It is possible for multi-cellular organisms to live deep below the surface of the Earth after all, a report said Wednesday.
The new species 0.5mm-long worm, its scientific name Halicephalobus mephisto, was found 2.2 miles underground in a South Africa gold mine near Johannesburg.
Dr. Tullis Onstott of Princeton University and his research team showed great enthusiasm and delight with the discovery. “It’s like finding Moby Dick in Lake Ontario,” said Onstott through journal Nature.
The miniscule worm feeds on bacteria and is able to survive in waters over 100 degrees Fahrenheit. It was assumed until now that only single-celled bacteria could tolerate this kind of harsh, barren environment.
Onstott, who is studying the fracture water the worm lives in, claims that the worm appears to have been around for 3,000 to 10,000 years.
The finding of a new species of nematode living deep under the Earth will be a significant stepping stone in future search of additional multi-cellular animals, experts say.