Newly discovered deep-sea microbes could eat greenhouse gases

New microbes that can “gobble greenhouse gases” have been discovered deep under the ocean.

Scientists found nearly two dozen new types of microbes during the investigation, many of which consume greenhouse gases to survive.

As concerns around climate change grow, scientists now hope that these microbes can be used to preserve the environment.

A paper by the University of Texas and published in Nature Communications told how the microbes “gobble” hydrocarbons like methane and butane.

They use these underwater gases as energy sources to survive and grow.

This suggests that these newly discovered bacteria could already be helping to limit the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

Scientists also suggested that this “gobbling” mechanism could also be used to clean up oil spills in the future.

The new microbes were found in the Guaymas Basin, which is in the Gulf of California.

According to researchers, the new species are so genetically different from previously studied microbes that “they represent new branches in the tree of life.”

The study notes that these species possess “pollutant-eating powers” and could help stave off global warming.

“This shows deep oceans contain expansive unexplored biodiversity and microscopic organisms there are capable of degrading oil and other harmful chemicals,” said Brett Baker, a professor of marine science, who led the study.

He continued: “Beneath the ocean floor huge reservoirs of hydrocarbon gases — including methane, propane, butane and others — exist now and these microbes prevent greenhouse gases from being released into the atmosphere.”

To make the finding, researchers had to travel deep underwater using the Alvin submersible.

That’s the same submersible that found the Titanic, the “unsinkable” cruise-liner that sank after hitting an iceberg in 1912.

Researchers analyzed sediment collected from 1.2 miles below the surface.

At this depth, volcanic activity raises temperatures to around 392 degrees Fahrenheit.

It’s in this harsh environment where 22 new entries in the tree of life where found.

“The tree of life is something that people have been trying to understand since Darwin came up with the concept over 150 years ago and it’s still this moving target at the moment,” Baker explained.

“Trying to map the tree is really kind of crucial to understanding all aspects of biology.”

“With DNA sequencing and the computer approaches that we use, we’re getting closer and things are expanding quickly.”

According to Baker, there’s significant hope of finding even more useful microbes deep under the sea.

“We think that this is probably just the tip of the iceberg in terms of diversity in the Guaymas Basin,” the professor said.

“So, we’re doing a lot more DNA sequencing to try to get a handle on how much more there is.

“This paper is really just our first hint at what these things are and what they are doing.”