What is the impact Woese's discovery made on the tree of life?

Woese's discovery of the Archaea domain fundamentally reshaped the tree of life by introducing a third major branch alongside Bacteria and Eukarya. This revision emphasized the evolutionary significance of Archaea, highlighting their distinct genetic and biochemical characteristics. As a result, it challenged the previously held view that prokaryotes were homogenous and underscored the complexity of evolutionary relationships among organisms. Overall, Woese's work led to a more accurate representation of the diversity of life on Earth.