In a study published a couple of years ago in the International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology , Canadian and Spanish researchers revealed that they had identified in the remains of the RMS Titanic , sunk 3,800 meters below the surface of the ocean, a new bacterium to the which they named Halomonas titanicae , in honor of the ocean liner. As scientists have been able to find out, the Titanic microbe is contributing to its deterioration since it seems to be responsible for the "rusticles" that the ship wears, which are nothing more than stalactite-like formations but are created by the corrosion of metals .
The researchers believe that Halomonas titanicae plays an important role in the recycling of iron structures at certain depths , and that it could be useful for the dismantling of old ships and oil rigs that have been cleaned of toxins and sunk in the ocean.
