UNDERGROUND ECOSYSTEM REMINDS US LIFE FINDS A WAY

Wow, this is pretty cool. [http://hunews.huji.ac.il/|The Hebrew University of Jerusalem] is [http://hunews.huji.ac.il/articles.asp?cat=6&artID=631|reporting] that archeologists have discovered a huge cave that play host to a surprising underground ecology. Here's a clip from the above-linked article:

In a press conference on the Mt. Scopus campus of the Hebrew University, the researchers said the discovery came about when a small opening was found, leading to a cave extending to a depth of 100 meters beneath the surface of a quarry in the vicinity of Ramle, between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. The quarry is operated by cement manufacturer Nesher Industries.

The cave, which has been dubbed the Ayalon Cave, is “unique in the world,” said Prof. Amos Frumkin of the Hebrew University Department of Geography. This is due mainly to its isolation from the outside world, since the cave’s surface is situated under a layer of chalk that is impenetrable to water. The cave, with its branches, extends over some 2½ kilometers, making it Israel’s second largest limestone cave. It is to remain closed to the public to permit further scientific research.

The invertebrate animals found in the cave – four seawater and freshwater crustaceans and four terrestial species – are related to but different from other, similar life forms known to scientists. The species have been sent to biological experts in both Israel and abroad for further analysis and dating. It is estimated that these species are millions of years old. Also found in the cave were bacteria that serve as the basic food source in the ecosystem.

Pretty amazing, huh? No light--just water and a small amount of heat and you've got life. The planet Earth is a crazy place.

I just wish we could spend a little less on war and a lot more on science. Just think of the discoveries that are lying underneath our noses...

UPDATE 6/4/6: Just found another article that I think better describes the events surrounding this cave than the one I cited above. It's [http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/06/01/MNGMGJ5MIN1.DTL&science|a June 1, 2006 article] from the San Francisco Chronicle and SFGate.com. Here's a clip:

Matan Avital, an 18-year-old student from Beit Horon near Jerusalem, stumbled across the animals this month while exploring a newly discovered network of underground tunnels in a cement quarry near the main Jerusalem-Tel Aviv highway.

"I went down to check out an underground lake we found in this huge cavern when I noticed there were tiny animals swimming around in the water," Avital said. "We managed to catch one, and when we showed it to the experts, they said they had never seen anything like it before. It was a totally new animal.

I don't think the article from Hebrew University even mentioned the kid who discovered the cave. Anyway, so check out that SFGate article for more (and more concise) details regarding this amazing find.