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Life is found in deepest layer of Earth's crust
The New Scientist ^ | 18 November 2010 | Michael Marshall

Posted on 11/19/2010 1:25:40 PM PST by Fractal Trader

IT'S crawling with life down there. A remote expedition to the deepest layer of the Earth's oceanic crust has revealed a new ecosystem living over a kilometre beneath our feet. It is the first time that life has been found in the crust's deepest layer, and an analysis of the new biosphere suggests life could exist lower still.

On a hypothetical journey to the centre of the Earth starting at the sea floor, you would travel through sediment, a layer of basalt, and then hit the gabbroic layer, which lies directly above the mantle. Drilling expeditions have reached this layer before, but as the basalt is difficult to pierce it happens rarely.

To facilitate the task, the Integrated Ocean Drilling Programme set its sights on the Atlantis Massif. [SNIP] A team led by Stephen Giovannoni of Oregon State University in Corvallis drilled down to 1391 metres, where temperatures reach 102 °C.

There, they found communities of bacteria that were sparse but widespread. The type of bacteria they found came as a surprise to Giovannoni, who has previously found micro-organisms living in the basalt layer. "We expected to find similar organisms in the deeper layer," he says. "But actually it was very different."

One key difference was that archaea were absent in the gabbroic layer. Also, genetic analysis revealed that unlike their upstairs neighbours, many of the gabbroic bugs had evolved to feed off hydrocarbons like methane and benzene. [SNIP]

"This deep biosphere is a very important discovery," says Rolf Pedersen of the University of Bergen, Norway. He points out that the reactions that produce oil and gas abiotically inside the crust could happen in the mantle, meaning life may be thriving deeper yet.

(Excerpt) Read more at newscientist.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: continentaldrift; crustaldisplacement; darklife; deeplife; godsgravesglyphs; magneticpole; magnetism; platetectonics; poleshift; sciencefrontiers; thomasgold; williamcorliss; xplanets
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As long as it's not found in the crust of someone's underwear!
1 posted on 11/19/2010 1:25:44 PM PST by Fractal Trader
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To: SunkenCiv

ping


2 posted on 11/19/2010 1:26:50 PM PST by ColdOne (Again Who Knew MSNBC has "standards and policies?")
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To: Fractal Trader

That would be a TSA discovery.


3 posted on 11/19/2010 1:27:23 PM PST by Rebelbase (Palin/Christie 2012)
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To: Fractal Trader

Peak oil. LMAO.

Are the eco fecal freaks right about anything?


4 posted on 11/19/2010 1:29:44 PM PST by Electric Graffiti (I'm armed and Amish.)
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To: Rebelbase
"Life is found in deepest layer of Earth's crust"

Harry Reid had to come from somewhere...
5 posted on 11/19/2010 1:30:26 PM PST by BigEdLB (Now there ARE 1,000,000 regrets - but it may be too late.)
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To: Fractal Trader

Yes and these are the Libs, planning their next comeback...


6 posted on 11/19/2010 1:31:34 PM PST by Jim W N
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To: Fractal Trader
He points out that the reactions that produce oil and gas abiotically inside the crust could happen in the mantle...

Did anyone else notice this little land mine embedded in the article?

7 posted on 11/19/2010 1:33:02 PM PST by Oberon (Big Brutha Be Watchin'.)
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To: Fractal Trader

Huh. I was betting on a caramel nougat.


8 posted on 11/19/2010 1:34:01 PM PST by Wolfie
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To: Fractal Trader
Life is found in deepest layer of Earth's crust

Why is it always in the last place you look?
9 posted on 11/19/2010 1:34:37 PM PST by Sopater (...where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. - 2 COR 3:17b)
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To: Fractal Trader
This is an important finding for those hoping to find life on some of the Solar System's biggest moons.

Now, how we're going to manage to get deep drilling equipment to the surface of Titan or Europa, that's for future generations to engineer.

10 posted on 11/19/2010 1:35:16 PM PST by The KG9 Kid (l)
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To: Electric Graffiti

>Are the eco fecal freaks right about anything?

Here’s what worries me...Speaking of sediment, what happens when all the rocks and dirt above sea
level eventually erode into the oceans? That will FLOOD THE WHOLE EARTH!!! What are
we doing about earth erosion now? Our offspring will all need boats!


11 posted on 11/19/2010 1:35:16 PM PST by soycd
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To: Fractal Trader
It was just a hop, skip and jump to the White house.
12 posted on 11/19/2010 1:40:16 PM PST by EGPWS (Trust in God, question everyone else)
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To: soycd

At the rate we are extracting oil from the earth your scenario is bound to happen. We are removing more oil mass than volcanoes are creating new land mass.

We all DOOMED.....*bong hit*

I can here Algore saying that with a straight face.


13 posted on 11/19/2010 1:41:31 PM PST by Electric Graffiti (I'm armed and Amish.)
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To: The KG9 Kid

Eventually, they will find that life originated in the crust and then migrated to the oceans. And your point is dead-on, life may well be found in the crust on Mars, Venus, Mercury and elsewhere.


14 posted on 11/19/2010 1:42:41 PM PST by vbmoneyspender
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To: Oberon

Oh I did for sure...

Now they’ll have to cleanse all who have seen the remark...


15 posted on 11/19/2010 1:43:34 PM PST by Axenolith (Government blows, and that which governs least, blows least...)
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To: Fractal Trader
LifeGOD is found in deepest layer of Earth's crust
16 posted on 11/19/2010 1:43:40 PM PST by SouthDixie (The secret to staying young is to live honestly, eat slowly and lie about your age.)
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To: Fractal Trader

Fragel Rock???


17 posted on 11/19/2010 1:44:06 PM PST by eyrish69 (Yellowstone Wolves - Smoke a Pack a Day!!!)
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To: Fractal Trader

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abiogenic_petroleum_origin#Biotic_.28microbial.29_hydrocarbons


18 posted on 11/19/2010 1:44:06 PM PST by Eepsy
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To: Fractal Trader

19 posted on 11/19/2010 1:45:22 PM PST by sonofagun (Some think my cynicism grows with age. I like to think of it as wisdom!)
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To: Fractal Trader
Life is found in deepest layer of Earth's crust

So THAT'S where Algore has been hiding out.

20 posted on 11/19/2010 1:45:50 PM PST by Texas Eagle (If it wasn't for double-standards, Liberals would have no standards at all -- Texas Eagle)
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