Why are deep sea vents a wonder of the world?

Answer 1

Prior to the discovery of the first deep sea vent, the ocean floor was thought to be a desolate and relatively lifeless place. The organisms living there had to deal with complete darkness, incredible pressure, extremely cold temperatures, and an intense sparsity of food. The deep sea vents, though, offer an incredible variety of life, from the giant tubeworms to new forms of bacteria to strange crustaceans and mollusks never before imagined. And the vents themselves supported an entirely different ecosystem - one that was chemosynthentically based. The bacteria living in the esophagus region of the giant tubeworms perform a process called chemosynthesis, similar to but having some significant differences from, photosynthesis. The main difference is, of course, that light is not required to initiate chemosynthesis. Moreover, the chemicals these bacteria are using to create themselves a foodsource are entirely different from those used by their shallower-water counterparts or land organisms. This process has even given scientists new insights into the possible origin of life on earth.