A secret world of animals and plants—including unknown species—may live in warm caves under Antarctica's glaciers, scientists said Friday.
The caves, hollowed out by steam from active volcanoes, are light and could reach temperatures of 25 degrees Celsius (77 Fahrenheit), researchers said, raising the possibility of a whole ecosystem of flora and fauna deep beneath the frozen surface.
A study led by the Australian National University around Mount Erebus, an active volcano on Ross Island in Antarctica, showed extensive cave systems.
Lead researcher Ceridwen Fraser said forensic analyses of soil samples from the caves had revealed intriguing traces of DNA from algae, mosses and small animals.
77 degrees Fahrenheit is balmy. How long before homesteaders move in?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday September 10 2017, @04:24AM
A hybrid submersible and airborne drone with in situ genome sequencing, wireless data transmission, and a nuclear power source.
(Score: 2) by fliptop on Sunday September 10 2017, @04:26AM (1 child)
Makes me think the Huygens probe should've been dropped on Enceladus instead of Titan.
Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday September 10 2017, @05:19AM
And do what? It needs to drill through kilometers of ice in order to get to the good stuff.
(Score: 2) by UncleSlacky on Sunday September 10 2017, @12:51PM (6 children)
You can't say you weren't warned...
(Score: 2) by hendrikboom on Sunday September 10 2017, @01:47PM (2 children)
So that's how to get to the Mountains of Madness.
Perhaps they'll find some sylphium there?
(Score: 2) by hendrikboom on Sunday September 10 2017, @01:59PM
Typo. Silphium.
(Score: 2) by realDonaldTrump on Sunday September 10 2017, @08:42PM
There's a lot of bad science. So much! But it's terrific that we can cure that now. People get it, they don't lose their minds. They don't have to lose their minds. 🇺🇸
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday September 10 2017, @07:37PM (2 children)
Who cares what that racist cunt had to say?
(Score: 2) by Mykl on Monday September 11 2017, @03:11AM (1 child)
Yes, Lovecraft was very racist. His views on race permeated through much of his writing too, with recurring themes of racial 'degeneration' leading to the worship of old gods etc. He was also fascinated with the idea of a 'stain' upon one's bloodline (usually a pact made by an ancestor which carried on through generations).
I disagree with his beliefs, yet I can read his works without it bothering me as I understand the context of his upbringing, the time that he lived in etc. Despite his views, he was an amazing writer with an incredible imagination.
(Score: 2) by GreatAuntAnesthesia on Monday September 11 2017, @09:44AM
I'm one of those people who rarely gives up on a book but I only got about a third of the way through the complete works of Lovecraft before I got bored and moved on. Yes, there was racism, but it wasn't in every story, just nasty little bits scattered here and there. I was prepared for it and simply ignored it.
No, my problem was that I just found it all a bit too samey. I also got sick of allegedly-horrible monsters that go without description because they are, apparently, "too horrible to describe". You're a writer. Describing things is your fucking job. Can you imagine if BMW sold a car, claiming that its new engine had been "too awesome to design", so they just left it out? Get to work you tedious, morbid slacker. Oh, and before you even think it, you've already used the word "effulgent" three times this story, so find another goddamned adjective.