Physics major Matthew “Matt” Kafker has taken such courses as quantum physics, special relativity, and biophysics. In addition, Matt Kafker has been involved in research within the field of microbial ecology, an area that studies how bacteria respond to different stimuli and environments.
A 2011 study conducted by researchers from the University of Hawai’i at Manoa, the Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences in Maine, and the Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute discovered ancient microbes from the ocean floor that may contain information about life on earth. These microbes originated from the Juan de Fuca Ridge, a mid-ocean ridge in the Pacific Northwest.
Using a novel technique, scientists analyzed the genetic blueprint of the microbes, known as hydrothermarchaeota, to determine how they managed to survive in such a harsh environment. According to the microbes' genome, hydrothermarchaeota belong to a group of single-celled life forms called archaea, which has evolved early on in the planet. While archaea were only discovered in the late 1970s, scientists believe they have existed for approximately 3.8 billion years.
Scientists discovered that hydrothermarchaeota were capable of metabolizing both sulfate and carbon monoxide. These components granted the microbes the energy necessary for growing and surviving in inhospitable environments.
