society, but especially a rich nation like ours.

There was a time, at the height of Covid, when it looked as if there might be a fundamental rethink about how we value different jobs and an attempt to ensure proper recognition and reward for the vital role played by often low-paid workers. There was a genuine gratitude for the sacrifices made not just by health workers, but also others who kept society functioning – like delivery drivers, supermarket staff, teachers and bus and train drivers. These are the people who saved lives, maintained food supplies, made sure some basic level of education continued and helped essential workers get to their jobs.

But all that seems to have been forgotten now. Public service staff are told their pay claims are unaffordable and ministers accuse them of holding the country to ransom. The government tries to portray its position as reasonable because it is following the recommendations of “independent” pay review bodies. It ignores the fact the recommendations were produced before the surge in inflation and the review bodies are only independent within government-set parameters.

And ministers condemning the impact of walk-outs by nurses and paramedics is also tricky when people know hospital wards are understaffed all the time and ambulance response times are poor because so many are queuing outside A&E departments for hours.

No-one likes the idea of nurses striking – least of all the nurses themselves – and everyone gets frustrated by the disruption which industrial action in key sectors inevitably brings. But with shared worries about the impact of the soaring cost of living and wages not keeping up with inflation, many of the public are on the workers' side rather than the government's in these disputes. One poll just before Christmas showed support for nurses had risen by seven points since the strikes were announced, with 54 per cent blaming the government for the nurses taking action.

Disputes almost always end with negotiation and compromise. If the government maintains its refusal to have talks about pay, the blame for the continuing strikes and the consequent disruption will lie fairly and squarely at the government's door.

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Members of the Royal College of Nursing demonstrate outside the Scottish Parliament. Picture: Lisa Ferguson.

WALES
Carol Vorderman asks 'where is Rishi Sunak' as she blasts 'criminally negligent' government

The media personality called for a general election to be held

Eve Rowlands

3 JAN 2023

Carol Vorderman (Image: Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)

Welsh media personality and former Countdown presenter Carol Vorderman has criticised the current Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak and the Conservative party, asking the question: "Where are you?" on the social media platform Twitter.

The scathing tweet comes soon after the PM posted his New Year message in which he wished everyone a happy Christmas and reflected on the year just gone. In the video message, he commented on the recovery from the "unprecedented pandemic", Russia launching a "barbaric" and "illegal" invasion across Ukraine and its "profound economic impact around the world".

He added how this crisis had been felt at home and that the UK government had made "difficult but fair" decisions in getting debt under control the result of those decisions - he stated the government had been able to "help the most vulnerable with the rising cost of energy bills".

Read more:'Incredible' Carol Vorderman 'aging in reverse' as she celebrates 40 years on TV

Remembering his promise to the nation some months ago, in which he said he would work "relentlessly" on what matters most to the British people, he referenced the government's work to back such bodies like the NHS - citing its backlog, more funding and more medical staff - before claiming that 2023 will "give us the opportunity to showcase the very best of Britain on the world stage" and how his government is going to put the priorities of the nation first. He ended his message by wishing all a Happy New Year.



Carol, who is no stranger to voicing her opinions on the current political climate, soon responded to this video with a message which called for a general election. It read: "Where are you @rishisunak? We are in crisis...Your New Year message already blown just like your promise about integrity.

"Just go.....and take this disgusting, criminally negligent government with you 

#GeneralElectionNow".

This tweet had a massive response from the 62-year-old's supporters, with hundred agreeing with the television star and thousands retweeting it.

One wrote: "@carolvorders you are a shining example of using your profile and influence in a positive way. May you go from strength to strength.", while another said: "Keep going Carol,you’re absolutely amazing xxx"

A third and fourth added: "I'm loving this Carol Vorderman!" and "Keep going Carol. It’s voices like yours that make a difference."

UK

Tory MP tells firefighters using food banks ‘learn how to budget’

 Emma Brazell

Tuesday 3 Jan 2023 

He was branded ‘completely divorced from reality’ on Twitter (Picture: Getty Images/PA)

A Conservative MP has dismissed claims that many firefighters earning £32,244 are forced to use food banks.

Brendan Clarke-Smith has suggested that if anyone is struggling on this salary, they need to ‘learn to budget and prioritise’.

But his comments have sparked controversy online, with people pointing to the crushing cost of energy, food, fuel and rent.

Some named him ‘completely divorced from reality’, saying a single parent living on that budget ‘wouldn’t even be able to buy toiletries’.

Others noted that MPs earn a basic annual salary of £84,144 and are able to make expenses claims for accommodation, office costs and travel.

The total bill for MPs’ allowances rose to £138.6 million in 2021-2022.

Mr Clarke-Smith’s Twitter spat came after the Fire Brigades Union tweeted saying Freedom of Information requests had revealed Chief Fire Officers are, on average, on £148,000 – with the highest salary being £206,000.

Meanwhile, many ordinary firefighters who earn a salary up to six times lower – £32,244 – are using food banks, they said.

MP Brendan Clarke-Smith suggested people ‘learn to budget and prioritise’ (Picture: PA)

Firefighters and control staff have rejected a 5% offer, as inflation soars to 10.7%.

In response, Mr Clarke-Smith, who represents Bassetlaw in Nottinghamshire, tweeted: ‘I respect the profession, but £32,244 and using a food bank?

‘Never heard such a ridiculous thing in my life. I earned a lot less than that for most of my teaching career and so do many of my constituents. 

‘If true, which is unlikely, I suggest learning how to budget and prioritise.’

He added: ‘There will always be people with individual situations who occasionally need help, regardless of income, but to use it as a go-to example every time is getting a little absurd now.’

He was backed by Tory peer Lord Moylan, who wrote: ‘Bravely said.’

‘Anybody on £32 grand a year and requires food bank need help with finances,’ one Twitter user added.

But others told him to ‘get in the real world’, naming his statement ‘shameful’.

One person said: ‘So say they are the sole source of income for a family of 4. You really think £32k after tax is going to cover the cost of living when energy costs have doubled and the cost of food has risen by over 14 per cent in the last 12 months? You’re completely divorced from reality.’

Someone looks through food items inside a food bank in Hackney, north-east London (Picture: AFP via Getty Images)

Another wrote: ‘Net monthly: 2,100. Single parent, living in two bed house=1,000. Bills= 400. Food=400. Transport= 200. Clothes=100.

‘My budget is gone and I haven’t even bought toiletries Brendan. Can you please teach me how to budget better.’

When people queried when Mr Clarke-Smith was last in the teaching world, he replied saying 2019.

One person replied: ‘And then there was inflation you clown.’

Meanwhile, Angela Hough replied to Lord Moylan, writing: ‘There is nothing brave about rich people telling those who earn less to budget better during a cost of living crisis.’

It comes after the Trussell Trust network revealed their food banks distributed over 2.1 million food parcels in 2021-22 for the first time outside of the first year of the pandemic.

CAPITALI$M IS CONSUMPTION

Shoplifting offences rise in North Yorkshire as cost of living crisis bites
COVERED BY RETAIL INSURANCE
Emily Horner
Wed, 28 December 2022 

Shoplifting increases in North Yorkshire as cost of living bites

SHOPLIFTING has increased in North Yorkshire as the cost of living crisis has ramped up, figures suggest.

This year, households across the country have been hit rising inflation, rising food prices and soaring energy bills.

It has been feared that the rising cost of living could lead to increased levels of shoplifting as salaries are stretched more thinly.


North Yorkshire Police recorded 1,476 shoplifting offences between April 1 and August 31 this year, a rise of 15.2 per cent compared to the same five month period last year.

However, this is still lower than the same time period in 2019, which saw 479 more offences.

READ MORE: York Station sees fewer passengers in 2021-22 than pre-Covid-19

Between April and August this year, just 139 (9.4 per cent) of these shoplifting crimes resulted in a charge or summons in North Yorkshire.

North Yorkshire Police said it was not possible to determine why there has been an increase in shoplifting offences without a detailed analysis of each incident and asking for each suspect's mitigation.

A North Yorkshire Police spokeswoman said: "We know that shoplifting has a negative impact on our local economy and community and we understand the impact it has on businesses.

"We do everything we can to investigate reports and where there is evidence that leads to identification of a suspect we will pursue action through the courts if appropriate."

Across England and Wales there was a 22 per cent rise in shoplifting offences reported to 38 police forces this year compared to last year, but a drop of 17.9 per cent compared to 2019.

The British Retail Consortium, which represents retailers in the UK, said shoplifting cost retailers £663 million in 2020-21.

Tom Ironside, BRC director of business and regulation, said police-recorded crimes do not represent the whole picture as some retail staff are reluctant to report such incidents due to "a lack of police response".

Assistant Commissioner Paul Betts, of the National Police Chiefs' Council, said: "We are conscious of concerns from business about the potential for increased shoplifting due to the cost-of-living crisis.

"We recognise the important role that policing plays in tackling offenders and supporting retailers in reducing the number of offences committed and in keeping their staff safe."

The North Yorkshire Police spokeswoman added: "Our Neighbourhood Policing Teams work with businesses to provide crime prevention advice.

"Crime officers also liaise with architects, designers, developers and local authorities to provide specialist advice on the design of new developments and refurbishments to reduce the potential.

"We also offer specialist training from our Project Servator team so that staff can spot the tell-tale signs that someone is either about to commit a crime or is planning to."

To report an incident of shoplifting, please call the police on 101. If a crime is in progress or you are being threatened, always call 999.

UK

Think tank warns of cost-of-living crisis ‘groundhog year’ in 2023

30 Dec 2022 

Photo by Josh Appel on Unsplash.

Next year looks set to be just as “horrendous” for many families’ living standards as this year, as they are hit with falling pay and soaring energy, tax and mortgage bills, a think tank has warned.

Households face a cost-of-living “groundhog year” with disposable incomes plummeting even further than in 2022, which saw the biggest annual fall in a century, according to the Resolution Foundation.

The new year should bring some positive developments, including the end of double-digit inflation, fewer vacancies and recruitment challenges for companies, as well as a rise in benefits and the National Living Wage by around 10% in April.

However, families’ living standards will get “far worse” in 2023 before they start improving, the think tank predicts.

This is due to the continued shrinking of pay packets in real terms, with wages remaining well below current levels well into 2024.

Although inflation looks set to have peaked, this does not equal lower prices, just smaller price rises, meaning families still face sky-high costs.

Energy spending

At the same time, household energy spending is set to rise by a record £900 to £2,450 in 2023, up from £1,550 this year.

This is despite wholesale energy prices having dropped, as retail prices continue to climb and Government support will be scaled back.

Tax hikes will see a typical middle-income household’s personal tax bills jump by around £1,000 from April, according to the think tank, which focuses on living standards.

Finally, rising interest rates will translate into some 2 million households moving onto more expensive fixed-rate mortgages, costing the average mortgage-holder £3,000 more a year.

Torsten Bell, Resolution Foundation chief executive, said: “From a cost-of-living perspective, 2022 was a truly horrendous year – far worse than any year in the pandemic or financial crisis.

“2023 should see the back of double-digit inflation, but it looks set to be a groundhog year for many families whose incomes look set to fall by just as much as they did in 2022.

“Many families will be helped by benefits and the National Living Wage rising, both by around 10 per cent next April. But this will be swamped by shrinking pay packets, a record £900 rise in energy bills, tax bills for the typical household rising by £1,000, and millions seeing four digit increases in their mortgage bills.

“For families’ living standards, things will get far worse in 2023 before they start to get better.”

People are four times as likely to think that their financial situation has worsened than improved over the past year, according to a Resolution Foundation-commissioned YouGov survey of 10,470 adults.

The poll also found that low-income families are three times as likely as high-income families to not feel confident about their financial situation over the next three months.

Committed

A Treasury spokesperson said: “We are committed to supporting families with children, which is why we increased both child benefit and child tax credits in line with inflation this year and made changes to Universal Credit so that working families can keep more of what they earn.

“We also have a plan that will help to more than halve inflation next year, bearing down on the financial pressures that households face, and have already lifted millions of people out of paying tax altogether by raising the tax-free allowances for both income tax and National insurance by more than inflation since 2010.

“This is on top of substantial support with the cost of living, with everyone benefiting from energy bills being held down this winter and more than eight million vulnerable households having already received £1,200 in cash payments straight to their bank accounts – with a further £900 for those on means-tested benefits next year.”

HOME SCHOOLING FAILS

Manchester children suffer drop in education attainment through coronavirus pandemic

Young children in Manchester suffered a fall in attainment across all four key subjects at school through the coronavirus pandemic, new figures show.

By Andrew Dowdeswell, Data Reporter

 of a primary school child at work in a classroom. Parents on Universal Credit (UC) who want to work or increase their hours are being held "prisoners to the high cost of childcare", MPs have warned. Support for childcare costs through the benefit is only enough to cover part-time hours and is stopping parents from working for longer, according to a report from the Work and Pensions Committee. Issue date: Tuesday December 20, 2022.

Young children in Manchester suffered a fall in attainment across all four key subjects at school through the coronavirus pandemic, new figures show.

Across England, attainment levels in state schools for reading, writing, maths and science fell significantly from 2018-19 – the last unaffected year before the pandemic – to 2021-22.

The Association of School and College Leaders said the figures show the "huge impact" the pandemic has had on children's development and urged the Government to increase funding to meet attainment standards.

Department for Education figures show 59% of 7,309 Key Stage 1 pupils achieved the expected standard in reading assessments last year – down from 72% in 2018-19.

The downward trend was reflected in writing – which fell from 67% to 49% across the same time period – and maths, falling from 74% to 60%.

Attainment in science also fell among young pupils, from 78% in 2018-19 to 64% last year.

Every area in England with Key Stage 1 pupils and pre-pandemic data saw a fall in attainment in all four subjects.

Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said the figures show "the huge impact the pandemic has had on education".

Mr Barton said: "It is unsurprising that the disruption of the last few years has led to the percentage of pupils meeting the expected standards in reading, writing, maths and science falling."

He also highlighted the widening attainment gap between children from disadvantaged backgrounds – defined as pupils who received free school meals in years 1 or 2, had spent at least one day in local authority care in the last year, or had left local authority care through adoption or other child arrangement orders – and their peers.

In England, reading and writing attainment fell by 11 and 14 percentage points respectively for disadvantaged pupils during the pandemic.

This was compared to six and 10 for other children across the same period.

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Meanwhile, maths performance fell by 10 percentage points from 2018-19 to 2021-22 for disadvantaged children, a much greater drop than the six percentage points for other pupils.

Mr Barton said teachers are "doing everything they can to help all pupils catch up on learning", but urged the Government to address significant challenges they face.

He said primary school budgets are being stretched, despite the added £4.6 billion in funding for schools across the next two years announced in the autumn statement, meaning they struggle to provide specialised support for individual pupils, and that recruitment and retention of primary teachers is in "crisis".

"If the Government is serious about meeting its attainment targets, it must recognise and address the pressures schools are under and provide the resources and support that are desperately needed," he added.

The Department for Education said it has rolled out its education recovery programme to help children's learning following the pandemic.

A spokesperson said the programme includes nearly 3 million tutoring courses and £24 million investment to boost literacy skills.

Former Prime Minister Liz Truss warns Rishi Sunak not to scrap her proposed childcare reforms, fast-tracked during her brief stint in Downing Street

Liz Truss has warned Rishi Sunak not to scrap her proposed childcare reforms

It comes amid growing concern among Tory MPs over its ‘unaffordable’ costs

 
Ms Truss fast-tracked plans to offer more help to parents during her time as PM

By DAVID CHURCHILL

 CHIEF POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT

 FOR THE DAILY MAIL
3 January 2023


Liz Truss has warned her successor Rishi Sunak not to scrap her proposed childcare reforms.

It comes amid growing concern among Tory MPs over the ‘unaffordable’ and spiralling costs that parents face.

During her short stint as prime minister, Ms Truss fast-tracked plans to offer more help. A third of women say childcare costs have forced them or their partners to consider quitting work.

But Mr Sunak has scrapped her plans to ditch mandatory staff-child ratios in nurseries, aimed at reducing overheads. Plans to extend free care for toddlers from 30 to 50 hours a week are also under review.

During her short stint as prime minister, Liz Truss fast-tracked plans to offer more help. A third of women say childcare costs have forced them or their partners to consider quitting work


Rishi Sunak has scrapped Truss's plans to ditch mandatory staff-child ratios in nurseries, aimed at reducing overheads

Rishi: 'I'm in charge of curing the NHS now'

ALL pupils must study maths to the age of 18, declares Rishi Sunak


A source close to Ms Truss told The Times: ‘Excessive bureaucracy is making childcare in England increasingly unaffordable. Junking Liz’s plans for this critical policy area seems economically and politically counterproductive.’

And Kit Malthouse, education secretary under Ms Truss, urged Mr Sunak to ‘push the go button as soon as possible’ on the former PM’s proposals.

He said: ‘The current system is a complicated Heath Robinson affair that means no one, parents or providers, is happy.

‘It’s fundamental for economic growth that parents are supported in work and my team and I had formed up a “childcare big bang” plan to do just that.’

UK parents spend around 26 per cent of joint income on childcare against a 9 per cent average in other developed nations. But the issue has slipped down Mr Sunak’s list of priorities amid crippling strikes and record numbers of Channel migrants.

English parents with children aged three to four can get 30 hours of free childcare a week. The Times says Mr Sunak is considering extending this to all two-year-olds rather than Miss Truss’s 50-hours proposal. Currently only parents on benefits get free care for children at two.

Tory MP Robin Walker, chairman of the Commons education committee, is to launch an inquiry into the problem.

He said: ‘It is a key issue which should be of great importance to any government interested in improving productivity.

‘Better access to childcare wins in multiple ways. It helps people to access work and remain in work. It also helps to make sure more children are school-ready.

‘We know there has been a problem post-pandemic with children having speech and language difficulties.’

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: ‘We’re certainly continuing to review all options to improve the cost, choice and availability of high-quality childcare for working parents.’

UK
RMT’s Mick Lynch slams Tory minister for lying and insists government torpedoed a deal to prevent rail strikes

Basit Mahmood Yesterday

Lynch claimed that ministers were “undermining efforts to get a settlement” and had sunk an agreement in December

.

The RMT’s general secretary Mick Lynch has slammed the Transport Secretary Mark Harper, accusing the Tory minister of lying and of ‘torpedoing’ a deal to end the rail strikes.

Lynch made the comments as members of the RMT union today carried out the first of two planned 48-hour strikes this week, with Aslef union train drivers set to be out on strike on Thursday too.

Lynch claimed that ministers were “undermining efforts to get a settlement” and had sunk an agreement in December.

Speaking to Sky News, Lynch was asked about Harper’s claims that the government had not torpedoed a deal, to which he replied: “Well he’s not telling you the truth, because we had a document with the train operating companies that did not include driver only operation, it was taken away for approval in Whitehall at the DfT and they inserted about 8 or 9 bullet points that undermined the negotiations.

“That was a direct intervention of government ministers, we know that to be true and if he’s saying that didn’t happen he’s simply not telling you the whole truth.”

RMT members are striking not only over poor pay but also over passenger safety.

The union says that what’s being proposed is a 50% cut in maintenance tasks, half as many checks and a reduction in track safety. The union is also opposing the removal of guards from trains.

Basit Mahmood is editor of Left Foot Forward

AUSTRALIA

'Dangerous and fast-changing situation' as WA's Kimberley region smashed by once-in-a-century floods

Homes have been inundated and residents evacuated as a record-breaking flood hits a remote town in WA's Kimberley region.

The Martuwarra (Fitzroy) River has reached record-breaking flood levels. 

Source: Facebook / DFES

THAT'S A RABBIT! AND A COW, NORMALLY IT'S CARS OR TRUCKS

KEY POINTSAuthorities warned the Fitzroy River level was still rising early on Wednesday morning ahead of a possible peak of 15.7 metres.
The Albanese government approved a WA request for Australian Defence Force aircraft and personnel to help evacuate residents from Fitzroy Crossing.
Defence personnel have been called in to help evacuate people isolated during once-in-a-century flooding hitting a remote town in Western Australia's Kimberley region.

Homes have been inundated by floodwater in Fitzroy Crossing - home to about 1200 people - and the Great Northern Highway is cut in both directions as some residents are airlifted 400km to Broome by helicopter.

The fast-flowing waters also washed away part of a major bridge as the region is swamped in record flooding of the Fitzroy River.

"This is a dangerous and fast-changing situation," WA Emergency Services Minister Stephen Dawson told reporters on Tuesday.

"We have not seen rain like this for at least a hundred years so it's kind of shocking to see the water as high as it is."

Authorities warned the Fitzroy River level was still rising early on Wednesday morning ahead of a possible peak of 15.7 metres, smashing previous records for Fitzroy Crossing.

Federal Emergency Services Minister Murray Watt said the Albanese government approved a WA request for Australian Defence Force aircraft and personnel to help evacuate residents from Fitzroy Crossing and nearby areas.

Downstream at Noonkanbah, major flooding was also likely.

Fire and Emergency Services Commissioner Darren Klemm warned residents in the communities of Willare and Noonkanbah on Tuesday they would be inundated in the next 24 to 48 hours.

"People in those areas need to get to higher ground," he said.

He said roads had been cut and it was too late to leave as the region faced "at least a one-in-100-year" flood event.



The rain is coming from ex-tropical cyclone Ellie, which has dumped between 200mm and 600mm since Saturday and is predicted to deliver further widespread heavy falls into the week.

The weather system has been moving slowly towards the coast and was located immediately east of Broome on Wednesday morning, lashing the region with strong winds and intense downpours.

The Bureau of Meteorology said heavy rainfall that might lead to dangerous flash flooding was expected as the storm delivered falls of up to 300mm within a 24-hour period.

The airport runway at Broome was closed due to the water levels after the town was hit with more than 120mm of rain between Tuesday morning and early Wednesday.

Meanwhile, major flooding continues in the western NSW town of Menindee, where the Darling River was holding steady at around 10.2m on Tuesday.

The bureau warned further rises to 10.7m were possible from Thursday, above the 1976 flood record of 10.47m.

"At present, 10 properties have been evacuated, while 20 other property owners have decided to shelter in place," NSW SES incident controller Gavin Arnold said.

An evacuation order remains in place for properties expected to be impacted by flooding.

Has the ‘missing link’ microorganism been detected?


ByDr. Tim Sandle
Published January 1, 2023

Cryo-electron tomography of a newly cultured Asgard archaeon. 

(© Margot Riggi, The Animation Lab, University of Utah, for press purposes)

Microbiologists are researching the so-called ‘missing link’ microorganism, with the aim of understanding both microbial and more complex life-forms a little better. This is centred on the question: “How did the complex organisms on Earth arise?” This represents one of the big open questions in biology.

University of Vienna scientists are examining an archaeon and are characterizing it precisely to determine the connection with other cells relating to plants and animals. Although they resemble bacteria microscopically, archaea possess genes and several metabolic pathways that are more closely related to those of eukaryotes. Eukaryotes include animals, plants, and fungi. These cells are larger and more complex than the cells of bacteria and archaea.

The organism is a member of the so-called Asgard archaea (the proposed phylum Asgardarchaeota) and it exhibits unique cellular characteristics to the extent that it may represent an evolutionary ‘missing link’ to more complex life forms.

The Asgardarchaeota is a proposed superphylum consisting of a group of archaea, based on the theory that eukaryotic cells (from which plants and animals are composed) emerged within the Asgard, in a branch containing the Heimdallarchaeota.

The member of the Asgard archaea exhibits unique cellular characteristics and may represent an evolutionary “missing link”. It has been named Lokiarchaeum ossiferum (a further od to Scandinavia mythology) and it was isolated from marine sediments on the coast of Piran, Slovenia, as well as from bank sediments of the Danube in Austria.

It is theorized that archaea and bacteria played a central role in the evolution of eukaryotes. A eukaryotic primordial cell is believed to have evolved from a close symbiosis between archaea and bacteria about two billion years ago.

Members of the so-called “Asgard archaea” represent the closest relatives of eukaryotes and scientific research as focused on finding potential species that can explain the evolutionary bridge.

The main challenge was with cultivating the organism. This required a highly enriched environment. Once this was completed the researchers could undertake a detailed examination of the cells by cryo-electron microscopy to take pictures of shock-frozen cells. This technique provided a three-dimensional insight into the internal cellular structures.

Of particular interest wee the round cell bodies contained thin, very long cell extensions. These tentacle-like structures sometimes can connect different cell bodies with each other. The cells also contain an extensive network of actin filaments. These were previously thought to be unique to eukaryotic cells.

Hence the images suggest that extensive cytoskeletal structures arose in archaea before the appearance of the first eukaryotes. This supports evolutionary theories around eukaryotic cells evolving from archaeal cells.

The research has been published in the journal Nature, titled “Actin cytoskeleton and complex cell architecture in an Asgard archaeon.”