Busy microbial world found in deepest ocean crust ever explored
November 20th, 2010 - 4:51 pm ICT by ANIWashington, Nov 20 (ANI): Scientists have discovered bacteria with a remarkable range of capabilities, including eating hydrocarbons and natural gas, and “fixing” or storing carbon, in the deepest layer of ocean crust ever explored.
The research showed that a significant number and amount of bacterial forms were present, even in temperatures near the boiling point of water.
“This is a new ecosystem that almost no one has ever explored,” said Martin Fisk, a professor in the College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences at Oregon State University.
“We expected some bacterial forms, but the long list of biological functions that are taking place so deep beneath the Earth is surprising.”
The study has been published in the journal PLoS One. (ANI)
- Versatile bugs found under ocean crust - Nov 22, 2010
- Life discovered in deepest layer of Earth's crust - Nov 19, 2010
- Five places where life may exist in solar system - Mar 02, 2012
- Scientists say life thrives in porous rock deep beneath seafloor - Dec 08, 2010
- Bacterial chats limit carbon absorption by sea - Oct 13, 2011
- Ocean warming might hit microbes' carbon storage capacity - Feb 13, 2012
- Deepest secrets of the Marianas Trench revealed - Jan 17, 2011
- Is there more oil deep within the earth? - Jul 27, 2009
- 'Missing carbon' may explain reduced density of Mars' atmosphere - Mar 09, 2011
- Witwatersrand basin in South Africa has 'world's oldest water' - Feb 21, 2011
- Globe's Deepest Known Undersea Volcanic Vent Discovered - Apr 13, 2010
- Alaska wildfire may impact climate - Jul 29, 2011
- Plankton shed light on Earth's ancient atmosphere - Feb 27, 2011
- Global warming was 'more common 50m yrs ago' - Mar 17, 2011
- Renewable petroleum one step closer to reality - Mar 24, 2011
Tags: atmospheric sciences, bacteria, biological functions, boiling point, boiling point of water, capabilities, deepest ocean, earth, ecosystem, hydrocarbons, martin fisk, microbial world, natural gas, ocean crust, oregon state university, plos one, remarkable range, scientists, temperatures