A new species of bacteria has been discovered in the sunken hull of the Titanic
Scientists at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Canada, collected samples of the formations of the RMS Titanic of icicle-like rust, corroded called, in 1991.
Although the training is full of life, no one had identified specific microbes in the boat, instead of grouping them into broad categories such as bacteria or fungi.
So Henrietta Mann and his graduate student Bhavleen Kaur, now the Ontario Science Center, decided to isolate and identify a species of bacteria from the dirt of microscopic life forms.
He chose turned out to be a new species, the couple called titanicae Halomonas. The bacterium is part of a family that had never been seen before in waters as deep as those in which the Titanic is about 2.4 miles (3.8 kilometers) below the surface, "said Kaur.
The destruction of the Titanic, "a process of learning"
The Titanic sank 98 years ago and sat largely undisturbed on the seabed until its rediscovery in 1985. Since then researchers have learned that microorganisms, ocean bottom currents, and explorers have been accelerating the destruction of the ship.
Some experts hope to preserve the wreck by killing the bacteria eating metal and shielding of the current boat, allowing tourists to visit Titanic documentary filmmakers in the coming years.
But "let it proceed to its deterioration is also a learning process," said Kaur. "If we stop and preserve it, then we stop the degradation process."
Ultimately, so deep they live, metal eating microbes could teach engineers how to protect oil platforms or have other ships.
