I find it crazy that black smokers weren’t really discovered and observed until the mid 1970s.

Eh, I mean, astrobiologists are well aware that life outside of earth might take different, unexpected forms. But we don’t have the luxury of visiting every planet and looking up close. So we look for places that provide the building blocks for life as we know it, since we think that is our best chance of discovering signs of life.

Sorry, what?? There are no hydro thermal vents at the surface of the ocean???

Fucking biologist needs to go back to school.

There’s no life at hydro thermal vents at the surface of the ocean because there are much safer and more reliable ways to get energy, but there are absolutely areas of active geothermal extremes at the surface of the ocean.

Hell there are hydro thermal vent remnants in the coastal ranges above sea level.