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`Ice museum` found under South Pole
Washington, Dec 16: American scientists have found a Salt Water Lake under the South Pole that contains 2,800-year-old organisms that were brought back to life from their deep freeze.
Washington, Dec 16: American scientists have found a Salt Water Lake under the South Pole that contains 2,800-year-old organisms that were brought back to life from their deep freeze.
Researchers took samples in temperatures that fell as low as -40 degrees celsius to reach the organisms that had never previously had any contact with the outside world. "The ice covers of these lakes represent an oasis for life in an environment previously thought to be inhospitable," said John Priscu of the University of Montana who took part in the research.
"These life forms may possess novel ice-active substances such as antifreezes and ice nucleation inhibitors that allow the organisms to survive the freeze-thaw cycles and come back to life when exposed to liquid water."
"Importantly, the cold temperatures preserve DNA extremely well making them perfect 'ice museums' for the study of ancient DNA," he added in a report for the National Academy of Sciences.
The samples were taken from Lake Vida, one of the biggest lakes in the dry valleys region near Mcmurdo base in Antarctica.
The researchers found that under 19 metres of ice was a water reserve that remained liquid, even in temperatures as low as -10 degrees celsius (-14 fahrenheit), mainly because of a salt level seven times higher than for the ordinary seas.
Peter Doran of the University of Illinois at Chicago conducted the research with colleagues from the desert research institute in Reno, Nevada, Nasa's Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, California and Montana State University.
Bureau Report
Researchers took samples in temperatures that fell as low as -40 degrees celsius to reach the organisms that had never previously had any contact with the outside world. "The ice covers of these lakes represent an oasis for life in an environment previously thought to be inhospitable," said John Priscu of the University of Montana who took part in the research.
"These life forms may possess novel ice-active substances such as antifreezes and ice nucleation inhibitors that allow the organisms to survive the freeze-thaw cycles and come back to life when exposed to liquid water."
"Importantly, the cold temperatures preserve DNA extremely well making them perfect 'ice museums' for the study of ancient DNA," he added in a report for the National Academy of Sciences.
The samples were taken from Lake Vida, one of the biggest lakes in the dry valleys region near Mcmurdo base in Antarctica.
The researchers found that under 19 metres of ice was a water reserve that remained liquid, even in temperatures as low as -10 degrees celsius (-14 fahrenheit), mainly because of a salt level seven times higher than for the ordinary seas.
Peter Doran of the University of Illinois at Chicago conducted the research with colleagues from the desert research institute in Reno, Nevada, Nasa's Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, California and Montana State University.
Bureau Report