While the United States and Russia are preoccupied with space exploration projects, yesterday, Japanese scientists began a training session to investigate the origins of life deep within the Earth’s core.
Photo by: S-yamaga (TH)
The Japanese vessel, named Chikyu, equipped with the most advanced exploration tools to date, is set to travel to the Nankai Trough area to drill 7 kilometers into the Earth from the ocean floor. This depth is three times greater than the previous record. Following this, technical equipment will bring back samples of soil from near the Earth’s core for scientists to study the potential for life in this environment. Theoretically, life could originate beneath the Earth’s crust under conditions of temperature and pressure that are vastly different from those on the surface or in the oceans. Some believe that geothermal energy, rather than solar power, may have been responsible for creating the first living organisms. Additionally, the Chikyu will investigate the origins of earthquakes and deploy sensor equipment into the Earth’s crust, with plans to establish an effective alarm system for Japan and the East Asian region. The design cost of the ship is $620 million, with annual operating expenses nearing $90 million. (Times)
By Doan Nhat
