A massive volcanic eruption in Tonga destroyed unique, never-before-seen life-forms, according to a study published in January.
Back in 2015, an island emerged from the Pacific Ocean near Tonga as a result of the volcanic activity that all-but defines the geology of this global region, according to Live Science. Named the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai island, the small landmass lasted just seven years before falling victim to the largest volcanic eruption of the 21st century thus far.
Those who managed to study the sparkly new island throughout its short-lived existence found a strange group of microbes that they believe came from deep beneath Earth’s surface, according to the official study published in mBio.
A Beer Shortage Is Brewing Thanks To Problem With Extinct Volcano https://t.co/07Q7YEiAZG
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) September 24, 2022
“We didn’t see what we were expecting,” lead study author Nick Dragone said in a statement. “We thought we’d see organisms you find when a glacier retreats, or cyanobacteria, more typical early colonizer species — but instead we found a unique group of bacteria that metabolize sulfur and atmospheric gases.”
Options to continue studying the volcano were wiped off the table when the island erupted again. This also came as a surprise to the international research team. “We were all expecting the island to stay,” Dragone continued. “In fact, the week before the island exploded we were starting to plan a return trip.” (RELATED: ‘The Volcano’ Is A Harrowing Tale Of Our Planet’s Violence And Power)
The only option to potentially continue the research is if another island miraculously emerges from the depths again, which is not entirely unlikely, but pretty rare.