American Scientist

In 1977, scientists studying an ocean ridge near the Galápagos Islands discovered fissures in the Earth’s surface that emit geothermally heated fluid. Continued study has revealed that these hydrothermal vents are found worldwide in volcanically active areas where tectonic plates are spreading. The temperature of the vented fluid can exceed 400 degrees Celsius, but the deep ocean’s extreme pressure prevents it from boiling. Ecosystems form around these vents despite the harsh conditions, which researchers had previously thought would prohibit life.

Mineral-laden water, heated by magma deep within the Earth, flows out of the sea floor from chimney-like structures called black smokers. Microbes convert the fluid into energy through chemosynthesis, the microbial process of creating sugars from chemical reactions.

Infographic by Rob Schuster