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National Geographic : 1979 Nov
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"Dandeion," Intotal da kness, ANGUS: Controlled from a surface "Dandelin," t a In total darkness ship, this two-ton camera sled glides spotted In 1977, was above the bottom, taking acoloraidin of ife picture ev 1). Itanchors iitself hours. From a height of I8 meters, to peripheral rocks away each frame covers half an acre, or from the tubew Warm-water vents overgrown with 2,023 square meters. Of the 45 and clams. Nearbyorganisms (left) occur at both dive vents found so far in the Pacific, something geologists in 1977 called sites visited by scientists along rifs in A Upot4Ai3 sites visited by scientists along rifts in ANGUS pinpointed 42, Alvin 3. "spaghetti" turned out to be an acorn the Pacificfloor (map). The oases -. -wor, rne . the 1aciwcfloor (map). oThee oases wmrp.; were found along spreading centers where earth's crustal plates pull apart a few centimeters a year (below). Seawater seeps into cracks, becomes superheated,and picks up minerals .fromthe crustalrock. As solutions of hydrogen sulfide rise to the oceanfloor, Ga crabs are bacteriametabolize it and multiply, deep. At oasmmnp n illow creatingthe primaryfood sourcefor lavas, possibly filtering bacterial higher organisms. clumps from the water. The discovery ofan ecosystem . J ,based on chemical synthesis overturns \. the conventionalidea that sunlight is V,> a always the main source of energy for . life. Oases probablyoccur along many -, " stretches of the Mid-Oceanic Ridge. 688
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