To read the original article in full go to : Cracked rocks power life deep on Earth - and possibly other planets.
Below is a short summary and detailed review of this article written by FutureFactual:
Earthquakes Create Hydrogen Energy to Fuel Deep Underground Microbes
Earth.com, the original publisher, reports a study showing that deep underground microbes can survive by energy released when rocks crack during earthquakes. By simulating seismic slips, researchers observed free radicals split water to produce hydrogen gas and hydrogen peroxide, providing a local energy source for microbial communities. They found hydrogen production from faulting can be up to 100,000 times greater than other known pathways, and that iron redox cycling supports microbial metabolism between quakes. These findings broaden our understanding of the deep biosphere and hint at similar energy sources on other rocky worlds. The work appears in Science Advances and highlights the hidden, earthquake-driven biology beneath our feet.