Movile Cave

Movile Cave is a cave near <a href="/facts/Mangalia/DnUwF3Ug">Mangalia</a>, <a href="/facts/Constan%25C8%259Ba_County/MjEj0Tyo">Constanța County</a>, <a href="/facts/Romania/yolzk5cN">Romania</a> discovered in 1986 by Cristian Lascu during construction work a few kilometers from the <a href="/facts/Black_Sea/M0rLKvge">Black Sea</a> coast. It is notable for its unique subterranean groundwater ecosystem abundant in <a href="/facts/Hydrogen_sulfide/UbCqjMMk">hydrogen sulfide</a> and <a href="/facts/Carbon_dioxide/xGzpppEp">carbon dioxide</a>, but low in <a href="/facts/Oxygen/acyn6o8r">oxygen</a>. Life in the cave has been separated from the outside for the past 5.5 million years and it is based completely on <a href="/facts/Chemosynthesis/AFUdIqc5">chemosynthesis</a>. Due to its extreme environment, access to Movile Cave is strictly controlled, and a limited number of researchers have permission to study its conditions.
Similar caves where life partly or fully depends on chemosynthesis have been found in <a href="/facts/Tabgha/Qu86kuBT">Ein-Nur Cave</a> and <a href="/facts/Ayalon_Cave/YMH7zX7h">Ayalon Cave</a> (Israel), <a href="/facts/Frasassi_Caves/bLxem1vx">Frasassi Caves</a> (Italy), Melissotrypa Cave (<a href="/facts/Elassona/F9nUlM4X">Elassona</a> municipality, Greece), <a href="/facts/Tashan_District/Mha7VDcx">Tashan</a> Cave (Iran), caves in the <a href="/facts/Sharo-Argun/PjclhPBY">Sharo-Argun</a> Valley in the <a href="/facts/Caucasus_Mountains/XwKHTVKe">Caucasus Mountains</a>, Lower Kane Cave and Cesspool Cave (<a href="/facts/Wyoming/kuKmWryL">Wyoming</a> and <a href="/facts/Alleghany_County%2c_VA/Kt5qsTRd">Alleghany County, VA</a>, USA), and <a href="/facts/Villa_Luz_Cave/bzEqTdk0">Villa Luz Cave</a> (Mexico).

Movile Cave open-in-new

Movile Cave