Blue Heron steering system harbours previously unknown microbes

7 articles · Updated · OregonLive · May 2

The University of Minnesota Duluth's Large Lakes Observatory found the organisms in black goo inside the Great Lakes vessel's sealed rudder shaft housing.
Lead researcher Cody Sheik said DNA tests showed some microbes had never been seen before, while others resembled organisms from tar pits and polluted sediments.
Scientists are unsure of the microbes' origin, but suspect dormant organisms in rudder oil; some may produce methane, raising possible biofuel applications.

Could mysterious goo found in a ship's rudder become a revolutionary source of clean fuel?

Is this bizarre microbial discovery a scientific marvel or a hidden threat to global shipping infrastructure?

If life thrives in a sealed ship part, what does this suggest about finding life on other planets?