Cross sections of the tubeworm Riftia pachyptila. (Courtesy of Enduring Resources for Earth Science Education) When scientists found lush thickets of 6-foot-tall, red-tipped tubeworms on the seafloor in 1977, they realized that life could thrive without sunlight in extreme environments. When they discovered that the tubeworms had no mouth, digestive tract, or anus, they learned … Continue reading Deep-sea Tubeworms Get Versatile ‘Inside’ Help