CASTLE OF LOKI: DISCOVERY, CHARACTERISTICS, SPECIES - CULTURE VOCABULARY - 2025

The Castle Loki is a set of hydrothermal vents (geological structures shaped tower), which is more than 2,300 meters deep and is located between Norway and Greenland.

The geological formation is named after the character in Norse mythology, Loki. In fact, as a curious fact, the scientists who made the discovery opted for this name due to the aura of mysticism that exists around the area.

Photograph of the entrance to Loki Castle, taken in July 2008. By Center for Geobiology / University of Bergen, Norway., via Wikimedia Commons

It is estimated that Loki Castle has great scientific and geological value since it is home to primitive microorganisms and a series of marine species that still remain to be studied in depth.

Thanks to the above, the scientific community boasts of the possibility of finding important organisms that explain the appearance of terrestrial and marine life.

Discovery

Research began in 2005 by the University of Bergen (Norway), with the aim of exploring the Arctic Circle. Three years later, a group of 25 scientists led by Norwegian geologist Rolf Pedersen, found these tubular structures that are still being studied.

It is worth mentioning that the mission was successfully achieved, thanks to the integration of a remote-controlled vehicle, which was able to make the corresponding captures of the area.

Subsequent investigations

Due to the discovery of the Castle of Loki, the scientific community has lent itself to carry out further investigations that have been in charge of showing surprising results.

One of them has to do with a study from 2015, led by the University of Uppsala (Sweden). In it, the researchers found DNA remains of a microorganism considered the ancestor of almost all living beings. It is of such importance that it has even been called "the missing link."

characteristics

At this point, some important characteristics can be pointed out:

-It is part of the mid-Atlantic ridge (north of the Atlantic Ocean), so it is located on the limits of the tectonic plates between Eurasia and North America.

-During the exploration process, oceanographer Marvin Lilley stated that due to the amount of sediment and minerals that are expelled from this structure, it makes it - practically - the only place in the world with such a large deposit of this type.

-The geological structure is made up of five chimneys, which are capable of ventilating waters so hot that they can reach up to 300 ° C.

-The chimneys (or also called fumaroles) are black due to the amount of minerals and sediment they expel.

-The fired waste is also used by the microorganisms that are in the surroundings. It is even a source of food for other marine species.

-Although the chimneys are black, it has been found that certain parts are covered with a kind of "white mantle", which corresponds to the groups of bacteria that are around.

-With regard to the aforementioned, it is worth mentioning that there are other red vents due to the presence of deposits of already oxidized iron.

Other important data

-At present, it is estimated that more than 20 new species have been found, although many of them have not been classified or studied by researchers.

-The expelled minerals and other sediments fall around the five chimneys. This same accumulation has aroused the interest of mining companies due to the wealth that could be found there.

-As mentioned above, the scientific community estimates the discovery of Loki Castle as one of the most important events in recent times, since some specialists indicate that these structures could be the first points for the origin of life to occur.

-According to the researchers involved in the find, due to the complexity to reach the area, as well as the appearance of the chimneys, it seemed convenient to relate it to the Norse god of tricks and fantasy, Loki.

-Thanks to the intricacy of the structure and the marine wonders found there, the Norwegian Ministry of the Environment has contemplated the idea of ​​creating an underwater park. However, some researchers insist that it is necessary to protect the area and spend more time studying it.

Discovered species

Loki Castle is the site of several marine species that have not yet received a name or classification by scientists, however, some well-known ones can be named:

-Giant clams.

-Dumbo octopus.

-Giant snails.

-Tubular worms.

According to the study of them, some maintain characteristics of the abyssal fauna, for which aspects have been found almost from science fiction books. These are just a sample of a significant number that have been found over time.

Loki's Archaea

However, among all the diversity of living beings found, there is one that stands out in a remarkable way. Some specialists have even called it "the missing link" within the evolutionary chain.

Thanks to the 2008 expedition, a team of scientists from the University of Uppsala (Sweden), analyzed the samples collected by the University of Bergen, and found a variety of microorganisms with characteristics so primitive that they may be the basis of the formation of more complex organisms.

Later, these were called "Lokiarchaeota" or "arches of Loki", which are presumed to be the ancestors of fungi and algae. In addition, it is speculated that they have a connection with animals and perhaps humans.

Current importance

Most specialists support the theory that all living beings are classified into three large groups: bacteria (Bacteria), archaea (Archea) and eukaryotes (Eukarya).

Later years, postulates have been made that indicate that archaea and eukaryotes have genetic structures in common, since both can come from the same ancestor. This was handled by hypothesis until the discovery of the Lokiarcheaota.

This does not necessarily mean that human beings are descendants of this microorganism, however, Loki's archaea represent an important step to understand the evolutionary process of species and the direction they could take in the future.

References

1. A waterworld of volcanoes. (2017). At University of Bergen. Retrieved: September 20, 2018. At the University of Bergen at uib.no.
2. Arita, Hector. The arches of Loki Castle. (2015) In Natural Mythology. Retrieved: September 20, 2018. In Natural Mythology of hectorarita.com.
3. Loki Castle. (sf). On Wikipedia. Retrieved: September 20, 2018. In Wikipedia at es.wikipedia.org.
4. Scientists try to protect Norway's deep-sea vents. (2013). In Vista al Mar. Recovered: September 20, 2018. In Vista al Mar from vistaalmar.es.
5. Loki's Castle - An incredible place on Earth. (sf). In Supercurioso. Retrieved: September 20, 2018. In Supercurioso from supercurioso.com.
6. Hydrothermal source. (sf). On Wikipedia. Retrieved: September 20, 2018. In Wikipedia at es.wikipedia.org.
7. Fumarole. (sf). On Wikipedia. Retrieved: September 20, 2018. In Wikipedia at es.wikipedia.org.
8. Loki's Castle. (sf). On Wikipedia. Retrieved: September 20, 2018. In Wikipedia at en.wikipedia.org.
9. Lokiarcheas, group of archaea that bridge the gap between prokaryotes and eukaryotes? (2015). In Association of Microbiology and Health. Retrieved: September 20, 2018. In the Association of Microbiology and Health of microbiologiaysalud.org.