Richard Koys 9A
Mr. Youell Science
1/19/2015
Last year many things have happened. Like the Ebola that has spread in Africa and also in the US, The MH 370 plane crash and also the woman Malala Yousafzai that was a female educationer and she also survived a shot in the head and won an award for it. And this year there was a terrorist attack in Paris where a man called Charlie Hebdo died for drawing Muhammad in one of his comics.
But what I found this other day was an interesting article that may not be that popular as the other ones but it is pretty good and can grab someones attention. It is called "The Last Place on Earth....without life"
In Northern Chile there is this place called the Atacama desert (see pic 1 for a look). It looks like a place where nothing would survive. It is one of the most driest places in the world because it hasn't rained there for about 50 years! There is not a soul at that place, but there are some mysterious organisms and something else much more intriguing.
Pic 1:
There are these small microorganisms that hide inside or at the edges of rocks called endoliths. There are these organisms called hyperthermophile methanogens (see pic 2 for an example of one). They are organisms that can survive very high body temperatures like about 150 C (302 F). These guys are found deep in the sea near hydro thermal vents. What are those? Hydro thermal vents are also called the underground volcanoes.
Pic 2:
This is an example of one of those hyperthermophile methanogens. This is the deep sea worm that is found at the edge of a "black smoke" vent on the bottom of the floor in the Atlantic ocean.
Now that you have seen these guys, its time to show you the organisms that can survive the low body temperatures. There is a bacteria that is called Psychrobacter (see pic 3 for an example) and it can survive gladly up to -10 C (14 F). The reason of why these guys can survive in the cold is because they have specially adapted membranes and protein structures, and anti-freeze molecules within their cells.
Pic 3:
Here as you can see is an example of a Psychrobacter. Do you see why it is blue? If you have been paying attention in the first paragraph, I said that they have anti-freeze molecules. That's what makes them blue.
Now for something even more interesting. In the center of our planet, the temperature is about 6000 C or 10,800 F, anyone or anything that would get really close would then get set on fire or die immediately. One day, scientist have found something fascinating, they discovered a microorganism called Desulforudis audaxviator ( really hard name to remember isn't it? Also see pic 4 for a look) was discovered nearly two miles below the earths surface Near the gold mine in south Africa. This microorganism can survive more heat those hyperthermophile methanogens!
Pic 4:
So there you have it! The Atacama desert is a huge place without a soul and also full of mysteries, and lets not forget those interesting organisms. Also I forgot one more thing to tell you, the organisms are still capable of adapting even though they live in weird places. One person quoted this: “Give them enough time and they will find a way,”-Di Ruggiero. So what about you? Would you dare to step into the desert to see if there is really nothing alive there?
“Towards Atacama, near the deserted coast, you see a land without men, where there is not a bird, not a beast, nor a tree, nor any vegetation.”- Alonso de Ercilla 1569
Mr. Youell Science
1/19/2015
Last year many things have happened. Like the Ebola that has spread in Africa and also in the US, The MH 370 plane crash and also the woman Malala Yousafzai that was a female educationer and she also survived a shot in the head and won an award for it. And this year there was a terrorist attack in Paris where a man called Charlie Hebdo died for drawing Muhammad in one of his comics.
But what I found this other day was an interesting article that may not be that popular as the other ones but it is pretty good and can grab someones attention. It is called "The Last Place on Earth....without life"
In Northern Chile there is this place called the Atacama desert (see pic 1 for a look). It looks like a place where nothing would survive. It is one of the most driest places in the world because it hasn't rained there for about 50 years! There is not a soul at that place, but there are some mysterious organisms and something else much more intriguing.
Pic 1:
There are these small microorganisms that hide inside or at the edges of rocks called endoliths. There are these organisms called hyperthermophile methanogens (see pic 2 for an example of one). They are organisms that can survive very high body temperatures like about 150 C (302 F). These guys are found deep in the sea near hydro thermal vents. What are those? Hydro thermal vents are also called the underground volcanoes.
Pic 2:
This is an example of one of those hyperthermophile methanogens. This is the deep sea worm that is found at the edge of a "black smoke" vent on the bottom of the floor in the Atlantic ocean.
Now that you have seen these guys, its time to show you the organisms that can survive the low body temperatures. There is a bacteria that is called Psychrobacter (see pic 3 for an example) and it can survive gladly up to -10 C (14 F). The reason of why these guys can survive in the cold is because they have specially adapted membranes and protein structures, and anti-freeze molecules within their cells.
Pic 3:
Here as you can see is an example of a Psychrobacter. Do you see why it is blue? If you have been paying attention in the first paragraph, I said that they have anti-freeze molecules. That's what makes them blue.
Now for something even more interesting. In the center of our planet, the temperature is about 6000 C or 10,800 F, anyone or anything that would get really close would then get set on fire or die immediately. One day, scientist have found something fascinating, they discovered a microorganism called Desulforudis audaxviator ( really hard name to remember isn't it? Also see pic 4 for a look) was discovered nearly two miles below the earths surface Near the gold mine in south Africa. This microorganism can survive more heat those hyperthermophile methanogens!
Pic 4:
This was the best example that I could find. It is the only bacterium found in water samples and it can also survive about millions of years on chemical food.
Finally, I have one more thing to tell you, a strange discovery that will make you confused. In the Atacama desert there is this pond called the "Don Juan Pond" It is the most and I mean THE most saltiest pond in the world. While the dead sea has about 33% of saltiness, the Don Juan pond has about 40%! There is also something strange about this pond. Researchers have been studying and researching this mysterious pond because every single time when the pond appears, it also disappears quickly! Scientists are trying to figure out if it is because of the rain that is doing this or if the pond is just randomly appearing. For now, it remains as a mystery.So there you have it! The Atacama desert is a huge place without a soul and also full of mysteries, and lets not forget those interesting organisms. Also I forgot one more thing to tell you, the organisms are still capable of adapting even though they live in weird places. One person quoted this: “Give them enough time and they will find a way,”-Di Ruggiero. So what about you? Would you dare to step into the desert to see if there is really nothing alive there?
“Towards Atacama, near the deserted coast, you see a land without men, where there is not a bird, not a beast, nor a tree, nor any vegetation.”- Alonso de Ercilla 1569
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