Tag Archives: Chile

Apparently distinctive (but as yet unclassified) low-metabolism bacteria, fungi, and archaea living on Argentina and Chile’s Atacama volcanoes — a good example of how the scientific process begins with mystery 0

First questions, then (hopefully) a few discoveries From the well-written abstract: Here we present the first culture-independent microbiological and biogeochemical study of the mineral soils from 6000 meters above sea level . . . on some the highest volcanoes in the Atacama region of Argentina and Chile. These soils experience some of the harshest environmental [...]

Earthquakes in the Atacama Desert Chile rub boulders together to produce smooth surfaces — hypothesis confirmed during a 5.3 magnitude quake 0

The good fortune of being there to witness what happens Geology is often about making careful observations and exercising deductive common sense.  But getting to see one’s ideas proven true in immediate time is rare. Geologist Jay Quade once noticed that some surfaces of Atacama Desert boulders were worn smooth.  Given the lack of water [...]