Lake Whillans drilling

[grober]

News yesterday that the American team hot water drilling through the Antartic Ice sheet have probably reached reached Lake Whillans. A British attempt to reach Lake Ellsworth had to be abandoned in December 2012. To be fair it was good bit deeper. Scientists hope this lake may provide some sort of biological "time capsule" indicating what primitive life may have been like millions of years ago. US scientists reach new frontier in Antarctica - Technology & science - Science - LiveScience | NBC News This could be useful in designing a NASA vehicle to go to Jupiter's Europa or Saturn's Enceladus both frozen moons which are postulated to have a liquid oceans under their icy surface, and are now reckoned to be the best candidates for extra-terrestrial life in the Solar System

All I can say is "the Silurians are coming!"

 

[grober]

Update they have now obtained water and sediment samples and returned them to the surface and are performing a video survey of the lake floor WISSARD Project Overview | WISSARD but no pictures released yet.

and abit more of the human side. http://scienceroadshow.wordpress.co...ns-field-site-and-flat-stanley-tours-mcmurdo/

 

[Paul/]

I recall mention made of the British attempt that they would take care to ensure that samples didn't get contaminated with surface organisms etc.

I didn't hear mention of need to take care to prevent contamination "our" world- if there has been isolated evolution of bacteria, viruses or whatever might survive (even dormant) down there, is there not a threat to life that has evolved on the surface?

Or is this about as likely as releasing Cthulu and his minions?

 

[grober]

I recall mention made of the British attempt that they would take care to ensure that samples didn't get contaminated with surface organisms etc.

I didn't hear mention of need to take care to prevent contamination "our" world- if there has been isolated evolution of bacteria, viruses or whatever might survive (even dormant) down there, is there not a threat to life that has evolved on the surface?

Or is this about as likely as releasing Cthulu and his minions?

I guess that is a remote possibility which the scientific team will have taken into account. The Russians have already reached Lake Vostok last year but have only now obtained samples they feel are genuine. First Samples Obtained from Sub-Glacial Antarctic Lake | Science | RIA Novosti and so far no plague has been released afaik
They have been criticised for using drilling fluid consisting of freon and kerosene but by withdrawing the drill last year the scientists were able to allow the high pressure water in the lake to expand up into the borehole where it then froze this -- strategy reputedly designed to minimize the chances of contaminating the lake from above. Because of the onset of Antarctic winter they had to wait until now to return and extract this core sample. Although previously retrieved samples may have come directly from the lake, this will be the first one that they know for sure originated in the liquid part of this underground reservoir . Located 4,000 metres below the ice Lake Vostok was supposed to be formed 20 Million years ago and as such will contain water estimated to be between 100,000 and possibly several million years old.
Although the extremophile bacteria found might be lethal to humankind its unlikely that they would pose a threat in our environment but I would guess there's the possibility they might provide unique "building blocks" for a new set of biological weapons which government " spooks"will know doubt already be aware of.

 

[grober]

As a postscript to this post:-- a picture of the lake bottom= not very exciting.
Life Found Deep Under Antarctic Ice for First Time?
and an article which appears to confirm the presence of possible bacterial life forms First Evidence of Life in Antarctic Subglacial Lake : The Crux

 

[Mr. B]

As a postscript to this post:-- a picture of the lake bottom= not very exciting.
Life Found Deep Under Antarctic Ice for First Time?
and an article which appears to confirm the presence of possible bacterial life forms First Evidence of Life in Antarctic Subglacial Lake : The Crux

I can a resemblance to my great-grandfather x 0.23 billion.

 

[DITTRICH]

Someone should send them a copy of "The Thing", 1982 to watch in their spare time off shift.

 

[Howard]

Seems they've already had that idea in Antarctica .....

From Wiki.

The Thing is regularly viewed by members of the winter crew at the Amundsen–Scott South Pole Station after the last flight out, usually in a double-feature with The Shining.

It is also viewed by scientific personnel at the Summit Camp on the apex of the Greenland Ice Sheet.

 

[grober]

Belated thread update prompted by the recent OCT 28 Enceladous plume flyby---- from which no preliminary results have been released yet.
Lakes under the ice: Antarctica?s secret garden : Nature News & Comment