A naturally-occurring hot springs settles on the bottom of the ocean floor, in a similar way as the Old Faithful spouts off every so often at Yosemite National Park in the U.S. In the same way, these black smokers on the ocean floor release gases that bubble up inside the ocean, far away from anyone’s view. These structures are chimney-like and are made up of sulfur-bearing minerals or sulfides formed by the Earth’s crust.

Vast ecosystems are supported upon these black smokers and are fascinating to explore and understand as well. The energy source is not from sunlight, as the smokers are on the bottom of the ocean floor and receive no light, thus it is important to study how life forms in this environment. Much can be gleaned from the studying life in the ocean depths for enhancing our own population and ecosystem on the Earth’s land.