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Strange Bacteria Sustains Itself Without Sunlight


metadigital

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Hahnsoo writes

"A colony of bacteria found 2.8 kilometers below the Earth's surface in a South African gold mine is able to sustain itself without energy from the Sun. While sub-surface colonies of microorganisms utilizing sulfur (mostly near deep sea hydrothermal vents) is not new, this particular colony is unusual. The colony does it by relying on radioactive uranium to split water into hydrogen gas. Thus, instead of solar energy and photosynthesis, this species relies on radioactive materials and sulfur/hydrogen to facilitate its energy needs. There is some speculation about life on other planets in the article as well." 

OBSCVRVM PER OBSCVRIVS ET IGNOTVM PER IGNOTIVS

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OPVS ARTIFICEM PROBAT

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Awesome!

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This reminds me of The Thing and a couple of X-Files episodes. :ph34r:

 

The quote mentions things living near hydrothermal vents. Its not just micro organisms that can live there. You can find small crustaceans living there too. Little crabs living at a the bottom of a trench in water that is many times hotter than boiling point. Surely the presence of complex creatures in such inhospitable environments is evidence of Intelligent Design! All hail FSM!!

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The quote mentions things living near hydrothermal vents. Its not just micro organisms that can live there. You can find small crustaceans living there too. Little crabs living at a the bottom of a trench in water that is many times hotter than boiling point.

Should be pretty trivial to engineer new species that use this alternative source of life, too ... a whole genetically modified ecosystem ... :rolleyes:

OBSCVRVM PER OBSCVRIVS ET IGNOTVM PER IGNOTIVS

ingsoc.gif

OPVS ARTIFICEM PROBAT

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Never underestimate the natural world to hold wonders beyond imagining if you actually go out your door looking for them.

Murphy's Law of Computer Gaming: The listed minimum specifications written on the box by the publisher are not the minimum specifications of the game set by the developer.

 

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I wonder how it evolved.

As it is a bacteria, then it may have come from a normal bacteria, OR spontaneously from some proto-life organic molecules, like that from which bacteria originated. It will be interesting to sequence it.

OBSCVRVM PER OBSCVRIVS ET IGNOTVM PER IGNOTIVS

ingsoc.gif

OPVS ARTIFICEM PROBAT

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