Bring the ocean to your inbox
A chimney sample from a hydrothermal vent, collected on a January 2014 research expedition, shows deposits of glittering yellow iron sulfide, or pyrite. Also known as "fool's gold," the mineral forms when sulfides and iron in hydrothermal fluids combine and precipitate on contact with cold seawater. WHOI scientist Stefan Sievert recently led an international team of researchers on the expedition to the East Pacific Rise vents to study microbial organisms, some of which use sulfur to obtain energy. The expedition was featured on the Dive and Discover website. (Photo by David Levin, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)
Text, images, graphics and other material contained on this website are subject to copyright. For more information or to license material, please contact the Director of Digital Assets, images@whoi.edu or (508) 289-2647.
The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution is dedicated to advancing knowledge of the ocean and its connection with the Earth system through a sustained commitment to excellence in science, engineering, and education, and to the application of this knowledge to problems facing society. Learn more »