Caves Get Bigger When Microbes Eat This

Since 2004, researchers have been studying the Frasassi cave system, an actively developing limestone cave system located 1,500 feet underground in central Italy.

"We knew from previous research that microbes do play a role in cave development," says Jennifer Macalady. "What we were trying to assess was the extent of that contribution, which would help us understand how caves all over the world, as well as on other worlds, form." Adam Baker/CC BY 2.0

Since 2004, researchers have been studying the Frasassi cave system, an actively developing limestone cave system located 1,500 feet underground in central Italy.

Limestone caves can form when solid limestone dissolves after coming in contact with certain types of acids. The resulting void is the cave system.

Aleksey Gnilenkov/CC BY 2.0