Signs of life

Hopes that Antarctica’s Lake Vostok could be teeming with life have been
boosted by the discovery of seismic activity in the area. The lake lies about
4000 metres beneath the ice. Researchers have evidence it contains
microorganisms which could be unique. Seismic activity would supply the heat and
minerals that more complex life forms would need. “If geothermal fluid is
entering the lake, it’s possible we could have hydrothermal vents and higher
organisms,” says Robin Bell of the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory at Columbia
University.