Chemoautotrophy

Chemoautotrophy is a process used by certain organisms to produce their own food by converting inorganic substances into energy, rather than relying on sunlight like plants. These organisms, typically bacteria and archaea, obtain energy from chemical reactions involving compounds such as hydrogen sulfide or ammonia. They use this energy to synthesize organic molecules from carbon dioxide, effectively "feeding" themselves. This process is important in ecosystems, especially in extreme environments like deep-sea vents, where sunlight is absent, allowing life to thrive in places that would otherwise be devoid of organic matter.