Meet Shana Goffredi, an associate professor of Biology at Occidental College in Los Angeles, California. She has made a groundbreaking discovery about a new sea spider species found deep beneath the ocean surface.
These underwater arthropods thrive in extreme conditions, with temperatures near freezing and no light. But what sets them apart is their unique way of surviving. Research has revealed that they use methane as a source of energy, harnessing it from seeping gases on the ocean floor.
Goffredi’s research focuses on how life can exist in environments like Venus, where extreme conditions pose significant challenges. To better understand these limitations, scientists rely on microbes that are essential to these sea spiders’ survival.
By studying these tiny creatures and their microbial allies, researchers aim to shed light on what it takes for life to thrive in the most inhospitable places. Goffredi joins host Flora Lichtman to share her insights and explore this fascinating discovery further.
Source: https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/deep-sea-spider-methane