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**Dashing_Chap** · 08-02-2012, 23:00

We have breached Lake Vostok, confirms Russian team - life - 08 February 2012 - New Scientist

A radar satellite image shows smooth ice over the surface of Lake Vostok, over 3.5 kilometres down (Image: Canadian Space Agency/Radasat/NASA/Science Photo Library)

Update: Russian scientists have now confirmed that they have indeed breached Lake Vostok. It is the first time one of Antarctica's subglacial lakes has been penetrated. According to an official statement [in Russian], the drill entered the lake at 20.25 Moscow time on 5 February. Thirty to forty metres of water rose into the borehole, confirming that the drill had reached the lake itself and not a small pocket of liquid water above the lake surface.

...

Lake Vostok has been isolated from the surface for millions of years, and many hope it contains bizarre new life forms. At present, however, that seems unlikely. The drillers have already sampled wedges of accretion ice – lake water that has naturally frozen onto the underside of the ice sheet – and although some researchers claim it contains bacteria, others write this off as contamination.

Moreover, the ice above is loaded with bubbles of trapped air. That air has accumulated in the lake for millennia, boosting the oxygen concentrations in the water and creating a potentially toxic environment. Some say that as a result, it is likely that the lake is completely sterile.

That could be just as interesting. If Lake Vostok turns out to be sterile, that will make it the only place on Earth where there is water but no life.

I'm betting that there'll be some weird and wonderful creatures new to science, thus enhancing the Theory of Evolution and confirming that life can thrive in all sorts of hazardous places. Deep sea vents being a good example.

DC

**PrinceAlbert** · 08-02-2012, 23:06

What are they doing?!?! Have they not watched "The Thing"?!?! They're all gonna die!!

**The_Seagull** · 08-02-2012, 23:07

Not to mention Phillipstown in New Tredegar. Sone weird life forms up there.

But on a serious note, it'll be interesting to see what comes of it.

**fluffaduck** · 08-02-2012, 23:12

Personally, I'd be very interested to see how the organisms down there (if there are any) are generating energy, presumably no photosynthesis, and no thermal heat from the Earth either. There are probably lots of different applications for them I would have thought

**Dashing_Chap** · 08-02-2012, 23:56

Originally Posted by fluffaduck

Personally, I'd be very interested to see how the organisms down there (if there are any) are generating energy, presumably no photosynthesis, and no thermal heat from the Earth either. There are probably lots of different applications for them I would have thought

Ya my old school biology textbooks suggesting all living things need light and oxygen to live are way out of date. I should think there'll be bacteria in abundance at least. If the lake has been isolated for millions of years there's ample opportunity for weird things to evolve. You get blind crabs and shrimp at deep sea vents and mad stuff like angler fish at very deep ocean levels. Apparently the lake is really deep too so God knows what's down there.

Wouldn't fancy going down there myself mind you.

What the f**k is that?

**Higgs_bosun** · 09-02-2012, 01:46

Primitive life forms from deep down do not look very friendly DC...I wonder why? Are they muslims?

It is not clear that they evolved to live at such depths or the other way...Perhaps we came from such a dark and hostile environment. Human behavior sure indicates this...

Let's hope that the Russians find something really really interesting...like petrol and everything. I love science.

**Screw_The_Nut** · 09-02-2012, 02:06

Originally Posted by PrinceAlbert

What are they doing?!?! Have they not watched "The Thing"?!?! They're all gonna die!!

The Thing should be the least of their worries.

Ever read H. P. Lovecraft?

"It is absolutely necessary, for the peace and safety of mankind, that some of earth's dark, dead corners and unplumbed depths be let alone; lest sleeping abnormalities wake to resurgent life, and blasphemously surviving nightmares squirm and splash out of their black lairs to newer and wider conquests."