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.