Australian scientists investigating ice caves under Antarctica’s glaciers say they are so warm they could support animals and plants.
Around Mount Erebus, an active volcano on Ross Island in Antarctica, steam has hollowed out extensive cave systems.
Dr Ceridwen Fraser from the ANU Fenner School of Environment and Society says forensic analyses of soil samples from these caves have revealed intriguing traces of DNA from algae, mosses and small animals.
“It can be really warm inside the caves, up to 25 degrees Celsius in some caves,” Fraser says.
“You could wear a T-shirt in there and be pretty comfortable. There’s light near the cave mouths, and light filters deeper into some caves where the overlying ice is thin.”
Most of the DNA found in the caves is similar to DNA from plants and animals found elsewhere in Antarctica but not all could be fully identified.
“The results from this study give us a tantalising glimpse of what might live beneath the ice in Antarctica – there might even be new species of animals and plants,” she says.
The next step will be to take a closer look at the caves and search for living organisms.
Watch the video here:
What do you think about this. Let us know in the comments.
Comments