A Galway-based scientist who discovered a rare form of bacteria which exists in the Atlantic and in shallower Irish waters has been honoured by the Royal Irish Academy.
Dr Richard Powell, of NUI Galway, was presented with the 2001 RIA Microbiology Award last night by Prof David Spearman, the academy's president. Before his discovery, the bacteria, known as archaetacteria, was thought to live only in extreme environments such as hot springs.
It is estimated that scientists have so far identified less than 1 per cent of all bacteria. Methods developed by Dr Powell and others may facilitate exploitation of unknown bacteria to identify compounds of biotechnological interest.