Beings hidden in the ice of Antarctica

2002/12/17 Orobengoa, Olatz - Elhuyar Zientziaren Komunikazioa

• Mikrobiologia
• Hidrologia

An investigation organized by the University of Illinois reveals that Lake Vida is filled with water. According to data obtained seven years ago in these areas of Antarctica by radar, the lower part of the lake is filled with liquid water, under an ice layer of 19 meters is salted and cold water.

In view of this, the researchers have organized an expedition to which they have published the results. The water is very salty, seven times more salty than the sea water, so the freezing point is much lower and although it is at -10ºC it does not freeze.

There are in the world other lakes so saline in which some microorganisms have found their way of life. Scientists believe that something similar occurs in Lake Vida, although in this case the temperature also influences a lot. To know better the characteristics of the lake, the superior ice has been drilled. But they have not reached where there is water, because it is very important to keep the water and microorganisms that live there without contaminating. However, the ice samples they have taken have had a couple of surprises. By treating sediments trapped in ice with 14 carbon, they have found that they are 2,800 years old. In addition, the presence of several microorganisms, along with sediments, has been detected, and they have been revitalized. This has increased in the researchers the hope of finding microorganisms that live similarly in water.

However, it must be remembered that the conditions of the lake are very hard. Salinity is almost total and not many microorganisms are known that can withstand such a high concentration of salts. To this must be added the intense cold and the absence of sunlight. No living beings are known to withstand such extreme conditions.

However, the results have aroused the interest of NASA and put money for the investigation to continue. In fact, if you find life in a place of these characteristics, on the ice of Mars you can also suspect that some old living can be trapped.