Hydrothermal vents are helping to shed light on subjects that had been questionable for some time. Many scientists believe life on earth began deep in the oceans near vents instead of on the ocean surface with bacteria using photosynthesis as a means of producing energy. Rather, the bacteria may have evolved into bacteria containing chlorophyll that floated to the ocean's surface. The bacteria found in the vent communities may be useful in everyday life as well.
Vent bacteria are able to endure higher temperatures than any other organism.
These enzymes could be used for genetic engineering or breaking down toxic waste. The benefits from the discovery of hydrothermal vents go far beyond earth alone. Europa, one of Jupiter's moons, is now thought to contain an ocean under a thick shell of ice. Knowing what they now know about hydrothermal vent communities and the possibility of life on earth beginning at the bottom of the ocean in cold, dark waters, scientists believe there may be evidence of life on Europa. In fact, researchers are giving Mars and Europa even odds of once having life.