Strange New Bacteria (IMAGE) Princeton University Caption The rod-shaped object near the bottom of the image is a bacterium Tullis Onstott's team found in water samples obtained nearly two miles underground in a South African gold mine. This type of bacterium, approximately four micrometers in length, has survived for millions of years on chemical food sources that derive from the radioactive decay of minerals in the surrounding rock, making it one of the few creatures known that does not depend on sunlight for nourishment. Credit Tullis Onstott/Princeton University Usage Restrictions None License Licensed content Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.