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A deadly toxin, arsenic is known for its ability to end life.

Since the 1990s, scientists have discovered about 20 species of bizarre bacteria that "breathe" arsenic.

They are typically found in environments where oxygen is scarce and have been forced to survive on whatever strange substance is easily available.

Exposure to arsenic can occur from the environment and food consumption

Arsenic contamination of groundwater has led to a massive epidemic of arsenic poisoning in Bangladesh[32] and neighbouring countries.

Presently 42 major incidents around the world have been reported on groundwater arsenic contamination. It is estimated that approximately 57 million people are drinking groundwater with arsenic concentrations elevated above the World Health Organization's standard of 10 parts per billion. However, a study of cancer rates in Taiwan [33] suggested that significant increases in cancer mortality appear only at levels above 150 parts per billion. The arsenic in the groundwater is of natural origin, and is released from the sediment into the groundwater due to the anoxic conditions of the subsurface.

More than a mere biological oddity, the discovery adds weight to Oremland's theory that the bacteria's ability evolved billions of years ago, when the first life was just getting started on Earth. At the time, the planet's oceans were devoid of oxygen, but hydrothermal vents spewed elements such as sulfur, iron and arsenic into the water column.

In this ancient stew, arsenic may have been an important nutrient to life. The life forms would have used whatever they could to survive these noxious waters, and sunlight and arsenic were probably plentiful.

Poison or Fuel?

used for scouring arsenic, bacteria and cloudiness out of rural drinking water

There, the residual water from boiling the flat, oval-shaped lobes of prickly pear for salads and other dishes was used to clear up cloudy water drawn from the river before use for cooking or drinking.

Mucilage is the clear, gooey, viscous liquid from within the cactus which helps to seal water inside the plant so it can survive desert-dry conditions.

Other ongoing research by Alcantar's team has shown that the mucilage can also kill bacteria in the water, solving another potential water quality problem.

The mucilage either engulfs the bacteria and starves them, or it binds to the bacteria and causes them to settle out of the water.

Mucilage consists of carbohydrates and sugars.

Hong 10

Kim Hong-Yeol

The name Hong 10 comes from using a Korean language homonym and an English language pun. The second syllable of his name, Yeol, has the same pronunciation as the Korean pronunciation for the number ten. Therefore, pronouncing the phrase "Hong 10" in Korean will be the same pronunciation as his real name, Hong-Yeol. However, this nickname is always pronounced in English, so he is referred to as hong-ten regardless of the language context - whether Korean or English or otherwise. The nickname "Hong 10" is also a play on the surfer term "Hang Ten".[4]