Find life on a lake under Antarctic ice

2013/02/14 Etxebeste Aduriz, Egoitz - Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Mikrobiologia
• Biologia

American researchers have found life on Lake Whillans, located under the 80-metre ice sheet in Antarctica. On 28 January they arrived at the lake under ice and microorganisms have been found in the samples of water and sediments taken.

1000 microorganisms per milliliter of lake water have been found, approximately a tenth of an abundance of marine microorganisms. Now, to know what type of microorganisms they are, DNA studies will be conducted. What is clear is that they live without sunlight, and researchers believe that they will probably be able to extract energy from organic matter or background minerals.

Meanwhile, the Russians who last year arrived at Lake Vostok also try to find living things, but for now they have not found a trace.