Tullis Onstott

Tullis Onstott (January 12, 1955 – October 19, 2021) was a professor of geosciences at Princeton University who has done research into endolithic life deep under the Earth's surface. In 2011 he co-discovered Halicephalobus mephisto, a nematode worm living 0.9–3.6 km (0.56–2.24 mi) under the ground,[2] the deepest multicellular organism known to science. He won a LExEN Award for his work "A Window Into the Extreme Environment of Deep Subsurface Microbial Communities: Witwatersrand Deep Microbiology Project".[3] In 2007, Onstott was listed among Time Magazine's 100 most influential people in the world.[4]

Tullis Onstott
Born
Tullis Cullen Onstott

(1955-01-12)January 12, 1955
Carlsbad, New Mexico, U.S.[1]
DiedOctober 19, 2021(2021-10-19) (aged 66)
Oracle, Arizona, U.S.
NationalityAmerican
Alma materCalifornia Institute of Technology
Princeton University
Scientific career
FieldsGeology
InstitutionsPrinceton University
ThesisPaleomagnetism of the Guayana Shield, Venezuela and its implications concerning Proterozoic tectonics of South America and Africa (1981)
Doctoral advisorRobert B. Hargraves
Other academic advisorsDerek York
Websitehttps://onstott.princeton.edu/about

Life and education

Onstott attended the California Institute of Technology and was awarded a B.S. in Geophysics in 1976. He later moved to Princeton University to earn a M.A. in 1978 and later a Ph.D. in 1980, both in Geology, under the direction of Robert B. Hargraves.[5] After receiving his doctoral degree, Onstott, spent the next three years as a postdoctoral fellow in Derek York's laboratory at the University of Toronto performing research involving 40Ar/39Ar geochronology, before returning to Princeton as a professor.[6] Onstott died October 19, 2021, after a long illness.[7]

Research

Research projects include:[8]

  • South African Deep Microbiology: characterizing the microbiology and geochemistry of continental crust down to 5 km (3.1 mi).[9]
  • Indiana-Princeton-Tennessee Astrobiology Institute: preparing for the search for life beneath the surface of Mars.
  • Natural Earthquake Laboratory in South African Mines: installed a field laboratory at 3.8 km (2.4 mi) depth, exploring the relationship between seismic activity and microbial diversity and activity.
  • Anaerobic biostimulation for the in situ precipitation and long-term sequestration of metal sulphides.

The first two research projects were done in collaboration with stable isotope biogeochemist and colleague Lisa Pratt of Indiana University.[10]

References
  1. Tullis Onstott, innovative geologist, explorer of subsurface life, and revered ‘gentle soul,’ dies at 66
  2. Borgonie, J.; García-Moyano, A.; Litthauer, D.; Bert, W.; Bester, A.; van Heerden, E.; Möller, C.; Erasmus, M.; Onstott, T. C. (2011). "Nematoda from the terrestrial deep subsurface of South Africa". Nature. 474 (7349): 79–82. Bibcode:2011Natur.474...79B. doi:10.1038/nature09974. hdl:1854/LU-1269676. PMID 21637257. S2CID 4399763.
  3. "Limits Of Life On Earth: Are They The Key To Life On Other Planets?". EurekAlert!. October 15, 1997.
  4. Abe, Shige (2007-05-03). "NAI's Tullis Onstott makes Time 100". National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Archived from the original on 2010-07-31.
  5. Onstott, Tullis Cullen (1981). Paleomagnetism of the Guayana Shield, Venezuela and its implications concerning Proterozoic tectonics of South America and Africa (Ph.D.). Princeton University. OCLC 46407032 – via ProQuest.
  6. Onstott, Tullis. "Curriculum vitae" (PDF). Princeton University. Retrieved September 14, 2018.
  7. Geosciences professor Tullis Onstott GS ’80 dies at 66
  8. Onstott, Tullis. "Princeton University Home Page". Archived from the original on 2010-09-15. Retrieved 2010-12-01.
  9. Ross, Valerie (June 26, 2012). "Discover Interview: Tullis Onstott Went 2 Miles Down & Found Microbes That Live on Radiation: Bacteria found in gold mines and frozen caves show the extreme flexibility of life, and hint at where else we might find it in the solar system". Discover Magazine.
  10. "These bacteria use radiated water as food". Indiana University. October 19, 2006.


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