General Discussion

jpak

(41,758 posts) Mon Jul 8, 2013, 05:30 PM Jul 2013

Antarctic Lake Vostok 'might have fish'

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-23230864

The possibility is raised by scientists who have sifted genetic material in ice drilled from close to Vostok's surface.

They found signatures for organisms such as bacteria that are often associated with marine molluscs, crustaceans and even fish.

But the team cautions in the PLoS One journal that this material may also represent past contamination.

<snip>

A large number of bacterial sequences, reports the team, were from "animal commensals, mutualists and pathogens… including those associated with annelids, sea anemones, brachiopods, tardigrades and fish."

<more>

and Shoggoths...

5 replies

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Highlight:

Antarctic Lake Vostok 'might have fish' (Original Post) jpak Jul 2013 OP

Don't ignore "The Thing" It's there too! longship Jul 2013 #1

Is there oxygen in the water? NickB79 Jul 2013 #2

Extreme Ice Fishing !!! I see a Discovery Channel Show in the works. n/t Motown_Johnny Jul 2013 #3

I knew it! warrprayer Jul 2013 #4

K&R! Katashi_itto Jul 2013 #5

longship

(40,416 posts)

1. Don't ignore "The Thing" It's there too!

Reply to jpak (Original post)

Mon Jul 8, 2013, 05:46 PM

Jul 2013

Maybe you prefer the Carpenter version:

Forget the other one.

NickB79

(19,257 posts)

2. Is there oxygen in the water?

Reply to jpak (Original post)

Mon Jul 8, 2013, 05:57 PM

Jul 2013

If it's been iced over for 15 million years, shouldn't the water be virtually anaerobic by now?

On the other hand, shouldn't any fish DNA from past contamination have degraded by now, if the last time fish swam in those waters was 15 million years ago?