New species of bacteria found in Titanic 'rusticles' (BBC)

[eppur_se_muova]

A never-before-seen microbe has been found in the wreck of RMS Titanic.

The Halomonas titanicae bacterium was found in "rusticles", the porous and delicate icicle-like structures that form on rusting iron.

Various bacteria and fungi live within the delicate structures - first identified on the Titanic - actually feeding off the rusting metal.

The find is described in the journal International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology.

Samples of rusticles from Titanic were gathered in 1991 by the Mir 2 robotic submersible.
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more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-11926932

http://ijs.sgmjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/ijs.0.020628-0v2