Hommam Al Nassim 
Researchers have discovered a vibrant microbial environment four meters below the surface of the Atacama Desert in northern Chile, one of the harshest desert regions on Earth.
A team of scientists led by Dirk Wagner found that a variety of bacteria is able to thrive in the dry Yongai Valley region.
The scientists delved deeper into their study using deep soil samples, extracted the DNA of living organisms for analysis, and discovered different types of bacteria that dominate at different levels of depth.
In the surface layers, “Firmicute phylum” was predominant, while deep Actinobacteria, known for their tolerance to extreme conditions, emerged.
These microbial communities are completely isolated from the surface world, prompting scientists to wonder how they survive under such extreme conditions.
The discovery could be used as a model for studying the conditions of life on Mars.
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