Hydrothermal Vents Hydrothermal vents are the natural result of hot rock meeting cold water. Although they have a long name, they are just underwater hot springs at 20,000 leagues under the sea. These new minerals fall near the vent, creating towering sulfide chimneys from which steaming water continues to gush. What makes hydrothermal vents even more interesting is their amazing life. While life at our planet's surface is based on photosynthesis, the harnessing of energy from light by plants, life at hydrothermal vents is based on chemosynthesis, the harnessing of energy from the breakdown of hydrogen sulfide.
Chemosynthesis is performed by bacteria.
These bacteria are eaten by or live symbiotically with other organisms. Vents are also home to giant clams, eyeless shrimp, and mussels. Since the discovery of Lucky Strike many researchers have returned with much high-tech equipment to learn about the processes that created and maintain the vents. Although the discovery of Lucky Strike took place in 1993, I was reminded of it by some recent science news. This mountain is made of one million year old serptentinized periodotites and gabbros, rocks that usually make up the deeper layers of the oceanic crust.