Comments on: Russian Drill Ready to Reach Untouched Lake Vostok Beneath Antarctica

By: michele romeo

michele romeo — Sat, 12 Feb 2011 19:23:00 +0000

I think the Russians just ruined this entire project ….they said alll of things would be done in order to preserve this pristine and uncotaminated by humans, environment, but they abandoned the project and left the hole filled with kerosene! We just ruined another part of this Mother Earth…..Lake Vostok is NOT for us to see…….until all the ice melts, that is.

By: Paulo

Paulo — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 14:53:27 +0000

That’s what Cthulhu was talking about in my dreams! Nice!

By: Ryan

Ryan — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 23:15:40 +0000

Sorry if I didn’t explain myself well. The article says,

“It’s impossible to say what kind of life could have evolved in its hyper-oxygenated waters (with 50 times the oxygen content of most lakes on the surface).”

I thought the article was implying that this life would be aerobic. The oxygen would be removed from the water over time and no longer be hyper-oxygenated? That is what I was questioning.

By: MT-LA

MT-LA — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 21:14:37 +0000

@Ryan: I think you’re missing conservation of mass. What ever is in that lake is staying in there. If there is life, then the oxygen would be consumed and tied up into organic molecules, but it wouldn’t be depleted. My question is: IF there is life in that lake, what are they using for their energy source? No solar input and no geothermal.

By: Matt B.

Matt B. — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 17:02:44 +0000

Blind giant penguins with green tentacles. Call Scott of the Antarctic!

By: Jumblepudding

Jumblepudding — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 14:02:48 +0000

blind giant penguins, please let there be blind giant penguins.

By: M

Mon, 10 Jan 2011 07:32:06 +0000

Interesting, though forcing a sample up against graviuty and allowing it to freeze bbefore extracting it will only get crystal clear water with no life, organics or anything. A far better strategy would be to make a small hole in the lake and measure its movement.

Movement could mean life whereas their crystal clear water = waste of time.

By: Ryan

Ryan — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 02:48:58 +0000

If the lake is isolated, and there is something that uses oxygen in the water, then wouldn’t the lake quickly become depleted of oxygen? Am I missing something basic here?

By: Durant S.

Durant S. — Sat, 08 Jan 2011 23:56:12 +0000

I sincerely hope that the Russians don’t contaminate this lake that represents the last frontier on planet Earth !

By: Prof.Pedant

Prof.Pedant — Sat, 08 Jan 2011 00:44:02 +0000

“hyper-oxygenated waters”?

I wonder what there might be in the way of multi-cellular life forms…..

By: Brian Too

Brian Too — Sat, 08 Jan 2011 00:27:26 +0000

In breaking news, the Russians discover that Lake Vostok is filled with vodka. Russian vodka! On that basis Russia claims Lake Vostok as sovereign Russian territory.

Thus began the great Antarctic vodka shooter war!

By: Andrew Moseman

Andrew Moseman — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 23:07:46 +0000

I hope so too. “Loke” fixed.

By: Chris

Chris — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 22:51:04 +0000

Loke Vostok?
This is really cool. I just hope they don’t release a deadly disease.