El Tatio is a geothermal field with many geysers located in the Andes of northern Chile at 4,320 metres (14,170 ft) above sea level. It is the third-largest geyser field in the world and the largest in the Southern Hemisphere. The geothermal field has many geysers, hot springs, and associated sinter deposits. The vents are sites of populations of extremophile microorganisms such as hyperthermophiles, and have been studied as an analogue for the early Earth and possible past life on Mars. El Tatio lies at the western foot of a series of stratovolcanoes, part of the Central Volcanic Zone and the Altiplano–Puna volcanic complex, which may be the source of heat for El Tatio. There are no recorded eruptions of the Tatio volcanoes. The field is a major tourism destination. It has been prospected for geothermal power production, but development ceased after a major incident in 2009 when a drilling well blew out. (Full article...)