CAB Seminar on Thursday 19th of March at 12:00 (CET) by Ricardo Amils (CBM/CAB)

[Comisión de Seminarios]

 

 

 

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CAB SEMINARS

Biogeochemical cycles operating in the deep subsurface of the Iberian Pyrite Belt

Ricardo Amils (CBM/CAB)

Thursday, 19th March 2026, 12:00 (CET) (Auditorio/Zoom)

 

The Dark Biosphere is the new frontier in Biology. Darwin predicted its existence almost two hundred years ago.  In 2004 it was reported for the first time the diversity exiting in hard rock deep subsurface samples obtained in China. The same year CAB in collaboration with NASA Ames initiated the MARTE project to demonstrate the existence of an underground bioreactor in the Iberian Pyrite Belt (IPB). The obtained results allowed CAB researchers to obtain an ERC grant to study the deeps biosphere of the IPB (IPBSL project). In this project two wells of 620 and 340 mbs were drilled. Samples from the drilled cores allowed to describe for the first time the coupled operation of the most important biogeochemical cycles in the dark biosphere, in the absence of light and anoxic conditions.  The discovery of the dark biosphere claims for a redefinition of the actual concept of habitability in astrobiology.biosphere claims for a redefinition of the actual concept of habitability in astrobiology.

 

Join zoom meeting at: https://rediris.zoom.us/j/85134397594?pwd=Sms4OUdSWmdocGh3R1dwU1NJaWk2Zz09

Meeting ID: 851 3439 7594
Passcode: 125143

Previous seminars can be found at CAB YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/CentrodeAstrobiologia

 

A full list of seminars in our webpage: https://cab.inta-csic.es/formacion/seminarios

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