Scientists Discover Thousands of New Microbial Species Thriving in the Mariana Trench
The Mariana Trench Environment and Ecology Research Project has added over 6,000 new microbes to the number of species found at the deepest regions of the ocean. Its investigations have revealed two adaptations that allow the microbes to thrive under intense pressure and a mutated gene that could boost their ability to survive. The study of these organisms could yield new medications and information that could be useful for engineering pressure- or radiation-resistant proteins.