Scientists have discovered a bacteria that "eats" oil at the deepest part of the ocean.

According to foreign media SlashGear, researchers at the University of East Anglia reported a unique discovery: a bacterium that "eats" oil is found in one of the most mysterious places on our planet, the Mariana Trench. This is the deepest trench in the world. According to the study, the Mariana Trench is the highest proportion of bacteria on the planet that have “eat” oil.

The Mariana Trench is located in the western Pacific Ocean; its depth below sea level has exceeded the highest altitude of Mount Everest and remains one of the most mysterious places on Earth. A group of scientists studied samples collected from the deepest part of the Mariana Trench (about 36,000 feet deep) and discovered a new group of bacteria that degrade hydrocarbons, which are natural gas and petroleum. Main ingredients.

These microorganisms are found in many places and can degrade oils from oil spills. However, the study found that the Mariana Trench is the highest proportion of such microorganisms on the planet.

What exactly do these deep sea bacteria feed on? Researchers have discovered biologically-derived hydrocarbons in seafloor sediments from the bottom of the trench and 19,600 feet of seawater below the surface. Scientists suspect that hydrocarbons can also be found in lower depth water. This is the first time these hydrocarbons have been found in this deep microbe.