AN UNDERWATER city of unique, upward-reaching rocks and chemical reactions has scientists wondering if they've found the answer to how life begins.
The Lost City Hydrothermal Field is situated in the depths of the Atlantic Ocean near the Mid-Atlantic Ridge.
The Lost City is affixed on top of an underwater mountain and spreads out over 5,000 square feet.
It was discovered by researchers in 2000, and thus far is the only hydrothermal field that has been accessed by vehicles and observers.
The Lost City is peppered with rocky spires, tall vents and chimneys, and even microscopic lifeforms and crustaceans.
It serves as a host for some of the chemical reactions and processes thought to be part of the equation for the start of cellular life.
"Some scientists postulate this to be a contemporary analogue of conditions where life may have originated," a study published in Science Direct wrote.
Environments like The Lost City may not be restricted to Earth.
"This is an example of a type of ecosystem that could be active on Enceladus or Europa right this second," microbiologist William Brazelton said in 2018 in a Smithsonian interview.
"And maybe Mars in the past."
There are calls for protecting The Lost City from a polluted ocean or capitalist interests that want to mine near the aquatic landmark.
"This vent system is therefore a remarkable biotope and one of the most important deep-sea scientific sites in the world where any effects of significant disturbance are unknown," the Science Direct study continued.
ScienceAlert reported that The Lost City has been active for 120,000 years and perhaps even longer.
The Lost City represents one of the finest accidental discoveries in oceanography, as the first expedition was meant to study the underwater mountain The Lost City rests on.
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