NASA has revived some "weird life forms" that were trapped in gigantic underground crystals in "hell" caverns in the Naica Mine in Chihuahua, Mexico. The researchers, led by Dr. Penelope Boston, explored the cave for years, looking for extremophiles, organisms that can survive and even thrive in the most extreme and unusual of environments. These organisms can survive factors ranging from acidity to temperature to lack of nutrients and sunlight. The most interesting aspect of the mine is that it is filled with giant gypsum crystals, making people feel as small as fleas. The giant crystals, in turn, are host to tiny bugs that are trapped inside them, in a preserved state of "geolatency," where living organisms can remain stuck and viable in geological materials for extremely long periods.
NASA researchers managed to revive some of the organisms, leading to a flurry of speculation on what these extremophile, "alien" organisms could teach us. While these "bugs" were mostly bacteria, at least 100 different kinds were found, trapped straight inside the crystals, and thought to have been there for between 10,000 and 60,000 years.
The Naica Mine's cave system is massive, with some caves as big as cathedrals. The caves lie directly above a large pocket of volcanic magma, causing geothermal heating to raise the temperature in the cave as high as 140 degrees Fahrenheit or 60 degrees Celsius, hence the nickname "hell."
Scientists have discovered that some organisms have evolved to feed on the sulphides, iron, manganese or copper oxide in the cave, while most life forms could not survive there. These extremophiles are showing scientists what organisms can do in terms of manipulating materials, and are an example of organisms making their living by munching down inorganic minerals and compounds. The deep history of our life here on Earth may have evolved from these conditions.
In conclusion, NASA's exploration of the Naica Mine in Chihuahua, Mexico, has led to the discovery of extremophiles trapped in gigantic underground crystals in "hell" caverns. The revived "bugs" have shown scientists what organisms can do in terms of manipulating materials, and are an example of how life can evolve in extreme conditions.
NASA researchers managed to revive some of the organisms, leading to a flurry of speculation on what these extremophile, "alien" organisms could teach us. While these "bugs" were mostly bacteria, at least 100 different kinds were found, trapped straight inside the crystals, and thought to have been there for between 10,000 and 60,000 years.
The Naica Mine's cave system is massive, with some caves as big as cathedrals. The caves lie directly above a large pocket of volcanic magma, causing geothermal heating to raise the temperature in the cave as high as 140 degrees Fahrenheit or 60 degrees Celsius, hence the nickname "hell."
Scientists have discovered that some organisms have evolved to feed on the sulphides, iron, manganese or copper oxide in the cave, while most life forms could not survive there. These extremophiles are showing scientists what organisms can do in terms of manipulating materials, and are an example of organisms making their living by munching down inorganic minerals and compounds. The deep history of our life here on Earth may have evolved from these conditions.
In conclusion, NASA's exploration of the Naica Mine in Chihuahua, Mexico, has led to the discovery of extremophiles trapped in gigantic underground crystals in "hell" caverns. The revived "bugs" have shown scientists what organisms can do in terms of manipulating materials, and are an example of how life can evolve in extreme conditions.