Researchers find secret, warm oasis beneath Antarctica's ice that could be home to undiscovered species

[Fweethawt]

http://nationalpost.com/news/world/researchers-find-secret-warm-oasis-beneath-antarcticas-ice-that-could-be-home-to-undiscovered-species

 

Deep within Antarctica’s ice caves, a group of scientists may have discovered a secret ecosystem of plants and animals being supported by the warmth of an active volcano. 

[Thurisaz]

Based on the groundbreaking work of Sir H. P. Lovecraft I think we all know what to expect if some poor scientists take a closer look.

 

[pantheory]

13 hours ago, Fweethawt said:

http://nationalpost.com/news/world/researchers-find-secret-warm-oasis-beneath-antarcticas-ice-that-could-be-home-to-undiscovered-species

 

Deep within Antarctica’s ice caves, a group of scientists may have discovered a secret ecosystem of plants and animals being supported by the warmth of an active volcano. 

 

This is cool in that they might find some new genera and species of plants and animals within a unique ecosystem.

 

This is important information in that many moons, as well as one or more minor planets in our solar system, have water ice as a major component of their makeup, usually on their surfaces. Below that many are believed to have oceans of water, whether brackish or not. Some have volcanism as well as tidal heating if they orbit close enough to a larger body. These factors produce heat. Heat, a source of energy, and water are the primary ingredients necessary for life here on Earth, and could likely be the ingredients for life elsewhere in our solar system or other stellar planetary systems. So we do not always have to look solely at the Goldilocks zone of a stellar system as being the only possibility for life in that system.