Evolutionary Tree isn't a Tree.

[swestrup]

In a recent article in Astrobiology, they presented a recent finding that, at its base, the evolutionary tree has branches that join. It now seems that the eukaryotes (nucleated single-celled life) was created when two unrelated prokaryotes merged and became a single species.

This is not a terribly surprising result. There is evidence that our own mitochondria were once a separate species, that somehow merged with animal life long long ago. What's nifty is that they've actually managed to gain some data about such an early merger. I think I'm going to have to see if I can get my hands on the full article to read.