Metal resistance

Xenophyophore - the deep sea metal absorber

Like Rogue from the X-men, who can absorb other superheroes’ powers, Xenophyophores are able to absorb heavy metals from their environment to create a protective shell.

How was it discovered?

Xenophyophores were reported to be discovered in 1883 by the English scientist Henry Bowman Brady, while aboard a ship called the HMS Challenger, on scientific expedition. Xenophyophores were discovered on the deep sea floor.

What makes its power unique?

What makes xenophyophores so unique and special is their capability of being resistant to most metals. They are able to capture specific particles from the water and are then able to concentrate high levels of metals like lead, uranium, and mercury. They also produce and build protective shells, out of calcite or limestone.

Xenophyophores are also the biggest single cell (the size of 100 billion human cells!), and can range from a few millimeters to up to 20 centimeters big.

Why does it need this power?

Xenophyophores are difficult to study because they are very fragile and cannot be grown in the lab. In fact, the organism Syringammina fragilissima in the Xenophyophores, means “very fragile sand pipe”. Because Xenophyophores are so difficult to study, not much is known about why they need their powers!

What do Xenophyophores look like in real life?