The idea that other forms of life could be roaming around somewhere in our universe has always been something that has caused a lot of interest on the part of human beings. We take aim above us often while there is unstudied life right here on Earth. Learn more about discovering a 'secret world' and how it relates to the work "Journey to the center of the Earth".
Scientists investigate life inside Earth
see more
MCTI announces the opening of 814 vacancies for the next portfolio contest
The end of it all: scientists confirm date of when sun will explode and…
During the meeting of the American Geophysical Union, a research group presented its findings regarding the Earth's subsoil. They claim that about 70% of all microbes on the planet live in this area.
Furthermore, these microbes make up approximately 15 to 23 billion tons of carbon. This equates to a mass hundreds of times greater than all humans on the surface combined.
The subterranean ecosystem dominated by bacteria and archaea (archaebacteria) has been named the “Underground Galapagos”. The discovery and studies are still very recent.
To arrive at the current results, the team combined dozens of previous studies that examined samples from drilling holes in the seafloor and on continents.
wide deep biosphere
Something that really surprised scientists was the deep subsurface biosphere, which represents almost twice the volume of all the Earth's oceans. Even with all the adverse conditions, this variety of life is detectable and possibly they will thrive.
Furthermore, this new ecosystem could answer many questions about the limits of life on Earth and perhaps even on other planets.
Importance of studies
Karen Lloyd, study author and Associate Professor of Microbiology at the University of Tennessee, USA, commented:
“Ten years ago, we had only tested a few locations – the types of places where we expected to find life. Now, thanks to ultra-deep sampling, we know we can find them virtually anywhere.”
Rick Colwell, a microbial ecologist at Oregon State University, commented on this ecosystem:
“Our studies of microbes in the deep biosphere yielded a lot of new knowledge, but also a much greater awareness and appreciation of how much we still have to learn about life in the underground.”v
In short, everything about this subterranean world is still a mystery and, over the course of studies, probably much will still be revealed. This discovery could provide us with new perspectives on life on planet Earth and even on other planets.
In addition, the importance of these studies can help us better understand life and the limits it can reach.
