Scientists Discover Previously Unexplored Underground Habitat

A new molecular DNA analysis technique has enabled the detection of viable microbes at depths of up to 4.20 meters. This discovery also holds significance for the search for extraterrestrial life.

Historically, the arid soils of Chile’s Atacama Desert were believed to be devoid of life. However, in one of its driest areas, a group of researchers led by Lucas Horstmann and Dirk Wagner from the GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, in collaboration with peers from TU Berlin and the University of Antofagasta in Chile, have now discovered a previously unknown subterranean habitat.