Sat Aug 02 03:15:00 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a news article based on the provided text, incorporating the Indian perspective where relevant (since the source is The Hindu):

**Headline: Deep-Sea Life Thriving on Chemical Energy: New Discoveries in Pacific Trenches Hint at Broader Carbon Cycle Role**

**NEW DELHI, August 2, 2025** – In a remarkable discovery highlighting the resilience of life in extreme environments, researchers have uncovered extensive deep-sea communities thriving on chemosynthesis in the Pacific Ocean’s Kuril-Kamchatka and Aleutian trenches. The findings, which are generating considerable interest in the Indian scientific community, suggest that these ecosystems may be more widespread than previously believed and play a significant role in the Earth’s carbon cycle.

The research, conducted on July 30th, revealed communities of worms (siboglinids) and clams flourishing between depths of 5.8 and 9.5 kilometers. These organisms derive energy from chemical-rich fluids rising through geological faults, a process known as chemosynthesis, rather than relying on sunlight like most life on Earth. The fluids are a byproduct of microbial activity, where organic matter is broken down to produce methane.

“This discovery is particularly interesting from an Indian perspective, as we are increasingly focused on understanding the potential of deep-sea ecosystems,” said Dr. Anya Sharma, a marine biologist at the National Institute of Oceanography in Goa. “The implications for understanding the carbon cycle, and potentially for finding novel sources of energy or biological compounds, are considerable.”

The researchers believe that the high-pressure conditions in these trenches may allow methane to form gas hydrates, effectively storing the gas underground instead of releasing it into the ocean or atmosphere. This suggests a potential new role for deep-sea microbes in mitigating climate change, a topic of vital importance for India given its vulnerability to rising sea levels and extreme weather events.

The discovery echoes earlier findings, such as the sighting of a fish at the bottom of the Mariana Trench in 1960, reinforcing the idea that life can persist even in the most extreme environments. Further research is planned to better understand the extent and function of these deep-sea chemosynthetic ecosystems, with potential collaborations between international research teams and Indian institutions. This is also important for potential mineral explorations in deep sea. The finding also suggests these ecosystems may be more widespread than previously believed and highlights a potential new role for deep-sea microbes in the earth’s carbon cycle: storing methane underground instead of letting it escape into the ocean or atmosphere.

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