The conditions and properties of hydrothermal vents and hydrothermal fields are compared in terms of their ability to support processes related to the origin of life. The two sites can be considered as alternative hypotheses, and from this comparison we propose a series of experimental tests to distinguish between them, focusing on those that involve concentration of solutes, self-assembly of m...

The ecology and biogeography of meiofauna at deep-sea hydrothermal vents have historically received less attention than those of megaand macrofauna. This study examines the composition of major meiofaunal taxa in beds of the mussel Bathymodiolus thermophilus at hydrothermal vents on the northern and southern East Pacific Rise (EPR) and presents the first comparison of species assemblages of the...

Hydrothermal processes on Enceladus Saturn’s moon Enceladus has a subsurface ocean covered by a layer of ice. Some liquid escapes into space through cracks in the ice, which is the source of one of Saturn’s rings. In October 2015, the Cassini spacecraft flew directly through the plume of escaping material and sampled its chemical composition. Waite et al. found that the plume contains molecular...

Upon their initial discovery, hydrothermal vents and methane seeps were considered to be related but distinct ecosystems, with different distributions, geomorphology, temperatures, geochemical properties and mostly different species. However, subsequently discovered vents and seep systems have blurred this distinction. Here, we report on a composite, hydrothermal seep ecosystem at a subducting ...

Vol.13, No.1 | 2015 | hypothesisjournal.com ABSTRACT Experimental conditions were devised, imitating prebiotic conditions in hydrothermal vents, to examine the possible prebiotic role of free purine bases in the direct synthesis of amino acids. Hypoxanthine, the biochemical precursor of adenine and guanine, was able to capture nitrite ions and be reductively transformed into adenine. Transfer o...

Marine resources represent an interesting source of active ingredients for the cosmetics industry. Algae (macro and micro) are rich in proteins, amino acids, carbohydrates, vitamins (A, B, and C) and oligo-elements such as copper, iron and zinc. All those active principles play roles in hydration, firming, slimming, shine and protection. Marine organisms inhabit a wide spectrum of habitats. Pho...

Statistical analyses of geochemical data from ferromanganese nodule samples representing a broad area of the southeast Pacific Ocean indicate nodule compositions are controlled by four factors: (1) suboxic diagenesis; (2) oxic diagenesis; (3) hydrogenous precipitation; and (4) hydrothermal precipitation. The first three are identical to those identified in studies of nodules from the North Paci...