Scientists have uncovered new evidence explaining the source of energy powering the Lost City hydrothermal field, a unique underwater ecosystem in the Atlantic Ocean. By drilling more than a kilometre beneath the seabed, researchers discovered superheated water with a chemical composition closely matching the fluid emerging from the Lost City's towering white chimneys, suggesting the vents are fed by a hidden reservoir of hot, hydrogen-rich water deep below the ocean floor.
The findings, published in the journal Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems, provide new insights into how life survives in environments without sunlight and could also help scientists understand the potential for life on other worlds.
