10.19.00 Bacteria discovered in salt crystals dates back 250 million years, quite possibly making it the oldest known organism on Earth.
Bacteria are easily adaptable to harsh conditions due to their ability to form protective spores.
It is estimated that the bacteria is ten times older than any previously discovered living organism. When scientists extracted the bacteria from the crystals in a laboratory and placed them in a nutrient solution, the organisms began to grow. WIPP is located in the Chihuahuan Desert of Southeastern New Mexico, project facilities include disposal rooms mined 2,150 feet underground in a 2,000-foot thick salt formation that has been stable for more than 200 million years. After more than 20 years of scientific study, public input, and regulatory struggles, WIPP began operations on March 26, 1999. Transuranic mixed waste' is transuranic waste that also contains hazardous materials regulated by the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act.