Subterranean life discovered

Until a few years ago scientists assumed that no life existed below bedrock. Researches have now discovered bizarre forms of life three kilometres below the surface. 

The organisms are bacteria  which in some case are embedded in rock eking out an existence scrounging for water, energy and nutrition. Some are thought to divide only once in every thousand years!

When these organisms are bought to the service their DNA is unlike anything we have known about bacteria above ground. Biologists have had to invent whole new phyla to describe them.

The layer of life on the earth’s surface is very thin , but these single cell organisms go down miles. We have no idea how important these are to the sub surface web of life. Do they play a role in movement of water and nutrients, of energy from the  Magma? We have no idea. 

From  Canadian scientist David Suzuki’s latest climate book ‘ Just cool it! ‘ (Available at the Library)