April 12, 2010
the Cayman Trough
Scientists using a remote-controlled submarine have discovered the deepest known volcanic vent and say the superheated waters inside could contain undiscovered marine species and perhaps even clues to the origin of life on earth.
Geologist Bramley Murton, the submersible’s pilot, said the exploring the area was “like wandering across the surface of another world,” one complete with towers of mineral deposits and thick collections of microorganisms thriving in the slightly cooler waters around the chimneys.
“The rainbow hues of the mineral spires and the fluorescent blues of the microbial mats covering them were like nothing I had ever seen before,” Murton said.
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