Meet the scientists
by David Gallegos, Spring 2005.
Dr. Diana E. Northup (Geomicrobiologist)
|
Dr. Penelope Boston (Geomicrobiologist)
|
Dr. Leslie Melim (Geologist)
|
Dr. Kathleen Lavoie (Microbial Ecologist)
|
Dr. Louise Hose (Geologist)
|
These five scientists love exploring caves. They study caves with
the SLIME team. SLIME stands for Subsurface Life in Mineral
Environments. In caves, the SLIME team looks at the interaction
between minerals and the tiny bacteria and microbes you can only
see under a powerful electron microscope. They discovered that
critters like spiders, fish, and bats live in harsh cave environments,
like the "Villa Luz." These caves environments are sometimes extremely
dangerous for people, but that doesn't stop these explorers!
Louise says she "loves exploration and going into caves where nobody
has ever been before." She says that it is exciting and sometimes
even dangerous! Penny says that "Caves are a lot like different
planets." Kathie is fascinated with cave research because she gets
to see some really cool stuff like snot-looking slime from bacteria
on the walls that grow right before her eyes! Leslie studies caves
because she enjoys figuring out stuff that other people haven't
figured out before.
Let's follow our guides into the first cave,
Lechuguilla Cave.
This web site Copyright 2007, 2011, Kenneth
Ingham