https://www.theguardian.com/science/2019/jan/18/antarctica-tardigrades-crustaceans-mercer-subglacial-lake?CMP=soc_567&fbclid=IwAR0GDl-FxaEoox7a6OZ6gTcF5Jm6uAA8q1UaALvGLnSEdPZrwoyNu8BVC8U

Antarctic expedition yields remains of tiny, ancient ‘water bears’ Scientists surprised by haul of crustaceans and tardigrades in undisturbed subglacial lake

Scientists have found the remains of tiny, ancient animals in an Antarctic lake that has lain undisturbed for thousands of years beneath a kilometre-thick slab of ice.

The surprise haul of dead crustaceans and tardigrades, also known as “water bears” or “moss piglets”, was made by US researchers on a rare mission to drill into the Mercer subglacial lake which lies nearly 400 miles from the south pole.

David Harwood, a researcher at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and a member of the Salsa (Subglacial Antarctic Lakes Scientific Access) expedition, told the journal Nature that finding carcasses of the small animals – they range in size from 0.1mm to 1.5mm – was “fully unexpected”.
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So far, nothing has been pulled alive from the Mercer subglacial lake. With so much ice overhead, too little light may reach the water to sustain organisms such as photosynthetic algae.

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dv said:

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2019/jan/18/antarctica-tardigrades-crustaceans-mercer-subglacial-lake?CMP=soc_567&fbclid=IwAR0GDl-FxaEoox7a6OZ6gTcF5Jm6uAA8q1UaALvGLnSEdPZrwoyNu8BVC8U

Antarctic expedition yields remains of tiny, ancient ‘water bears’ Scientists surprised by haul of crustaceans and tardigrades in undisturbed subglacial lake

Scientists have found the remains of tiny, ancient animals in an Antarctic lake that has lain undisturbed for thousands of years beneath a kilometre-thick slab of ice.

The surprise haul of dead crustaceans and tardigrades, also known as “water bears” or “moss piglets”, was made by US researchers on a rare mission to drill into the Mercer subglacial lake which lies nearly 400 miles from the south pole.

David Harwood, a researcher at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and a member of the Salsa (Subglacial Antarctic Lakes Scientific Access) expedition, told the journal Nature that finding carcasses of the small animals – they range in size from 0.1mm to 1.5mm – was “fully unexpected”.
—-

So far, nothing has been pulled alive from the Mercer subglacial lake. With so much ice overhead, too little light may reach the water to sustain organisms such as photosynthetic algae.

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When did they die? Does not sound like too long ago.

dv said:

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2019/jan/18/antarctica-tardigrades-crustaceans-mercer-subglacial-lake?CMP=soc_567&fbclid=IwAR0GDl-FxaEoox7a6OZ6gTcF5Jm6uAA8q1UaALvGLnSEdPZrwoyNu8BVC8U

Antarctic expedition yields remains of tiny, ancient ‘water bears’ Scientists surprised by haul of crustaceans and tardigrades in undisturbed subglacial lake

Scientists have found the remains of tiny, ancient animals in an Antarctic lake that has lain undisturbed for thousands of years beneath a kilometre-thick slab of ice.

The surprise haul of dead crustaceans and tardigrades, also known as “water bears” or “moss piglets”, was made by US researchers on a rare mission to drill into the Mercer subglacial lake which lies nearly 400 miles from the south pole.

David Harwood, a researcher at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and a member of the Salsa (Subglacial Antarctic Lakes Scientific Access) expedition, told the journal Nature that finding carcasses of the small animals – they range in size from 0.1mm to 1.5mm – was “fully unexpected”.
—-

So far, nothing has been pulled alive from the Mercer subglacial lake. With so much ice overhead, too little light may reach the water to sustain organisms such as photosynthetic algae.

—-

See also.

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-019-00106-z

The intrigue deepened when biologists realized that at least some of the beasts from Lake Mercer were landlubbers. The eight-legged tardigrade resembles species known to inhabit damp soils. What looked like worms were actually the tendrils of a land-dwelling plant or fungus.

In 2013 at Lake Whillans, 50 kilometres from Lake Mercer. Scientists found Lake Whillans brimming with microbes, but saw no signs of higher life.

(mollwollfumble is sure there was a report of tardigrade and crustaceans from beneath Antarctica earlier, but according to Nature – not)

When Harwood slid the mud under a microscope, he found what he was hoping for: the shells of diatoms … fragment of a crustacean’s carapace. the team will attempt to establish the age of the animal remains using radiocarbon dating. The scientists will also try to sequence scraps of DNA from the carcasses.

(As for the “nothing found alive” heading. It’s wrong, they found living bacteria.)

Samples of the lake’s water contained enough oxygen to support aquatic animals, and were full of bacteria — at least 10,000 cells per millilitre.

fair call

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-019-00106-z

Samples of the lake’s water contained enough oxygen to support aquatic animals, and were full of bacteria — at least 10,000 cells per millilitre.

Bad news for Enceladus.

Dropbear said:

Bad news for Enceladus.

Unless it has some sort of energy source underneath the oceans like black smokers

Cymek said:

Dropbear said:

Bad news for Enceladus.

Unless it has some sort of energy source underneath the oceans like black smokers

Or unless you want a safe sterile liveable environment while Earth cools to a radioactive cinder.