Until recently, scientists believed that the only source of energy responsible for life on earth was the sun. In 1977, a group of scientists studying the theory of plate tectonics traveled to the bottom of the equatorial Pacific Ocean and discovered something that may explain how life began on this planet. From the hot springs of the Galapagos Rift, scientists have discovered densely populated communities of diverse species never before observed. Since then, the federal government has devoted more than $10 million to research into these communities and their evolutionary history. This figure, to the dismay of many scientists, is significantly less than the budget of the space exploration program. For example, in 1992, the government budget for oceanographic research was $600 million, while NASA spent $8.5 billion. We know more about the space around us than we do about our own home. Only 1% of the seabed has been mapped. The sea is the largest, most inaccessible and least understood ecosystem on the planet. Since studies of these communities began, previous notions that cold darkness and extreme pressure are hostile to life have been disproved. We now know that an ecosystem can be supported by unusual energy sources. The animals that have been discovered in hydrothermal vents are fascinating and extremely important. The structure of these creatures is such that a new realm has been discovered/created. Previously, scientists divided the living world into two kingdoms: bacteria, also known as prokaryotes, and eukaryotes (plants and animals). The difference between the two kingdoms was their genetics. The DNA of these newly discovered animals was distinct from that of the other two kingdoms. They were called archaea. Research on these animals is limited because they do not grow or culture well in the laboratory. These animals live in extremely hot temperatures of 160 degrees Fahrenheit and above, while microbes have been found to live in boiling water. This revelation will surely change all the “rules” we have for healthcare standards. These newly discovered facts must fundamentally change the way we think about life on earth. Entire communities of invertebrates live in these springs: tube worms, mussels, clams and even shrimp. In the absence of light and without the photosynthesizing plankton that provides food for most marine life, these animals have an alternative way of living. These invertebrates have formed symbiotic relationships with the bacteria that live with them. The mechanics of this relationship are incredibly interesting. Bacteria thrive on the sulfide found in wastewater (hydrogen sulfide). They use the chemical energy of sulfide to produce organic carbon compounds similar to how plants use solar energy in photosynthesis. Bacteria use chemical rather than light energy to transform the inorganic