Chimneys of the Lost City
2005/04/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria
The hydrothermal chimneys found in the Lost City of the Atlantic bottom are really special. Its composition is different from those that were known so far, and the bacteria that inhabit there do not resemble those of others.
These chimneys have been discovered in the Atlantis massif of the Atlantic Ocean. They are quite large, of which about thirty are quite large, with a length of 10-60 meters. The chimneys are formed by carbonates and emit very caustic basic gases. However, what until now was known was the emission of acid gases. Therefore, microorganisms are totally different in one and the other. For example, the energy source of the microorganisms of the gas acid chimneys is carbon dioxide, but in the chimneys of the Lost City there is no carbon dioxide, but a lot of methane and hydrogen. Scientists have shown that microorganisms are able to adapt to these resources.
It seems, therefore, that even in the most difficult situations there can be life. Thus, microbiological research in Ciudad Perdido opens up new ways to understand the origin of life. However, many other aspects are being investigated in the Lost City, such as the geological structure of chimneys, fluid circulation, chemical processes, etc.
