by Bruce Mountain
The steaming waters of New Zealand’s thermal regions are a natural wonder – and not just because of their drama and beauty. Once thought to be empty of life, the hot springs are in fact teeming with microbes. These remarkable organisms could hold clues to the evolution of life on earth, and on other planets.
Main image: Growths of fibrous silica in 60°C water
![]() | |
![]() |





