Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Place of the Week: Lake Vostok

Once more into the breach - and this time the breach is a watery one: a very, very cold lake; a lake the size of Lake Ontario which has never been seen by human eyes; and the largest geographic feature on the planet discovered since the 19th century. I'm talking about the place of the week: Lake Vostok.



Area: 15,690 Sq. km.
Population: either 'none' or 'very interesting,' but probably nothing bigger than microbes
Volume: 5,400 cu. km.
Maximum depth: 1,000 m
Rank among world's largest lakes (area): 15
Rank among world's largest lakes (volume): 7

Forty million years ago, Antarctica was a rather balmier place than it is today. It was still attached to South America and Australia, a tectonic configuration that diverted warm oceanic currents toward the south pole, keeping the continent warm and ice-free, even lush. But South America and Australia wouldn't stand for this; they sailed off towards the equator, stranding Antarctica in a ring of cold ocean (the jerks). It wasn't long before a crown of ice began to bloom at the south pole; it would continue to grow until it smothered nearly the entire landmass, crowding out whatever flora and fauna had once made the place home, and even depressing the continent itself; much of Antarctica - the ground way below all that ice - has been dunked below sea level by the incredible weight pressing down on it.

Among the features of the Antarctic landscape which were rolled over by the advancing ice was a lake - one of the largest in the world, in fact: 250 km long and 50 km wide. But rather than gouging out the lakebed or freezing it to the bottom, the glaciers built on top of the lake. By 500,000 to as many as 25 million years ago, the lake was completely sealed off from the external environment, entombed in utter darkness. But it's still a liquid body of water; the water temperature is -3C, but the intense pressure from the weight of the ice keeps it from freezing.

The lake wasn't discovered until the 1990s, when some Russians happened to be drilling the world's deepest ice core directly above the lake. They came within a hundred yards of piercing the lake's surface before their colleagues persuaded them to quit the effort. (The drilling hole was filled with a slurry of chemicals to keep it from re-freezing: to have pierced the surface would have been to pollute the world's most uncontaminated environment.)

The environment of Lake Vostok is utterly unique, and it raises an intriguing question: is anything alive down there? If anything is, it would represent a genetic cul-de-sac cut off from the rest of life on Earth for perhaps millions of years, evolving in an environment that for all intents and purposes is an alien world. And indeed, life down there would have to have evolved: another effect of the extreme pressure in Lake Vostok is a level of oxygen which would be lethal to anything living on the surface. But life is stubborn. Once it insinuates itself into an environment it tends to stick around, and living stuff has been found in lots of weird places, including in the microscopic crevasses between snow crystals at the south pole; and indeed, nearly 12,000 feet below the surface of the ice directly above Lake Vostok. As Damn Interesting says:
It is not unreasonable to suggest that cold-tolerant creatures could thrive in the waters of Lake Vostok, overcoming the oxygen saturation with extraordinary natural antioxidants. But millions of years of evolutionary isolation in an extreme environment may have created some truly bizarre organisms. This notion is supported by the ice samples drawn from the ice just above Lake Vostok, where some unusual and unidentifiable microbial fossils have been found. But the possibility that they are merely contaminates has not yet been completely ruled out.
It would be interesting to take a peek down there, though hard to do without contaminating the most pristine body of water on Earth - and contamination in this case might mean the introduction of a few microbes which could wreak havoc with whatever ecosystem might exist down there. The Jet Propulsion Lab has worked on plans for a "cryobot" - a probe that would melt its way down to the lake like an atomic gopher; it would then swim around and see if it could find anything lively. And if by chance it did, then our conception of the sorts of places that life might call home will, once again, have expanded.

Take note, Europa.

35 comments:

Anonymous said...

This is so interesting! I know a lot about the world's largest lakes that you can see but didn't know almost anything at all about this Antarctic Lake. Great info.

Anonymous said...

Lake Vostok is very important in Astrobiology because it's the closest analog we have for Europa, Jupiter's second moon out. Europa is presumed to have a global, ice-covered ocean, with more total water than exists on Earth. Getting a robotic probe down to the water may be a trick, though, as the ice is estimated to be 20-100 km thick. Better to try for Lake Vostok first.

Chachy said...

Just gotta get some effective lobbying from the interplanetary submarine industry, and we'll be there in five years...

Dieran Blog said...

seemed to quite interesting, ... thank you for your article

Chapunk Brinkka said...

PLEASE VISIT MY BLOG!!
We want to tell you how to enlarge penis a naturally with herbal supplements,without surgery and completely natural.

Mambo Bananapatch said...

Hey, maybe we can use it as a dump for trash and chemicals!

justin bieber said...

Each girls and boys feel the impression of only a moment’s pleasure, for the remainder of their lives.

konsultan perusahaan said...

I think people fear idea management and innovation because there's a significant number of ideas that simply won't plan out.......Nice statement.....keep posting

belajar internet marketing said...

this day I've been searching for information on various issues, this I found very good and I would like to congratulate you for your work.

parcel lebaran said...

I think that this post is one of the best that i have read in my life, congrats you did a great job,.

delayed orgasm said...

the difference between the content spammers and most corporate innovators is that the smaller

how to avoid premature ejaculation said...

I'm writing to you because I just came across a business that I think has great potential. It lets you save money on almost everything. Make money from almost everything,

konsultan seo said...

If growth is important to a firm, and if growth is dependent on offering existing products and services to new customers

tabungan pendidikan said...

innovation is very natural and happens in the "real world" as new plants and animals colonize new ecological niches.

mengecilkan perut said...

I wonder how you got so good. This is really a fascinating blog, lots of stuff that I can get into. One thing I just want to say is that your Blog is so perfect

how to teach dogs tricks said...

We generally think most specifically about the risk associated with a new product introduction

easy way to get pregnant said...

I would be aware that as somebody who really doesn’t comment to blogs a lot (in actual fact, this may be my first put up), I don’t think the time period “lurker” is very flattering to a non-posting reader.

muebles baratos said...

Goodness, there's so much effective information here!

Viagra Canada said...

What a lake excuse me because of my ignorance but I had never heard about this lake, I didn't know it had the longitude actually I think it has been a good information for me to know.

Anonymous said...

reverse cell phone lookup

reverse address lookup

cell phone directory

phone number search

free people search

criminal background check

reverse phone lookup

reverse phone lookup

album foto said...

I think people fear idea management and innovation because there's a significant number of ideas that simply won't plan out.......Nice statement.....keep posting

asuransi pendidikan said...

this day I've been searching for information on various issues, this I found very good and I would like to congratulate you for your work.

design interior jakarta said...

I think that this post is one of the best that i have read in my life, congrats you did a great job,.

perusahaan security said...

the difference between the content spammers and most corporate innovators is that the smaller

coklat valentine said...

I'm writing to you because I just came across a business that I think has great potential. It lets you save money on almost everything. Make money from almost everything,

jual wine said...

If growth is important to a firm, and if growth is dependent on offering existing products and services to new customers

belajar internet marketing said...

innovation is very natural and happens in the "real world" as new plants and animals colonize new ecological niches.

kuliner bandung said...

I wonder how you got so good. This is really a fascinating blog, lots of stuff that I can get into. One thing I just want to say is that your Blog is so perfect

konsultan perusahaan said...

We generally think most specifically about the risk associated with a new product introduction

how to stay erect said...

I would be aware that as somebody who really doesn’t comment to blogs a lot (in actual fact, this may be my first put up), I don’t think the time period “lurker” is very flattering to a non-posting reader.

Anonymous said...

good
cari obat kanker serviks stadium lanjut
cari obat kanker serviks
obat kanker serviks stadium lanjut
cari pengobatan kanker serviks stadium lanjut
cari obat kanker serviks stadium 1
artikel obat kanker serviks stadium lanjut
artikel pengobatan kanker serviks stadium lanjut
artikel obat kanker serviks
obat kanker serviks stadium lanjut
artikel obat alami kanker serviks stadium lanjut
Jual Obat Kanker Serviks Stadium lanjut
Jual Obat Kanker Serviks
Obat Kanker Serviks Stadium lanjut
Jual pengobatan Kanker Serviks Stadium lanjut
Jual Obat alami Kanker Serviks Stadium lanjut
kumpulan obat kanker serviks stadium lanjut
kumpulan obat kanker serviks
obat kanker serviks stadium lanjut
kumpulan obat alami kanker serviks
kumpulan pengobatan kanker serviks stadium lanjut
Obat Tradisional Kanker Serviks Stadium lanjut
Obat Tradisional Kanker Serviks
pengobatan Tradisional Kanker Serviks Stadium lanjut
Obat alami Tradisional Kanker Serviks
Obat Tradisional ampuh Kanker Serviks Stadium lanjut
obat herbal kanker serviks stadium lanjut
pengobatan herbal kanker serviks stadium lanjut
obat herbal untuk kanker serviks stadium lanjut
obat herbal kanker serviks
obat herbal penyakit kanker serviks stadium lanjut
obat kanker serviks stadium lanjut
obat kanker serviks
pengobatan kanker serviks stadium lanjut
obat alami kanker serviks
pengobatan kanker serviks stadium lanjut
Obat Alami Kanker Serviks Stadium lanjut
pengobatan Alami Kanker Serviks Stadium lanjut
Obat Alami untuk Kanker Serviks Stadium lanjut
Obat Alami penyakit Kanker Serviks Stadium lanjut
Obat Alami Kanker Serviks
obat ampuh untuk penghilang kutil kemaluan
pengobatan ampuh untuk penghilang kutil kemaluan
pengobatan ampuh untuk penghilang kutil kelamin
obat ampuh untuk kutil kemaluan
obat ampuh penghilang kutil kemaluan

HERBAL said...

good article
Resep Mengobati Kemaluan Mengeluarkan Nanah dan Darah
Penyebab Kemaluan Mengeluarkan Nanah dan Darah
Penyebab Umum Kemaluan Mengeluarkan Nanah dan Darah
Penyebab Ujung Kemaluan Mengeluarkan Nanah dan Darah
Penyebab dan Obat Kemaluan Mengeluarkan Nanah dan Darah
Penyebab Kemaluan Mengeluarkan Seperti Nanah dan Darah
obat kondiloma akuminata manjur
obat kondiloma akuminata yang manjur
obat kondiloma akuminata terbukti manjur
obat alami kondiloma akuminata manjur
obat tradisional kondiloma akuminata manjur

Unknown said...


Obat Ampuh untuk Ambeien Yang Sudah Akut
Obat Wasir yang Manjur
Terapi Mengobati Penyakit Ambeien Akut Tanpa Operasi
Terapi Pengobatan Penyakit Kanker
Mengobati Kemaluan Pria Mengeluarkan Nanah dan Darah
Cara Efektif Mengobati Ambeien
Cara Mengobati Ambeien
Obat Tradisional untuk Tuntaskan Ambeien Sudah Akut
Cara Mengobati Dari Kemaluan Pria Keluar Banyak Nanah
Mengobati Ambeien Berdarah
Pengobatan Dari Kemaluan Pria Keluar Seperti Nanah
Cara Alami Menyembuhkan Ambeien Berdarah Tanpa Operasi
Obat Wasir Ampuh Herbal
Obat Ampuh untuk Penyakit Ambeien Sudah Akut
Penyebab Dari Kemaluan Pria Keluar Cairan Nanah
Cara Mengobati Ambeien Parah
Mengobati Penyakit Kutil di Area Kemaluan
Pengobatan Penyakit Kanker Secara Herbal
Pengobatan Penyakit Kanker
Obat Manjur untuk Ambeien Pada Pria Sudah Akut
Penyebab Ujung Kemaluan Mengeluarkan Nanah dan Darah
Obat untuk Ambeien Sudah Tingkat Akut
Cara Tradisional Menyembuhkan Penyakit Ambeien Tanpa Operasi
Cara Herbal Mengobati Ambeien Parah
dari penis kemaluan pria keluar nanah
Nama Obat Sipilis Parah
Penyebab Dari Kemaluan Pria Keluar Banyak Nanah

Cara Mengobati Asam Urat Secara Alami Dan Cepat said...

thanks for information.
article very nice..

Anonymous said...

good
Mengobati Benjolan Wasir
Cara Mengobati Benjolan Wasir Ambeien
Cara Alami Mengobati Benjolan Wasir
Cara Ampuh Mengobati Benjolan Wasir
Benjolan Akibat Wasir
Cara Mengobati Benjolan Akibat Wasir
Mengobati Benjolan Akibat Wasir Ambeien
Mengobati Benjolan Akibat Wasir Ambeien
Pengobatan Penyakit Kondiloma Akuminata
Obat Penyakit Kondiloma Akuminata
Obat Alami Penyakit Kondiloma Akuminata
Obat Ampuh Penyakit Kondiloma Akuminata
Mengobati Kutil Daerah Kemaluan
Cara Mengobati Kutil di Daerah Kemaluan
Mengobati Kutil di Kemaluan
Mengobati Kutil Kemaluan
Penyakit Kondiloma Akuminata
Obat Alami Penyakit Kondiloma Akuminata
Obat Ampuh Penyakit Kondiloma Akuminata
Obat Herbal Penyakit Kondiloma Akuminata
Obat Penyakit Kondiloma Akuminata
Cara Mengobati Penyakit Kondiloma Akuminata
Mengobati Kondiloma Akuminata
Mengobati Penyakit Untuk Kondiloma Akuminata