June 20, 2013 — Mealybugs only eat plant sap, but sap doesn't contain all the essential amino acids the insects need to survive. Luckily, the bugs have a symbiotic relationship with two species of bacteria -- one living inside the other in a situation unique to known biology -- to manufacture the nutrients sap doesn't provide.

From: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/06/130620142954.htm

 

It's worth saying again. Science is better than Sci-Fi or,

 

“Truth is stranger than fiction, but it is because Fiction is obliged to stick to possibilities; Truth isn't.” -- Mark Twain

 

Yep that is pretty jaw-dropping. Thanks for posting

While it is pretty cool, I kind of dislike that science journalist really have to add things like "a situation unique to biology", as similar relationships have been described earlier. While I am not sure whether non-parasitic interactions of bacteria in bacteria are known, there have been plenty metabolic symbioses between say, protists and bacteria within arthropods are well known. But I guess this is more of a pet peeve of mine and should detract from the interesting points of the paper.