Zeiss Axiozoom V16 Scope
Abigail Asangba
Bruce Fouke Laboratory
Funded by the Total Oil Company
Travertine is a type of limestone formed by calcium carbonate precipitated from hot springs. Surprisingly, communities of microbes play a key role in this process by catalyzing mineralization. The points of light in this image show the locations of fragments of DNA within ancient travertine. Understanding how microbes contribute to travertine formation on Earth inform the search for life on other planets, including Mars.
