Hydrothermal Sea Vents

Researchers at Newcastle University have made significant progress in understanding life’s origins on Earth by simulating ancient hydrothermal vent conditions. This led to the creation of key organic molecules, potentially forming the earliest cell membranes. Their findings, crucial for comprehending life’s early development, also hint at the possibility of life’s genesis under icy moons’ surfaces in our solar system.Newcastle University scientists, supported by the UK’s Natural Environmental Research Council, have been…

A new mesophilic, sulfur-oxidizing bacterial species, Hydrogenimonas cancrithermarum, was discovered at a deep-sea hydrothermal vent, enhancing our understanding of bacterial evolution and diversity. This breakthrough demonstrates the importance of microbial cultivation in complementing genomic studies, offering new insights into the adaptation and evolution of deep-sea bacteria. The image above depicts the deep-sea hydrothermal vent site known as ‘Crab Spa’ on the East Pacific Rise. Credit: Photo courtesy of Stefan…