Underwater civilization or natural wonder: scientists have found a "lost city" at the bottom of the ocean, unlike any other (photo)

Scientists have discovered a "lost city" near the top of an underwater mountain located west of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. During the study of the seabed, a remotely operated vehicle recorded creamy carbonate walls and columns that took on a ghostly blue hue in its light.

This is reported by Science Alert. The height of these formations varies: from small structures of a few centimeters to majestic monoliths reaching more than 60 meters.

The "Lost City" was first discovered in 2000 at a depth of more than 700 meters. According to the researchers, this hydrothermal field is the oldest known environment of underwater eruptions. Moreover, scientists emphasize that nothing like this has ever been found in the ocean before.

It is believed that the mantle that rises in this region has been interacting with the marine environment for more than 12,000 years, releasing hydrogen, methane, and other dissolved gases into the ocean. In the cracks and fractures of hydrothermal vents, hydrocarbons serve as a source of food for unique microbial communities that can exist even without access to oxygen.

Studies have shown that the vents, which emit gases with temperatures up to 40°C, have become home to numerous living organisms, including snails and crustaceans. Although larger marine creatures such as crabs, shrimp, sea urchins and eels are less common, they are still present. Despite the extreme conditions, this ecosystem has proven to be surprisingly rich in life, and scientists emphasize the need for further study and protection.

Last year, scientists reported a record-breaking recovery of a mantle rock sample in the form of a 1,268-meter-long core from the Lost City hydrothermal field. Researchers believe that this sample may contain key evidence of how life originated on Earth billions of years ago, preserving traces of these processes in its minerals.

It is assumed that similar hydrothermal fields may exist in other parts of the world's oceans, but the Lost City remains the only one known to science. Importantly, the hydrocarbons that form in its vents did not arise as a result of photosynthesis or interaction with atmospheric carbon dioxide, but due to chemical reactions on the seabed. Since hydrocarbons are the main components for the emergence of life, this suggests that such conditions could have contributed to its origin not only on our planet but also beyond.

According to microbiologist William Brazelton, the ecosystem of the Lost City may be analogous to the environments that currently exist on the moons of Saturn and Jupiter. Moreover, scientists suggest that similar conditions could have existed on Mars in the past.

Unlike hydrothermal vents known as "black smokers," which have also been considered as a possible place for the origin of life, the Lost City functions independently of magma heat. This makes it a unique example of an alternative viable ecosystem.

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