Strange “elephant skin” rocks reveal ancient life in the dark ocean
Apr 02, 2026
A puzzling wrinkled rock formation in Morocco has led scientists to rethink where ancient microbes could live. Instead of shallow, sunlit waters, these microbes may have thrived deep in the ocean, fueled by chemicals delivered by underwater landslides. The discovery suggests that dark, nutrient-rich
environments hosted thriving ecosystems much earlier than expected. It also raises the possibility that many similar fossils have been overlooked or misinterpreted. ...read more read less