# Scientists report finding 100-million-year-old bacteria still alive in sediments from beneath the ocean floor
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scientists-report-finding-100-million-year-old-bacteria-still-alive-in-sediments-from-beneath-the-ocean-floor/916865
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
**Created:** [July 30, 2020, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scientists-report-finding-100-million-year-old-bacteria-still-alive-in-sediments-from-beneath-the-ocean-floor/916865 "2020-07-30T20:21:07Z")
**Posts on this page:** 8
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)
#### Post date: [July 30, 2020, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scientists-report-finding-100-million-year-old-bacteria-still-alive-in-sediments-from-beneath-the-ocean-floor/916865/1 "2020-07-30T20:21:07Z")
From Jerry Coyne’s “Why Evolution Is True” blog, [New report: Bacteria can remain alive for over 100 million years!](https://whyevolutionistrue.com/2020/07/30/new-report-bacteria-can-remain-alive-for-over-100-million-years/)
On the one hand, this is really cool. On the other hand, I can’t be the only one to be thinking this sounds like the opening to a bad sci-fi horror movie. It is the Year 2020, after all.
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### Author:  [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)
#### Post date: [July 30, 2020, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scientists-report-finding-100-million-year-old-bacteria-still-alive-in-sediments-from-beneath-the-ocean-floor/916865/2 "2020-07-30T20:38:21Z")
This is why I hate touching the bottom when go swimming in natural bodies of water.
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### Author:  [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)
#### Post date: [July 31, 2020, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scientists-report-finding-100-million-year-old-bacteria-still-alive-in-sediments-from-beneath-the-ocean-floor/916865/3 "2020-07-31T05:20:12Z")
Well, it’s not like the _same_ bacteria is 100m years old. Their species/whatever is still around after all this time and reproducing in that environment. This could be said of a few macro species as well I think.
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### Author:  [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)
#### Post date: [July 31, 2020, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scientists-report-finding-100-million-year-old-bacteria-still-alive-in-sediments-from-beneath-the-ocean-floor/916865/4 "2020-07-31T06:28:02Z")
> [@squeegee](#):
>
> Well, it’s not like the _same_ bacteria is 100m years old.
No, it is _exactly_ like that. That is what the story _is_.
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### Author:  [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)
#### Post date: [July 31, 2020, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scientists-report-finding-100-million-year-old-bacteria-still-alive-in-sediments-from-beneath-the-ocean-floor/916865/5 "2020-07-31T06:32:05Z")
And _if_ both studies are true and there was no sort of contamination error, [these](https://www.nature.com/articles/35038060?proof=true) bacteria had already been asleep for 150 million years when the above ones went down for their nap.
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### Author:  [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)
#### Post date: [July 31, 2020, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scientists-report-finding-100-million-year-old-bacteria-still-alive-in-sediments-from-beneath-the-ocean-floor/916865/6 "2020-07-31T13:27:11Z")
The prophecy is fulfilled:
> That is not dead which can eternal lie,
> And with strange aeons even death may die.
We are truly doomed in 2020.
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### Author:  [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)
#### Post date: [July 31, 2020, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scientists-report-finding-100-million-year-old-bacteria-still-alive-in-sediments-from-beneath-the-ocean-floor/916865/7 "2020-07-31T16:21:56Z")
It’s not like the bacteria were spontaneously alive. They were living after they were revived. My understanding is the scientists gave them Red Bull and made them listen to recordings of comedy sketches by Carl Reiner.
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### Author:  [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)
#### Post date: [July 31, 2020, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scientists-report-finding-100-million-year-old-bacteria-still-alive-in-sediments-from-beneath-the-ocean-floor/916865/8 "2020-07-31T20:16:37Z")
Kill It!
[ ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gClR4sZ-Xtw)