Summary
The recent discovery of extensive microbial populations beneath the deep ocean floor has far reaching implications not just for our immediate understanding of the biosphere, but also for many other branches of science as well as industrial processes and biotechnology. It helps explain how fossil fuels were formed and how to exploit them as well as providing a new and highly diverse source of material for biotechnology. In addition, the discovery that bacteria can survive in far more extreme conditions than was previously thought possible is causing us to revise theories of how life began and also to reappraise the prospects of life on other planets. European scientists have been at the forefront of these advances, and this Network aims to build on this by stimulating the collaborative programmes and helping develop the facilities needed for more extensive deep sea biosphere research. More
Duration
Three years, from 1998 to 2001.
