Life is in the driest place on Earth

Scientists discovered many types of bacteria that live in the soil in the Atacama desert, the driest place in the world.

Discovering life is in the driest place on Earth

Located in northern Chile, the Atacama desert has a wild landscape with dry mountains and dunes, likened to Mars on Earth . In the Atacama desert, María Elena South is such a harsh and arid region that scientists once believed that life could not exist.

Sand dunes in the Atacama desert.(Photo: National Geographic)

However, a Chilean research group has discovered many bacteria that live in the soil here and some other areas of this desert. "We were really surprised to find the bacteria here. After this discovery, we are not sure if there is any limit to the moisture for life on Earth ," said Dr. Armando Azua-Bustos at Blue Marble Space Institute of Science reviews.

To determine the bacterial composition in the desert's harsh environment, experts analyze DNA taken from soil samples. Applying denatured gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) to analyze the microbial community, they found the diversity of bacteria, which are mainly Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria, Firmicutes and Acido.

According to Huffington Post, the temperature and relative humidity of soil and atmosphere samples at Atacama are measured by micro sensors. The results confirm that the Atacama desert is actually the driest place on Earth. The relative humidity of soil at a depth of one meter at María Elena South is only 14%, which is the lowest humidity equivalent NASA measured in the Gale Crater basin on the red planet.