Scientists find microbes 2 meters underground in Chile's Atacama Desert
Technology
Turns out, one of the driest places on Earth isn't as lifeless as we thought.
Scientists just found a secret community of microbes living 2 meters underground in Chile's Atacama Desert, where it's so dry and dark, most people assumed nothing could survive.
Using advanced DNA tools, researchers confirmed these tiny life forms are very much alive and challenging what we know about where life can exist.
Vesicular gypsum traps moisture sustaining Actinobacteriota
These hardy microbes make their home in vesicular gypsum, a mineral with tiny pores that trap just enough moisture to keep them going.
The main group here is Actinobacteriota, extreme survivors who use this hidden water to thrive over geological timescales.