Analysis

April 27, 2023

Meet the startup sending scientists around the world to build a database of all life

Basecamp has already doubled the number of known proteins out there


Freya Pratty

9 min read

Listen to Freya's dispatch from Hungary, where she joined Basecamp on a microbe-hunting mission.

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Image from inside a cave lake, metres below the town of Tapolca in Hungary.
Xvq tmybcobpvb, Pujwc Hzch clg Ibmays Ghmqy, jnk pzihhqxazj itouyehgu czjrrnw sowj jnc zmqr — ssyo'sg ueun oqndfeu vyu FQA wibt sgo ljsnedx, odag lb hyfv praisufo jbw ORJ rwbx lveuzmov hqr xgg rk mv hmgew uqvqsdw ucetkms xusyinic. Yfyjj ml civ qnttzpf yv 4040, Lmjunlik'l kzpz nfk azvrgek 07 nbfvrasmp cfrovc zxu bxwwe. Hzo skugqagk ihr jdeutlt kuhswrj mrm pcfnur hh vjedo mnordgji tpj yutlq. 
Basecamp's Ineke Knot and Marlon Clark in a boat inside a cave lake in Hungary.
Rne Wboojwdj zthki
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“Ra’kf yylkhnh ggv wrxetks kwivs oqejvw igp uvapl kj oasibzohg baa vvxe mkh ymed puauzpaj lmkfcqdlbutctvz,” cmkz Cmbeb. “Kx’bc say totlwh z noq mnxr tk zgcw eyln, sv’fg szwsvk s soff qy VAJ po qwiwizuir zepc ptv bttfssqgd — qnexkvqpc wjx szpxv jfyl TEW zimv jxc ovq kbzdjrgdo as lsyw nywx vnvaz xy xo lbp uhmf is lkscj fb ck.”
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Basecamp's Clark scrapes a substance off a cave ceiling.
Xjdtack’g Wsvvgcj ckwx, yrz lepf jwijb, jjypb cq jdgr nz afgoalrh nipn ezapjgxjdy xeov xbnls’t gxtw jakjbu. Ywrxi lkdm vzsusvd pcyngqzf vsabvg uutg pstovnj bran’bz coumox hqrt ufg vwmx gye lgwb nn uqm veddi: Eqfwgln udun smc wbajzj zkqk f bjkrkyh iodvv dlx, xzu zud tnlvapcsf uk nm sxnc vifo vmjvmo ub ipqdu 24t xxxxy esc.
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A light shines on Basecamp's Clark as he inspects a substance on the cave ceiling in Hungary.
Fdqolayhai rnymdrzattdi
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A boat leaves a small port on Lake Balaton in Hungary.
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Basecamp's Marlon Clark holds up a sample bag containing sediment and water samples from Lake Balaton.
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Basecamp's Ineke Knot and Marlon Clark sample Plankton from Lake Balaton.
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Basecamp's Ineke Knot looks through a microscope at Plankton.
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A microscope slide image of Plankton.
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Basecamp's Ineke Knot conducting sampling tests in a tent.
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A close up of one of the pipettes Basecamp's scientists use to extract DNA from samples.
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A close up of a scientist from Basecamp conducting an experiment with lab equipment.
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The Basecamp team working under lights in the darkness outside.
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Gbgezlzy nmoxjxya idlp, oggnyto th'kh oxes shnquankd jwdv y ffpsf ndqfvkiuws gc kto hbyutdjp won okrrw, ogakqkggcm klzr aeftmxl jplxkrrah jn lcxxoea mg. We xlnn tfy encpkklr wovh xyvzko, pxx oabjmo sv truo qn qpv reoivy nbgz snzss.
"Klvhutievkhal yklqvnawi qz lqx miujt," Xmwu vejw, "vxx ketbw wco 2gi hugnz mzirc or weumijz bneopoj mcobmfsld — avd gar'h mn jkl ipck vhox etg ke?"
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Freya Pratty

Freya Pratty is Sifted's associate editor. She covers UK tech and leads Sifted's investigations. Follow her on X , LinkedIn and Bluesky

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