Dr. George Fox, Emeritus Professor and Research Professor at the University of Houston, relates the remarkable story of how he and his late mentor, Dr. Carl Woese, discovered the biological kingdom Archaea. He explains how they realized they had identified a new kingdom, how this discovery was initially received by the scientific community, and how their work has shaped medicine and research to this day. We get an excellent overview of the science of 16S rRNA sequencing, background on Dr. Fox’s journey to become a scientist, and career advice for those who are uncertain about what to pursue. As he relayed his story, we were struck by Dr. Fox’s accomplishments, but even more so by his humility. We hope his legacy inspires you and the next generation of researchers for years to come.

Some useful links:

Phylogenetic structure of the prokaryotic domain: The primary kingdoms

Scientists Discover a Form of Life That Predates Higher Organisms