Scientists at Home: Secrets of the Deep Sea

Thursday, August 13, 2020

2 pm EDT

Trays of rock specimens from the ocean subfloor.
Microorganisms survive in rocks nestled thousands of feet beneath the ocean floor in the lower oceanic crust. 
Courtesy of IODP
What can microorganisms beneath the ocean floor tell us about life—past, present, future, and even beyond Earth? 

Microbiologists Brandi Kiel Reese and Jason Sylvan from the International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) will share research of subseafloor microbiology and how it connects to the search for life beyond Earth. Reese and Sylvan will spotlight an array of microscopic organisms found below the seafloor, from viruses to bacteria and archaea to fungi, and help us understand the scale and unique qualities of these tiny but influential denizens of the deep. 

Watch a recording of the livestream, first aired on Thursday, August 13, 2020.