Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology have uncovered a surprising mechanism for the anaerobic oxidation of ethane, challenging established ideas in biochemistry. Their study, published in Nature Communications, reveals that certain deep-sea microbes use an alternative electron acceptor, F420, in place of the commonly assumed ferredoxin. This discovery sheds light on the microbes' role in the carbon cycle and underscores the need to understand their metabolism, which plays a crucial role in limiting alkane pollution.