The Titanic Will Soon Vanish Thanks To A New Bacteria

The RMS Titanic has sat deep on the bottom of the North Atlantic ocean, two miles below the surface, for more than a century. The ship was discovered in a good state of preservation, due to the inhospitable depth and underwater creatures, that helped slow corrosion. Now, due to a previously undiscovered Extremophile bacteria, the ship will be but a memory by 2030.

The wreck is covered with knob-like mounds of rust that have formed from at least 27 strains of bacteria, including the newly discovered Halomonas titanicae. Even though this bacteria works fast and is highly destructive, it could also help scientists develop paints or protective coatings to guard against the bacteria for working vessels.