Scientists Discover Hydrothermal Vent Fields in the Atlantic Ocean That May Hold 'Building Blocks of Life'

• Deep sea explorers have discovered multiple hydrothermal vent fields, known as "hydrothermal lost cities," located more than 2,200 miles east of Miami.
• These fields feature "ghostly towers made of limestone" that serve as chimneys for mineral-rich water.
• Understanding hydrothermal systems is important to fully comprehend their role in the carbon cycle and the potential impacts of deep-sea mining.

Scientists found hydrothermal vent areas, where super-heated water rises from the bottom like smoke, over 2,200 miles east of Miami.

The limestone chimneys of these "hydrothermal lost cities" are conduits for the water's mineral-rich contents. The Mid-Atlantic Ridge region was being mapped when three additional hydrothermal vent fields were discovered.

The fields resembled seabed flames, as shown in video footage taken by a remotely operated vehicle, and were accompanied by odd organisms, including enormous swarms of vent shrimp lured to the warmth, according to the Schmidt Ocean Institute, the Miami Herald reported.

The Mid-Atlantic Ridge, the longest mountain range in the world at 434 miles, looks like a massive wall running across the center of the Atlantic. The institute claims that the newly discovered vent fields were located at locations that were between 1.2 and 2.4 miles deep.

Although the vents seem to be pumping out smoke, the institute claims that the discharge is saltwater that has been chemically modified through "water-rock interactions at high temperatures." According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, temperatures at the locations may reach 700 degrees Fahrenheit.

The Mid-Atlantic Ridge is being investigated for various reasons, including the possibility of deep-sea mining and the idea that vent fields may contain the "building blocks of life," according to the institute.

The Importance of Vent Fields Discovery

Through a series of #Divestream uploads, Schmidt Ocean provides updates on the "black smokers" that The Lost City Vents crew has found. Schmidt Ocean refers to this magnificent shrimp collection. Follow the updates if you're curious about the dives and scientific findings.

Despite their seeming disconnection from daily life, Chief Scientist David Butterfield stressed the importance of understanding hydrothermal systems and associated chemosynthetic ecosystems since they are essential to the functioning of our planet, according to IFL Science.

The Schmidt Ocean Institute's Eric and Wendy Schmidt supported the launch of Falkor (too) in early March of this year in return for all findings being made accessible to the public.

The Mid-Atlantic Ridge, the world's longest underwater mountain range, was the route of its initial expedition. In addition to looking for hydrothermal vents, it is believed that research on the bacteria that live on them may shed light on the circumstances that promoted the genesis of life.

More Study Needed

Deep-sea ecosystems' operation and part in the carbon cycle are currently being researched. Deep-sea mining may have unintended consequences for hydrothermal vent ecosystems, and the recent finding of living marine organisms emphasizes the need for more study to comprehend these effects, according to Phys.org fully.

Regional environmental management plans need correct scientific data to control ocean mining, particularly in regions with active venting and chemosynthetic vent fauna groups, which should be excluded from mining owing to their restricted extent.

Excluding these regions would be necessary as hydrothermal vent habitats are constrained to a small band of activity on the global mid-ocean ridge system, according to Dr. Butterfield.

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Science, Atlantic Ocean, Miami