Microbiologists at Radboud University have discovered a new bacterial strain that feeds on ammonia and urea in an extremely acidic environment. That bacteria would be capable of this at a very low pH level had previously been considered impossible. The organism, which was discovered in an air filter of a pig farm, appears to be an unusual and distant relative of the known ammonia oxidizers that are normally found in the oceans. The researchers will publish their findings in The ISME Journal on 10 December.