Pravda.ru talked to Andrey Balashev, Doctor of Biological Science, a member of the Russian Institute of molecular genetics, to find out what is hidden under the Antarctic ice.
"Lake Vostok and other bodies of water located in Antarctic are unique areas of alien flora and fauna on Earth. Such ecosystems have been isolated from the rest of the world for a long time, and their evolution took its own unique path.
At the moment the drilling is suspended. The scientists are concerned that terrestrial microorganisms that would get into the closed ecosystem of the lake would kill everything alive.
At the same time, we have no idea what is hidden under the ice. It is obvious that the pressure of over 300 atmospheres leaves no opportunity for discovering large multi-celled creatures, but there are many microorganisms and viruses.
By the way, we cannot rule out that the viruses of Lake Vostok might be adaptable to life outside of the lake, but we might not be able to co-exist with them. The researchers have a lot to think about prior to resuming the drilling of the ice above Lake Vostok."
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