How and where did life on Earth originate? To date, various environments have been
proposed as plausible sites for the origin of life. However, discussions have focused on a …

Nitrogen is an essential nutrient for all life on Earth and it acts as a major control on
biological productivity in the modern ocean. Accurate reconstructions of the evolution of life …

The serpentinite-hosted Lost City hydrothermal field is a remarkable submarine ecosystem
in which geological, chemical, and biological processes are intimately interlinked. Reactions …

Evidence is growing that hydrothermal venting occurs not only along mid-ocean ridges but
also on old regions of the oceanic crust away from spreading centres. Here we report the …

Low-molecular-weight hydrocarbons in natural hydrothermal fluids have been attributed to
abiogenic production by Fischer-Tropsch type (FTT) reactions, although clear evidence for …

The discovery of metal-depositing hot springs on the sea floor, and especially their link to
chemosynthetic life, was among the most compelling and significant scientific advances of …

Hydrothermal circulation and alteration at mid-ocean ridges and ridge flanks have a key role
in regulating seawater chemistry and global chemical fluxes, and support diverse …

Geologic molecular hydrogen (H 2) occurs in the subsurface and vents and seeps at the
surface. However, this valuable natural resource is under-utilized in the economy because …

Convective circulation of seawater through oceanic crust at mid-ocean ridges (MOR) and on
ridge flanks has wide-ranging effects on heat transport, the chemical and isotopic …

Mixing of hydrothermal fluids and seawater at the ocean floor, combined with slow reaction
kinetics for oxidation/reduction reactions, provides a source of metabolic energy for …