been completely isolated from the rest of the world for some 14 million
years. It is cold, and supersaturated with oxygen. It probably contains
life forms that are very different from anything ever seen before. And
since the conditions in Lake Vostok are very similar to the conditions
on Jupiter's 4th largest moon Europa and Saturn's 6th largest moon
Enceladus, this life could strengthen the case for life outside our home
planet.
The Russians have been drilling a hole down to the lake since 1990 and
they are about to break through. They have gone to extraordinary lengths
to avoid contaminating the lake with life from outside. It's exciting
that it won't be long before we can study samples of its contents.
What do you think they'll find down there?
3 comments:
Nothing but sea plants!
Intelligent bacteria who will save us from ourselves!
Seems everywhere we look we find life in incredible diversity and abundance. There are bacteria living in rocks underground, and in solid ice as well. Worms cling to super hot thermal vents at the bottom of the ocean and do not use energy from the sun to live. And of course, this all pales in comparison to the things living in that old yogurt jar in the back oif our fridge.
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