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Life on the Bottom of the Sea: The Asphalt Jungle (May 14, 2004, Two)

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Program Summary

Scientists trolling for life at the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico found something they weren’t expecting—asphalt, the same stuff we pave our roads with. Could this be the remains of the lost city of Atlantis, or a sign that fish are far more advanced than we ever imagined? Well, no. It’s a totally natural phenomenon, the result of volcanic action beneath oil deposits that caused tar to flow rather than lava. And in the cracks of the asphalt, miles below the surface of the sea where no light penetrates, the team found exactly what they wanted—life.

Topside creatures use photosynthesis to convert carbon and water into carbohydrates, the energy that keeps them alive. In the extreme environment of the ocean floor, organisms use chemical energy to produce these carbohydrates, a process known as chemosynthesis. The researchers found bacteria, which are well known for being able to adapt to extreme habitats, and they also found complex animals such as mussels and tubeworms. How do these creatures exist without light? In an amazing symbiotic relationship, they have chemosynthetic bacteria living inside them. The animals provide the bacteria with carbon and water, and the bacteria use these chemical elements to produce the energy the animals need to live.

Critters that like living in such challenging situations are called extremophiles, and they have been found in such unfriendly habitats as Antarctic ice, deep-sea geothermal vents, and highly sulphuric rivers. The ability of organisms to adapt to inhospitable environments fuels the hopes of scientists that signs of life will eventually be found on other planets. They have targeted Mars and Europa, an icy moon of Jupiter, as perhaps having conditions conducive to harboring some sort of living thing.

Guests

Ian MacDonald, professor of environmental science at Texas A&M University in Corpus Christi

Related Links and Resources

Exploring The Gulf of Mexico
@Sea: “Diving to Extremes”

For Discussion:

• At what depth did the researchers find the asphalt? How do they think it was produced?
• What did they find living in the cracks of the asphalt? What process do these creatures use to stay alive?
• What is symbiosis? What is the symbiotic relationship between the bacteria and the higher organisms?
• What is chemosynthesis? How is it different from photosynthesis?
• What is an extremophile? In what other environments have they been found?
• What conditions exist on Mars and Europa that make scientists think life may exist there?

Activities

Voyage to the bottom of the sea. Sail with Dr. MacDonald and the other scientists as they explore the ocean floor. Students can read their logs at Exploring The Gulf of Mexico; Dr. MacDonald’s log includes photographs of the asphalt and its extremophiles.

Ain’t no mountain high enough. Extremophiles hang their hats anywhere. The Life in Extreme Environments page at Astrobiology Web collects articles and Web sites about organisms that live in ice, volcanoes, deserts, rocks, geysers, even amber. Check out desert varnish, ice worms, fire bugs, and much more. Extremophiles (The Guardians) is another good resource for information about these unusual beings, with brief explanations, photos, and links to other Web sites.

Gesundheit. Learn about chemosynthetic cave dwellers called “blue goo” and “snottite” at Mysterious Life of Caves: The Lives of Extremophiles, an episode of “NOVA” from PBS. The related classroom activity has students building a “microbial townhouse.”

Far out. Read Extreme Ecosystem, NASA’s “Sled Dogs of Science” Recover Microbes from a California Mountaintop, Divining Water on Europa, and Clues to Possible Life on Europa.to understand why scientists feel that life could be found on other planets. At Life on the Edge FAQ you’ll find intriguing questions and answers about extremophiles.

Use the search box below to perform a Google search within any of the specifc sites or general domains mentioned in this Activities section.

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