Minerals from hydrothermal vent fluids precipitate to build up hundreds of delicate spires at the base of a tall hydrothermal vent at Lost City. An arm of the remotely operated vehicle Hercules is sampling for gases in the foreground. The two tiny dots (right), which were generated by a laser on the vehicle, are four inches apart and help give scientists a sense of scale. (Photo courtesy of University of Washington, IFE, URI-IAO, NOAA)[back]
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