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This is Scientific American’s 60-Second Science. I’m Karen Hopkin. This will just take a minute.

In the spring of 1912 an iceberg¹ in the Atlantic took down the Titanic². Now, some humble³ bacteria are trying to finish the job. Scientists analyzing⁴ rust⁵ from the sunken ship have discovered a new species of microbe that eats iron. Their findings are described in the International Journal of Systematic⁶ and Evolutionary⁷ Microbiology.

Researchers have been studying the Titanic’s remains⁸ since they were discovered resting more than two miles beneath the ocean surface. And they’ve found that the ship has been not-so-slowly disappearing. Visitors have removed artifacts, and the hull⁹ is festooned with rusticles: icicle-shaped accretions¹⁰ of iron oxide¹¹, otherwise known as rust.

Nearly 20 years ago scientists took samples of that rust, and found that it harbors a mix of iron-munching microbes. Now, analyzing the DNA¹² of these organisms, researchers have catalogued more than two dozen strains of bacteria, including a new one they’ve dubbed¹³ Halomonas titanicae.

The bacteria are bad news for the Titanic, which may only last another 20 years, say the scientists. The good news is such bugs¹⁴ could be used to hasten the decay of other, less cinematic wrecks¹⁵.

Thanks for the minute. For Scientific American’s 60-Second Science, I’m Karen Hopkin.