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Why do scientists think some early life-forms may have lived near deep-sea vents?

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archaea — Archaea Archaea are found in a diverse range of extreme environments, including the salt deposits on the shores of the Dead Sea.

Scientists hypothesize that some early life-forms may have originated or thrived near deep-sea hydrothermal vents because these environments provide a source of energy independent of the Sun.12

Unlike most ecosystems on Earth that rely on photosynthesis (solar energy), communities around deep-sea vents are supported by chemosynthesis. In these areas, bacteria oxidize sulfur compounds—which are abundant in the mineral-rich, heated water emerging from the seafloor—to derive the chemical energy necessary for life.341

This mechanism is significant because it demonstrates how life can exist in extreme, aphotic (sunless) conditions using geothermal energy. Furthermore, the archaea, a domain of prokaryotic organisms often considered "ancient" or "primitive," include species that thrive in these high-temperature vent environments, reinforcing the idea that such habitats may have been suitable for early life-forms.135