In the 18 Ma and 25 Ma cores, it is postulated that the cells fossilized and the carbon and other nutrients were transported away by fluids (Thorseth et al. 2003).  Small Mn and Fe globules on the order of 0.1 micrometer exist in the 18 and 25 Ma cores.  Whereas spheres of Mn and Fe an order of magnitude larger were postulated to be fossilized cells, these globules are much too small (Thorseth et al. 2003).  The globules are most likely formed as precipitate from the associated glass (Thorseth et al. 2003). Thorseth et al. 2003 further postulates that it is possible that these globules are a product of the cells activity or perhaps, a previously unidentified species of bacteria or other organism.
    The total carbon tied up in the system is several orders of magnitude less than other sources on earth.  Fisk et al. 1998 estimated that the biological carbon in the oceanic crust is 6 x 10^11 g, where as the total living carbon on Earth is about 8 x 10^17 g of C (Fisk et al. 1998), well less than 1% of the earth’s biosphere.

	The signal left behind by these microbial communities in oceanic basalt is fossilized cells.  Mostly made of manganese, iron, and clay after recrystallizing, the cells are lined in fractures in the glass, and in fractures found in reaction rims.  Scale bar is 10 micrometers.  (Fisk et al. 1998).
	Spheres of manganese only a half micrometer in diameter may be related to microbial activity as well. (Thorseth et al. 2003).