NEWS: Bacteria found in toxic soil, page 1

Scientists have found over 100 different species of bacteria living in the toxic soil that has become contaminated by leaks at the Hanford nuclear site. The bacteria are living in what many consider the most radioactive soil on the Planet.

They are just starting to find unique proteins that are not known and could help them find ways to de-contaminate other sites.
''It's exciting,'' said Fred Brockman, staff scientist and group leader for the project at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, an Energy Department research center near the Hanford site in south-central Washington. ''One of the most important things to realize is this is a type of environment that hasn't been studied with regard to bacteria.
''I believe it's the most radioactive soil ever studied with regards to bacteria in the world,'' Brockman said.
The team of scientists has identified more than 100 different species of bacteria in a mixture of sand, silt and clay extracted from beneath several underground Hanford tanks, which were built in 1953 to hold highly radioactive waste produced from the recovery of plutonium from irradiated nuclear reactor fuel rods.

It seems that no matter where we look on Earth that we find Life has found away to not only survive but thrive, in looking for life outside of our planet we will have to look in not only likely places but in ones that seem highly unlikely.
famulus.msnbc.com...

[Edited on 26-5-2004 by John bull 1]

[Edited on 5-26-2004 by Valhall]