Bacteria scooped from the wreckage of the Titanic almost 20 years ago have been confirmed as a new species in the December issue of a microbiology journal.
While new scientific discoveries are usually heralded as joyous news, this discovery is bittersweet.
The bacteria, found on the ship's "rusticles" (rust formations that look like icicles), are eating the Titanic.
The strain, dubbed Halomonas titanicae, was initially designated BH1T in honor of the researchers who discovered it, then-graduate student Bhavleen Kaur and Dr. Henrietta Mann at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Canada.
The researchers tested the bacteria to see whether it was "good bacteria" or "bad bacteria," according to the school's website.
Let's just say the bug has an appetite for destruction.
"The BH1 cells stuck to the surface of these [small metal tags] and eventually destroyed the metal. So we knew we had a bad bacteria,” Mann is quoted as saying on the Dalhousie University website.
"In 1995, I was predicting that Titanic had another 30 years," said Mann, who still works at the university, according to CBS News. "But I think it's deteriorating much faster than that now ... Eventually there will be nothing left but a rust stain," she is quoted as saying.
The metal-eating bug presents a dilemma for scientists.
"Letting it proceed with its deterioration is also a learning process," said Kaur, who now works with the Ontario Science Centre, according to National Geographic. "If we stop and preserve it, then we stop the process of degradation," Kaur is quoted as saying.
The findings were published in the December 8 issue of the International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology.
The Titanic, heralded in its day as the largest passenger ship in the world, sank on its maiden voyage in 1912, killing more than 1,500 people. The wreckage was found in 1985 by an expedition team more than 2 miles deep in the Atlantic Ocean.
>>The researchers tested the bacteria to see whether it was "good bacteria" or "bad bacteria"<<
Um...if it eats ships, it's bad. Real bad...
Aside from sentimentality the ship is just garbage laying on the floor of the ocean, abandoned by man. Garbage eating bacteria – that would make them good bacteria
Hahahha,,, You are right! and in fact, I think this bacteria is not bad at all, maybe for those whom want to preserve the wreck, but not for the ocean that wants to clear its waters.. I think is mother nature at its prime... 😉
No, the bacteria are just testing the ship to see if it's a "good ship" or a "bad ship".
The ONLY bacteria that is bad is the bacteria that tries to eat a living person.
All others are good, even IF they get to my food before me, serves me right for waiting to eat it.
As for the scientists "stopping it" for conservation, should they ever seek to try, best of luck to them! They'll find it cheaper to raise the wreck first!
I find it amazing that the world, a living organism found a way to get rid of the unnatural.. metal is essential to you and I, howerver it's foreign to the earth.
Joy–I'm not sure what you're smoking, but metal is from the earth. It's not an alien artifact.
Metal is from outer space.
And bacteria is also from outer space..
Joy is right. Let the space metal and space bacteria fight it out. Humanity suffered enough when we intervened in the intergalactic battle between Twinkies and the Jupiter space fish.
...and then, some (mostly baggers) have the nerve to say that there is no life outside Earth. LOL
LOL! WE** are IN* outer space!!!
That bacteria can effectively be useful in waste management and recycling. I would classify it as good bacteria.
Evolution in profress
Hmmmm....plenty of scientific evidence that evolution exists.....zero scientific evidence that god exists.
so if god put man on planet x to give them a brain and test them, would it make sense for him to say hey man kind i am here.
wouldn't make sense, it is evident that this universe was designed. in what you call science, life does not come from non life and order does not come chaos (explosions)
Proof of evolution at the moment exists as a theoretical geology column (contradicted in nature from Pike's Peak to Ayer's Rock) and an incomplete fossil record. Very uncomplete (i.e. no transition fossils).
Proof against the existance of God has been in the works for millenia. And that persistant little belief in a Creator somehow still keeps on going; maybe it's not as ignorant as percieved at first blush?
Too bad these commentators dismiss evolution. As far as bacteria go, I hope they don't get the recently evolved MRSA superbug. I wonder if that will be REAL enough for you dolts
Um, actually there is plenty of evidence that theory of evolution is representative of a real process. What's more, its not necessary to pit God vs.Science. Only certain Christian factions- notably fundamentalist evangelicals, popular here in the U.S. – make the idea of creationism- specifically the idea that all families and individual species of life were created whole, without alteration, and have not changed signifigantly since (which is not actually stated in Scripture), a central tenant of thier belief system. This isn't a rational argument. You might as well argue the Hollow Earth Theory as creationism.
I don't think this is an example of evolution at work, but i do believe the theory is valid. JD Jr, your argument is a very weak one. Consistant belief in something does not count as conclusive evidence that God exists. Take that away, and there is as much evidence proving his existence as there is disproving it. And you are also wrong about the lack of transitional creatures in the fossil record, take Tiktaalik for example. Or don't because your close mindedness has made you blind to the advancements in the biological sciences. It's easy to just say God put it there and it died because it was an inferior species.
Jason – I completely agree with you. Religion and evolution are not incompatable. Don't fall prey to the polarizing arguments because there is no need to take sides.
Hahahaha,
I love it when someone says evolution is not real. There is physical evidence for evolution, but there is no physical evidence for God. There is actually evolution in philosophical beliefs too. In the almost 2000 years since the creation of Christianity it has evolved to many different denominations, beliefs, and rituals. If there was one true god then why did people not believe in him in ancient Egypt. The Egyptian religions also were evolved in to Judaism and Judaism to Christianity. If there is one god why does he not wipe out Hindu's who believe in multiple gods and worship idols? Another evolution is in progress and the time of thinkers are at hand. Open your eyes and evolve, get out of the way, or finally learn to love thy neighbor.
God (or a creator if you hate the word God) Created Evolution, and guided it along. Solves the problem. Adaptation is a sign of evolution. There aren't many who would argue that adaptation doesn't exist.
Arthurr... Youse funny!
JD Jr – You're desperately clinging to the "God of the gaps". Ever heard of ERVs? Nah, you're one of those intentionally ignorant creationists that babble about "incomplete fossil records". There's evidence supporting the theory of evolution in dozens of scientific disciplines, and evidence has been piling up for 150 years, but all you idjits can come up with is laughable BS like "DURRRR, you haven't found every fossil yet!" and "If we evolved from monkeys why are there still monkeys?" LOL.
Just remember that every time science makes a new discovery, your god has to find smaller and smaller gaps to hide in. Psst... your god doesn't exist...
Hmmmmm- over 95% of the mass of the universe is so-called "dark matter", that we can't "find"-I wonder how much God weighs....
Don't stop it. That is how the planet is dealing with the clutter. Quit interfering.
That is the smartest thing I've read in at least ten years. Irony is... We brought that crap up to the surface. Now what?
If it eats a ship at the bottom of the ocean, then its it good bug. Ash to ash, Dust to dust, fade to black.
wrong.
Thanks for the detailed, thorough and intelligent response, Linda. I'm totally convinced.
Right. This is how Mother Earth is cleaning house. Should she get the opinion of the pests living on her skin (humans) on how to deal with her trash? Nope. She's taking care of business. If we interfere too much with her methods, we may be the next trash to be disposed of. Something to think about.
LOL. "wrong". I'm going to use that more often.
Lmfao, I actually though that "negative" would have been more of an authentic response. =P
One wreck on the ocean floor out of countless others.. who cares if it is eaten? What's cool is the discovery of the bacteria.
Yes, and why not let the ship and all it's lost souls rest. It's history....
this is excellent news - we can use such bacteria to clear wreckage from shallow shipping channels and coastlines
Yeah, and then as shipping passes through the channel, the bacteria attaches itself to the hull, begins to eat the ship, and is then spread throughout the world, attacking shipping in all the oceans, everywhere. End of shipping.
Brilliant idea, mate.
David: you have no reason to believe that the bacteria can exist on it's own. Submarines, however, are certainly at risk.
I take my previous comment back, and will clear the egg from my face shortly.
The bacteria was found on the rust. Probably the only way it will get on a submarine or ship is if it's rusty, but that will lead to problems by itself.
My cat's breath smells like cat food.
Thank you for that non sequitur...unexpected hilarity.
My mouth tastes like burning!
I sleep in a drawer.
I live in a giant bucket.
My dogs play an organized game with a ball and I can't figure out the rules.
My nose makes it own bubbles!
i swallowed a bug once so....
I like turtles!!!
Sh-sh-shake it all around.
your brain reeks of stupidity
You all made me laff out loud – thanks for the late night chuckle!! 😀
I'm twelve years old and what is this?
You betcha!
Winner of Best Thread Award!
best comment on here
I am evolving-Oops–THREE noses–damn, pass the Kleenex.
Can this bacteria eat away all the junk at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean? All the junk there just keeps growing and growing.
Can these same bacteria eat Al Qaeda?
Ah, so THAT'S what happens to Chryslers........
No, there's a different procedure in place for Chryslers:
The Chrysler Recycling Automation Program;
C.R.A.P., for short.
Save part of it, let the rest rust away.
– A
Can we send this bacteria to the Whitehouse to eat the junk there?
On 2nd thought, the junk in the Whitehouse would probably kill the bacteria.
Can we send you to the bottom of the ocean and let it eat you?
Can we send the bacteria to the homes of Tea Partiers and let them eat the junk there?
Somewhere in a small town Canadian bar, Neil Young's song, "Rust Never Sleeps" is playing.
Even bacteria have standards. I don't think they could stomach the white house, and congress might just do them in.
looks like mark madoff has been reincarnated.. into this!
you're sick! no heart.
Really? Only a dolt would glory in the distruction of someone else...and don't say he ruined other peoples' lives. This guy has been put through a meat grinder b/c of his father and there's been 0 evidence that he did anything wrong. Now his young kids will grow up without a father. Guess that's something to celebrate, eh Rachel? Dolt...
"Former" governor Sarah Palin recently diagnosed with rare bacterial infection!
Ok now think darn it......there's gotta be a way ! There has to be. Think!
Obviously "dr" Mann isn't a microbiologist by determining good from bad bacteria...there are no such thing as a good/bad bacteria since bacteria do not have emotions or understandings.
That's very true. Why does one person get to deem a bacteria "good" or "bad"? Bacteria don't care, they just eat and reproduce.
Humans tend to separate things in the natural world as either good or bad. Animals or plants that are potentially dangerous to humans are thought of as "bad", regardless of their place in the ecosystem, and therefore have been hunted to near extinction. On the other hand, "beneficial" species, that is, things, plants or animals that we can exploit, eat, or make money out of, are thought of as "good".
Even scientists are human...