Chimneys of the Lost City
2005/03/11 Galarraga Aiestaran, Ana - Elhuyar Zientzia
They have found a special place at the bottom of the Atlantic. Called the Lost City, it is full of chimneys that emit gases. Some are very large, 30 m high, and are completely different from the chimneys known so far.
Most hydrothermal chimneys emit acid gases and the microorganisms they inhabit take energy from carbon dioxide. However, the chimneys of the Lost City are carbonate, emit very basic gases and, being so different from the others, the microorganisms that surround them are others. For example, scientists have shown that their metabolism is not based on carbon dioxide and that it produces a lot of methane.
The microbiological research being carried out in the Lost City has opened up new avenues to understand the origin of life. However, in the Lost City many other aspects are being investigated such as the geological structure of chimneys, the circulation of fluids, chemical processes, etc.
