> biologists snapping images of the cyanobacteria under a microscope saw a cell that had grown a long, thin tube and grabbed hold of its neighbor.<p>Is there or has anyone explored a connection between this process and the endosymbiolsis that first created chlorplasts?<p>Those involved captured cynanobacteria. In the OP, if I understand correctly, at least sometimes the cyanobacteria is doing the capturing.
Relatedly, here is an account of someone working on global ocean surveys of microbes.<p><a href="https://x.com/science_doodles/status/1879600503157592386" rel="nofollow">https://x.com/science_doodles/status/1879600503157592386</a>
Isn't this one of the main technological plot lines of Star Trek: Discovery?<p>Oh wait, my mistake. That's a universe teeming with networks of interconnected fungi.<p>You can see how easy it would be to make the mistake though, right?