The Deepest Reaches of the Earth
This week I thought I might dwell upon the deepest reaches of the earth, the mostly unexplored depths of the sea. You lot should all spend 10 minutes writing about a poignant episode to do with the ocean or a beach, it doesn’t have to be a real memory.
Down deep in the depth no sunlight reaches the possible cradle of creation, the nursery of life, as it spews nourishment for the core of the Earth. The mid ocean ridges with their own life fed from volcanic vents that mar the sea sky with clouds of black and white particles. Hot enough to melt glass are the fount of life here.
Creatures that once had eyes crawl blindly across the ocean floor looking for substance and they are flaky and white – all pigment lost to the darkness, rendered unnecessary. The food chain here is something of a wonder, not based on sunlight, not on plants but on the small and insignificant chemotrophs, microscopic organisms that feed on chemicals, that love to munch the mineral rich water and multiply in its warmth.
This extreme environ is their home and they lurk here, silent in the rushing waters. Could this be the cradle of life? Not this one, not this rent in the earth’s crust for it is young, far too young and the strange aliens that lurk there have vestiges of life that knew the sun. But something similar could have birthed life and thrown it forth to encompass the world in all its multitudes.
The End – or not, as it may be.
Posted: Monday, October 13th, 2008 @ 8:07 pm
Categories: Uncategorized.
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