Researchers found an impressive ecosystem of “alien” microorganisms in the radioactive Königstein mine in Germany .
In the picturesque Elbe sandstone mountains in southeastern Germany, researchers have discovered an incredibly developed ecosystem of “alien” life forms in one of the most extreme environments. known to man: the abandoned uranium mine .
The Königstein uranium mine dates back to the 1960s, a time when nuclear power was still in its infancy and world powers were rapidly looking to exploit its capabilities.
After a small amount of uranium was found in this area, it suddenly developed into a major uranium mining center. From its inception in the 1960s until its closure in the 1990s, the mine produced more than 1,000 tons of uranium per year.
In the 1990s, the mine’s output declined and local officials decided to flood the mine to reduce any major environmental impact and stop mining there altogether.
Decades after the mine closed, the keepers of the mine noticed that strange life forms were beginning to take root within its flooded walls. The watchmen decided to call in scientists to investigate the matter, and what they found revealed amazing facts about life on our planet.
What they found seems completely foreign to most of us. In a moist, dark, acidic, uranium-filled environment, these stalactite-like biofilms harbor an array of microorganisms that form an impressive food chain.
In the dark and damp mine, the researchers identified several bacteria. These orange acidic bacteria look like long, slender worms hanging from the wall. These slimy brown and white bacteria ooze from the ceiling like stalactites.
The researchers also noted the complexity of the organisms. Most of them are not unicellular bacteria, but multicellular eukaryotes , or organisms with intracellular nuclei . According to Big Think, the largest of these microorganisms is 50 micrometers wide and 200 micrometers long.
Given the complexity of life in the mine, the researchers are curious how such an impressive ecosystem can survive in such a sunlight-free and highly acidic environment.
The diverse collection of microscopic life has formed its own ecosystem in the dimly lit underground. Acidophilic bacteria derive their energy from reducing iron and sulfur, forming slimy stalactites as they proliferate. Then, small flagellate eukaryotes eat these bacteria, which in turn are eaten by larger bacteria. Amoebas and fungi then consume the smaller microorganisms or decompose their corpses. Large rotifers are apex predators, consuming both organic detritus and “hunting” protozoa.
According to published findings on “alien” bacteria, the mine’s low pH, high sulfate concentration, and high concentration of heavy metals allowed the bacteria to thrive.
Many organisms are acidophilic, that is, they produce energy by feeding on the rich reserves of iron and sulfur in their beaks. These bacteria form slimy stalactite structures that hang on the walls of the beak.
Then, the tiny eukaryotes feed on the acidophilic bacteria. In turn, the eukaryotes prepare for consumption by other larger organisms. This process continues, forming an organized and highly efficient food chain.
Life has also been found in other radioactive environments, including on the walls of the decimated number 4 nuclear reactor at Chernobyl.
The researchers were particularly interested in the structured microbial food chain and wrote in the study: “Eukaryotes colonize to a greater extent in extreme environments than they initially thought. and it is not only present but may also play an important role in the carbon cycle in acid mine drainage communities”.
The Königstein mine is not the only inhospitable place where researchers have found complex life forms. In 2007, scientists studying Chernobyl’s No. 4 reactor found several strains of fungi that appeared to be feeding on the site’s radiation.
Even in the deepest parts of the Arctic Ocean surrounded by a vast field of low-oxygen and high-pressure hydrothermal vents, scientists have found bacteria to thrive.
It seems that even in places we consider “unhabitable “, our planet still has a way for life to flourish.
Scientists discovered a fungus that can “eat” radiation and grow inside the Chernobyl nuclear reactor. This particular fungus, also known as “ radiotrophic fungi” , feeds on radiation itself and experts believe it could be used to create “sunblocks”.
This radioactive fungus was first discovered in 1991 around and inside the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. It contains a large amount of melanin that helps it convert radiation into energy for growth.
It has been particularly noted that melanin-rich fungal colonies have begun to grow rapidly in the cooling waters of the power plant reactors, causing them to turn black.