Ancient Deep-Sea Mystery Solved by Geologist’s Sharp Eye

A geologist went for a hike in Morocco. She found something that should not exist. Rowan Martindale spotted wrinkled patterns on a rock slab. The texture looked like elephant skin. But the rock came from a deep ocean environment. “These aren’t supposed to be in rocks like this,” said Martindale. She is a professor at the University of Texas at Austin.

A Puzzle Hidden in Stone

The rock formed roughly 180 million years ago. It was found about 600 feet below the ancient sea surface. Scientists usually link such wrinkles to shallow water. They form when microbial mats grow in sunlight. However, this deep setting did not fit the story. For years, experts explained deepwater wrinkles as landslide marks. But Martindale felt the texture looked biological.

A New Explanation Emerges

Her team published a new theory in Geology. They argue that landslides helped the microbes grow. A landslide likely carried nutrients to the deep seafloor. Microbes then formed thick mats without sunlight. Instead, they used chemosynthesis to make energy. Therefore, these ancient wrinkles may record a different kind of life. Similar mats exist today on whale carcasses in the deep ocean.

Rethinking Ancient Fossils

The findings challenge old assumptions. Scientists may have overlooked similar fossils in the past. “The terminology is pretty lax,” Martindale explained. “Wrinkly can mean lots of things. ”She originally studied coral reefs. This discovery led her in an unexpected direction. “It was just being in the right place at the right time,” she said. Her stubbornness paid off. Now, researchers know that deep sea microbes left their mark millions of years ago.