Ancient Microbes Discovered at Antarctic Lake Bottom

Under 65 feet of ice in a brine-filled lake

Against all odds, scientists have found a group of microorganisms that are able to survive one of the toughest environments on our planet: ancient bacteria discovered under 65 feet of ice at the bottom of a brine-filled lake in Antarctica. 

The fact that these bacteria are able to survive such extreme conditions - high salinity combined with the absence of sunlight and heat - supports the possibility that life could exist in similarly extreme conditions on other planets. The paper is published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.