Where did we come from and are we alone? Would you believe that Yellowstone’s hot springs and their tiny microbial inhabitants provide unique insight into both of these lofty questions?

In his upcoming Field Seminar this summer, Microbial Diversity of Yellowstone Hot Springs, Dr. Eric Boyd will introduce participants to the Yellowstone supervolcano and how it creates conditions similar to those that likely supported life on early Earth and how similar volcanic hydrothermal systems on other planets might support extraterrestrial life. Join us this summer and explore this fascinating world with Dr. Boyd from June 7-8.

We briefly caught up with Eric where he described enthusiasm for studying and sharing about Yellowstone’s hot springs and other thermal features, his current work, and what participants can expect out in the field with him

When did you first come to Yellowstone? What were your impressions then?

I first came to Yellowstone when I was 3 or 4 years old. My parents brought my brother and me on a camping vacation and Yellowstone was included. I can still remember seeing Old Faithful for the first time and my dad fishing at pullout on the Gibbon River. So much has changed over the years but the park really hasn’t – I drive by that pullout on the Gibbon River often and continue to be mesmerized by Old Faithful.

You’ve been studying and teaching the microbiology and geochemistry of hot springs in Yellowstone for over 20 years. What keeps you coming back?

All hot springs are unique and have their own story, and I hope to tell as many of those stories as possible. Plus, many of the springs change from year to year. Understanding the natural history of the spring and the microbial communities that call them home is just too fascinating to pass up, especially as new data continues to emerge that suggests the first forms of life on Earth inhabited hot spring environments and that such environments are common on other planets. To this end – the 10,000 hot spring ecosystems and their individual stories allow my students and I to explore two of the most compelling questions to face humanity – where did we come from and are we alone?

What are you currently teaching at Montana State University?

This semester, I teach an upper division undergraduate class titled “Microbial Diversity, Ecology, and Evolution” and a graduate class titled “Microbial Ecology and Evolution”.

What makes Norris Hot Springs an ideal location for this Field Seminar?

Norris really has it all. It has hot springs, mud pots, fumaroles, and geysers, including the tallest geyser in the world, Steamboat. It has some of the most acidic and highest temperature springs and also has alkaline springs. It has hydrothermal explosion craters, is criss-crossed by faults, experiences extensive seismic activity, and has been active for nearly a quarter of a million years. Some spring communities are supported by light energy (photosynthesis) while others are supported by chemical (mineral) energy and these together drive the gamut of spectacular colors of each spring. Plus, the sulfidic smell (rotten eggs) of Norris is nothing one will ever forget, and it will stick to your clothes ensuring that you can’t forget until you hit the laundry.

What do you hope participants come away with from your Field Seminar this summer?

I hope I can relate to each participant a fraction of the enthusiasm and awe that I have for the hardy microbes that call hot springs their home. We owe them (and their ancestors) a lot of credit too. Afterall, we would not be here to talk about them had they not initiated life on earth and transformed it over the past nearly 4 billion years into the habitable planet that sustains all higher forms of life, including us.

One way that I try to achieve this is to give each participant the background knowledge that they need to interpret what is happening in a hot spring at a microbial level. In essence, teaching participants to take visual and olfactory cues from springs, combine this with the background knowledge that I provide them in our lecture that precedes our field trip, and put it to use to make predictions about what the microbes are doing in each spring.

Microbial Diversity of Yellowstone Hot Springs

Dates: June 7-8, 2025
Instructor: Dr. Eric Boyd
Location: Based out of Gardiner, MT with full day at Norris Hot Springs