origins of life on Earth.
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This revelation, made 4,000 feet beneath the ocean’s surface, is not only redefining our understanding of extreme underwater ecosystems but also raising profound questions about the conditions that may have birthed life itself.
Nestled between Egypt, Israel, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia, the Gulf of Aqaba has long been steeped in biblical history. According to the Institute of Biblical Archaeology, it is believed to be the very stretch of water Moses parted to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. But beyond its religious significance, the Gulf has now emerged as a scientific marvel, housing brine pools teeming with mysterious lifeforms.
Dr. Sam Purkis, a marine geosciences professor at the University of Miami, describes these pools as a time capsule for early Earth. Unlike the oxygen-rich waters we associate with marine life, these brine pools are anoxic—completely devoid of oxygen—and hypersaline, yet they host extremophile microbes that thrive in conditions hostile to most known organisms.
«Our current understanding is that life originated on Earth in the deep sea, almost certainly in anoxic conditions,» Purkis explains. "Deep-sea brine pools are a great analog for the early Earth and, despite being devoid of oxygen, are teeming with a rich community of so-called ‘extremophile’