Ancient microbes thrived in sunlight-free ocean depths, study reveals
Scientists first identified these wrinkle structures in 2016 and found signs of ancient microbes living deep under the ocean, way back in the Jurassic period, about 180 million years ago.
Dr. Rowan Martindale and her team spotted unusual "wrinkle" patterns in Moroccan rocks that formed underwater, showing these tiny life forms were thriving far from sunlight.
Microbial mats fed off chemicals
These wrinkles provide evidence that microbial mats grew in the absence of sunlight, feeding off chemicals from decaying organic material on the seafloor.
Dr. Martindale said the communities likely thrived in darkness, using chemical energy (for example, sulfur compounds like hydrogen sulfide) rather than sunlight.
Finding life in dark places
This discovery flips old ideas about where ancient life could exist and suggests we might find similar signs deep under Earth's oceans — or even on other planets with dark environments.
So, searching for life isn't just about looking where there's light anymore!