A newly found Atacama Desert soil community survives on sips of fog
Lichens and other fungi and algae unite to form this ‘grit-crust’ on parched soil
![Pan de Azúcar National Park](https://i0.wp.com/www.sciencenews.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/120519_jl_desert-fog-photosynthesis_feat.jpg?fit=1028%2C579&ssl=1)
Scientists have discovered a hardy form of biological soil crust that survives on coastal fog in northern Chile. This “grit-crust” creates black and white splotches across the land in Pan de Azúcar National Park (shown).
P. Jung