Life in Lava Caves Ignores Food from the Surface, Eats Rock Instead

Cave microbes on Earth may help guide scientists toward life on Mars. View in browser

Image credits: Brian Anschel Life in Lava Caves Ignores Food from the Surface, Eats Rock Instead Cave microbes on Earth may help guide scientists toward life on Mars. Nala Rogers, Staff Writer July 27, 2021                                                                                                                                                                    (Inside Science) -- Some living things in Earth's lava caves have no need for resources from the surface, suggesting similar environments could host life on Mars, according to new research. Lava caves, also known as lava tubes, are formed during volcanic eruptions when an outer crust of flowing lava hardens. The molten middle continues to drain away, leaving tunnels that can be several yards across. These tunnels may become buried under soil, but they often remain shallow enough that water can seep in, laden with food from the surface. But researchers found that many bacteria growing on the walls of lava caves spurn the feast flowing over them. Instead, they produce their own energy from surrounding minerals or dissolved chemicals and build the molecules they need using carbon in the air or rock... Read more Copyright 2021 American Institute of Physics. Inside Science syndicates its articles, columns, blogs and videos to news organizations. To initiate syndication, or request permission to republish our content (on a one-time or continuing basis), please contact Inside Science at insidescience@aip.org. News organizations seeking permission to republish Inside Science content must fully credit Inside Science as the original source of the content, include the author byline, and republish the original, unaltered form (excluding content titles, headlines, or sub-headlines). The reprint format can be seen here. Copyright conditions and usage terms are subject to change at any time without consent or any type of prior notice. To unsubscribe from all future mailings from Inside Science please click here. To manage your email subscriptions please click here.

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