Life that really is down under.

摘要

The story begins in the early 1980's, when it was recognized that fundamental science about deep aquifers (greater than 30 feet below the surface) was virtually non existent. If population centers were to continue to expand, the understanding of these deep reservoirs of life-giving water was essential. Over 53% of the US population receives its drinking water from wells, yet these sources continue to be polluted by government, industrial and private sources. If microorganism, life too small to be seen except through powerful microscopes, were present underground, then maybe they could help return polluted groundwaters to wholesome quality. Such was the vision in the Office of Health and Environmental Research at DOE that spawned the Microbiology of the Deep Subsurface Program.