In this new commission, Tori Ferenc joins microbiome science company Seed on a scientific expedition with their partner organisation, The Two Frontiers Project, to the Buzău Land UNESCO Global Geopark in Romania.

Tori shares her incredible experience below.

“In Romania, local folklore tells of dragons slumbering beneath the earth, breathing fire to the surface. Mud volcanoes and eternal flames can be found in this region, and I have travelled with Seed and The Two Frontiers Project on their environmental research expedition to investigate a gas responsible for these natural phenomena: methane.

2FP scientists focus on extremophilic microorganisms – ones that can survive and adapt to harsh, extreme climate conditions. Methane is one of the most powerful greenhouse gases driving climate change, and it’s notoriously difficult to capture. If these microbes can efficiently consume methane, they could help scientists design new technologies to reduce emissions in the future.

In the Buzău Land UNESCO Global Geopark, we found an otherworldly landscape of mud volcanoes, petroleum springs, and living flames, one of the only places on Earth where these rare methane formations exist side by side. Slipping through cold, wet, muddy terrain in mid-December, the team carefully collected over 50 samples of dirt, mud, and water, using portable methane-measuring tools and specialised methods to preserve microbial growth.  Now back in the U.S., researchers are analysing the samples to identify genetic traits that enable rapid methane consumption.

My role was to document the journey, capturing not only the scientific work itself, but also the passion driving the team and the unique surroundings we found ourselves in. Science is often perceived as clinical and impersonal. SeedLabs wanted to challenge that perception by telling a more human story: one that shines a light on the researchers behind the work and explores the connection between people, microbes, and the natural world.” – Tori Ferenc