Life Found Under Antarctic Ice

 

Scientists report that, for the first time, they have found bacteria living deep under the Antarctic ice. This discovery could advance our knowledge of how life could survive on other planets or moons. It also offers the first glimpse of a vest ecosystem of microscopic life in the lakes of Antarctica. A network of hundreds of lakes lie between the land and ice covers it which is where scientists had an idea that this area could harbor life. The discovery of the bacteria hidden in the ice confirms that. On Tuesday, the expedition scientists gathered water and sediment samples that showed signs of life. After looking at the cells under a microscope, chemical tests showed that the cells were alive and were also metabolizing energy. A NASA senior scientist, Chris McKay, said that such analysis could determine if the bacteria in Lake Whillans have implications for the possible discovery of extraterrestrial life. The reason is that elsewhere, in the solar system, where there is good evidence of liquid water under ice sheets life would have to depend on minerals alone. The scientists had four days to go and receive the collected samples and gather images of the lake.

Further study will be done before scientific results would be published allowing other scientists to also look at the data. Dr. Priscu is very confident that researchers have achieved the first glimpse of an ecosystem that had been completely unknown.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/07/science/living-bacteria-found-deep-under-antarctic-ice-scientists-say.html?ref=world&_r=0