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Many view Antarctica as a frozen wasteland. Turns out there are hidden interconnected lakes underneath its dry valleys that could sustain life and shed light on ancient climate change. A team of researchers detected extensive salty groundwater networks in Antarctica using a novel airborne electromagnetic mapping sensor system called SkyTEM.
The research provides compelling evidence that the underground lakes and brine-saturated sediments may support subsurface microbial ecosystems. The findings allow scientists to better learn how Antarctica has responded to climate change over time and help them understand glacial dynamics.The researchers believe the newly discovered brines harbor similar microbial communities in the deep, cold, dark groundwater. The brines may provide insight on how microbes survive such extreme conditions. They also may provide the basis for future exploration of a subsurface habitat on Mars.Image credit: L. Jansan
