9 December 2012

Life without oxygen and light (update)

Bacteria have been found in water encapsulated in an antartic ice lake.
The water is deep beneath a 12 meter thick ice crust where light can't reach it and there's no oxygen.
It has been isolated from the outside world for several thousands of years.
The temperature is -13°C and the water is six times as salt as seawater.
The bacteria have a very slow metabolism and take 120 years to reproduce.
The discovery was made by boffins of Chicago University and the Nevada Desert Research Institute (wonder how these guys got lost in Antarctica).
More...

No comments: