deep in the depths

At http://phys.org/print346320029.html … the story is initially about the discovery of a new virus on the ocean floor. Research now brings into the open various questions about the evolution and interaction of microbes inside the Earth – where the key word is inside. It is now thought, said one of the authors, Sarah Bagby, there is more biomass inside the Earth than anywhere else, living at a very slow pace in a dark and energy deficient environment. The researchers used a submersible to collect sample from the deep ocean methane seeps and pushed tubes into the ocean floor to retrieve sediments cores.