Hidden Bacterial Communities in the Atacama Desert
Recent research has shown that beneath the lifeless surface of the Atacama Desert in Chile, numerous communities of bacteria are hidden. This important discovery, made by scientists, may be related to microbial life on Mars.
Due to the extreme aridity of the Atacama Desert, higher life forms are rare here. However, diverse bacteria have been found in the desert soils. In a new study, scientists decided to investigate which organisms can inhabit depths of more than a meter below the surface.
Excavations were conducted in the Yungay Valley, one of the driest places in the desert. This place, known as a playa, is a dried-up basin where lakes were previously located. The site was chosen because minerals such as gypsum and anhydrite are usually found close to the surface, but in this case, they are at a depth of about 2 meters.
During excavations at a depth of 4.2 meters, researchers discovered salt deposits of gypsum, anhydrite, and halite, as well as various cations and anions. The authors note changes in the texture of rocks at different depths, indicating a variety of geological processes.
