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Palaeontology

Glacier 'bleeds' proof of ancient life forms

By T.K. Randall
April 20, 2009 · Comment icon 14 comments

Image Credit: Peter Rejcek
A rust-stained substance gushing from a glacier or 'Blood Falls' in Antarctica has provided scientists with proof that ancient microbes survived in seawater under the Antarctic ice for millions of years.
Gushing from a glacier, rust-stained Blood Falls contains evidence that microbes have survived in prehistoric seawater deep under ice for perhaps millions of years, a new study says. The colony of microscopic life-forms may have been trapped when Antarctica's then advancing Taylor Glacier reached into the ocean 1.5 to 4 million years ago. "


Source: National Geographic | Comments (14)




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Comment icon #5 Posted by BaneSilvermoon 15 years ago
Visually, that's a very bizarre sight. It's almost the stuff of Hollywood magic. I though the same thing. Found this blown up image of it. It's almost disturbing. http://photolibrary.usap.gov/AntarcticaLib...BLOOD_FALLS.JPG
Comment icon #6 Posted by Slave2Fate 15 years ago
Is it just me or does this seem perfect for some Norse legend or something? (barring the location of course)
Comment icon #7 Posted by Lt_Ripley 15 years ago
Is it just me or does this seem perfect for some Norse legend or something? (barring the location of course) I'm waiting for some christian sect to claim it's a sign from revelations .
Comment icon #8 Posted by seax 15 years ago
A lot of weird stuff going on in Antarctica. Facinating stuff. seax
Comment icon #9 Posted by kobolds 15 years ago
i hope nothing dangerous trap in ice waiting to be release
Comment icon #10 Posted by Yhnomi 15 years ago
Wow, kinda creepy (especially the blown up pic). It just goes to show that new things are learned every day.
Comment icon #11 Posted by BlackRedLittleDevil 15 years ago
Again proof of how living organisms can prosper in extreme conditions.
Comment icon #12 Posted by Yhnomi 15 years ago
Again proof of how living organisms can prosper in extreme conditions. Yeah, there are these black worms that can only live in ice, in really steady cold climates. If they get above a certain temperature they turn to mush, making them a pain in the butt to study. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ice_worm
Comment icon #13 Posted by brlesq1 15 years ago
Sorta like red tide?
Comment icon #14 Posted by lordstanley 15 years ago
Holy crap that is tripped out. At first I thought it was a ancient animal bleeding into the ocean after millions of years being froze. But it really was just a smaller verzion of what I thought.


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