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[NewScientist] Antarctic lake beneath ice harbors life cut off from world for millenia

3K views 35 replies 24 participants last post by  Rbby258  
#1 ·
Quote:
It is seven times as salty as the sea, pitch dark and 13 degrees below freezing. Lake Vida in East Antarctica has been buried for 2800 years under 20 metres of ice, but teems with life.
SOURCE http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn22535-lake-life-survives-in-total-isolation-for-3000-years.html

Very interesting. I am eagerly awaiting news on Lake Vostok as that would have much bigger implications for life elsewhere in the universe. The first reading from Vostok revealed no life.
 
#2 ·
lets just hope we dont unleash and ancient strain of flesh eating virus lol
 
#4 ·
Now thats... Coooooooool
 
#5 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by Namwons View Post

lets just hope we dont unleash and ancient strain of flesh eating virus lol
Flesh eating diseases are aerobic in nature and thus would not survive in the anaerobic environments the article mentions. In addition to life cycles that include differing species, that attribute to pathogen maturation. Also take note that many flesh eating diseases are actually bacterial/protozoan in nature and not viral.

I would be more afraid of such a virus similar to rabies. But like with all isolated environments, without an ample host supply -resistant to death en masse, the possibility of such devastating virus is nil. More likely is some variant of archaebacteria that probably forms a tight knit symbiosis of whatever is down there.
 
#8 ·
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Originally Posted by ZTR1760 View Post

I wonder where the source of energy for the life in the lake comes from, geothermic?
Geothermic, sure. Lakes have a natural overturn in which nutrients -carbon matter from the bottom return to the top in an event called seasonal upwelling. The driving force behind this is the magnetic force of mantle vs core and directional forces, present even in isolated lakes.
 
#9 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by ZTR1760 View Post

I wonder where the source of energy for the life in the lake comes from, geothermic?
4th paragraph, 2nd sentence - it says "probably" though.
 
#10 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by Blindrage606 View Post

Flesh eating diseases are aerobic in nature and thus would not survive in the anaerobic environments the article mentions. In addition to life cycles that include differing species, that attribute to pathogen maturation. Also take note that many flesh eating diseases are actually bacterial/protozoan in nature and not viral.
I would be more afraid of such a virus similar to rabies. But like with all isolated environments, without an ample host supply -resistant to death en masse, the possibility of such devastating virus is nil. More likely is some variant of archaebacteria that probably forms a tight knit symbiosis of whatever is down there.
There's water, so it's not an anaerobic environment. Fish don't need air, but they're still aerobic organisms.
 
#12 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by PARTON View Post

There's water, so it's not an anaerobic environment. Fish don't need air, but they're still aerobic organisms.
No.

Elemental H2O(l) is not the same as O2(g), just because the presence of elemental oxygen does in no way mean that such an environment is aerobic. Fish do need O2, it's just disolved O2(g) in H20(l) and gills are the extractor -counter gradient. The oxygen in H2O is more of an electron donator/acceptor in the electron transport chain used in all organisms that generate ATP.

I have grown anaerobic bacteria in a culture lab and submerging the sample in H2O is a frequent technique used in place of a vacuum.
 
#13 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by PARTON View Post

There's water, so it's not an anaerobic environment. Fish don't need air, but they're still aerobic organisms.
Thats because fish breathe oxygen that is trapped in the water surrounding them. if there were any aerobic organisms in this lake they would've used up all the oxygen long ago.
 
#14 ·
Not sure, they said the lake was black?

I will need to read this full article when I get home.
 
#16 ·
i would accep the idea of Opening up a Pathway to a Hidden Pyramid which contains scores of Aliens for which the Predator's Noobies do battle with, before I would believe some Flehs Eating Bacteria could be involved
 
#17 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by Blindrage606 View Post

Flesh eating diseases are aerobic in nature and thus would not survive in the anaerobic environments the article mentions. In addition to life cycles that include differing species, that attribute to pathogen maturation. Also take note that many flesh eating diseases are actually bacterial/protozoan in nature and not viral.
I would be more afraid of such a virus similar to rabies. But like with all isolated environments, without an ample host supply -resistant to death en masse, the possibility of such devastating virus is nil. More likely is some variant of archaebacteria that probably forms a tight knit symbiosis of whatever is down there.
I think he was sarcastic.
 
#18 ·
You can get flesh eating virus from aerobics? Another reason to stay away from those leotards doings aerobics, dont you know your risking your very flesh.

And how can a lake be below freezing, but its not frozen, quit the paradox, and life as we know it requires liquid water, so many questions. Maybe it some sort of energy field creating a zone where paradoxes can exist. Some sort of... ancient alien technology.

The absurdity of it all.............
 
#19 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ploppytheman View Post

And how can a lake be below freezing, but its not frozen, quit the paradox, and life as we know it requires liquid water, so many questions. Maybe it some sort of energy field creating a zone where paradoxes can exist. Some sort of... ancient alien technology.
The absurdity of it all.............
Its Seven times saltier than the ocean. Salt reduces the freezing point of water.
 
#20 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by Blindrage606 View Post

Flesh eating diseases are aerobic in nature and thus would not survive in the anaerobic environments the article mentions.
Actually, many kinds of bacteria responsible for necrotizing fasciitis are facultative anaerobic or anaerobic.
Quote:
Originally Posted by PARTON View Post

There's water, so it's not an anaerobic environment. Fish don't need air, but they're still aerobic organisms.
Water does not automatically imply significant dissolved oxygen.

There are bodies of water that have such a low disolved oxygen content that aerobic respiration won't work, and thusly lack fish.
 
#22 ·
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Originally Posted by Blameless View Post

Actually, many kinds of bacteria responsible for necrotizing fasciitis are facultative anaerobic or anaerobic.
No.

Many of those anaerobic for flesh eating diseases are actually opportunistic infections - albiet those with already compromised immunity(or a gashing wound), and NOT the primary measure of this disease(exotoxins, etc). Those responsible for textbook flesh eating disease as implied by this thread are topical and thus reflect the aerobic nature of this disease.
 
#23 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by Blindrage606 View Post

No.
Many of those anaerobic for flesh eating diseases are actually opportunistic infections - albiet those with already compromised immunity(or a gashing wound), and NOT the primary measure of this disease(exotoxins, etc). Those responsible for textbook flesh eating disease as implied by this thread are topical and thus reflect the aerobic nature of this disease.
:eek:i love being in a science class again after 10 years:thumb:
 
#26 ·
Im just hoping they find out something truly interesating about these organisms.

cant wait to watch the Documentary