Scientists have discovered new information about the tiny propellers used by single-cell organisms called archaea.

Like bacteria, archaea are found in a vast range of habitats — including inside human bodies — but unlike bacteria they are not known to cause disease.

Some archaea propel themselves to incredible speeds by rotating a spiral-shaped filament called an archaellum.

Using a powerful cryo-electron microscope, the new study examined this closer than ever before.

The research team — which included the University of Regensburg — focussed on Methanocaldococcus villosus, a species found near underwater volcanoes off Iceland, where water temperatures can reach about 80°C.

«M. villosus swims at a speed of about 500 body lengths per second,» said Dr Lavinia Gambelli, of Exeter’s Living Systems Institute (LSI).

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