The bug eating the Titanic

A newly discovered microbe is devouring rusty remnants of the ship. How much longer will the iconic wreck last on the ocean floor?

The rust-eating bacteria that is killing the Titanic is actually named after the mighty sunken ship (Halomonas titanicae).
(Image credit: Corbis)

An iceberg brought down the Titanic almost 100 years ago, but it may be a ravenous microbe that completely destroys it. The International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology on Wednesday published an article announcing that a "newly discovered species of rust-eating bacteria" is chewing through the famous vessel, which was already in perilous condition when discovered on the Atlantic Ocean floor in 1985. Does this spell the ultimate end for the ill-fated ship? Here's a brief guide to the discovery:

What is this bacteria?

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