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In a strange turnout of events, researchers penetrating through 2,500 feet of Antarctic ice have discovered a habitat of fish, scavengers, and jellyfish in the openings of the desolate ocean bottom. Far below the Ross Ice Shelf, at a depth which is theoretically incompatible with life, a group of researchers has found a lost universe of living beings. By means of a hot water drill and high- tech cams, the group meticulously submerged 740 meters beneath the surface of the ice to discover a whole biological system of fish.
Ross Powell, a leading researcher from the Whillans Ice Stream Subglacial Access Research Drilling Project (WISSARD) made some remarks on his work. The scientist explained that he had been exploring these types of areas all throughout his career and he wanted to gain access to under ice environments because he expected to make important discoveries in such habitats. WISSARD drillers started penetrating the Antarctic ice on January 8 and ran over marine life on January 16.
The researchers used the same tech instruments previously used to reach Antarctica’s sub -glacial Lake Whillans in 2013, when researchers got the first proof of microbial life from a lake beneath the ice sheet.
Powell is likewise a scientist with Northern Illinois University. According to him, this type of scientific exploration is particularly rewarding. Basically, this venture offered explorers the chance of getting a better understanding of the ice sheet’s activity and its interaction with sea and slit along with determining the structure of the ecosystem.
Likewise, Louisiana State University microbiologist Brent Christner explained that it is really unfathomable to find life in such a natural surroundings. According to him this fish must have it hard as food is probably scarce and life under ice is probably energy-consuming. Obviously, for the time being the explorers can only guess the answers to questions like this. Above all else, it would take years for little tiny fish to make it to that profundity, however this is the thing that they suppose the under ice creatures are probably feeding with.
Powell expressed his astonishment about the finding:
“I’m surprised. You get the picture of these areas having very little food, being desolate, not supporting much life.”
Slawek Tulaczyk, a glaciologist at the University of California, Santa Cruz and part of the team on the drilling venture, said, the environment there is probably the closest thing to Europa’s climate, Jupiter’s ice moon.
Without life, the fish and crustacean flourishing in the frigid and rough ocean bottom ended up being discovered very far south– and the greater part of the translucent pink fish measured around 8 inches or 20 centimeters. As indicated by Tulaczyk, the melting ice sheet could have been in charge of the forlorn conditions and harsh habitats where the under-ice fish were found.
Image Source: Uncover California
