Deep Biosphere Teeming with Bacteria

A recent article on Motherboard describes work done by Prof. Olga Zhaxybayeva shows that the deep oil reserves are loaded with microbes that have been busy swapping genetic material for eons.  For a link to the full article, please click here.

The full scientific findings are published in the following publication:

Nesbo CL, S Swithers K, Dahle H, Haverkamp TH, Birkeland NK, Sokolova T, Kublanov I, Zhaxybayeva O. (2014) "Evidence for extensive gene flow and Thermotoga subpopulations in subsurface and marine environments." ISME Journal, Published online on Dec 12. doi: 10.1038/ismej.2014.238.