Hidden deep beneath the Great Lakes, scientists have discovered a world of fungi, worms and tardigrades, revealing that life can thrive in places where researchers once believed it would be impossible. The discovery was made hundreds of feet below the Great Lakes region, where water samples had been isolated from the surface world for thousands of years. The findings mark the first time researchers have successfully quantified fungal abundance in a deep subsurface environment at this scale. The scientists collected water samples from gas wells sites and studied Antrim Shale, a rock formation beneath the Great Lakes region. RARE, ALMOST EXTINCT WILD HORSE BORN AT THE BRONX ZOOScientists say the findings suggest the deep subsurface may contain far more biodiversity than previously estimated.