Lifeline

In the Stygian depths of the South Pole one might not expect to find a paradise, but sure enough, there is one. Since 2015, a team of researchers from New Zealand has been busy trying to get a first look into some of the numerous subglacial lakes, rivers and caverns that sprawl throughout Antarctica. The surface of this continent contains some of the driest, windiest, coldest and most lifeless spots on this planet, the world hidden below it is very different. Subsurface Antarctica has a lack of sunlight, which makes photosynthesis impossible. While light is a crucial part of most ecosystems, it is not strictly necessary; There are interesting alternatives, like the biomass that was trapped in the ice over millions of years. Not much is known about this sort of ecosystem, but missions like these uncover this mystery. Measurements were taken at locations of suspected subglacial lakes. By melting up to half-a-kilometer deep holes through the ancient ice sheet, instruments could be lowered into the lake. The missions have already yielded some spectacular results; Video evidence of the numerous lifeforms that occupy these depths in great numbers. Don’t worry, they are not some sort of Lovecraftian creature, just amphipods. These shrimp-like crustaceans depend on the same nutrients that are eaten directly and indirectly by the microbes and that form the basis of the subglacial ecosystem. Future missions will shed more light on what creatures remain hidden there.