Life trapped under a glacier
At Antarctica’s Blood Falls, scientists study microbes living in a dark and salty home
By Stephen Ornes, 00:00 AM April 29, 2009
Iron in water seeping from an underground ecosystem takes on a rusty color as it is exposed to air. Surprisingly hearty life forms use iron and sulfates, instead of oxygen, to live in their long-isolated, dark and salty home.
Ever heard of Blood Falls? It’s freezing cold, far away and hard to reach — probably not where you’re headed on your family vacation this summer.
Blood Falls is at the tip of a giant glacier in Antarctica. As its name suggests, the icy face of Blood Falls is red...
Source URL: https://student.societyforscience.org/article/life-trapped-under-glacier