The “lost city” of the Atlantic Ocean. Credit: Instagram @causesdotcom
Under the depths of the Atlantic Ocean, scientists Hydrothermal fields in a lost citya strange and ancient undersea world that may hold an answer to one of the greatest questions of humanity: how life for humans on Earth began.
The site is more than 2,300 feet below the surface, just south of the Azores, nine miles west of the Mid-Atlantic ridge. It is the oldest known hydrothermal ventilation system in the ocean, estimated to be over 120,000 years old. Daily Mail.
“Lost City” is driven by Earth’s chemistry
Unlike most deep-sea aeration, which relies on volcanic activity, lost cities are driven by the process by which seawater reacts with the mantle rock and releases methane and hydrogen. These gases provide microbial lifespan that does not require sunlight or oxygen to survive.
Some of the towering carbonate chimneys of sites called Imax, Poseidon, Seeps, and Nature can reach 60 meters (200 feet) high, with the warm alkaline liquid within which can reach 90°C (194°F). Despite the harsh conditions, marine life like shrimp, snails, sea urchins and eels stick to the structure.
In a recent breakthrough, scientists recovered a core sample of a deep earth mantle lock that fuels the system. This sample allows you to observe how hydrocarbons – vital organic molecules – form without oxygen or sunlight. According to markwhich could support a theory of how life emerged on early Earth. And we can potentially support how it evolves elsewhere in the universe.
The site serves as a natural laboratory, providing a glimpse into the earliest conditions of the Earth, and has not been touched for thousands of years due to its remote location.
The threat of mining on the horizon
Despite its scientific importance, lost cities can be under threat. In 2017, the International Undersea Authority (ISA) granted Poland a 15-year license to explore areas of the mid-Atlantic ridge near the lost city. The ventfield itself does not contain valuable metals, but nearby sites do so, making the area vulnerable to deep-sea mining.
Mining near hydrothermal holes can release toxic plumes, putting nearby ecosystems at risk even if the main site is not directly disturbed. The Convention on Biological Diversity has named the lost city ecologically or biologically important marine regions (EBSA), but there is no legal protection.
UNESCO is currently reviewing the status of global heritage sites. However, scientists warn that damage to the ecosystem can be irreversible.
Lost cities are one of the few known places where life thrives without sunlight from purely deep Earth chemistry. Should we risk disrupting such a vulnerable and unique ecosystem, as legal protections are still pending as industry benefits loom?
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