In all of the Yellowstone hot springs, each color signifies the presence of a different species of bacterium or algae. One of the most important is Thermus aquaticus, which forms bright red or orange streamers. In 1993, Dr. Kary Mullis received the Nobel Prize for his discovery that this bacterium contains an enzyme that can be used in DNA replication. This has since become a multi-million dollar industry, yet neither Yellowstone nor the Park Service receives a penny from it!
Photo: Grand Prismatic Spring, with Lodgepole Pine snags from the 1988 fire; Yellowstone National Park, WY; August 31, 2013
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