We are aware that bacteria and microbes are not the first things that come to mind when it comes to living species. However, for science, the discovery of a new animal species is no different than the discovery of a new bacterial species, because any new species means a new era in science.
Researchers investigating ancient lava caves on the Hawaiian Islands discovered many new types of bacteria and microbes. These bacteria and microbes were formed 800 years ago, according to research. Let’s take a look at the details.
More than 70 new types of microbes and bacteria discovered
RNA analyzes of 70 samples from lava caves on the Hawaiian Islands were compared to microbes and bacteria currently in the dictionary, and no response was found. In this way, 70 new microbe species were discovered.
According to the data, some of these microbes were formed 65, some 800 years ago and received almost no sunlight. Some of the germs and bacteria also contain toxic minerals and gases. “This suggests that caves and fumaroles harbor a diverse underexplored ecosystem,” the authors of the study say.
After plants, microbes make up most of our planet’s biomass and nearly all of Earth’s deep underground biomass. But because these organisms are so small and live in extreme environments, scientists have historically often ignored them.
In recent years, underground microbes have received more attention as they live in environments very similar to those found on Mars, but there is still a long way to go. One of the newly discovered microbes, Chloroflexi, is able to photosynthesize in the ecosystem using light energy in relatively dark conditions (at least, it is thought). But as we said, there is still a long way to go.
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