Sub-Ice Antarctic Lake Vida Abounds With Life 122
ananyo writes "It is permanently covered by a massive cap of ice up to 27 metres thick, is six times saltier than normal sea water, and at 13 C is one of the coldest aquatic environments on Earth — yet Lake Vida in Antarctica teems with life. Scientists drilling into the lake have found abundant and diverse bacteria, including at least one new phylum (full paper (PDF)). The find increases the chances that life may exist (or have once existed) on planets such as Mars and moons such as Jupiter's Europa."
Not quite... (Score:4, Insightful)
The find increases the chances that life may exist (or have once existed) on planets such as Mars and moons such as Jupiter's Europa.
So life on other planets is dependent on our knowledge? Sounds doubtful. It may increase our reason to believe that such life is possible, but not whether that life actual exists/existed.
Re:Not quite... (Score:4, Insightful)
Maybe you're not clear on the concept of probability. This is used to reason about things of which we lack certain knowledge.
Life on other planets is not dependent on our knowledge, but the probability of life on other planets definitely is.
A clue that probability is being referred to is the use of the phrase "increases the chances".
Didn't start there though (Score:5, Insightful)
Antarctica wasn't always icebound. Once it would have been filled with life until plate tectonics moved it to the south pole. So there is a significant difference to the likes of Mars and moons orbiting the gas giants in that life under the ice first evolved under different conditions somewhere else and has adapted to the changing conditions as the land iced over.
Water = Life (Score:5, Insightful)
Everywhere we've looked on this planet, including sulfuric volcanic fissures miles under the surface [nationalgeographic.com], where there's water we've found life. Clearly this planet is infested with it.
At some point finding life in a weird new liquid water-based environment on Earth has to cease being news.
Re:Not quite... (Score:3, Insightful)
So.. the aliens are cats?