Antarctica's Lake Vostok lies so far underneath the ice, and is so far removed from the excesses of time that it is believed to be a reliable stand-in for frozen extraterrestrial environments and a perfect spot to see if life can survive in these types of locales. After years of research, the verdict is in: yes life can survive. And in abundance, too.
Scientists detailing their findings in the journal PLOS One revealed that Lake Vostok, which sits 2.5 miles underneath Antarctica' surface, is host to more than 3,500 organisms based on DNA analysis including bacteria, fungi, and psychrophiles (creatures that love the cold) and thermophiles (creatures that love the heat). The existence of thermophilic organisms suggests that there are hydrothermal vents in Lake Vostok.
Lake Vostok is the largest subglacial lake in Antarctica, measuring 160 miles long and 30 miles wide, the fourth deepest lake in the world, and has been buried underground for 15 million years.
"We found much more complexity than anyone thought. It really shows the tenacity of life, and how organisms can survive in places where a couple dozen years ago we thought nothing could survive," said Dr. Scott Rogers, a professor from Bowling Green State University and one of the authors on the PLOS One paper.
Previous drilling efforts uncovered the ice core samples the team used to conduct the study. Earlier efforts involved the culturing of organisms before DNA sequencing - a time-consuming process that did not sit well with the graduate students who needed results for their theses. The researchers then decided to simply sequence DNA and RNA found in the ice using computers, a process that gave them a plethora, instead of a lack, of data.
"Many of the species we sequenced are what we would expect to find in a lake," Rogers said. "Most of the organisms appear to be aquatic (freshwater), and many are species that usually live in ocean or lake sediments."
Interested parties can view the genome sequences obtained from the Lake Vostok study at the National Center for Biotechnology GenBank database.
Lake Vostok's secluded and frozen ambiance makes it a stand-in for scientists looking for life on extraterrestrial icy bodies, such as Jupiter's moon Europa.